CM Punk has been removed from WWE's roster of superstars at wwe.com. The company have now placed the former WWE champion in their alumni section of the website, indicating that his WWE contract has officially expired. The former Champion last night responded on Twitter, thanking fans and making clear that he didn't care for WWE - "Nope, thank YOU.Thanks for all the help and support through the years. Health and happiness above all.Don't ever take any s**t from anybody." This tweet was following "#ThankYouPunk" trending on Twitter. Now free from the shackles of his WWE contract, Punk was free to express his appreciation to his fans, clarifying that he quit for "health and happiness above all". His twitter comment also confirms that there was animosity in his departure. "Don't ever take any s**t from anybody" can be seen as proof that he felt slighted by WWE's management. We probably shouldn't expect any more comments from Punk on his departure. His wife AJ Lee still works for WWE, so he isn't going to want to ruffle any feathers by talking too much about his exit. He quit in January over his unhappiness, so he's already moved on, it's just that the contract only officially expired now which has prompted the brief statement. As a company, WWE played the Punk situation brilliantly. Before WrestleMania they subtly used his exit to forward their Authority vs Yes Movement storyline, particularly at the March 3rd Chicago Raw. Punk and his mysterious exit inadvertently created more interest for WWE, giving the likes of Stephanie McMahon a level of heat which elevated her heel TV character. With the contract expiry coming this week, the company played another masterstroke when they decided to debut the 'CM Punk: Best In The World' documentary on WWE Network last night. Advertising the special on Raw, it made sure that Punk's contract expiry wouldn't be so bitter, it made the WWE look like they had no ill-will toward the star (when they in fact probably do). Indeed, as Punk's contract expired, the Network was veritably toasting his career. The timing to air the documentary at the same time as the roster change was deliberately cunning. From WWE's perspective they'll leave the door open for a Punk return in the future. The star might feel happier away from the company right now, but in true pro wrestling fashion, you really wouldn't be surprised to see him back within even a few years.
