CM Punk finally speaks about leaving WWE

[Kermit]

- Former WWE Superstar CM Punk has finally spoken out about his WWE departure on the latest episode of Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast. It's a very in-depth interview with Punk going into detail about his health, last few months with WWE, his departure and what happened after that. The full interview is available on iTunes now. Below are a few highlights:

* He left after the Royal Rumble mainly because of his health. He talked about working with broken ribs, a concussion and bad knees during his last months with the company. Punk was so sick during last November's European tour that he was throwing up and dry heaving every night after his matches. He had a fever for months and no appetite. WWE doctors gave him so many antibiotics that he had an accident in the ring on SmackDown, all while watching his paychecks shrink. He said it was the worst he's ever felt in his life.

* He suffered a concussion early during the Royal Rumble match but still worked. He passed a concussion test the next day and called the testing "bullshit." WWE informed he passed but wanted him to run the ring ropes and evaluate him. Punk then demanded that they just decide he has a concussion and admitted that he had been trying to deny he was hurt and just tough it out.

Punk says that same day he was being pressured about taking a drug test and signing visas for future tours instead of listening to his requests for help because something was obviously wrong. Punk then told Vince McMahon and Triple H that he was going home. Punk says he told off Triple H about cutting off his momentum in 2011 and complained to Vince for stifling Punk's creativity. He says he told them both it was garbage how Daniel Bryan wasn't being considered for the WrestleMania XXX main event. Punk says he told them he didn't want to do this anymore and was done. Vince was in tears when he hugged Punk goodbye and told him he was family.

* However, Punk was actually fired from WWE. After he left in January, he was told a few weeks later by Vince McMahon through text message that he was being suspended for two months. This was the day before Vince told WWE shareholders that Punk had taken a sabbatical. Punk heard from no one in WWE once the suspension was over and received termination papers for breach of contract on his wedding day in June.

* Punk says he hired a very vicious lawyer to go after WWE and fight their claim of breach of contract. In the end, he got a settlement that gave him everything he asked for and more. Punk's not allowed to talk about the settlement. He said they are done and will never have a working relationship again. Punk says WWE wanted to issue a joint statement with him but he told them to "fuck off." WWE was worried he would go to TNA but Punk's lawyer told WWE that he despises wrestling now and will never wrestle again.

* He said wrestling Ryback took "20 years off his life" and described Ryback as "steroid guy."

Podcast should be available here in full - > https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/art-of-wrestling-podcast-feed/id385017460?mt=2.

Here is a mirror if it doesn't show up - >http://www.tsmradio.com/colthold2/show226.mp3

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I haven't had a chance to listen to it fully yet, but from the snippets being talked about on other websites it all sounds really juicy.

 

[Crocker]

Finally my main gripe is addressed.. People were saying that him losing to part timers like Brock, Taker, HHH, and Rock did not hurt him because they were all big big big stars. But punk clearly addressed in 1:04:00 that those losses made his stock go down. I agree with him it did make his stock go down. he shouldve at least had ONE win over these big stars.you need to beat a big star to become big, and they didnt allow him to do that

 

[smizzy]

Well damn!

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Punk says WWE wanted to issue a joint statement with him but he told them to "fuck off."

Haha, world class. Exactly how I'd have expected Punk to deal with the situation.

 

[FromGlasgow]

In my opinion he comes across as bitter and very selfish, He was the most overrated wrestler in history I record wrestling and fast forwarded every one of his appearances, His interviews were boring and his character was dull, He despises wrestling now? Good riddance, He sounded like he wanted complete control over his own career and also the careers of the rest of the roster like campaining for wrestlers not to win the world title its not his company that statement really annoyed me, He said he only returned early from injury because he didn't want a certain wrestler to win the world title thats incredibly arrogant, If you want complete control over your career go somewhere like Ring of Honour or start your own company, The WWE was around for years before you got there and will be around for years without you, Won't watch any company that would hire this guy now. He was given a huge push before and I only seemed to go off of the product during this time.

 

[Alastor]

The infection thing was fucked up but he could have easily gone for a second opinion himself. I'll say it is 50-50 fault on that. The concussion test incident on the hand was BS on WWE's part. Glad he called out WWE for that. It is either a concussion and he can't go or he is cleared. No OKing with the 'proper' test on paper and then make him run the ring to clear him.

But he does come off as bitter and selfish. Everything need to revolve around him or it sucked. Him claiming he didn't want to turn heel against Rock and Vince convinced him to lol. Between being champion and turning heel and working with Rock or remaining face he chose the first option. Then he bitch about the part timers. Felt like he is trying to convince himself he wanted to remain face after the fact.

He bitch about Vince and HHH having favourites but showed that he has his own favourites as well. Still a great interview though.

 

[Alex]

He does sound like he wanted more control over his character. But aren't all the top guys offered a bit more control over stuff??

The doctors being incompetent/not caring is the most interesting though. Basically hurrying him back as soon as possible. Makes you wonder how many wrestlers are never fully 100% as well as wonder if wrestlers with substance problems may not have had them if they were allowed to recover 100%

 

[Alastor]

I think the doctor issue is on both parties. Punk himself admitted there were times he push himself to come back when he isn't 100%. The doctors could have been pressure by WWE and the wrestlers themselves to clear them for action as long as it isn't life threatening.

 

[klunderbunker]

I've listened to the whole interview and the same issues keep coming up:

Punk needs time off but won't take it because he wants to prove how tough he is. WWE keeps him on the road, Punk gets mad.

Punk thinks he belongs in the main event of Wrestlemania. Ok, fine. Punk doesn't get it, works through more injuries, WWE still doesn't care, Punk gets mad.

Punk complains about part timers, even though they draw more money. If you don't believe part timers and celebrities draw more money, I'd point you to the Donald Trump Wrestlemania and Rock vs. Cena. They're the shows at the top of the big piles of money.

Finally, Punk saying he should be paid more than he is. WWE offered him a contract for X amount of dollars, Punk signed the contract and accepted X amount of dollars. Yes he might have worked harder than everyone else, but he was being paid the amount he agreed to. Now if WWE low balls him on a new offer then he has a right to complain, but WWE didn't cheat him out of any money or pay him any less than they should have.

Overall it's VERY interesting, but Punk brought a lot of the problems on himself by being stubborn. He reminds me of Jim Cornette: "I'm the only one here that knows what I'm doing and if you disagree, you're an idiot because you have no reason to disagree with me. Also big companies suck and I miss REAL WRESTLING."

 

[The Butcher]

Knowing why he left doesn't bring him back. Besides, he pretty much just confirmed what a lot of us thought-- he was fed up. I know a lot of people were waiting for an explanation, so it's good that he finally spoke up. Personally, I don't care why he left anymore than I cared why Dave Chappelle walked off of Chappelle's Show. It's their prerogative. Sucks that he's gone and I'd welcome him back, but he said it himself, "[he's] just a spoke on the wheel. The wheel keeps turning."

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Having listened to the entire thing, the only thing that made me go, "fuck", was when he said they fired him on his wedding day. If that's true, that is actually kind of sick and it makes me wonder why AJ continues working there. Overall though, WWE is WWE, they're corporate and being corporate means you have to hide all the negatives and promote an image that is positive, even if that image is fake. They're assholes, it's not a surprise, but this is still one side of the story and we might never know WWE's side.

 

[Alex]

I think the doctor issue is on both parties. Punk himself admitted there were times he push himself to come back when he isn't 100%. The doctors could have been pressure by WWE and the wrestlers themselves to clear them for action as long as it isn't life threatening.

Of course the patient will probably want to be cleared before they are medically cleared but a doctor has a responsibility to tell the patient what is best for them.

This is why you get doctor's in trouble because they've pumped patients full of meds e.g. Michael Jackson

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

Punk manages to come across as both an intellectual rebel as well as a huge manchild in one interview. That is what I expected of him, anyway.

Some of his complaints seem pretty genuine to me. He should have defeated Triple H in 2011. If what he says about the injuries is true, then he should have undoubtedly be treated better. And being fired on your wedding must suck big time.

However he does seem to be in over his head at times. I mean, does he really believe that Taker/ Punk should have main evented over Rock/ Cena? I mean, it could have been the most anticlimatic Taker match in years as far as the build is concerned. It was just some guy challenging for the streak. There is no history between them like HBK and HHH had with Taker. I also find it hard to believe that he was the one who suggested the idea for the Shield. I could be wrong but it looks like Punk is showboating.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

I think the doctor issue is on both parties. Punk himself admitted there were times he push himself to come back when he isn't 100%. The doctors could have been pressure by WWE and the wrestlers themselves to clear them for action as long as it isn't life threatening.

The fact WWE's doctor couldn't even tell him it was a staph infection, which by the way, if not dealt with is life threatening, is an issue of itself. The guy obviously has no idea what he's doing if he can't tell what a staph infection is.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

"I have a concussion but let me take this time to mention how you killed my momentum and creativity years ago. And I have AIDS."

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

Punk is really digging his own grave here... It's likely we will never see him back in a WWE ring... or anywhere really.

 

[Alex]

Punk is really digging his own grave here... It's likely we will never see him back in a WWE ring... or anywhere really.

It seems he doesn't really care

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

That lost to H in '11 was incredibly stupid.

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

It seems he doesn't really care

Well that's kinda obvious.

 

[braveh]

That ryback match was the best match he had that year.....and that totally killed rybacks momentum...

And sure ryback is probably on steroids but isnt colt cabana on steroids as well?

Its curious about his health. I wonder if he lived a healthy lifestyle outside the ring. He looked good in 2011, got a little fat in 2012, sickly and thin in 2013 and then wwe wanted to drug test him? No smoke without fire?

 

[Con T.]

That ryback match was the best match he had that year.....and that totally killed rybacks momentum...?

Best match Ryback had, or Punk had? You do realize that was the year Punk and Bryan had those awesome world title matches against eachc other, right?

 

[Poop Master Flex]

Although I totally agree Punk brought alot of this on himself at the end of the day you gotta take care of yourself and your family. I think this all could have been avoided if a few things went differently but Punk had to do what he felt was best for himself, not the WWE and not the fans.

 

[Con T.]

Although I totally agree Punk brought alot of this on himself at the end of the day you gotta take care of yourself and your family. I think this all could have been avoided if a few things went differently but Punk had to do what he felt was best for himself, not the WWE and not the fans.

Punk's argument has a few holes, but by and large, he does one have point, that seems to be pretty hard to argue.

Punk, by and large, was WWE's most consistent performer for three straight years, from 2011-2014. And at the end of the day, he was never seen as a guy like Cena, or Orton.

Think about it... Why wasn't Punk paid as much for the Taker match as much as Taker? (Yes, I realize that fairly speculative to say he wasn't, but honestly, do you doubt it?) Because, to some extent, WWE didn't think he was responsible for drawing the audience. At least, not as much as Trips, Brock, and the like.

And maybe he isn't.... But really, how much of that is Punk's fault? Did he ever get the chance to really prove he was the draw? His performance was definitely worthy of being a top guy, but because WWE never saw him as a top guy, the feeling was that he couldn't draw. It's a self fulfilling prophecy; this guy isn't a draw, so we won't give him a chance to draw. How many people have fallen victim to this line of thinking in WWE, even now? Ambrose? Ziggler? Wyatt?

Punk's point, it seems, was that he was frustrated that, no matter what he did, he was never going to be the guy. Because of the WWE's logic, if you aren't already a draw, you'll never be one. In spite of this idea that you need to grab the brass ring, there's really no such thing. WWE is going to go with Roman Reigns to beat Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania, unless we have the 2014 Royal Rumble again, and someone else gets the push, because WWE's hand was forced into it.

 

[Alastor]

Of course the patient will probably want to be cleared before they are medically cleared but a doctor has a responsibility to tell the patient what is best for them.

This is why you get doctor's in trouble because they've pumped patients full of meds e.g. Michael Jackson

I think they see will clear the guy if he isn't a danger to himself and others in the ring on the day. Consequences be damned. Not saying its right but maybe that's the mentality. Like how wrestlers get prescription drugs easily over the years.

The fact WWE's doctor couldn't even tell him it was a staph infection, which by the way, if not dealt with is life threatening, is an issue of itself. The guy obviously has no idea what he's doing if he can't tell what a staph infection is.

Misdiagnosis do occur. That's why patients often go for 2nd or multiple opinions if the treatment isn't effective. That' doesn't mean the doctor has no idea what he's doing.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

Punk's argument has a few holes, but by and large, he does one have point, that seems to be pretty hard to argue.

Punk, by and large, was WWE's most consistent performer for three straight years, from 2011-2014. And at the end of the day, he was never seen as a guy like Cena, or Orton.

Think about it... Why wasn't Punk paid as much for the Taker match as much as Taker? (Yes, I realize that fairly speculative to say he wasn't, but honestly, do you doubt it?) Because, to some extent, WWE didn't think he was responsible for drawing the audience. At least, not as much as Trips, Brock, and the like.

And maybe he isn't.... But really, how much of that is Punk's fault? His performance was definitely worthy of being a top guy, but because WWE never saw him as a top guy, the feeling was that he couldn't draw. It's a self fulfilling prophecy; this guy isn't a draw, so we won't give him a chance to draw. How many people have fallen victim to this line of thinking in WWE, even now? Ambrose? Ziggler? Wyatt?

Punk's point, it seems, was that he was frustrated that, no matter what he did, he was never going to be the guy. Because of the WWE's logic, if you aren't already a draw, you'll never be one. In spite of this idea that you need to grab the brass ring, there's really no such thing. WWE is going to go with Roman Reigns to beat Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania, unless we have the 2014 Royal Rumble again, and someone else gets the push, because WWE's hand was forced into it.

Personally I felt Punk was WWE's best performer from the time he first turned heel in his Jeff Hardy feud all the way to right before Daniel Bryan started getting really hot with the fans. I felt Punk should have headlined at least 1 Wrestlemania between WM26 - WM29, especially in retrospect when you look at Cena's match at WM27 and what him and Punk accomplished a few months later. Frankly anyone with half a brain should have known that Punk vs. Cena was just a better match to headline WM27 than Cena vs. Miz (although having a match versus Orton is a pretty damn good consolation prize, but that's not really the point). No hate towards The Miz or anything, I quite enjoyed him during that time but that match should have been Punk's no question about it.

I can also understand how someone who prides himself in being the best wrestler in the world can get frustrated at the fact he never seemingly got a real shot to be the top guy, even as champ he was pushed into that secondary role and was treated like the #2 guy in the company over Cena. I'm not saying he could have outdrawn Cena but he did enough at that point to at least warrant giving him a shot to see if he could. It's next to impossible to be the top draw if the company you work for doesn't want you in that spot and if WWE gave Punk just 6 months or something to prove if he had what it took (Cena still would have drawn plenty if him and Punk switched spots) and considering Punk actually out merchandised Cena for a bit there it should have been enough to give Punk that brass ring. If 6 months passed and he couldn't get past Cena's level then fine, give the ring back to Cena but at least give Punk a shot at it, especially when he did enough to earn it. Truth be told I'm going through the same thing at my work (on a much smaller scale of course) and when you feel you aren't being appreciated and overlooked, its easy to get mad and want to leave, even if you enjoy your job and make good money.

Between all of that and his physical state I can completely sympathize with Punk quitting and whatever he is doing now, I just hope he's enjoying it because with all the hard work he's put in over the years he more than deserves it.