Beginning with his epic "pipebomb" promo in June 2011, CM Punk was one of the elite stars in World Wrestling Entertainment. He was one of the most marketed, popular and featured talents in the company and the only real alternative to John Cena's goody two-shoes hero. He was brash, arrogant and cocky, and the fact that he spoke his mind without fear of repercussions made him a favorite of those tired of the same old scripted promos. That he was a hell of a worker only made him that much more beloved by the WWE fan base. As 2013 raged on, though, it became clearer that Punk was hurt. The quality of his work (outside of two outstanding matches with Undertaker and Brock Lesnar, respectively) dipped and the pain he was enduring was evident. He walked with a noticeable limp and his face was painted with agony every time he took a major bump of any kind. He also appeared unmotivated at times, something he readily admitted to during a Wizard World Comic Con Q&A panel. After finding out that he would not be competing in the main event of WrestleMania, and that his opponent for the big show would be a Triple H that he had prior issues with, Punk took the opportunity to leave the company, to go home and rest up injuries and what he was absolutely sure of was a concussion. For months, fans debated whether the Straight Edge Superstar would return to the company while reports emerged that he had no plans to do so and was more than happy to sit at home and enjoy life. On Thanksgiving day, with wrestling fans around the world downloading and listening, Punk appeared on friend Colt Cabana's podcast, The Art of Wrestling, and revealed his reasoning for departing the biggest sports-entertainment company in the world. Everything from injuries to financial disputes to personal issues involving his bosses played a factor in his decision. As it turned out, he never actually quit, though. Instead, he was fired on his wedding day, something that solidified his decision never to return. It was a riveting interview with one of the most captivating talkers in the business. As if that was not enough to keep fans invested in Punk, the December 6 announcement that he would be joining UFC as a fighter certainly was.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
