CM Punk says younger talent look up to him the way he looked up to Bret Hart

“After my match, somebody came up to me, I don’t need to say who, and they said, ‘You’re going to hate me for saying this, but I do this because of you.’ I saw Straight Edge Society and I was blown away. I went to WrestleMania to watch you and Rey Mysterio. I’m in wrestling because of you. I didn’t know this particular individual got into wrestling because of me. I’ll put it to you like this. I love Bret Hart. His career was cut short and it’s a God damn tragedy because there are people that go over to Saudi Arabia and get paid millions of dollars and that should have been Bret. I feel super fortunate and grateful and appreciative that I got a second chance. I’d give it up in a heartbeat to give it to Bret, but I’m going to enjoy it. I just love that motherfucker so much. He’s the greatest. He was right. Bret Hart is always right.”