Latest on whether WWE forced CM Punk to apologize - Reports

CM Punk walked onto the stage for the Night of Champions Kickoff show in Saudi Arabia to loud boos. The fans, unhappy with The Straight Edge Superstar's tweet from five years ago about WWE's involvement with the country, voiced their displeasure. Punk was even confronted by a fan for his comments, and the former WWE Champion went on to publicly apologize.

There were suggestions that WWE staged CM Punk's apology and interaction with the fan, while others claim that the company pressured him to apologize publicly.

Sean Ross Sapp has now given his take on whether Punk was forced to apologize in Saudi Arabia. During a recent edition of Fightful Select's Weekly Q&A podcast, Sapp stated that he wasn't sure if there was pressure from the company, but said CM Punk expected the reaction and knew he had to address the issue before going to the country. He also said people in WWE were already aware this was the approach The Straight Edge Superstar would take, hence they didn't need to convince him to do anything.

Notably, Triple H lauded Punk's actions and said he was "incredibly proud" of the former WWE Champion.

CM Punk had been involved in a tense back-and-forth with The Miz back in 2020 on X/Twitter over WWE's partnership with Saudi Arabia.

After it was announced that he would compete in the country, fans were quick to remind him of his comments and were critical of his decision. His apology also drew the ire of many in the pro wrestling sphere, with many labelling him a hypocrite.

Still, Punk has found support from Rob Van Dam and his old nemesis, Ryback, during the controversy. While Sapp's comments suggest Punk might have apologized of his own accord, another industry expert's words paint a different picture.

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Dave Meltzer believes CM Punk's Saudi apology was staged

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that WWE staged Punk's apology.

"That obviously, you know, that obviously was planted. (...) Obviously somebody wanted him to apologize, and he did...Like they protect people from this type of thing and they did not protect him at all, they ran an angle that made him look bad, they did this, they made him apologize," Meltzer claimed. [H/T Wrestling Inc.]

For now, the drama of Night of Champions is behind Punk. He lost in the main event to John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship, and as of now, his next feud seems to be with Seth Rollins, who cost him the match in Saudi Arabia.