The buzz about CM Punk has not reduced one bit. Adding to it, former WWE Superstar Maven decided to share his experience working with the Best in the World. He also mentioned how he and Simon Dean chose to not obey management and protected the Second City Saint.
Recently, on his YouTube channel, Maven shared that he was Punk’s first opponent in WWE.
“Hey guys. Maven here. Now fun fact about me. I fought CM Punk in his very first WWE televised match. The match was on Sunday Night Heat. And it was a tag match. Me and Simon Dean versus Punk and unsigned talent, Russell Simpson. Here’s what’s interesting about this match. Simon Dean and I actually disobeyed direct orders from WWE and did not get in trouble.”
Maven on why he and Simon Dean disobeyed WWE management and protected CM Punk
While speaking on the same episode, the former WWE Superstar revealed that Simon Dean saw something different in the Best in the World and made the decision to protect him.
“Right there is exactly where we went against management. The one thing management wanted, they wanted us to get the pinfall victory, the one two three on CM Punk. And for whatever reason, I have no clue, I mean, he wasn’t even a signed talent at the time. But, he already had heat in the company. There were already feathers he had ruffled. I don’t know how and I don’t know who’s.
“Nova (Simon Dean) saw it different. Nova wanted to give the guy a chance. And Nova made the decision that earlier when we were going over the match backstage, he said, ‘Once we come in, I’m going to knock you out. Punk you roll to the floor. Go to the floor, that way we can get the slam, one two three on Simpson.’ I don’t know why Simon wanted to protect Punk. It could have been a favor to Stevie (Steven Richards). Like Stevie asked us earlier in the day. Or he might have seen in Punk what the entire world would come to see years later,” Maven said.
Maven had nothing but praise for CM Punk
The winner of Tough Enough Season One also mentioned how easy it was to work with CM Punk. He also shared that even in his first WWE match, Punk was a very solid worker.
“It’s been 18 years since I was in the ring with Punk. But what I do remember was he wasn’t stiff in any way. He was very solid. The kicks, the kicks were in there but they weren’t overdone. They looked, they sounded exactly where they needed to be. He was with everything. You could tell, A. He had good training. You could tell that he had been wrestling good, you know, good opponents. And you knew that, I don’t want to say he was destined for greatness, because at this point, I don’t think I saw ‘Superstar’ on him. But you knew that he was a great worker. And you knew he could develop into something else. He just needed something to help him. Maybe it was a match with Maven to springboard that career.”
Despite disobeying management, Maven and Simon Dean did not get into trouble.
