WWE drops new CM Punk ‘Punk Life' merchandise after John Cena parody on SmackDown
While opinions on the segment are mixed, WWE wasted no time turning the moment into merchandise.
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After SmackDown, WWE Shop launched two new CM Punk shirts in a collection called 'Punk Life,' a nod to Cena's 'Thug Life' slogan from the mid-2000s. One shirt features the phrase in the style of the original WrestleMania logo, while the other highlights a large, boxy 'P' reminiscent of WWE's 1980s logo. Each pays tribute to Cena's early rap gimmick when he wore throwback gear as part of his presentation.
CM Punk's 'Punk Life' collection is now available at WWE's online store.
One week after mocking Punk by recreating his infamous 2011 Pipe Bomb promo, Cena addressed fans during SmackDown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He called Punk a loser and said the result of their match at Night of Champions was a formality, adding that there was nothing Punk could do about it.
Moments after Cena's speech, his old 'Basic Thuganomics' entrance theme hit. The screen flashed 'Punk Life' as Punk emerged wearing an old-school Chicago Cubs jersey, a Chicago Bulls cap, a padlock chain, and rings reading 'Drug Free' — a full throwback to Cena's original gimmick, reimagined with Punk's straight-edge twist.
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'Don't adjust your television set; your eyes are working just right. This clown plagiarized my Pipe Bomb, so now I'm stealing Word Life,' Punk declared.
Punk tore into Cena's past, mocking everything from his failed relationship with WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella to his bald spot and the 'you can't wrestle' chants that have followed him for years. He likened Cena to Hulk Hogan, 'but somehow more problematic,' before delivering his final punchline:
'Before you go, John, there's one more wish to make: tomorrow night, you're gonna lose to Kendrick 'cause, bitch, you're my Drake.'
Punk dropped the mic and celebrated with the crowd, a sharp contrast to earlier in the day when he was booed at the Night of Champions Kickoff show. There, he apologized for a profane message he made in 2020 about The Miz and Saudi Arabia's political regime.
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