Why CM Punk Will Eventually Return to WWE Despite Scathing Podcast Critique

Former WWE Superstar CM Punk is steadfast in his assertion that he will never again set foot in a WWE ring, but history suggests that even the biggest grudges have an expiration date in wrestling.

Punk hasn't competed in nearly one year after being eliminated late in the 2014 Royal Rumble match. He has remained silent about the circumstances surrounding his departure but finally spoke up in a tell-all interview on Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast (some language NSFW):

There were plenty of revelations in the nearly two-hour interview, but none stand out more than Punk's description of the manner in which he was fired (h/t Brian Fritz of SportingNews.com):

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The day of my wedding (to WWE Diva AJ Lee) I got a FedEx in the mail. It was my termination papers. I was fired. I was fired, on my wedding day. Very calculated, very deliberate. As much as I chuckled at it and didn't let it affect my day, I was like once again, you pushed too f-----g far. You pushed the wrong guy.

The letter was ridiculous. It was like 'your contract is terminated, you forfeit all of your royalty rights, you're in breach of contract as of January. 27.' I'm not even a f-----g lawyer and I know you can't claim retro breach, you know what I mean? If I was in breach of contract on January 27 on January 28 they had to be like 'you're in breach of contract, we're not giving you your royalties.'

"

SiriusXM host and noted wrestling fan Sam Roberts is among those who were taken aback by the situation and its real-life implications:

While it is unclear if or when Punk intended to return to WWE prior to his termination, he claims that WWE's behavior ensured that he will never again return to the company or professional wrestling as a whole (h/t Fritz):

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They kept saying 'your client is going to TNA, he's going to TNA, and the brand is going to be 'f--k WWE and this and this.' And my lawyer was like 'I'll tell you right now, my client is not going to TNA. He absolutely despises professional wrestling and he wants nothing to do with it. He says he's never going to wrestle again.'

There's no working relationship and there never will be ever again. That wedding day thing, you know, is pretty ridiculous.

"

The Chicago native's mentality is certainly understandable since WWE seemingly attempted to put a damper on the most important day of his life. With that said, there are multiple cases that have set the precedent for spurned individuals eventually returning to the company.

Two of the biggest names that immediately come to mind are Bret Hart and The Ultimate Warrior. 

Hart went out on the worst possible terms when Vince McMahon orchestrated the infamous "Montreal Screwjob" at Survivor Series 1997 in order to transfer the WWE Championship from Hart to Shawn Michaels prior to The Hitman's departure for WCW.

The Excellence of Execution spit on and punched McMahon that night. Less than two years after that, Bret's brother, Owen, died tragically during a stunt gone wrong at Over the Edge 1999. Despite so much bad karma existing between the two sides, Hart shocked the wrestling world by returning to WWE in 2010.

Warrior and WWE long had a tumultuous relationship. He left the company on numerous occasions, the most recent coming in 1996 when he no-showed some events. WWE produced a controversial documentary entitled The Self-Destruction of The Ultimate Warrior, which portrayed him in a negative light.

Once again, though, the ill feelings apparently evaporated over time. The Ultimate Warrior was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame earlier this year just days before his untimely death.

While Hart and Warrior are the best examples of WWE's willingness to mend fences, the list doesn't end there. Stone Cold Steve Austin returned after creative differences in 2003. Bruno Sammartino wanted nothing to do with the company for decades, but he came back to get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

McMahon even hired Eric Bischoff in 2002 despite the fact that Bischoff attempted to put WWE out of business as president of WCW.

Vince and WWE as a whole are more than willing to let bygones be bygones, so the ball will be in Punk's court at some point down the line. As of right now, Punk insists that he is thrilled to have wrestling out of his life (h/t Mike Killam of Wrestlezone.com):

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I'm the f-----g happiest I've been in at least three years. I thought this thing that I loved, that I thought I loved, it just made me so miserable all the time. When you boil it all down, I was miserable. I was unhappy. F--k it, I made myself happy. I left. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but it was also a long time coming.

"

Even though Punk has declared his hatred for wrestling, there is no denying the fact that it meant a lot to him for many years. It is easy for him to despise it now since WWE's alleged transgressions are fresh in his mind, but the odds are in favor of that subsiding at some point down the line.

He was convinced to re-sign with WWE in the past despite having every intention of walking away, and his wife, AJ Lee, still works with the company. No matter how hard he tries, Punk will always be attached to WWE in some way, shape or form.

Punk's last moment in wrestling currently is getting eliminated from the Royal Rumble. He may never admit it, but one can only assume that Punk would rather put a better bow on his career. Whether that means one last match or perhaps even a WWE Hall of Fame induction, conventional wisdom suggests that he will be tempted at some point.

It is impossible to say when some type of resolution might ultimately be reached, but wrestling fans know better than to declare that Punk and WWE are finished with each other for good.

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