Accusations of in-ring injuries caused by Ryback have been addressed by the wrestler himself, claims made by CM Punk during their time together in WWE.
The contentious relationship between the two pro-wrestlers dates back to their Hell in a Cell 2012 face-off, where Punk, with Brad Maddox as his referee aid, held onto the WWE Championship, warding off a challenge from Ryback.
The rivalry was far from over and saw further installments at Survivor Series 2012, where Punk successfully defended his title against Ryback and John Cena in a Triple Threat Match. Ryback then squared off against Punk in a TLC Match on RAW in early 2013, only to lose due to interference from The Shield.
The duo reignited their feud towards the end of 2013, when Ryback paired up with Paul Heyman. However, the rivalry was snuffed out when Punk overpowered him at 2013’s Battleground.
After parting ways with WWE in 2014, Punk expressed harsh criticism of Ryback in “The Art of Wrestling” podcast with Colt Cabana. He accused Ryback of inconsiderate maneuvers in the ring that allegedly resulted in injuries, one of them being a fractured rib.
Ryback defended himself in a recent Instagram video, stating that he proceeded with caution when engaging Punk, knowing about the latter’s pre-existing injuries.
Ryback stated, “The reason is that I was as gentle with him as anyone I’ve ever worked with. If you compare my matches with Punk to those with Brock, Brock was certainly more physical than I was. I knew about Punk’s injuries—he was constantly in pain backstage—so I made sure to be extra gentle with him. One table spot that attracts attention—the truth is, the table broke, and he landed on padding. We achieved what we wanted with that angle. I didn’t face any repercussions. Nobody, be it Vince, Hunter, or any office staff held me accountable. The spot unfolded as intended. Was it flawless? No, but he landed on padding. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t fall precisely through the table’s center.”
In the same clip, Ryback admitted to an incident with R-Truth.
He added, “For those who suggest, ‘Oh, you don’t take responsibility; you never learn,’ that’s inaccurate. There was an incident in the ring with R-Truth, a man I greatly respect. I unintentionally winded him with a stomach kick. When we learnt that move in development, we were instructed to apply force but remind our opponent to flex their abdomen. On one occasion, I forgot to remind Truth to be prepared, and when I delivered the kick, it winded him. I felt terrible. He’s very professional, never complains, and wasn’t upset about the incident. I apologized for my mistake but still regret it. So yes, I can take responsibility for my actions. However, in relation to Punk, I was as careful with him as with anyone else I have faced.”
The video can be viewed below:
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