WCW veteran Konnan recently voiced his frustration over CM Punk's AEW run failing to live up to his expectations.
The Straight Edge Superstar's pro wrestling return has been successful by all accounts, but there are some who believe he hasn't yet lived up to expectations. After all, Punk was one of the biggest stars in WWE before he shockingly left the promotion, citing a hectic schedule that affected his physical and mental well-being.
Throughout his unforgettable time in WWE, the 43-year-old painted himself as a persona who railed against the system. However, some believe CM Punk has become a shadow of his former self since returning to the squared circle.
While speaking on the Keepin' It 100 podcast, Konnan reflected on Punk's iconic pipebomb promo, which hooked him into watching the star every week. The WCW veteran revealed that he was initially very excited about The Second City Saint's return, but the latter blew it by engaging in a lovefest:
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"I was very excited when he [CM Punk] was coming in, and I said as much on the show. I thought bro, this guy could be a game-changer and do some really cool s*** because that pipebomb to me was a must-see TV back then. I was every week going to see what he was going to do next week (...) So I was expecting to see like that Punk. He comes back happy-go-lucky. I'm a multi-millionaire. I'm a god coming back to the nerd fanbase. And he's in this love fest," Konnan said. (9:56)
Konnan added that while he relished Punk becoming a happy-go-lucky guy due to his prolonged absence from the business, the former WWE Champion needs to embrace his old persona to regain his lost charm:
"He comes here, and he's a happy-go-lucky guy, and I'm like, okay, yeah, you're a happy-go-lucky guy. But you're also an actor, you know, change channels and let's go back to that old f***ing CM Punk and let's get some good promos going here," he added. (10:57)
You can listen to the entire episode below:
CM Punk will headline AEW Double or Nothing 2022
CM Punk might have spent the majority of his time in AEW warming up, but he's now ready and gearing up for arguably the biggest match of his career.
In the upcoming fourth installment of Double or Nothing pay-per-view, The Best in the World will challenge AEW World Champion Hangman Page in the show's main event.
Last week on AEW Dynamite, the two men finally confronted each other after Punk defeated John Silver in a grueling singles match. The former WWE Superstar cut another remarkable promo, but an enraged Page showed his rival a middle finger and left the ring.
The storyline between the two men has picked up considerable steam to create hype for fans ahead of their first-time-ever-clash.
(If you use any quotes from this article, please give a H/T to Sporstskeeda Wrestling and credit the Keepin' It 100 podcast)