CM Punk is known as a fan favorite in the world of professional wrestling. Whether he is delivering promos or involved in a high-stakes encounter, fans absolutely love whatever he does.
But sometimes, an intrusion from wrestling enthusiasts becomes too much for a wrestler to handle. Something similar happened with Punk recently, after which he lashed out and expressed his rage through his Instagram story.
CM Punk on his Instagram Stories pic.twitter.com/A1IMvZUBw8
The outrage from Punk surfaces the larger question of privacy for professional wrestlers and makes respecting boundaries and emerging as a talking point once again.
CM Punk Has Raised Privacy Concerns With Fans Surrounding Him in Public Places
CM Punk has talked about invasive fan behavior in the past as well. During an interaction with GQ’s ‘Actually Me’ series, Punk talked about the difference between his life inside and outside the ring and how there are clear boundaries that are to be respected by fans outside the squared circle. The Second City Saint shared:
When I’m at work, I give all to the fans. I show up to buildings, I go outside and I will sign and take pictures with the fans who are lined up at the building. If you are waiting for me at an airport or a hotel, I will say no, thank you, sir… this is tantamount to stalking.
Additionally, he stated that fans should understand that whenever he is not performing, he is not CM Punk, but just a random person trying to maybe walk his dog and mind his own business, who doesn’t like to be bothered. These remarks from Punk clearly reveal that the Second City Saint prefers having personal time whenever he is not wrestling.
WWE Superstars Who Have Been Harassed by Wrestling Fans in the Past
The remarks from CM Punk stand close to the concerns raised by Rhea Ripley and John Cena in the past, who have also expressed their opinion on invasive behavior from fans and have been subjected to awkward situations in the past.
Rhea Ripley has seemingly appeared frustrated with the behavior from wrestling enthusiasts. In one particular incident, some people sent fan mail directly to her house, after which the self-styled ‘Mami of the WWE’ took to her X account, venting out her frustration, stating that such mail will be directly thrown out.
Fan mail sent directly to my house will not be opened. It will be thrown out.
This is not a standout incident where Ripley’s fans evidently crossed the line. In the past, someone followed her to the airport, wanting her to sign their merchandise.
Ripley revealed during an interview with the USA Insider that she didn’t have time to sign everything, so she declined. The person then started following her, which soon became a chain reaction. So much so that Ripley got lost in between the crowd of people surrounding her, unable to find the Uber she had booked.
So I had a fan follow me outside the airport today because I said no to them because I didn’t have the time and it was all of the same stuff they wanted signed. It was one fan specifically, he’s notorious, he’s always at the airport getting our signatures and selling them on eBay — we know his face, we know who he is. He was the main instigator, he followed me out and others followed him too and they all followed me as I’m trying to find my Uber. So I’m trying to tell them no and they’re all being persistent and I ended up getting lost, I had no idea where my Uber was, and I ended up down the stairs away from everyone else and I’m just surrounded by these five guys and they’re just hassling me.
She continued,
I don’t think people understand how threatening that is, especially because you don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know these people.
Furthermore, John Cena has also been subjected to such harassment. Recently, a fan came up to him and asked his thoughts about Donald Trump, which irked the ‘never seen 17’. Although Cena tried to handle the situation as calmly as he could, it became a major talking point as soon as it was posted on social media.
John Cena gets asked about Donald Trump and immediately shuts down the question in the most polite way ever 😂
pic.twitter.com/VTRqvvzckl
The reality is, fans should realize that professional wrestlers are humans at the end of the day, and the personal boundaries of all individuals should be respected.
What are your thoughts on the invasive behavior from fans that professional wrestlers have to suffer? Share with us in the comments below.
