Eric Bischoff has opened up about his first-ever meeting with CM Punk, which took place backstage at the recent Monday Night Raw tribute show for the late Hulk Hogan. Speaking on his “83 Weeks” podcast, Bischoff revealed that the long-standing tension between the two was put aside during a surprisingly warm exchange.

For years, the WWE Hall of Famer and Punk have traded barbs through interviews and social media, with Bischoff criticising Punk’s attitude and past comments about Hulk Hogan, while Punk fired back with his own sharp remarks. Despite this history, they had never actually crossed paths until the Detroit tribute show brought them both under the same roof.

Bischoff said he took the chance to clear the air. “I’ll just tell you what I said,” he explained. “I said, ‘Man, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve said some pretty stupid sh*t. Just want you to know I’m glad to have an opportunity to meet you in person.’ I’ll give you my half of the conversation, and he can do with that what he wants.”

The former WCW president came away with a newfound respect for Punk. “His reaction, the approach, the honesty is, is what made me a CM Punk fan,” he said. “He’s a very honest guy. I got a pretty good feel for him and what he’s about. And I think when you actually get to know the person behind the character, you’d be surprised at just how solid some of these athletes are. They’re solid human beings.”

When co-host Conrad Thompson asked if the emotional nature of Hogan’s tribute led to their reconciliation, Bischoff suggested it was more about finally having the chance to meet face-to-face. “I don’t think it was that. I think it was, you know, again, here’s a guy that I never met in person up until that point,” he said.

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