The world of professional wrestling is full of controversy, but most of it is part of a script to provide entertainment. Mix in rowdy fans with incredibly strong performers, however, and sometimes things go wrong.
WWE and CM Punk have released a statement about just such an incident that took place Monday. Wrestler CM Punk, who was in the stands during a bit where he was yelled at by WWE owner Vince McMahon, slugged an unsuspecting fan, Charles Schmidt. Punk was being jostled by several fans, but videos posted to YouTube seem to show the fan Punk knocked down was innocent, at least in the moments caught on tape.
The WWE statement blamed the incident on lack of security and expressed regret, but it did not suggest CM Punk will face discipline for striking a fan.
“During Monday night’s Raw televised event, WWE Superstar CM Punk exited the ring and into the stands as part of the show,” reads the statement, posted at WWE.com . “Unfortunately, WWE security was not in the appropriate place at the time. Given CM Punk’s persona as a ‘bad guy,’ fans were naturally heckling him, but unfortunately a few fans began shoving him, and one struck him in the kidney and on the back. WWE regrets that proper security measures were not in place, and CM Punk apologizes for reacting in the heat of the moment. Other than this isolated incident, WWE always provides proper security to ensure the safety of our fans and our performers.”
CM Punk’s statement did include an apology however.
“I think the whole situation sucks,” Punk said. “It’s an unfortunate and isolated incident. I was up in the stands, surrounded… Somebody said, ‘let’s push him down the stairs.’ I got hit in the ribs three times. I was getting shoved and I was getting punched…Then I started getting tagged in the back of the head. Unfortunately, I lashed out in the heat of the moment and I apologize. I’m really just glad nobody was hurt.”
The website CagesideSeats.com reported that a man seen in the video, Dario Teyes, took credit for slapping Punk, but the video evidence shows the real culprit was an unidentified man behind Schmidt who reached around and struck Punk just before Punk struck Schmidt, knocking him to the ground.
Schmidt did not initially press charges but later told a CBS affiliate he was considering hiring an attorney to explore legal options against CM Punk or the WWE.
