KENTA reminds us he really wants to put CM Punk to sleep

In this situation, somebody doesn’t know it’s a work and is working a work and worked themselves into a shoot, but I don’t know if its KENTA, CM Punk, or us.

The sniping about the Go To Sleep, a finishing move KENTA definitely used before Punk began using it, goes all the way back to 2011, when the Japanese wrestler told the Daily Star: “Please list him on the wanted list as he stole my move.”

But the author of that story wrote that KENTA laughed when he said that, and the fact the two men began publicly talking about this ever since - when it would have been pretty easy to pick up a phone, or send word through mutual acquaintances - points to it being a running joke more than legit heat.

But if it is, it’s a joke neither of them have let die over the years. And since he stopped being WWE’s Hideo Itami, joined New Japan, and entered AEW through The Forbidden Door, KENTA’s turned the volume up on it. Danhausen got involved last spring...

And KENTA brought it up again as soon as the reports Punk was going to be All Elite started to swirl...

Now, he’s moving beyond social media and issuing the challenge on the microphone. That happened backstage after KENTA won the IWGP United States title from Hiroshi Tanahashi at Power Struggle last weekend:

“I am the new IWGP United States champion. I don’t know if you guys remember what I said when I came to New Japan in 2019. I said I’m here to prove who I am. After two years, I finally prove who the fuck I am, baby. I’m the United States champion, it doesn’t matter [if] it’s gonna happen or not, but I just want [to] entertain you guys. I want to give you guys a hope. So — Hey CM Punk! I’m ready to put you [to] sleep.”

GTS on a pole match at Revolution, anyone?