CM Punk made major headlines at the beginning of the year when he walked out of the WWE due to his increasing frustration with the company. Reportedly, Punk was unhappy with his position in the company. He was set to do battle with the Authority in the lead-up to WrestleMania XXX which would culminate in a match against Triple H at the Showcase of the Immortals. Punk subsequently left the company following the Royal Rumble and has not looked back since. In the interim, Punk kept quiet for a number of months and has still not made any sort of official statement on the matter. Meanwhile, WWE never officially addressed the issue either, choosing to ignore Punks absence and simply carry on with the show, so to speak. Now, CM Punk -- real name, Phil Brooks -- is once again making headlines in the world of sports entertainment. His lawyers have reportedly sent a 22-page letter to WWE in regard to royalties the ex-superstar feels he is owed. Apparently, the company has not paid Brooks any royalties since his walkout, as the company feels he breached his contract in doing so. Brooks and his legal team, on the other hand, feel he is owed undisclosed moneys from the company. Reportedly, the 22-page letter also addresses Brooks depiction and use in the upcoming WWE 2K15 video game. 2K Games had previously announced the all new Showcase Mode for the upcoming wrestling simulator. This mode is to allow players to recreate historic storylines from WWEs past. The two announced angles for the mode are that of Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels, and the feud between John Cena and CM Punk. It seems that 2K had been initially begun creating and working on the game and its Showcase Mode before Punks departure from the company, and has carried on with it since. Brooks and his lawyers feel that the former WWE Champion is owed royalties for his depiction within the video game, which WWE has apparently not paid him. There is some speculation that this letter could lead to a potential lawsuit if the three involved parties -- Phil Brooks, WWE, and 2K Games -- are unable to resolve the issue. Furthermore, such legal action could potentially delay WWE 2K15s release, as theres the possibility that 2K may have to remove CM Punks likeness from the game. We will continue to update this major story as more details become available. For now, let us know your thoughts about the ever-changing and continually deteriorating relationship between CM Punk and WWE by leaving a comment below.
Douglas Scarpa is a freelance writer, independent filmmaker, art school graduate, and pro wrestling aficionado -- all of which mean he is in financial ruin. He has no backup plan to speak of, yet maintains his abnormally high spirits. If he had only listened to the scorn of his childhood teachers, he wouldn't be in this situation.
