Bully Ray Critiques Word Choice From CM Punk & Seth Rollins' Promo Clash On WWE Raw
Much like a surgeon, WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray continues to dissect every little aspect of the promo exchange between CM Punk and Seth Rollins from this week's "WWE Raw." Although Ray was thoroughly impressed with the first salvos fired by Rollins, there's one aspect he did not enjoy — the part where Rollins threatened to "expose" Punk during their inevitable match.
"Getting exposed in the business is a very bad thing to have to happen to a wrestler," Ray told "Busted Open" this week. "To be more eloquent about this, I got exposed by Gigolo Jimmy Del Ray in ECW — being exposed is when a wrestler takes away another wrestler's smoke and mirrors. When your smoke and mirrors get taken away, what's the only thing you have in pro wrestling? Your wrestling ability and that's it. So, what Seth is saying is, 'I'm gonna show the world that, in this ring, despite that we work in a sports entertainment company, I'm gonna expose you and show the world you're not the Best in the World. I'm gonna outwrestle you and show everybody you can't keep up with me.'"
Ray similarly took issue with Rollins saying "there are levels to this" and that he plans to "wrestle circles around" Punk, as he feels the implication was that Punk would get gassed 15 minutes into a match with a physical specimen like Rollins. He feels Rollins should refrain from suggesting that Punk is old and worn out as that would take away from the credibility of their feud.
'I love that Rollins used the word hate'
Bully Ray implored Seth Rollins to ditch his "sports entertainment shtick" especially since he's invoking real-life hatred of CM Punk to further the rivalry. He feels Rollins shouldn't have introduced Punk to "Monday Night Rawlins" as he typically does with others he feuds with.
"Sports entertainment ... I don't need that from Seth," Ray said. "Especially with the guy that's standing across from him. [Jey] Uso already welcomed us to Raw earlier in the night, didn't he? And I know this is part of Rollins' shtick, but this is where I don't want to hear the shtick — this is where I don't want to see the shtick. Matter of fact, if Seth didn't have on one of his typical, exuberant outfits, I would have been happy with that too.
"I would have actually loved to have seen Tyler Black [or] just the guy Seth Rollins so pissed off at this guy Punk that 'I'm stripping it all away to get me in my purest form,'" he continued, adding that Rollins must ditch his dance, song, and flamboyant outfits — at least during his feud with Punk.
Ray, however, did appreciate Rollins' use of the word "hate" and wants him to continue invoking those sentiments.
"To truly hate someone, you've had to have loved them at some point, and vice-versa," Ray said. "I'm sure there was a time when Rollins loved and respected Punk, but then saw what he did, and now hates him. I love that Rollins used the word hate because I want that hate to flow through Rollins throughout this entire program."
Ray previously gave Rollins a "51 to 49" edge for the first verbal battle, in large part since he "was wide-eyed" throughout the segment.