CM Punk: I Want Somebody Hungry To Take My Spot

CM Punk is looking for someone to step up and take his place in WWE.

Since his shocking return at Survivor Series 2023, Punk has reestablished himself as a major presence, engaging in feuds with top stars like Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre. He has also shared the ring with rising talent, notably facing Dominik Mysterio in his first match back at a house show in Madison Square Garden.

In a recent interview with Jackie Redmond, Punk reflected on the balance between mentoring younger wrestlers and maintaining his own competitive edge. He expressed his desire for a new challenger to emerge.

“The air I operate in is pretty rare. Obviously, the guys I’m competing against aren’t asking me for advice—they don’t care what I think. But there are others who do, or maybe they ask because they think politically it’s the smart thing to do. I’ve been open about my purpose here: I’m here to help people. The selfish aspect of it is that I can talk to a 20-year-old track and field athlete from NXT and learn something myself. It’s a two-way street.

At 46, I don’t know what ‘cool’ is—if I ever did. Maybe the younger talent can help me with that. In this business, you’re nothing without those who paved the road before you. It’s not a team sport; it’s a very selfish business. I don’t like talking about myself because it leads me to say things that feel egotistical, like, ‘I’m tired of pretending that half the locker room didn’t buy a pair of boots because they saw CM Punk wrestle.’

But I also see it as a powerful responsibility. I don’t want to treat the next generation the way some veterans treated me. It’s learned behavior—some veterans were hard on me because they feared I was coming for their spot. I want someone to be that hungry. I want someone to take my spot. Old lions don’t die of old age; they die from young lions. Eventually, that’s how the book of CM Punk will end. But I haven’t seen anyone man enough to do it yet.”

Punk’s journey in the 2025 Royal Rumble ended when he was eliminated by Logan Paul, adding fuel to his determination to stay at the top. He recently battled Sami Zayn in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match on this week’s WWE Raw.