New AEW superstar CM Punk has explained his reasoning behind thinking a return to WWE was never on the cards for him. Punk was unveiled by Tony Khan's promotion last month and, despite having worked as a co-host on WWE Backstage, the former WWE star claimed he never considered a return to the brand on which he became a household name.
"I don’t think I considered it," he said during an appearance on The Angi Taylor Show. "Three years ago, five years ago I don’t think AEW even existed. I don’t think going back to WWE was ever really, logically, on the table."
Related: CM Punk Calls AEW Debut The Best Night Of His Entire Career
Speaking to the New York Post in an interview, Punk cited the negative history with WWE as a reason he never really felt like a return was a possibility.
"I’m not sure it was ever really an option to go back there," he noted. "There was so much history there, so much baggage."
Things were really ugly between Punk and WWE before and after his departure. WWE made attempts to play his exit off as an angle but the wrestler put a stop to that by making appearances on various podcasts and lashing out at the company. His comments led to a defamation suit against WWE doctor Chris Amann, which he would win after some time.
"I Was Going To Die"
Punk elaborated on his unwillingness to go back to WWE in another interview with Busted Open Radio with claims the promotion never took his injuries and surgeries into consideration.
"I was going to die, you know what I mean? Because in my head I'm like ‘What would Harley Race do? He would keep going.’ There’s only so many times you can get hurt and keep going," he explained. "I was never given time off after an elbow surgery, a knee surgery, narrowly avoided a hip surgery.
"It was always ‘no we need you.’ And it’s nice to be needed, but they will run you dry, you know? And I was on that path. And I watched too many friends get swallowed up by this business, and by drugs, and everything else they thought they had to do to keep going. And I was a cycle breaker, I took myself out of it. I’ve never really been proud of myself about a lot of things, but, you know, that’s just a real life thing that I was proud of myself because I took a step back and I was like ‘they’re not listening to me. I’m sick, I’m hurt.
"They’re not going to take care of me.’ I had to take care of myself. . .It caused a lot of drama, lots of silly baggage, but I’m alive. I woke up this morning. It sounds dramatic but it’s not bullshit. I would’ve kept going until I literally could not go anymore. And then what? Then I get posthumously inducted into a fugazi hall of fame? I don’t want that, I want to kiss my wife and walk my dog and enjoy things."
