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Despite making his surprise return to WWE last month, fans are still shocked to see CM Punk back in the company.
The Second City Saint has come back to the company in the best of moods as he has looked to thank the fans as well as mend the many fences he broke when he left World Wrestling Entertainment in 2014.
Ever one to say and do what he wants while on live TV, CM Punk has popped the fans in recent weeks by mentioning some legendary names, with some of those names also not being part of the company anymore.
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Join us as we take a look at the three top non-WWE stars that CM Punk recently name-dropped on live TV.
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#3 - CM Punk's WWE hero
Like most superstars on the roster, CM Punk grew up as a huge pro wrestling fan, with the stars of years gone by serving as his inspiration for wanting to get into the ring.
One name for whom CM Punk has made his admiration clear is Bret 'The Hitman' Hart. Over the years, with both his in-ring attire and his wrestling maneuvers, CM Punk has looked to honor the WWE Hall of Famer whenever he can.
This past weekend at NXT Deadline, CM Punk made a surprise appearance as he shared the ring with Hart's most iconic rival, the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels. During this segment, Punk paid tribute to HBK's former foe by wearing a Hart-themed hoodie and mentioning Bret and Shawn's historic rivalry.
Punk's respect for Bret Hart is reciprocated as The Hitman praised the recently returned WWE star while speaking to Inside The Ropes:
"I think my all-time favourite wrestler of the last 20 years since I retired, I think would be CM Punk. I thought he was the closest to me that I can think of, a guy that was an innovator. He thought of new stuff. He had fresh ideas. He, from what I understand, he was always safe, always a pro in the ring." (H/T SEScoops)
#2 - A multi-time WWE Women's Champion
Last night, RAW aired from the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Over the years, the city has not been the kindest to CM Punk, with it being the place he walked out of WWE from in 2014, as well as the site of the arena in which he made his final UFC appearance.
Another big moment of CM Punk's professional career took place in Cleveland as he made his debut in the very same arena that RAW was in last night.
The Second City Saint's first match in WWE took place in a dark match during an episode of Heat, where he took on Rob Begley in 2005. During this match, Punk was joined ringside by a future legend of the business, Mickie James.
At the beginning of his promo on RAW yesterday, CM Punk not only spoke about that first match but also name-dropped Mickie James live on the show.
#1 - CM Punk's best friend
While the latter stages of his first run in World Wrestling Entertainment may not have been the best for CM Punk personally, one bright spark was him meeting the love of his life, AJ Lee.
The former Divas Champion and CM Punk tied the knot in 2014. While this was undoubtedly a happy moment for them, it was also soured after he received his termination papers from WWE on the same day he got married.
AJ has not wrestled since 2015, with her now seemingly retired. Despite the fact that she hasn't competed for almost a decade, fans are determined to see her back for one more match. Speaking to WFAN's Moose & Maggie in 2021, Punk was asked about his wife's potential return to the ring.
"I would love to see it," Punk said. "I get asked that question every single time I do an interview and I love it. I absolutely love it. I don't (think she wants to do it), because she's a teeny tiny person and she has a bad neck. I think the shelf life for females in wrestling, wrestling a full schedule, is a lot shorter, it's a lot smaller then men. And I think she's so focused on what she's doing now, writing screenplays. She's working on a million different projects, being pulled in so many directions. I think she would probably, maybe be receptive to the idea of coming back, but that can't even enter her vocabulary right now." (H/T Wrestling Inc)
During his return promo on RAW two weeks ago, CM Punk satisfied many AJ fans as he mentioned her name on the show, stating that she sends her regards.
