Booker T says he was just trying to entertain people.
Last week, Booker T said he “almost got into it” with CM Punk during an episode of his Hall Of Fame podcast.
“I saw Punk [at the NXT taping],” he said with a laugh. “[Co-host Brad Gilmore asked him what’s funny] Yeah, no, we’ll talk about that off the air. [Laughs] But I almost had a little run-in with CM Punk. The internet might want to pick that up,” Booker T said. “Me and CM Punk almost got into it at NXT this week. We’ll talk about it later. I don’t want to put it out there because they gonna pick it up and run with it. But yeah, I’ll talk to you about that off the air.”
The remark caught fire online, as expected. Booker initially downplayed the comment, writing on Twitter that people made too much of a 40-second clip from his show. Corey Brennan of Fightful (via Fightful Select) later reported an update about the story, noting that NXT sources said there was no such incident at the NXT tapings. Furthermore, one source said that Punk has been helpful and in good spirits when he’s been at tapings, and there was a “sense of frustration” that Booker would even make a remark in that context, given the nature of CM Punk’s AEW departure.
“I was entertaining, guys.”
Now, Booker T offered a more in-depth answer and said that he was just trying to entertain listeners of his show. Booker said yes, he made the comments, but it wasn’t literal as he considers CM Punk a friend.
“You know what? I don’t know why people want me to have — I saw somebody said, ‘I just want to see you and CM Punk have a fight.’ Look, me and CM Punk, we won’t be having a fight, OK? I want to let everybody know out there, I have no ill will toward CM Punk,” Booker T. “Contrary to popular belief, I consider CM Punk a friend. So when I’m saying something about CM Punk, guys, do not take it literally like the internet and these sites do. Don’t take it serious, don’t jump into that mud. If you hear me say anything here on The Hall Of Fame, this show is show-related.
“I’m trying to entertain my fans that are watching this, trying to give you guys a moment where you ain’t got to think about that kind of stuff, alright? So if you hear me say something about CM Punk, Corey Graves, Michael Cole, Brad [Gilmore, his co-host], [laughs] OK? Don’t jump into the internet mess, alright? So let’s just get that out there right now,” he added, “because that story, that 40-second story that people wrote, it was clickbait, guys. That’s what it was, more than anything.
“Did I put it out there? Did I say it as far as I had a beef? You know, I was going to run up? Yeah, I said it,” Booker stated. “But like I said, I was entertaining, guys.”
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