CM Punk On How Paul Heyman Saved Him When He Fell Through The Cracks In WWE
During his infamous pipebomb promo, CM Punk claimed that he was a "Paul Heyman guy" and stated that's why he wasn't popular among WWE officials. However, those just weren't words he came up with for his "WWE Raw" speech, as he revealed that Heyman got him into the company while discussing his career at the Cauliflower Alley Club's Mike Muzurki Award party (per Sports Guys Talking Wrestling).
"Paul Heyman got me in and got me on television somehow with CM Punk. I figured I was going to be an astronaut or a farmer or something else. That meant that it's not Vince [McMahon] didn't care; he just didn't care enough about me or ECW that I was able to slip under the radar."
Punk said that he still remembered his days as a backyard wrestler and he didn't know if he'd fit in during his WWE tenure. At the time, the company was considered the land of the giants and full of legends, but it all worked out in the end as he eventually won the ECW Championship before going on to acquire more gold in WWE.
The speech also saw Punk discuss how he made it to WWE in the first place, revealing that his hard work and dedication also played a part in his journey. Furthermore, the "Straight Edge Superstar" had the respect of various legends who put in a good word for him, including Harley Race. The former WWE Superstar has had a successful career in the grand scheme of things, despite being fired from AEW due to his involvement in a backstage incident at All In.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Cauliflower Alley Club with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.