Rob Van Dam on CM Punk Calling for a Backstage Meeting in WWE ECW, His Thoughts on Punk’s ‘Energy’

– During a recent Inside The Ropes live speaking event, WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam was asked about the recent controversy CM Punk was embroiled in, with his heated rant at the AEW All Out post-show media scrum. Rob Van Dam recalled his interactions with Punk in the WWE ECW brand, and Punk taking it upon himself to assume the role as a locker room leader and call for a backstage meeting. Below are some highlights from ITR:

RVD on CM Punk telling him about a backstage meeting in WWE ECW: “When WWE ECW was around, as everyone knows, shortly after we started I got suspended for 30 days and there was some new guys coming in besides CM Punk like Bobby Lashley and vampire dude [Kevin Thorn]. Anyway, a few guys came in, they were new. I’ve [been] gone for 30 days, when I came back it was the first show back and CM Punk approaches me at the building and he says, ‘Hey, Rob, I just want to let you know, I’m going to have a team meeting in the dressing room.'”

“He says, ‘Of course, this has nothing to do with you. I just want to tell you so you know, like when everyone’s back there and stuff.’ I’m like, ‘What? You’re locker room leader, like what happened?’ But some people are comfortable just taking that position of control and moving forward and I don’t know. I kind of think he’s one of them. In the meeting, he said, ‘Somebody’s been stealing from the bags in the dressing room and we know it’s one of the boys.’ He said to me, ‘Obviously we know it’s not you.'”

RVD on Punk being very strict on his code of ethics backstage: “I mean, I hadn’t been around but nobody would blame me for that. But just as an example of you know, of seeing CM Punk’s sternness, I don’t think he’s real flexible in his code of ethics. I think he lived by a real strict guideline where he’s like, ‘What, is somebody offending me? Am I offended? Should I be offended right now?’ I feel like that’s his energy.”

Punk was allegedly involved in a physical altercation following All Out involving The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Ace Steel. It led to all parties being suspended and Punk being stripped of AEW World Championship. Punk also suffered a torn triceps at the event, for which he was forced to undergo surgery and is expected to keep him out of action for a number of months, regardless of the backstage alteraction.