10 Times WWE Found It Hard To Say Goodbye

Few wrestlers have gone out with as much noise as CM Punk, despite WWE's attempts to sequester some of the rumblings.

The 'Straight Edge Superstar' was usually vocal, but he kicked it up several notches following the Summer of Punk. Despite being on a roll, he felt slighted when Triple H inserted himself into the storyline and refused to put the 'Son of Chicago' over.

Punk continued to move down the ranks, losing to part-timers and a green Ryback, but he still hoped for a WrestleMania main event spot. It never came. His last appearance for the company was in the Royal Rumble, where Kane forcibly removed him after a concussion. The following Raw, Punk was a no-show.

At first, WWE was confident Punk would return. However, soon, the 'Voice of the Voiceless' received his pink slip on his wedding day.

Once Punk was gone, WWE tried to keep his departure quiet, but fans refused to stop chanting for him. After accusing the company's lead doctor of being a quack, the door for a return went from being wide open to locked shut.

The closest fans have gotten to a Punk return was with WWE Backstage. Even then, he was hypercritical of the product and often reminded fans he only worked for FOX. Although WWE liked to say "never say never," CM Punk might have been one of the few outliers.