In a recent discussion with “No Contest Wrestling,” CM Punk opened up about his debut in All Elite Wrestling (AEW), which signaled his comeback to wrestling after seven years of absence. He divulged his feelings ahead of this major event in his career.
Punk confessed that he struggled with imposter syndrome before officially making his comeback.
He went on to say, “Most people, who do live television, I haven’t really experienced it doing TV and movies because you can do another take. There is pressure to that, but not pressure like live television, live sports. I don’t know what it’s like to play Game 7 Stanley Cup Final, home game, and be down there for the face-off and puck drops. I don’t know what that experience is like. I think I can maybe draw some parallels to things I’ve done in my career. Coming back, there is a level of imposter syndrome that I think I’ve always dealt with. As much as I’ve always been that guy that shuts out all those negative voices, those voices are still there. After not doing something for seven years and famously having this very public and ugly breakup with the company, the thought is, ‘Are people going to care? How will they remember me?’ You also have a pretty good idea, ‘Yeah, I just sold out the house that Michael Jordan built on a rumor. I’m pretty sure they’re not here to throw tomatoes at me.’ There is always that little bit of doubt. I thrive on being uncomfortable, and in that moment, I was so uncomfortable because I was so uncertain, and I loved it. I have never felt more alive. I’ve had low lows, ‘I wish this was all over with.’ I’ve had high highs, ‘I never want this to end.’ There is that middle part that I have experienced, a couple of times, fortunately. It was the same thing when I came back at Survivor Series. The uncertainty, but then looking around and seeing all these people, my peers and colleagues, filming it.”
In another candid conversation, this time with “Cheap Heat,” Vic Joseph recounted the guidance he got from Cody Rhodes before partnering with Booker T in commentary for WWE NXT.
Joseph shared, “I had one of the music producers who bring that always brings in a Sexyy Red or Hardy or Jelly Roll. He came up to me and said, ‘I have to tell you, you make our job so much easier. When you told Book when Sexyy Red came out that if he stood up he was going to tip over the table, we lost it.’ I did it live on air. I have so much freedom with Book. Wade Barrett got my confidence back, Wade and Beth (Phoenix). I got my Masters Degree. Working with Book, I’m getting my Doctorate. He is the perfect broadcast colleague for me to work with right now because, at the end of the day, it falls on me. I have him ready to go, and I trust whatever he’s going to say. I just have to be able to pick it up and run with it. That’s the beauty of it. When he says something, I don’t know what he’s going to say. I never know anything Booker T is going to say, hand to God, any week on Tuesdays. What you’re hearing from me is my actual genuine reaction. He’s the best broadcast partner I’ve ever worked with in any sport. I can’t say enough good things about Booker. Cody Rhodes told me when the switch happened. I was in Italy two years ago, I was on my honeymoon. I got a text from Shawn Michaels and it said, ‘Can you work with Booker?’ ‘Sure. Cool. I’ll see you when I get back.’ It has been off and running ever since. Cody Rhodes told me, ‘You have to let Book be Book. Do not let him play Wrestler Broadcaster Analyst 101. Let Booker be Booker.’”