CM Punk admits that he 'could've died' if he had stayed on with WWE in 2014

CM Punk made his All Elite Wrestling (AEW) debut at the AEW's Rampage: First Dance at the United Center in Chicago. Punk made his comeback to pro-wrestling for the first time since January 2014. He was last seen in the (World Wrestling Entertainment) ring as an active performer in early 2014. In fact, the 2014 edition of the Royal Rumble turned out to be his final on-screen appearance. 

CM Punk, whose real name is Phillip Jack Brooks, had reportedly parted ways with the WWE after Royal Rumble 2014 due to his differences with the company's Chairman Vince McMahon. It was rumoured that Phil Brooks decided to move on after the very first pay-per-view of 2014 because of a disagreement over how he was being utilised and the fact that he was dealing with injuries. However, he has now confirmed these 'rumours' to be true as he opened up about his time with WWE and the reason why he left the wrestling ring in 2014.

CM Punk says he was 'going to die' during his time WWE

In a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio CM Punk revealed that he had been dealing with various injuries and felt like he was "going to die" towards the end of his time at WWE. According to CM Punk, WWE always 'needed' him, while he enjoyed being wanted he said that the company would "run you dry".

"There’s what people like to call WWE drones out there that aren’t going to like anything I have to say about that company. So I try to limit what I do say, but everything I do say is the truth. I was going to die, you know what I mean? Because in my head I was always like ‘what would Harley Race do? He would keep going.’ There’s only so many times you can get hurt and keep going," he said.

He said that he was not given any time off after he had undergone surgery on his knee and elbow and also avoided hip surgery narrowly.He also said that he had seen many of his friends get engulfed by the business, the drugs and everything else they assumed they needed to do to stay in the business.

"I was never given time off after an elbow surgery, a knee surgery, narrowly avoided a hip surgery. It was always ‘no we need you.’ And it’s nice to be needed, but they will run you dry. I was on that path. And I watched too many friends get swallowed up by this business, and drugs, and everything else they thought they had to do to keep going."

CM Punk a 'cycle breaker' for quitting

CM Punk said he broke the cycle by quitting back in 2014 after realising that WWE was not listening to him and that he had to take care of himself. While it did cause a lot of drama, he's fine with that as he is now "alive". "I was a cycle breaker, I took myself out of it. I’ve never really been proud of myself about a lot of things, but that’s just a real-life thing that I was proud of myself about. I took a step back and I was like ‘they’re not listening to me. I’m sick, I’m hurt. They’re not going to take care of me.’ I had to take care of myself. It caused a lot of drama, lot’s of silly baggage, but I’m alive. I woke up this morning. It sounds dramatic but it’s not bull***t. I would’ve kept going until I literally could not go anymore. And then what? Then I get posthumously inducted into a Fugazi Hall of Fame?" said CM Punk

Lastly, he added that he did not want all that, he just wanted to be with his wife and enjoy his life. He said that he knows there are people out there that will call all this dramatic but he said that it is not. He asked people that if they are unhappy with anything then they should do what is best for themselves. He also said that he wished there was a support system as he was mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally in pain and that if he had not gotten out at the time then he would not have been alive.

"I wish there was a support system, but I was mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally just in pain. And if I didn’t get out of there, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

(Image Credits: AP)