Lines by CM Punk 5
CM PunkJuly 17, 2011 will be the most historic day, not only in the career of CM Punk, it's gonna be a historic day for the WWE as a whole. Not only is July 17 the second annual Money in the Bank ladder match pay-per-view, it's the night I defeat John Cena for the WWE Championship. And now, here's that honesty I was talking about, that honesty that's probably gotten me in trouble more times than I like to admit. The brutal honesty I'm known for. July 17 is the day my contract with World Wrestling Entertainment comes to an end. That means when the clock strikes midnight, the 17 becomes the 18, Sunday bleeds into Monday, I'm leaving. And trust me when I tell you. I am leaving with the WWE Championship.
CM Punk
John Cena, while you lay there hopefully as uncomfortable as you possibly can be, I want you to listen to me. I want you to digest this because before I leave in three weeks with your WWE Championship, I have a lot of things I want to get off my chest. I don't hate you, John. I don't even dislike you. I do like you; I like you a hell lot more than I like most people in the back. I hate this idea that you're the best...because you're not. I'm the best. I'm the best in the world. There's one thing you're better at than I am, and that's kissing Vince McMahon's ass. You're as good at kissing Vince's ass as Hulk Hogan was. I don't know if you're as good as Dwayne though—he's a pretty good ass-kisser, always was and still is. [Turns to camera and waves] Whoops, I'm breaking the fourth wall.
I am the best wrestler in the world. I've been the best ever since day one when I walked into this company, and I've been vilified and hated since that day because Paul Heyman saw something in me that nobody else wanted to admit. That's right, I'm a Paul Heyman guy. You know who else was a Paul Heyman guy? Brock Lesnar, and he split just like I'm splitting, but the biggest difference between me and Brock is I'm going to leave with the WWE Championship.
I've grabbed so many of Vincent K. McMahon's imaginary brass rings that it's finally dawned on me that they're just that—they're completely imaginary. The only thing that's real is me, and the fact that day in and day out, for almost six years, I've proved to everybody in the world that I'm the best on this microphone, in that ring, even at commentary! Nobody can touch me! And yet no matter how many times I prove it, I'm not on your lovely little collector cups, I'm not on the cover of the program, I'm barely promoted, I don't get to be in movies, I'm certainly not on any crappy show on the USA Network, I'm not on the poster of WrestleMania, I'm not on the signature that's produced at the start of the show! I'm not on Conan O'Brien, I'm not on Jimmy Fallon, but the fact of the matter is I should be; and trust me, this isn't sour grapes, but the fact that Dwayne is in the main event of WrestleMania next year and I'm not makes me sick!
[Turns to the fans] Oh, hey, let me get something straight. Those of you who are cheering me right now, you are just as big a part of me leaving as anything else, because you're the ones that are sipping out of those collector cups right now; you're the ones that buy those programs that my face isn't on the cover of, and then at 5:00 in the morning at the airport, you try and shove it in my face so you can get an autograph and try to sell it on eBay because you're too lazy to go get a real job!
I'm leaving with the WWE Championship on July 17, and hell, who knows? Maybe I'll go defend it in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Maybe I'll go back to Ring of Honor. [Waves to camera] Hey, Colt Cabana, how you doing? The reason I'm leaving is you people because after I'm gone, you're still gonna pour money into this company. I'm just a spoke on the wheel, the wheel's gonna keep turning and I understand that. But Vince McMahon's gonna make money despite himself. He's a millionaire who should be a billionaire. You know why he's not a billionaire? It's 'cause he surrounds himself with glad-handing, nonsensical douchebag yes-men like John Laurinaitis who's gonna tell him everything that he wants to hear. And I'd like to think that maybe this company will be better after Vince McMahon's dead, but the fact is it's gonna get taken over by his idiotic daughter and his doofus son-in-law and the rest of his stupid family! Let me tell you a personal story about Vince McMahon. All right. We're doing this whole bullying campaign...[The mic cuts off]
[At CM Punk and John Cena's Undisputed Title match contract signing for SummerSlam, Triple H makes asides to Punk not showing up when needed]
CM Punk
Wait a minute, I'm gutless, I'm a phony, I'm gutless? Let's analyze that, who fires people around here, [points at HHH] you or Funkman [points at John Laurinaitis] over here, huh? Who, let me ask you a question, Johnny Funkman. You personally face to face, fire Vladimir Kozlov on Friday? Huh did you fly yourself to Florida to tell Harry Smith - yes, his name his Harry Smith, not David Hart Smith that he was no longer needed here, huh? Did you tell Chris Masters - somebody who has worked his ass off to get better, did you fire him face to face or did you call him up and say "hey kid, it's a budget thing. Best of luck on your future endeavors" - don't call me gutless! You have him do your dirty work! This isn't about him [John Laurinaitis] This isn't about you. [HHH]
CM Punk
So I stand here on the first Raw of 2013 your WWE Champion, and I promise you in one years time, I will stand in this ring on the first Raw of 2014 still your WWE Champion. What fuels me is your constant disappointment in your self-appointed superheroes to be able to drag this title away from me, and now The Rock has come back, but it's not gonna change the fact, that I am the WWE Champion. And I'm not gonna let The Rock tear down everything that I fought so hard to attain, no no no no no no no..... not at all, no, in 2011, when I defeated Alberto Del Rio for this title at Madison Square Garden, I didn't just beat Alberto Del Rio, I beat the system. And every time after that, when I beat one of your superheroes, and I don't care if it was John Cena, Ryback, Chris Jericho, Kane, Big Show, Dolph Ziggler, any of the litany of Superstars that I defeated, I wasn't just beating them, I was beating all of you. And for 414 days, that's exactly what I've done. In your face, jerks. I have beaten you. I have stomped you out under my oppressive boot and I'm gonna do the same thing to The Rock because I don't care if he's back, you all do not get to win. You are losers. You do not get to win. You do not...(The Rock theme song comes on)
CM Punk
I thought I was in a sullen mood, and then I come out here and I see all of these signs and I hear all of these people. The truth is, I have a huge decision to make. We, if I may, have a huge decision to make, and I’ve been thinking about it all week. And the reason I’ve been so consumed and worried about it is because I love you guys. But the truth is, this town and this building specifically hasn’t always historically been kind to CM Punk. I walk back here through the hallways, there’s a lot of ghosts, ladies and gentlemen, and I’m doing my best to face them head on. A lot of people might not know this, but I debuted in this building. Yeah, was anybody there? I had Mickie James on my arm. True story: we walked down that ramp, we got into the ring, and it was so good. I went back and they said, "we’re sending you to Louisville, Kentucky; have fun in OVW." And gosh, I didn’t want to go, but while I was there, I embraced being uncomfortable, and I learned how to love it. Exactly like when I came to the WWE for the first time. Man, I didn’t know what I was in for, but I embraced being uncomfortable, and I learned to love it. I triumphantly returned to this town, this same building, World Heavyweight Champion. I was ready to put on a show for everybody here. And then, Randy Orton kicks me in the head backstage, and I wake up and they tell me, "by the way, we stripped you out of the title, you couldn’t compete, you’re no longer the champion." And I was like, "Cleveland! Again?!"
Was anybody here ten years ago, for the story I’m about to tell? I'm not going to bore you with details, because a lot of it is in my rear-view mirror. I’m focused on the future, I’m focused on the now, I’m focused on everybody here in this building today. Ten years ago, I had to take myself off the hamster wheel. I had to, for better or for worse, make the hardest decision of my life. And I don’t regret it. I don’t look back. But there was always that part of me that wondered if anybody paid a ticket to see CM Punk that day I walked out Cleveland, if they were disappointed. Backstage, I saw a young lady by the name of Indi, and she told me that she felt betrayed as a little kid. And I told her a story of when I saw Roddy Piper appear on WCW Television. And as a young wrestling fan, I felt the exact same way, so I understood. So, if you’re here now, if you're watching at home and you were disappointed that CM Punk walked out, I understand, and hell, ladies and gentlemen, I apologize.
I’ve gone to SmackDown, and I’ve listened to what Nick Aldis has to say. He put together a very substantial offer, you understand. I went down to NXT, I hung out with Shawn Michaels. And there’s a 15-year-old CM Punk somewhere in the universe who’s tickled to death that he got an offer from Shawn Michaels to help mold the next generation of superstars. It’s a great deal. Adam Pearce has put together a deal that, honestly, is head-and-shoulders above both of those other deals. But can I be very real, and very honest with you folks right now? My mind was probably already made up when I looked at the calendar, and I saw Cleveland. I'm here to bury those ghosts, I’m here to right a few wrongs. My future starts now.
You couldn’t write a better television show, ladies and gentlemen. Ten years, almost to the day, CM Punk walked out. And regardless of how you feel about it, CM Punk walks right back in. And if you’re happy about it, if you’re mad about it, you better learn to love it, because congratulations, Adam Pearce, the newest Raw Superstar is named CM Punk. And CM Punk is home.
Scenes with CM Punk 7
[the WrestleMania 23 Money in the Bank ladder match participants are in the ring]
Welcome to a very special edition of the Cutting Edge. Now as we all know, the third annual Money in the Bank ladder match takes place this Sunday at WrestleMania. I of course won the first Money in the Bank, cashed it in, and went on to become WWE Champion. Actually, I've won ladder matches at WrestleManias 16, 17, and 21. As a matter of fact, I've won more ladder matches than all of you combined. Add to the fact that I've never been beaten at WrestleMania. And what makes any of you think you have a shot this Sunday? And, and Matt, Matt I'll start with you. Because I'm shocked that you're even on WrestleMania. [Matt Hardy takes the microphone]
MHMatt Hardy
Oh I'm on WrestleMania. And I'm gonna be in your face. And you're not the only one with experience in ladder matches. I've won quite a few of these myself. And at WrestleMania, I'm gonna beat you up bad. So bad that you're gonna be lying flat on your back. Much like your ex-girlfriend.
Okay, okay, that's it, you're done speaking! And I can do that because this is my show! Now King Bookah, hopefully, hopefully you have something intelligent to say.
KBKing Booker
Indeed. Indeed I do. Now I realize, some of you have won championships in the past. But none, none of you have reigned, reigned successfully as King Booker! Now, the rest of you lowly, lowly peasants, [Finlay takes the microphone]
FFinlay
Peasants?! I am sick of this verbal diarrhea! I feel like I'm on here among a bunch of old women! You didn't like that, chisel-chin? You feelin' froggy? Go ahead and jump! [Randy Orton takes the microphone]
Fit, Fit, take it easy now, don't hurt Edge's feelings! Don't hurt Edge's feelings, Fit, you see, 'cause he might use that as an excuse to duck out of this match! Just like you've ducked out of every match you'd been scheduled to wrestle in for the past month.
Now, now, Randy, you know that's not true, okay? [Mr. Kennedy takes the microphone]
KMr. Kennedy
Oh oh no, no. That is true. No it it, it's pretty obvious to me, it's pretty obvious to everybody out here that you, you don't wanna fight tonight, do ya? You don't wanna fight, but you know what, you might as well just step aside. EVERYBODY here might as well step aside, because you're looking at the man who is gonna be Mr. Money in the Bank. You're looking at MR.... [Edge takes the microphone]
Okay, okay, very nice, very nice! Riveting stuff, repeat your name! Oh and that brings us, that brings us to Jeff Hardy. And Jeff I, I'd ask you for a comment but all you've really said for the last few months is, [does Jeff Hardy's signature entrance pose] Ha! So, so maybe I should close this one out for you, huh?
JHJeff Hardy
Hey man that's real funny. You know, this is my first WrestleMania in five long years. Therefore, I plan to do what I always do in ladder matches, and that's to STEAL THE ENTIRE SHOW! Even if it means going through my own brother. I'll do what it takes to climb that ladder, grab the briefcase, and win Money in the Bank.
Okay enough! Enough! [crowd chants "CM Punk"] Oh and last, but certainly not least, that brings us to Chicago's own, CM Punk! [crowd cheers loudly] Cheer it up. So you're straight edge, right? Your only addiction is competition, right? Well my addictions are sex, violence, and championship gold around my waist.
CM Punk
Edge, right now, the only thing it looks like you're addicted to, is running your mouth. [Edge shoves Punk, resulting in a brawl]
CM Punk
You thought Randy Orton and Wade Barrett was the story; you thought John Cena being fired was the story; and then The Miz, Mr. Money in the Bank, comes out, cashes in, and he tells the world that he is the true story. He is the WWE Champion.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Era of Awesomeness has begun on Monday Night Raw!
CM Punk
You wanna have fun? Let's have fun.
[on the contract] I've got everything in here you want...
CM Punk
Because my lawyers looked over your contract, Vince, and frankly, it just wasn't up to par, so I had them draw up a new one. I have it right here; my signature's already on it, all you've got to do is sign it. I...do think you should know about a couple new perks that I've added to it. You say you don't think contractual things should happen in public? Let's ask the WWE Universe—you people want this to go down in public? [The crowd cheers] You wanna hear a couple new perks?
CM Punk
He said, "don't push me." Did you already look at this? Did somebody stooge this off? Because this is actually provision #1—[pushes McMahon in his seat] that I get to push you. Vince, I'll push you all I want..Vince, I'll kick you in the nuts and you'll smile at me and like it, and show me some respect! Because if you don't, I find the nearest paper shredder, I throw this puppy in there, and Sunday, I leave with your WWE Championship.
Provision #1—for a Superstar such as myself, first class travel is not good enough. I want my own jet. And I don't want your jet—your jet smells, don't try to pawn that thing off on me—I want my own jet.
[Provision] #2—my face will be on everything. I want my face on the TitanTron, I want my face on these turnbuckles, I want cups, posters, spoons, knives, forks, shoes, socks. I want everything with my face on it; number-one thing I want you to bring back—the WWE Ice Cream Bars. [The crowd cheers and chants "WE WANT ICE CREAM!"] Look at that, I just made you a million dollars in ice cream sales.
I want WWE Films to immediately start production on CM Punk: The Movie! You can call it The Chaperone 2, except mine will be funny and entertaining and successful.
And one last thing—the main event of WrestleMania being John Cena against your buddy Dwayne? That's The Rock, for nobody who watches bad Disney movies. You can still have that little fantasy, but the match that I compete in at WrestleMania will be the main event.
Those are just a few of many new perks that my lawyers have added to the contract. The last thing that this contract states is that you apologize to me. I know, Vince McMahon doesn't apologize, right? But you will apologize to me for suspending me last week; you will apologize... Hell, you know what? I'm gonna be honest, you're not just apologizing to me, you're apologizing to these people for being one of the biggest hypocrites I've ever seen in my entire life. As far as your anti-bullying campaign goes, you are one of the biggest bullies I've ever met in my entire life, and you will apologize. I have had friends, very talented friends, work for this company and be unceremoniously fired.
CM Punk
They deserved it? They deserved it? Why? Because you don't know what makes a superstar in 2011?! You don't know what these people want?! You wanna punish people for actually liking professional wrestling, guys like Colt Cabana and guys like Luke Gallows?! Huh?! You will apologize to me, for them, because they can't be here right now, and they can't stand up to you, and they can't let their voice be heard! I am CM Punk, and I am the voice of the voiceless, and you will apologize, and you will like it!
CM Punk
I'm not gonna have you sit here and belittle me. Say I've lost sight? I've lost sight of things, John? The reason I say I'm gonna take that and walk out is because I don't fit a certain mold. Because I am the underdog, and that's exactly what you've lost sight of. Earlier in this ring, you mentioned great wrestlers like Eddie Guerrero and you said that they used to look at you and think that the kid couldn't hang. And now you stand here and look at me as the kid that can't hang. John, I was hanging off of your gangster car, WrestleMania 22, as it rolled down in Chicago, Illinois, and I stood there in a suit looking as ridiculous as [points to Vince McMahon] that man looks right now in his suit, holding a phony Tommy gun, and I said to myself someday, I'm not gonna be standing out there watching you in the ring; I was gonna be standing in the ring watching you go down to CM Punk. And now here we are in your hometown of Boston. And now next week, we'll be back there in my hometown—Chicago, Illinois. And this...this is the part where I talk 'em into the building. See, you are the one that's lost sight, and I apologize for raising my voice because I'm not that guy. But when you stand here and tell me that I've lost sight, when you, the 10-time Champion who stands for hustle, loyalty and respect; who, from Boston, Massachusetts, lives and breathes these red colors, the same colors as your beloved Red Sox, who also portray themselves as the underdog, I'm sure just like the Bruins portray themselves as the underdog. Just like the Patriots think they're the underdog! Hey, how about those Celtics? Are they the underdogs too? Here's what you've lost sight of, John, and I'm really happy that your father and your wife are sitting in the front row so they can hear it!
That's the last time I'm gonna tell you, ease up.
CM Punk
What you've lost sight of is what you are, and what you are is what you hate. You're the 10-time WWE Champion! You're the man! Ladies and gentlemen, the Champ is here. You, like the Red Sox, like Boston, are no longer the underdog! You're a dynasty. You are what you hate. You have become the New York Yankees! [John immediately punches Punk, who scoots out of the ring, grabs the contract, and goes up the ramp. Points respectively to Vince and John] You're Steinbrenner, and you might as well be Jeter! Mr. 3000, I'm the underdog! [John's music plays for fourteen seconds] Turn it off! Turn the music off because I have something to say, and I'm positive that everybody here wants to hear it, and everybody sitting at home has their DVRs fired up because they wanna hear it! I'm glad you just punched me in the face, John. I'm glad it went down this way because it hit me like a bolt of lightning—exactly why I no longer wanna be here, why I wanna leave. It's because I'm tired of this. I'm tired of you. I'm just tired. So ladies and gentlemen of the WWE Universe, Vince, John, Sunday night, say goodbye to the WWE Title, say goodbye to John Cena, and say goodbye to CM Punk! [Rips up the contract] I'll go be the best in the world somewhere else.
CM Punk
"WrestleMania moments" are what most everybody in the locker room always talks about, everybody wants their WrestleMania moment. But last week, I had myself a Raw moment; it was a Raw moment that was bigger than most people's WrestleMania moments. But before I get into why I did exactly what I did to the Rock, I wanna shed some light on something. I want to bring to your attention the way Raw 1,000 went off the air, I was uncomfortable with. I...it left a bad taste in my mouth. The way the 1,000th episode of Raw went off the air was with Jerry Lawler saying, and I quote, "CM Punk has turned his back on the WWE Universe."
[He turns and looks right at Jerry. He leaves the ring and sits on the announcers' table looking right at him.]
Cat got your tongue, King? You did say that.
CM Punk
I don't get it, Jerry. I mean, I'm used to really bad, overly dramatic hyperbole on commentary, but...that was horrible, even for you. How do you jump to such a conclusion? I mean, if anything, it was you who turned your back on me because the last time I checked, the Rock was not the WWE Universe. The Rock is one single, solitary man. He's a larger-than-life, extremely charismatic...delusional movie star who came in and showed me, [holds up the WWE Championship] the WWE Champion, an incredible lack of respect.
First off, he interrupted me, which is something nobody should ever do. He interrupted me, and when he went into his little tired shtick with Daniel Bryan, he acted as if I wasn't even in the ring. I was almost invisible to him. And then when he does what I can only imagine in his brain is lowering himself to talk to me, he tells me that he's been gifted with a championship match at the Royal Rumble, and he acts as if he's just going to take my championship from me? The respect he didn't show me, I showed him right then and there because he's lucky I didn't drop him on the spot. He...he's fortunate that I didn't hurt him right then and there. And then at the end of the night, Dwayne does what Dwayne does best, and he tries to make the show all about him. He tries to make Raw's 1,000th episode all about him. And that's exactly when I showed him the kind of man he's dealing with, come Royal Rumble. 'Cause this is not a popularity contest, this is not ballet, this is the WWE and I am its Champion. You understand me, Jerry?
And what's the Rock's response been? We haven't heard from him in a week, which is funny to a guy like me because when he was battling with John Cena, you couldn't shut him up. But now...now the Rock has found his silence, and I know what that means. So when it comes to you and your little agenda, however you wanna spin, however you wanna spin it, you can say what I did or didn't do to John Cena, the 1,000th episode of Monday Night Raw ended the exact way every episode of Monday Night Raw should end—with the focus and the attention and the spotlight on the WWE Champion, [holds up the title again] the best wrestler in the world.
Cleveland, Ohio, CM Punk, welcome to Monday Night Rollins. I hope you know how incredibly fortunate you are to even be standing in this ring right now. But can you just do me one... one little favor, just one thing, please? Don’t you dare call this place your home. You abandoned this place ten years ago. Not only did you abandon it, but you also actively tried to tear it down. You spent ten years slandering me, slandering every single person back in that locker room, and then you want to walk back in here, and call this place your home? This is not your home; this is my home!
I've been here. Everybody in the back, those are my brothers and sisters. Everybody here, everybody watching at home, that is my family, and this is our home. And I will do everything within my power to protect it from people like you. Let me make one thing perfectly clear, I don’t want there to be any confusion. I know I'm a bit worked up. I want everyone to understand, I'm going to say it, plainly, with every fiber in my being, I hate you.
But if you’re going to be a part of WWE again, then I want you on Monday Night Raw. Because the truth always comes out, pal. The truth always comes out. I know, you know, everybody else knows, this is your last chance. So one or two things is gonna happen. Either you’re gonna expose yourself, you’re gonna self-destruct like you always do, and I’ll be the first person in the back to slam the door shut on your legacy. Or if by some miracle, you have changed, and you got any gas left in this old tank, maybe one day, you'll be lucky enough to stand across the ring from me, in a World Heavyweight Championship Match, and then I will expose you for the fraud that you are. I will show you that there are levels to this, I will wrestle circles around you, and I will let you understand, in real time, what it means to be the best in the world.
CM Punk
Are you done? That's your one pass to stand here and speak to me disrespectfully without me coming after you. I have never asked for anything to be handed to me. And I’ve always done things stubbornly the hard way, and I’m here to do that. Adam Pearce, where you at? We’re making things official; we might as well make it official. CM Punk is entering the Royal Rumble. And when CM Punk wins, maybe, Seth, it's you he's coming after.
[on the last RAW before Netflix, Seth Rollins and CM Punk get heated]
CM Punk
You can recognize the pioneers because of the arrows in their back, I was the first one through the wall and I got bloodied for it, you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me. I love the place I worked, I just hated the guy in charge and he loved you. And in situations where you should have had my back, all you did was shoot arrows in it!
Punk
And then I leave, and lo and behold, he shows his true colors, and he stabs Roman Reigns in the back. And now he's dressed like an idiot, trying to play victim in a situation that he created.
Those arrows? Kill weak people, The greats? Above all odds, find a way to march forward and I left because I had to, and I got far enough away until those arrows couldn't reach me anymore and after a few years, I started to be able to pull them out. And after a few more years, I pulled them all out and I came back because for seven years, they chanted-- mostly during your television time-- my name! [Crowd chants CM Punk] I should be dead, Seth, but I'm not, and ohhhh aren't the arrow throwers mad? Next week, those same arrows that were supposed to do me and I carry to this day, and I'm walking into LA. Netflix - live and in living color with a fistful of arrows - and I'm gonna jam them down your corporate throat!
You know, I've never said this to your face, maybe, once upon a time, you were a pioneer. What you have become is a cancer, you are a cancer to that locker room, [points to his head] you are a cancer in my brain, you are a cancer to this business and cancer does not cure itself, the only way to defeat it is to cut it out. So, in one week, you bring your fist full of arrows, I'll bring my eyes of fire and my heart full of HATE AND RAGE AND I WILL BURN YOU TO THE GROUND! [Throws mic]
WWE Raw · 371 quotes
