CM Punk Reveals How Close He Is To WWE Retirement

It feels like not all that long ago that CM Punk returned to WWE after nearly 10 years away from the company, but his time in the ring may be closer to wrapping up than some realize.

Punk has been a staple of the WWE main event scene since his full-time in-ring return following his injury at the 2024 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event, briefly winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam earlier this year before Seth Rollins cut his reign short minutes later.

He'll challenge for the vacant title against Jey Uso at Saturday Night's Main Event next week.

Speaking with WWE's digital team during his recent tour of Japan, Punk got candid and sentimental about how much time he may have left in the ring after all, pointing to how big of a year this has been for wrestling retirements.

CM Punk on retirement

“So I’m standing here now, near the end of my career. 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," Punk said. "I’m going to keep going until the wheels fall off.”

Punk revealed during the vlog that he is trying to live in the moment and give flowers to these big names as they depart the business, and that while it may be sad to see them go, it's a sign that the industry is in a healthy place.

“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. 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.”

Punk's Last Stand

Punk's controversial 2014 WWE exit saw him leave the industry for more than seven years, ultimately returning to action in 2021 with AEW.

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While successful at first, his AEW run was quickly derailed by a slew of injuries along with the infamous backstage brawl with members of The Elite after All Out 2022 came to a close, laying the groundwork for his eventual exit from the company.

He would return to WWE unexpectedly at Survivor Series in 2023, shocking fans in Chicago with his appearance. Punk would get injured in his on-screen return match at the 2024 Royal Rumble show, missing WrestleMania XL.

The 46-year-old's 2025 was much more fruitful, seeing him main event WrestleMania for the first time and even tagging with his wife AJ Lee as she returned to the ring after more than a decade away.

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