Paul Heyman Reveals What He Told CM Punk Minutes Before Wrestlemania Main Event

Paul Heyman Reveals What He Told CM Punk Minutes Before Wrestlemania Main Event

YouTube: WWE

Paul Heyman has revealed what he told CM Punk just minutes before the WWE Superstar main evented his first Wrestlemania.

On the final episode of WWE Unreal, Punk can be seen hugging Heyman right before he walked through the curtain to face Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins at Night One of Wrestlemania 41. While guesting on The Ariel Helwani Show, Heyman told the combat sports journalist exactly what he told Punk in that moment.

“I said, ‘You made it and you did it on your own terms. There’s no charity here, this is not a political move, it’s not a gift, it’s not being done just to appease you or even the audience. You’re in the main event of Wrestlemania because you earned the right and the privilege to be in the main event of Wrestlemania. You made this happen and you worked your whole life for this moment. Enjoy it, enjoy it for everything that it is, because you made this happen.’”

“I told him, ‘I’m so proud of you and I’m so happy for you. Here’s the best part — we get to walk out there together. We get to do this together, we get to enjoy this entrance together and thank you for letting me be a part of it.’ Then I hit him with the phrase that is so long gone in our industry, and shouldn’t be — ‘Thank you for the house.’ All three of them deserve to hear, ‘Thank you for the house.’”

Later in that same episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, Heyman defended Brock Lesnar’s controversial return to WWE, telling critics to “get over it.”

Watch the full episode of The Ariel Helwani Show below.

10 Most Emotional Returns After Career-Threatening Injuries

Mick Foley famously said that wrestling isn't about how many great matches you have... it's how many classic moments you can create. Few moments in pro wrestling can compare to a return after injury, especially when that injury threatens to end a top talent's career far too early.

Just think about the moment Edge returned to WWE at the 2020 Royal Rumble. His career had been over for nine years, he'd suffered a serious neck injury that require triple fusion surgery... it was an absolute impossibility for Edge to return, right?

"Once the music hit, and that reaction... I mean, I truly feel like I could have beat King Kong's ass," Edge told ESPN about his 2020 surprise return. "It was all surreal, kind of like a dream sequence, but everything's so focused and hyper-focused that I can't really explain it. But I think when you look at the video of me walking out, I think you see it in my eyes."

Iconic moments like these only come once in a while, but they're unforgettable every time! Check out these incredibly emotional moments when wrestlers returned after suffering career-threatening injuries.

Gallery Credit: WWE / NJPW / AEW / NWA

10 Infamous Receipts in Pro Wrestling History

In pro wrestling, a "receipt" is an ass-kicking that you brought upon yourself. It comes from the cardinal rule of the business -- always take care of your opponent. If you fail to do that, the repercussions will fall squarely on your head (often via chair shot).

The Undertaker recently explained the purpose of giving receipts in wrestling. "I'm pretty patient [when it comes to giving a receipt]. It all depends on intent," the Deadman said. "Some guys just work very snug. I pride myself on my punches. I feel like I can make it look like I can take your head off and not touch you. Every once in a while one gets away from me... I'd much rather it be there than it miss. It ain't ballet."

But not all receipts come after a stiff shot gets away. Sometimes a performer delivers a receipt to protect themselves from an unsafe worker, like when Taker had to shut down Giant Gonzalez at Wrestlemania IX. "[Gonzalez] cracks me right across the back of my neck, and then once I get back the feeling in my little fingers... I flipped," Taker recalled on his podcast. "I turned around and just started wailing on him."

Let's go back to classic WWE, the old territories, and even a battle between monsters in Japan. Here are 10 of the most infamous receipts in pro wrestling history.

Gallery Credit: WWE / NWA / HWA / YouTube

Filed Under: CM Punk, Paul Heyman
Categories: WWE
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