Orton and Punk clear the air about their misunderstanding.
WWE uploaded a video to their YouTube channel of CM Punk and Randy Orton sitting down to watch their match from WrestleMania 27 in 2011.
At the start of their chat, they opened up about them not getting along at the time and they had a run-in at the Royal Rumble several months prior.
Punk was set up under the ring at that year’s Royal Rumble for Orton and The Miz’s WWE Championship match. He caused Orton to lose by hitting him with the G.T.S. but he felt he hit the move flush and struck Orton with his knee. Punk had been waiting under the ring for a lengthy period of time and had to use the restroom, but he waited for Orton at Gorilla Position to find out if he did hit him with his knee.
The Royal Rumble match was set to start after the Divas Title bout and Punk was the number one entrant. When he spoke to Orton, Orton said it was fine and he didn’t connect. When Punk came out of the bathroom, he saw Orton talking to Arn Anderson and gesturing something to him that appeared to be the GTS. Orton admitted that he was burying Punk to Arn and was not expecting Punk to hit the corner and confront him. Punk told Orton to say whatever he had to say to his face.
Orton: Was this when you and me butted heads in Boston?
Punk: Oh, bro, I was interested to see how much you wanted to talk about it. We hated each other.
Orton: Yeah. I don’t think we hated each other. I think I was —
Punk: Maybe a little bit.
Orton: Hate’s a strong word. I never hated you. I think that I was the kind of person that had a backstage gimmick and I was trying to live my backstage — I think I was just an insecure — you know what I mean? And then I was talking to Arn (Anderson) and like, ‘Oh, f*ck Punk’ and you’re like, ‘Hey motherf*cker, I’m right here. Say it to my face,’ and I was like, oh man. I wasn’t expecting him to walk around the corner as I was burying him.
Punk: This is amazing. We’re gonna watch our match (from WrestleMania 27) but really what this is-is this is gonna be two dudes going to therapy together I think. I think this is what this is gonna amount to… You say ‘hate’ is a strong word but yeah, we did not get along.
Orton: We were our own both worst enemies maybe at one point. I think me more than you because I had demons and sh*t.
Punk: But I think a lot of it is because we’re probably very, very similar. I think, because of that, we created some magic… So the incident we were speaking of at the top of this was Royal Rumble. You had a match with Miz for the title and I was loaded under the ring. So I’m under the ring and I cause the finish. I run in, I hit you with the G.T.S. and then I’m out, right? But being loaded so early in the match, I had to piss so bad and I’m sitting under the ring and I’m just like, ‘Ugh’, and I’m number one in the Rumble. So we get done… I’m literally like legs crossed in Gorilla. You come through and I got you with the G.T.S. a little bit. I remember thinking, ouuu, because I can feel my knee. I was like, ugh… But I was like, ‘Did I get you with the G.T.S.?’ And you’re like, ‘No, it’s good.’ I’m like, ‘You sure?’ I was like, ‘Okay brother, I gotta –’ they’re telling me I’m number one in the Rumble so I gotta go. So I sprint to the locker room, I piss. I grab my energy drinks, some Red Bull or whatever and I’m running back down the hallway and down the hallway, near Gorilla, I see you, your back’s to me and you’re talking to Arn and you’re gesticulating and you’re pointing at your face… I’m like, wait, what’s he doing? And I walk up behind you and Arn’s trying to give you the iggy, you know what I mean? I remember Chavo (Guerrero) seeing it go down and Chavo was just like, oh! Popcorn, I’m gonna watch this, and so I was just like, ‘What the f*ck man? You said I didn’t get –’ it just turned into this thing. My music’s playing, then I was like, ‘F*ck you!’
Orton: I remember as soon as you came up and I turned around, I looked and Arn was like, he was in catering already. I remember right where it happened too. It was right there where you go to Gorilla, this way, catering’s this way. So yeah, that plays out.
Punk: So yeah, it was a thing, it was a thing and then we got together with Arn to do this…
Afterwards, Orton reached out to squash their issue but Punk did not respond to his message. Punk was of the mindset that he’ll possibly work with someone else at WrestleMania. They both are glad they worked things out to put on the match they went on to have.
Orton: After we butted heads, I remember — and I knew that I was in the wrong and I think I reached out to you, I texted you and you might’ve not texted me back.
Punk: I don’t know. That sounds like something I would do (he laughed).
Orton: And I’m like, ‘F*ck, I’m trying to squash this.’ You know, hug and make up and I was like, ‘I already reached out and he didn’t –’
Punk: I remember being in the principal’s office. I explicitly remember. I remember being like, ‘Well, I’ll just work somebody else at WrestleMania.’
Orton: We had to squash that and do this… And I’m glad we did.
Punk: Oh, I’m 100 percent glad we did.
Both Orton and CM Punk made their returns to WWE at Survivor Series in November.
Coming up at WrestleMania, both are going to be featured on night two as Punk will be on commentary for Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre’s World Heavyweight Title match. Orton is going to be in a Triple Threat with Kevin Owens and Logan Paul for the United States Title.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit the original source with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
