During a recent episode of his podcast “83 Weeks”, WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff talked about how his viewpoint on CM Punk evolved and why he became a fan of Punk.
Here are some notable parts from the podcast:
As regards transforming into a CM Punk fan, Bischoff shared, “I believe I’ve become a fan of Punk. As a matter of fact, it’s not that I presume I’m turning into a follower of his. The truth of the matter is I have absolutely turned into a Punk supporter. No, it truly hasn’t felt like something extraordinary. But when I clarify why and how I established these feelings and the reason I wasn’t an enthusiast of Punk previously, everything will become clear.”
Speaking on what influenced his mindset change, Bischoff said, “Honestly, I didn’t really follow Punk closely during his rise in WWE, so I can’t comment much about his contributions. And when I mention ‘contributions,’ I mean his overall ability and not just his in-ring prowess. I don’t think I’ve ever watched a single snippet from his indie scene career. What I learned was that I had a neutral viewpoint about Punk, it never mattered to me either way, before he joined AEW.”
Bischoff continued, “My only impression of him was formed when I saw him interact with fans at events, which he is really good at. But it all changed when he started at AEW. He made some comments that, in my opinion, were off-base, particularly his Hogan comments. Also, his performance didn’t impress me much. Considering all these factors, my opinion of him began to sway.”
He added, “But then recently watching him compete against Cena in the Elimination Chamber match made me rethink. The way he expressed himself and his timing in WWE was very striking, it’s completely different from AEW. Initially, his overly emotional reactions kind of irked me but slowly it’s like he made me see it differently. In addition, his interaction with Seth Rollins not only elevated him but Rollins as well. So, my perception of Punk evolved from initial neutrality to disapproval and eventually to deep admiration, largely influenced by the match I recently watched.”
Check out the full podcast episode below:
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