Triple H reportedly changed plans for a CM Punk match after an unscripted comment led to a backstage shift in direction. During a recent episode of the Kliq This podcast, Kevin Nash revealed that he was originally scheduled to wrestle CM Punk following SummerSlam 2011, where Nash attacked Punk and Alberto Del Rio cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to win the WWE Championship. However, according to Nash, Triple H decided he wanted to face Punk himself after Punk said something that was not part of the script.
Triple H and CM Punk have had a well-documented history of tension, particularly during Punk’s “Summer of Punk” run in 2011 when he was one of WWE’s hottest stars.
“But when I was supposed to wrestle CM Punk after I cost him the belt, he said something that pi**ed off Paul [‘Triple H’ Levesque] about something with him and Stephanie [McMahon] and it wasn’t on script and it pi**ed Paul off and Paul came back and basically said, ‘You’re not wrestling Punk. I am. I’m beating that motherf*****,’ like he was that hot.”
Triple H went on to face off against CM Punk at the Night of Champions premium live event in 2011 and he defeated The Second City Saint in a singles match. The finish was heavily criticized at the time and is still sometimes criticized to this very day.
Obviously things have changed between Triple H and CM Punk as Punk has been back with WWE since 2023. According to Kevin Nash the two have been able to build up a good relationship.
“But I know how f****** much Paul cares for him now, and like to bring him back and everything that happened and Paul to trust, like Phil [CM Punk] with everything that he’s done and vice versa for each other that’s their relationship.”