Punk's got a lucky arm
When asked to participate in Superstar Ink, CM Punk couldn't help but joke about the amount of ink he's acquired over the years.
"Man, I have a lot of tattoos, huh?" the ECW Champion told WWE.com.
Yes, you do, Punk.
"Tattoos are like wearing your heart on your sleeve," he said, glancing at his ink-laden arms. "It's about showing who you are on the inside by showing it on the outside. You shouldn't go into a tattoo parlor and pick something off the wall, that's just boring. Each tattoo you get should have some deep, deep meaning."
An example is the tat of four aces on his left arm. "The thing is, I don't even believe in luck," he said. "The four aces may symbolize luck to some people, but they're really a tribute to Ace Steele, the man responsible for breaking me into the wrestling business."
What's even more interesting about the "good luck arm," as Punk refers to it, is that the Superstar who doesn't believe in luck also has a rabbit's foot, a four-leaf clover, a horseshoe and a koi fish (which is a symbol of good luck in Japanese culture).
Besides the "straightedge" ink plastered across his stomach, which he considers his most important, the paw print on his forearm is another tattoo of importance. "That was from my dog Callie, who I still think is cooler than most humans I know. I made a print of her paw and got it on my arm so I'd remember her."
The Mr. Skull Pez dispenser on his right triceps is a joke, and it actually breaks his rules for tattoo etiquette. "I have a rule about not getting women's names on my skin anywhere, but as a rib I broke that rule. I didn't use her name, but I used her nickname." Something important to remember, says Punk: "She wasn't my girlfriend. Never, ever get a girlfriend's name tattooed, please. Bad idea."
As a self-admitted "comic nerd," Punk says he added a certain Marvel character onto the web on his right elbow to show his support. "I've got Spider-Man hanging off the web with the lucky 13 in it -- again with the good luck."
Operation Ivy, an influential punk rock band that formed in 1987, has its logo on his left calf. "I thought it was cool, and I love Operation Ivy's music." The band later turned into Rancid, and Punk has become friends with the band members.
"I'm also a fan of traditional tattoos," he said. "I like old school traditional tattoo art, which includes some of the stars and a few anchors I have on my arm; there is a lightning bolt on there somewhere, too."
He got two tattoos right after he lost something when he was an adolescent -- his job pumping gas. "I had just quit my job at some Speedway, so I decided to get the cobra and the ‘spitfire.' I think I got the Pepsi tattoo was right before that one."
Admitting he's no religious zealot, Punk said he got the evil skull of the Virgin Mary because of its romanticism, not necessarily to draw lines in the sand over religion. "It's like a prayer card but it's a skull. I love the portrait, there is just something romantic about it. I think it's very cool."
Having already spent "days in a tattoo chair," Punk has plans to head back there sooner than later. If he has his way, before the Cyber Sunday pay-per-view he'll again make an appointment for another session.
"I still have to cap off my shoulder," he said. "Then I'll probably have to move into my chest area. Don't be surprised if you see me in the very near future with some new ink."
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