CM Punk vs Andrew Kessler
CM Punk is just starting his UFC career, but he’s been known to fight long before that. In addition to his getting knocked down by Teddy Hart, he’s also gotten into it with some wrestling fans.
Fight: CM Punk vs Andrew Kessler
Date: April 2, 2005
Location: Asbury Park, NJ
Source: Armpit reader Scott, Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Andrew Kessler is a wrestling fan in the tri-state area who was a regular at many ROH shows, and before that, ECW shows dating back to the mid 90s. Kessler was known for relentlessly heckling wrestlers he didn’t like, and his voice can be heard on some of the ROH DVDs. Andrew’s friend Scott often went with him to the shows, and he sent in this first-hand report of the one time his heckling went too far.
Kessler had heckled Punk for months, so he was aware of who he was. On the April 2 show in Asbury Park, there was a very hokey angle shot in an attempt to launch The Embassy from a mid card comedy act to serious heel main eventers. Jimmy Rave the Embassy used a cheese grater to try to scrape off Punk’s stomach tattoo. It was ridiculous, as it was almost impossible to work such an angle believably. It went several minutes long, and the building was quiet when Punk got up and didn’t even have any blood on him, let alone any scratches. It’s hard to believe ROH allowed such a silly angle to take place.
Kessler broke the silence by standing up and shouting, “Are you bleeding yet?? No?? Then who the Hell cares!”
Punk had a look in his eyes that made it seem like this time things were going to get serious. Every other time Kessler had heckled someone, the wrestler would try to taunt him and get him to do something physical, which he never did. Kessler was not a big man. Punk was not going to take it anymore.
Punk hopped the rail and shoved Kessler to the ground. He got down on the ground and started mushing his face and yelling, “Do you care now??” Then he stood up and started kicking him as security ran to pull Kessler away. Everyone thought it was part of the show, as wrestlers are not supposed to touch the fans unless they hop the rail or take a swing at them. The fact Punk was the first to get physical made people think it was a work.
But it wasn’t. Kessler’s friend tried explaining to everyone around them that it was a shoot, and because of that, Kessler was let back in.
It was said that whenever Punk came back to town, Kessler would get great satisfaction in standing up and yelling, “I STILL don’t care!”
