10 Times Wrestlers Took Their Careers Into Their Own Hands
9. CM Punk
CM Punk wanted to change WWE with a full philosophical overhaul.
Creatively shackled by the schlocky scripted promos handed to him, he knew he was, appropriately enough, better than the writers at projecting his own, unique character to audiences. As confirmed on his superb Best In The World BioDVD, he grew so frustrated that he simply processed the bullet-pointed essence of a script, literally tore it up, and delivered it using his own Best In The World verbiage. His holier-than-thou schtick of 2009 was unlike anything else in the homogenised WWE landscape; that he got over so huge in that glorious SmackDown summer was both a testament to his mic skills, and an indictment of the deadening formula elsewhere.
Punk was less successful in lobbying for an end to the part-timer era. The unshakeable conviction in his A+ Player credentials manifested as pure rage behind the scenes. He lobbied and lobbied for wins over the old guard, but was met with resistance.
Rage simmered to fatigue and disgust, and so he walked - but not before taking his career (and the complexion of the company) in his own hands.