Night of Champions was always going to bring some additional questions for one WWE superstar to answer.
CM Punk has overcome some major adversity in his career but on this occasion, it would be his own actions from the past that would cause him some issues.
While Punk may think that there’s another star who could break John Cena’s record, the 46-year-old is the next man up to try and dethrone the WWE Champion.
On June 28, they will go head-to-head in the latest chapter of their iconic rivalry with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia serving as the backdrop.
While many fans will be cheering Punk on as he attempts to halt Cena’s reign, the fans in attendance for the recent kick-off show didn’t feel this way.
CM Punk apologizes to fans and Saudi Arabia over previous criticisms following negative response
CM Punk received incredibly mixed reactions when he appeared at the kick-off show ahead of Night of Champions on June 28.
In 2019, two years before he would make his wrestling return with AEW, Punk was critical of WWE star The Miz in a post on Twitter (now X).
Punk’s message, which lashed out at The Miz, also made reference to Saudi Arabia and the WWE’s growing partnership with the country, which has led to events like Night of Champions.
Following the fairly negative reaction from the crowd, the star looked to address this by making reference to his previous comments and apologizing for them.
After stating that he’s not perfect and that he’s grateful to be in Saudi Arabia, it appears that Punk was able to win back over many of the fans in attendance.
“This guy wants me to apologize for a mean tweet I wrote six years ago. Hey listen, legitimately had nothing to do with Saudi Arabia. I woke up and I was crabby and I wrote a mean tweet to The Miz and I apologise to The Miz and sir, what’s your name?… I sincerely apologize to you and all of Saudi Arabia, okay?”
Full WWE Night of Champions card with one cancellation
Night of Champions sees WWE return to Riyadh for a rare six-match card that has gone through one major change in the build to the event.
Dominik Mysterio was originally scheduled to defend his Intercontinental title against AJ Styles on June 28 before it was reported that he’s suffering from a legitimate rib injury which led to the match being scrapped.
Mysterio isn’t expected to be out for long, but there’s still plenty to sink your teeth into without this match on the card.
| Matches | Stipulations |
| Randy Orton vs Cody Rhodes | King of the Ring tournament final |
| Asuka vs Jade Cargill | Queen of the Ring tournament final |
| John Cena (c) vs CM Punk | Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Championship |
| Jacob Fatu (c) vs Solo Sikoa | Singles match for the WWE United States Championship |
| Rhea Ripley vs Raquel Rodriguez | Street Fight |
| Sami Zayn vs Karrion Kross | Singles match |
We will find out on Saturday whether the fans inside the Kingdom Arena offer the same kind of mixed reaction to CM Punk.