Drew McIntyre isn’t backing down from his issues with CM Punk, but he is drawing a line on one thing. The Scottish Warrior says he doesn’t actually hate the man, even if their animosity remains very real.
Speaking on the Bobbycast Podcast, the multi-time World Champion addressed the ongoing tension with Punk and made his position clear.
While the bad blood is genuine, he framed it as a matter of opinion, rather than emotion.
“I just don’t have anyone I genuinely don’t like. I don’t have time for hate in my life. I don’t really hate him—I think he’s a piece of crap,” McIntyre said. “I don’t have time for haters. So I don’t really hate Punk—I just think he’s a piece of trash.”
McIntyre Previously Compared Punk to Charles Manson
The comments mark a shift in tone from what McIntyre was saying just months earlier. During a June 2024 interview on Guerilla Position: Beyond the Ring, he went much further in describing Punk’s connection with the WWE Universe.
“He has a Charles Manson-like quality. The way he’s just able to convince people to do his bidding and love him,” McIntyre said at the time.
He also compared Punk’s influence to that of dictators, expressing frustration that even Scottish crowds cheered for Punk during their feud.
“They cheer Punk the other night… that kind of hurt. Even in Scotland. It just has that weird thing that certain people in history have. Dictators and the likes,” he added.
The Rivalry Was Real in 2024
McIntyre has consistently maintained that what fans saw between him and Punk in 2024 wasn’t just storyline. He described their rivalry as the result of two talented performers who genuinely don’t like each other.
“The result of a couple of people that are really good at their job who genuinely don’t like each other… was what you saw in 2024,” McIntyre stated.
With these latest comments, McIntyre isn’t softening his stance on Punk. He’s simply redefining it, making clear that while he may not “hate” his rival, the tension between them hasn’t gone anywhere.