CM Punk became one of the most infamous wrestlers in WWE history due to his personality. The real-life persona of Punk played into his character with the one-liners coming quite consistently. Punk has always been a tremendous speaker both on wrestling shows cutting promos and outside of the spotlight taking part in interviews. The chances are you’ll hear some memorable comments any time Punk is publicly speaking for any reason.
We will look at some of his best quotes as rumors continue to run wild about a potential WWE return. Punk may come back to WWE, but he already has enough quotes to last a lifetime. These comments range from funny jokes in his promos to serious comments about his life. Find out just how memorable Punk was as a speaker as we look at the top ten quotes from CM Punk.
10 "I hate this idea that you’re the best. Because you’re not. I’m the best. I’m the best in the world."
The infamous pipe bomb promo elevated CM Punk from a main eventer to an attraction. Punk vented his frustrations with WWE in a way that connected to the audience. John Cena was the original target of Punk at the start of the promo set up their match at Money in the Bank 2011.
Punk unleashed his personal feelings that he was not just better than Cena, but that he was the best overall wrestler in the world. WWE pushed Cena as the face of the company and Punk brilliantly used this quote to reference that while stating his case above Cena.
9 “I would much rather be hated for who I am, than loved for something that I am not.”
Kurt Cobain is the celebrity most known for this beloved quote, but CM Punk made it his own in the wrestling business. Punk still has a polarizing reputation with most of his peers either loving or despising working with him due to his personality.
The attitude of Punk is what got him to the top when tapping into that personal edge. However, other wrestlers often viewed him as being arrogant or self-obsessed when working with him. Punk referenced his detractors by claiming he’d rather be hated for who he is than get liked as a phony.
8 "Whatever your walk in life is, you pick what you want to be, then go ahead and be the best one."
CM Punk’s journey into professional wrestling did not easily come as it was a long road of obstacles. Not many people would have bet on Punk making it to the top of the industry. Punk’s quote referenced his mindset of how he entered the business.
The belief of the comment is that everyone should aspire to be the “best in the world” at whatever they chose to chase as their passion. Punk believes that this applies to every profession or dream outside of wrestling which was his dream growing up.
7 "I pride myself on being a jerk, because I'm brutally honest all the time."
The biggest strength of CM Punk as a wrestler was his ability to sell matches with his promos. Punk had an easy time turning up the volume to be a jerk to his opponents. It led to him clashing with personalities like Jeff Hardy, Triple H and Elijah Burke at different points.
Punk admitted he can be a jerk when referencing his reputation in the industry. However, he also had great pride in the honesty he expressed in an industry full of liars. This was the kind of quote that only Punk could have revealed and gotten away with.
6 "I believe Melina is wearing Uggs. Which is exactly how I feel about her."
CM Punk’s short run on commentary provided many incredible quotes. The role of Punk was to provide color commentary which often means offering a wrestler’s perspective and delivering some one-liners. Punk certainly aimed for the latter with many jokes directed at his peers.
Melina was the target of Punk at one point when he referenced the Ugg boots she wore to the ring. Punk used the wordplay to make fun of the Uggs and Melina at the same time. No wrestler was spared by Punk when he wanted to crack jokes on commentary.
5 "Where, oh, where are my WWE ice cream bars?!"
The summer of Punk in 2011 featured CM Punk taking over the WWE program in many ways. One of the smaller jokes from Punk to catch on in a major way featured him wanting to bring back WWE ice cream bars from the 90s.
The ice cream bars were a favorite of any wrestling fan to enjoy them. Punk wanted the combination of the cookie, ice cream and chocolate to return. Fans started chanting “we want ice cream” and WWE even sold a Punk ice cream shirt. Sadly, it wasn’t enough to bring the ice cream bars back.
4 "I think it's because I'm real. Inside and outside of the ring, what you see is what you get. I'm CM Punk. I'm not trying to be something I'm not."
One of the reasons CM Punk succeeded so much in the wrestling industry was his ability to showcase his true self in between the character portrayal. Punk always came off genuine even when having to play up an exaggerated version of his personality.
Storylines like the Straight Edge Society came from a real place given his lifestyle even though he wasn’t really a cult leader. Punk’s quote here details why he believed fans connected with him. The realness from Punk made him easy to buy while other wrestlers played characters that fans didn’t invest into.
3 “I don't want to sound egotistical, but I'm egotistical to an extent.”
The flaws of CM Punk became strengths when playing his various characters. Punk thrived as a heel when discussing how much better he was than his peers. The belief of Punk was that he was truly the best performer in WWE.
Many people accused Punk of being egotistical, and he didn’t deny it when looking at this quote. Punk used it to his advantage by admitting that he was egotistical to an extent. The real-life of Punk sees him care for others, but he never shies away from who he is.
2 "I’d like to think that maybe this company will be better after Vince McMahon is dead. But it’s going to be taken over by his idiotic daughter and his doofus son-in-law."
The end of the classic pipe bomb promo featured CM Punk completely destroying the fourth wall. Punk referenced the backstage woes of having to work with Vince McMahon due to him being out of touch with what the fans wanted in the 2010s.
Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were even insulted as Punk got vicious with his comments before his microphone was cut off. This put the promo over the top and made him the hottest act in wrestling. Punk tapped into the reality of what many felt with this wild quote.
1 "I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs. I kick people in the face for a living."
The straight edge lifestyle of CM Punk helped him in wrestling with the unique character. Punk didn’t drink alcohol or indulge in drugs throughout his entire wrestling career due to his personal beliefs on what worked for him.
The quote here basically summed up the life of Punk during his wrestling career. Punk didn’t enjoy alcohol, drugs or cigarettes, but he loved kicking people in the face to make a living. Wrestling was the passion of Punk, and it still may be if he wants to return like rumored.