After WWE superstar CM Punk reportedly quit the WWE last week after he found out that he would not be in the main event at WrestleMania, questions have been rampant about whether one of the most popular WWE wrestlers in the last decade really quit or if this is another one of Vince McMahon’s story lines/stunts.
TMZ reported that Punk quit the organization because he “was livid when he learned officials scripted Batista to win the Royal Rumble … because he feels Batista isn’t in great wrestling shape and shouldn’t be featured in the title match at the upcoming WrestleMania”:
We’re told Punk feels he earned the right to be in the main event at WrestleMania — because he’s been wrestling tirelessly over the past year from house shows to overseas events. Punk was angry when he found out he’d be wrestling Triple H at WrestleMania instead of squaring off in the title match.
Sources say … Punk — whose contract is up in July — made the decision to leave WWE after “Monday Night Raw” — and we’re told that right now, he’s very serious about his decision and has no plans to return.
CM Punk’s bio is still on WWE’s website, and WWE pulled a stunt in 2011 when Punk “left” the company when he was the reigning champion. He, of course, did not really leave the company then as it was part of an elaborate storyline. But reports from the wrestling industry indicate that McMahon may be scrambling behind the scenes to bring Punk back, especially after the way the fans have reacted since he has been noticeably absent from WWE’s story lines. To say the least, WWE fans were not happy. They were chanting the superstar’s name all night long on “Monday Night Raw” even when some of the company’s most popular wrestlers were in the ring.
Punk plays a character who believes in the “Straight Edge” lifestyle in which he abstains from drugs, alcohol and smoking. Phillip Jack Brooks, which CM Punk’s real name, lives the “Straight Edge” lifestyle his character promotes. WWE pushed Punk big last decade when the organization was dealing from the fallout numerous former wrestlers dying from what was believed to be steroid use.
Punk may be taking a vacation to heal from some of his injuries–and the WWE may be using that vacation to juice up a story line and punk everyone–or he could have really left the company. Nobody outside of Punk and McMahon seem to know for sure. Punk has over 2.1 million followers on Twitter, and his last tweet was on January 27: