CM Punk Talks Retirement, Latest WWE Rumors on Jey Uso Backlash, TNA-NXT Contracts

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

CM Punk Discusses Retirement, Admits the End is Near

With WWE legend John Cena set to retire at the end of this year and AJ Styles announcing that he will retire next year, another longtime fan-favorite sees retirement on the horizon.

During a recent WWE Vlog, CM Punk opened up about the end of his in-ring career. While he didn't put an exact date on his impending retirement, he admitted that he doesn't know how much time he has left.

"So I'm standing here now, near the end of my career," Punk said (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News). "You know, John Cena's calling it quits, AJ Styles says he's going to retire next year, and I don't know how much time I've got left. I'm going to keep going until the wheels fall off."

Punk remains a major part of WWE's immediate future, as he's set to face Jey Uso for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship at Saturday Night's Main Event on Nov. 1 after Seth Rollins was forced to relinquish the title due to a shoulder injury.

However, the 47-year-old acknowledged that he's in the twilight of his career, and he feels it's important for wrestlers to be celebrated while they're still around before handing things off to the next generation of Superstars.

"I know that's sooner rather than later. That's why I think it's important, for all of us, not just me, to celebrate every wrestler as they retire," Punk said. "There's a whole new generation of talent coming in to take our place, and in a way, we're excited to see that happen."

Jey Uso Backlash Reportedly Won't Change WWE's Creative Plans

Fans have voiced their displeasure over Jey Uso earning a shot at the vacant World Heavyweight Championship at the upcoming Saturday Night's Main Event, but WWE reportedly isn't letting it affect their its decision-making.

The YouTube video of Uso earning the chance to face CM Punk at the Nov. 1 premium live event received more than 90,000 dislikes compared to just 15,000 likes, but a recent report from Fightful Select revealed that WWE doesn't put much stock into those metrics.

According to the report (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), WWE sources told Fightful Select that "the company doesn't pay attention to YouTube dislikes" and also "questioned the accuracy of dislike metrics since they can only be viewed through third-party browser extensions." The sources also "emphasized that these kinds of reactions have no impact on future creative decisions."

Uso was elevated to the main-event scene earlier this year when he won the Royal Rumble and defeated Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 41. His reign lasted just 51 days before he lost the title back to Gunther, and many expected him to be relegated back to the midcard.

However, WWE has continued its push for Uso regardless of online backlash, and it sounds like the company will continue to forge ahead with him as a major part of its creative plans.

TNA-NXT Crossover Contract Details Revealed

WWE's partnership with TNA has created an avenue for TNA Superstars to make their presence felt in NXT and vice versa, but some have wondered about the financial compensation for those who are pulling double duty.

A report from Fightful Select (h/t Steve Carrier of Ringside News) revealed that TNA talent who appear on NXT programming are being compensated, but "the amount depends on what role they play during the taping." Superstars who are in attendance at the show but not used during the program receive the lowest payout, and the number increases for those who wrestle. Any talent who lands in the main event earns the highest rate.

However, it was also noted that NXT Superstars who have worked in TNA said they were not paid anything extra for those appearances. Carrier pointed out that it's "unclear whether that's standard across the board or if those deals vary by performer or situation."

TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater and TNA World Tag Team Champions Matt and Jeff Hardy wrestled at NXT's Halloween Havoc premium live event on Saturday, so it can now be presumed that they earned some bonus money for their appearances.

Fans have certainly enjoyed the cross-promotion chaos, so it's safe to say that TNA Superstars will continue to make waves in NXT going forward.