Black Widow
06-06-2009, 08:20 PM
CM Punk joins six-man tag team battle at WWE event
World Wrestling Entertainment returns to the Pensacola Civic Center on Saturday with a “Supershow” featuring stars from all three of the sports-entertainment company’s brands, Raw, Smackdown and ECW.
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The main event showcases some of the WWE’s biggest stars in a six-man tag team battle. Heels (or villains) Randy Orton, Edge and Chris Jericho will take on faces (or heroes) John Cena, Jeff Hardy and CM Punk.
One of the faces, CM Punk, took a few minutes from preparing for the big event for a phone interview with the News Journal to give fans a preview of the show.
Q: What’s different about participating in a big tag-team bout?
A: Normally, I’m in singles matches. As a fan, I always enjoyed watching matches with guys teaming up. It’s always fun, and I think fans enjoy the camaraderie. I’m decent friends with both John Cena and Jeff Hardy, who are probably two of the biggest superstars in the WWE. We’re different personalities, but we get along great.
Q: John Cena has almost become a brand unto himself, with his movies such as “The Marine.” Is that a direction you hope to follow in your career?
A: If it went that way, I don’t think I’d be upset about it, but I’m not trying to follow in his footsteps. I’m a wrestler, I’m content to entertain the wresting fans in the ring.
Q: There seem to be a lot of versions of what the “CM” in your name stands for. What does it mean to you?
A: I hear that a lot. I think it’s cool that the fans get to play around and come up with different versions. I was born and raised in Chicago, so I like to say it’s “Chicago Made.”
Q: You’re known as the “Straightedge Superstar.” What does straightedge mean to you?
A: Straightedge is a subculture started by kids in hardcore (punk) music. I stay away from drugs, smoking, alcohol — all the things that could hinder you in life. I was straightedge before I knew what it was. I read about it and found out there were more kids out there like me.
I’m proud to be straightedge, I’ve got it tattooed all over my body. It’s a very relevant commitment to myself and something I’m proud of.
Q: Tell us about your finishing move.
A: I pick the guy up in a fireman’s carry, boost him over my head and throw him down. As he’s falling toward the mat, I knee him directly in the face. It’s called “go to sleep” because they wouldn’t allow me to call it the “go to hell.” It knocks guys out.
Q: What would you say to people who have never been to a WWE event about this Saturday’s match?
A: I’ve been to a lot of things — hockey, basketball, movies, Cirque de Soleiel — I like to keep my fingers on the pulse of entertainment. But through and through, I’m still a wresting fan. If I’m not working, and I have time to digest our show, I still think it’s the best way to be entertained, especially live. The emotional response from the crowd is unparalleled, I’ve never seen it anywhere else.
In Pensacola, you’ll get three shows for the price of one, because you’ll get to see wrestlers from ECW, Smackdown and Raw. There’s no CGI, no wires — we’re real people and what we’re doing in the ring is very much true.
PNJ
World Wrestling Entertainment returns to the Pensacola Civic Center on Saturday with a “Supershow” featuring stars from all three of the sports-entertainment company’s brands, Raw, Smackdown and ECW.
Advertisement
The main event showcases some of the WWE’s biggest stars in a six-man tag team battle. Heels (or villains) Randy Orton, Edge and Chris Jericho will take on faces (or heroes) John Cena, Jeff Hardy and CM Punk.
One of the faces, CM Punk, took a few minutes from preparing for the big event for a phone interview with the News Journal to give fans a preview of the show.
Q: What’s different about participating in a big tag-team bout?
A: Normally, I’m in singles matches. As a fan, I always enjoyed watching matches with guys teaming up. It’s always fun, and I think fans enjoy the camaraderie. I’m decent friends with both John Cena and Jeff Hardy, who are probably two of the biggest superstars in the WWE. We’re different personalities, but we get along great.
Q: John Cena has almost become a brand unto himself, with his movies such as “The Marine.” Is that a direction you hope to follow in your career?
A: If it went that way, I don’t think I’d be upset about it, but I’m not trying to follow in his footsteps. I’m a wrestler, I’m content to entertain the wresting fans in the ring.
Q: There seem to be a lot of versions of what the “CM” in your name stands for. What does it mean to you?
A: I hear that a lot. I think it’s cool that the fans get to play around and come up with different versions. I was born and raised in Chicago, so I like to say it’s “Chicago Made.”
Q: You’re known as the “Straightedge Superstar.” What does straightedge mean to you?
A: Straightedge is a subculture started by kids in hardcore (punk) music. I stay away from drugs, smoking, alcohol — all the things that could hinder you in life. I was straightedge before I knew what it was. I read about it and found out there were more kids out there like me.
I’m proud to be straightedge, I’ve got it tattooed all over my body. It’s a very relevant commitment to myself and something I’m proud of.
Q: Tell us about your finishing move.
A: I pick the guy up in a fireman’s carry, boost him over my head and throw him down. As he’s falling toward the mat, I knee him directly in the face. It’s called “go to sleep” because they wouldn’t allow me to call it the “go to hell.” It knocks guys out.
Q: What would you say to people who have never been to a WWE event about this Saturday’s match?
A: I’ve been to a lot of things — hockey, basketball, movies, Cirque de Soleiel — I like to keep my fingers on the pulse of entertainment. But through and through, I’m still a wresting fan. If I’m not working, and I have time to digest our show, I still think it’s the best way to be entertained, especially live. The emotional response from the crowd is unparalleled, I’ve never seen it anywhere else.
In Pensacola, you’ll get three shows for the price of one, because you’ll get to see wrestlers from ECW, Smackdown and Raw. There’s no CGI, no wires — we’re real people and what we’re doing in the ring is very much true.
PNJ