CM Punk started a rivalry with Drew McIntyre back in early 2024. Unfortunately, the wrestler had to take a backseat in the in-ring action aspect of his renewed WWE stint due to a tricep injury. While he still trudges down an arduous road to recovery, WWE decided to use this time to continue developing his feud against the Scottish wrestler.

Things leveled up between the two rivals after Clash at the Castle PLE a few weeks ago. Just when the feud kicked into top gear, a mishap from the former AEW star’s part invited the ire of the wrestling community. On SmackDown 06/21 Punk accidentally exposed the Stamford-based company while walking out of the arena and now he is getting criticized for the same.

CM Punk called out for not maintaing kayfabe

The Best in the World was beaten up on Friday Night SmackDown after Clash at the Castle at the hands of Drew McIntyre. The latter wanted revenge for messing up his title shot in his home country. After a merciless whopping, Punk was sent to the hospital on a stretcher, probably revealing that he was not yet fit to wrestle again.

However, instead of selling the kayfabe injury, Punk was spotted leaving the premises, driving his own car. Disappointed in his impatience at not staying in this kayfabe and exposing the business angered a podcaster on the latest episode of the Busted Open Podcast.

The co-host said, “Why allow yourself to be videotaped behind the wheel of your own car? Because in today’s day and age, if one person knows, a million people know because of social media and things going viral.” This small decision by the Chicago-based wrestler ruined the make-believe that pro wrestling fans like to get in sync with.

Nevertheless, WWE and fans will be hoping that this is a slight mishap on Punk’s part as they carefully elevate the feud between the American and the Scotsman. In fact, this feud has its roots etched in the past when CM Punk took a shot at Drew McIntyre in the past.

CM Punk did not like McIntyre’s attitude

Back in 2007, McIntyre debuted in the leading wrestling promotion for the first time. Ever since his arrival, he did not win any major world championship. This negative streak broke when he defeated The Beast Incarnate in the year 2020 at WrestleMania 36. There was an interview where McIntyre was asked about a hypothetical situation where he could have won a championship earlier in his career, rather than more than a decade later.

McIntyre answered that he probably would have messed up the opportunity and not justified it properly. During an Instagram live later on, a fan broke the news to CM Punk about The Scottish Psychopath winning the championship. Punk congratulated the wrestler for the achievement but also criticized him for the self-loathing answer during the interview that the former AEW star must have watched.

Although it was all in good-will back then, now their story has seemingly taken a brutal turn. Do you think CM Punk should have played off the injury better?