AJ Styles reached for his phone when he saw CM Punk’s new look. On The Phenomenally Retro Podcast with Tony Giles, Styles said Punk’s physique stopped him in his tracks and prompted a personal message.
“Punk looks amazing, man. Whatever he is doing. It is crazy how sometimes when you get the opportunity to focus on yourself and not be on the road, it does wonders for you. He looks amazing. Amazing. I actually sent him a text: ‘Dude, I hope you feel as good as you look.’ He looks awesome.”
Star Power Over Everything
Styles framed Punk’s value as bigger than any single storyline, pointing to the reason the company keeps him at the center of the show.
“This just goes to show the star power of CM Punk, and that’s the reason why they put the championship on him. He brings in a crowd. It’s just what he does. He gets on that mic and, dude, he just shreds. He’s just that good. In WWE, if you can’t cut a promo, you’re in trouble, and not many people do it as well as Punk when it comes to the mic.”
The SmackDown Bump
Styles credited Punk with a measurable jump after his move to the blue brand, calling the switch a win for the whole show.
“The switching of Punk from Raw to SmackDown has been an unmitigated success. SmackDown had its highest rating last week when Punk debuted since May of 2022. That says a lot. Doing a little bit of a shakeup, just changing one little thing, can make a big difference.”
Even with Punk hot, Styles isn’t sold on rushing his biggest program. He said a showdown with Cody Rhodes can wait, especially with so much of the card still unsettled.
“I find the whole Cody/Punk thing a little bit too soon. I genuinely would rather see Punk fight somebody else. Cody can wait. There’s no rush.”
Punk headed into Saturday Night’s Main Event at Madison Square Garden as WWE Champion, teaming with Rhodes in the featured tag match. Styles’ comments suggest he’d prefer the eventual singles rivalry get room to breathe rather than arrive early.
