7 Wrestlers Who Became Too Big For WWE

7. CM Punk

By 2013, CM Punk was terribly unhappy in WWE. His hard work and sacrifice couldn't get him in the main event of WrestleMania 29, and the assurance of company officials that his bout with The Undertaker was the best of the show did little to comfort him. The rest of the year, Punk just wasn't 'feeling it'.

Finally, the evening after the 2014 Royal Rumble, a worn-out Punk met with Vince McMahon and then walked out of the company. He still had about six months left on his contract, but his appetite for pro wrestling was gone. After halfhearted attempts to mend fences, WWE released Punk - on the day of his wedding, no less.

Even if Punk hadn't done anything in the public eye after leaving WWE, he still proved that the company needed him more than he needed them. Instead, though, Punk has taken advantage of several big business opportunities to stay on fans' minds - he signed with UFC in 2014 (he'll be fighting his debut match in September) and he's got a regular writing job with Marvel Comics.

It's all been enough to ensure that fans still chant "CM Punk!" at WWE shows. They won't find him there, though - fans who want what Punk has to offer have to meet him on his terms.