• CM Punk Says He Would Have Died If He Stayed In WWE
During a recent episode of Busted Open Radio, new AEW wrestler CM Punk talked about quitting WWE in 2014.
Punk noted that it all came down to his health and well being. Here’s what he said:
“I made a very important distinction in my first promo, ‘Here’s when I left pro wrestling, and now I’m back.’ And there is a distinction. The other place (WWE) will tell you and they’ll beat you over the head with ‘we’re not pro wrestling.’ So why would do you want to go to bat for that company and say that it is?
Some people just pick their weird hills to die on. I don’t hate wrestling. I don’t think I ever hated wrestling. There’s a lot of funny rumors about me, and there will continue to be rumors, a lot of great rumors about me. I figure if everybody likes you, you’re probably doing something wrong, because somewhere along the way you’re going to piss somebody off.
There’s what people like to call WWE drones out there that aren’t going to like anything I have to say about that company. So I try to limit what I do say, but everything I do say is the truth.
I was going to die, you know what I mean? Because in my head I was always like ‘what would Harley Race do? He would keep going.’ There’s only so many times you can get hurt and keep going.
I was never given time off after an elbow surgery, a knee surgery, narrowly avoided a hip surgery. It was always ‘no, we need you.’ And it’s nice to be needed, but they will run you dry. I was on that path. And I watched too many friends get swallowed up by this business, and drugs, and everything else they thought they had to do to keep going.
I was a cycle breaker, I took myself out of it. I’ve never really been proud of myself about a lot of things, but that’s just a real-life thing that I was proud of myself about.
I took a step back and I was like, ‘they’re not listening to me. I’m sick, I’m hurt. They’re not going to take care of me.’ I had to take care of myself. It caused a lot of drama, lot’s of silly baggage, but I’m alive. I woke up this morning. It sounds dramatic but it’s not bullsh*t.
I would’ve kept going until I literally could not go anymore. And then what? Then I get posthumously inducted into a Fugazi Hall of Fame?
I don’t want that, I want to kiss my wife and walk my dog and enjoy things. And like I said, I know that there’s people out there that will be like ‘this is bullsh*t’ or dramatic. It’s not, and I implore anybody out there that if you’re unhappy with anything, you have to do what’s best for you. That was 100% the bottom line.
I wish there was a support system, but I was mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally just in pain. And if I didn’t get out of there, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
Also Read: CM Punk Explains Why AJ Lee Will Not Join AEW
WATCH: Tay Conti Has The Best Tushy In AEW:
• On This Day In WWF History (September 2, 1999) – WWF SmackDown!
On this day in 1999, the World Wrestling Federation aired an episode of their weekly TV show ‘WWF SmackDown!’.
It was broadcasted from the Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts, and featured pre-taped matches & storyline segments on the road to the ‘WWF Unforgiven 1999’ PPV.
Here’s the match-card:
1. No. 1 Contenders (Intercontinental Title) Match: Chyna vs. Mr. Ass
2. Tuxedo Match: Tony Chimel vs. Howard Finkel
3. Chris Jericho vs. X-Pac
4. WWF World Heavyweight Title: Triple H vs. Gillberg
5. No. 1 Contenders (World Title) Match: Mankind vs. The Rock
6. Ken Shamrock vs. Val Venis
7. No. 1 Contenders (Tag Titles) Elimination Tournament: Droz & Prince Albert vs. Christian & Edge vs. Mideon & Viscera vs. Stevie Richards & Blue Meanie vs. The Acolytes vs. Hardy Boyz vs. The Hollys
8. WWF World Tag Titles: Rock’n Sock Connection vs. Triple H & Shane McMahon
