10 WWE Wrestlers Vince McMahon Couldn't Control
2. CM Punk
If 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin stands as Attitude's icon of rebellion, CM Punk is his modern day equivalent. His divorce from WWE is one of the ugliest in wrestling history, and it came from a long list of backstage frustrations that famously manifested onscreen through 2011's 'Summer Of Punk' storyline.
The angle ended disappointingly, but its opening salvo shook wrestling to its core. Punk's famous pipebomb transformed him from a cult fan favourite to a genuine folk hero, with his reality-fuelled tirade against Vince McMahon and the WWE hierarchy touching on a number of long-held fan frustrations. Fans had never seen such a vociferous worked shoot air on WWE television before, and while the promo went down with McMahon's consent, there's no doubt that Punk's words were genuine.
'The Voice Of The Voiceless' rose to the top mostly on his own terms, and in spite of a complete lack of support from management, but the same rebellious spirit that sent him to the top eventually prompted his demise. Punk walked out on WWE in February 2014, and the full extent of his issues with McMahon, Triple H, and many others was revealed in his appearance on Colt Cabana's podcast that November.