Daniel Bryan and CM Punk's wrestling career paths were strikingly similar and they've delivered some 5* matches both in and out of WWE. Shortly before Punk left the company in 2014, they were paired up as The Best and The Beard, a tag team fans loved. However, neither man was quite as close as that on screen partnership led us to believe!
During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Bryan was asked about the last time he crossed paths with Punk and it seems as if the UFC competitor (who still hasn't booked a second fight after his disastrous debut) wasn't interested in having a catch up with SmackDown Live's General Manager.
"I haven’t talked to Punk since I texted him when he came on the UFC show in a suit and said he was going to fight in the UFC. I just texted him and said, ‘Hey man, I just saw that and think it’s awesome. I hope you do great.’ Punk texted back, ‘Thanks.’ That’s the last I’ve heard from him. I’ve always respected and appreciated Punk, but we never really hung out. We came from the same route, but we didn’t necessarily hang out in the same circles. I’ve always had a great appreciation and respect for his hard work."
Yeah, that sounds like the Punk we all know and...love? Sadly, we probably won't ever see these two cross paths in a ring again. Punk seems to have happily given up wrestling to embark on a mixed martial arts career, while Bryan's health leaves his in-ring future in doubt. In an ideal world, they'd clash a few years from now in Japan or ROH...