r/cmpunk

The fan whose phone CM Punk knocked away in a Las Vegas hotel lobby following WrestleMania 42 has spoken out, and he says he is not looking to escalate the situation legally.

Speaking to TMZ, the fan – who asked to remain anonymous – said he is not planning to sue Punk or pursue criminal charges, but is asking for a personal acknowledgment from the WWE star.

“I want an apology, shake my hand, I’m not gonna sue him or put him in jail. I just want an apology.”

TMZ also released additional footage of the incident that provides more context for what happened before Punk knocked the phone away. The footage shows that Bayley and AJ Lee had multiple fans filming them in the lobby before the confrontation.

The two women then moved toward an elevator bank in an apparent attempt to find privacy, but the fan in question followed them. In the footage, the fan can be heard saying “We love you, Bayley” before Bayley responded by raising her hand to block his phone and telling him to get out of the area. Punk then knocked the phone from his hand.

Punk has been vocal in the past about fans who approach wrestlers at hotels and airports. Security during WrestleMania weekend was widely reported as insufficient, with PWInsider noting as early as Thursday that talent had raised concerns about the lack of additional measures at the hotel and that fans had been mobbing wrestlers in common areas throughout the weekend.

Booker T, Sean Waltman, Drew McIntyre and other talent have since spoken out publicly about the fan behavior they encountered in Las Vegas during the weekend.

Punk's reign brought some meaning and glory back to the World Heavyweight Championship 🗣️

He's literally said so many times that when he's at the airport, hotel or with or out with his wife that he won't take photos or autographs. Respect people's privacy.

Regardless of the outcome and questionable DQ rules, this main event was the perfect cap to an otherwise lackluster Wrestlemania. No bullshit celebrities, no bullshit interference, and no bullshit returns. It was just a straight-up 1V1 boss battle! As of now, CM Punk has had two of his Mania main events thwarted by two Shield members. All he needs now is to win his main event in the future.