Phillip Jack Brooks (born October 26, 1978), better known by hisring nameCM Punk, is an Americanprofessional wrestler. He is signed toWWE, where he performs on theRaw brand. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential professional wrestlers of all time, his 434-dayWWE Championship reign stands recognized as the seventh longest in history.[a][7][8][9]
Brooks has used the CM Punk moniker for his entire career. Hischaracter has been consistently portrayed as outspoken, confrontational, sharp-tongued,anti-establishment,straight edge, andiconoclastic, most of which are inspired by his real-life self.[10] Depending on his alignment as ahero orvillain, he has emphasized different aspects to garnerheat and discourse.[10]
Outside of wrestling, Brooks pursued a career in mixed martial arts and joined thewelterweight division of theUFC, losing via submission toMickey Gall in his professional debut atUFC 203 in 2016. He lost his second fight toMike Jackson via unanimous decision atUFC 225 in 2018, which was later overturned to a no-contest, before he was released. He appears as a part-time color commentator forCage Fury Fighting Championships and has starred in the horror filmsGirl on the Third Floor (2019),Rabid (2019), andJakob's Wife (2021), as well as having a recurring role in the wrestling drama seriesHeels (2021–2023).
Phillip Jack Brooks[11] was born inChicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1978, the son of a housewife and an engineer.[12] He grew up in nearbyLockport,[13] where he attendedLockport Township High School.[12][14] He has five siblings. His father struggled with alcoholism, which inspired Brooks to follow astraight edge lifestyle from an early age; his mother hadbipolar disorder, causing him to become estranged from her.[15] He cites"Rowdy" Roddy Piper as an early influence and the reason he became a wrestler.[16][17][18]
Professional wrestling career
Early career; IWA Mid-South (1997–2005)
Brooks' first venture into wrestling was a stint in abackyard wrestling federation called the Lunatic Wrestling Federation with his brother Mike and their friends in the mid-late 1990s. He had his debut match by October 25, 1997, on the eve of his 19th birthday defeating Brawn the Lumberjack.[19] He first started using thering name CM Punk when he was put into atag team named the "Chick Magnets" with CM Venom after another performer skipped out on thecard; the CM stood for "Chick Magnet".[10][20][21] Unlike his friends, Punk genuinely wanted to be a wrestler and saw it as more than simple fun.[10] When the promotion started taking off while doing shows out of a warehouse inMokena, Illinois, Punk found out that his brother had embezzled thousands of dollars from the small company, causing them to become estranged. They have not spoken since.[22]
Punk (front) in a match against Danny Dominion at anNWA Midwest event in November 2002
After leaving the Lunatic Wrestling Federation, Punk enrolled as a student at the Steel Dominion wrestling school in Chicago, where he was trained byAce Steel,[2] Danny Dominion and Kevin Quinn to become a professional wrestler. As part of the training, he began wrestling at Steel Domain Wrestling inSt. Paul, Minnesota, in 1999.[3][10][23] It was in the Steel Domain that he met Scott Colton,[24][25] who soon adopted the ring nameColt Cabana. Punk and Cabana became best friends and spent most of their early career together working in the sameindependent promotions, as both opponents and tag team partners.[24] In the independents, along with fellow Steel Domain graduates Colt Cabana, Chucke E. Smooth,Adam Pearce, andmanager Dave Prazak, Punk formed analliance named the Gold Bond Mafia.[10]
In 2002, Punk became the International Wrestling Cartel (IWC) Heavyweight Champion, inMonroeville, Pennsylvania.[26][27][28] Punk would compete in the company's Super Indy tournament,[29] but never won the championship.
Punk's homepromotion for his early career was considered to be theIndependent Wrestling Association Mid-South (IWA Mid-South).[10] During Punk's time in IWA Mid-South, he had high-profile feuds with Colt Cabana andChris Hero while also rising to the top of the roster, winning theIWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship twice and theIWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship on five separate occasions, beating wrestlers likeAJ Styles, Cabana, andEddie Guerrero in matches for the heavyweight championship. Punk's feud with Hero included a 55-minuteTables, Ladders, and Chairs (TLC) match,[10] a 93-minutetwo out of three falls match[3] and several 60-minute time limit draws.[25] From July 2003 until May 2004, Punk refused to wrestle for IWA Mid-South, explaining this as a protest toIan Rotten's mistreatment of Chris Hero in the company.[10] However, Hero has stated he believes there were other reasons and Rotten's treatment of him was just an excuse by Punk to stop working for the company.[30] Punk eventually returned to IWA Mid-South and continued to perform as a wrestler and commentator for them until July 2005.[31]
Shortly before a NWA: TNA show on February 25, 2004, Punk had a physical scuffle withTeddy Hart outside of a restaurant that was broken up bySabu. The altercation reportedly stemmed from an ROH show in which Hart performedthree unplanned spots, putting several other wrestlers in danger of injury.[32][33] Around the time of the scuffle, Punk and Dinero stopped appearing on TNA shows, leading to speculation that he was fired for the incident.[34] However, Punk said the scuffle had no bearing on his TNA career.[34] Brooks said the reason he and Dinero stopped appearing onTNA's pay-per-view events was that TNA officials believed he and Dinero had not connected with the fans as villains, having turned against the popular Raven and instead formed a villainous tag team managed byJames Mitchell.[34] The officials decided that since the team was not working as villains, the storyline would be put on hold indefinitely, and thus had no work for Punk or Dinero.[34] Punk officially quit TNA in March 2004 during theRob Feinstein controversy after having a dispute with the TNA offices over his ability to compete in ROH following a TNA order that their contracted wrestlers were to no longer wrestle in ROH.[23]
Punk's matches with Colt Cabana led him to being hired by ROH.[3] CM Punk made his in-ring debut on ROH at All Star Extravaganza on November 9, 2002, in a gauntlet match involving five participants, that was won byBryan Danielson.[35] Initially, Punk joined ROH as aface, trading wins with Cabana atNight of the Butcher andFinal Battle.[10] but quickly turnedheel in afeud with Raven that featured multiple variants of ano disqualification match.[36] Their rivalry was rooted in Punk's straight-edge lifestyle, with him likening Raven to his alcoholic father;[37][38] AtNight of Champions, Punk and his trainer Ace Steel faced Raven and Cabana in a tag team match, during which Cabana turned on Raven, allowing Punk and Steel to win the match. Consequently, Punk, Steel and Cabana formed a trio called theSecond City Saints. Punk and Raven's rivalry lasted most of 2003 and was considered one of ROH's top feuds of the year. It was settled at The Conclusion in November 2003, where Punk defeated Raven in asteel cage match.[36] In late-2003, Punk was hired as the first head trainer of theRing of Honor wrestling school,[10][39] having previously been a trainer for the Steel Domain[10] and Primetime Wrestling.[40]
After concluding the rivalry with Raven, the Second City Saints turned face by feuding with The Prophecy (Christopher Daniels,B.J. Whitmer andDan Maff), suspecting them of attacking Punk'son-screen girlfriendLucy Fer. Whitmer was revealed to be the assailant, which led to Saints facing Prophecy in a six-man tag team match atThe Battle Lines Are Drawn, which ended in a no contest. The match concluded when Punk drove Daniels with aPepsi Plunge off the top rope through a table, thus explaining Daniels' departure from ROH. Around this time, Punk began climbing the ranks of ROH, including coming in second at theSecond Anniversary Show during the tournament to crown the firstROH Pure Champion, losing to AJ Styles in the finals.[36] AtReborn: Stage Two, Punk and Cabana defeated theBriscoe Brothers to win their firstROH Tag Team Championship. AtRound Robin Challenge III, the Second City Saints lost the Tag Team Championship to B.J. Whitmer and Dan Maff in a round robin challenge, but defeated the Briscoe Brothers later that night to win their second Tag Team Championship.[41] The Second City Saints avenged their loss to the Prophecy by defeating them to retain the titles atGeneration Next. They held the titles throughout the summer before eventually losing them toThe Havana Pitbulls atTesting The Limit.
Punk in Ring of Honor in 2003
In mid-2004, Punk faced off againstROH World ChampionSamoa Joe for the championship in a three-match series. On June 12 atWorld Title Classic, the first match resulted in a 60-minute time limit draw, when neither Punk nor Joe couldpin or cause the other to submit within the allotted 60 minutes. On October 16 atJoe vs. Punk II, they wrestled to a second 60-minute draw.[36] In addition toJoe vs. Punk II becoming Ring of Honor's bestselling DVD at the time, the match received afive-star rating by famed wrestling journalistDave Meltzer of theWrestling Observer Newsletter. It was the first match in North America to receive a five-star rating in seven years, the last one being the first-everHell in a Cell match betweenShawn Michaels andThe Undertaker atBadd Blood: In Your House in 1997.[25] Joe ended the series by defeating Punk in the third and final match on December 4 atAll-Star Extravaganza 2, in which there was a no-time-limit stipulation.[36]
ROH World Champion (2005)
After a try-out match on May 9, 2005, which aired May 15,[42] where he lost toVal Venis on theSunday Night Heat show, Punk accepted a deal offered byWorld Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in June. Though he had accepted the deal, Punk defeatedAustin Aries to win the ROH World Championship on June 18 at Death Before Dishonor III.[41] Despite entering the match as a face, immediately after winning the match and the title, Punk proceeded to turn heel and started a storyline where he threatened to take the ROH World Championship to WWE with him. For weeks, Punk teased the ROH locker room and the ROH fans, mocking the championship he possessed, going so far as to sign his WWE contract on top of it. During the storyline, referred to by ROH as the "Summer of Punk",[43]Mick Foley made several ROH appearances, attempting to convince Punk to do the right thing and defend the title on his way out. On August 12, Punk lost the ROH World Championship toJames Gibson in afour corner elimination match, which also involved Samoa Joe andChristopher Daniels.[41] Punk's final scheduled match in ROH took place atPunk: The Final Chapter on August 13, 2005, against long-time friend Colt Cabana in a two out of three falls match, which he lost.[36]
Special appearance (2006)
Punk made a special appearance at the ROH showUnscripted II on February 11, 2006, when the original card had to be scrapped due toLow Ki leaving ROH the week prior.[36] In addition, most of the ROH roster contracted to TNA were pulled from the show because of a snowstorm that TNA officials thought might prevent performers from reaching the TNA'sAgainst All Odds event scheduled the next day.[44][45] In the main event, Punk teamed withBryan Danielson to defeat Adam Pearce andJimmy Rave in atag team match.[45]
Punk was inducted into theROH Hall of Fame as part of the 2022 inaugural class.[46]
Punk with a portrait of himself as theECW Champion in 2008
On June 24, 2006, Punk made hisECW debut during a house show at the formerECW Arena as afan favorite, defeatingStevie Richards.[56] He officially made his television debut on the July 4 episode ofECW, cutting a brief pre-tapedpromo about hisstraight edge lifestyle, emphasizing the disciplinary aspects of being drug and alcohol free.[57] Although he had retained the straight edgegimmick, he now had aMuay Thai training background. Punk made his television wrestling debut on August 1 at theHammerstein Ballroom, defeatingJustin Credible.[58] Punk quickly established himself in ECW by going undefeated, defeating opponents such asC. W. Anderson,[59] Stevie Richards[60] andShannon Moore.[61]
On the January 9, 2007, episode ofECW, Punk suffered his first loss in ECW againstHardcore Holly, ending his six-month unbeaten streak in singles competition.[66] He participated in theMoney in the Bank ladder match atWrestleMania 23 on April 1, where he lost.[67] On the April 10 episode ofECW, Punk was involved in the feud between theNew Breed, a group of young wrestlers and theECW Originals, a group of veteran wrestlers from theoriginal ECW. Punk joined the New Breed[68] after several weeks in which both the New Breed and the ECW Originals had attempted to recruit him, seemingly turning heel.[69][70] However, two weeks later, Punk betrayed the New Breed during a four-on-four tag team match between the New Breed and ECW Originals by kicking New Breed leaderElijah Burke in the back of the head and costing them the match, after which Punk proceeded to deliver his finisher, the "Go to Sleep", maintaining his status as a face in the process.[71] On May 20 atJudgment Day, Punk defeated Burke in his first singles match on aWWE pay-per-view event.[72] Punk then went on toOne Night Stand on June 3, teaming up withTommy Dreamer andThe Sandman in atables match to defeat the New Breed and end the storyline.[73]
When ECW World ChampionBobby Lashley wasdrafted toRaw and stripped of the championship, a tournament to declare a new champion was held.[74] On June 24, Punk was scheduled to faceChris Benoit in the finals atVengeance: Night of Champions,[75] but Benoit was replaced byJohnny Nitro due to Benoitno showing because of thedouble murder and suicide he committed that same weekend. Nitro subsequently defeated Punk for the vacant ECW World Championship.[76] During the following months, Punk faced Nitro (who later changed his ringname to John Morrison) for the title atThe Great American Bash on July 22,[77] andSummerSlam on August 26, where he lost to Morrison both times.[78]
On the September 4 episode ofECW, Punk defeated Morrison in a last chance match to win the ECW Championship.[79] In the following months, Punk went on to have successful title defenses against the likes of Elijah Burke atUnforgiven on September 16,[80]Big Daddy V via disqualification atNo Mercy on October 7,[81] andThe Miz atCyber Sunday on October 28.[82] On the November 6 episode ofECW, Punk retained the ECW Championship in a match against Morrison following The Miz's interference.[83] On November 18 atSurvivor Series, Punk retained the title in a triple threat match against The Miz and Morrison.[84] On the January 22, 2008, episode ofECW, Punk lost the ECW Championship toChavo Guerrero in a no disqualification match afterEdgespeared him, ending his reign at 143 days.[85]
On June 23, Punk wasdrafted to the Raw brand during the2008 WWE draft.[88] In his first night onRaw the following week, Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank contract afterBatista beat downWorld Heavyweight Champion Edge and won the title, making his first defense later that same night againstJohn "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL), who had challenged him shortly after his win.[89] Punk continued to hold and defend the title (against the likes of Batista on July 20 atThe Great American Bash and the July 21 episode ofRaw, and JBL atSummerSlam on August 17)[90][91][92] untilUnforgiven on September 7, when he was attacked byThe Legacy andRandy Orton, whopunted Punk in the head before theChampionship scramble match, ending his reign at 69 days.[93] Punk could not participate in the match due to the attack and so was forced to forfeit the title, being replaced by Chris Jericho, who won the match and the title.[94] On the September 15 episode ofRaw, Punk received his title rematch, but failed to regain the title in a steel cage match against Jericho.[95]
On the October 27 episode ofRaw, Punk andKofi Kingston defeatedCody Rhodes andTed DiBiase to win theWorld Tag Team Championship.[96] The duo were members of Team Batista on November 23 atSurvivor Series, where their team lost to Team Orton after Rhodes eliminated Punk.[97] Punk then entered a number one contenderIntercontinental Championship tournament, defeatingSnitsky and John Morrison in the first two rounds.[98] Punk and Kingston lost the World Tag Team Championship to John Morrison and The Miz on December 13 at a live event.[99] The next day atArmageddon on December 14, Punk defeatedRey Mysterio in the tournament finals.[98] On the January 5, 2009, episode ofRaw, Punk received his title match againstWilliam Regal, which ended in adisqualification when Regal grabbed the referee's jersey.[100] Due to this,Stephanie McMahon awarded Punk a rematch the following week onRaw, but this time Punk got disqualified.[101] McMahon awarded him another rematch, a no disqualification match on the January 19 episode ofRaw, where Punk defeated Regal to win the Intercontinental Championship.[102] With this win, Punk became the19th WWE Triple Crown Champion and the fastest ever to accomplish the feat, surpassingKevin Nash's old record of 203 days.[103][104] Punk lost the Intercontinental Championship on the March 9 episode ofRaw to John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL).[105] On April 5 atWrestleMania 25, Punk won theMoney in the Bank ladder match and became the first person to win the match twice.[106] On April 13 during the2009 WWE draft, Punk was drafted to theSmackDown brand.[107] In the period after the draft, Punk feuded withUmaga over Umaga's repeated surprise attacks while Punk was attempting to cash in his Money in the Bank contract, ultimately resulting in aSamoan strap match atExtreme Rules on June 7, which was won by Punk.[108]
Later that night, Punk cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to defeatJeff Hardy for the World Heavyweight Championship immediately after Hardy won the title fromEdge in aladder match.[109] Punk made his first successful title defense in a triple threat match against both Edge and Hardy on the June 15 episode ofRaw.[110] On June 28 atThe Bash, Punk retained the title even though he lost to Hardy by disqualification (because titles do not change hands on a disqualification) after kicking thereferee.[111] As part of thestoryline, Punk injured his eye and said that he could not see the referee, but Hardy called his eye injury into question, believing it to be feigned, with Punk claiming to be the moral superior of those who support Hardy, due to his drug-free lifestyle, resulting in Punk turning heel in the process.[112] On July 26 atNight of Champions, Punk lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Hardy.[113] Their feud continued throughSummerSlam on August 23, when Punk regained the title in aTLC match only to be attacked byThe Undertaker.[114]
On the August 28 episode ofSmackDown, Punk concluded his feud with Hardy and achieved hisbooked goal of excising him from WWE, defeating Hardy in a steel cage match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship wherein theloser agreed to leave the company.[115] On September 13 atBreaking Point, Punk defeated The Undertaker in asubmission match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.[116] The Undertaker originally won the match with his "Hell's Gate" submission hold, but SmackDowngeneral managerTheodore Long restarted the match after stating that the ban that former SmackDown general managerVickie Guerrero had placed on the move a year earlier was still in effect and Punk won the match with theanaconda vise when refereeScott Armstrong called for the bell despite Undertaker never submitting (eerily reminiscent to theMontreal Screwjob, which took place in the same venue in1997).[117] The feud between the two continued and on October 4 atHell in a Cell, Punk lost the World Heavyweight Championship to The Undertaker in convincing fashion in aHell in a Cell match.[118] Punk went on to lose two subsequent rematches for the World Heavyweight Championship against The Undertaker on the October 23SmackDown[119] and on October 25 atBragging Rights in a fatal four-way match also involving Batista andRey Mysterio.[120]
In late-2009, CM Punk's character began taking on a more sinister direction. On the November 27 episode ofSmackDown, Punk revealed that he had convertedLuke Gallows, who had previously been portrayed as the mentally incompetent wrestler Festus, to the straight-edge lifestyle which had subsequently rid him of his mental troubles.[121] Throughout January 2010, Punk began to convertplanted members of the audience to a straight-edge lifestyle, making them take a pledge of allegiance to him and shaving their head as a sign of renewal and devotion.[122][123][124] After converting many people who were not seen again, convertSerena began accompanying Punk and Gallows to formThe Straight Edge Society.[124][125] As well as leading this alliance, Punk was also the mentor ofNXT rookieDarren Young, who flirted with the idea of becoming straight edge, before refusing just before his head was to be shaved.[126][127][128][129][130] Punk would also give sermons, including during the annualRoyal Rumble match on January 31, as well as during anElimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship on February 21 at both of the eponymous pay-per-view events.[131]
During the first half of 2010, Punk feuded with Rey Mysterio, being eliminated by him during the Elimination Chamber match.[132] After Mysterio prevented him from winning a Money in the Bank qualifying match, Punk interrupted Mysterio's celebration of his daughter Aalyah's ninth birthday.[133] Mysterio and Punk faced each other in a match atWrestleMania XXVI on March 28, where if Mysterio lost, he would join the Straight Edge Society, but Punk lost to Mysterio at WrestleMania.[134] They had a rematch atExtreme Rules the following month on April 25 where Punk would have to shave his head like his disciples if he lost, but he won this match after interference fromJoey Mercury, a fourth member of the Straight Edge Society.[135] On May 23 atOver The Limit, a third and final match between Punk and Mysterio was booked with both stipulations reactivated, but Punk lost and was subsequently shaved bald.[136] After the match, Punk began wearing a black mask, since he considered himself always pure unlike his followers and was embarrassed by his baldness.[137]
On June 20, 2010, atWWE Fatal 4-Way, Punk challenged for the World Heavyweight Championship against Mysterio,Big Show and the championJack Swagger, but he was unsuccessful when he was attacked byKane, who was accusing various people of attacking The Undertaker.[138] Punk and his stable started a feud with Big Show when on the July 16 episode ofSmackDown, Big Show unmasked Punk.[139] Big Show faced the Straight Edge Society in athree-on-one handicap match on August 15 atSummerSlam, winning the match after Punk abandoned his teammates.[140] The next month, atNight of Champions on September 19, Punk lost to Big Show in asingles match.[141] The Straight Edge Society angle ended after Serena was released from WWE[142] and Mercury became injured,[143] and Punk defeated Gallows in a singles match on the September 24SmackDown.[144]
In October 2010, Punk was traded back to the Raw brand after being swapped with Edge and took part in the interbrand tag team match on October 24 atBragging Rights after defeatingEvan Bourne to win a place,[145] but Team Raw lost as Punk was eliminated by Rey Mysterio.[146] During the event, Punk suffered a hip injury that prevented him from wrestling for several months.[147] To keep a presence on television, he began commentating onRaw on November 22.[148]
At the end of December 2010, Punk left the commentary team after assaultingJohn Cena on the December 20 episode ofRaw[149] and the December 21 episode ofSmackDown with a chair.[150] Punk later revealed that his motives for the attacks were that he had joined and assumed control ofThe Nexus.[151] Punk then made each member of the group prove themselves worthy of a spot, with some instead choosing to joinThe Corre, which had been started by former Nexus leaderWade Barrett on SmackDown.[152]
On January 30, 2011, Punk and The New Nexus cost Randy Orton his match withThe Miz for the WWE Championship at theRoyal Rumble as a revenge for Orton prematurely ending Punk's first World Heavyweight Championship reign in 2008.[153] In turn, Orton responded by taking out all of the New Nexus members by punting them in the head, leaving Punk alone as the sole surviving member of the group.[154][155][156][157] This led to a match atWrestleMania XXVII on April 3 and aLast Man Standing match on May 1 atExtreme Rules, both of which Punk lost.[158][159]
WWE Champion (2011–2013)
In June 2011, after pinning WWE Champion John Cena on the June 13 episode ofRaw,[160]Rey Mysterio atCapitol Punishment on June 19,[161] and finallyAlberto Del Rio in a number one contender's triple threat match (which also included Mysterio) all within one week, Punk revealed that his WWE contract was set to expire on July 17 atMoney in the Bank and vowed to leave the company with theWWE Championship.[162] On the June 27, 2011, edition ofRaw, CM Punk made a scathing, yet highly acclaimed on-airspeech, often referred to as the "Pipe Bomb", concerning the way in which WWE is run and its ownerVince McMahon, as well as referencing other promotions, such as Ring of Honor andNew Japan Pro-Wrestling. Due to this, Punk was given a (in-storyline) suspension from televised WWE events.[163] Punk was later reinstated upon Cena's insistence.[164] Upon his return, Punk ceased to appear with the remaining members of The New Nexus and the group quietly dissolved, turning Punk face.[165] At Money in the Bank, Punk defeated Cena to become the WWE Champion on his final night under contract with WWE.[164][166]The match received a five-star rating from Dave Meltzer, marking Punk's second performance to attain a five-star rating, and the first WWE match to receive such a rating since 1997.[167]
On July 21, Punk made a surprise appearance at a joint WWE–Mattel panel atSan Diego Comic-Con, where he mocked new chief operating officerTriple H, and offered WWE Championship tournament finalist Rey Mysterio a match for the WWE Championship as long as it was in Punk's hometown of Chicago.[168][169] Punk appeared at July 23'sAll American Wrestling show, showing respect toGregory Iron, a wrestler withcerebral palsy.[170] Mysterio won the WWE Championship tournament on the July 25 episode ofRaw only to lose it to Cena later that night. After Cena's victory, Punk returned and upstaged Cena's celebration while also entering a title dispute.[171] Triple H later upheld both Punk and Cena's claims to the WWE Championship as legitimate and scheduled the two to a match atSummerSlam on August 14 to decide the undisputed WWE Champion, with Triple H to serve as the special guest referee.[172] At SummerSlam, Punk defeated Cena, but he lost the title minutes later to Alberto Del Rio, who had cashed in his Money in the Bank contract afterKevin Nash attacked Punk.[173]
The following months, Punk lost atNight of Champions on September 18 against Triple H, atHell in a Cell on October 2 in a WWE Championship triple threat Hell in a Cell match,[174] and atVengeance on October 23 against The Miz and R-truth in a tag team match with Triple H as his partner.[175] This helped transition Punk's anti-establishment voice from Triple H toJohn Laurinaitis, who, around this time, became the interim Raw general manager.[176] Punk balked at Laurinaitis' promotion and verbally attacked him as a dullyes man.[177][178]
AtSurvivor Series on November 20, Punk defeated Del Rio to win his second WWE Championship.[179] Punk went on to defend the title through the end of the year, retaining in a rematch with Del Rio on the November 28 episode ofRaw SuperShow[180] and against both Del Rio and The Miz in a triple threat TLC match on December 18 atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.[181] At theRoyal Rumble on January 29, 2012, Punk successfully defended his title against Ziggler despite Laurinaitis acting as theoutside enforcer.[182]
On the January 30 episode ofRaw SuperShow, the returningChris Jericho attacked Punk andDaniel Bryan during theirChampion vs. Champion match, giving Bryan the win.[183] The following week onRaw SuperShow, Jericho explained his actions by dismissing the WWE roster as cheap imitations of himself and singling out Punk for calling himself "the best in the world", a moniker Jericho used the last time he was in WWE.[184][185] Their rivalry continued throughElimination Chamber on February 19, when Punk retained the WWE Championship in the namesake structure, but while four competitors were eliminated, Jericho was unable to continue the match after being kicked out of the chamber by Punk, causing temporary injury.[186] The next night onRaw SuperShow, Jericho earned a match against Punk on April 1 atWrestleMania XXVIII[187] and in a bid to psychologically unsettle him, revealed that Punk's father was an alcoholic and alleged that his sister was a drug addict, asserting that Punk's straight edge philosophy was paranoia to avoid the same vices and vowing to make Punk turn to alcohol by winning the title from him.[188] John Laurinaitis added the stipulation that the WWE Championship could change hands via disqualification, which led to Jericho inciting Punk into using a weapon, but Punk resisted and retained the title.[189] On the April 2 and 9 episodes ofRaw SuperShow, Punk retained the WWE Championship againstMark Henry after losing to him via countout and disqualification, being attacked by Jericho following both matches and doused with alcohol.[190][191] On the April 16 episode ofRaw SuperShow, Punk pinned Henry in a no disqualification, no countout match to retain the title.[192] After repeated altercations, the feud between Jericho and Punk culminated in aChicago street fight on April 29 atExtreme Rules, where Punk defeated Jericho to retain the WWE Championship.[193]
On May 20 atOver the Limit, Punk retained the title against Daniel Bryan after reversing Bryan's submission hold the ""Yes!" Lock" into a pinning combination, as the pinfall saved Punk from his own submission only moments later.[194] Shortly before Over the Limit, Bryan interfered in a non-title match between Punk andKane to frame Punk for attacking Kane with a steel chair, starting a three-way rivalry.[195][196][197][198] On the June 1 episode ofSmackDown, a WWE Championship match between Punk and Kane ended in a double disqualification after Bryan attacked both men.[199] Meanwhile, Bryan's jilted ex-girlfriendAJ Lee turned her affections to both Punk and Kane.[200] This feud culminated in a triple threat match on June 17 atNo Way Out, where Punk managed to retain the title after AJ distracted Kane.[201] On July 15 atMoney in the Bank, Punk defeated Bryan in a no disqualification match with AJ as special guest referee to retain the title and end the feud.[202]
On July 23 atRaw 1000, Punk defended the title against Money in the Bank winner John Cena and lost by disqualification after interference fromBig Show.[203][204] When the night's special guestThe Rock – who had interrupted Punk earlier to announce he would wrestle for the WWE Championship at theRoyal Rumble on January 27, 2013 – intervened to save Cena from Big Show's assault, Punk attacked The Rock, turning heel in the process.[205] Punk justified his actions the following week onRaw, explaining he was tired of people like Cena and The Rock overshadowing him when the WWE Champion should be the focus of the company, asserting himself further soon after by disrupting a number one contender's match between Cena and Big Show.[206][207] As a result, both men were entered into the title match against Punk on August 19 atSummerSlam, where he successfully retained the title by pinning Big Show after both Punk and Cena submitted Big Show at the same time and Raw general manager AJ Lee restarted the match.[208] In the following weeks onRaw, Punk demanded respect from people like AJ Lee,Jerry Lawler andBret Hart and eventually aligned withPaul Heyman in his feud with Cena.[209] On September 16 atNight of Champions, Punk retained the WWE Championship after he fought Cena to adraw.[210] Punk continued to feud with Cena despite the latter's arm injury,[211] rejecting the requests ofMick Foley andJim Ross to pick him as hisHell in a Cell opponent on October 28 and leading to a brawl with WWE chairman Vince McMahon.[212][213][214] Cena was eventually pulled from the title match and replaced byRyback,[215] whom Punk would defeat at Hell in a Cell in a Hell in a Cell match with help from refereeBrad Maddox to retain the title and also ending Ryback's thirty-eight match undefeated streak.[216]
The next night onRaw, a furious Mick Foley confronted Punk for refusing to pick John Cena as his Hell in a Cell opponent, leading the two to agree to meet atSurvivor Series on November 18 in aSurvivor Series match with Punk choosing Alberto Del Rio,Cody Rhodes,Damien Sandow and The Miz for his team.[217] However, Punk was replaced as captain by Dolph Ziggler the following week onRaw and was instead booked in a triple threat WWE Championship match against John Cena and Ryback by Vince McMahon.[218] At Survivor Series, Punk won the match by pinning Cena following interference from the debuting faction calledThe Shield (Dean Ambrose,Roman Reigns andSeth Rollins), allowing him to retain the WWE Championship and officially hold the championship for one full year.[219] On December 4, Punk underwent surgery to repair a partially tornmeniscus, removing him from his scheduled title match against Ryback on December 16 atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.[220] Despite his injury, Punk became the longest-reigning WWE Champion in the past 25 years on December 5, when he hit 381 days, surpassing John Cena's 380-day reign.[221] Punk returned to in-ring action on the January 7, 2013, episode ofRaw, retaining the WWE Championship against Ryback in a TLC match following interference from The Shield.[222]
On January 27 at the Royal Rumble, Punk defended the WWE Championship against The Rock in a match that stipulated that Punk would be stripped of the title if The Shield interfered.[223] Punk originally pinned The Rock to retain after The Shield put Rock through a table while the arena lights were out, leading Vince McMahon to come out and announce that Punk would be stripped of the title, but he instead restarted the match at The Rock's request. Punk lost, ending his reign at 434 days.[224] WWE recognized this reign as the longest world championship reign in WWE of the "modern era" (after 1988) untilUniversal ChampionBrock Lesnar broke that record in June 2018.[225] Punk received a title rematch with The Rock on February 17 atElimination Chamber, stipulated that The Rock would lose the title if he was disqualified or counted out, but Punk was pinned by The Rock after miscommunication with Heyman.[226] On the February 25 episode ofRaw, Punk faced Royal Rumble winner John Cena for his number one contendership to the WWE Championship, but he lost.[227]
Final storylines (2013–2014)
On the March 4 episode ofRaw, Punk defeated Big Show, Randy Orton andSheamus in a fatal four-way match to earn the right to faceThe Undertaker atWrestleMania 29 on April 7.[228] After the real-life death ofPaul Bearer, The Undertaker's former manager the next day, a somewhat controversial storyline involving Punk regularly spiting The Undertaker through displays of flippancy and disrespect towards Bearer's death began, including Punk stealing Bearer's trademark urn.[229][230][231] At WrestleMania, Punk was defeated by The Undertaker.[232] Punk then took a two-month hiatus away from WWE television to recover from injuries.
Punk returned atPayback on June 16, defeatingChris Jericho.[233] Punk started a storyline where he told Heyman to no longer accompany him to his matches and was later attacked by Heyman's other clientBrock Lesnar, thus turning Punk face once again.[234] Heyman also cost Punk a WWE Championship Money in the Bank ladder match atMoney in the Bank on July 14 when Heyman attacked Punk.[235] This led to a match between Punk and Lesnar atSummerSlam on August 18,[236][237] when Punk lost to Lesnar in a No Disqualification match after Heyman interfered.[238] His feud with Heyman continued during the following months, facing his other client, the Intercontinental ChampionCurtis Axel.[239] First, atNight of Champions on September 15, Punk faced Axel and Heyman in a no disqualification two-on-one handicap elimination match in which he made Axel submit, leaving only Heyman left, but Punk lost the match afterRyback interfered and put him through a table.[240] Then on October 6, Punk defeated Ryback atBattleground[241] and the feud ended atHell in a Cell on October 27, where Punk faced Heyman and Ryback in a two-on-one handicapHell in a Cell match, winning the match by pinning Ryback and after the match performing a "Go to Sleep" to Heyman on top of the cell.[242]
Punk moved on to a feud withThe Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt,Erick Rowan andLuke Harper), forming an alliance withDaniel Bryan, with the duo defeating Harper and Rowan in a tag team match on November 24 atSurvivor Series.[243] The next night onRaw, Punk was attacked by The Shield while attempting to save Bryan from being "taken hostage" by The Wyatt Family.[244] Punk then insinuated thatThe Authority, a villainous group who controlled WWE led by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, ordered the attack, which resulted in the Director of OperationsKane booking Punk in a three-on-one handicap match against The Shield atTLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 15.[245] At TLC, Punk won the match after Reigns accidentally performed a spear on Ambrose.[246] After further altercations between Punk and Kane, Kane made Punk the first entrant in the annualRoyal Rumble match on January 26, 2014.[247] At theRoyal Rumble, near the end of the match, Kane, who was already eliminated earlier in the match by Punk, eliminated Punk from the outside and proceeded to perform achokeslam on him through the announce table.[248]
Initial retirement (2014)
"I was sick and hurt and burnt out, and I walked. And I can do that because I'm anindependent contractor".
— In a December 2014 interview, Punk explains why he left WWE earlier that year[249]
Punk did not appear on the January 27, 2014, episode ofRaw, nor did he appear at theSmackDown taping on Tuesday despite being advertised for both events. By Wednesday, WWE.com stopped advertising Punk for future events.The Wrestling Observer reported that on Monday and prior toRaw, Punk hadlegitimately walked out after tellingVince McMahon andTriple H that he was "going home".[250][251] On February 20 during aconference call to investors, McMahon said Punk was "taking asabbatical".[252] On the March 3 episode ofRaw, which took place in Punk's hometown of Chicago, WWE acknowledged his absence on television for the first time when the show started with Punk's entrance music playing, only for former managerPaul Heyman to walk out to a loud chorus of boos.[253] WWE then proceeded to remove Punk from footage of their promotional videos.[254] This lasted until the first half of July, where WWE used footage of Punk to promote theWWE Network.[255][256] In an interview published in late May, Punk was asked how it felt "to be retired at 35" and replied that "it feels good".[257] On July 15, WWE.com officially moved Punk from the active roster to the alumni section of their page without releasing a statement. On the same day, Punk thanked his fans without mentioning WWE.[258] In late July, Punk said that he was "never ever" going to return to wrestling.[259]
When Punk told [another] doctor that he wrestled with astaph infection for three months, Punk said [that] doctor told him: "You should be dead. You could have died".
— ThePro Wrestling Torch documents the Punk interview released in November 2014[260]
On an episode ofColt Cabana'sArt of Wrestlingpodcast released in November 2014, Punk finally broke his silence regarding his exit from WWE.[261] In a detailed interview, Punk said that he was suspended for two months after walking out on WWE in January and that after the suspension ended, nobody from WWE contacted him. Punk also said WWE executives gave him a run-around when he reached out to them for unpaid royalties until he was ultimately handed his termination papers and was fired by WWE on his wedding day on June 13, 2014.[262] The manner of firing was the last straw for Punk, stating that he would never return to WWE and that there would be no further working relationship between him and WWE following a legal settlement. The settlement included Punk giving WWE permission to sell his remaining merchandise.[260]
Punk cited his health as the main reason he left WWE, describing that during his final months in WWE, he had been working through an untreated and potentially fatalMRSA infection (Punk later acknowledged on the witness stand that he was not diagnosed with an MRSA staph infection, but that a physician's assistant said he exhibited certain symptoms consistent with an ordinary staph infection),[263] broken ribs, injured knees and multiple concussions, including one at the 2014 Royal Rumble, as well as having lost his appetite and ability to sleep well. Punk felt that WWE was pressuring and rushing him to wrestle before fully recovering. According to Punk, he found a lump on his back in November 2013, and it was diagnosed as a "fatty deposit" by Dr. Chris Amann, who refused to remove it despite Punk's repeated requests. The week after Punk left WWE, his wifeApril Mendez convinced him to get the lump checked by her doctor. The doctor told Punk that he could have died due to ignoring it for such a long time. Punk had the doctor evacuate the infection, describing it as the worst pain in his life, but said that once it was treated and he was on stronger medication, he was able to sleep better than he had in months.[262]
Other sources of unhappiness Punk had with WWE were his failure to main event a WrestleMania (deeming his entire career to be a failure as a result),[262] being paid less than the other wrestlers in the three most significant matches of WrestleMania 29, doing favors for Vince McMahon and not being owed back, being "creatively stifled", feeling that there were no long-term plans for wrestlers other thanJohn Cena, as well as receiving less pay and not getting answers as to how the advent of the WWE Network would affect wrestlers' salaries.[262] Lastly, Punk described having left with "zero passion" for wrestling[260] and described himself at the time of the interview to be the happiest he had ever been in many years.[262]
Less than one week later, while being interviewed onThe Steve Austin Show on the WWE Network, Vince McMahon apologized to Punk for the manner of his termination, which he regarded as an unfortunate coincidence due to a lack of communication within WWE. McMahon also said that he was open to working with Punk again.[264] In a secondArt of Wrestling podcast, Punk publicly rejected McMahon's apology, brushing it off as "insincere" and a "publicity stunt" as McMahon did not contact him directly to apologize and could have apologized much earlier.[249]
Post-retirement appearances (2015–2020)
Punk's first known appearance at a professional wrestling event following his exit from WWE was at a Freelance Wrestling show on December 4, 2015, titled "Raw Power." Draped in a cloak and referred to by announcers asKikutaro's "nameless mentor", Punk managed Kikutaro in a match against Darin Corbin and Dick Justice. He tossed around salt before the match but did not get involved in the match itself.[265]
On April 19, 2019, Punk appeared in amasked disguise at an event held by independent promotion MKE Wrestling, where he helpedAce Steel win a match by attacking his opponent with the GTS. While it was implied to be Punk by promotion ownerSilas Young, nothing was confirmed by Punk.[266]
On November 12, 2019, Punk made a surprise appearance on theFox Sports 1 seriesWWE Backstage. He subsequently joined the program as a special contributor and analyst.[267] Punk accepted the job because he would be under contract with FOX instead of WWE directly, and hoped it would help him find his way back into the wrestling business. Regarding an in-ring return, he was not interested but not opposed to the idea, noting it was "a bridge that is gonna have to be built."[268] Production ofWWE Backstage was halted due to theCOVID-19 pandemic and subsequently suspended by FOX in June 2020, later being canceled as a series entirely by 2021.[269]
All Elite Wrestling (2021–2023)
Initial debut and AEW World Champion (2021–2022)
Punk in March 2022
On August 20, 2021, Punk made his debut forAll Elite Wrestling (AEW) atThe First Dance event onRampage, challengingDarby Allin to a match at theAll Out pay-per-view event. This marked Punk's official return to professional wrestling after a seven-year retirement.[270] Wrestling journalistDave Meltzer said, "Punk's appearance in his home city drew one of the most amazing audience reactions to a pro wrestler in U.S. history. The reaction was compared to Montreal's reaction toHulk Hogan in 2002 shortly after hisWWE return, or the reaction toTriple H inMadison Square Garden a few months before that upon his return from a torn quad."[271] Punk won the match against Allin at All Out on September 5.[272] Following a brief feud withEddie Kingston, whom Punk defeated atFull Gear on November 13, Punk experienced his first loss in AEW toMJF in a singles match on the February 2, 2022 episode ofDynamite after months of feuding between the two.[273][274][275][276] Punk defeated MJF on March 6 atRevolution in aDog Collar match.[277]
AtDouble or Nothing on May 29, Punk defeatedAdam Page to win theAEW World Championship.[278] Five days after winning the title, Punk announced on the June 3 episode ofRampage that he was taking a hiatus from competing to recover from a foot injury, but that he would remain champion.[279]Jon Moxley was crowned asinterim champion in Punk's place atAEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door on June 26.[280] At theQuake by the Lake special episode ofDynamite on August 10, Punk made his return and confronted Moxley, igniting a title dispute.[281] A match to determine the undisputed AEW World Champion took place on the August 24 episode ofDynamite, which Moxleywon quickly.[282] After accepting Moxley's open challenge for anyone to face him on September 4 atAll Out, Punk defeated Moxley at All Out to win the AEW World Championship for the second time.[283][284]
Suspensions and departure (2022–2023)
During the post-eventmedia scrum, Punk addressed rumors that he had attempted to getColt Cabana fired from AEW, accused the company'sexecutive vice presidents and wrestlersKenny Omega andThe Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) of spreading those rumors and leaking them to wrestling media, and referenced a segment in which he says Page went "into business for himself" prior to their match in May.[285][286][287] Omega and The Young Bucks, along with head of AEW legal, Megha Parekh, approached Punk about his comments backstage, which led to alegitimate altercation. Punk, Omega, and The Young Bucks all received consequent suspensions pending investigation.[288] Later that week, the AEW World Championship was announced as having been vacated.[289][290] Around the same time, Punk underwent surgery to repair his lefttriceps after tearing it during his match at All Out.[291] On his conduct at the media scrum, Punk later said he "didn't approach it in the right manner" and that he was "disappointed" and "hurt", as he had sensed that he had just suffered another injury.[287]
Punk making his entrance as the"Real World Champion" atAll In in August 2023, in what would be his final AEW appearance.
After a nine-month absence, Punk made his return to AEW on thepremiere episode ofCollision on June 17, 2023, teaming withFTR (Cash Wheeler andDax Harwood) to defeatSamoa Joe,Jay White, andJuice Robinson in asix-man tag team match.[292] That same month, he entered the men'sOwen Hart Cup tournament, defeatingSatoshi Kojima in the first round atForbidden Door.[293][294] Punk won over Joe in the semifinals and lost toRicky Starks in the final round on July 15 after Starks grabbed the ropes for leverage to get the pin.[295][296] On the July 29 edition ofCollision, Punk unveiled the AEW World Championship belt that he had won in September 2022, declaring himself the real world champion and stated that he still rightfully held the title since he was never defeated for it. He then spray-painted his signature "X" symbol over the belt.[297][298] AtAll In on August 27, he successfully defended the"Real World Championship" against Joe in what would be his final AEW match.[299][300][301]
After the event, it was widely reported that Punk had been involved in a legitimate backstage altercation withJack Perry regarding comments Perry made during his match earlier in the show, itself a reference to Punk denying Perry's request to use real glass in his segments onCollision. After an investigation into the altercation was conducted by AEW, Punk was terminated from his AEW contract forjust cause on September 2 under the unanimous recommendation of both the AEW discipline committee and outside legal counsel. Punk's termination was announced onX by AEW's official account, and was also announced during the opening of that night's episode ofCollision, where AEW president and CEOTony Khan stated that "the incident was regrettable and it endangered people backstage". He later stated, "Never in all [this] time have I ever felt until last Sunday that my security, my safety, my life was in danger at a wrestling show. I don't think anybody should feel that way at work, I don't think the people I work with should feel that way, and I had to make a very difficult choice today."[302][303] Punk later contradicted Khan's claim of firing him for just cause, stating in an April 2024 interview onThe MMA Hour withAriel Helwani that he initially wanted to leave AEW entirely rather than haveCollision be a show revolving around him and not the Elite, and that after the altercation with Perry, he told Khan to his face, "You're a fucking clown, I quit." Punk also further criticized AEW stating that it is "not a real business" and "not about making money". Punk also went on to claim that no one from AEW had spoken to him in six months after the altercation at All Out in September 2022, and was forced to pay for his own surgery and do recovery on his own.[304] Footage of the backstage altercation wih Perry was shown on the April 10, 2024, episode ofDynamite as way to further the feud between The Young Bucks and FTR, with the latters being real-life friends with Punk.[305]
On January 27, 2024, at theRoyal Rumble, Punk wrestled his first televised WWE match since 2014, entering at number 27 during the Royal Rumble match, in which he was the runner-up after being eliminated byCody Rhodes.[311] During the match, Punk tore his right triceps, rendering him unable to compete atWrestleMania XL, thus forcing the cancellation of a planned match between Punk andWorld Heavyweight ChampionSeth "Freakin" Rollins at the event.[312][313] The injury was later turned into a storyline between Punk andDrew McIntyre, with McIntyre continuously mocking Punk for causing his injury.[314] Punk retaliated by attacking McIntyre after the latter won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XL in April, allowingDamian Priest to cash in his Money in the Bank contract,[315] atClash at the Castle: Scotland in McIntyre's home country in June,[316] and atMoney in the Bank in July, when McIntyre attempted to cash in after winning the eponymous ladder match.[317][318] Punk and McIntyre then had a trilogy of matches, the first atSummerSlam with Rollins as the special guest referee where Punk lost to McIntyre,[319] the second atBash in Berlin where Punk won in astrap match,[320] and the third and final match atBad Blood, where Punk defeated McIntyre in aHell in a Cell match, ending their nearly ten-month trilogy feud.[321]
On theRaw premiere on Netflix on January 6, 2025, Punk wrestled his first match onRaw in almost eleven years, where he defeated Rollins.[324] At theRoyal Rumble on February 1, Punk came in at No. 24 and made it to the final four before being eliminated byLogan Paul and getting into an altercation with Reigns and Rollins, both of whom he had eliminated.[325] On the February 3 episode ofRaw, Punk beat Zayn to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match at thenamesake event.[326] At Elimination Chamber: Toronto, he lost the match to John Cena after being attacked by an already eliminated Rollins.[327]
Professional wrestling persona
Punk adopted his real-life following of thestraight edge movement as a major attribute of his professional wrestling character. The character utilizes different elements of Punk's personality and beliefs of the straight edge movement dependent on his alignment. While portraying a crowd favorite, Punk's character tends to be that of Punk's normal personality,[10] largely indifferent to others who drinkalcohol,smoke tobacco, partake inrecreational drug use or havepromiscuoussexual behavior, but emphasizing the social discipline involved with personallyabstaining from these behaviors. Conversely, his villainous personality tends to be that of one who ishardline ormilitant straight edge, exemplifying the elitist attitudes and superiority complexes – defined by Punk's common mantra during villainous-themedpromos that because he is straight edge, he is "better than you."[10] Punk performs the straight edge symbol of crossing his arms in an X formation while having the letter X written on the back of his hands, usually drawn on his wrist tape. During his WWE career, Punk also incorporated a belligerentlyanti-establishment andanti-corporate attitude into his persona.[328]
Originally, the initials CM in his ring name represented the phrase "Chick Magnet", the name of the tag team he was in as abackyard wrestler.[10][20][21] However, Punk later changed CM into apseudo-acronym, declaring that it has no meaning,[3] though when asked since he has taken to making up meanings that fit the initials, going so far as to make up long stories to explain the origins that do not match the actual origin story at all.[3] Since beginning this practice, Punk has stated CM stands among others for "Cookie Monster",[329] "Crooked Moonsault",[21] "Chuck Mosley",[21] "Charles Montgomery",[21] "Charles Manson",[21] "Charlie Murphy",[330] and "Chicago Made".[331]
Punk in 2008; prominently visible are thePepsi Globe tattoo on his left shoulder, the "luck is for losers"sleeve tattoo on his left arm, and the "straight edge" tattoo across his stomach
An integral part of Punk is the numerous tattoos that adorn his body, some of which have become symbols associated with Punk andmantras and declarations that have been integrated into his gimmick. The tattoos as a whole, due to their large quantity and variety, have also become an attribute identifiable to Punk.[335] The most important of the individual tattoos in Punk's character – whether through association, symbol, or mantra – are the following:
APepsi Globe logo on his left shoulder that inspired the names of two of his signature moves. It also became a symbol of Punk himself, who wore the logo on his ring gear in the independent circuit as well as a slightly modified Pepsi logo being used as part of hisTitanTron entrance video.[336] Punk, a keenPepsi drinker, chose to receive a Pepsi tattoo to emphasize his straight edge beliefs.[3] The tattoo is also a reference to formerMinor Threat guitaristBrian Baker, who had aCoca-Cola tattoo and explained this by saying "I like Coca-Cola". When people inquire about Punk's Pepsi tattoo, he often replies "I like Pepsi" in a similar fashion.[10]
The words "Straight Edge" are spelled out on Punk's stomach.[337] This is one of his oldest tattoos[335] and he has referred to it as his identity.[338]
The phrase "No gimmicks needed" on the back of his left hand, a tribute to deceased wrestlerChris Candido.[340]
The words "Drug Free" across his knuckles ("Drug" on his right knuckles and "Free" on his left).[337]
His younger sister's jersey number (31) behind his left ear, surrounded by stars, each of which represents his siblings as a way to bond away from home.[341][342]
TheCobra Command logo (G.I. Joe's enemy) on his right shoulder. Punk is known for his love of comic books, considering them along withjazz and professional wrestling as three of the original arts that America has given to the world.[341]
Legacy
Several wrestlers have publicly cited Punk as an inspiration or influence on their careers.Seth Rollins said in December 2018 that Punk's influence on the Chicago wrestling scene was responsible for him becoming a wrestler in the first place,[343] whileRhea Ripley said in September 2019 that Punk's verbal skills were something she aspired to because "when he spoke, everyone listened",[344] andAdam Cole toldSports Illustrated in November 2019 that Punk's work on theindependent circuit was a "huge influence" on him.[345]
Reporters, wrestlers, and fans alike have praised Punk's speaking skills, especially his in-ring promos.[346][347][348][349] His June 2011 "Pipebomb" promo has been called "historic" and is regarded as one of the most important promos in professional wrestling history.[349][350] Punk is credited with being one of the first independent wrestlers to have success in WWE, which in turn opened the door for other independent wrestlers to both join and succeed in WWE.[351][352][353] Although much of his time as a top star in WWE was during its heavily watered-downPG Era, Erik Beaston ofBleacher Report wrote that "Punk turned the company on its head for a few short years and gave fans a taste of what an alternative to the advertiser-obsessed promotion could look like."[354]
Mixed martial arts career
Ultimate Fighting Championship (2014–2021)
AtUFC 181, on December 6, 2014, Punk announced that he had signed a multi-fight contract withUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC).[355][356] When asked if he would compete under his ring name or birth name, he told theLas Vegas Sun: "I've come this far with CM Punk. That's what people know. I'm trying to stick with that. I'm not shying away from it. I'm not ashamed of it."[357] His UFC profile listed him as CM Punk.[4]
In January 2015, Punk began training underDuke Roufus atRoufusport MMA Academy.[358][359] In June 2015, Punk moved toMilwaukee, Wisconsin to be closer to the Roufusport gym while still retaining his home in Chicago.[360] Later, it was announced that Punk would compete in the welterweight division.[361] In October 2015, Roufus announced that Punk had suffered a shoulder injury, delaying his UFC debut until the next calendar year.[362] On February 6, 2016, it was announced that Punk would faceMickey Gall in his first professional mixed martial arts (MMA) contest, but he was diagnosed with aherniated disc and underwent surgery days later.[363]
Punk's UFC and MMA debut against Mickey Gall took place on September 10, 2016, atUFC 203.[364] The event was held at theQuicken Loans Arena inCleveland, Ohio, the same venue where Punk left WWE and retired from professional wrestling.[365] Punk was taken down immediately and lost via rear naked choke submission early in the first round.[366][367] He was paid a disclosed $500,000 (equivalent to $655,089 in 2024).[368]
Punk's second professional bout took place atUFC 225 on June 9, 2018, againstMike Jackson, in his hometown of Chicago. Punk lost the one-sided fight via unanimous decision.[369] After the bout, UFC presidentDana White said that both Punk and Jackson would probably not fight for the UFC again, and urged Punk to "call it a wrap".[370] Three years after the bout, it was made public that the result was overturned to a no contest after Jackson tested positive formarijuana.[371] In August 2021, Punk notified the UFC he would be retiring from MMA after he returned to professional wrestling earlier that month.[372] Punk's MMA career has been widely panned by MMA fans and personalities.[373][374][375][376]
Cage Fury Fighting Championships (2018–present)
On November 8, 2018, Punk signed with theCage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) promotion (a UFC affiliate) as a commentator. His first event was CFFC 71 on December 14 and it was streamed live onUFC Fight Pass.[377]
In February 2015, WWE doctor Christopher Amann filed adefamation lawsuit against Brooks andScott Colton over Brooks's allegations ofmedical malpractice on an episode of Colton's podcast.[386][387] Amann sought roughly $4,000,000 (equivalent to $5,306,000 in 2024) in compensation and an undisclosed amount inpunitive damages.[388] WWE issued a statement and video in support of Amann.[389][390] The case went to trial in 2018, where a jury ruled in favor of Brooks and Colton.[391] In August 2018, Colton filed a lawsuit against Brooks, alleging breach of contract and fraud due to Brooks's alleged agreement and later refusal to pay Colton's legal fees for the Amann suit. Colton sought $200,000 (equivalent to $250,437 in 2024) in damages and an additional $1 million (equivalent to $1,252,000 in 2024) in punitive damages.[392] Brooks filed acounterclaim against Colton in June 2019, for $600,000 (equivalent to $737,915 in 2024) and additional fees.[393] Both lawsuits were settled and dismissed in September 2019. According toPWInsider, the settlement involved no financial compensation.[394]
Brooks has appeared alongside his friend andBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu coachRener Gracie in several episodes of the YouTube seriesGracie Breakdown.[397] He has also worked withNerdist Industries,[398] including hosting an ongoing series titledGrammar Slam, explaining grammatical mistakes in messages from professional wrestling fans and berating them.[399]
Brooks was the cover athlete for the video gameWWE '13.[400] In 2015, he was featured inFrank Turner's "The Next Storm" music video.[401]
As an actor, Brooks starred in the 2019 horror filmGirl on the Third Floor.[402] Dennis Harvey ofVariety andMichael Phillips of theChicago Tribune respectively described his performance as "a fun star turn that easily carries most of the film" and "solid if a little unvarying".[403][404] Brooks portrayed wrestler Ricky Rabies in the professional wrestling drama seriesHeels (2021–2023).[405]
In 2013, Brooks wrote aforeword for his friend and ex-girlfriend Natalie Slater'scookbookBake and Destroy: Good Food for Bad Vegans.[408]
In February 2015, Marvel Comics'Thor Annual No. 1, partly written by Brooks, was released.[409] He cowrote "The Most Cursed", which appeared inVertigo Comics'Strange Sports Stories No. 3 in May 2015.[410] Brooks also cowrote Marvel Comics'Drax ongoing series.[411] Brooks wrote aone-shot of Marvel'sMaster of Kung Fu, which was published in November 2017.[412]
^Bob Backlund lost the WWF Heavyweight Championship toAntonio Inoki after 648 days, but WWE does not officially acknowledge the title change and recognizes Backlund's reign as uninterrupted at 2,135 days.
^Punk held the title concurrently withRey Mysterio andJohn Cena during his first reign. After defeating Cena, Punk became the undisputed champion, but he was not recognized by WWE as having won the title a second time.[472]
^abcdefghiWojick, Alan (June 21, 2003)."Wojick Interview". The Wrestling Clothesline. Archived fromthe original on July 18, 2011. RetrievedSeptember 26, 2006.
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