Is CM Punk returning to WWE? Well, if he is, it might not be inside the ring as he recently confirmed that he actually tried out for FOX's
WWE Backstage show on Fox Sports 1 and hasn't been in touch with the company he used to work for...yet. Now, though, the former WWE Champion has made it clear that he has his doubts about wrestling, full stop.
"Talking about wrestling and me doing anything in the wrestling arena, it always feels kinda weird and uncomfortable because there's so many variables. The number one thing for me is I will never put myself in a position where I can be harmed ever again. And there's a lot of trust that goes into that. I mean, I gave up myself to a point where I look back at it and if I didn't leave and walk out, I would be dead because nobody else was going to do it. Because I was sick, and I was hurt, and I was messed up, and the people put in place to make sure - to help, they're not helping. It is what it is, but I begged for time off for I don't know how long; I never got it."
Punk suffered some nasty injuries which he claims were at the hands of Ryback during his previous WWE run so it's easy to see why he feels this way. He also went on to say that he feels WWE disregarded his mental health when he was working for them but acknowledges that things may have changed...however, he still doesn't sound overly convinced!
"People tell me it's different now. Apparently you can go home with the sniffles or you can call in, and I say that - and I'm even mad at myself right now for saying that because it's almost as like I'm trying to shame somebody, but if you're sick, you're sick. Go home. If you're hurt, you're hurt. Don't wrestle. But because of the lawsuit, I have mountains of paperwork they had to send over for discovery where they're discussing all these intensely, crazy private things, but I'm not involved in the conversation. They're talking about my mental health, like, 'Oh, do you maybe think he's depressed?' And everyone's just, like, 'I don't know but he's got to wrestle in Europe for two weeks.' And it's just, like, 'Whoa, slow down.' As a member of the office, shouldn't you put a hold on that and take this guy off the road and be, like, 'Hey, we were talking - maybe you're depressed.' But no, [that conversation never happened], not with me. They had it internally but they never mentioned it to me."
The one-time Best in the World is as outspoken as ever but he claims to have put his differences with WWE to one side so perhaps there is a possibility he could be talked around. It's now up to Vince McMahon and company to convince him that his next run would be different but whether he wants to take that risk is another matter altogether.
For now, check out his comments in full in the player below: