CM Punk talks Starrcast, whether or not he has relationship with AEW

[cero2k]

Source: f4wonline.com

During an interview with ESPN's Marc Raimondi, CM Punk discussed his upcoming appearance at Starrcast and whether or not he has a relationship with AEW.

It was announced last week that Punk would be appearing at Starrcast III in Schaumburg, Illinois on Saturday, August 31, which is the same day as AEW's All Out pay-per-view. Punk will be taking part in a one-on-one interview at Starrcast, along with doing meet-and-greets.

Though Starrcast has only taken place during All In, Double or Nothing, and All Out weekends, it's put on by Conrad Thompson and isn't officially an AEW event. Punk also did an autograph signing at Pro Wrestling Tees' store in Chicago the day before All In last year.

Punk told Raimondi about why he agreed to the Starrcast appearance:

Punk: They asked if I wanted to do Starrcast. That's basically it. There's no mad scientist formula to it. I hate traveling. I've turned down offers to do signings in other places. It turns into a mission to leave town just to do a signing and stuff. I like to take time with everybody and make sure everybody has a good experience. I try not to just shuffle people through a line. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's not just somebody shoves something in front of me, I sign it and it's on to the next. I really try to make sure everybody has a story to tell or an experience. Sometimes it can be exhausting.

The biggest thing was it's in my hometown. I get to go for one day, I get to have fun, I get to give back to the fans, so to speak. And I get to go home and rest afterward.

Punk spoke about whether or not there's a relationship between him and AEW:

Punk: No. I know they like to talk about me a lot. If I text Matt Jackson, 'Hey, have a great show tonight,' which I did when they had their big show in Vegas, that somehow turns into Tony Khan telling people he has a great relationship with me. I've said in the past I've talked to them, but nothing ever came of anything.

ESPN: When you decided to do Starrcast, did you go over in your mind, like, 'I'm going to get a thousand questions about AEW.'

Punk: Oh yeah, you've gotta brace yourself for it. It's not even AEW. I'm gonna get a thousand questions about WWE. It comes with the territory.

ESPN: Do you feel like there's an expectation from fans that you're going to show up at AEW's show, at All Out?

Punk: I think if there's an expectation, it's purely been built by them. My silence to some fans means something. They're trying to read the tea leaves, but there's nothing to read. I even feel like talking about it may feel like I'm putting some sort of negative slant on it, but I'm really not. The fact is I know they've teased me ad nauseam, and if anybody is gonna get mad it's at me because I don't show up. Well then, I don't know what to tell you. That's one of those things that's none of my business.

ESPN: When you say they've teased you, what do you mean by that?

Punk: They do videos where they talk about me. They're constantly talking about me in the media. And again, maybe this sounds like I'm badgering them, but I'm not. It's just something that happens. I'm a popular guy to talk about. But I'm not doing interviews talking about them. If people ask me about it, I say no, I won't be there.

ESPN: Just to be completely clear, there's nothing imminent?

Punk: The last thing I got -- I got a text from Cody [Rhodes]. And again, I almost don't even know how to reply to them sometimes, because if I reply, they do interviews and are like, 'Oh yeah, I just talked to Punk.' I'm kind of damned if I do, damned if I don't. I always think if somebody wants to do business with me, they can come talk to me. Texting offers isn't really a way to do good business, at least.

ESPN: Was it an offer via text?

Punk: It was texted through three people and an offer came in through text. This is like a month ago, maybe.

ESPN: An offer for All Out?

Punk: I think it was just a general offer. I never could have done the last one in Vegas [Double or Nothing], because I was in California for [Cage Fury Fighting Championships].

When asked if he'll be involved with professional wrestling in any way by the end of 2020, Punk said he doubts it. Punk said he's a different person than he was in 2011 and a different person than he was when he left WWE five years ago.

Punk said that he's still under contract with the UFC but hasn't been offered another fight by them. Raimondi asked Punk (who is a commentator for Cage Fury Fighting Championships) if he thinks his future in MMA might be more on the commentary side of things:

Punk: Yeah, maybe. It definitely feels like that. There's a gray area, obviously. Man, I would love to get a W, but I'm f---ing old. Training camps aren't easy when you're old and you have as many miles on your body as I do. I break everything down into, 'Do I love this? No, I don't love it? Then I'm not gonna do it anymore.' And training and CFFC are things that I very much love to do, so I'm gonna continue to do them.

I've said a long time ago, you never say never, and I think it's kind of a billionaire's mindset -- if somebody offers you something, you say yes to it and then you figure out how to do it.

ESPN: You're still training at Roufusport with the intention of fighting again, though, right?

Punk: I don't have any date. I don't even know what I'm gonna do. I love the s--- out of it, so I still do it.

[KILLdozer]

If anything it just makes those fat boys look bad.

[Bob-O]

If anything it just makes those fat boys look bad.

Of course he is! I know I'm the exact mark he's talking about, but he's so full of shit.

Punk: They asked if I wanted to do Starrcast. That's basically it.

Except for when Cody "texted him an offer" a month ago. Gotcha.

When asked if he'll be involved with professional wrestling in any way by the end of 2020, Punk said he doubts it. Punk said he's a different person than he was in 2011 and a different person than he was when he left WWE five years ago.

That's not "NO!". He usually answers "NO!"

Punk: I think if there's an expectation, it's purely been built by them. My silence to some fans means something. They're trying to read the tea leaves, but there's nothing to read. I even feel like talking about it may feel like I'm putting some sort of negative slant on it, but I'm really not. The fact is I know they've teased me ad nauseam, and if anybody is gonna get mad it's at me because I don't show up. Well then, I don't know what to tell you. That's one of those things that's none of my business.

Punk knows his image is on the line here with the fanbase that will pay the most for it. Will it make or break him? No. But he's so nonchalant here instead of being his normal abundantly clear self. This is not the CM Punk we've been seeing for the last 8 years. This is night and day.

that somehow turns into Tony Khan telling people he has a great relationship with me. I've said in the past I've talked to them, but nothing ever came of anything.

This is the kicker though, this is tinfoil hat time. Cody texted him, he texts Matt, texted through three people, "they can call me" blah blah blah. This is the only part where he mentions Tony Khan... you know... the guy who'd ACTUALLY be hiring him. The guy with the checkbook. Let's take a quick trip down memory lane and revisit Khan's negotiations with Chris Jericho...

"Who knows would could possibly happen," Jericho said when recalling Khan's idea. "I'm not gonna work there, but maybe I could use it for negotiations or give some advice. Because at the time I also called the family that owned Impact Wrestling and told them to hire Scott D'Amore and Don Callis and get out of the business…not because I wanted to go to Impact, but because I wanted the business to continue to thrive."

Jericho mentioned that when he did All In in Chicago, he had a concert with Fozzy right after and used a private jet to fly from Chicago to Kansas City. That wasn't just any old, private jet as it came courtesy of the Khans.

"I did the match [at All In] and then flew back to Kansas City to do the Fozzy gig at night on a private plane which was provided by Tony Khan," revealed Jericho. "That's something I never told anybody before – Tony Khan provided that jet."

He then said that he met with Khan after doing a Fozzy gig in Jacksonville before All In and they talked for four hours. The passion and experience with business, the sports business especially, got Jericho interested.

"The original offer that came in blew my mind… What? This is a real, almost like NHL-level offer which I'd never gotten before," said Jericho.

Tony Khan let Chris Jericho use his private jet. They talked, IN PERSON, for FOUR HOURS. Tony Khan wanted CM Punk first, he wanted him more than Jericho, and with the network premier on the horizon somebody with Tony's passion and checking account is going to get what he wants. I do not believe that Tony Khan is simply texting CM Punk offers if there's even a little bit of wiggle room to get his foot in the door... you know... like gladly agreeing to do Starcast. Punk is full of shit. If Tony Khan is telling people that he's on great terms with CM Punk, I'm more inclined to believe the one that's not a carny.

Punk said that he's still under contract with the UFC but hasn't been offered another fight by them. Raimondi asked Punk (who is a commentator for Cage Fury Fighting Championships) if he thinks his future in MMA might be more on the commentary side of things:

Punk: Yeah, maybe. It definitely feels like that. There's a gray area, obviously. Man, I would love to get a W, but I'm f---ing old.

Punk is worthless to UFC and I'm sure would gladly let him work someplace else to get some credibility back to his name... fighting, commentating, whatever... he's absolutely worth more to them as a pro-wrestling personality and a fan than as a credible fighter. He's a joke in UFC. Try again.

Finally:


HIS STARS ARE ALL OVER ALL THE GODDAMN POSTERS!


Now listen, I'm not going to be pissed if he's not there. I'm going to be pissed that I was wrong. But I'm not. If CM Punk does not appear at All Out I will drink a bottle of Hot Sauce and upload it to my YouTube for you all to enjoy. Hold me to it.

I'm. Right.

[cero2k]

I mean, those stars are Chicago's, Punk just happens to be Chicago Made. But yeah, it's all starting to sound too 'worky' and I love it

[KILLdozer]

Bob-O...you're on then FAT-BOY!

[cero2k]

UPDATE

Punk's interview will be live on pay-per-view.

[KILLdozer]

I actually just saw his "UFC fights", if we could even call them that...yesterday, for the first time ever....and wow that dude was horrible.

You talk about kayfabe characters in wrestling....not to mention he was destroyed verbally by any and everyone in the UFC ...