It was the interview the entire wrestling world had been waiting for since CM Punk no-showed for the Raw after the Royal Rumble. Colt Cobana gave his old buddy the platform to set the record straight on his own Art of Wrestling podcast. Punk certainly didn't pull any punches. He was as candid as his in-ring persona used to be and said things that mean a return to the ring certainly isn't on the cards. Punk revealed that he had actually been suspended for two months and then fired on the day of his wedding to Diva AJ Lee in June. Understandably, this was Punk's last straw with WWE and said he would never return to the ring, severing all ties with the company after a settlement was thrashed out between the two. WWE do still have permission to sell Punk's merchandise, with the former Straight Edge Society's leader receiving royalties from that. The other main reason Punk left was due to his health. He accused WWE doctor Joseph Maroon, who leads the WWE's talent wellness program, of being lazy and ignoring a possibly fatal staphylococcal infection on his lower back. Punk also claimed he worked for months while on antibiotics after suffering multiple concussions, broken ribs, an injured elbow and knees. WWE allegedly tried to force Punk to return to the ring long before he was medically cleared to do so. The Cult of Personality was also less than happy with the pay-off he received for his WrestleMania XXIX match with The Undertaker, claiming he received far less than Taker, Triple H, The Rock and John Cena who appeared on the same card, despite having a far better match than them. He also criticised WWE's creative as he wasn't given any sustainable programs with the likes of Daniel Bryan, instead jobbing to part-timers like Triple H, who Punk claimed hated him. He was also critical of the supposed favouritism to John Cena, claiming the company only plan his angles and story lines ahead, and no one else's. Punk certainly made working for WWE seem hellish. The company responded to his claims of medical negligence by saying: "WWE takes the health and wellness of its talent very seriously and has a comprehensive Talent Wellness Program that is led by one of the most well-respected physicians in the country, Dr. Joseph Maroon." Here are 10 more ways WWE could respond to Punk's explosive views.
