During a recent episode of his “Something to Wrestle” podcast, WWE executive Bruce Prichard delved into the controversial backstage reaction to CM Punk’s World Heavyweight Championship win in June 2008, when he cashed in the Money in the Bank contract on none other than Edge.
Prichard explained that Punk’s victory was met with controversy as he didn’t have many supporters in the locker room. He said,
“It was controversial because I don’t think Punk had a lot of people in the locker room that were really pro-Punk.”
Despite the mixed reception among his peers, Prichard expressed his belief in Punk’s potential and saw a groundswell of intrigue and support from the general audience, making it a significant and unexpected moment in wrestling history. He said,
“I thought if he’s that polarizing in the locker room, then what’s the general audience feel about him? I really felt the general audience was intrigued. He was different and there was something about Punk, especially at that time, that there were a groundswell and people were getting behind him. There were those that were like ‘What the hell are you doing?’ and those who were happy for him. It was a moment that no one was going to call, and I thought it was a good one.”
