The Best in the World finally opens up on retiring from wrestling
During 2001, Paul Heyman’s Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion went out of business. In the coming months to follow, World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon would purchase World Championship Wrestling from former Atlanta Braves owner and founder of CNN, Ted Turner. This would leave a huge void in the direction and creative of mainstream wrestling (or sports entertainment). With Steve Austin and The Rock nearing the end of the professional tenures with the company, the company was visibly free-falling with the lack of interest in pop-culture and were forced to cater to a younger/secure audience (hence the PG rating).
“I never had a break & HHH never liked me”
In 2002, Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky (previously linked to Heyman and ECW) would jump-start their own promotion, known as Ring of Honor. At the time, it provided the most alternative and authentic showcasing of pro-wrestling during its peak years of 2004-2006; which Paul Heyman revealed it was similar to the direction ECW would’ve taken, with an MMA-approach to sport. During that time, CM Punk became arguably the company’s biggest star alongside fellow alumni Samoa Joe, Daniel Bryan, and A.J. Styles to name a few.
“I just wanted to headline a main event at WrestleMania”
Now known as an underground legend in the independent scene, that soon translated to the main stage exactly 8 years ago at Survivor Series, where he would receive a larger pop from the audience over both Shawn Michaels and HHH. While most in creative and the two men he was standing next to ignored the cheers, that would continue for the next 7 years in every arena the WWE invaded. Last January, CM Punk participated in his last match as a professional wrestler and has finally opened on his departure in a sit-down with fellow Second City Saint, Colt Cabana, on his The Art of Wrestling podcast. During the nearly two hour conversation, Punk refrained from making the interview a complete shoot and insisted he was just giving his side of the story. Before going into great detail about his retiring, he cleared up any rumors regarding his creative direction or income as a reason to retiring; simply saying his body couldn’t handle the ring anymore.
This poop just ain't fun anymore.
— Coach (@CMPunk) December 4, 2013
“I was the first guy to outsell Johh Cena in merch and nobody has since”
Since joining the company in 2005 directly from Ring of Honor to WWE’s developmental Ohio Valley Wrestling, then newly re-branded ECW show on SciFi; he had been working nearly 15 years consecutive to live out his dreams as a pro wrestler. Throughout the conversation, his main goal was to headline a WrestleMania event and never fulfilled that dream in his 9 years with the company. Even becoming the only guy to outsell John Cena (the face of the company) in merchandise for a period of time, the McMahon family was never ready to completely give him the ball, since he wasn’t an athlete they created. His superstar was soon growing at a rapid rate, and the company couldn’t figure out exactly what to do with him creatively, because he wasn’t the traditional guy they liked to lead the company. During his peak year of 2010 with WWE, Punk soon saw multiple TV show, sporting appearances and movie offerings, including participating in The Marine 2. Unfortunately, that role would be given to Randy Orton, which CM would have to find out through reading his online newspapers in free time.
“WWE doesn’t do anything to protect the wrestlers; they protect themselves”
With multiple injuries plaguing his body from taking beatings over the years, he simply asked for time off; but was never granted that privilege, because they needed him to work with the biggest guys. The likes of The Rock, The Undertaker and current WWE seasonal champion Brock Lesnar all defeated CM Punk. While he necessarily didn’t care about losing, jokingly admitting “wrestling is fake”; he detailed a phone conversation with Vince McMahon asking him would any of those three be on Raw the night following the PPV.
While the three are obvious legends in sports entertainment, his plan to headline WrestleMania was more so to help develop newcomers you see today – for the betterment of the company. At the present, 2014 has been the worst year of wrestling we’ve ever seen in our lives; and that’s not because of Punk’s departure, but the McMahon’s haven’t properly built a superstar with the exception of Daniel Bryan. CM soon cited they did more for up and coming guys in the locker room out of spite because of his leaving, but the company has only a handful of talent that’s headlined a WrestleMania.
I'm sick of traveling.
— Coach (@CMPunk) December 31, 2013
“Fucking help me, I’m fucking hurt”!
He would soon vent some about the WWE’s in-house doctors not properly giving his medical attention for a staph infection he found out after his departure that could’ve killed him. Having broken ribs and a torn knee didn’t stop him from living out his dream, but he simply fell out of love with the sport he didn’t want to hate. Punk also revealed having various MRI’s and cat scans, that also revealed he had a cracked skull. After leaving the company in January of this year, Punk took time off to heal his body, with the possibility of returning to action. During his time away from the company, his wounds would heal; but the relationship with WWE would worsen.
“I’ll work at Starbucks, at least they’ll give me insurance”
Two weeks after he took time off, Vince McMahon sent him a text asking him would he come back. While the answer would obvious be no, the company soon suspended him for 3 months from the company, which would come to an end the day after Wrestle Mania XXX last April. There was a slight chance at him returning in some fashion to WWE, but they would fire him coincidentally on the day of his wedding over the summer. Now that Punk’s cleared rumors of him quitting, but being fired from the company; he may have burned some bridges with the powers that be, controlling unfortunately the only show in town. Listen to the entire interview above, with Phillip Brooks detailing how the worst pain of his life is finally gone from his life, giving fans some closure.