The negative reaction CM Punk received during the Night of Champions Kickoff show in Riyadh was not a surprise to WWE officials. According to a report from Fightful Select, the company anticipated the backlash and had "prepared accordingly" for the situation.
The boos from the live crowd were a direct response to an infamous, since-deleted tweet from 2020 in which Punk made a crude remark directed at The Miz that referenced "blood money" and Saudi Arabia. Punk used the kickoff show platform to address the controversy head-on, offering an apology to the fans in attendance and to The Miz.
“This guy wants me to apologize for a mean tweet I wrote six years ago. Hey, listen—legitimately, it had nothing to do with Saudi Arabia. I woke up and I was crabby, and I wrote a mean tweet to The Miz. I apologized to The Miz, and sir, Muhammad, I sincerely apologize to you and all of Saudi Arabia.”
Despite the direct apology, the crowd continued to voice their displeasure, a reaction WWE was reportedly expecting. Now, with the air cleared, the focus shifts to Punk's Undisputed WWE Championship match against John Cena at Night of Champions, where the atmosphere is sure to be electric.
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