CM Punk’s participation in WWE Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia has stirred debate among wrestling fans, particularly those who recall his past comments about the country. Years ago, Punk infamously criticized The Miz for appearing at a Saudi event, and some have been quick to label Punk’s return to the region as hypocritical. However, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam sees things differently and believes the criticism misses the mark.

"I do not consider it hypocrisy unless it was done at the same time," Van Dam explained during an appearance on One of a Kind. "People can grow. Their perspective can change. If he said something 5 years ago, and then now he feels different about it. That is not what a hypocrite is. We all grow, feel different. Let us say you are a kid in school and you think this kid's a jerk, and then you start talking to him, and then you find out he is really cool, and he becomes your friend. Are you a hypocrite? No. You just have more information now than you had before, and so your view has changed."

Ahead of the event, Punk addressed the controversy during a kickoff show, apologizing to the people of Saudi Arabia when a fan brought up the old tweet. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque echoed Van Dam’s sentiment, commending Punk for the personal growth he has shown since returning to the company in 2023.

Punk went on to compete in a high-profile main event against the retiring Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena, marking the final chapter in their storied rivalry. Despite a hard-fought effort, Punk lost the bout following interference from Seth Rollins and The Vision.

Become a WNS member (free) to comment!

Want to join the conversation? WNS has launched a brand-new commenting system below! Signing up takes just 30 seconds. Once you create your account and verify your email, you will be able to comment on all of our latest news reports and see your score on our WNS leaderboard. Simply click this link to sign up - Become a Member