CM Punk Reflects on Career, Defends Choices Ahead of Wrestlepalooza

CM Punk used interviews this week with Kevin Hart's Cold As Balls and a GQ online feature to reflect on his career, defend creative choices and outline how he plans to remain involved in wrestling as he approaches the later stages of his in‑ring run. Speaking ahead of Saturday's inaugural WWE Wrestlepalooza premium live event, where he will team with his wife AJ Lee against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, Punk touched on his formative influences, the impetus for his landmark 2011 "pipebomb" promo, his relationship with fans and his plans for the future.

On the pipebomb, Punk said the moment was deliberate, born of frustration and a conviction that his and fans' voices were being ignored. "When you're really good at what you do, and there is an element of ego to it, there is an element of narcissism," he told Hart. "I just felt like I was at the pinnacle, and my voice wasn't being heard. The fans' voice wasn't being heard. So I kind of took it upon myself to just disturb a little bit."

Punk described his mic work as partly innate and partly learned from legendary talkers, naming Roddy Roddy Piper, Paul Heyman and Jim Cornette among his influences. In the GQ segment he said he tries...