10 Times Vince McMahon Screwed His Own Talent

There's a running theme in this article, and that's Vince's obsession with control. Well, when CM Punk took himself back to Chicago in January 2014 after that explosive meeting with Vince and Triple H, it was on his terms: when Vince suspended him, he shrugged and stayed home.

One month stretched to two, then to four, both WWE and Punk maintaining a tantalising radio silence and leaving everyone else to fill it. Punk didn't have the money and reach that McMahon did, but he had a wildcard. He didn't care whether they called or not. He was well-off, healthy and happy again... and about to marry the love of his life.

Two days before Punk married AJ Lee in June 2014, he spoke to Triple H, reportedly the first contact he'd had with WWE since his suspension. On their wedding day, Punk received a FedEx with his release papers. He knew it was deliberate: he'd told Triple H about the wedding, and AJ, still a WWE talent, had requested the day off specifically for it. The envelope even showed when the delivery had been requested for.

In a later interview with 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, McMahon tried to come across as regretful by apologising for the 'mistake'. It was no mistake: it was a calculated effort to f*ck with Punk on the happiest day of his life, because Vince didn't have any other power over him anymore.