What’s the story?
On a recent episode of the Something to Wrestle With podcast, Bruce Pritchard said that he didn't see Shawn Michaels and Triple H bury CM Punk backstage, but the 54-year-old did admit that there were certain agents and producers who had reservations about the Chicago Native's appearance.
Also read: 5 of CM Punk’s best rivalries
In case you didn’t know...
Former WWE writer Court Bauer once said that Triple H and Michaels had a habit of burying younger performers when they were full-time WWE Superstars. On an episode of the Bauer and Pollock podcast, he told the following anecdote:
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“One time, Triple H along with HBK buried CM Punk. I think it was his 2005 tryout,” Bauer said. “Maybe he didn’t know the name, and wasn’t familiar with who it was but they buried him. They annihilated his look and his work and I’m like, ‘you just sunk the guy in front of the Chairman!'”
HBK tried to deny these claims, but they were later reiterated by a former head writer of SmackDown Alex Greenfield.
The heart of the matter
Legend has it that when CM Punk initially joined the WWE, several decision makers were sceptical of his marketability and box office potential. Bruce Prichard essentially confirmed this story and said:
“I don’t remember specific conversations with Shawn and Hunter. I remember specific conversations in agent meetings and production meetings where I think people didn’t think he looked like — there was nothing special about him.
But those were meeting, production meetings where that came from agents, pretty much came from everybody. I don’t remember specifically Shawn and Hunter ever having a conversation with them telling me, ‘hey he looks like the guy that cooked my waffles last night’.”
Court Bauer's initial anecdote fits in with the narrative that there is no love lost between the Second City Saint and Triple H. However, Prichard is unwilling to add more fuel to that fire.
What’s next?
Triple H hasn’t appeared on Monday Night Raw since his loss to Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. The King of Kings is expected to return and set up a feud with Kurt Angle eventually.
CM Punk is involved in a legal dispute with Dr Chriss Amann and is still under contract to the UFC. He will not return to the WWE at any point in the near future.
Author’s take
Even though several people were loath to see him succeed, CM Punk blew away all expectations and became a legend in the professional wrestling business. Even if he never sets foot in a ring again, the Straight Edge Superstar is a first ballot Hall of Famer.
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