CM Punk, AJ Lee Updates: Paul Heyman Talks About the the WWE’s Alleged Disdain for Punk From the Start

CM Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, in a file photo. (AP Photo/Starpix, Dave Allocca)

CM Punk apparently was never wanted by the WWE, Paul Heyman said in an interview this week.

He talked about how the WWE’s top brass viewed Punk’s work when he started.

“They never wanted CM Punk to begin with,” Heyman said, according to quotes obtained by Wrestling Inc. “When I was in Louisville, doing WWE Developmental, they sent CM Punk down to me so I could fire him. Every week I would send memos to guys who were in charge of the Raw and SmackDown rosters saying: ‘You have a main eventer down here; someone scoop him up’ and no one would take him for a year—to the point when we launched ECW in WWE, I brought him with me because no one else on Raw and SmackDown even wanted him.”

Heyman said that Punk achieved success despite what the WWE wanted. Later, they praised him, he said.

A few days ago, Steve Austin and Mick Foley both discussed whether or not Punk would return.

“I don’t know. Everyone comes back. If there’s an exception to the rule, it would be him. But the secret for Punk, and, honestly, I haven’t talked to him... the last time I had an interaction with him was the night of the Rumble and he said he might not be back, and he didn’t show up. He’s gotta find something he loves as much as this. Because, you know, it’s really hard to replace. I don’t know if he’s... if he’s got that in his life he doesn’t need to come back. He’s made all the money he’s ever gonna need,” Foley said, according to Cageside Seats.

He added: “I don’t know if he’s going to get the itch. You know, you don’t get to be as good as Punk was without loving it.”

Austin chimed in, saying Punk “loves the business.”

“I’m not speaking for him. I haven’t talked to him in a year. How do you take yourself out of the equation. I did. When I got a gut full and took my ball and went home, and I’ve talked about that a million times. But, you know, Jim Ross sent me a card in the mail and I jumped at the chance to come back and, you know, get it while I could. You gotta make hay while the sun shines. He ain’t making hay right now. You can only make hay so long,” he said.