WWE: CM Punk finds more support as wrestling veteran slams "fake outrage"

Ever since CM Punk was announced for the Night of Champions Premium Live Event in Saudi Arabia, he has been caught in a whirlwind of controversy. Fans online called him a hypocrite for being on the show after he had criticized WWE's involvement with the country five years ago.

But at the same time, he has found support in many quarters, especially from former wrestlers. The latest in this line is ex-WCW star Disco Inferno.

Speaking on the Keepin' It 100 Official podcast, Inferno addressed a question from a fan about Punk's changed stance about performing in Saudi.

"They literally are just posting things to try to post W's on social media like, 'Oh, Punk changed his mind. I'm going go to Saudi Arabia. Let's do a a blitz on on how despicable he is,'" Inferno said. [0:40 onwards]

Did Goldberg ruin Bray Wyatt's career? - Watch Now!

Inferno then brought up a tweet from Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, where he took a sarcastic jibe at Punk's apology in Saudi during the Night of Champions Kickoff Show.

"Brandon Thurston posted a tweet, like he wrote an article like about... But bro it's just ridiculous you know what I'm saying. Even Ryback, he doesn't like Punk, like was was defending Punk. So, I just think it's this fake outrage," he added. [1:24 onwards]

Konnan also defended Punk's stance, saying that "he has a right to change his mind" and the anger toward him was "pure virtue signaling."

Ryback and Rob Van Dam defended CM Punk's actions

Amid the barrage of criticism, Punk found a surprise ally in his former nemesis Ryback. The two had issues with each other in the past with real-life heat, but The Big Guy chose to look beyond that.

After Thurston's comments, Ryback posted a tweet saying he didn't "see him as a sellout." Later, talking on his 1 of a Kind podcast, Rob Van Dam also dismissed the accusations against Punk.

"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," he said. [0:55 onwards]

Punk will look to put the controversy behind him as he gears up for the next chapter in his second coming in WWE.

Please add an H/T to Sportskeeda if you use the quotes from this article and credit the original source.

About the author

Sherjeel Malik is a writer at Sportskeeda and covers pro wrestling. He was hooked on the product from the moment he saw The Hardy Boyz jumping off ladders during the Attitude Era. While he comes from an engineering background, Sherjeel’s love for pro wrestling and content writing led him to pursue a career in sports journalism. Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Sherjeel worked at other reputable organizations for five years.

While writing articles, he ensures that he only relies on credible sources for information and covers relevant subjects that do not project an agenda against a particular person or association. WWE legend Paul Heyman once shared Sherjeel’s work on his social media handle.

Sherjeel’s earliest memory of pro wrestling is watching Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker square off for the WWE Title in the main event of a pay-per-view in 1998. His favorite wrestlers are Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy. While he admires Orton for his character work as a heel, he looks up to Jeff because of his unique wrestling style and risk-taking ability.

If he could go back to the Attitude Era, Sherjeel would like to manage Ken Shamrock and be his mouthpiece. He feels Shamrock’s promo skills prevented him from becoming a main event-level act in WWE. Hence, he would like to help the UFC Hall of Famer get over with fans.

When not writing about pro wrestling, he likes to read classics and fiction books.

Know More

One wrong move ended Big E's career - Watch Here!

Edited by Arsh Das