Ring Of Honor Career
After getting his start in the wrestling business through independent, backyard promotions, Phil Brooks was hired by ROH in the fall of 2002. He quickly established himself as a heel, using his straight-edge lifestyle to get heat from the audience.
Punk became ROH Tag Team Champion (with Colt Cabana) and ROH World Champion during his tenure with the company. He had a critically-acclaimed series of matches with Samoa Joe, and a bloody, intense feud with Raven.
CM Punk’s Rise In WWE
In June 2005, CM Punk signed with WWE. He was assigned to the developmental territory OVW, where he became OVW Television Champion and OVW Southern Tag Team Champion.
On June 24, 2006, Punk made his debut for WWE’s ECW. His straight edge lifestyle continued to be a focal point of his character, but he was a babyface this time around. He became ECW World Champion on September 4, 2007.
On June 23, 2008, Punk was drafted to Raw and began his tenure on the WWE main roster.
Straight Edge Society/The New Nexus
Despite winning the World Heavyweight Championship early on into his main roster run, it wasn’t until CM Punk turned heel that he really garnered momentum. On November 27, 2009, Punk announced himself as leader of the Straight Edge Society. He began a feud with Rey Mysterio that culminated in a hair vs. mask match at Over The Limit, which Punk lost.
In December 2010, Punk revealed himself to be the leader of the New Nexus, a heel faction that targeted stars like John Cena and Randy Orton. Punk’s rivalry with John Cena would only heat up as time went on.
WWE Departure And Retirement
On June 13, 2011, Punk revealed that his WWE contract was set to expire on July 17, the same day as Money in the Bank. He vowed that he would win the WWE Championship and leave the company while holding the title.
On June 27, 2011, CM Punk addressed Cena in a scathing, controversial promo now referred to as the “Pipe Bomb.” In the promo, Punk criticized Cena, Vince McMahon, and Triple H for the way they ran WWE.
In one of the most important matches of CM Punk’s career, Punk defeated John Cena to win the WWE Championship just before his contract ran out. However, he wouldn’t be leaving WWE just yet; CM Punk stuck around until 2014, when he walked out on WWE as a result of numerous backstage issues.
All Elite Wrestling
CM Punk spent 7 years away from pro wrestling. Fans were overjoyed to see him return on August 20, 2021, when he made his AEW debut. Punk immediately became a top star in the company and went on to win the AEW World Championship at Double or Nothing. However, immediately after he won the title, strains began to show in the relationship between Punk and AEW.
A few days after winning the AEW World Championship, Punk sustained a foot injury that took him out of action for several months. He regained the championship at All Out 2022, but was immediately suspended after getting into a physical confrontation with the Elite (Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks).
After nine months of uncertainty, CM Punk made his return to AEW. However, this return was short-lived. At All In on August 27, CM Punk got into another physical altercation with AEW star Jack Perry. Punk was consequently fired by AEW.
