Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk has been pulled from advertising for the company's upcoming European Summer Tour, fuelling speculation online that there are issues between him and TKO.
We know WWE's parent company has pushed several Superstars to take pay cuts, and it's possible that the Best in the World isn't on the same page with them if they're eager to reduce what's likely a very lucrative deal.
It's hard to believe WWE would risk losing Punk, though, and he may either be nursing an injury or simply waiting for WWE to come up with some new creative plans for his character. He had an intense schedule before WrestleMania, so Punk arguably deserves some time off.
What's worrying fans is that Punk suggested he would be sticking around after losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. WWE even teased a feud with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, but nothing has happened on that front since.
While Punk is missing from the European Summer Tour, he's still tenatuvely advertised for the July 6 episode of RAW from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, his hometown. Otherwise, he's still named in listings for the July 13 RAW in Dallas, July 20 in Detroit, July 27 in Los Angeles, and August 3 in Des Moines.
"When I was 15, if you asked me if I’d be wrestling when I was 40, I would tell you 'No, that’s crazy. 40 is so old,'" Punk said earlier this year. "I’m 47, and I don’t feel old yet. Terry Funk wrestled for a long time, Ric Flair wrestled for a long time. I mean, there’s luchadors that are like in their 70s that are still doing it."
"Do I want to be doing that? Probably not. I would estimate probably the big 50 is when I should maybe gracefully bow out. Knock on wood, if nothing else horrible happens."
"A lot of the times you don’t get a choice. That’s why it was special to watch John [Cena] retire. To me, it was a perfect retirement. We’re celebrating a guy who isn’t dead and can still walk," he continued. "I tell people all the time none of us are getting out alive. He got out at the right time. He showed us a way to exit with dignity and grace, and I don’t know if mine will look that way."
"I don’t know what mine’s going to look like. I do know it’s coming sooner than later. I’m still having fun operating at a high level, no matter what anybody says, and until I can’t contribute, I still will," he concluded.
Stay tuned for updates on Punk's WWE future as we have them.