The controversial WWE star shoots from the hip on the lies of professional wrestling, his potential departure from the company, and what really happens behind the scenes

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In the wrong hands, professional wrestling can be a boring thing indeed, a rinse-and-repeat cycle of predictable storytelling and zero-stakes feuds. For a few years now, World Wrestling Entertainment has spent much of its time in a lamentable rut, focusing much of its attention on central figure John Cena and his kid-friendly potty humor and square-jawed heroics. But over the past month or so, that’s been changing. Cena has a new foe: C.M. Punk, a tatted-up, fire-eyed, uncommonly erudite bad guy who thinks, and sometimes acts, like a good guy. But there’s a catch to that feud. It won’t last long, since Punk doesn’t expect to be in the company a week from now.

C.M. Punk is a wrestling veteran, a guy who kicked around the small-time independent scene for years before finally linking up with the WWE. Within the company, he’s had an impressive run: Three world championships, a few memorable speeches, a string of wonderful matches. But he’s never been the focal point of the company, despite being arguably its most gifted in-ring storyteller, and that’s always eaten at him. So, about a month ago, he announced on live TV that his contract was about to be up and that he would wrestle John Cena for the WWE title the night before leaving the company. That match would go down at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event, which comes to Chicago’s Allstate Arena on Sunday night.

Then, on an episode of “Monday Night Raw: two weeks ago, Punk absolutely laid into the company in a blistering, wild-eyed promo speech that indicted everything about the WWE. He invoked the names of fired wrestlers, he lamented the loss of emphasis on wrestling itself (rather than the more nebulous “entertainment” that the WWE likes to use these days), and he even tore into company figurehead Vince McMahon and his entire family. (In one particularly genius moment, he referred to McMahon’s son-in-law and presumed successor Triple H as a “doofus.”) He did all this with patience and writerly precision, eschewing catchphrases and building into a messianic fervor until his mic suddenly went silent and the show came to an abrupt halt. It was a genuinely electric moment on a show that’s had too few of those lately.
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If there are storybook endings in WWE, then CM Punk’s is one of Grimm’s Fairy Tales.

This Sunday at Money in the Bank, the controversy-culling Straight Edge Superstar’s final night in WWE will fulfill a cyclical career that began under parallel circumstances five years ago – ironically, in the same arena with his most despised adversary, John Cena.

A relatively unrecognized performer in the WWE locker room, proud Chicagoan CM Punk made his very first WWE appearance in his hometown at WrestleMania 22 toting a tommy gun and a smug smirk beneath the brim of a tilted hat. Clasping onto the side door of a 1940s streetcar, the zoot-suited soon-to-be-Superstar rode into the Allstate Arena among a small mob of “gangsters” heralding the entrance of reigning WWE Champion Cena. (PHOTOS) Continue reading »

In his latest blog, Jim Ross posted his thoughts on whether CM Punk will leave WWE after next weekend’s PPV:

Is CM Punk leaving WWE? I’m not involved in this matter whatsoever but from what I’ve read and what WWE has publically stated, Punk vs. Cena at the MITB PPV in Chicago, Punk’s hometown, will be CM Punk’s last, foreseeable bout in WWE….win, lose, or draw. As an outsider looking in, I’d say Punk will finish up Sunday July 17 as WWE has stated.

WWE Superstar CM Punk visited Ian’s Pizza in Wrigleyville Thursday to make the G.T.S. pizza, which Ian’s named after Punk’s signature move. The former WWE champion was accompanied by WWE Diva Beth Phoenix and Ring of Honor wrestler Colt Cabana.

Via Chicago Tribune, photo via Bake & Destroy

Ian’s Pizza in Wrigleyville has added a pizza inspired by WWE superstar and Chicago-area native CM Punk to its menu for a limited time.

The G.T.S pizza — named after Punk’s finishing move, which stands for “Go To Sleep” — features smoked turkey leg, sliced potatoes, swiss cheese and French fried onions on a creme fraiche base.

Why smoked turkey leg?

“The G.T.S. is his signature move,” said Ian’s managing partner Dimitri Syrkin-Nikolau by email, “so a meat that puts you to sleep is the perfect choice.”

The pizza will be available Monday through Sunday and was created for SugarSlam 2011, the wrestling-themed baking contest hosted by bakeanddestroy.com (you can watch Ian’s video on the G.T.S. pizza by clicking here). The judge panel for the contest features WWE Diva Beth Phoenix, Moto executive pastry chef Ben Roche and author Mike Edison.

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Celebrity website, TMZ released a video capturing an incident over this past weekend at a WWE house show in Australia. The comments have stirred up some controversy. CM Punk took to his twitter to apologize for his comments, read below.

I’m glad TMZ posted that video because everybody needs to be held accountable for their bullshit, me included. What I said was bullshit. I’m embarrassed. I own up to being a total douche in this situation and I offer a sincere apology to anybody I hurt with careless words.

Mike Mooneyham of Post & Courier published this interview with Colt Cabana which of course mentions Punk & his reference to Cabana on Raw last week:

WWE officials may not have been all that familiar with Colt Cabana when he worked briefly for the company a couple of years ago.

It’s safe to say they are now.

Cabana was mentioned at the conclusion of last week’s Raw during a C.M. Punk promo that shocked the wrestling world and created a stir on Twitter.

But Cabana, longtime best friend of Punk, wasn’t surprised.

“He’s worn my shirt before doing commentary,” says Cabana, referring to a Raw broadcast last November when Punk sported a Cabana shirt displaying the Star of David symbol, paying homage to Cabana’s Jewish heritage. “He doesn’t care anymore, and he’s looking out for his buddies.”

“Vince McMahon is going to make money despite himself. He’s a millionaire who should be a billionaire,” said a defiant Punk. “You know why he’s not a billionaire? Because he surrounds himself with glad-handed, nonsensical yes men like (talent chief) John Laurinaitis, who’s going to tell him everything he wants to hear.”

Read more at Post & Courier

This figure can be pre-ordered at Ringside Collectibles at this link.

The Chicago Tribune has an interview with John Cena talking about being excited about his match with CM Punk at Money in the Bank, even though he is suspended. They mention that they originally requested Punk for an interview, but WWE decided it would be best if they spoke to another superstar, which turned out to be Cena.

Sean “X-Pac” Waltman has a new blog posted on his official site, RealXPac.com & mentioned Punk:

“While I was still living in Mexico I stopped by Palacio de los Deportes where WWE was putting on a live event. The main event was Punk(as WWE Champ) vs Undertaker. I know from experience how hard it is for a guy our size to work with Taker or Kane. Well Punk and Taker had a hell of a match & I was extremely impressed that he had the ability to pull that off. I talked to William Regal about him that night & he told me Punk actually paid for & took a seminar put on by Regal, even after Punk had already made somewhat of a name for himself. That alone speaks volumes about the guy.” Continue reading »

WWE added this to the story on WWE.com about CM Punk being suspended:

UPDATE: As of Tuesday, June 28, WWE and CM Punk have reached an agreement that Punk will fulfill his non-televised live event obligations for the remainder of his contract, through July 17. Furthermore, both sides have mutually agreed not to disparage one another.