With the highly anticipated behind-the-scenes docuseries WWE: Unreal set to premiere on Netflix on July 29, CM Punk has offered his candid take—and true to form, he’s not sugarcoating it.
Appearing on Unsportsmanlike with Evan Cohen, Chris Canty, and Michelle Smallmon, Punk revealed that while he understands the fan appeal of the new series, it doesn’t fully sit right with him given his deep-rooted respect for wrestling’s old-school values.
“I’m probably the wrong guy to put on this show to try and talk it up,” Punk admitted. “It’s not that I’m so much against it… but my entire existence in professional wrestling—you’re taught, and you’re brought up, and you’re old school—you protect the business. You don’t let the insiders in.”
The WWE: Unreal series promises to take viewers into the WWE writers’ room, offering unprecedented access to the company’s creative process. Punk, who’s known for blurring reality and storyline throughout his career, said the concept feels unusual—even if it’s the industry’s modern direction.
“It’s just really strange, for me at least,” Punk said. “Because I’ve always been taught to protect the business. That’s the world I come from.”
Still, Punk acknowledged the value fans may get from the project, likening WWE: Unreal to HBO’s long-running NFL docuseries Hard Knocks.
“What this show is going to do is show us backstage in our environment, interacting with each other—and that’s really for the fans,” Punk said. “You see it with football shows like Hard Knocks. That’s sort of what we’re doing. We’re following suit in a way.”
While Punk may be conflicted about pulling back the curtain, there’s no doubt he’s front and center when it comes to WWE’s biggest storylines. On this week’s Monday Night Raw, the Second City Saint won a high-stakes gauntlet match to become the No. 1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.
He now heads to SummerSlam, set for August 2 and 3 in Cleveland, Ohio, where he will challenge GUNTHER in a blockbuster title match that promises to be one of the show’s marquee bouts.
Stay with PWMania.com for full coverage of WWE: Unreal, CM Punk’s path to SummerSlam, and all the latest WWE news and analysis.
