Before the 2025 WWE Night of Champions premium live event in Riyadh, CM Punk addressed a lingering controversy that had followed him for years. Speaking to the Saudi crowd during the Kickoff Show on Friday, Punk issued a public apology for his infamous 2020 tweet that criticized WWE’s involvement in Saudi Arabia.
Following the event, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque reflected on Punk’s apology and personal evolution during the post-show press conference.
“If you’d told me a decade ago that CM Punk would be standing here in Saudi Arabia, representing WWE, I’d have said you were out of your mind,” Triple H admitted. “But people grow. They change, they evolve, and life teaches us all lessons. This week, I had the privilege of watching two men prepare for battle — but more than that, I watched them grow. Especially CM Punk.”
He continued, “To see him step forward, apologize sincerely to the people of Saudi Arabia, and express gratitude for where he is now — both in his life and career — that meant a lot. I was incredibly proud of him.”
Punk’s heartfelt comments marked a turning point in his relationship with both WWE and the global audience, as the former world champion looks to continue his redemption arc under the bright lights of WWE’s biggest stages.
Triple H also took a moment to address the persistent chants of “One more match” that rang out during the press event. In typical tongue-in-cheek fashion, he shut down the idea with finality:
“You can chant that all you want,” he quipped. “There ain’t one more match in this. You know how they say, ‘If it’s the last thing I do?’ Well, that would be the last thing I do.”
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