WWE Superstar CM Punk was recently a guest on the ‘No-Contest Wrestling Podcast‘, and opened up about his early days as a wrestling fan, sharing a poignant moment that left him disillusioned with the sport he loved. The candid interview delved into Punk’s first experience of heartbreak as a wrestling enthusiast, pinpointing a controversial event at WrestleMania IX in 1993.

Punk recounted his confusion during the infamous WrestleMania 9 finale, where Hulk Hogan unexpectedly won the WWE Championship.

I remember being confused at WrestleMania 9 when Hogan just came out of nowhere [and defeated Yokozuna].

The event in question saw Yokozuna defeat Bret Hart for the WWE Championship, only for Hogan to emerge moments later. In a surprising turn of events, Yokozuna’s manager, Mr. Fuji, impulsively challenged Hogan to a title match.

Hart, in a display of sportsmanship that puzzled many, including the young Punk, encouraged Hogan to accept the challenge. Punk reflected on the moment Hogan swiftly defeated Yokozuna to claim his fifth WWE Title.

As a kid it didn’t feel good at all. I don’t know how smart or not smart I was at that point but I remember just watching it and being like ‘ugh, what?’

The sudden shift in narrative left a lasting impact on Punk. With the benefit of hindsight and his own experience in the industry, he now understands the complexities of storytelling in professional wrestling.

Knowing what I know now, just the finish of a WrestleMania with the heel up is just flat. There’s a time and a place [for the bad guy winning].

Punk’s comments shed light on the delicate balance between fan expectations and creative decisions in wrestling. The abrupt end to Bret Hart’s six-month reign as champion, coupled with Hogan’s triumphant return after a 10-month hiatus, created a moment that, while intended to be a crowd-pleaser, left some fans, like CM Punk, feeling short changed.

They made Bret look a little… yeah…

During the same interview, CM Punk looked back on the last-minute discussions to get him signed to a WWE deal at Survivor Series and if there was a possibility that he would have decided not to return.If you use any of the quotes from this article please credit the original source with a h/t and link back to Inside The Ropes.