“Listen, listen, I know you’ve got a big match, Champion vs. Champion, but what I’ve got to say is a little bit more important. Before I say it, let me preface it by saying that I think you’re an amazing performer, Punk. I think you’re very good, in fact, you’re one of my favourites! But you’re not as good as I am. You’re not as good as me. You’re not the best in the world at everything you do, and you know it.
You see, I never had to call myself the Best in the World. These people said it for me! I never had to write it on a T-shirt because they wrote it on signs and brought them to the arena. And the reason for that is that I am a part of a special breed of performers. I am one of a literal dying breed of performers who toured the world, honing our craft, learning our skills, becoming stars before we even got to the WWE. A breed that cared more about having the best match on the show than personal politics. That didn’t care what the hierarchy thought of us, that didn’t care what position we were slotted in, what we were supposed to be. A breed of performers who were given nothing but took everything.
And yeah, I developed a chip on my shoulder because of it. Yeah, I got a bad attitude and a bad reputation in the back with the powers that be because of it, but I didn’t give a damn because I knew I was good. I knew I was the best.
And now, Punk, you’re just like me; you’re a maverick. A rebel who went against the grain and became something more than anybody thought that you would. But in translation, you just want to be me.
You’re a Chris Jericho wannabe. Just like all of them are Chris Jericho wannabes. And it’s so obviously blatant by the fact that you plagiarise me every step of the way. And don’t you tell me to stop, boy, I’m talking to you.”
“And I’m listening, but I think that everybody else is sick of listening!
Look, Chris, I know how good you are. These people know how good you are. The problem that I have with you is you coming out here and insinuating that I’ve stolen anything from you! No, I’ve never plagiarised anything in my life. Everything I have, I’ve fought for and I’ve earned, including this [belt] right here. You think you invented saying that you are “the best”? Are you kidding me?!
There’s a guy I remember watching when I was a kid, you probably watched him when you were a kid too, his name is Bret “The Hitman” Hart. He was the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. Did you invent that? Did you give that to him when you were, what, two years old? Oh, and he’s Canadian too! Did you invent him being Canadian? Did you invent Canada?”
“Oh yeah, laugh it up, laugh it up with Punk! Very nice.
Because it’s oh so typical, Punk. So smarmy, so sarcastic. Never taking anything too seriously, right? Well, you need to take me seriously, Punk, because this is a whole different level from anything that you’ve ever had before. Because like I said, this isn’t just a gimmick, I am the Best in the World at what I do, and I have proven that every night for the past 22 years by staying on the highest level of any performer in the history of this business.
You can boo if you want but you know it’s the damn truth! I have faced every legend, every hall of famer, every future hall of famer in this ring and beaten them all. I’ve won dozens of championships and had dozens of classic matches. Dozens of classic Wrestlemania ‘steal the show’ matches. Dozens of moments that will remain legendary long after either one of us is gone!
You can all chant [Punk’s] name for as long as you want, but I am not just telling you, I am proving it to you with all of the evidence, that standing right in front of you is the literal, undoubtful Best in the World at What I Do.”
“You keep saying that, and your words justscream superiority. But I watch you and the way that you come out here, and the inflection in your voice, and certainly your body language, and it all screamsinferiority.
Who are you trying to prove this to? Are you trying to prove to me that you’re the best? Are you trying to prove to these people that you’re the best, or are you trying to prove to yourself that you’re the best?
See, I say that I’m the Best in the World, and sure that’s a little cocky, but confidence is nothing that I’ve ever lacked and it’s nothing that I thought you lacked. But now your confidence, Chris, seems to be replaced with jealously.
You see, you look at me and see a guy who emerged from the same shadows that you did. He came from the same place that you did, he overcame the same obstacles that you did. But now, he’s surpassed everything that you did, hasn’t he? Because sure, you’ve beaten legends, you beat Stone Cold and you beat The Rock on the same night 10 years ago and that made you the WWE champion, but you were never really ‘The Man’ like I’m ‘The Man’, were you? And that just bothers you a little bit, doesn’t it? You have a Napoleon complex because of it, so you come back and you try to point fingers and place the blame. But the blame’s only on you.
You see, you say that you’re the Best in the World at What You Do, and I say that I’m the Best Wrestler in the World. The distinction to me is very simple. This is nothing I chose. I was born this way; this is what I am. This is what I do while you chose to leave and write books and have a radio show and be on game shows and you choose to be a rock star. And all the while I’m here on top, swimming with sharks while you dance with stars.”
“Punk, while I was dancing with stars, and killing it on the Tonight Show and becoming a bigger star than you ever were, all I could think of was one thing: you ripping me off.
Every single night: You ripping me off, Punk. And let me be completely clear and honest with you, all of those January 2nd vignettes, and the Best in the World verbiage, and this light up flashy fancy jacket? It’s all window dressing because I came back for one reason and one reason only: to embarrass you on the biggest stage in the world. To take back what is mine. To beat you for that World Title at Wrestlemania, and to shove down your throat that I am the Best in the World at What I Do. I prove it, I claim it, I am it every single night.”
“Well, that’s all you had to say! When you came back, you didn’t have to jump me to get my attention. All you had to do was grab me and say ‘Punk! Me and you, Best in the World vs. Best in the World at Wrestlemania!’
See this is the time of the year where everyone points at that sign, but I’m going to point at my Championship Title, because to me, I don’t need Chris Brown and you don’t need Mickey Rourke. We don’t need all the pyro in the world, or inflatable letters to tell everybody how awesome we are. I don’t need a fancy entrance, and screw your stupid Lite-Brite jacket!
The only thing that we need is me and you in a ring. And on April 1st, we’re gonna find out exactly who the Best in the World is. Because to me, those are the only ingredients we need in the recipe to have what possibly could be the greatest wrestling match in Wrestlemania history.
But, I have something that you covet, and I say come and get it. And at the end of the night when you look up at the ramp and you see [me posing with my title], it’s not going to be the End of the World. No, it’s just going to be the end of yours.”
