CM Punk Reveals He Was Told He'd "Never Make It" In WWE

CM Punk was a guest on Busted Open Radio this morning, where he spoke about some of the talent he's looking forward to working with in All Elite Wrestling.

“The lame answer is everybody. I’ve never worked with The Young Bucks. I’ve never worked with Kenny Omega. I’ve worked with Cody in what, 2009? Those are the guys that I never mention when I’m doing media because I always feel the need to put the spotlight on other young guys like Darby Allin, Pillman Jr. Hobbs, Ricky Starks. There’s people that have potential. If you know anything about wrestling, and you watch the program, you see those guys, and you go, ‘That guy right there. That guy’s got something.’ I love how they are rough around the edges. That’s so great.

It reminds me of watching an old wrestling television show, studio wrestling, and seeing guys where not everything is super polished. Not everything is an LED screen. These guys have different gear, different looks, personalities that are all different. You can tell they all come from different spots. They’ve trained in different ways and they have different styles. That’s what 100% attracted me to the AEW locker room. Why wouldn’t I want to wrestle these guys? Why wouldn’t I want to go there? You can talk about big money matches. There’s way more in AEW than there is anywhere else for me.”

Punk also spoke about how he was told he'd never make it in WWE.

“What this has all captured for me is the entire reason that I used to get in a car, drive to Southern Indiana, and work for barely gas money for Ian Rotten in a bar in Southern Indiana in front of 6 people, being told I’ll never work anywhere else because Jim Cornette runs OVW, and he hates Ian, and now you’ll never make it to WWE. I was like, well, they’re not the ones offering me a job and this guy is, and I get to work Tracy Smothers. Why wouldn’t I do it?

You (Punk talking to Tommy Dreamer) were there when I was in OVW, and they were sending memos that CM Punk was never to be brought to television because he’s the king of the indies. My thing was that I wish I could have a conversation with the people sending those memos because where the f**k was I supposed to work? The indies. That’s what’s there because your father swallowed up all the viable territories.

The only thing I ever tried to do was tell a good story in the ring, and learn from people that came before me. I always thought it was funny that Dusty Rhodes loved me. Harley Race loved me. Terry Funk loved me. Tracy Smothers loved me. I had all these guys that gave me their stamp of approval. Then I get to the big show and I’m told that I’m nothing and I’ll never make it. I’m like, that’s weird because these guys like me, and that’s almost all I care about. Then the chip on my shoulder came out, and I was like, I’ll prove you all wrong, and I did.”