CM Punk Finally Reveals The Truth About Why He Left WWE

Former WWE Superstar CM Punk has finally spoken out about his WWE departure on the latest episode of Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast. It’s a very in-depth interview with Punk going into detail about his health, last few months with WWE, his departure and what happened after that. The full interview is available on iTunes now. You can listen above. Below are a few highlights:

* He left after the Royal Rumble mainly because of his health. He talked about working with broken ribs, a concussion and bad knees during his last months with the company. Punk was so sick during last November’s European tour that he was throwing up and dry heaving every night after his matches. He had a fever for months and no appetite. WWE doctors gave him so many antibiotics that he had an accident in the ring on SmackDown, all while watching his paychecks shrink. He said it was the worst he’s ever felt in his life.

* He suffered a concussion early during the Royal Rumble match but still worked. He passed a concussion test the next day and called the testing “bullshit.” WWE informed he passed but wanted him to run the ring ropes and evaluate him. Punk then demanded that they just decide he has a concussion and admitted that he had been trying to deny he was hurt and just tough it out.

Punk says that same day he was being pressured about taking a drug test and signing visas for future tours instead of listening to his requests for help because something was obviously wrong. Punk then told Vince McMahon and Triple H that he was going home. Punk says he told off Triple H about cutting off his momentum in 2011 and complained to Vince for stifling Punk’s creativity. He says he told them both it was garbage how Daniel Bryan wasn’t being considered for the WrestleMania XXX main event. Punk says he told them he didn’t want to do this anymore and was done. Vince was in tears when he hugged Punk goodbye and told him he was family.

* However, Punk was actually fired from WWE. After he left in January, he was told a few weeks later by Vince McMahon through text message that he was being suspended for two months. This was the day before Vince told WWE shareholders that Punk had taken a sabbatical. Punk heard from no one in WWE once the suspension was over and received termination papers for breach of contract on his wedding day in June.

* Punk says he hired a very vicious lawyer to go after WWE and fight their claim of breach of contract. In the end, he got a settlement that gave him everything he asked for and more. Punk’s not allowed to talk about the settlement. He said they are done and will never have a working relationship again. Punk says WWE wanted to issue a joint statement with him but he told them to “f*** off.” WWE was worried he would go to TNA but Punk’s lawyer told WWE that he despises wrestling now and will never wrestle again.

* He said wrestling Ryback took “20 years off his life” and described Ryback as “steroid guy.”