– WWE Champion CM Punk spoke with Jon Robinson of ESPN.com over the Survivor Series weekend. Here are some highlights:
Jon Robinson: Wrestlemania, it’s The Rock versus John Cena. What do you think about him coming back and getting the main event spot when most of what we’ve seen of him throughout the year has been via satellite?
CM Punk: I don’t know if it’s some weird vanity project for him to come back and fraternize with us little people, but I appreciate it. If it puts more money in my bank account, that’s cool, even if I’m not a money guy. I’m very passionate about wrestling. This is what I do. I’m not leaving to go film movies. It’s just me and the rest of the crew, the men and women of the WWE who are on the road constantly, and I’m not the only one who is, I don’t want to say bitter, because I get it, it’s a business move where Dwayne comes in and people buy some pay-per-views, but it’s the attitude that gets to me. He’s very bourgeoisie Hollywood, and I just wish he would say hello to people backstage and not act like he was above everybody. Cena doesn’t act like that. Cena sits and talks and fraternizes with everybody, but Dwayne just can’t be bothered. Then again, I don’t know if anyone really wants to hang out with him. He was in the “Tooth Fairy.” If he’s so good at what he does, why doesn’t he impart some of that knowledge to the young guys and help out? I guess I’m just trying to figure out why he came back. I don’t think it’s money. I think he’s OK money-wise, so I don’t know.
Jon Robinson: Looking ahead to Wrestlemania, there’s Rock versus John Cena, but I’d actually rather see Austin versus Punk. Will we ever get a CM Punk versus Steve Austin main event?
CM Punk: I would rather see Austin/Punk, too. I would love to poll everybody who is going to order Wrestlemania and ask them, what would you rather see. Would you rather see Cena/Rock or Stone Cold/CM Punk? I’m biased, obviously, but I think we’d have a landslide victory. It’s up to Steve, really, but he’s certainly not going to do it this year. Honestly, if Steve Austin comes back to wrestling, he should be the main event of Wrestlemania, but he can’t right now, because Dwayne is. I think Dwayne would get a little butt hurt if Steve took his Mania spot, but then at least Dwayne would understand how the rest of us feel. So I know that’s not going to happen this year, but I would love for it to happen next year. I don’t want to say it’s a goal of mine, but it’s definitely something that would be challenging and fun to do. I think Austin was the best worker for many, many, many, many, many years, and that’s even pre-Stone Cold. “Stunning” Steve Austin was amazing.
Jon Robinson: So with Austin out this year, who would you like to face? Chris Jericho? The Undertaker?
CM Punk: To me, this is the $65,000 question … or is it $64,000? It’s tough to tell with inflation. Anyway, that’s the thing, I guess I’ve finally broken through and now I’m this newly minted main event, top WWE wrestler and everybody is wondering what I’m doing for Wrestlemania. This has been the story of my life. Every year leading up to Wrestlemania, I don’t even know if I’m going to be on the show. I remember I had to pitch in order to get me and Rey (Mysterio) for Wrestlemania. It’s not like they were coming to me, so I went to Rey, asked him if he knew what he was doing, and came to him with my idea. He loved it, so we ran with it. So every year, I’m sitting here crossing my fingers that I’m in Wrestlemania. Even last year, I was on Wrestlemania because Randy (Orton) needed somebody to wrestle, let’s be honest. This is the first year where it really seems like, oh crap, we actually have to do something with Punk at Wrestlemania and it has to be high-caliber, it has to be big.
So who am I going to wrestle? I don’t know. I get a lot of, “You should wrestle Undertaker.” I would love to. That would kick ass. He is one of my favorite guys to work with. I get a lot of, “It’s going to be you and Jericho,” but you know what, he doesn’t work here. Obviously, he could come back between now and then, but who knows.
