WWE: “Take your ball and go home, Phil Brooks”

“I’ve grabbed so many of Vincent K. McMahon’s brass rings that it’s finally dawned on me that they’re just that, they’re completely imaginary.”

A man’s word is his greatest strength, and his voice – his greatest weapon. People come and go, but their contributions remain, etched in memory and the annals of history. They say that a man’s legacy is defined by his defiance, marching to the beat of his own drum when everything else crumbles down around him. Greatness can’t be bought nor bargained with, and it is one’s own grit and determination that defines his destiny. There has been one superstar that has captivated the imagination of the professional wrestling fans – A certain individual who shattered the proverbial glass ceiling, not because he was told to, but because he had to.

I’m one of the biggest CM Punk fans – I’ve followed his career through Ring of Honor and eventually in the WWE. One of the biggest reasons for me doing that has been the character of Punk, or rather the lack of. CM Punk is Phil Brooks, inside and outside the ring. He believes in what he does, and lives through his on – screen persona. When Punk delivers a promo, the one thing that separates his verbiage from the monologues of everyone else is the truth in his words. Professional wrestling isn’t just about the glitz and glamour; the likes of the great Jake Roberts and Mick Foley knew the importance of the art of “working the mic”. This is where the good are separated from the greats, and the men from legends.

CM Punk had to fight “the machine” from the very first day in the WWE. Punk isn’t a “big guy” – He’s not over 300 pounds and over 6’5”, the typical “WWE look”. CM Punk isn’t exactly the clean cut face you’d want as the company’s flag bearer, like the Hulk Hogans or John Cenas. CM Punk isn’t someone who can lie through his teeth – As someone who takes pride in wearing his heart on his sleeve, CM Punk is anything but “face of the company” material for the WWE. When “the machine” held him down, he came out with all guns blazing. But like they say, every spark has to fizzle out someday, and that turned out to be true in Punk’s case.

“But the fact is, it’s going to be taken over by his idiotic daughter and his doofus son-in-law and the rest of his stupid family.”

For two years, Punk had to sit back and watch Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson steal his spotlight at WrestleMania. After years of busting his back for the company, it was only a matter of time before Punk would finally realize the truth – You can’t change an organization on your own. Couple of weeks ago, Batista was advertised to return to the WWE, and WWE, for some reason, overlooked every other hard working individual, including the flavor of the season/year – Daniel Bryan. There was a time when winning the Royal Rumble was considered an honor – An honor that only few special individuals received, but they had to earn it. With Batista headlining WrestleMania this year, it was the last straw for Phil Brooks. With his good friend Bryan Danielson being ignored by the corporate think tank, CM Punk decided that it was time for him to leave, and reports came in on Tuesday morning that CM Punk officially quit the WWE, and has been removed from all upcoming WWE events.

Am I surprised that Punk left? No. Do I think he took the right decision? Absolutely; Punk no longer enjoyed being a professional wrestler, and that is when you realize that you need to walk away. Punk doesn’t need money or WWE’s help. CM Punk isn’t a man of few words, and has expressed his frustrations about the direction the company is going in. Do I think Punk will go back to the independent scene and work for Ring of Honor? Not any time soon. Punk needs some time away from professional wrestling, at least until he finds his lost love for the business. Until then, the professional wrestling fans can only hope that the WWE machine isn’t completely successful in ruining yet another promising career.