CM Punk talks WWE return, future plans, more

[Chris]

CM Punk: Vince McMahon’s removal one of the factors that illuminated my WWE return

With CM Punk set to return to in-ring action at next month’s SummerSlam for the first time since January, the star told Denise Salcedo on Thursday that he is mentally strong and physically as 100%

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With CM Punk set to return to in-ring action at next month’s SummerSlam for the first time since January, the star told Denise Salcedo on Thursday that he is mentally strong and physically as 100% as he can get at this stage of his career.

Salcedo caught up with Punk at San Diego Comic Con where she talked to him about a variety of topics including how Vince McMahon no longer being associated with WWE was one of the factors that helped “illuminate” his way back.

Punk said returning was “never a thing I was yearning to do. There were a lot of things that had to happen for that pathway to kind of clear. The stars had to align, there had to be a full moon. A lot of dominos fell in order for us to get here.”

He later said, “Vince being out of picture…I think probably illuminated the way. I think that might have been one of the biggest things. And that was both ways. It wasn’t me, it wasn’t him, it was…there’s a lot of history there. All of a sudden, one of us got removed from the equation and it changed a lot of things.”

Punk said that he knew his surprise return at last November’s Survivor Series would be a big deal, but “wound up being way bigger of a deal that any of us realized.” Still, he admitted that as a performer, he still had a voice in the back of his head wondering if fans would remember him and if it was going to be “a thing” that he returned.

He also said that in order to make that moment in Chicago, everything had to happen how it happened.

“If WWE was the place it is today back then, I never would have left. All the things that happened and the arguments and the butting of heads, the feeling of being injured and burnt out, and feeling like those in a managerial role weren’t listening, that doesn’t exist in the current atmosphere,” he said.

“I think what makes my return so special is because of all the history, because of all the time passed. Now we’re here and it’s a happy moment for me. I’m grateful to be here,” he added.

He also said August is going to be a busy month for him when it comes to pursuing acting and movie roles via his new talent agency representation in Paradigm. While admitting he is no Dave Batista, John Cena or Dwayne Johnson, Punk said he just wants to do fun stuff with cool people and that there are plenty of wrestlers that are interesting individuals that could make the transition to Hollywood depending on how ambitious they are.

“The whole reason it’s possible for me to do TV and movies is the current WWE schedule that allows me freedom and flexibility to do other things and satisfy that creative itch,” he said.