Ahead of WWE’s Night of Champions 2025 premium live event in Riyadh, CM Punk publicly addressed and apologized for his controversial 2020 comments in which he had criticized WWE’s involvement in Saudi Arabia. Following the event, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque expressed his pride in Punk, stating he was “incredibly proud” of the former WWE Champion for taking accountability and apologizing to fans in the region.
The move sparked debate among wrestling fans, with some labeling Punk a “hypocrite” for now performing in the very country he once harshly criticized. However, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam offered a measured perspective during a recent episode of his podcast.
“I don’t consider it hypocrisy unless it is done at the same time, because people can grow, the perspective could change,” RVD explained. “If he said something five years ago and now he feels different about it, then that’s not what a hypocrite is. We all grow, feel different.”
RVD went on to clarify the distinction. “If he’s signing the contract, he’s on his way, he’s gonna go get big money in Saudi Arabia and at the same time he messages, ‘I f***in’ hate people that go to Saudi Arabia, they suck,’ and then he goes—that’s different. Because it’s the same guy at the same time showing two different faces, talking out of two different orifices. That’s what a hypocrite is.”
CM Punk’s recent performances in high-profile international events continue to generate conversation both in and out of the ring.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more updates on CM Punk, Rob Van Dam, and all the latest wrestling news.
