10 Wrestlers Who Were Right To Walk Out On WWE

7. CM Punk (2014)

Cm Punk
WWE.com

24 hours after the 2014 Royal Rumble, CM Punk decided he'd had enough of WWE's corporate bullsh*t and walked out. He'd go on to launch an awful MMA career and become embroiled in several lawsuits against the company and medics inside it. WWE largely ignored Punk's run and fans rebelled by chanting his name.

So, you might be thinking, why was leaving the right move?

Punk's UFC run may have been an abject failure, but it made him happy and gave him a goal to work towards that didn't involve playing pro wrestling's political games. In interviews, the former World Champion spoke of moving on from the industry and enjoying his life. Like it or not, he felt he had to get out for his own sanity.

Deep down, Punk probs knew he could return at some point too. WWE don't knock back chances to make money, and they're stockpiling talent like never before thanks to the rising threat of AEW. Punk refused to let WWE break him completely, went off to explore other challenges and then returned on his own terms.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.