For about three months, WWE fans wondered about the reason behind CM Punk’s absence following the RAW after WrestleMania 42. Since WWE never gave an official reason, fans came up with different theories. Now, the WWE Champion has finally explained what really happened.
Speaking to ESPN New York, Punk said his break had nothing to do with an injury. In fact, this emerged as the first time in his wrestling career that he had taken time off due to injury or needing surgery.
CM Punk opens up about personal losses during his championship reign
Punk revealed that he was dealing with several personal losses and needed time away from wrestling.
“In my business, in this company, for me to be able to say that I had time off and it wasn’t due to an injury or a surgery is remarkable. It was the first time in my career I had time off without having to go get a surgery or be injured. I just hung out with my wife,” he said.
He said he lost at least three or four close friends or family members during that time.
Despite going through a difficult period, Punk continued showing up for WWE events and doing his job as champion. He chose not to speak publicly about what he was dealing with.
“You know, I had a… I’m not going to say a rough year, suffering is relative. I was Heavyweight Champion over on RAW for quite some time, and during that entire time I was champion, I had at least three or four people who were very close to me pass away. And each time, I was at work the next day,” Punk said.
Punk said being around WWE helped him get through those difficult moments. But, he eventually realized that he needed some time away to properly deal with everything.
“I didn’t talk about it publicly. I showed up partially because it helped me being here amongst my road family and being able to connect with the fans on that level helped me get through it, but there was still some stuff I needed to process,” he said.
Punk said that during his break, he spent time at home with his wife and focused on healing emotionally.
He also responded to fans who criticized him for disappearing from WWE television.
“If you’re upset that I was mourning some dead friends, I think that’s a you problem,” he said.
Punk returned to WWE on the July 6 episode of RAW, where he defeated Sami Zayn to win the Undisputed WWE Championship.
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