There is confidence.

There is being proud of what you have accomplished.

And then there is arrogance.

Right now, CM Punk may be walking dangerously close to that line.

At SummerSlam, Punk successfully retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes. Kevin Owens, meanwhile, made his return and became the number one contender for that championship. On paper, that makes everything simple.

Punk is the champion.

Owens is the challenger.

But apparently, CM Punk doesn't see it that way.

On SmackDown, Punk and Owens stood face-to-face, and Kevin Owens said something that I think a lot of people watching Punk right now may be thinking:

Kevin Owens does not buy that CM Punk has changed.

And Punk might be proving him right.

Punk's Arrogance

CM Punk loves telling everyone that he is the Best in the World.

And Punk's argument is pretty straightforward. Look at his waist. He has the championship. He survived Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. He continues to win.

So, in Punk's mind, the evidence is right there in gold.

But Kevin Owens sees something different.

After defeating Cody Rhodes, Punk basically left the door open for Cody to receive another championship opportunity. Punk told Rhodes that whenever he wanted another shot, all he had to do was say when.

That's a generous offer.

There's just one problem.

Kevin Owens is already the number one contender.

Owens earned that position.

So why is Punk handing out championship opportunities to Cody Rhodes before recognizing the man who officially earned the next shot?

That's where Owens' criticism becomes interesting.

Maybe Punk believes he can decide who deserves opportunities because he is the champion.

Maybe Punk believes being CM Punk gives him that authority.

And maybe that is exactly the arrogance Kevin Owens is talking about.

"Look At You"

Then Punk took things further.

Punk reminded Owens that people like him helped open the doors for wrestlers like Kevin Owens to succeed in WWE.

And historically, Owens wasn't going to deny it.

He acknowledged Punk's influence.

But Punk didn't leave it there.

The conversation started feeling less like Punk explaining his legacy and more like Punk demanding gratitude for it.

The message became:

You should appreciate what people like me did for people like you.

And then Punk looked at Owens and essentially said:

Look at you.

That's where the conversation changed.

Because now Punk wasn't just defending himself.

He was talking down to Kevin Owens.

This isn't some rookie standing across the ring from him.

Kevin Owens is a former Universal Champion.

A WrestleMania main-eventer.

A man who has fought Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, Seth Rollins and countless others.

Owens doesn't need CM Punk to remind him that he belongs.

Owens Fires Back

And Kevin Owens admitted something important.

Punk did help open doors.

His career influenced wrestlers who didn't necessarily fit WWE's traditional mold.

Owens understands that.

But respecting somebody's influence doesn't mean you have to worship the person.

And Kevin Owens made his position perfectly clear.

He may respect what CM Punk accomplished.

He may respect the doors Punk helped open.

But Kevin Owens said he will never become what Punk has become.

An arrogant piece of shit.

And THAT is what makes this feud interesting.

Because this championship match isn't simply about Kevin Owens trying to win another world title.

This is about two men looking at success completely differently.

CM Punk sees his championship as confirmation.

I told you I was the best, and now I have the gold to prove it.

Kevin Owens sees Punk's championship as something that may have exposed him.

You finally reached the top again, and now we're seeing exactly who you really are.

Toronto

And now everything appears headed toward Toronto, Canada, on August 21.

Kevin Owens challenging CM Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Think about that environment.

Kevin Owens.

In Canada.

Fighting CM Punk.

For the WWE Championship.

But the biggest question might not be whether Owens can defeat Punk.

The bigger question is whether Kevin Owens is actually right about him.

CM Punk has spent years telling everyone that he's changed.

That he's grown.

That this version of CM Punk is different.

Kevin Owens isn't buying it.

And every time Punk reminds everyone that he's the Best in the World...

Every time he talks down to another wrestler...

Every time he acts like holding the championship gives him the right to decide who deserves an opportunity...

Owens' argument gets a little stronger.

Maybe CM Punk changed.

Or maybe CM Punk finally got everything he wanted...

and the championship simply revealed the person who was there all along.

Arrogance.