"I was sick and tired and hurt" - CM Punk addresses his departure from WWE
AEW's latest blockbuster signee CM Punk recently looked back at his time in WWE and what led to his departure from the global juggernaut.
On the heels of his triumphant return to pro-wrestling at AEW Rampage: The First Dance, CM Punk sat down to discuss several topics at the AEW media scrum. One of the many things Punk touched upon was the circumstances under which he departed WWE, where he achieved unforeseen levels of success.
CM Punk stated that he was physically and mentally tired after working WWE's grueling schedule for many years and was concerned about his well-being. Punk added that this prompted him to take things into his own hands by quitting WWE.
The former WWE Champion revealed that he was unsure how long it would take him to recover from his injuries until AEW came calling:
"When I was sick and tired and hurt, and I realized that... these people wouldn't care if I died today, there would be another show tomorrow, then I knew I had to remove myself from the situation. I didn't know how long it was going to take for me to heal and then this [AEW] came along," said CM Punk
CM Punk is all praises for AEW's in-house atmosphere
CM Punk also spoke about how AEW reminded him of all the places he loved working in during his younger days. He explained that AEW has a positive atmosphere, where performers work while keeping alive the spirit of the business. Punk also stated that being part of AEW gives him a homely vibe:
"Credit to everybody involved in AEW. It reminded me of places that I used to work that I loved, where it was just more about the spirit of things. Instead of feeling like a house, it felt like home. This is the best way I could possibly describe it," said CM Punk
CM Punk is scheduled for AEW Dynamite next week, where he could come face to face with his All Out 2021 opponent Darby Allin. The match at the September 5th pay-per-view will mark CM Punk's return to in-ring action after more than seven years.
Did you like CM Punk's show-opening promo on AEW Rampage: The First Dance? Sound off in the comments section below.