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After securing the first and biggest win of his WWE career since returning to the company at Survivor Series 2023, CM Punk was feeling pretty darn good about himself.
He had back his bracelet, he had back his win, and with McIntyre seemingly slayed, the “Best in the World” told Cathy Kelley during the official Bash in Berlin post-show that he was ready to move on from the “Scottish Warrior” and instead get his hands on the Championship gold.
“Well it's definitely the end for me and Drew McIntyre,” Punk told Kelley after Bash in Berlin. “What's next for me is I'm going to take a long hot shower, I'm going to try and find some donuts, and I got myself a main event to watch. I'm very interested in the result, Gunther vs. Randy Orton, and some people like to say, ‘May the best man win.' In this case, may the best man win because the better man is coming for you. I want the gold. I'm coming for you, sucka.”
… what? After securing a single win over McIntyre, a man he has ruined multiple title matches and a World Heavyweight Championship win to boot, Punk is just done with his most heated rival in years? Without even a proper rubber match to close out the feud?
Yeah, that sounds rather fishy, right?
Now granted, maybe this is all part of the plan; Punk was feeling himself for costing McIntyre his big match at Clash at the Castle only to be absolutely ambushed by the “Scottish Warrior” when WWE returned to Chicago, and that moment got this entire friendship sub-angle going, as that show is where the Larry and AJ bracelet first changed hands.
Could Punk appear backstage on RAW in Colorado, march through the backstage area in a pre-taped segment ahead of an announced promo, and then find himself beaten to the ground before he makes his cue, with fans watching in horror as McIntyre claims his pound of flesh? Or maybe Punk could cut in during his promo with another surprise attack? Or even do so digitally, with the “Scottish Warrior” showing off his “Psychopath” side in a pre-taped vignette that puts Punker and/or his family into even more peril?
On paper, it makes sense that Punk would want to move past McIntyre and focus on becoming a World Champion within the WWE Universe, as that is the goal of every Superstar, but being so definitive about ending his program with the “Scottish Warrior” without so much as a response from the most chronically online man in the promotion, maybe the business as a whole seems shortsighted at best and woefully miscalculated at worst, as if he's breathing, you just know the “Chosen One” is hating, especially when his rival is on top.
What's next for CM Punk?!#WWEBash pic.twitter.com/IUQh2HToin
— WWE (@WWE) August 31, 2024
CM Punk is proud to avenge AJ Lee and Larry's honor
Elsewhere during his post-Bash in Berlin victory match, Punker decided to sit down with Jackie Redmond for a WWE digital exclusive, where he was asked how it felt to secure a massive win over McIntyre in Germany. Unsurprisingly, Punk was feeling pretty good and was excited to return to America to share the moment with his family.
“It feels good. A big deal has been made out of this, but it was really about the disrespect to my dog and my wife,” Punk told Redmond via Fightful. “I plan on going home and giving my dog and my wife a big hug and a kiss, maybe not in that order, but probably in that order, and move on to bigger and better things.”
Asked if AJ Lee had a message for Punk ahead of the match, the “Second City Saint” said she did, letting Redmon know that when it comes to Larry, he pretty much has carte blanche to do whatever he wants to make things right.
“She told me, anytime it involves Larry, she tells me to ‘Make sure you hurt them,'” Punk declared. “Just like in the past, if anybody messes with my dog, I hurt them. I think I hurt Drew and I can hopefully move on. I have gold on my mind.”
Whoa, and an AEW reference on top of it? Holy heck, Punker really was in his feelings, wasn't he?
When it comes to WWE programming, nothing is ever one-dimensional, with Punk likely being told to push being done with McIntyre hard during his post-show interviews, as if he, for some reason, conveyed the incorrect information, they could always re-shoot the non-live segments to make sure the right message came through. And yet, even if that is the case, Punker can also be very excited about his win and want to really rub it into McIntyre's face, as if anything, that is incredibly on-brand for the “Best in the Word.”
