CM Punk has revealed the difference between him and the industry veterans.
In the wrestling business for nearly two decades, CM Punk is now a veteran himself. With experience in multiple promotions and several championship wins, The Second City Saint now believes it is his task to guide the youngsters.
Speaking Jackie Redmond in a recent interview, Punk opened up on the visible difference between him and his previous generations. The former champion detailed how it is his responsibility to not treat the young talent the same way he was treated, when he first started. Calling his behavior the exact opposite of that of his previous generation, Punk claimed:
“I also think it’s a very powerful responsibility to not be treated the way some veterans who I looked up to maybe treated me. It’s like learned behavior. Oh, I was treated this way and now I’m going to treat the next generation this way. I do the exact opposite and I try to kill that in its tracks.
They treated me that way because they were maybe scared I was coming up and I was going to take their spot. I want somebody to be that hungry. I want somebody to take my spot. Old lions don’t die of old age. They die from the young lions. Eventually, that’s the way I think the book of CM Punk and the final chapter gets written. I just haven’t seen anybody that man enough to do it yet.”
H/t Fightful
In the same interview, he also commented on how the wrestling business is a “two-way street”.
CM Punk Believes Wrestling Is A “Two-Way Street”
In the same interview with Jackie Redmond, CM Punk called out the wrestling business as very selfish. He mentioned how it is his duty now to guide the youngsters and receive help from them as well.
“The air I operate in is pretty rare. Obviously, the guys I’m competing against, they’re not asking me for advice. They don’t care what I think, but there are other people who maybe do. There are other people who maybe ask because they think politically that’s the smart thing to do. My time, I used here pretty openly. I’m here to help people. The selfish aspect of it to is that I could talk to a 20-year-old track and field athlete from NXT and I’m looking for something I can learn.
It’s a two way street. 46-year-old CM Punk doesn’t know what cool is, if he ever did. Maybe the kids can help me out with that. This business, you’re nothing without the people who paved the road prior to you. This isn’t a team sport. This is a very selfish business. I don’t like talking about myself because I wind up saying these wildly, what I feel, are egotistical things like I’m tired of pretending that half the locker room didn’t buy a pair of boots because they saw CM Punk wrestle.”