Just ahead of the 2025 WWE Night of Champions pay-per-view event, CM Punk issued a public apology for his controversial 2020 Instagram post, in which he infamously wrote, “suck a blood money covered d*ck in Saudi Arabia.” The post, made during his time away from WWE, resurfaced in the days leading up to his first appearance in the Kingdom since rejoining the company.
Following the event, WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque praised Punk’s apology during the post-show press conference, saying he was “incredibly proud” of Punk for taking responsibility and showing respect to the fans in Saudi Arabia.
However, the apology drew mixed reactions. Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston posted a sharply critical editorial on Twitter, sarcastically titled: “NEW: An inspiring moment of self-realization in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as CM Punk courageously aligns himself with a visionary government that criminalizes being gay and occasionally kills its critics.”
Thurston’s post sparked debate online — including a surprising response from former WWE star Ryback, who defended Punk despite their long-running feud. He wrote,
“I’ve had my issues with Punk, but I don’t see him as a sellout. He came back to do what he loves and make money — just like you’re doing by writing hot takes for clicks. WWE is a global business. At that level, you have to navigate complex deals, personal beliefs, and public perception. His apology wasn’t about abandoning values — it was about recognizing how he expressed them damaged relationships in the industry.”
I’ve had my issues with Punk, but I don’t see him as a sellout. He returned to do what he loves and to make money — much like you’re doing by writing critical think pieces about others for clicks.
WWE is a global business, and working at that level means navigating complex… https://t.co/X7hJcoxm1h
— RYBACK (@Ryback) June 30, 2025
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