Wrestling fans were overjoyed when CM Punk made his long-awaited return to the ring. After leaving the WWE in 2014 and trying his luck in the UFC, Punk finally came back to pro wrestling in 2021.
The Road to Return
After his departure from the WWE, CM Punk dabbled in mixed martial arts and signed with the UFC in December 2014. Unfortunately, he didn’t find much success in the Octagon, losing both of his fights. But in November 2019, he resurfaced in the wrestling world as part of Fox Sports’ punditry team for WWE Backstage.
Hello, All Elite Wrestling
In 2021, Punk debuted with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), marking his official return to pro wrestling after seven years away from the industry. He made a splash by winning the AEW World Championship for the second time.
During a post-event media scrum, Punk let loose an expletive-filled rant, accusing wrestlers Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks of spreading rumors and leaking them to wrestling media. This led to a legitimate altercation backstage between Punk, Omega, and The Young Bucks. As a result, Punk’s AEW World Championship was vacated, and all parties involved were reportedly suspended.
The Road to Redemption
After a nine-month absence, Punk made a triumphant return to AEW on the June 17, 2023, premiere of Collision. He continued to make waves in the wrestling world, culminating in a successful match against Samoa Joe at AEW’s All In pay-per-view in London. However, Punk found himself in another altercation, this time with wrestler Jack Perry.
AEW announced Punk’s termination from his contract on September 2, following the unanimous recommendation of the AEW discipline committee and outside legal counsel. AEW president and CEO Tony Khan revealed that the incident endangered people backstage, leaving him feeling unsafe at a wrestling show.
Months later, Punk delighted his fans by making his long-awaited return to the WWE in his hometown at the end of the Survivor Series premium live event on November 25, 2023. And now, he is set to participate in the 2024 Royal Rumble match on January 27, 2024.
The Departure from WWE
CM Punk’s departure from WWE in 2014 left fans wondering about the reasons behind his exit. His last wrestling match with WWE was at the Royal Rumble in 2014, where he was eliminated by Kane. During the match, Punk suffered a concussion after being hit by Kofi Kingston.
After the Royal Rumble, Punk disappeared from RAW and SmackDown, with WWE no longer advertising him. Despite Vince McMahon telling investors that Punk was on hiatus, the reality was that he had walked out of the company.
In a 2014 episode of Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast, Punk finally broke his silence about his exit from WWE. He alleged that he had been suspended for two months after leaving the company and that nobody from WWE had contacted him after the suspension ended. Punk also revealed that he received his termination papers and was fired by WWE on his wedding day, June 13, 2014.
AJ Mendez: CM Punk’s Wife
AJ Mendez, also known as AJ Lee, is CM Punk’s wife. She is a retired pro wrestler who held the now-defunct Diva’s Championship two times. In January 2014, she became the longest-reigning Diva’s champion at that time, holding the title for 295 days.
After her wrestling career, AJ Lee released a memoir entitled “Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts, and Breaking the Rules” in 2017. She has also co-written the comic book series “GLOW vs. The Babyface” and has been involved in various other creative projects.
With CM Punk’s return to the wrestling world, fans are eagerly awaiting his next moves and the excitement he brings to the ring. Stay tuned for more action-packed moments from this iconic wrestler.
Don’t you need to supersize that? jk