CM Punk On How Happy He Is In AEW, If He's Interested In Facing KENTA At Forbidden Door

CM Punk apparently is not interested in a battle of the GTS with NJPW star KENTA.

KENTA has expressed interest in a potential match with Punk for years now, and now there's speculation on AEW and NJPW booking the match at the upcoming AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view on June 26. Punk recently spoke with Connor Casey of ComicBook.com to promote his new role on FX's Mayans M.C. show, and asked if a match with KENTA interests him at all.

"No," Punk simply responded.

Punk is set to challenge AEW World Champion "Hangman" Adam Page at the AEW Double Or Nothing pay-per-view on May 29, just nine months into his run with the company. Punk was asked if the run has been what he expected.

"This run has been more than what I expected," Punk said. "I had expectations. They were pretty high. So far, they've pretty much shattered all that, and that's just based on analytics and numbers of how well we're doing. I've long said that I'm there for the fans in the building. Nowadays everybody is still focused on ratings numbers when cable is absolutely — I canceled DirecTV months ago. I just, I couldn't do it anymore. It's too convoluted. It's too expensive.

"Streaming services are, I feel like, are the future. So when people look at ratings and say that wrestling is dying, I say, 'Well look at our buildings. We're selling out and we're doing our first million-dollar gate.' So I don't attribute that just to me. I attribute that to the spirit of AEW and everybody behind the scenes that makes it all work and makes it all click."

Punk added, "But the run, my run specifically, my stuff as a whole, I've never been happier in a wrestling ring. I've never, to me, been telling more fluid, better, reality-based stories. It's been a real treat."

Punk defeated John Silver on last night's AEW Dynamite. Since debuting last summer, he has worked 19 singles and tag team matches for AEW, and suffered only one loss – against MJF on the February 2 Dynamite episode.

Stay tuned for more.