Roman Reigns has delivered a strong final message to CM Punk ahead of their World Heavyweight Championship clash at WrestleMania 42.
Speaking with Michael Cole, Reigns was asked what frustrates him most about Punk. His response went beyond their personal rivalry, touching on WWE’s reliance on past stars.
“What irks me the most is I put in all that work to get us to the point where we could move on from people like CM Punk, John Cena, The Rock. I got it to a point where we were so strong within our own full-time roster, and now I look around and it’s a retirement act here, a retirement act there.”
Reigns continued by questioning Punk’s current relevance compared to his peak years.
“We’re living off this nostalgia of CM Punk and it’s not 2012. The magic and the mystique of him is gone now. He’s just a regular guy. That’s what pisses me off the most.”
“The Tribal Chief” also made it clear he believes his own contributions elevated WWE to a level that others have failed to maintain.
“I put my soul into lifting this company up, and the people who were supposed to be able to carry that equity shit the bed. That’s what irks me. Punk is what he is. He’s tried his hardest in the last two months to affect me, my status, my product, my superstardom, all of it. He can’t,” Reigns said.
Reigns will challenge Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship in the Night Two main event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
With tensions at a boiling point, the stage is set for one of the most high-profile matches of WrestleMania weekend.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for full WrestleMania 42 coverage and results.
