CM Punk and Cody Rhodes delivered an electric promo exchange on "WWE Raw" this past week, closing out the show with a tense face-to-face ahead of the Royal Rumble. Their verbal jousting had the crowd hanging on every word, proving just how personal and high-stakes their rivalry has become.
Despite the promo receiving acclaim from most fans, it was noted that the Atlanta crowd, which was rowdy for most of the night, was relatively quiet during the segment. On "Busted Open Radio," co-host Bully Ray discussed the unique reaction from the live audience, emphasizing how the silence wasn't a bad thing it was a sign of full engagement.
"What did you hear in the arena last night when CM Punk was doing the majority of the talking in that promo?" Bully asked. "Silence, like genuine, real silence, like, 'Don't move, don't say a word, because we're listening that intently.' That's a gift. That silence speaks volumes to me."
He explained that this kind of reaction is rare in wrestling and signifies deep investment from the fans.
"Because that silence tells me, 'We want to hear what you have to say.' No 'what' chants, almost no reaction to anything, because I'm listening so intently," Bully said. "I know that when I'm engaged in a conversation with somebody, I won't react at all, like my eyes, my facials, nothing, because I'm locked in and I'm listening so intently. That's what 16-17,000 people were doing last night. You don't get that with wrestling promos."
As the Royal Rumble approaches, Rhodes is set to defend the WWE Championship against Kevin Owens in a ladder match, while CM Punk will enter the Rumble match, looking to achieve his career-long goal of main-eventing WrestleMania.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the "Busted Open Radio" podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.
