WWE Hall of Famer Booker T believes CM Punk is enjoying a more successful second run with WWE, arguing that the former World Champion has evolved considerably since his original tenure with the company.
On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T praised CM Punk’s willingness to take risks throughout his career, suggesting that his decisions to leave WWE, join AEW, and eventually return to WWE show confidence in his abilities.
Booker T, who was still competing during Punk’s first WWE run, also highlighted the importance of having experienced personalities like Punk in the wrestling industry, describing him as someone capable of setting an example for other performers.
“Guys like CM Punk, you need guys like that,” Booker T said. “There’s a lot of guys that aren’t willing to bank on themselves. You got to be willing to bank on yourself, just like Punk leaving WWE, going to AEW, and then leaving AEW, and coming back.”
The two-time WWE Hall of Famer believes Punk’s current run has surpassed his original stint in several respects, particularly because of the different priorities he now brings to his career.
“Look at his career now. This run is better than his first run in so many aspects. And I think he would probably say the same thing in so many aspects because the things he was worried about the first time around, he’s not worried about those things anymore.”
Booker T Praises CM Punk’s WWE Success Following His 2023 Return
CM Punk made his unexpected return to WWE at Survivor Series in November 2023, ending nearly a decade-long absence from the promotion. Since returning, Punk has added two more World Heavyweight Championship reigns to his accomplishments and captured the Undisputed WWE Championship for a third time.
His second tenure has also featured several significant moments, including competing in one of John Cena’s final matches and reuniting with his wife, AJ Lee, inside the ring following her return to WWE after a ten-year absence.
Punk has remained a prominent figure across WWE programming, recently competing in two notable matches. During a special edition of WWE NXT, he unsuccessfully challenged Grayson Waller for the NXT Championship, a title that has eluded him throughout both of his WWE runs.
He subsequently faced Kevin Owens on SmackDown, revisiting a rivalry that originated nearly two decades earlier during their time in Ring of Honor. Owens emerged victorious from the encounter.
Despite those recent defeats, Booker T remains convinced that Punk’s current WWE tenure represents a stronger chapter of his career, with the veteran suggesting that his experience and changing priorities have helped him approach the business differently than he did during his initial run.
