In February of 2015, WWE Dr. Chris Amann filed a lawsuit against CM Punk and Colt Cabana, and the trial finally kicked off on Tuesday at Cook County Court in Chicago.
PWInsider is reporting that during the trial Amann was said to be “short and curt” while giving his testimony. Amann also referenced the negative comments people said about him online due to the things Punk said on the podcast, and at one point he seemed like he was getting upset while he listened to tweets and internet stories about him as they were read to him.
The jury also listened to the entire Art of Wrestling podcast episode which featured the comments that Punk made about Amann.
Gregory Pratt of the Chicago Tribune was in attendance for part of the trial, and he noted that even though CM Punk was mostly serious and attentive, there were points where he was visibly amused, and chuckling at some of the over the top things that were said in the podcast.
Amann is set to be cross examined by Punk and Cabana’s attorneys today.
I had business at Cook County courthouse so I stopped in for a minute to watch the @cmpunk @coltcabana defamation case. Surreal to see two wrestlers sitting across from a jury listening to a podcast of them talking life and pro wrestling that led WWE’s doctor to sue the ex-champ
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 29, 2018
Caught some of WWE doc Chris Amann’s testimony. The podcast dropped on Thanksgiving 2014. Amann lawyer went thru tweets calling for him to be fired and news stories on the podcast, including from 411mania. Amann disputes Punk’s story about the doctor failing to treat him.
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 29, 2018
It is happening, tho: The lawsuit between WWE’s longest-reigning modern champion and a company doctor is being heard in Cook County, nearly four years after podcast dropped. Both sides present different stories. We’ll see what the system decides
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 29, 2018
Nobody else was in attendance in the gallery while I was there.
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 29, 2018
On timing, the doctor is likely to continue testifying tomorrow from what I heard. No idea how long the trial will go, but they were being thorough in going thru stuff. The jury heard all of the controversial podcast episode, including Cabana’s plugs and upcoming events
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 29, 2018
CM Punk seemed visibly amused, chuckling here and there at some of the over the top things in the podcast, like Cabana saying fuck you to people who might call next week w abrasive questions
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 29, 2018
Just to be clear: He was mostly serious and attentive, but there were moments where some of the wrestling talk was over-the-top or the aforementioned comment that he seemed amused by https://t.co/QN8tIMmtvr
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 29, 2018
Maybe my last point: CM Punk looked good and fit ahead of his UFC 225 fight next weekend. He had on a nice suit.
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 29, 2018
[…] It’s been 4 years since CM Punk left the wrestling business behind, and Punk’s trial with WWE Dr. Chris Amann kicked off this week. […]