Kevin Nash Critiques CM Punk's First Promo After WWE Return

CM Punk had a live microphone inside a WWE ring for the first time in nearly a decade last week, which some would call a recipe for must-see television. Yet, Punk's promo was not widely praised by fans, with many criticizing "The Best in the World" for not shooting from the hip and for curtailing his inner rebel. Kevin Nash has joined the chorus of those detractors, suggesting on "Kliq This" that Punk came across as a lesser version of his rebellious self.

"I thought the glad-handing on the way to the ring was not him," Nash said of Punk. "I just thought ... for somebody who's so pipebomb, it just felt very contrived. At the end, he's like, 'Oh s**t, I better slip this in and have some credibility' by [saying] 'I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to make money.' I've heard that before." 

During his promo, Punk referred to WWE as "home" and claimed to have "changed" over the last decade or so. While the likes of Bully Ray did not buy this aspect of the promo, there's belief that Punk could be playing fans by showing a different side of his character — to set up a heel turn. Nash, however, feels the aging Punk could be realizing that this could be his last run as a wrestler.

"Ten years ago, he walked around with a hydrocollator pad on his lower back. He's been beat up and worked a very indie style for those years in Ring of Honor. He put some miles on his body early. He's 45 now." While WWE seems to building toward a Seth Rollins versus Punk program, Nash has a different opponent in mind for "The Second City Savior" — Kevin Owens. "If I want to watch two guys cut promos against each other, I'd like to let those two guys go. No bullet points, just let 'em go!"