WWE star CM Punk, known for his candid nature, recently shared the story behind his controversial interruption of The Undertaker’s tribute to Paul Bearer on RAW before WrestleMania 29. Punk explained that he felt uneasy about performing the segment since he never had a close relationship with Bearer, who also went by Percy Pringle.
In an interview with Complex, Punk expressed his caution toward the tribute, noting the emotional weight it carried for Bearer’s family and colleagues. He wanted to be certain that everyone involved, including Bearer’s son, approved of his involvement because he was aware of the segment’s sensitive nature and WWE’s focus at the time on his villainous character.
“It was heavy because while I knew Percy, I didn’t know him or have a connection to him like a lot of people in the company did, like Undertaker did. So I was careful to make sure, and his family members, I think his son signed off on it because I was like, I don’t want to do this unless everybody’s okay with it. Because at that time, you know, my deal was being a bad guy and trying to just get people to pay to see me beat up. So I wasn’t sure if they were going to be agreeable to everything because once you give me the green light, like, are you sure about this? Like, I’m, it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be pretty heavy.”
Despite the uncertainty, Punk said he was told by those close to Bearer that the tribute would have been appreciated by him personally. Being chosen to deliver such an emotional promo was, in Punk’s eyes, both an honor and a serious responsibility, particularly during a time when WWE was navigating difficult moments.
“And, you know, I was told by people that were super close to him that he would have loved it. So I can just go by their word. But yeah, that’s one of those things, it’s like it’s a privilege and it’s an honor to be able to be respected enough to be handed this gift almost. It’s a shame that he died, obviously. But, you know, to me, it’s the magic of what we do is we can pivot and use real-life stuff and kind of blur the line. And, you know, I was, I was grateful that I was allowed to be able to do that.”
The Moment CM Punk Interrupted The Undertaker’s Homage
On March 11, 2013, during a RAW broadcast leading to WrestleMania 29, CM Punk’s entrance music erupted before The Undertaker completed his tribute to the late Paul Bearer. Punk remained at the ramp, refraining from entering the ring, and took the microphone to first offer condolences to The Undertaker for his loss.
Shortly after, Punk reversed his tone, warning The Undertaker that while Bearer’s ‘Mania record would stand at 20-0,’ the legendary wrestler’s record against Punk would become 20-1 following their WrestleMania encounter. This moment heightened the tension leading into their big match, setting Punk up as a provocative antagonist.
The sequence was further interrupted by the appearance of Demon Kane, who pursued Punk but failed to capture him. Despite Punk’s confident remarks, he ultimately did not defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29. The following year, Brock Lesnar famously ended The Undertaker’s undefeated WrestleMania streak at 21-1.
Impact and Significance of the Tribute Segment
The Paul Bearer tribute segment marked a unique intersection of real-life grief and scripted entertainment, illustrating WWE’s ability to blur reality and storyline in emotionally charged ways. For CM Punk, participating in this memorable moment challenged his usual villain role and demonstrated his respect for wrestling history and its key figures.
Punk’s cautious approach and willingness to seek approval from Bearer’s family underlined the sensitivity surrounding commemorating beloved personalities in wrestling. The segment remains a notable part of WrestleMania buildup history, emphasizing both the industry’s reverence for its past and the complex emotions tied to its performers.
This moment also deepened the storyline tension heading into WrestleMania 29, highlighting the stakes for The Undertaker’s long-standing undefeated streak and foreshadowing the climactic matches that follow in WWE lore.
CM Punk on interrupting Undertaker’s tribute to Paul Bearer during their feud
“I was like I don’t want to do this unless everybody’s ok with it.”
(Complex) pic.twitter.com/K30Z2auNWC
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