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CM Punk felt the heat from fans, especially those in Saudi Arabia, as he traveled to Riyadh for the 2025 Night of Champions. Five years ago, Punk had lashed out at WWE for its partnership with the nation and had an unsavory back-and-forth with The Miz on X/Twitter.
Punk's visit to Saudi Arabia led many fans to label him as a hypocrite online, but a former WWE Champion has come to his defense. Rob Van Dam was asked about The Second City Saint's decision on his 1 Of A Kind podcast. In response, the 54-year-old explained how he viewed the former WWE Champion showing up in Saudi Arabia and whether it could be seen as hypocrisy.
"No, I don't, I don't consider [it] hypocrisy, unless it was done at the same time. You know what I mean? Because people can grow, the [sic] perspective can change. And so if he said something five years ago and then now, he feels different about it, then that's not what a hypocrite is. You know, like we all grow, feel different," RVD said, defending Punk. [From 0:55 onwards]
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On Night of Champions Kickoff, CM Punk was at the receiving end of boos from fans in Riyadh. The Second City Saint ended up apologizing on stage after a fan brought up his previous comments.
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H later revealed that he was "incredibly proud" of Punk for apologizing to the fans in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, RVD wasn't the only former WWE star who defended The Best in the World.
CM Punk found a surprise ally over Saudi Arabia decision
During his first WWE stint, CM Punk was involved in a feud with Ryback. Following his exit from the company, Punk blamed The Big Guy for some of his injuries, and there was real-life tension between the two.
After Punk faced criticism for showing up in Saudi Arabia and apologizing to fans, Ryback posted a tweet defending his former colleague.
"I’ve had my issues with Punk, but I don’t see him as a sellout. He returned to do what he loves and to make money—much like you’re doing by writing critical think pieces about others for clicks. WWE is a global business, and working at that level means navigating complex deals, personal beliefs, and public perception. His apology wasn’t about abandoning values—it was about how he expressed them publicly in ways that hurt professional relationships," Ryback wrote.
Ryback's words did come as a surprise, given the issues he has had with CM Punk in the past. As always, Punk continues to generate interest and debate both inside and outside the squared circle. It will be interesting to see if he responds to the criticism he has faced for his visit to Riyadh.
If you use quotes from the article's first half, please credit 1 Of A Kind and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.
