7 Wrestlers Who Became Too Big For WWE
WWE needed them more than they needed WWE...
When it comes to pro wrestling, WWE is still considered the be-all and end-all. Other companies may put out a consistently better product (like New Japan Pro Wrestling) or have a richer history (like Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre), but nobody has the success, exposure, and reputation that WWE does. Since putting WCW out of business in 2001, the company has been in a league all by itself.
Even though the flaws in the company have been glaring over the past several years, making it in WWE is still considered a sign of true achievement in the business - that's why Shinsuke Nakamura, who accomplished everything in New Japan by age 35, wanted to test himself to see if he could become a star on the grandest stage in wrestling.
Countless other stars have undoubtedly thought the same thing, and been swayed by more than just the promotion's deep pockets.
Still, WWE's just a wrestling company - it doesn't create many true mainstream celebrities. When wrestlers get properly famous and want to make the leap to genuine superstardom (and fewer injuries), they've got to leave and head for greener pastures - be they other pro sports, Hollywood, or something else altogether.
Here are seven stars who became too big for WWE...
7. CM Punk
By 2013, CM Punk was terribly unhappy in WWE. His hard work and sacrifice couldn't get him in the main event of WrestleMania 29, and the assurance of company officials that his bout with The Undertaker was the best of the show did little to comfort him. The rest of the year, Punk just wasn't 'feeling it'.
Finally, the evening after the 2014 Royal Rumble, a worn-out Punk met with Vince McMahon and then walked out of the company. He still had about six months left on his contract, but his appetite for pro wrestling was gone. After halfhearted attempts to mend fences, WWE released Punk - on the day of his wedding, no less.
Even if Punk hadn't done anything in the public eye after leaving WWE, he still proved that the company needed him more than he needed them. Instead, though, Punk has taken advantage of several big business opportunities to stay on fans' minds - he signed with UFC in 2014 (he'll be fighting his debut match in September) and he's got a regular writing job with Marvel Comics.
It's all been enough to ensure that fans still chant "CM Punk!" at WWE shows. They won't find him there, though - fans who want what Punk has to offer have to meet him on his terms.