CM Punk On Art Of Wrestling

[Asmo]

Listen Here: http://www.tsmradio.com/colthold2/show226.mp3
Or Here: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/art-of-wrestling/e/36106222?██████████████

From PWI:
Quick Highlights:

*Punk made it clear that he's the happiest he's personally been in many years and that at times, he will come off bitter while discussing what happened, but it's "OK to be bitter" and that's part of going through the process of dealing with everything and that his appearance wasn't meant to be an attack on WWE, but a discussion of what his led to his departure.

*The most amazing thing to come out of the interview is that Punk didn't quit WWE after all - he was fired. While he left the company in January, he was told weeks later by Vince McMahon via text that he was suspended for two months. The next day, Vince told stockholders that Punk was on a "sabbatical." When the suspension ended, no one in WWE contacted Punk. When Punk finally reached out asking where royalties that were owed to him were, he got a run-around from WWE Execs until he received termination papers informing him he was in breach of contract on his wedding day. So, they technically fired him on his wedding day in June 2014, which Punk said was "going too f***ing far." Punk claimed the company tried to find him in "retro-breach" in June, instead of claiming he breached his deal back in January 2014 and he knew legally, that wouldn't stick.

*Punk said he left WWE the day after The Royal Rumble for one main reason: his health. During the podcast, Punk went into great, esquisite detail about the last several months in the company, which includes Punk being so injured that he's working with broken ribs (thanks to Ryback), a concussion (which he ignored after WWE medical asked him if he was OK to go on a European tour, so he toughed it out, which he noted was his own mistake) and injured knees. During the November tour, Punk was getting so sick that he was puking and dry heaving every night after wrestling, had a fever for months and had no appetite. WWE medical had given him so many antibiotics by that he pooped himself in the ring on Smackdown all while watching his checks shrink. Punk described it as the worst he ever felt in his life and being unable to sleep because he was so sick. This went all the way through the end of his WWE run.

*At the Royal Rumble, Punk suffered a concussion early on and still worked the entire match. The next day, he passed the company's concussion test (which he described as "bullsh**") while texting Colt Cabana and wearing headphones. WWE then told him he passed the test but they wanted him to go run the ring ropes to check him again. Punk said he felt like they wanted him to go run the ropes like some 2 week rookie in front of everyone and refused. At that point, Punk demanded they just decide he has a concussion and admitted that until then he was just trying to deny he was hurt and tough it out.

That same day, the company began pressuring him about signing visas for future tours and taking a drug test instead of listening to his requests to "f***ing help me" because something was obviously wrong with all the issues that had built up. Deciding he had enough, Punk said he decided to tell Vince McMahon and Triple H he was going home. Punk's version of this conversation is something to behold as he calmly tears into Triple H for cutting off his momentum in 2011 (Punk goes into great detail on issues with HHH), complains to Vince that he's stifled Punk's creativity and tells them both it's garbage they aren't considering Daniel Bryan for the main event of Wrestlemania 30, passing him by the way they've passed Punk by. He told them he was done and didn't want to do this anymore. Vince hugged him goodbye in tears and told him he was family, yet later suspended and fired Punk.

*Punk also told a story of going to WWE's doctor because he found a lump on his back during the same time period as the November 2013 European tour. The WWE Doctor, identified by Punk as Dr. Chris Amann, diagnosed it as a fatty deposit. Punk told several stories of asking for Amann to cut it out, but Amann says no because it wasn't hurting Punk. Punk explained that WWE docs cut things out of the wrestlers on a regular basis. Amann declined several times to remove it with Punk describing him as "lazy" in explicit, colorful terms. The day of the 2014 Rumble, Punk told Amann that it was now badly hurting and purple and bigger. Amann told him he couldn't do it then because Punk had to work the Rumble. After the Rumble, Punk demanded it be cut out right now and Amann noted that Punk would need to be on antibiotics, to which Punk responded that had been put on antibiotics WWE docs have given him for three months, which is why he pooped his pants.

*After leaving WWE and still not feeling any better weeks later, his wife AJ Lee convinced him go to her doctor. Her doctor (without knowing who Punk was or having any background information), immediately looked at the lump and diagnosed Punk with a MERSA staph infection. The doctor proceeded to squeeze the lump so hard the puss hit the ceiling. Punk said getting it cleaned out was the worst pain in his life and he needed specific medications for the infection, so none of the meds WWE had been giving him were any help. So, Punk had been wrestling the last few months of his WWE run with a staph infection in his back, which he stated was ignored and/or misdiagnosed by WWE's medical staff. When the doctor asked Punk how long he had the lump and Punk told him a few months, the doctor told him, "You should be dead."

*Punk talked about how badly hurt he was during his 2011-2014 WWE run and that on two occasions, he literally came out of surgery (and in one story, was walking out of the hospital following knee surgery) to find out he was being brought back almost immediately to TV with no time off. After elbow surgery, he was told he was being brought back to the road and TV to cut promos and after the knee surgery, was told he was being brought back in three weeks to work a TLC match against Ryback. Punk's version of these stories were enough to really make you shake your head and really need to be heard in his own voice.

*Punk described his wrestling career as a failure as he failed to get to the main event of Wrestlemania and that he's come to terms with that as he's moving on to the next stage of his life. He said that it was ridiculous that so many current roster members have not been in the Mania main event position. Punk talked about politicking to get to that level, but it was never about winning or being the guy. He said he needed to get there so he could learn to work at that level and get better, draw more and be an asset to the company. He said he would hear he wasn't a draw, but every chance he had, he "shoved it down their f***ing throats." He said that it all comes down to an "out of touch old man" (Vince McMahon) and his decisions.

*Punk said he knew he had the best match at Wrestlemania 29 and he was praised for it, but he knew he didn't get the money that John Cena, Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Rock, and Triple H got for the show.

*Punk said that for anyone complaining he left WWE in a lurch, he didn't hold WWE up for money and didn't ask for anything and didn't walk out in the middle of a storyline. He was chokeslammed by Kane and he was gone. He went home for his health and sanity, although he did note he was frustrated with seeing smaller checks and not getting answers as to how the WWE Network will change the pay scale. Punk noted that everyone was afraid to ask Vince McMahon and even Randy Orton was coming to him asking if he knew anything.

*Punk said that when WWE fired him and issued him a contract breach, he hired a very "vicious" Los Angeles lawyer to go after WWE to fight the breach and in the end, he got a settlement that gave him everything he asked for "and more." He said he's just not allowed to talk about the settlement, but pretty much made it clear he got everything he wanted and noted it was stupid of WWE to even advertise him for the next WWE 2K15 videogame. He said he is completely done and clear of WWE and they will never, ever have a working relationship ever again.

*Punk said they were terrified that as an independent contract for the last ten years, that he would take them to court and ruin their way of doing business.

*When WWE later asked to issue a joint statement between the two, he told them to "F*** off."

*Punk talked in detail about WWE using the independent contractor status, noting the company does concussion testing to help themselves, not the wrestlers. He noted all the money the NFL Player's Union is forcing the NFL to pay for old injuries and medical concerns of players and that WWE is doing all this to prevent wrestlers from being able to say that they aren't. Punk said that if WWE truly cared for the talents, they would allow a union to be created for the talents.

*Punk also noted that he was to star in "12 Rounds 2" while he was WWE champion. When signing the paperwork, he noticed the filming dates were the same as a WWE European tour and Triple H. Triple H told him that was not the case but he will look into it. The next day, WWE announced Randy Orton would star in the move with HHH never calling Punk to inform him of the change because, as Punk said, "He thinks I'm a piece of sh**." Punk said it was indicative of the lack of respect he was shown by those in the company.

*Punk said wrestling Ryback took "20 years off his life" and talked in detail about how badly hurt he was working with, as Punk described him, "Steroid guy."

*WWE was afraid he was going to TNA, but his lawyer told WWE that he despises wrestling now and will never wrestle again.

[Nark Order]

Listening now. Wonderful

[GD]

Wow!

[JimmyMess]

Holy nuts. I have seen Punk come off as dramatic before... but here that is not the case, if this is true, WWE won't like this interview one bit!

[erickman]

so punk joins piper in wanting a union, i still see punk doing something with ether tna or gfw just to spite vince and hunter.

[CSL]

listening to this atm, lol the Ryback bit

[Bobholly138]

Finally got this. Listened to it. Not surprised Punk comes off as a whiny kid.

[Clerk]

Fuck this faggot. Punk ass crybaby bitch.

[ron the dial]

oh how i love punk

[Corndad]

Man. Vince will be livid. Never say never but chances Punk ever comes back are slim. I only say slim because other guys most thought would never step foot in WWE ring again (Bret, Warrior, Bischoff, Hogan after WCW) came back.

I watched Punk close live at Rumble and thought something was off. This explains a lot.

[Clerk]

oh how i love punk

You love Punk? Are you on drugs or mentally retarded?

[ron the dial]

it's fairly well documented that i'm on drugs.

[el bobbo]

From listening to this, it sounds like the doctor needs to lose his license. He let punk wrestle with numerous injuries/concussions that weren't healed. He even let an obvious staph infection go, and just prescribed him some generic antibiotics.

Even if the doctor has to listen to Vince/HHH about what to do, the medical community would not stand for that kind of crap.

[Fignuts]

Finally got this. Listened to it. Not surprised Punk comes off as a whiny kid.

These are some pretty fucking legit complaints he's got here.

[CSL]

was a good listen, thought Punk did a decent job

[Volare]

Both links were f'd up for me....

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GHdf1rrAFBc?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Pipe bomb!!!!

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Fuck this faggot. Punk ass crybaby bitch.

Choke on a Turkey bone.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody else!

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

stuck it to HHH hahaha just like we thought he did.

[Nark Order]

I somehow knew that the concussion awareness was complete bullshit. They are there simply to avoid bad media coverage. The staph infection thing is pretty unforgivable also, I mean, people legitimately die from staph infections when they aren't treated.

The thing I found crazy is that over the years people in the business have cursed the dirtsheets to death for being muckrakers and for circulating untrue information but every single thing that Punk said about his time there/his heat there we already knew. Just none of it was confirmed. And I KNEW there had to be major heat between Punk and Trips for the Summer of Punk

[Nark Order]

God fucking damnit I love CM Punk to death.

[Heisenberg]

Damn, has it dropped on the podcast feed on iTunes yet?

[Clerk]

Punk isnt welcome in WWE anymore. Quite frankly they dont need him. Guys lije Bryan, Cena, Reigns, Rollins, Ambrose etc are better than Punk. And more mature than his gay ass. If I seen him,in real life Id beat his ass like I did Stone Cold

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Fantastic interview.</font>

[Nark Order]

Damn, has it dropped on the podcast feed on iTunes yet?

Yes, listened to it last night. Had to refresh a ton before it showed.

[Nark Order]

The story of Punk getting poked in the eye during the Nexus angle then instructing Gallows to kill everybody made me laugh for like an hour.

[Bad News Gertner]

What a whiny little mark bitch

[Nark Order]

What a predictable Gertner response.

[Nark Order]

If this is how WWE actually treats their employees (medically), this might spawn some pretty serious shit.

Well. Not employees, I guess. Independent contractors or whatever. So odd.

[XL]

Great listen. If nothing else I hope it puts the butt-hurt "he walked out on me" collective straight on why he went.

[Innovator]

Pretty damning on Doc Amman with the concussion and MSRA misdiagnosis

[XL]

I think Punk took the stuff with Ryback a little too personally. I don't think he'd have set out to purposefully injure Punk, I think he is legitimately that sloppy in the ring. Then again, I don't know anything. Maybe Reeves had some kind of issue with Punk.

[CSL]

yeah pretty much. I think the only kind of "criticism" you can maybe level at Punk throughout is that he very much has a "the world is against me"/takes things personally kind of attitude (like I doubt Triple H gives a fuck either way really as opposed to "never liking him") but at the same time that's probably the biggest reason/driving force behind him getting to where he did and accomplishing what he did etc

[Nark Order]

@XL. I got that impression too. It doen't seem like he did any of it on purpose. On the other side of the coin, a guy that big and that strong can't afford to be that sloppy and occasionally incompetent. He could really hurt somebody.

[Rammsteinmad]

Nothing will come of this, and WWE and Vince probably won't give a shit.

[Nark Order]

Naw. Trips sounds like an asshole. Not just because of what Punk says but the stories of his dickery and self-serving behavior are fairly consistent throughout history. The stories are typically always the same. Trips plays the politic game to get what he wants at the expense of others and then when he is confronted about it, he acts like he doesn't know why the person is so angry. Bret has a story like that, the Outlaws told stories like that, Bubba has a similar story, Paul London, Ken Shamrock, Bischoff... The list is fairly long. Everybody knows about the Booker T debacle. Chyna was released a day after finding out Trips had been cheating on her with Steph for over a year. It is pretty consistent.

[#1-norm-fan]

So AJ is leaving, right? If not... awkward...

[Nark Order]

So AJ is leaving, right? If not... awkward...

Was thinking the same. So weird if she sticks around. Watch her have a transexual gimmick next week or something for punishment.

[whiteyford]

So AJ is leaving, right? If not... awkward...

You'd think he'd have her covered in his settlement if she's sticking around.

[Volare]

Then again he might consider that private stuff and if he don't want to speak on it he won't.

[Dark One]

You'd think he'd have her covered in his settlement if she's sticking around.

This is really the most plausible explanation. If he already took them to the cleaners with a lawsuit several months ago, and she's still there, I'd imagine there has to be some sort of provision like that.

It probably also doesn't hurt that it seems like she sells a shit ton of merchandise.

[XL]

yeah pretty much. I think the only kind of "criticism" you can maybe level at Punk throughout is that he very much has a "the world is against me"/takes things personally kind of attitude (like I doubt Triple H gives a fuck either way really as opposed to "never liking him") but at the same time that's probably the biggest reason/driving force behind him getting to where he did and accomplishing what he did etc

You're absolutely right about where his driving force comes from but it's also what created his connection with the crowd, at least in my opinion.

It wasn't just that he was speaking his mind and telling some "home truths", he was a guy never given his plaudits, never given the opportunity he thought he deserved, constantly passed over, and under paid. Surely I can't have been the only one that resonated with? It was a connection similar to what we had with Austin.

[el bobbo]

THE BIG GUY IS HUNGRY (for some high-quality anabolic steroids).

[Innovator]

"Try to ruin my wedding day? Happy Thanksgiving fuckheads"

[Nowhere Man]

I do find it hilarious that he left WWE for bad conditions where he was over-worked, underpaid, and not given the credit he feels he deserves, and then went to Marvel Comics, who have a history of doing the same thing. Although I don't think Stan Lee ever broke Jack Kirby's ribs or made Steve Ditko work with a staph infection.

[el bobbo]

I do find it hilarious that he left WWE for bad conditions where he was over-worked, underpaid, and not given the credit he feels he deserves, and then went to Marvel Comics, who have a history of doing the same thing. Although I don't think Stan Lee ever broke Jack Kirby's ribs or made Steve Ditko work with a staph infection.

We don't know this though... :lol:

[#1-norm-fan]

You'd think he'd have her covered in his settlement if she's sticking around.

Covered for what though? I just mean it's an awkward situation backstage. However if they WERE to, as Narc said, saddle her with a tranny gimmick or something, it's not like there could be any provisions to prevent it.

[XL]

Correct me if I'm wrong; Staph is pretty contagious, more so in an environment where there's a lot of skin-to-skin contact and risk of open wounds. That doc was pretty neglectful.

[XL]

Covered for what though? I just mean it's an awkward situation backstage. However if they WERE to, as Narc said, saddle her with a tranny gimmick or something, it's not like there could be any provisions to prevent it.

He could have included a "reasonable creative control" clause for her - though Vince would be mad to do that knowing how the last one went!

More so, if they saddle her with a crappy gimmick she just follows Punk out of the door. WWE don't seem to be doing too well when it comes to their recent former employees (see Del Rio, Alberto).

I really don't know why she's stuck around. Her husband is at home now, she's somewhat of an after-thought to Total Divas, and the atmosphere can't be great.

[Lock Jaw]

AJ has been consistently involved with the Divas title, consistently in actual storylines/feuds, and has had many PPV matches since her return. Total after-thought to Total Divas, yeah.

[XL]

You'd say up until this month where the two sides merged that Paige/AJ for the Divas Title hasn't been pushed out in favour of the stuff with Nikki/Brie & Steph?

[XL]

I also said "somewhat of an after-thought", not a "total after-thought".

[Emperor Smeat]

The medical stuff is horrible but doubt just firing the head doctor and/or medical staff will change anything. WWE would probably just replace them with a new set of "yes" men type doctors.

Orton supposedly dealt with something similar recently when he tried to get time off only for Vince refusing until it was getting really bad between the two. Think even Reigns hinted at WWE medical being horrible when he revealed his injury and why he didn't get real treatment.

[Lock Jaw]

You'd say up until this month where the two sides merged that Paige/AJ for the Divas Title hasn't been pushed out in favour of the stuff with Nikki/Brie & Steph?

I would say so, yes.

[James Steele]

The medical stuff is truly shocking and I'm surprised he hasn't sought malpractice or negligence against the doctor and WWE. The politics stuff is same ol' shit though. Interested in what the terms of his no-compete clause are. Jim Ross and CM Punk could get enough eyeballs to NJPW to jumpstart their push into North America.

[James Steele]

I think he'll be back at some point. That carrot of him main eventing WrestleMania is obviously still a big deal to CM Punk. If they'd do it for Batista, Vince would easily do it for Punk and do whatever he needs to if Vince gets desperate for star power.

[CSL]

gotta think if he has any interest in wrestling again that New Japan would be top of the list

[CSL]

CM PUNK IS REALLLLLL

[James Steele]

I do not believe he has zero interest in wrestling again. WWE made him come to hate pro wrestling in the global corporation sense, but once those emotional wounds heal...he'll be back in the ring on some level. Does he still own the rights to the CM Punk name or did he sign it over to WWE ala Dudley Boys?

[XL]

I think he signed it over. But he could have had it signed back to him as part of this settlement.

[rockman725]

I think he'll be back at some point. That carrot of him main eventing WrestleMania is obviously still a big deal to CM Punk. If they'd do it for Batista, Vince would easily do it for Punk and do whatever he needs to if Vince gets desperate for star power.


I'm not so sure of this now.

I always figured his leaving had a lot to do with injuries & being burnt out more so than it had to with creative. The pot was obviously boiling for some point and the more you add to it, the more likely it will boil over. What we got from this interview was that the pot did boil over and he needed to get away. Now, maybe the way the whole situation was handled wasn't the best (God knows we know that from the Bret/Vince/HBK fiasco), but if there is something wrong health-wise, it should be taken care of immediately. Under assumption that what he said was 100% true, that doctor should lose his license.

The way I viewed it, it kinda sounded like Punk was probably going to come back at some point, but the whole wedding day thing says to me that HHH does not want Punk to ever wrestle for the company again. Therefore, I am confident that he will never be affiliated with the WWE again and if so, it will be a very very long time before it happens. Maybe a HOF induction in 20 years.

[James Steele]

If Bret Hart can come back to the company that he felt killed his brother, anybody can come back. I think AJ still pursuing her WWE career will have a lot to do with it also. He may swallow his pride to protect his wife and fulfill his ultimate dream.

[slik]

Probably not their best timing...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Get an inside look at the life and career of <a href="https://twitter.com/CMPunk">@CMPunk</a> as <a href="https://twitter.com/WWENetwork">@WWENetwork</a>'s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeyondTheRing?src=hash">#BeyondTheRing</a> Thanksgiving Marathon rolls on! <a href="http://t.co/TveyXKrPQk">http://t.co/TveyXKrPQk</a></p>&mdash; WWE Network (@WWENetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/WWENetwork/status/538120479790608384">November 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[James Steele]

The interview made it on TMZ, so I imagine that doctor's tenure may come to an abrupt end.

[Maluco]

It makes you wonder how many well-wishers and sympathisers he had backstage if people are going through the same kind of things daily...

I can see him back though, to see his career as a failure because of that one thing, it's a massive carrot. A part time schedule and the promise to headline Mania for the title after a Rumble win would mean a lot to a guy who loves and constantly pays tribute to tradition in wrestling.

I sympathise a lot more with him after reading this, some horrible stuff, but at the same time, I can't help but feel that he rates himself as much better than he is. 99.9% of wrestlers in the US would kill for the career he has had. To call it a failure is harsh and makes it seem like he sees himself as one of the best ever, which he wasn't.

[James Steele]

He is a lot like Shawn Michaels was in the 90s just without the cocaine and gay porn. His attitude is probably a large reason why he never got everything he wanted while Daniel Bryan did get his "Mania Moment" out of nowhere. Vince wasn't going to be held hostage by CM Punk. He was in breach of contract, so WWE just screwed themselves by dragging their feet in taking action against Punk for it. CM Punk was/is one of the best performers ever though.

[Maluco]

It's interesting hearing people say that, I personally never saw that or felt that with Punk.

When you look back at early WWF, Hogan and Warrior had reactions like no-one else, it was crazy. You had performers in the ring like Savage and Perfect who were just amazing athletes and their matches were so smooth.

Later you had Michaels and Hart. HBK speaks for himself, Hart has tarnished his legacy with the chip on his shoulder, but I always loved his matches and stories in the ring.

Then later you have the Attitude era, which was just stacked, Austin, Rock, Angle, HHH, Undertaker etc...

Then you have the likes of Flair and Sting to consider too.

Again, it might just be a question of personal taste, but I wouldn't put Punk on the same level as any of those guys. He was a great hand and put on some top matches, but I wouldn't class him as one of the best.

[Emperor Smeat]

It makes you wonder how many well-wishers and sympathisers he had backstage if people are going through the same kind of things daily...

I can see him back though, to see his career as a failure because of that one thing, it's a massive carrot. A part time schedule and the promise to headline Mania for the title after a Rumble win would mean a lot to a guy who loves and constantly pays tribute to tradition in wrestling.

I sympathise a lot more with him after reading this, some horrible stuff, but at the same time, I can't help but feel that he rates himself as much better than he is. 99.9% of wrestlers in the US would kill for the career he has had. To call it a failure is harsh and makes it seem like he sees himself as one of the best ever, which he wasn't.

The stuff about the Network and WWE doing their best to not tell anyone how bad it could affect their pay alone probably got a lot of sympathizers.

Dirtsheets had teased several times the locker room was getting really unhappy and how almost none of the top tier stars cared enough to question or complain about it. Something about top stars having safety nets in their deals to cover whatever the Network could potential take out.

[Bad News Gertner]

He is a lot like Shawn Michaels was in the 90s just without the cocaine and gay porn. His attitude is probably a large reason why he never got everything he wanted while Daniel Bryan did get his "Mania Moment" out of nowhere. Vince wasn't going to be held hostage by CM Punk. He was in breach of contract, so WWE just screwed themselves by dragging their feet in taking action against Punk for it. CM Punk was/is one of the best performers ever though.

Punk isn't remotely one of the best ever.

[Asmo]

Thoroughly entertained by the entire episode. And i'd like to think that a response from WWE to any of the issues raised would somehow confirm Punk's version of the truth. Of course, it doesn't need to be a statement. It could be Dr Amman's termination, punishment for any one on Team Punk, a well timed corporate campaign, a possible plug on any major news channels, anything.

Punk on Cabana's podcast is an excellent chess move. It'll NOT be seen as a shoot interview. It WILL gain traction. Some scribe out there will try and get 'the real picture' of WWE's health and fitness team. And while Punk wouldn't want to call it a 'pipebomb' anymore, this podcast will be remembered as one.

Also, Benoit loved popping zits?

[Tazz Dan]

I've tried listening today, but it won't play. Has anybody else had this problem? Have they taken it down?

[DrA]

It's on YouTube

https://youtube.com/watch?v=zxHRJnZsinQ

I can't embed right now, but you can use your mod powers to embed it in this post if you want.

[Tazz Dan]

I'll fix it later, I'm on my phone :y:

[Shisen Kopf]

You want me to send you a cassette tape of this Tazz Dan?

[Razzamajazz]

http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2014/11/27/7300537/ryback-responds-to-cm-punk-comments-colt-cabana-podcast

the ryback's response

[Evil Vito]

:lol: <font color=goldenrod>Ryback</font>

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

I don't see a denial.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

The interview made it on TMZ, so I imagine that doctor's tenure may come to an abrupt end.

Maybe. He did save King's life though. It will probably be blamed on Punk's non-disclosure. It took AJ to get him off his ass to see a doctor about it.

[Shadrick]

I don't see a denial.

Yup, there definitely isn't one.

[Vastardikai]

You want me to send you a cassette tape of this Tazz Dan?

Could you send me an 8-track?

[Bad News Gertner]

Could someone transcribe it via telegraph?

[Bad News Gertner]

Lol Ryback is fantastic

[el bobbo]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>For the record if I quit for being fragile and insecure I would make up excuses too. Things didn't go my way for a long time and I kept</p>&mdash; The Big Guy (@Ryback22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryback22/status/538173708993822720">November 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Going day in and out. Slander is a powerful thing and to state complete made up nonsense for no reason shows his insecurities. I will</p>&mdash; The Big Guy (@Ryback22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryback22/status/538173991652196352">November 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Continue to bust my ass study matches every chance I get, cut promos when driving and push myself for hours on end even when hurt. Thank you</p>&mdash; The Big Guy (@Ryback22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryback22/status/538174326139535360">November 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

What an assclown.

[el bobbo]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. The Big Guy has plenty to be thankful for. <a href="http://t.co/YjD0hhhO2v">http://t.co/YjD0hhhO2v</a> <a href="http://t.co/TggV0WMssE">pic.twitter.com/TggV0WMssE</a></p>&mdash; The Big Guy (@Ryback22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryback22/status/538068948278083584">November 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Happy Thanksgiving Everyone. The Big Guy has plenty to be thankful for. <a href="http://t.co/YjD0hhhO2v">http://t.co/YjD0hhhO2v</a> <a href="http://t.co/TggV0WMssE">pic.twitter.com/TggV0WMssE</a></p>&mdash; The Big Guy (@Ryback22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryback22/status/538068948278083584">November 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

What an assclown.

[#1-norm-fan]

lolSTD

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Punk's story is believable Ryback was greener than gooseshit when they feuded.

[el bobbo]

I agree that he was greener than gooseshit, but how was he? Wasn't he in developmental since he was on Tough Enough? He was in OVW or whatever other development feds they had too. He probably is pretty dumb.

[el bobbo]

FEED ME MORE (lead paint chips).

[Black Widow]

Punk has always been and will always be a spoiled brat who runs away the moment he doesn't get his way, then screams about how he's being mistreated. He was given more opportunity than the majority of the WWE roster to succeed and it still wasn't enough to satisfy his massive ego. Goor riddance to garbage. Now vanish back into obscurity.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Punk has always been and will always be a spoiled brat who runs away the moment he doesn't get his way, then screams about how he's being mistreated. He was given more opportunity than the majority of the WWE roster to succeed and it still wasn't enough to satisfy his massive ego. Goor riddance to garbage. Now vanish back into obscurity.

Jealousy that he's fucking your dream girl and namesake. Get over it.

[Shadrick]

Punk has some legit gripes. But hey, whatever.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

In all fairness I'd be pretty pissed if a guy shit all over me the way Punk did Ryback, whether he was right or wrong.

I've supported Punk from the moment he quit. I'm not his biggest fan but I definitely think he's a great talent and enjoy his work, but I always respect someone who isn't an asskisser and at least has the balls to tell Vince and Hunter to go fuck themselves. There needs to be more of these guys for wrestling to get any better.

[Wishbone]

Punk's story sounds totally believable here. Almost every wrestler in history has come out in retirement and had bad things to say about the WWE. Fact is Punk is probably telling the truth (albeit with a bit of his "I'm the victim" personality shining through).

Ryback is probably just having the typical human reaction to being called out on stupidity. He almost certainly did fuck up, and anyone who's ever fucked up and been called on it has had the same reaction of "I didn't do anything wrong/you're just a crybaby". Also probably has something to do with him not wanting his renewed push (or what's left of it) to stop.

[el bobbo]

In all fairness I'd be pretty pissed if a guy shit all over me the way Punk did Ryback, whether he was right or wrong.

I've supported Punk from the moment he quit. I'm not his biggest fan but I definitely think he's a great talent and enjoy his work, but I always respect someone who isn't an asskisser and at least has the balls to tell Vince and Hunter to go fuck themselves. There needs to be more of these guys for wrestling to get any better.

Yeah. Ryback needs to stick up for himself and not look weak. The weird thing about him sticking up for himself in this instance is that the WWE may punish him for going off script about doing so, when it is in his best interest to do it.

Just all of the counterproductive and illogical shit that Punk laid out in the podcast are really hard to comprehend.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

At the end of the day, it's the same as any corporation, whether it's retail or it's pro wrasslin. A lot of the mandates are fucking bullshit and illogical, it's just the way the world works #capitalism.

People think "this business" (aka wrasslin) is somehow different in its ridiculousness but it is not, it is just like anything else, aka a crock of shit. I think Damien Sandow made this point in a "shoot". If you go in understanding this, you'll probably succeed, and is why someone like Sandow will succeed in life, whether it be as a wrassler or something else.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

In all fairness I'd be pretty pissed if a guy shit all over me the way Punk did Ryback, whether he was right or wrong.

I've supported Punk from the moment he quit. I'm not his biggest fan but I definitely think he's a great talent and enjoy his work, but I always respect someone who isn't an asskisser and at least has the balls to tell Vince and Hunter to go fuck themselves. There needs to be more of these guys for wrestling to get any better.

Ryback started it he did another lame action figure thing a few months ago. Passive Aggressiveness. Punk actually said what was bothering him about Ryback. He even sort of stood up for his bad booking in the interview it seemed.

Ryback finally said something but he had already pussied out twice with action figures instead of words.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

I wouldn't sweat it, Ryback will likely be back jobbing to El Torito in a couple of months ;)

[#1-norm-fan]

Punk's story is believable Ryback was greener than gooseshit when they feuded.

Again, I don't think Ryback is denying that he hurt Punk.

[James Steele]

Ryback is basically saying "that's this business sometimes. Shit happens, get over yourself."

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

At the end of the day though, you aren't supposed to be breaking guys' ribs, you're supposed to keep them somewhat safe. Even "snug" guys like Benoit's and Regals weren't running around hurting guys on a regular basis. I'm sure their offence HURT, but guys wouldn't get injured. It's a work, not a real fight. Guys' pushes get derailed because of being that sloppy.

[James Steele]

...could this be why they derailed his push and everybody crying foul about it at the time?

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Obviously... but wouldn't that suggest Punk has a legitimate gripe? I mean don't get me wrong, obviously Ryback should stand up for himself, but he doesn't have much ground to stand on.

[#1-norm-fan]

If all Punk said was "Ryback injured me" then yes, he would probably have a legit gripe.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

It would have been nice if he got a little more into why he thought that happened, other than Ryback being roidy, but he likely had his reasons for believing so.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Again, I don't think Ryback is denying that he hurt Punk.

His reactions are as if he knew he hurt Punk and didn't give a shit. Probably why Punk is given more than just "he hurt me" with some vitriol.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

he's kind of being a troll though

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

He'll just delete what he said tomorrow anyways. Tweet Delete Repeat.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

aka being a troll.

[el bobbo]

So, does WWE sweep this under the rug or does Vince talk about it with Stone Cold on the podcast thing?

[el bobbo]

Punk screwed Punk.

[Emperor Smeat]

So, does WWE sweep this under the rug or does Vince talk about it with Stone Cold on the podcast thing?
Already went public defending their medical staff although didn't mention the guy who Punk blamed the most.

WWE issued a statement in response to Yahoo! for the article, saying, “WWE takes the health and wellness of its talent very seriously and has a comprehensive Talent Wellness Program that is led by one of the most well-respected physicians in the country, Dr. Joseph Maroon.”

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

That's not even the attending. They didn't say anything.

[dronepool]

Vince should invite him on the air on day to "clear the air". Wonder what he'd say.

[SNLfunnyguy]

Listening to this now, it's excellent.

[XL]

Again, I don't think Ryback is denying that he hurt Punk.

But did he do it on purpose?

[Bad News Gertner]

Of course he didn't. Something to think about: Ryback was pretty green when he debuted and basically was given jobbers where he could do whatever he want to them. Pretty dangerous for a guy that big and inexperienced. Very easy to develop bad habits.

[XL]

I don't think it was done on purpose, but Punk does. I feel like I'd need to make that know. If I were Ryback. Like, yeah I hurt you, I'm a big dude and I was inexperienced, but I never set out to hurt anybody on purpose.

[Shadrick]

Of course he didn't. Something to think about: Ryback was pretty green when he debuted and basically was given jobbers where he could do whatever he want to them. Pretty dangerous for a guy that big and inexperienced. Very easy to develop bad habits.

Do you think thats an excuse for a year to pass and he's just as reckless? Also, do you feel like it excuses kicking Punk in the ribs as hard as he could?

[Bad News Gertner]

So out of this interview we learned that wrestlers are back stabbers and wrestling promoters lie. Breaking news.

[Bad News Gertner]

Do you think thats an excuse for a year to pass and he's just as reckless? Also, do you feel like it excuses kicking Punk in the ribs as hard as he could?

He's not nearly as reckless as he was 2 years ago. That's not remotely true.

Could you imagine Punk being around 15-20 years ago and whining about wrestling injured or being hurt in the ring? He would have never been able to show his face again.

[Shadrick]

He's not nearly as reckless as he was 2 years ago. That's not remotely true.

Could you imagine Punk being around 15-20 years ago and whining about wrestling injured or being hurt in the ring? He would have never been able to show his face again.

Do you feel like Punks perspective may carry more weight than yours? He was actually in the ring with the guy. I'm really referring to two years ago, and one year ago, when they both worked with each other. Rybacks ability now isn't really in question. Unless he did it on purpose, which is also a possibility.

Also, could I? Eh. It's relative. The business is different. The training, the commitment to a safe work environment, etc. Theres a difference between toughing some shit out, wrestling through injuries and being physically incapacitated to the point where the medical opinion is to get surgery that would take a 4 week recovery time, only to have 2 days to recover. I didn't really get "whining" from how he was talking, but you may have, and thats cool.

I'm an athlete myself and I've toughed out injuries on the regular, but I've only done hard lifting and cardio on antibiotics ONCE and felt like I was legit going to die, I couldn't imagine feeling like that over the span of several months, working 4 out of 7 nights a week, WITH a growing staph infection. And wrestling is WAY more physical than the sports/activities I engage in.

[Bad News Gertner]

Then go get surgery. It was Punk's choice to continue wrestling through all of those injuries until he finally decided not to. On a much much much smaller scale, I partially tore my rotator cuff this past year and I decided to say "fuck it" and decided to play softball. I ended up hurting myself further. That's on me. Punk had his ribs broke and continued to wrestle. That's on Punk. I didn't blame my friends for letting me play. It was my own stupidity. At some point you need to be responsible for your own decisions.

[Rammsteinmad]

CM Punk is one of my all-time faves, but as a person, he's always seemed like a complete dick. Fair play to him for always being someone to stand up for himself, gotta respect that, but at the same time he's always been whiney and bitchy and more often than not comes across as a dick towards people that don't warrant it.

At the end of the day, he's had more success than most, being WWE champion for over a year isn't exactly "failing", even if he was always playing second fiddle to guys like Brock Lesnar, The Rock and John Cena. I'm happy more now for Ryback, because at least he has yet to bail on the company. And there's videos online of Punk in his indy days going off on younger guys and stiffing the shit out of them. So what's the point in whining that Ryback "kicked him too hard"?

If Punk is happy now, then good for him. Thanks for the memories and all that. Time to move on. :y:

[MoFo]

Remind me I need to neg rep all STD posts in this thread.

Faggut.

Hate Punk so much and feel like he ruined the WWE for several years but loved the interview, really funny.

The bit about getting knocked out in the Rumble and asking the Dr. wat to do only for him to go "Iono" made me lol. Pretty damning.

Also quiet shots at Jericho and maybe Stone Cold at the end?

[Heisenberg]

With all the Vince/HHH talk I'm thinking two things:

1.)(cut a hole in the box) It's not out of the realm that this is all kayfabe and we will get rocked with some good back and forth.

2.)(Put your dick in the box)Vince/Stone Cold podcast coming out in a couple days, I want to say the elephant in the room will get addressed or brought up during that or else the listeners will cry foul.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>I hope Vince doesn't talk about the Punk thing much at all on Austin's podcast tbh. There are way more interesting things I'd rather hear Vince talk about.</font>

[Fignuts]

Then go get surgery. It was Punk's choice to continue wrestling through all of those injuries until he finally decided not to. On a much much much smaller scale, I partially tore my rotator cuff this past year and I decided to say "fuck it" and decided to play softball. I ended up hurting myself further. That's on me. Punk had his ribs broke and continued to wrestle. That's on Punk. I didn't blame my friends for letting me play. It was my own stupidity. At some point you need to be responsible for your own decisions.

Yeah, but I'll bet there wasn't a world of pressure on you to play that softball game.

[Bad News Gertner]

I"m the man with the golden arm. That beer wasn't going to win itself.

Regardless, the world wasn't going to end if Punk opted for surgery. Hell, Daniel Bryan dropped the belt and got neck surgery and he was hotter than Punk ever was.

[Heisenberg]

I hope Vince doesn't talk about the Punk thing much at all on Austin's podcast tbh. There are way more interesting things I'd rather hear Vince talk about.

The Podcast Era begins

[McLegend]

I"m the man with the golden arm. That beer wasn't going to win itself.

Regardless, the world wasn't going to end if Punk opted for surgery. Hell, Daniel Bryan dropped the belt and got neck surgery and he was hotter than Punk ever was.

But Doctor's were not giving you the incorrect information that kept you from getting surgey.

[Heisenberg]

I"m the man with the golden arm. That beer wasn't going to win itself.

Regardless, the world wasn't going to end if Punk opted for surgery. Hell, Daniel Bryan dropped the belt and got neck surgery and he was hotter than Punk ever was.

I think you had the same mindset when listening to the cast. I was thinking of ways I could have seen myself in his shoes shooting on the U.S. Army, but I didn't really have a bad fallout with them. I was underpaid and worked into the ground, but not to the point where I'd bury their ass. I kept all that to myself. Especially 11 years ago, getting hit with a roadside bomb and coming back into the base and seeing a guy that didn't go out the gate at all get paid more than me.




This Punk/AOW podcast was kind of random and sudden, I'm going to hold on hope that we are just in for some kayfabe action. The Nexus mark in me believes this is a work.

[Bad News Gertner]

Punk was diagnosed with a concussion and decided to wrestle. He had broken ribs but decided to wrestle. That's on Punk.

[The MAC]

also all those "insider news scoops" by Ryan Clark and company were bullshit.

[Bad News Gertner]

CM Punk is one of my all-time faves, but as a person, he's always seemed like a complete dick. Fair play to him for always being someone to stand up for himself, gotta respect that, but at the same time he's always been whiney and bitchy and more often than not comes across as a dick towards people that don't warrant it.

At the end of the day, he's had more success than most, being WWE champion for over a year isn't exactly "failing", even if he was always playing second fiddle to guys like Brock Lesnar, The Rock and John Cena. I'm happy more now for Ryback, because at least he has yet to bail on the company. And there's videos online of Punk in his indy days going off on younger guys and stiffing the shit out of them. So what's the point in whining that Ryback "kicked him too hard"?

If Punk is happy now, then good for him. Thanks for the memories and all that. Time to move on. :y:

Yeah I remember seeing a Botchmania video where Punk beat the fuck out of someone

[Evil Vito]

The story of Punk getting poked in the eye during the Nexus angle then instructing Gallows to kill everybody made me laugh for like an hour.

<font color=goldenrod>I laughed hard at that bit as well. Sadly I then re-watched what happened and Gallows basically gets swarmed straight away on the outside of the ring and never gets a lick of offense in. I don't think Punk was remembering things correctly. :(

It's possible he got poked in the eye though, I believe random guys continued hitting him while he was laid out outside the ring.</font>

[Bad News Gertner]

At the end of the day, he's made and saved his money so he can basically enjoy life now and do things he enjoys, so hopefully Punk moves on and doesn't become another Bret Hart.

[The MAC]

CM Punk may be the smartest wrestler :

1. he made and obviously saved his cash
2. left at the height of his popularity
3. didn't have severe injuries or damage he can't heal from
4. married a sexy diva
5. didn't wrestle into his late 40's

[Bad News Gertner]

#4 is debatable

[Volare]

Since NXT Season 3 to now, AJ is still one of the more attractive diva's in memory.

[erickman]

#5 is debateable wrestlers rarely retire with aj styles and somoa joe out there i see him working with one of them. then there is a jeff hardy fued left in him.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

So out of this interview we learned that wrestlers are back stabbers and wrestling promoters lie. Breaking news.

#2coolgertner

at the end of the day, people wanted to hear Punk's side, so he gave his side.

[Bad News Gertner]

It would be more.believable if Kevin Sullivan were telling Punk's story.

[Bad News Gertner]

Since NXT Season 3 to now, AJ is still one of the more attractive diva's in memory.

Emma, Paige and Kaitlyn would beg to differ.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

It would be more.believable if Kevin Sullivan were telling Punk's story.

lmfao fuck you

[Volare]

I'm not so hot on Emma, Paige is cool but the way she doesn't like photo's taken of her by male fans kills that. Kaitlyn is off the market so meh.

[Nark Order]

Gertner. Is Punk a bitch for complaining about injuries or is he an idiot for wrestling with broken ribs? Pick one.

I think the main point of the medical stuff was "alright. You have all these medical resources and tell everybody that the wrestlers health is a big priority now, is it true or not?" From what he said it doesn't sound like tey care all that much. Which is confusing because the care of their wrestlers is something they won't shut up about.

[Nark Order]

And you can say it was his decision to work through the injuries but you are blatantly ignoring the pressure Vince was putting on him to perform hurt or perform very shortly after major injuries. It's kind of hard to stick to your guns and ask for time off when you feel like you'll be reprimanded and depushed for worrying about your health.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Yeah the mentality of being in the heat of it all is something hard to account for. Unfortunately Gertner's softball escapades don't really hold any weight :p Though if we can somehow throw Sid into the softball equation, we may have something.

[Bad News Gertner]

Gertner. Is Punk a bitch for complaining about injuries or is he an idiot for wrestling with broken ribs? Pick one.

I think the main point of the medical stuff was "alright. You have all these medical resources and tell everybody that the wrestlers health is a big priority now, is it true or not?" From what he said it doesn't sound like tey care all that much. Which is confusing because the care of their wrestlers is something they won't shut up about.

He's both. If you're going to be an idiot, then be an idiot, just don't whine about the consequences.

[Bad News Gertner]

And you can say it was his decision to work through the injuries but you are blatantly ignoring the pressure Vince was putting on him to perform hurt or perform very shortly after major injuries. It's kind of hard to stick to your guns and ask for time off when you feel like you'll be reprimanded and depushed for worrying about your health.

He's still his own man. Vince didn't have a gun to his head. Lol depushed. It's all fake. So he doesnt get to hold a pretend title. Woe is me.

[Nark Order]

You're being an idiot right now on purpose. Knock it off. Punk cares about wrestling and loves the business, of course he wouldn't want to be depushed or reprimanded. Nobody would. It's ridiculous that he has to worry about that for just trying to get healthy. Don't do the "he's his own man" thing when his livlihood is being held over his head.

If all of is is to be believed, this is clearly Vince McMahon's fault and the medical staff's fault. Constant pressure to peform and inadequate medical advice. I mean, untreated staph infections kill people all the time. He could have died. This is pretty serious, dude.

[Nark Order]

If you are being an objective person, you can't just discount and excuse Vince constantly scheduling him to perform far before he was medically ready to do so.

[Volare]

Punk's statements are #1 on Yahoo's news.

[Mr. Pierre]

WWE sounds like a huge unethical mess, but if it's been that awful for that long, Punk should have left a long time ago.

Instead he decided to curse everyone out, stay, and agree to work just to try to "main event Mania." Putting so much stock into "going on last" makes him sound like more of a mark.

Based on his side of the story, he was mistreated medically/professionally which sucks and is way wrong, but the shit didn't hit the fan until he realized he wasn't going to be "the guy" at WM30.

WWE is definitely a mess, but Punk also sounds ridiculous for going along, enduring all the shit, and not leaving sooner just to maybe have a chance to "go on last".

[Nark Order]

He's still his own man. Vince didn't have a gun to his head. Lol depushed. It's all fake. So he doesnt get to hold a pretend title. Woe is me.

That pretend title comes with a pay raise. The top guys get paid more than the midcard and lowcard guys. If he gets depushed for attempting to tend to his own injuries, he could suffer a pay cut. He will also less less merchendise. I know that you know this.

[Heisenberg]

The Marine 3: Citizens on Patrol

[weather vane]

Which diva is tHe hOttesT you guyS THink? Aj is uGly!

[ron the dial]

I'm not so hot on Emma, Paige is cool but the way she doesn't like photo's taken of her by male fans kills that. Kaitlyn is off the market so meh.

you've got to be kidding on the paige point, you fucking weirdo.

[ron the dial]

even the kaitlyn comment is stupid, and even moreso since aj is "off the market," too.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

WWE sounds like a huge unethical mess, but if it's been that awful for that long, Punk should have left a long time ago.

Instead he decided to curse everyone out, stay, and agree to work just to try to "main event Mania." Putting so much stock into "going on last" makes him sound like more of a mark.

Based on his side of the story, he was mistreated medically/professionally which sucks and is way wrong, but the shit didn't hit the fan until he realized he wasn't going to be "the guy" at WM30.

WWE is definitely a mess, but Punk also sounds ridiculous for going along, enduring all the shit, and not leaving sooner just to maybe have a chance to "go on last".

I feel like you kind of have to be a mark for yourself to succeed in wrestling, or else wtf is the point?

[Nark Order]

WWE sounds like a huge unethical mess, but if it's been that awful for that long, Punk should have left a long time ago.

Instead he decided to curse everyone out, stay, and agree to work just to try to "main event Mania." Putting so much stock into "going on last" makes him sound like more of a mark.

Based on his side of the story, he was mistreated medically/professionally which sucks and is way wrong, but the shit didn't hit the fan until he realized he wasn't going to be "the guy" at WM30.

WWE is definitely a mess, but Punk also sounds ridiculous for going along, enduring all the shit, and not leaving sooner just to maybe have a chance to "go on last".

He came off somewhat petty a few times, I'll agree. But being told you are a top guy a million times and then not being treated/paid like a main guy would be frustrating for anybody. Especially when he is near killing himself and bending over backwards for Vince. And what guy in the company doesn't want to main event WM?

[Bad News Gertner]

That pretend title comes with a pay raise. The top guys get paid more than the midcard and lowcard guys. If he gets depushed for attempting to tend to his own injuries, he could suffer a pay cut. He will also less less merchendise. I know that you know this.

He can be a top guys without a belt.

[James Steele]

The staph infection and concussion tests are the only things I feel warrant outrage and anger. The rest is just him feeling he was held down when he was pushed harder than anybody not named Cena in the past decade. All the "business side" anger comes from the fact that Punk needs to accept the fact that despite being a better "worker", he isn't the level of superstar that Cena/Rock are and Daniel Bryan was a bigger star than him at the time of his walkout.

[Volare]

even the kaitlyn comment is stupid, and even moreso since aj is "off the market," too.

Hey I like who I like.

[Fox]

The staph infection and concussion tests are the only things I feel warrant outrage and anger. The rest is just him feeling he was held down when he was pushed harder than anybody not named Cena in the past decade. All the "business side" anger comes from the fact that Punk needs to accept the fact that despite being a better "worker", he isn't the level of superstar that Cena/Rock are and Daniel Bryan was a bigger star than him at the time of his walkout.

Punk makes a lot of valid points in the way he, and other superstars, were used in the WWE over the past couple years.

Punk was made WWE Champion and given the longest reign of the modern era - he is also the only one to outsell Cena's merchandise. But he was never given the position as "the guy." How many PPV's did he main event during his record breaking WWE Title reign? How many of those were with John Cena?

Punk really did deserve the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 29. A triple threat match would have been fine. I don't know who they would've had to face Undertaker - they could have done Brock vs. Taker a year early, and then had Brock beat him in the rematch the following year. Plenty of other options as well. But Punk was still red hot as the WWE Champion, and the storyline of Punk wanting to keep his record breaking title reign, Rock wanting the title, and Cena wanting his victory over Rock would've made perfect sense - plus all three of those guys played off each other so well.

I don't think he's denying that Bryan was more over than he was by the time WM 30 rolled around. I think what he's upset about is that the WWE wasn't going to recognize that Bryan was over and deserved a spot in the main event, but he was going to get passed over for part-timers, just like Punk had been passed over for part-timers for the two years prior.

[Hanso Amore]

Right. Had punk not left daniel Bryan would have not even been close to a main event feud.

[Franchise]

Replied extensively about this on the other thread. But my major concern is Punk's issues regarding the medical staff which I think ought to be addressed. Given this story now appears being carried in many media outlets, will this trigger some sort of medical investigation? To misdiagnose/ignore something as major as staph infection is a very serious issue of malpractice.

[#1-norm-fan]

Most of the stuff he said about the booking was dead on. Triple H putting himself over him at his peak for example was fucking retarded. But he wasn't on the level to be main eventing WrestleMania with Rock and Cena and didn't belong in the match. Is it partially their fault for not putting in the booking effort to make him at that level? Sure. But as it stood, he didn't belong in the main event with the two of them.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>For the record if I quit for being fragile and insecure I would make up excuses too. Things didn't go my way for a long time and I kept</p>&mdash; The Big Guy (@Ryback22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryback22/status/538173708993822720">November 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Going day in and out. Slander is a powerful thing and to state complete made up nonsense for no reason shows his insecurities. I will</p>&mdash; The Big Guy (@Ryback22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryback22/status/538173991652196352">November 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Continue to bust my ass study matches every chance I get, cut promos when driving and push myself for hours on end even when hurt. Thank you</p>&mdash; The Big Guy (@Ryback22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryback22/status/538174326139535360">November 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

All deleted like a bitch.

[Mercenary]

Anyone saying Punk didn't deserve to be in the main event of a Wrestlemania. Lets not forget this was the company that had Miz main event at 27.....

[Franchise]

Anyone saying Punk didn't deserve to be in the main event of a Wrestlemania. Lets not forget this was the company that had Miz main event at 27.....

He did deserve to main event mania but not at that time given that Cena v Rock II was always destined to be on the card and the only way to portray the rematch as being bigger was to have the title on the line.


Personally I'm not a fan of anything other than one on one title match at Wrestlemania (for the WWE title). It is the company's flagship show, their Super Bowl, World Cup final etc etc. as it were and it's only fair that the number one guy at that time i.e. the champ, should defend against the best challenger and both share the limelight together.

The title match at WM should AWAYS be what it was meant to be, the champ vs the RR winner. Adding extra competitors for me just diminishes the significance of winning the Royal Rumble and indeed the Royal Rumble match itself.

[Bad News Gertner]

Anyone saying Punk didn't deserve to be in the main event of a Wrestlemania. Lets not forget this was the company that had Miz main event at 27.....

The Rock wasn't wrestling at that Wrestlemania

[Innovator]

And Punk was Cena's "TV program" until Mania

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Cody Rhodes put out this Tweet (it's his personal account, as his "official" one is Stardust)

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Things I'm learning about the internet...

You don't have to make it in the sport of pro-wrestling to have a podcast about it.</p>&mdash; Hyrule Husky (@PrinceCGR) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrinceCGR/status/538498119722598403">November 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

And Colt responds:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/TerrorGI">@TerrorGI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrinceCGR">@PrinceCGR</a> what's make it? Made a full time living for past 15 yrs. Japan, Europe, house, car, savings. That's pretty good right?</p>&mdash; Colt Cabana (@ColtCabana) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColtCabana/status/538612642479607809">November 29, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A couple of other guys have made tweets about the podcast as well only to delete them. Oddly it seems that most of the guys are taking aim at Cabana for providing Punk with the outlet to talk rather than blaming Punk himself.</font>

[XL]

Not cool Cody, not cool.

[whiteyford]

So when's Cody debuting his podcast?

[Vastardikai]

Colt Cabana is a full brand, not just a professional wrestler. A successfully marketed brand at that. Maybe not at the level of a Hulk Hogan or a Rock, but he's made a good living with how he's marketed himself.

[Nark Order]

I fucking heart Colt Cabana so much but he knew what he was doing before he did this. He signed his death warrant with the WWE. That's not to say that they would have hired him anyway.

[CSL]

I did enjoy the fact that the podcast was sponsored by 2K15

[Nark Order]

Most of the stuff he said about the booking was dead on. Triple H putting himself over him at his peak for example was fucking retarded. But he wasn't on the level to be main eventing WrestleMania with Rock and Cena and didn't belong in the match. Is it partially their fault for not putting in the booking effort to make him at that level? Sure. But as it stood, he didn't belong in the main event with the two of them.

Yeah. Pretty much this. I think the main point is that WWE not making an effort to elevate new stars for the past 10 years is pretty inexcusable. You can watch WWE-produced docs on the fall of WCW where they pan Bischoff and Russo for not making new stars but they are pretty much doing the exact same thing. Taking the quick money instead of looking to the future is not how you sustain business. I mean, I get the Rock/Cena super matches on the money making side of things but neither one of them benefit from a win over the other. Now if they had booked Rock vs Punk with a one year build and Punk went over, he would've gone into the stratosphere.

I mean, it's easy to say Punk is full of himself but he isn't really wrong. He had the best chance of being their new money maker and his legs were cut out from under him in 2011. Nobody had a better shot than him of being the new face of the company at that time. Bryan, of course, but he didn't hit his stride until a few years after the Summer of Punk.

[Nark Order]

Is it not insane to anybody else looking back to 2006 and realizing that absolutely no progress has been made since then in creating new stars? That should be infuriating to most of you.

[Vastardikai]

Another symptom of this disease is the fact that Punk was put in the ring with a guy who wasn't ready for the position he was put in and Punk got injured as a result.

[Evil Vito]

I fucking heart Colt Cabana so much but he knew what he was doing before he did this. He signed his death warrant with the WWE. That's not to say that they would have hired him anyway.

<font color=goldenrod>The ship sailed on Colt going back to WWE a few years ago I believe. I know they've brought him in to NXT to do commentary work, etc. but for the most part Colt's been clear that he loves to wrestle and hopes he can do it until he's an old man. WWE as best I can tell recognized his personality and versatility but saw zero value in him as an in-ring performer.

Even though he would have made more money in WWE I think he would have turned down any potential offer as he wants to stay in the ring. Plus many of his side projects would have had to go through the WWE filter, etc.</font>

[Evil Vito]

Is it not insane to anybody else looking back to 2006 and realizing that absolutely no progress has been made since then in creating new stars? That should be infuriating to most of you.

<font color=goldenrod>It baffles me how often WWE seem to be right on the brink of creating a new star only to just kinda fizzle out and shunt them back to the midcard after the end of a program. In the past 5 years WWE has just had a terrible time with trying to find guys who stick near the top of the card. I'm not saying these guys would have been Orton/Cena level...but surely they could have at least found a few guys to be perennial "believably plug them into a 2-3 month title program on a dime" guys.

-Kofi Kingston was over as fuck in 2009, pinned Orton AND Punk at Survivor Series, beat the shit out of Orton in MSG. Then he screwed up a move, Orton threw a tantrum, the program ended and Kofi has been decidedly a midcarder ever since.

-Jack Swagger beat Orton mostly cleanly in a feud for the World Heavyweight Title, they seemed to actually be invested in making him an important character, but then Kane and Taker's 10,000th feud took over on SmackDown and Swagger went to Superstars.

-Wade Barrett could have been solidified as a main event player during the Nexus angle and possibly could have even faced Cena at WrestleMania. Instead Cena squashed the Nexus in short order, killed Barrett on PPV, and Barrett went off to SmackDown to tread water for ages. Yes he did pick up a couple of big injuries along the way and I LOVE the Bad News Barrett character that resulted but I'd be very surprised if he ever got higher than IC Title range.

-Sheamus won the WWE title twice within a few months of being on the main roster, yet he never came close to feeling like "the guy". They gave him another shot with the World Heavyweight Title and a great feud with Bryan but then the brand split ended and his title officially became a midcard belt and he's been in the midcard ever since. Of the guys on this list I think he's a heel turn away from being back to believable main event status but right now WWE seem insistent on keeping him a face.

-Alberto Del Rio looked like he'd be a big deal, but he failed numerous times on winning the World Heavyweight Title after his "destiny" angle. Had a shitty WWE Title run for a month. Eventually just became another guy, won the World Heavyweight Title but again only after the split ended and it was a midcard belt. Already has been vocal about the lack of creative direction from his time in the company.

-Ryback's case is well documented. Put aside the talk of him being stiff, beefs with Punk, etc. The guy looked like he was going to be fucking huge and they just didn't strike when the iron was hot. His heel run was awful. Injury was a blessing in disguise as it seems they're giving him another chance as a big time face but it remains to be seen where things go.

-Dolph Ziggler is another guy who the crowd seemed interested in who could have been stepped up but again he only won the World Heavyweight Title after it was devalued, and he's been in the same midcard spot. Maybe the Survivor Series ending could be the start of something big for him but I think he was just the most logical guy to win the match more than anything else.

-Mark Henry could have been the top heel in the company had they kept him going as he was in the summer of 2013. Even losing to Cena at MITB 2013 wouldn't have mattered. Imagine if he was one of the Authority's top guys once Bryan won the belt? Would have made for an interesting David vs. Goliath deal. Instead they abruptly turned him face and now he's already heel again a year later. He's pretty much in the same spot as Big Show at this point.

-Cesaro never even got a shot at the top. The guy was absurdly over on the heels of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Probably should have turned the night after. But even then, pairing him with Heyman could have made a lot of sense and set up a big face push down the line once Heyman bailed on him for Lesnar. Instead they split ways with little explanation offered and he's now fallen into the "hell of a hand" role that history suggests he's not likely to recover from.

Again...I'm not saying that ALL of these guys could have become top level guys. There were always going to be a couple that flaked out or couldn't stick and settled into the midcard. But most of them pretty much had their legs cut out from underneath them before they could really show that they belonged. There's no reason a couple of these guys couldn't be at a point where they could go into a title program and no one would bat an eye. More realistic options near the top of the card = more possibilities for booking rather than needing to go to Cena vs. Orton as the default "big match".

In spite of all of this, WWE still has plenty of guys that COULD be main event players if given proper direction. Seth Rollins is excellent, as is Dean Ambrose. Roman Reigns seems to have the backing of creative, and hopefully he can come in like a house of fire when he returns. And this may be slightly controversial but I still think Bray Wyatt can be a permanent top of the card heel still, I don't think him jobbing to Cena is going to be his legacy. They also seemed to be trying to make Daniel Bryan a permanent fixture at the top (in spite of the dumb Kane feud) but unfortunately with his injuries being so major I'm not sure they'll risk putting him near the top again. It remains to be seen.

Whatever, that's enough of my Noid post for now. Kinda depressing.</font>

[GD]

Don't forget Zack Ryder. He defeated (then) World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry to become the #1 contender for Dolph Ziggler's United States title. That takes balls.

[Ultra Mantis]

Not cool Cody, not cool.

He had a brief back and forth with Sam Roberts and said he didn't mean Colt Cabana, so I think this is just a case of Cody Rhodes being bad at the internet.

[Emperor Smeat]

Could add Bray Wyatt to that list considering how huge a win over Cena at Mania or the feud in general would have been for him. As well as Cena's character going into a really interesting direction had he lost at Mania.

With Barrett, surprisingly it looked like he was going to recover from the Cena-Nexus debacle until Big Show decided to be a huge moron. Was looking like the heavy favorite that year to take the MitB case and instead Big Show decided to be way too careless throwing Ziggler to the outside.

Don't think Big Show was even punished for it unlike recent incidents where someone got deliberately hurt (ex. Miz "forgetting" to catch a flying R-Truth, Swagger depushed for hurting Ziggler).

[Cool King]

All deleted like a bitch.

http://dailywrestlingnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Ryback-tweet-GIF-001.gif

[#1-norm-fan]

Is it not insane to anybody else looking back to 2006 and realizing that absolutely no progress has been made since then in creating new stars? That should be infuriating to most of you.

It's a product of not giving a shit about the midcard and then suddenly trying to push a guy from nothing to megastar in the blink of an eye. I remember reading an interview with a guy who was a writer on Smackdown back in the mid 2000s who talked about how creative was trying to write storylines for midcarders and Stephanie sent out an email telling them to stop worrying about midcard and just focus on Cena. With so much more TV time nowadays, the fact that midcard storylines are so few and far between is pretty ridiculous. It's like Vince got a lobotomy and forgot the basic ideas that make shit work.

[#1-norm-fan]

OMG RYBACK DELETED TWEETS. TOTAL BITCH MOVE. GONNA TOUT ABOUT IT.

[Bad News Gertner]

Yes yes yes yes, yes. Yes yes yes yes, yes.

[Fox]

As much as I love Punk's shoot and found it extremely entertaining, it's also incredibly depressing. Yes, Punk was burnt out and he deserved a long break from the grueling road schedule. He was sick and injured and felt like he was being underutilized - time off was the way to go. But now that he's been fired and pretty much sealed his fate in the eternal dog house of the WWE (especially once Vince dies), we will never see the Best in the World in a WWE ring again.

Maybe it's the best thing for him. But I feel like after a few years away, he might've felt ready to come back to the WWE again - to give it one more shot. Not for money or for fame, but because, from the CM Punk documentary and everything I know about the man, I think the guy truly loves wrestling. And if you're going to wrestle, you may as well do it on the biggest stage in the world.

He did accomplish a lot, but I think a WrestleMania main event was definitely in the books for him if he just stuck it out a couple more years. Eventually he was going to get it - he was too good at what he did, too over, and too vocal about how much he wanted it to NOT get it eventually. It didn't have to be CM Punk the young guy wrestling in the WM main event - it could just as well have been CM Punk the heel veteran, as champion, putting over an up and comer like Dean Ambrose or Roman Reigns or someone else at Mania in a few years time. It would have happened eventually.

It makes me sad to know that I'll never watch another CM Punk match or hear another CM Punk promo. He was one of the few stars I really liked watching. Currently, there's actually not a single person on the roster who gets me excited about the product. And as a fan since 1997, that's quite sad. Punk was the last guy who made me a big mark.

I think he still had a lot left to give to the business. A guy like Punk can help elevate guys like Roman Reigns and Ambrose and Bray Wyatt.

Is it the WWE's fault completely for not taking care of Punk? Is it Punk's fault for not taking care of himself? Probably a little bit of both. Whatever the case, it's a disappointing state of affairs when it's come to a fact that we'll likely never see Punk in a WWE ring again.

[Mr. Nerfect]

CM Punk's WWE run was marred with bad booking. He was undefeated then lost to Hardcore Holly and was the first to be eliminated from the Elimination Chamber at December to Dismember. He did end up winning the World Heavyweight Title really quickly, but it did feel like he was most logical choice to win each Ladder Match, as the other guys were sort of just "there."

Punk made SmackDown in 2009 so fucking great. His feud with Jeff Hardy was brilliant stuff, and it sort of got short-changed for The Undertaker getting another run and Punk sort of dropping back down.

Chris Jericho really should have won the 2012 Royal Rumble to go to war with CM Punk at WrestleMania XXVIII. Cena vs. Rock probably should have still headlined, but Punk vs. Jericho needed a little something more to it.

I was all for the Triple Threat at WrestleMania XXIX. It could have been a better match and a rub for Punk just to be in there.

Punk vs. Cena would have also made a great match at WrestleMania XXVII, but I'm not sure if it would have been for the title or headlined.

[rockman725]

But now that he's been fired and pretty much sealed his fate in the eternal dog house of the WWE (especially once Vince dies), we will never see the Best in the World in a WWE ring again.

Maybe it's the best thing for him. But I feel like after a few years away, he might've felt ready to come back to the WWE again - to give it one more shot.

I honestly don't think it would have been that long at all. Still think there could have been a definite chance for a return at Summerslam when you look at the timeline. I'm trying to see things through the eyes of a guy who was hurt, tired and frustrated. I really believe him when he says during the interview that he told HHH that after he gets married & comes from back from the honeymoon he would talk. However, HHH went back to that "fk him, we'll do business for him" approach and put the nail in the coffin way too early. Partly because of ego and partly because of Punk asking for his royalty money.

I still think though that Punk should have made the first move after his suspension was over to try to talk things out...certainly before bringing up M.O.N.E.Y.

Now, with HHH pretty much wanting to "kill" Punk, I'm sure it won't be long before they give him the Benoit treatment. I hope all of you CM Punk fans saved your DVDs and aren't relying on the network for his matches!

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

I honestly don't think it would have been that long at all. Still think there could have been a definite chance for a return at Summerslam when you look at the timeline. I'm trying to see things through the eyes of a guy who was hurt, tired and frustrated. I really believe him when he says during the interview that he told HHH that after he gets married & comes from back from the honeymoon he would talk. However, HHH went back to that "fk him, we'll do business for him" approach and put the nail in the coffin way too early. Partly because of ego and partly because of Punk asking for his royalty money.

I still think though that Punk should have made the first move after his suspension was over to try to talk things out...certainly before bringing up M.O.N.E.Y.

Now, with HHH pretty much wanting to "kill" Punk, I'm sure it won't be long before they give him the Benoit treatment. I hope all of you CM Punk fans saved your DVDs and aren't relying on the network for his matches!

Chris Benoit is a full part of the WWE Network. He's not edited out of shit.

[GD]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HBFY-3FWOYs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Garbage.

[GD]

Corporate Kane growth

http://www.thewrestlinganswer.com/images/kane-growth.jpg

[Damian Rey]

Is...is that BNG on that podcast?

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Kevin Scampoli & Ryan Van Vleet. Don't think so.

[Ruien]

The thing I found funny was when Colt asked Punk if there was anyone in the locker room who could say fuck you to Vince. He stated that he did, Cena did, and sometimes Orton. But in the whole interview he was just doing what Vince wanted and pressured him into.

[Nark Order]

The point was that he was a company guy until the requests were unreasonable, then he said "fuck you."

[Ruien]

But he didn't then because he claims he was suspended and then fired right?

[Nark Order]

He defended himself several times before his firing to try to get a handle on the situation but the requests kept getting more unreasonable as time progressed. There came a point where he said he was done. That's one thing I'm not with Punk on here though. He keeps driving home the fact at he was fired. He was fired because there's no reason to have somebody on payroll if they refuse to work. That part is on him.

Everything that led to him getting fed up seems fairly legit. The medical stuff is inexcusable for a company that is now priding itself on performer safety and the political stuff still holds weight no matter how whiny you think he is. He was in the best position out of anybody in the last 10 years or so to be elevated to the top position and that can be backed up with financial evidence. No matter how whiny and self-serving he seems at points in the interview, he is absolutely correct. And it seems like he was minorly angry about the spotlight of being "the guy" but more angry that he and WWE missed out on a gigantic payday because of their incompetence. I'm with him.

[#1-norm-fan]

Garbage.

"I can't masturbate to that video because those two guys aren't blowing CM Punk enough. Garbage."

[#1-norm-fan]

I remember half-joking around with friends during Survivor Series about Kane seemingly having a second head coming out of his lower back.

Pretty fucked if it's another Punk situation and WWE is brushing it off. Kane's gotta be smart enough to say "fuck you guys I'm getting a second opinion" though, right?

[Ruien]

IF that was going on with Kane I am 100% certain it has been dealt with now.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I haven't read this thread in an effort to avoid spoilers, but has it been taken down? When I click on the link on Colt's site, it gives me an error message.

[Ultra Mantis]

The site hosting his podcast couldn't cope with all the increased traffic, it's still on youtube and iTunes.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zxHRJnZsinQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Anybody Thrilla]

Good look, my dude.

[Big Vic]

He keeps driving home the fact at he was fired. He was fired because there's no reason to have somebody on payroll if they refuse to work. That part is on him.
There is no reason to work if they are not paying you.

[GD]

<iframe width="541" height="338" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/uOqELhAkFaU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Damian Rey]

I don't recall punk specifically naming any one podcast when making that comment about them. I could see if Jericho feels guilty, but if not blatantly mentioned or knowing he never asked him to come on post Rumble why bother to post a video?

[XL]

If I remember correctly; Punk didn't specifically say anybody had directly asked him to come on a podcast. He said people were asking about the situation so that they could get a scoop. Guess he feels Jericho wasn't being genuine when he text him in the aftermath of walking out. We'll never really know if Jericho was fishing for juicy gossip, or if Punk's penchant for thinking the world is against him reared it's ugly head.

[Nark Order]

It has now come to light that Former WWE Superstar Bob Holly also experienced a similar scenario which he wrote about in his book "The Hardcore Truth" revealing on the day of Eddie Guerrero's death he discovered a bump on his underarm and WWE’s doctor Rios told him that he had a staph infection that spread to his forearm and he would need hospitalization.

John Laurinaitis, who was the Vice President of Talent Operations at the time was told about this but insisted that Holly was needed on the overseas tour. Holly said "If I’d refused to go, they would have probably fired me. Maybe that’s how Eddie had felt." During the tour Holly's arm had swollen to twice it's normal size when they got to Germany and Dr. Rios tried to drain the infection but unbeknown to him it had already spread to the bone leading to Holly's hospitalization and the revelation that he had MRSA.

Holly noted that surgery didn't work and he was put on Vancomycin, a last resort antibiotic which if it didn't work his arm would have been amputated. Holly said: “That man [Laurinaitis] is the reason you ended up in the hospital and nearly lost your arm.” Holly added: “Because they’d gone against Dr. Rios’s orders, the company was very liable and they knew that they had set themselves up for a huge lawsuit. I could tell because they were kissing my ass the whole time I was off, telling me not to worry about anything and that they’d get me anything I needed.”

Jesus

[Damian Rey]

Good Christ.

[Ruien]

AT LEAST that wasn't the doctor being a complete idiot and not realizing what was on Holly. May have to boycott WWE and not let promote it to the little one.

[Hanso Amore]

Wow the Hhh shit was good

[GD]

Wow the Hhh shit was good

Yo Jimmy! Hit me with that HHH shiiiiiiiiit...

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3yQiwWQw9Fs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Big Vic]

Vince McMahon addressed CM Punk’s comments from last week while on the Stone Cold Podcast on WWE Network Monday night. He apologized for firing CM Punk on his wedding day, saying that it was a “coincidence” that Punk got his severance papers that day. McMahon said that Punk lacks communication skills and is a “loner” and that he hopes that he and Punk will be on the same page again sometime in the future and work together again. Vince said he did not listen to the whole CM Punk podcast but heard about some of what was said. McMahon said he only wants what is best for business and would be open to working with Punk again.

[owenbrown]

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/89979/the-one-aspect-of-the-cmpunk-story-that-isnt-being-talked-aboutbut-should-be-right-now.html?p=1

[drave]

Holy Ad spam Owen..... posting in quotes to save some poster's PCs.

I am sitting here at 3 AM in the morning, shaking my head.

With all the madness regarding CM Punk speaking out about his frustrations with the WWE machine and explosion that followed his interview with Colt Cabana on Cabana's podcast, the one thing that I thought would actually outrage wrestling fans last Thursday the most, never actually did.

If CM Punk hadn't walked away when he did, chances are the man would be dead.

Punk, if his version of the story is to believed - and it certainly appears it should be, as when the hell does anyone face WWE's legal team head-on and live to tell the tale without a gag order? - alerted WWE's doctor on three different occasions about a lump Punk discovered in his back.

By the third occasion, the lump was purple and hurting, yet his request to "cut this thing open" was turned down because he had to go wrestle for up to an hour in the Royal Rumble.

Then, after the Rumble, a concussed Punk demanded it be removed and was told he'd have to be on medication first and it was his concussion talking that he wanted it out now.

Of course, based on the timeline of the story, Punk had already been dealing with the lump, had been medicated to the point he sh** himself on national TV, concussions, injuries, etc. dating back to the European tour, which was November 2013.

That's two months of Punk working hurt, half-broken from injuries, squatting in corners just trying to "will himself" into getting back into the ring during tag team matches (as he explained on his return appearance on Cabana's podcast, which was released just a few hours ago) and dealing with an undiagnosed staph infection that was coursing through his body. Unable to sleep, unable to eat, unable to train properly, is it any wonder Punk kept getting injured?

No one reading this is an idiot. The readership here especially knows how dangerous and painful professional wrestling is. You also know how celebrated the talents who have that finesse in the ring with the crisp timing and the ability to make others better are amongst fans like yourself. Punk was certainly one of those personalities, and perhaps even more celebrated than most, because he was the first "indy guy/ROH guy/whatever" to break through the mold and become an international celebrity - but by the end of his run, sickness and illness meant that Punk was playing the role of a stunt driver who was navigating hairpin turns in a car with no breaks inside a dark fog while his arms were tied behind his back.

We all know the story of what happened. Punk walked the day after the Rumble. He disappeared. He later revealed he was suspended, fired (great wedding present, by the way) and eventually learned he was actually suffering from a staph infection.

"You should have died," was the comment Punk repeated from the doctor that treated him and at the very least, saved Punk from a scary hospital stay and indeed, at the worst, Punk's life.

The reality however, is that by walking away, CM Punk, saved his own life.

Imagine if you will, Rod Serling style, a world where Punk sucked it up and kept working, concussed and sick. Sure, we get our CM Punk vs. Triple H feud and Punk kicks out of the Pedigree and gets the win with the Pepsi Plunge (my column, my fantasy booking). He gets more money, but how much more damage has he put into his body? How many other concussions would he have suffered? How many other issues with knees and elbows and shoulders and ribs?

Most importantly, how long does that staph infection go before the sack on his back bursts and Punk has staph coursing through his bloodstream? How long before CM Punk, literally, drops dead for professional wrestling?

CM Punk, the 14 year old straightedge skater kid who pulls himself out of the Chicago streets to become a huge sensation and millionaire, dead. It could have easily happened. CM Punk, wrestling tragedy because he put the business before himself.

Some of that comes from pressures put on your by management. Some comes from within because you are trying to prove you are the best in the rat race and that you deserve the money, the attention, the position and really, the attention of the boss that is putting the pressure on you to begin with.

Don't believe me? Let's take a quick journey, just off the top of my head.

Bob Holly, in his autobiography, goes into great detail about how he nearly lost his arm to a staph infection because WWE's doctors didn't properly diagnose it and John Laurinaitis pushed him to go on a tour of Europe because "he was needed." Holly ended up working meaningless battle royals and undercard matches but he was "needed." He was in pain every night and when he returned home, nearly lost the arm, was told the WWE doctor was responsible for him nearly losing the arm and ended up out of action for a long time before returning - and that was only after the last ditch effort to treat the infection, which had spread to the bones in his arm, worked. Had it not, amputation, caused undeniably by his decision to go do what his job asked him and put taking bumps over his own health.

For all of his insane antics and claims, Kurt Angle has long-claimed that he requested time off to deal with personal issues and was denied by Vince McMahon. One crazy version of that story that is often shared by friends of Angle is that Angle was told that he was an Olympic gold medalist and if he could win the medal with a broken neck, he could lick his issues while on the road. Whether that is true or not, I cannot tell you, but consider those stories passed around for the last decade and compare them to Punk's stories about being called to come back to work early, literally as he's walking out of a hospital. The anesthesia hasn't worn off, but we need you in a TLC match.

Then there's the worst case scenario, Eddie Guerrero. When poor Eddie dropped dead in a hotel room, his wife told WWE.com that he had been so "road tired" in the weeks leading up to his passing. Bob Holly in his book described it as basically WWE working Guerrero to death, including a depressing scene that literally stayed in the forefront of my brain since I read the book - Guerrero, in so much pain that he's laying on a trainer's table, unsure of whether he has to go to the bathroom or not. Think about that level of pain. Think about that level of commitment to drag yourself out and go shimmy your shoulders as you play "Latino Heat."

"You should have died," the doctor told CM Punk.

Eddie Guerrero did...and out of that death came the WWE Wellness Policy. People have knocked it and criticized it but one thing you can't deny is that it has helped and the WWE world is far better with it, then without it - but it's not a perfect system...and the Punk situation shows how far from perfect it truly is.

I've seen a lot of people criticize Punk for "not getting a second opinion." If you have a doctor that is supposed to be who you go to and is working for you, you are going to assume that person knows what they are talking about. That's why they work for WWE right? Then consider here is Punk, concussed at least part of the time, medicated, injured, no appetite and exhausted. In the midst of that WWE grind, why would he even think to doubt? When would he have the TIME to doubt? He's trapped on the wrestling treadmill, just trying to live up to the reputation and work ethic that's made him his name while also living up to what's required of him by WWE.

You listen to the doc. It's not like these sort of issues don't have happen across the scope of life. Jonathan Larson, a well liked playwright and composer went to an emergency room complaining of pains in his chest. He was told it was flu or stress and sent home. Several days later, he dropped dead of an aortic dissection, which was missed.

The night Larson died, his musical "Rent" debuted. It went on to become a Broadway smash, a feature film and changed the entire Broadway community. Larson never got to experience any of that, because of an error made when he sought out help.

He was dead at 36 years old. The same age CM Punk is now.

Punk sought out help and no matter the cause, an error could have been the cause of yet another wrestling tragedy. Luckily, CM Punk gets to be a success story, however. He, thanks to his wife telling him to go to her doctor, was able to get healthy again. He, unlike Larson or Guerrero, gets to go on and experience what's going to be next in his life. He gets to succeed and fail and live off the money and the legacy and the brand he's built for himself. Comic books, acting, writing, kids, grandkids, whatever his life is going to bring for him. That's awesome.

But no one should be deluding themselves for a second - CM Punk was almost another pro wrestling tragedy and just because he narrowly avoided crashing while making that hairspin turn; just because he kicked out at two - doesn't mean that the wrestling business should be saying "Whew!", ignoring it, and moving on to the next story.

What pro wrestling should be doing is getting pissed that someone who carries none of the excuses of "He used steroids/painkillers/HGH/drugs, etc." could have ended up in the same place as a lot of other talents. Punk didn't have those demons and he still could have dropped dead.

That in itself should be enough to make WWE re-evaluate everything they do to protect the wrestlers and make sure it's enough. I'm not saying WWE will always do everything right and there will never be mistakes. No one will be able to avert every tragedy. No one.

But, when that tragedy could easily have been tied into mistakes (accidental or otherwise) that can be traced to the very system designed to assist and help WWE wrestlers, that should be enough to piss off WWE management.

The pressure to perform will always be there...but the pressure to perform while the same medical doctors who are protecting your best interests are telling you it's OK to perform, while they are also working to make the company happy? Now things start getting complex and you start to wonder where priorities lie and things start to get twisted...and THIS is exactly why WWE needs to really examine the system, because it needs to keep evolving so something like the Punk situation never happens again.

Maybe the CM Punk issue was just, genuinely, some mistakes. Maybe it was, as Punk colorfully claimed, "laziness." Maybe it's a mixture of reasons, but at the end of the day, the man could have died from what happened. WWE needs to see what led to things getting to that point. The last thing they can afford in the era of PG programming is another wrestling tragedy.

In all the talk of Punk vs. WWE and apologizing and wedding day terminations, etc., I really, truly hope that someone working in the Stamford offices or Dr. Joseph Maroon in Pittsburgh or just someone with a voice in the process and some common sense is looking at all this from outside the WWE bubble and realizing that medically, they pretty much failed CM Punk and he was almost a corpse on their watch. Then I hope that person has the courage to speak up about it.

If someone doesn't voice this and WWE doesn't look into things (and again, this is a complex issue) and evaluate what the hell happened, then CM Punk's other claims that WWE are only really trying to protect themselves against future claims so they don't end up in the same position the NFL is currently in, well, then they look pretty spot on...that's pretty damn depressing.

If Punk is right, not only woukld WWE have lost CM Punk, but they also potentially lose the chance to protect the next Punk......and that's why I'm sitting here, shaking my head at 3 AM in the morning, hoping that Punk isn't right, but fearing that he is. And, to make matters worse, a week later, I've yet to see anyone voice that concern...so really, for all those bumps and all those bruises and all that talk of how he was a quitter, how concerned was anyone that CM Punk nearly worked himself to death? How concerned were you?

CM Punk is a damn lucky man. He escaped like Indiana Jones from the Temple of Doom out of professional wrestling. I however, remain worried for the next guy who won't be lucky. They may not walk away. They might instead be left in the ground.

[Fignuts]

The people backstage who see Punk's booking complaints as "sour grapes" are missing the point, I think. Yes, he was in an enviable position in the company, but with the momentum he had, he could have been so much more.

Just because you're a top guy doesn't mean you can't be booked badly and can't be upset about it.

[owenbrown]

@drave

https://adblockplus.org/

[Big Vic]

The people backstage who see Punk's booking complaints as "sour grapes" are missing the point, I think. Yes, he was in an enviable position in the company, but with the momentum he had, he could have been so much more.

Just because you're a top guy doesn't mean you can't be booked badly and can't be upset about it.
Punk might feel the same way if he heard Cena complaining about losing to Lesnar.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Yeah but that was the main event. Punk had one main event as the WWE Champion as a face. John Cena had the night off as a story line injury from Kane attacking him for not being hateful.

[Shisen Kopf]

http://www.pwinsider.com/article/89979/the-one-aspect-of-the-cmpunk-story-that-isnt-being-talked-aboutbut-should-be-right-now.html?p=1

If I knew what trolling was, I'd say that might be trolling. But honestly, what's trolling??

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Just like how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop: The world may never know.

[drave]

@drave

https://adblockplus.org/

Sorry, I don't like the idea of sending network info to 3rd party apps that can (if they want) access other data.

Also:

http://tpwwforums.com/showthread.php?t=127919

[owenbrown]

ok fine deal with your 2839523432051257237094901735103470 popups

[drave]

I just will not go to said site, it is easier.

Enjoy the day when the faux-trojan programming that goes into AB+ steals your dataz.

[Bad News Gertner]

Thanks for ruining my computer Owen.

[Fignuts]

Way to fucking go, Owen.

[Emperor Smeat]

Part 2 of the Punk podcast - https://soundcloud.com/coltcabana/aow-227-cm-punk-returns

More stories and "dirt" from Punk than Q/A stuff since according to Colt his email service couldn't handle all the questions being sent in.


http://www.pwinsider.com/article/89979/the-one-aspect-of-the-cmpunk-story-that-isnt-being-talked-aboutbut-should-be-right-now.html?p=1

Grantland's Masked Man recently wrote an article talking mostly about the medical stuff from the first podcast. Also did a quick comparison to the NFL and their own health issues that went public.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/cm-punk-podcast-colt-cabana-why-he-quit-wwe-vince-mcmahon-concussions-health-concerns-wrestlers-union/

[Shadrick]

<font color=goldenrod>It baffles me how often WWE seem to be right on the brink of creating a new star only to just kinda fizzle out and shunt them back to the midcard after the end of a program. In the past 5 years WWE has just had a terrible time with trying to find guys who stick near the top of the card. I'm not saying these guys would have been Orton/Cena level...but surely they could have at least found a few guys to be perennial "believably plug them into a 2-3 month title program on a dime" guys.

-Kofi Kingston was over as fuck in 2009, pinned Orton AND Punk at Survivor Series, beat the shit out of Orton in MSG. Then he screwed up a move, Orton threw a tantrum, the program ended and Kofi has been decidedly a midcarder ever since.

-Jack Swagger beat Orton mostly cleanly in a feud for the World Heavyweight Title, they seemed to actually be invested in making him an important character, but then Kane and Taker's 10,000th feud took over on SmackDown and Swagger went to Superstars.

-Wade Barrett could have been solidified as a main event player during the Nexus angle and possibly could have even faced Cena at WrestleMania. Instead Cena squashed the Nexus in short order, killed Barrett on PPV, and Barrett went off to SmackDown to tread water for ages. Yes he did pick up a couple of big injuries along the way and I LOVE the Bad News Barrett character that resulted but I'd be very surprised if he ever got higher than IC Title range.

-Sheamus won the WWE title twice within a few months of being on the main roster, yet he never came close to feeling like "the guy". They gave him another shot with the World Heavyweight Title and a great feud with Bryan but then the brand split ended and his title officially became a midcard belt and he's been in the midcard ever since. Of the guys on this list I think he's a heel turn away from being back to believable main event status but right now WWE seem insistent on keeping him a face.

-Alberto Del Rio looked like he'd be a big deal, but he failed numerous times on winning the World Heavyweight Title after his "destiny" angle. Had a shitty WWE Title run for a month. Eventually just became another guy, won the World Heavyweight Title but again only after the split ended and it was a midcard belt. Already has been vocal about the lack of creative direction from his time in the company.

-Ryback's case is well documented. Put aside the talk of him being stiff, beefs with Punk, etc. The guy looked like he was going to be fucking huge and they just didn't strike when the iron was hot. His heel run was awful. Injury was a blessing in disguise as it seems they're giving him another chance as a big time face but it remains to be seen where things go.

-Dolph Ziggler is another guy who the crowd seemed interested in who could have been stepped up but again he only won the World Heavyweight Title after it was devalued, and he's been in the same midcard spot. Maybe the Survivor Series ending could be the start of something big for him but I think he was just the most logical guy to win the match more than anything else.

-Mark Henry could have been the top heel in the company had they kept him going as he was in the summer of 2013. Even losing to Cena at MITB 2013 wouldn't have mattered. Imagine if he was one of the Authority's top guys once Bryan won the belt? Would have made for an interesting David vs. Goliath deal. Instead they abruptly turned him face and now he's already heel again a year later. He's pretty much in the same spot as Big Show at this point.

-Cesaro never even got a shot at the top. The guy was absurdly over on the heels of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Probably should have turned the night after. But even then, pairing him with Heyman could have made a lot of sense and set up a big face push down the line once Heyman bailed on him for Lesnar. Instead they split ways with little explanation offered and he's now fallen into the "hell of a hand" role that history suggests he's not likely to recover from.

Again...I'm not saying that ALL of these guys could have become top level guys. There were always going to be a couple that flaked out or couldn't stick and settled into the midcard. But most of them pretty much had their legs cut out from underneath them before they could really show that they belonged. There's no reason a couple of these guys couldn't be at a point where they could go into a title program and no one would bat an eye. More realistic options near the top of the card = more possibilities for booking rather than needing to go to Cena vs. Orton as the default "big match".

In spite of all of this, WWE still has plenty of guys that COULD be main event players if given proper direction. Seth Rollins is excellent, as is Dean Ambrose. Roman Reigns seems to have the backing of creative, and hopefully he can come in like a house of fire when he returns. And this may be slightly controversial but I still think Bray Wyatt can be a permanent top of the card heel still, I don't think him jobbing to Cena is going to be his legacy. They also seemed to be trying to make Daniel Bryan a permanent fixture at the top (in spite of the dumb Kane feud) but unfortunately with his injuries being so major I'm not sure they'll risk putting him near the top again. It remains to be seen.

Whatever, that's enough of my Noid post for now. Kinda depressing.</font>

Before I read your post, I literally fired off every single one of these names, almost in this order, referring to the times they've missed creating a new star.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

This is the logical extension of WWE being more about the brand than the people who make it up.

CM Punk said it best by calling himself a spoke on the wheel. When he was in his long reign he called himself no longer a spoke but instead the wheel. He still was only just a spoke on the wheel though.

The concept of "The Man" is somewhat outdated except for Cena.

It might get better once there is a full-time champion as Heavyweight Champion. All of these guys failed to get to a top position because there was more than one championship. It all didn't fall on them to pull the weight. Even though it's an outdated concept it sometimes can get traction for awhile.

[whiteyford]

Never got the issue with having two separate brand titles, only that Raw was always going to be presented as the flagship show and its title the premiere one, if they'd both been booked strongly and Smackdown wasn't continually raped of talent and slowly turned into a Raw highlight show it could have been a boon.

[Hanso Amore]

I never bought them playing smackdown as a lower brand. It was just less viewed but they always went out of their way to book Smackdown as stronger than raw and their champions closed out MANY of the PPVs

[XL]

Are you saying that SmackDown was booked better than Raw was booked? Or that SmackDown was booked to be better than Raw?

[Hanso Amore]

Like whenever there was crossover, or Bragging rights, or Night of champions, they always went out of the way to make sure smacldown looked stronger than raw ... So that people would take them serious in a sense.

Smackdown got a better "push" than WCW

[Black Widow]

Jealousy that he's fucking your dream girl and namesake. Get over it.I'm sorry it's my actual opinion about him and far from jealous.

[Tom Guycott]

Never got the issue with having two separate brand titles, only that Raw was always going to be presented as the flagship show and its title the premiere one, if they'd both been booked strongly and Smackdown wasn't continually raped of talent and slowly turned into a Raw highlight show it could have been a boon.

They even kind of proved it when they swapped belts. When it started getting more prestige on SD! what did they do? Shuffled it off to RAW, and put the belt losing momentum on Smackdown instead of just trying to keep both titles with worth.

Same thing happened with talent. Smackdown got good, started building stars. RAW started becoming SSDD, so what happened to "make it fresh"? They brought in hot Smackdown acts, because RAW is the flagship show.

[Tom Guycott]

Also, about that list of derailed stars a page ago: I still hope for the day that we get a World Heavyweight Title Match of Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston. Those guys click as opponents.

[Tom Guycott]

Lastly, the Punk/UFC thing seems kind of like a "fuck you" to Vince about the whole *non-compete/but they're not competition* mention about UFC.

He seems like the kind of guy who maybe thought about stepping into an octagon, but that made him a bit pissed enough to actually want to jump into it for at least the self-satisfaction of blatant spite.

[whiteyford]

Like whenever there was crossover, or Bragging rights, or Night of champions, they always went out of the way to make sure smacldown looked stronger than raw ... So that people would take them serious in a sense.

Smackdown got a better "push" than WCW

It was shit like Hunter getting drafted to Smackdown on the Monday but getting traded back for half a dozen other guys by the following week. Raw is always going to be the A show solely for the fact it's live.

[Ruien]

Ya but that trade put Booker T on Smackdown! That was the best place for Booker to be at.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Lastly, the Punk/UFC thing seems kind of like a "fuck you" to Vince about the whole *non-compete/but they're not competition* mention about UFC.

He seems like the kind of guy who maybe thought about stepping into an octagon, but that made him a bit pissed enough to actually want to jump into it for at least the self-satisfaction of blatant spite.

Which is why he's probably perfectly content to go in and get his ass kicked and get a pay day. I think him and the rest of those in the know with his best wishes at heart, are hoping they find a bum off the street for him to fight. Pretty much put the guy in exhibition fights, don't let him touch anyone of note. He will get skull fucked IMO

[Vastardikai]

What does it say about our business that it's safer to get punched in the face for real than it is to pretend to get punched in the face?