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CM Punk Says He Would Have Booked The WWE Royal Rumble Differently, Prefers To Lose

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Jon Alba | Last updated Feb 3, 2025 9:49 PM ET

Once upon a time, CM Punk was the "voice of the voiceless" in WWE, trying to lend credible wins en route to climbing the ladder in the company.

It turns out, his perspective has changed over time.

Punk was a guest on "Good Guy/Bad Guy" with Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen, and was asked whether or not he was disappointed when he found out he wasn't going to win the Royal Rumble match.

“Early in my career, yes,” Punk said on the podcast. “Now, I’m more inclined to pitch me losing things. I think there is a broader story to tell, 100 percent. It’s all about the chase. The most recent example I can give is Cody [Rhodes] losing to Roman at WrestleMania 39. That was Cody’s time. He loses in the main event and it’s [imitates mind being blown]. He spends the entire year as a redemption arc and he’s chasing the title and he wins it at 40.”

Punk noted if he had the pen, John Cena would have once again been among the final competitors, just as he was against Jey Uso. But Punk's finish would have had a different ending.

“The Rumble didn’t go the way I would’ve booked it, so to speak. I would have had me and Cena as the last two guys and I would’ve had Cena throw my ass over the top rope. At this stage, losing is so much more valuable than winning. I’m almost afraid of me winning everything I ever dreamed of because what do I do then?”

H/T Fightful for the transcription.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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