CM Punk and Penta get candid on Road to WrestleMania

Summary

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WWE Now Podcast – April 8, 2026

Episode Title: CM Punk and Penta get candid on Road to WrestleMania
Hosts: Sam Roberts & Megan Morant
Guests: CM Punk, Penta El Zero Miedo

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Episode Overview

In this high-energy, pre-WrestleMania 42 episode of WWE Now, Sam Roberts and Megan Morant sit down with two of the most talked-about Superstars heading into the biggest event of the year: World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk and newly crowned Intercontinental Champion Penta El Zero Miedo. The episode dives deep into CM Punk's WWE legacy, his long-awaited WrestleMania main event(s), his rivalry with Roman Reigns, and the cultural journey of Penta from indie icon to WWE sensation.

Listeners get unfiltered, candid insight into the personal evolution of both stars, their thoughts on their big matches coming up, and what it means to carry the weight of WrestleMania expectations. This is essential listening for wrestling fans ramping up for the show of shows.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

CM Punk: Legacy, Reflection, and Main Event Pressure

Reflecting on Iconic Matches and Career in WWE2K26 (03:51–06:54)

• On His Favorite John Cena Match:

  • Punk prefers his 2013 Raw match with Cena over their famous Money in the Bank encounter:

    "I think Money in the Bank's more of a moment...as a pure contest, that match, I think it was Dallas, that match means a whole lot more to me. I think that's the best match I've ever had."
    (CM Punk, 04:30)

  • Reveals he was sick during that match—his "Michael Jordan flu game."

    "That's my Michael Jordan flu game. I was sick as a dog."
    (CM Punk, 04:56)

• On Nostalgia and Looking Back:

  • Punk admits he’s not big on nostalgia, but is amazed by his longevity, especially his history with Rey Mysterio spanning decades.

    "I was just like, man, it's crazy because it's 2008. But then me and Rey also had, like, a banger of a match with Eddie in 2002, and then I went on to wrestle him extensively in 2009, and now today we're still doing it. It really just shows the staying power."
    (CM Punk, 05:57)

• On His Entire Career Being Celebrated in the Game:

  • Feels "super cool" but jokes about feeling old when his indie days are featured.

    "It just makes me feel a little old, that's all."
    (CM Punk, 07:06)

The Road to WrestleMania & Facing Roman Reigns (07:43–09:34)

• On WrestleMania Main Event and Personal Satisfaction:

  • Punk reflects on his former resentment at never main eventing WrestleMania; now, in his second consecutive WrestleMania main event, his perspective has changed.

    "If I main evented WrestleMania before I left, I don't think I would have come back because I would have done it."
    (CM Punk, 08:21)

  • Expresses gratitude for the journey, recalling a quiet post-match moment soaking in the WrestleMania crowd:

    "I was just standing in the ring by myself, and I was just looking at all four sides of the crowd...If this is the last time I'm ever going to be in a ring, wow. I did it."
    (CM Punk, 09:32)

• Relationship with Roman Reigns & Real-Life Heat:

  • When asked about the on-air tension with Reigns, especially Reigns’ on-screen claim that management sought his blessing for Punk’s return:

    "Yeah, they came to me to ask me if it was okay that they went to Roman to ask him if it was okay. No. There's a line, and what I do is I blur it. He kind of threw it back at CM Punk. And I think that's fascinating, you know."
    (CM Punk, 10:09–10:22)

  • On why Roman picked him as his opponent:

    "For everything he says he's mad about and he hates me—oh, then, well, why'd you let me back in, man? You did it to your damn self. And I think WrestleMania is going to be a lot of fun."
    (CM Punk, 10:21)

  • Punk teases a special moment coming at Madison Square Garden just before WrestleMania:

    "Whatever's going to happen there, you can pretty much bookmark that. It's going to be special."
    (CM Punk, 11:09)

Final Thoughts on Punk (12:00–22:00, Sam Roberts Commentary)

• Sam Roberts summarizes Punk’s evolution:
  • Sees a much more self-aware, appreciative Punk, unburdened by earlier bitterness.
  • Sam connects Punk’s story to his love of “middle-aged and crazy” Terry Funk, celebrating this phase in Punk’s career as essential and historic.
  • Highlights the mutual respect and the different paths taken by Punk and Reigns to become “undeniable forces”—emphasizing the magnitude of their upcoming collision at WrestleMania 42.

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Penta El Zero Miedo: Authenticity, Cultural Impact, and the WWE Path

Banter, Don Mysterio, and WWE Presentation (22:55–24:55)

• Penta ribs Sam for being a Dominic Mysterio fan, calling Dom a "bad wrestler. Fake wrestler. Fake song. Fakes... both a worse wrestler and a worse son."
  (Penta, 23:22–23:51)

• The panel jokes about title defenses and the nuances of father-son wrestling legacies.

Connecting with WWE Fans & Adjusting to WWE Style (24:55–26:48)

• On His WWE Arrival:

  • Penta credits his rapid fan connection to honest emotion and consistent evolution.

    "Every day, Penta try to improve the style, my English, everything about me—my soul, my spirit, my mind...I want to give my best version every day. This is the truth, bro."
    (Penta, 25:14–26:48)

• Responsibility as a Role Model:

  • Aware kids look up to him, Penta wants to be an example, striving daily for excellence.

Authenticity & the Art of Connection (27:00–29:34)

• On Being “Real” and Not Changing His Persona:

  • Penta: "Penta is real. Penta is not fake like other guys...Penta is the same in the locker room...and in the show." (Penta, 27:00–27:50)

• Defying American Stereotypes about Masked Wrestlers:

  • Sam discusses the old belief that masked wrestlers can’t connect emotionally with American crowds. Penta disproves this, focusing on genuine energy and passion:

    "The most important thing about it is the energy...I want to take out this energy...I'm full—my body is full to energy, bro."
    (Penta, 28:37–29:31)

Paul Heyman’s Praise and Old School vs Evolution (29:38–32:05)

• On Paul Heyman Endorsement in “Unreal” (Netflix):

  • Deeply proud to hear Heyman’s praise, but also feels increased responsibility:

    "When Paul Heyman says something positive about me, I feel so proud. But at the same time, I feel the responsibility I have to improve every day."
    (Penta, 30:18–30:50)

• Cultural Tension Around Breaking Kayfabe:

  • Admits some unease as a traditionalist seeing the behind-the-scenes reality shown, but embraces needed evolution.

Embracing Violence, Embracing WWE’s Global Platform (32:32–36:09)

• On Holding Back His Hardcore Side:

  • "I love the violence, but at the same time, when I need to be violence, it's like, okay, no, no, no, no, not too much." (Penta, 32:47)

• On WWE x AAA Partnership:

  • The AAA acquisition was a massive shock—opens doors for Mexican and international talent.
  • Penta highlights the importance of being “different” to stand out among “1 million luchadors.”

Penta’s WWE Ambition and Championship Promise (36:09–36:32)

• Declares:

  "Pentacom to WWE to conquer everything. No matter what. I promise you, when I win my first title, I promise I come here with you."
  (Penta, 36:17–36:32)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• CM Punk on Achieving the Dream:

  "If I main evented WrestleMania before I left, I don't think I would have come back because I would have done it."
  (08:21, Punk on how not getting his WrestleMania main event fueled his return)

• Penta on Living His Authentic Self:

  "Penta is real...When Penta go out to the ring or the arena...Penta really enjoy the moment."
  (27:00, Penta on authenticity)

• Penta on the Responsibility to Fans:

  "I know a lot of childs want to be like me. So that's why it's like, okay, I am the example for other person."
  (25:25–25:40)

• Penta on His Mission:

  "Pentacom to WWE to conquer everything. No matter what."
  (36:17)

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Important Timestamps

• 03:51 – Discussion of Punk’s career in WWE2K26; his favorite match with John Cena
• 04:56 – “Michael Jordan flu game” moment
• 07:06 – Punk reflects on feeling ‘old’ but ‘experienced’
• 08:21 – Punk on why not main eventing earlier might have been a blessing
• 09:32 – Punk on standing alone post-WrestleMania, soaking it in
• 10:21 – Roman Reigns/CM Punk rivalry, blurred lines between personal and storyline
• 22:55 – Penta bursts onto the podcast; banter over Dominic Mysterio
• 25:14 – Penta passionately discusses improving himself & his responsibilities
• 27:00 – On being the same Penta everywhere, not a “fake” persona
• 29:38 – Paul Heyman’s praise of Penta on “Unreal”
• 32:47 – Penta on his violent, yet controlled, in-ring style
• 33:40 – Penta on WWE/AAA partnership—importance of being different
• 36:17 – Penta declares his intentions to “conquer everything” in WWE

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Takeaway

This episode showcases two WWE Superstars at very different but equally pivotal points. CM Punk, reflective but fiercely competitive, is approaching what may be his career-defining WrestleMania moment, grateful for the road’s twists. Penta, energized and hungry, is carving out a new legacy as both a luchador and a WWE champion, determined to inspire the next generation and honor his roots.

Both men embody authenticity, resilience, and evolution—proving why their matches at WrestleMania 42 are the must-watches of the weekend.

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Transcript

[Sam Roberts]

Take this out. Hey, it's Sam Roberts. Welcome to a very special edition of WWE now, which of course is a WWE and Fanatics original production. And it's a very special edition of WWE now because not too long ago, right around the time of the release of WWE 2K26, Megan Morant, my co host here on WWE now and and myself got the opportunity to sit down with some of the superstars that are going to be making a huge impact at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nevada. And we wanted to come on here and share those interviews with you guys as we kind of ramp up to WrestleMania and, and, and not the least of the people that we spoke to was the one and only CM Punk. Now, a lot has happened for CM Punk in the last month or so. You know, just on Monday Night Raw, watching CM Punk cut the promo that he cut. But we got a little bit of time, we got a few minutes with the World Heavyweight Champion to talk about a lot. You know, in, in 2K26, one of the big parts of the game is the showcase mode, which goes over kind of the whole WWE career of CM Punk. So it gave us the opportunity to talk about Punk and his whole career and some of the people that he's faced. We talked about the fact that he had this storied rivalry with John Cena and what his true favorite John Cena match was that he had through his career. You know, we talked about his, his relationship and his rivalry with, with Rey Mysterio. And also, you know, a topic that I think should come up with CM Punk right before a WrestleMania last year, going into WrestleMania, a big story was that CM Punk had never main evented a WrestleMania and that a big reason that he left the WWE the first time was because he hadn't gotten that opportunity to do it. So now that he is approaching his second WrestleMania main event, now that he is approaching main eventing WrestleMania for the first time as the defending World Heavyweight Champion, we talked about kind of contextually what that meant for him. And of course, this conversation happened not terribly long after that first confrontation with Roman Reigns. So much has gone down between CM Punk and Roman Reigns. But that first confrontation where Roman Reigns told the world that after winning the Royal Rumble, he was choosing CM punk as his WrestleMania opponent. And the reason that he was choosing CM punk as his WrestleMania opponent was not because Punk was easy, not because Punk was less than the WWE Champion. It was because he hated CM Punk. And a lot of. A lot of sort of resentment. It felt like that it harbored For a long time was in that conversation. So we talked to CM Punk about that as well. I hope you enjoy the conversation that Megan and I had with CM Punk. CM Punk, the World Heavyweight Champion. Welcome, man. How are you?

[CM Punk]

Belts around here somewhere.

[Sam Roberts]

There. There it is right there with John Con.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

He's.

[Sam Roberts]

He's trying to claim championship glory.

[CM Punk]

I. I guess I'll hold on to it.

[Sam Roberts]

Yes. Yes. How you doing, man?

[CM Punk]

Oh, just lovely. Busy, Busy. Yeah. Harried. You look.

[Sam Roberts]

You still look great.

[CM Punk]

Oh, thank you.

[Sam Roberts]

You still look fantastic, man.

[CM Punk]

Hair, makeup, team. Yeah, yeah. The blue. The blue does something with my eyes.

[Sam Roberts]

Maybe that's what it is.

[Megan Morant]

Maybe blue often is a good color on you.

[CM Punk]

Yeah, I. Who Knew?

[Sam Roberts]

So it's 2K26 Creator Day. That's what brought everybody in. Everybody's talking about the video game. Of course, it's WrestleMania season as well. Everybody's talking about that. Something that I was looking at. Right. Because CM Punk is the showcase superstar in 2K26. And I was going over the matches that are on this thing, and of course, I think a lot of people are looking for that Money in the Bank John Cena match. But the John Cena match that I saw on the list that I saw is that 2013 raw match.

[CM Punk]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

Which I think is. Is this unbelievable match that really doesn't get mentioned as often as maybe it should because of that Money in the bank match. Do you prefer one or the other?

[CM Punk]

I think Money in the Bank's more of a moment. Yeah. I, I think just as a. A pure contest, that, that match, I think it was Dallas. I think that match means a whole lot more to me. I think that's the best match I've, I've. I've ever had.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. And there's also so much going into that. I feel like that was back to, like, real chip on your shoulder, like, okay, all right. If you're not going to get. I'm going to show you what you're missing. Yeah.

[CM Punk]

That's my Michael Jordan flu game. I was sick as a dog. Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

And it didn't make any difference.

[CM Punk]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

That's awesome. That's awesome. When you look at this, are you guys. Cause I, I. This is one of those instances where it almost forces you to be kind of retrospective with yourself, which is not something I personally enjoy doing for me. Do you like looking?

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

You.

[CM Punk]

You gotta go back and be like, look at that head of hair I have.

[Sam Roberts]

That's right. I turned myself into a different person. So I don't have to look back.

[CM Punk]

I'm. I'm a little bit of the same way. I see that, I see the lip ring and I see the hair, and I'm just like, okay, okay. Really? O little bit. Yeah. Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

Meanwhile, at the time, everybody was like, that's the coolest thing in the world.

[CM Punk]

I don't know. Tastes evolved.

[Sam Roberts]

But when you're, when you look at those matches and stuff, do you get nostalgic? Do you appreciate them or do you go, like, I'm kind of so into what's going on right now.

[CM Punk]

I'm definitely into what's going on now. And I, I, I. It's not like I'm over anything in the past. It's. It's more. I look at how far I've come.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah.

[CM Punk]

You know, because I was watching somebody play the game, and they were playing as me wrestling Rey Mysterio, and I was just like, man, it's crazy because it's 2008. But then me and Rey also had, like, a banger of a match with eddie in like, 2002, you know, and then I went on to, to wrestle him, like, extensively in, like, 2009. And now, like, you know, today we're, we're still doing it, so it really just kind of shows, like, the, the staying power. I look at him as one of the greats, so if I'm still side by side with him, you know, doing st. We tagged on a Raw in December, and it's just like those are, those are the moments that make everything looking back at it, like, kind of mind blowing.

[Sam Roberts]

Is it mind blowing as well to you to, like, know that even the stuff you're doing pre WWE, like you just said, you go back to 02, the, the, the, the, THE AFI music, even the action figures that Mattel is making now that are based on your dark matches.

[CM Punk]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

Before you were even signed. That, like, so much of your career has been so impactful that they're going back to, like, you on the independence, kind of trying to make it going, like, yeah, no, we need to celebrate this too.

[CM Punk]

Yeah, no, I, I think it's all super, super cool. It just makes me feel a little old, that's all.

[Sam Roberts]

Experienced, I think is the word.

[CM Punk]

Well, you know, for some reason, I think there's a section of my fan base that thinks that's a compliment. They're like, oh, he's old. And I'm like, all right, I don't love that. Yeah, not, not great. It's like, it's like calling me my real name and I'm like, all right, okay.

[Sam Roberts]

I enjoying this.

[Megan Morant]

Throwing around the word un and stuff.

[CM Punk]

That, that's just completely not my lane. So I just, I don't, I don't.

[Sam Roberts]

You don't know whether they. To take that as a compliment.

[CM Punk]

Yeah. If I, if I don't know, and I don't just. Okay.

[Sam Roberts]

Do you feel like that CM Punk that had so much drama around it, especially leaving the wwe, you know, kind of voicing the fact that you weren't satisfied with where you were at then if that CM Punk had a crystal ball and could see, like, what was to come, and I guess you're probably a very different human being, but, like, drastically.

[CM Punk]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

Do you think this here, being the World Heavyweight Champion, going in to WrestleMania against a guy like Roman Reigns, assuming you get past Finn Balor, do you think that that would satisfy a younger CM Punk?

[CM Punk]

You know, satisfy? I don't know if it's the word, but it might be. It might be dangerous because. Yeah, because if you think about if I main evented WrestleMania before I, I left, I don't think I would have come back because I would have done it.

[Sam Roberts]

Wow.

[CM Punk]

What am I coming back for?

[Sam Roberts]

Thank God you didn't main event WrestleMania.

[CM Punk]

Right, right. It's a little, I mean, it's a little weird. Like, you know, like every. Oh, everything happens for a reason. It, it's just, it's just one of those things. You know, I, I, I did it last year and, you know, there's that moment in Unreal where I, there's always cameras on us, but I don't, I didn't know they were shooting me at that moment. That moment was just me standing in the ring after the fact. I didn't win, you know, and it's far beyond being about that. And I was just standing in the ring by myself, and I was just looking at, like, all four sides of the crowd and like, people, I can tell there's people from numerous different countries, and I'm just kind of like looking around all four sides, just like soaking it in. Well, if this is the last time I'm ever going to be in a ring, wow.

[Megan Morant]

Wow.

[CM Punk]

I did it.

[Sam Roberts]

Well, man, we have to let you go. I do want to acknowledge that Megan Moran is a human being with a wonderful brain that asks great questions, but

[CM Punk]

go ahead and ask me a question.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Okay.

[Megan Morant]

We had a great time talking earlier about 2K26, but I, I did want to ask you about the, the face to face with Roman Reigns on Monday Night Raw.

[CM Punk]

Yeah.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah. And you know Roman Reigns calling out that they did come to him to ask if it was okay that. That you came back or to at least tell him that you were coming back when that was brought up. And just how did that make you feel? Because I think it was a moment for us fans watching where we all had our jaws on the floor.

[CM Punk]

Yeah, they came to me to ask me if it was okay that they went to Roman to ask him if it was okay. No.

[Sam Roberts]

How far along?

[CM Punk]

Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, you know, I. There's a. There's a line, and what I do is I blur it. And he kind of threw it back at CM Punk. And I think that's fascinating, you know, for everything he says he's. He's mad about. And he hates me. Oh, then, well, why'd you let me back in, man? You did it to your damn self. And I think wrestlemania is going to be a lot of fun. I think the road to wrestlemania has already started off with a bang. I think it's going to be a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to a lot of it. You know, we're going to be in the garden at some point. I think in March or the end

[Sam Roberts]

of March 30th, maybe.

[CM Punk]

I. I mean, you know that whatever's going to happen there, you know, you can pretty much bookmark that. It's going to be special.

[Sam Roberts]

I can't wait, dude, It's. It's. Yeah. I can't wait for the road to keep going. Appreciate your time. Dude, you're in a rush.

[CM Punk]

Sorry I couldn't give you more.

[Megan Morant]

No, no.

[Sam Roberts]

Everybody wants to talk to you. You're the champ.

[CM Punk]

I need to go to bed. Yeah, I'm gonna do my best.

[Megan Morant]

Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

[Sam Roberts]

Appreciate you, man. Thank you.

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[Sam Roberts]

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[Sam Roberts]

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[Sam Roberts]

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[Sam Roberts]

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[Sam Roberts]

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[CM Punk]

and see how much you could save.

[Sam Roberts]

It feels good to geico so big thanks to CM Punk. And before we get on to our next interview, I do want to say that the number One sports fan festival Fanatics Fest returning to the Javit center in New York City from July 16th through the 19th of this year, 2026. It's a must attend event for WWE fans. You'll be able to meet your favorite Superstars, watch live WWE podcasts and enjoy surprise appearances all weekend long. And then when I say weekend, I mean four full days of the weekend, the 16th through the 19th WWE Superstar autograph and photo opportunities of Fanatics Festival go on sale Friday, April 24th at 10am Eastern. Listen to these confirmed WWE Superstars for photos and autographs. They include EO Sky Jay uso, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, Cody Rhodes, Jacob Fatou, Liv Morgan, Randy Orton, Ria Ripley, Stephanie Ver, Tris Strattus, Tiffany Stratton, and so many more. More WWE Superstars are going to continue to be announced, so fans should stay tuned to Fanatics Fest social channels for the latest updates. Fanatics Fanatics Fest tickets are on sale now@fanatics fest.com and I think that, you know, it's really interesting hearing from CM Punk the way we just heard from him and, and listening to him kind of being reflective in a sense on his whole career, especially as WrestleMania approaches, but also constantly looking forward. I mean, I, I sat down and interviewed and you can find it somewhere deep in the, in the, in the rabbit holes of YouTube. But I interviewed CM Punk right before his last WrestleMania with WWE, before he left. I interviewed CM Punk right before WrestleMania 29, like two days before it, before his match with the Undertaker. And it's so interesting sitting down with him now because as a, as a person, he's, he's still as authentic as he's ever been, you know, in terms of his character. And I don't mean his, his pro wrestling character. I mean the character of him is a human that hasn't changed. But it feels like his outlook, it feels like his appreciation, it just feels like the reality that he now lives in is completely different. I thought it was really interesting and I've never heard him say it before where now he thinks back on that time, you know, because for a long time there was a lot of bitterness and resentment and some of the stuff that Roman Reigns brings up that CM Punk said after he had left the WWE about Roman Reigns, I think is, is centered around where CM Punk mentally was at back then. Because the fact that CM Punk looks back now and says, hey, if I had gotten that thing that I wanted, I don't think I'd be here right now. That, that, that, that CM Punk, who wanted to be in the main event of WrestleMania, where he's going on WrestleMania Sunday of this year now for the second time, that if he had gotten that when he first wanted it, that we wouldn't be getting the CM Punk run that we're getting right now. And I, I, I, I can't imagine as a fan being robbed of this chapter of CM Punk of, and, and as CM Punk, as big of a fan of Terry Funk as CM Punk is, the idea that we wouldn't get this kind of middle aged and crazy version, the way he's described himself, much the way Terry Funk described himself years and years ago, that we wouldn't have gotten this version of CM Punk, I think, I think would have been a crime. I think it is. So there, there's such a big story when it comes to who CM Punk is and the career of CM Punk. I think that it's, it's, it's absolutely fascinating. But you can tell, you know, and I'm sure you could tell in that conversation as he was sitting down and just the way he answered those questions, the way, the way he carries himself, there's, he's a different beast. I mean, he is an upper, upper echelon top guy. And I'm, I'm. After Joe Tess announced the cards for WrestleMania's night one and night two and we officially see Roman Reigns and CM Punk in that box where they're advertising the main event for WrestleMania Night 2. I couldn't help but think about how big this match is going to feel, how, how massive this thing is going to feel. I mean, even in that conversation with Punk, like, you can, you can, you can hear the dirt that's under his fingernails. You can hear the, the what he still describes on Monday Night Raw as recently as this week, you can, you can hear the work that has been put in to him being the person that he is today. He was never chosen for this. He just had to become undeniable. And that's exactly what he did. I think Roman Reigns has worked in a completely different way, but no less hard than CM Punk. I think the idea of being put in a position by a company to succeed, when it's a position that you really can't succeed in, I think can be just as difficult to break out of as never being put in a position at all. And I think the fact that we've gotten to this place and CM Punk has proven himself, he's already main evented at WrestleMania, everything else is gravy. And Roman Reigns has Proven himself. He had a three and a half year run as, as, as WWE Champion. That shifted the entire industry. Both of these superstars turn themselves into undeniable forces. And on the other side of these two men staking their claim as people who are at the very top of the industry, breathing air that is rare enough that most will never even get a sniff of it, that now is when those two paths converge. That now, now is when those two forces collide. And I don't think that that's something that has necessarily fully hit me. I mean, we're having the conversation about it now, but I think that that's, that's, that's something that I think is going to hit everybody. When those two are in the ring and they're in the gear, in their gear and the bell rings and you realize that this is the main event of WrestleMania that Roman Reigns and CM Punk are staring each other down. This feels like one of those matches that we're not really going to wrap our heads around until it's the night of. And we look at these two and fully come to the realization, wait, now somebody's got to win this thing, which means that somebody's got to lose this thing. The only one of these two is going to walk out with the World Heavyweight title. That this story, especially if it ends up just being about the two of them, that this story gets an answer, and it gets an answer now. And I think there's a world where maybe we thought we would never get that answer. So I'm super excited about it. And I could talk about it, you know, for another hour or two easily. But I don't want to spend all my time talking about CM Punk and Roman Reigns, because Megan and I didn't just talk to CM Punk. No. We also had the opportunity to talk to Penta. Now, I must warn you, this interview happened before Penta had won the Intercontinental Championship from Dominic Mysterio. But Penta did. As soon as he walked in the room, he completely shouted me out for being a Dominic Mysterio fan. Clearly, even before Penta had the Intercontinental Championship, this was something that, that, that, that was on the mind of Penta. Putting Dominic Mysterio in the ground, putting Dominic Mysterio in his place. And that's exactly what Penta did when he became the Intercontinental Champion. And now penta walks into WrestleMania, an intercontinental champion. And it's really interesting to put in context with the conversation that we had with Penta. You know, we talked about the journey that he took to get to the wwe, not just through wrestling in Mexico, but wrestling in every promotion in the United States. Lucha Underground, tna, like all. Everywhere. Everywhere. He wrestled everywhere there was to wrestle before he finally got to wwe. And the instant that he got to wwe, it was like he was home. And we talked to him about that, about why he chose to come to wwe, about. About how he feels. That connection was made with the audience. We, we, we. We talk about, you know, the, the scene in Unreal in wwe, Unreal where Heyman, Paul Heyman talks about Penta and it's caught on camera and broadcast to everybody on Netflix. We talk about the. The AAA and WWE connection and how well that's worked and whether he. He thought it would work or not. It's a fabulous interview. Before we get to that conversation, I do want to remind you the WWE World is taking over the Las Vegas Convention Center April 16th through the 20th, and it's the ultimate fan experience happening during WrestleMania week. This is your chance to get closer than ever to wwe. You can meet superstars and legends, step inside immersive exhibits. You can experience moments that you won't find anywhere else. You can see names like Cody Rhodes, Stone Cold Steve Austin, AJ Lee, CM Punk, Stephanie McMahon, and more all in one place. You can catch live matches, check out panels, live podcasts, including not just this one, but Six Feet under with the Undertaker featuring John Cena, and explore the WrestleMania superstore packed with exclusive merchandise. Tickets are on sale [e-mail]. you can use code WWE Now 10 to save 10%. Get there. I'll be there. Hopefully we run into each other. But right now, I want you to enjoy the conversation that Megan Morant had. Megan Morant and I. I was there too. Had with Penta. Here we are, joining us in studio, the one and the only Sero Miedo. Penta is here?

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yes, sir.

[Sam Roberts]

Welcome, Penta.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Thank you so much. I'm great. I'm very glad to be here with you guys. With you.

[Sam Roberts]

Thank you, bro.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

You. You and I, we have a problem. You know what?

[Sam Roberts]

No, we don't know.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Come on. You are fun. Dumb Mysterio. Fun. The number one, actually. Right?

[Megan Morant]

Right. Yeah. It's embarrassing.

[Sam Roberts]

Why?

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Explain me away.

[Sam Roberts]

I love. I think Don Mysterio is super cool.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

He's got great hair, a stupid mustache, a skinny guy. Bad wrestler. Fake wrestler. Fake song. Fakes.

[Sam Roberts]

You think? What do you think? Fake everything.

[Megan Morant]

Also doesn't defend his title.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Exactly.

[Megan Morant]

I know, it's ridiculous.

[Sam Roberts]

No, he has two continental triple when. Right.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Win, defend.

[Sam Roberts]

Well, I don't. I mean, he's defended them both before.

[Megan Morant]

He's not recently.

[Sam Roberts]

I know.

[Megan Morant]

It's a total joke.

[Sam Roberts]

Do you think he's a worse wrestler or worse son?

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Both.

[Sam Roberts]

Really?

[CM Punk]

Yes.

[Sam Roberts]

Oh, my gosh.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Is it true?

[Sam Roberts]

You don't think Ray could have spent a little more time paying attention to him?

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

I think so. I think so. That's why he is like that.

[Sam Roberts]

Oh, you're saying that it's not. That's more of a negative on top.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yeah, maybe.

[Sam Roberts]

You know, I mean, but. Yeah, sure, sure. But look, time's.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

But okay. But it's okay.

[Sam Roberts]

I mean, Morgan loves it, like.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Because I am happy today. Okay.

[Sam Roberts]

Okay.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

I know mad with you today. Okay.

[Sam Roberts]

I'm a Penta fan, too.

[Megan Morant]

He is. He is a Penta fan.

[CM Punk]

Okay.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, he is.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

No problem. You know, I was like the easy business, bro. Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

Business.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

That's all. That's all.

[Sam Roberts]

It's easy. I've been a PETA fan for a long time. In fact, like, I find it very interesting and I'm. I'm very happy that over the last 14 months. Yep. The WWE fans have like, taken to you. Thank you so strongly, like, from the. The instant. And you know, part of it is, of course, that presentation, which you've always. Wherever you've gone, presentation has been a big part of it. But if you don't back that up in the ring.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yes.

[Sam Roberts]

You're dead in the water.

[CM Punk]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

And I feel like. I mean, if. I feel like it goes back to that first Netflix Raw or the second one. I think it was the second one. Second one. But when you cut that promo.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

After your match.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yes.

[Sam Roberts]

And even whether you understood every single word or not, you understood the emotion, bro.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

I wanted to be honest with you guys. So right now I feel after the 12 months or 13 months, I feel with little more experience. That's the real WWE style, you know, because I come from the. Everywhere the indie shows, other companies and everything. But everything here is very different because I understand something. WWE is the best company in the universe and automatic. I want to be the best luchador in the universe, you know, for this thing. Years ago, I started doing something different because some exist. One fries. I love this fries. Say if you want to get different results, you want to do different things. And every day. So every day, Penta try to improve the style. I try improve my English. I try to improve everything about me. My soul, my spirit, my mind, everything. Because I know what is the response my responsibility right now after the one year here in wwe, because I know, thank God, a lot of fans. I like something about Penta. Right. That's why I want to improve all areas on my body and my mind. And, you know, so. Because I know a lot of childs want to be like me. So that's why it's like, okay, I am the example for other person. I want to give my best version every day. This is the truth, bro.

[Sam Roberts]

Were you surprised when you were brought in that it was brought in to be Penta? The same Penta we've seen here, Lucha Undergrad. Penta is Penta. And that's what we want in wwe. And that's what we want you to be.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yeah, it's correct. Because Penta is real.

[Sam Roberts]

Right.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Penta is not fake like other guys, I don't think. Okay, no, not mention the names.

[CM Punk]

Bringing it back.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Not mentioning the name. Not mention the names. But Penta really is the Penta, bro. When. When Penta go out to the ring, to the arena, or meet angry or something like that, Penta really enjoyed the moment because Penta understood what is the best formula for this business is the connection with the people, bro. This is the truth. For me, it's my best formula in this business for 20 years. So Penta is the same like here. Penta same in the locker room. Penta is the same in the show. And you know, that's why. I think so. I don't know. Yeah, but that's why is the people feel something same like Penta. Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

And I think too, to that point, and I never really thought of it that way, but it is, it is true. There is that connection that you have with the audience, and they do feel that authenticity, which is such an accomplishment. Because for a long time, especially in America, a lot of promoters felt like with the mask on.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

You couldn't relate to the audience.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yes.

[Sam Roberts]

Like they always say in WCW when they made Ray take his mask off, how are you going to connect with the audience?

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yes.

[Sam Roberts]

I never thought Ray had any problem connecting with the audience. In the same way you come to the ring, every part of your face that isn't covered by a mask is covered by face paint. You have this larger than life suit on. You got the fireworks and everything. But there's still a human connection that I feel like is being made between somebody sitting in the audience and yourself. Yeah.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Because the most important thing about it is the energy. For me and my personal opinion, I don't know other wrestlers, but for me, the most important thing I need to be there every show is my full energy. Because that's why when you know, feel your body full energy. It's like, I want to beat everyone there, no matter what. Like, because I feel powerful, you know?

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

So. And that's why when I go to the ring and start saying, like, stupid, like, because I want to take out this energy, you know, that's why I think so. I don't know this, the connection with the people, with the crowd actually between the Scream or something, because the people say, what is this guy? Is like crazy or what? You know? But no, no, I'm crazy. I'm full. My body is full to energy, bro.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, it's passion. Passion. And you feel that.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Of course, the passion. Because you don't have passion and energy. Nah, no words.

[Megan Morant]

I know a lot of people have a lot of different opinions about wwe. Unreal. And you know, I'm a fan of it and I really enjoyed watching this past season. One of the things I enjoyed the most was there was this moment, and it was with Paul Heyman. And he was talking about you.

[Sam Roberts]

Oh, yeah.

[Megan Morant]

And he said, you know, I think we. We have something with this Penta guy. And I think it's, you know, you hear it in the reaction. And then it was, you know, the next episode and they showed your entrance and you did hear that reaction. But I'm not sure if you watched it or not, but hearing Paul Heyman say those things about you and everything that Paul Heyman has done in this business.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yes.

[Megan Morant]

13 months into WWE, that had to make you feel good.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yeah. The first thing I feel is so proud about me first because, you know, I have a 21, 20 years work hard every day for this. When I saw when Paul Heyman talking about Penta, like in my heart is like, wow. You know, because everyone know who is Paul Heyman.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

What it means is Paul Heyman in this business, he has the best for all times, you know, like, I don't know. Exactly.

[Sam Roberts]

Any scene, the luchadors.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Exactly. He saw everything about this business, basically. And say when he says something positive about me, I feel so proud. But in the same time, I feel the responsibility I have for improve every day, you know, so about the unreal. Everything unreal. My side old school is like, ouch. Why, you know, 100. Because I'm jealous with my work, basically. You know, in Mexico is different. You know, the. You need put the mask on everywhere, cover the face and this culture, basically. So when I saw that my. My side old school was like, okay, but my side, the evolution to the wrestling and everything say, we need the. We need this.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Because sometimes the people is confused. The real look, the that is the real wrestling, you know, it's like different but when the people can. I saw that it's like, okay, I understand why it happened this, what happened that. But to be honest, my old school Thai is like, ah.

[Sam Roberts]

I mean, I'm sure there was a time where you didn't want to do like interviews like this.

[CM Punk]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

Because Penta is so. Penta.

[CM Punk]

Yeah.

[Sam Roberts]

You know what I mean? These conversations.

[Geico Commercial Voice]

Yes.

[Sam Roberts]

It's got to kind of break that. That it's got to be a little uncomfortable. Maybe not now, but when you first started.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Yes, of course. Yeah, definitely, bro. Yeah. As I mentioned before, I. After 12 months I feel with little bit more experience about everything here and wwe.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Basically.

[Sam Roberts]

Do you think that is there a little part of you that goes. You know what? As much as these fans love Penta, they don't know that there's this other side. Like we haven't really seen that. You think violent. Yeah. Side that hardcore side.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

This is the problem with Penta because Penta, I love the violence, but at the same time when I need to be violence, it's like, okay, no, no, no, no, no. Not too much, you know.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah. Because you got little kids, Relax, you

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

know, something like that. But I'm Penta, bro. Yeah, I'm Penta. Real Penta in the rim, bro. Yeah, it's true.

[Sam Roberts]

I mean it's amazing, dude. What do you think of. Of WWE and. And the acquisition of AAA and the fact that like so many. I mean this struck me. Yeah. Because you know, I've watched all kinds of wrestling from all over the world all my life. But watching modern day current WWE fans become so interested in AAA and the presentation of aaa, I feel like it's a major accomplishment. How have you felt about.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

The first thing was big surprise for everyone.

[Sam Roberts]

Yes.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

A lot of Mexicans like what? How you know so even for me because and the same day told me, hey, you need to go to the conference. Okay. What happened there? I don't know when I heard everything like wow, bro. For penta, like maybe 20 years the process for to be here now it's very interesting because every wrestler from play have a big freeway.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Mexico to United States to the best company in the world is wwe. I don't know how many rider can come to here, but the freeway is

[Sam Roberts]

there and you're seeing, you're seeing Mr. Iguana, you're seeing La Parka.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Mr. Iguana. Parka is like very different characters. Maybe the American people Never see before.

[Sam Roberts]

Right.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

But when he was like, what, what is that all green? Like, what happened? You know? And this is the best room for this business. You need to be different because in Mexico we have like 1 million wrestlers or luchadors. Right? How you can do something different? This is the formula. You need find something different. The others 1 million wrestlers or luchadors, this is the superior for everyone, you know? Yeah, I think in my opinion this is the best formula. Now everyone there, I think understand how is this business here because no, it's the same like Mexican people, the Mexican companies and American companies. You know, when you understand like that you are done.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah, yeah.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Basically.

[Sam Roberts]

It's amazing.

[Megan Morant]

I mean, it's been so fun. I, I wasn't familiar with aaa and then WWE partners with AAA and I find myself on YouTube one night and I'm watching and I'm seeing Microman and I'm seeing.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah, yeah, like, and then, but then people start digging, right? And maybe they go through the history of like, like who is Penta and where did he come from? In the generations of Penta and Pentagon and going forward and even La Parka and seeing like, oh yeah. And it becomes this and, and, and going all the way back. I just think, I think it's so good. Well, man, we got to get you out of here. I appreciate we have a difference of opinion on Dominic Mysterio, but I do think, I do think right there, there it is.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

I do think it is very soon.

[Sam Roberts]

Yeah. For you. You're looking at the WWE Championship, bro.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Pentacom to WWE to conquer everything.

[Sam Roberts]

I love it.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

No matter what.

[Sam Roberts]

I love it, dude.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

No matter what. I promise you, when I, I win my first title, I promise I come here with you.

[Sam Roberts]

Yes. Let's do it.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

It's a.

[Sam Roberts]

Let's do it. Deal is made.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Deal, man.

[Sam Roberts]

Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you.

[Penta El Zero Miedo]

Thank you so much, guys.

[Sam Roberts]

Thank you. Huge thanks to the now intercontinental Champion Penta for sitting down with Megan Morant and I in our studio and, and, and talking to us and, and, and giving us some insight about, you know, how he feels. Just over a year into WWE and putting it all into perspective with the fact that now he walks into WrestleMania. The Intercontinental Champion, you know, the all new WrestleMania box in WWE Slam by Tops is loaded with must have hits. Featuring stunning inserts like Titans, Big city Superstars, Vegas at night and more. From larger than life legends to today's biggest Superstars, this release captures the spectacle, energy and grandeur of sports entertainment's biggest stage. Don't miss your shot to rip into one of the most electrifying products of the year. Download WWE Slam by Tops now in the App Store and Google Play. And you know, I can't help but think in the conversation that Megan and I got to have with Penta, not just about the fact that it ends with him looking at the world WWE World Heavyweight Championship and saying, you know, soon, soon. And we didn't realize how soon it would be before he had a title around his waist. When we sat in that room with CM Punk and then with Penta, I did not realize, Megan did not realize that we were talking to two superstars that would both be carrying championships into WrestleMania. And it's really interesting the fact that Penta walks into WrestleMania and again walks to night into night two. Both Penta and CM Punk are going to be wrestling on WrestleMania Sunday. And not only is Penta on WrestleMania, but it'll have all the eyeballs of ESPN here in the United States as well. Not just on the app, but on the network itself, because he's part of that first hour. He's one of the first matches that is going to also be broadcast on ESPN cable television. And that's the six way ladder match in which he's defending the Intercontinental Championship. We're talking about Penta, we're talking about Rusev, we're talking about JD McDonough, we're talking about Javon Evans, we're talking about Dragon Lee, and as of Monday Night Raw, Rey Mysterio returning to enter into this ladder match. And it's really interesting, Penta, as the defending Intercontinental champion is looking at Rey Mysterio who has, I mean, he's proclaimed himself the greatest mass wrestler of all time. But what makes Rey Mysterio special is that zero people have ever argued that point. Not one person steps up and goes, I don't know if that's true. Everybody goes, that's true. And hopefully I can be the next Rey Mysterio. And that's even how Penta was described when he first got into the WWE about maybe being the heir apparent to that throne of greatest luchador, greatest mass wrestler. And I think that, that, that the fact that Ray steps up and goes, hey, I'm back. I'd like to be in the Intercontinental Championship ladder match. And Penta doesn't even blink. Penta's like, the more the merrier. Oh, a Hall of Famer. Rey Mysterio, who is an ageless superhero, wants to enter this ladder match. Yeah, let's make it more dangerous. Let's make it. Let's make it more dangerous and more difficult for me to keep the Intercontinental title. Sure, that sounds fun. You know, and I. I think that. That when we talk about the connection that WWE and Triple A have made, and the fact that there are a lot of WWE fans now that are far more familiar, not just with the Triple A product, but by proxy, the style of. Of Lucha, and. And contextually, where the style of Lucha fits in in an organization like aaa. And I think we're going to see a lot of that in this ladder match, you know, and it's because you've got Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee and Penta, who all come from this world of Lucha Libre. Of course, you got J.D. mcDonough, who will do the impossible and completely put his body on the line for anything. You have an absolute powerhouse in Rusev. Rusev is this ultimate spoiler who, no matter how much you do in the sky, no matter how many flips, no matter how many, how much of an aerial assault you can hit Rusev with, he's that power base that is not going to be knocked down. Rusev is the biggest guy in this match. And it's like if it. It's. It's less about how quickly somebody like a Dragon Lee or a Ray Mysterio can get up that ladder, even a Javon Evans, but about the fact that you can't leave Rusev in a position where he can just pick the thing up and tip it over, because Rusev is not going to climb that ladder up quicker than anybody. Rusev is not going to jump off the top rope and land on top of a ladder. Rusev is going to beat everybody in that match down until he can climb that ladder. And then you look at a Javon Evans and you look at somebody who is so unique, because he certainly fits into that Lucha style in terms of the acrobatic nature of what he's able to pull off, the way he's able to have this absurd control of his body when it's in midair, but also has this very American sensibility about him. I think that Javon Evans is an incredible hybrid. And maybe that comes with being Javon's age, maybe that comes with being young and being able to surround yourself with all styles of wrestling without having to, you know, find him on VHS tapes and things like that. Javon Evans grew up with YouTube. Javon Evans grew up with. With. With every style of wrestling imaginable at the tip of his fingers. And I think that bringing that into this ladder match is going to completely change everything. But, but you know, I, I, I think what's interesting about penta going into WrestleMania as the Intercontinental champion is that once that title is in the sky, once that title is hung above the ladder, as far as I'm concerned, there is no Intercontinental Champion in any other type of title match. For the most part, somebody walking in with the title is going to have an advantage. They just want to make sure they walk out whole. In a ladder match like this, especially a multi person ladder match, you've lost that title when it, once it, once it goes up, once it's in the ceiling and it's up to you to now win it back. It's not even about defending it anymore. It's about winning it back and winning it back against the past, present and future of the industry. I think it's going to be a remarkable, remarkable scene. I can't wait to see both of these matches on WrestleMania Sunday. And you know, both of these matches with the potential to really begin to tell a different story after we get out of WrestleMania. If CM Punk defeats Roman Reigns, that's a different CM Punk. But if CM Punk loses that world heavyweight title at WrestleMania, what then? If Penta leaves WrestleMania still the Intercontinental champion. Well, now it's time to talk about a real reign. Now it's time to talk about who Penta is as a long term Intercontinental champion. But any of the other five guys could just as easily leave that ladder match with the title. I cannot wait. I can't wait to talk with you about it. We'll be back, of course on Monday with a Raw recap. I believe we'll have another special edition pod throughout the week. I think between now and WrestleMania there'll be a lot of Megan Morant and myself. And myself here on WWE now. So make sure you're subscribed across all audio platforms, make sure you're hitting like and leaving comments on the YouTube videos, and we'll see you again very, very soon here on WWE now.

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[Sam Roberts]

And Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual, even if it's means sitting front row at a comedy show.

[Megan Morant]

Hey everyone, check out this guy and his bird.

[Sam Roberts]

What is this, your first date? Oh, no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.

[Megan Morant]

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league anyways.

[Sam Roberts]

Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.