Wrestling Legend Explains His Love for Celtic

Wrestling icon CM Punk has spoken about his love for Celtic, and what began as part of a WWE rivalry has since turned into a genuine appreciation for the club.

The WWE star, whose real name is Phillip Brooks, first caught the attention of Celtic supporters in 2024 when he appeared at a post-show press conference wearing a Celtic training top.

The timing was no accident.

Punk had just played a key role in defeating Ayr-born Rangers supporter Drew McIntyre, with the Glasgow rivalry spilling into wrestling in a crossover few could have predicted.

What looked like a light-hearted dig at his rival has since developed into something more. Punk has continued to follow Celtic and, last year, was invited to Celtic Park for a behind-the-scenes tour.

Speaking on The Late Run podcast, he explained exactly how his support came about.

“I’m half Irish. So I feel like you gotta represent. And one of my biggest rivals in WWE is Drew McIntyre and he’s a Rangers guy.

“So I’m going to rep Celtic.

“They gave me a tour of their facility. So I was on the pitch there.

“Beautiful place, like legendary too. I met a lot of the players, met some junior kids that were in the system, you know, playing.

“And it’s, it’s so fun to experience, number one, different cultures and different foods around the world. But that sport over there is so huge and so different. So it’s just, it kind of expands your perspective and your mind about things.”

Punk’s visit to Celtic Park clearly left an impression. Meeting members of the first-team squad and seeing the club’s academy up close gave him a closer look at life inside Celtic than most celebrity supporters ever experience.

His connection may have started as another chapter in his long-running feud with McIntyre, but it has continued well beyond that storyline. Since first wearing the training top, Punk has regularly acknowledged his support for the Scottish champions and has embraced the club whenever the opportunity has arisen.

Celtic have attracted plenty of famous supporters over the years, but Punk has become one of the more unexpected names on that list.

With his schedule taking him around the world, there is every chance he will find an opportunity to take in a match at Celtic Park in the future. Judging by his own words, it is an experience he would likely relish.