WWE Night of Champions 2025 Discussion

[FUM]

For what it’s worth, I’m a huge CM Punk fan. He is probably my favourite of modern times (if modern is considered following the attitude era) and wrestling television is FAR more interesting for him being on it. I even felt against the grain that he had legitimate grievances in AEW and his “I work with children” line was spot on.

I still think this is one of the most embarrassing things I’ve seen from a wrestler.

Edited June 27, 2025 by FUM

[SuperBacon]

14 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

You're only jumping on it because you're one of the people who still loves WWE for whatever reason

Mate, are you fucking well ???

I watch it maybe 3 times a year. What on earth are you on about?

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

2 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said:

Not one journalist had the nerve to ask him "Hey Punk. Do you know what they do to trans people round here?"

But real glass, eh. Fuckinell.

 

2 hours ago, Chili said:

Unfortunately that was never going to be ever asked especially by people who still want the access to the press conferences.

Neither of you are wrong and we all know and disagree with with the laws of Saudi Arabia and many other countries, including this one,  but if anyone asked that question at a press conference in Saudi then the only thing they've have access to is the Saudi legal system, and they'd be on the wrong end of it. 

[RedTwoster]

7 hours ago, tiger_rick said:

It's very rare that people aren't delighted to be right. It's not pathetic. You're only jumping on it because you're one of the people who still loves WWE for whatever reason.

We're a bit more polite to each other on here than elsewhere but we've got the same tribal nonsense. 

I have to disagree with you here strongly. @SuperBacon is one of the more balanced and fair people on here. A really great person too - much like yourself. But yeah, I think you simply have different opinions, I feel certain and confident in saying that he’s not guilty of tribalism in any way, shape or form.

You’re probably right about it existing in here, but I really do think it’s in a limited form from a tiny minority. 

[LaGoosh]

I'm not even sure what everyone is even arguing about anymore but I think discussion of the CM Punk/Saudi stuff is fine. It's being discussed loads pretty much everywhere wrestling is discussed online - it'sa topical event featuring a high profile and controversial wrestler. Trying to shut down legitimate discussion with "everyone's just patting themselves on the back for being right" or "what about"isms is a pretty bad faith response.

 

[SuperBacon]

1 hour ago, RedTwoster said:

I have to disagree with you here strongly. @SuperBacon is one of the more balanced and fair people on here. A really great person too - much like yourself. But yeah, I think you simply have different opinions, I feel certain and confident in saying that he’s not guilty of tribalism in any way, shape or form.

You’re probably right about it existing in here, but I really do think it’s in a limited form from a tiny minority. 

Yeah its all great having the opinions and passion people have, I was just absolutely baffled as I definitely don't love WWE; watch it maybe 4 times a year, and can't remember the last time I praised it. I enjoyed some of Mania, that's about it.

If it folded tomorrow I doubt I'd be that arsed to be honest. 

Maybe Rick has me confused with someone else, another miserable Spurs fan perhaps. There's plenty of us.

 

[DavidB6937]

Personally I'm not in the frame of mind to particularly deal with wrestling and all the drama on any great depth anymore. I'm just about managing to watch on a surface level and get any enjoyment out of it.

I find the tribalism and company arguments and all that utterly exhausting. I never really liked it before but I just see it all and think who gives a fuck. Just like what you like and don't like what you don't. The constant tit for tat stuff is tiring.

I feel like Punk can be judged on his own merits regardless of whether you like AEW or WWE or whatever else.

He's an incredibly complex case and he's put himself in a position where people are absolutely going to judge him. He's basically walked back on everything he's ever said and while some of those things you could understand - coming back to WWE under a new regime, giving it a fresh start etc - we're now in a position where stuff like the Saudi situation comes under closer scrutiny because his stance on that meant a lot to a lot of people.

I can absolutely see why they'll wonder who CM Punk is in 2025. What does he stand for? Anything anymore? Why should anyone believe in him if he'll probably just change his mind at some point anyway. I've never had a deep and meaningful relationship with him but it's easy to see why a hero to many by going against the grain can be seen as a let down for them now.

Edited June 28, 2025 by DavidB6937

[RedTwoster]

22 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

I can absolutely see why they'll wonder who CM Punk is in 2025. What does he stand for? Anything anymore? Why should anyone believe in him if he'll probably just change his mind at some point anyway. I've never had a deep and meaningful relationship with him but it's easy to see why a hero to many by going against the grain can be seen as a let down for them now.

I have to admit, I’ve tried to rationalise it - but it’s so hard to do that, particularly with the ‘rah-rah Saudi Arabia’ speeches he’s given. When you look at Brodie King and the principled stances he’s taken - in spite of being a disposable member of the AEW roster - you see someone genuinely being brave. Punk could afford to do the same thing without any risk of being fired. Maybe he’d miss out on a Rumble win and maybe even another Wrestlemania main event, but if you truly believe something, it’s a price worth paying. For all his faults, I never doubted his sincerity and now I do. 

1 hour ago, LaGoosh said:

I'm not even sure what everyone is even arguing about anymore but I think discussion of the CM Punk/Saudi stuff is fine. It's being discussed loads pretty much everywhere wrestling is discussed online - it'sa topical event featuring a high profile and controversial wrestler. Trying to shut down legitimate discussion with "everyone's just patting themselves on the back for being right" or "what about"isms is a pretty bad faith response.

 

I honestly don’t think that’s been the intent. 

I agree though that it’s hard not to separate NOC from Punk’s hypocrisy. That’s the story this year, sadly. I’m not going to pretend that I don’t wish it wasn’t, but it is. I’m not watching any show broadcast from Saudi Arabia, so I can’t comment on Punk’s performances as others have, but I can’t not talk about how disappointing I find his decision. 

[Guest]

The company has clearly decided they can't just keep writing him off in an injury angle every time Saudi comes up, but writing this whole thing into the story is really gross. Not just insulting his fans, but actively rubbing in their faces that he's changed his tune. I assume we don't talk about that aspect as much because we expect it from them, but there was no need to do it like this, and it genuinely does just come off as spiteful. 

[DavidB6937]

One thing I do find quite interesting is that there can be a lot of "look what they're making poor Phil do!" comments online because it's much easier to hate WWE than it is to accept the man willingly going along with any of this.

No one really knows what's going on. What discussions have been had behind the scenes. What input Punk himself has had on ANY of this stuff. Maybe some of this was even his idea? It's a genuinely curious situation for all the wrong reasons and I'm very interested in hearing all the stories in the future on how this all came about. Maybe what he tried to push back on etc.

[Chili]

Anyway, be a laugh if Kevin Nash did a run-in for the finish.

[DavidB6937]

9 minutes ago, Chili said:

Anyway, be a laugh if Kevin Nash did a run-in for the finish.

You'll be lucky if he does a walk-in. And he probably should've started already.

[Chili]

2 minutes ago, DavidB6937 said:

You'll be lucky if he does a walk-in. And he probably should've started already.

"By the time he gets to the ring, it'll be Blood Money Sportswashing 38" - Bobby Heenan.

[LaGoosh]

15 minutes ago, Chili said:

Anyway, be a laugh if Kevin Nash did a run-in for the finish.

To this day one of the funniest WTF bonkers angles ever. I'd love to have seen the behind the scenes planning for it.

Of course it led to the "who sent the text to Triple H's phone" story which was hilarious and dumb. Then the culmination of the story was Triple H beating both Punk and Nash in singles matches. Incredible. 

That whole summer/autumn on Raw was filled with huge big swing angles that made no sense and went absolutely nowhere. The strike, the Awesome Truth reign of terror, Triple H firing Vince, Kevin Nash. All the while on Smackdown we had Mark Henry giving us an all time great classic pro wrestling heel run.

[TheScarlettChad]

Nash texting himself then blaming Hunter for it too.