C.M. Punk talks ascending to high levels in wrestling, rips Hulk Hogan

C.M. Punk said “he couldn’t put into words” what it felt like to experience the pop he received when making his return to pro wrestling with AEW after seven years away from the business. In an interview on the Rasslin podcast with Brandon F. Walker, Punk discussed the reaction and others in AEW getting the same thing someday. Punk also revealed who he thought was the biggest star in the history of wrestling and ripped Hulk Hogan while doing so.

“One of the things I’ve always hated about the wrestling business is it seems that people, there’s exceptions to the rule, some people are good about it, but there has always been people who have gotten to a certain level and they’re almost taught and the culture is fostered for them to believe that they need to make sure nobody else gets to that level,” Punk said. “You throwing me, throwing my name in the hat with somebody like Steve Austin, who arguably, is the biggest star the business has ever seen. A lot of this is subjective, though. You could make the argument that, oh, no, Hulk Hogan is a bigger star than Steve Austin, but then you look at business periods, eras, box office receipts, and all that other stuff. I think Hogan’s a piece of s**t, so I’m going to say Steve Austin, yay.”

Punk returned to wrestling on the August 20 episode of AEW Rampage at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. He defeated Darby Allin at All Out in his first match back and is set to face Powerhouse Hobbs at the Grand Slam episode of AEW Rampage on Friday night.

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