Overview
- CM Punk recounted the episode in a new interview published Thursday, saying men in fatigues surrounded the ring and at least one had a gun trained on him after a performer disrespected a Brazilian flag.
- The incident occurred at an untelevised WWE live show in São Paulo in 2012 and escalated almost immediately when Chris Jericho brought a fan’s flag into the ring and insulted it.
- Punk says WWE officials ended the match on the spot, he pinned his opponent for a real finish, then grabbed and kissed the flag to calm the crowd before exiting the arena.
- According to Punk, local authorities tried to seize the offending performer’s passport and WWE later moved him out of Brazil overnight to avoid detention; the performer was also made to apologize and received a 30-day suspension.
- The new account comes as Punk remains off WWE TV since April and is reported to be expected back on the SmackDown brand, a timing that refocuses attention on performer safety and the legal exposure of international tours.