CM Punk Reveals the One Condition He Had Before WWE Used Paul Bearer’s Death in WrestleMania 29 Storyline
CM Punk has opened up about one of the most controversial chapters of his WWE career — and revealed that it nearly didn’t happen.
In the build-up to WrestleMania 29, WWE leaned heavily into real-life tragedy when Punk, alongside Paul Heyman, mocked the late Paul Bearer during his feud with The Undertaker. The angle drew intense reactions from fans, but according to Punk, it was never something he was willing to do lightly.
Speaking in a recent interview with Complex News, Punk explained that he made it clear he would only participate in the storyline if everyone involved was comfortable with it—including Bearer’s family.
Punk admitted that while he knew Paul Bearer (real name William Moody), he didn’t share the deep personal bond that others backstage had, particularly The Undertaker. Because of that, he felt an even greater responsibility to proceed carefully.
He revealed that Bearer’s family, including his son, gave their approval before the storyline moved forward. Punk said he didn’t want to cross that line unless he had full confirmation that everyone was okay with it, especially given how dark and emotionally heavy the angle was going to be.
At the time, Punk was firmly established as WWE’s top villain, and he acknowledged that his job was to make fans want to see him get beaten. Still, he questioned whether people would truly be comfortable with how far the story might go once it began. Punk noted that once he’s given the green light creatively, he fully commits — and warned that the angle would be intense.
According to Punk, several people who were extremely close to Paul Bearer told him that Bearer himself would have loved the storyline. That reassurance played a big role in Punk moving forward with it.
Looking back, Punk described the angle as both a privilege and an honor. While he emphasized that Bearer’s passing was undeniably tragic, he also reflected on how professional wrestling uniquely blends real life with storytelling. For Punk, the ability to pivot and blur the lines between reality and fiction is part of what makes wrestling special — and he said he remains grateful that WWE trusted him with such a sensitive storyline.
In the same interview, Punk also touched on current WWE NXT star Lexis King, offering his thoughts on the rising talent.
