CM Punk Retiring Aft Next Years Wrestlemania?

[Manic37]

At comic con CM Punk who is 34 in October says he feels 34 is too old to wrestle at a high level in pro wrestling, he didnt answer the question about when he will retire because it will depress everyone, this hints to me it could be very soon maybe a retirement match at next years Wrestlemania which is a big way to go out.

This really is very depressing news for me as him and Daniel Bryan are two of the main reasons i still watch Raw, i think this would be a very premature time for Punk to retire, i think he has a good 5 years left to cement his greatness going as early as next years WM would hurt his legacy in the long run.

I really can't see any of the other talent on Bryans or Punks level in the ring or out of it, i dont think Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett, Dolph Ziggler will ever be consistent main event stars, they will have brief spells in the main event but not able to become true megastars in the sport.

Retirement: Punk talked about retiring from wrestling. He said that he will be 34 in a few months and that is too old to be able to perform at a high level in professional wrestling. Punk said he won’t be another Triple H or Undertaker. Those two guys are currently older than 40 and still performing in the ring. Punk said when he does retire, he will leave the wrestling business for at least two years. I think he said if he does return to wrestling, he won’t make a return to the ring. His retirement will not be like a Terry Funk retirement. Punk said he feels good now and he wants to stay healthy after he is retired. Punk said he has had one surgery and he never wants another surgery ever again. Punk said that he doesn’t want to say when he might retire because the answer would "depress the hell" out of everyone.

Sounds like bit of a dig at Hunter and Undertaker who to be fair only wrestle a few times a year and bring bigger numbers in to PPV's when they do wrestle, so i see nothing wrong with them still wrestling if they can to a high standard and they definately still can, i expect the HHH/Brock match to steal the show at Summerslam.

[BigRed]

Not really much to say. It would be his decision and his alone. I think he has plenty more to offer though, personally.

[Heartburn Kid]

It could be a way of working the fans, but in this guys case I actually buy what he is saying. I can't see him as one of 'those guys.'

[Wrestling MVP]

Yeah, I think he will retire sooner rather than later.

I think maybe in a year or two. WrestleMania 30 if I was to hazard a guess but it's all guesses anyway. I can't see Punk going right into his forties though anyway.

[Raven*]

Good for him if he feels that way. Sure, I would be pretty sad over it but it is his choice. It's better to walk away healthy than to have a broken down body. Even if you look at him, he has aged so much during his time in WWE.

[Heartburn Kid]

Never heard any specifics on his contracts, so I hope he was good with money.

[Djm]

Never heard any specifics on his contracts, so I hope he was good with money.

Punk said in the GQ interview that he's set for life already and could retire at any time.

And keep in mind that the dude has been going since at least 2001.

[Bang Bang]

Sometimes I want him to just take a fucking vacation and get some sleep. The guys does look tired as hell. I am happy for any wrestler who can get out early and be financially secure for life. My guess is after his 2 year vacation from wrestling he will probably push to commentate which would be nice.

[WMS]

Being selfish I want him to wrestle forever because he's so damn great but I'm happy Punk can retire early and healthy.

[System]

He'll have a 5 star retirement match and it still won't close the show.

[The Champ]

Easier said than done.

I can't see Punk retiring anytime soon. Of course I could be wrong, but I have a hard time believing it.

[Steeda90GT]

This doesnt come as a surprise since Punk has always stated this in past interviews. I agree with the poster above. He should probably pull a Jericho, take a year off and rest up a bit.

As much as I enjoy Punk in the ring, I'd rather him stay healthy. Like Warrior, he's a smart guy with his money and can live on for the rest of his life without worry.

[Finn]

Punk leaving wrestling would be devastating for me. One of my absolute two favourites and the only one I can ever see wrestle again.

At least he's got money saved. Plus, him coming back and being a colour commentator ala King would rule for me.

[El Maestro]

I think he'll atleast give us 3-4 more years before he retires. Or maybe it's just hoping, not sure. This would be depressing for me as a fan of the guy but at the end of the day, I'd rather see him retire on top rather than as a old broken down shell of his former self.

[seedling]

Letting that man speak for 2 hours as a commentator would make up for him leaving. It's better to be healthy & on your two feet than to wait to your 40's & walking with a limp.

[Coco]

Old news. Punk said a while back that he'd be done within five years.

Don't know what everybody else was expecting. WWE squandering a man's best years seems to have fucked with people's perception of age.

[Kane]

I reakon around 38ish is when he will retire, maybe take a break before that. Sad to see a guy like that thinking of retiring.

[BARCELONA]

When he does retire, he'd be an excellent manager/occasional wrestler. Kind of what Flair should have been the last 15 years or so and similar to Flair's role in Evolution, except Punk would be a more credible threat due to being considerably younger.

[Ed]

Punk is smart he doesn't want to hang on when he's running on empty.

[Heartburn Kid]

My ideal age if healthy to retire from wrestling would be 35-40, with 40 being the absolute latest I would personally want to go, so good on Punk for doing it his way.

[1-2-3 Kid]

I just don't see it...

In 3 to 4 years maybe

[Dose]

"How old is Daniel Bryan?" Was my immediate thought.

[Darkmania]

Is this the same Punk that was "burned out" and needed "time away" last year?

[1-2-3 Kid]

Is this the same Punk that was "burned out" and needed "time away" last year?

Dude, I just came back here to post that

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

Idk about you guys, but this doesn't (and shouldn't) come as a shock to me. If you think about most professional athletes, 33-38 definitely would constitute the twilight years of a career where the body is begging to be finished and the drive and obsessive passion with the sport is the only thing keeping them hanging on. This is a welcomed shift from guys like Flair who have held on for 20+ years beyond when they should have hung it up. I guess it's the wrestler's prerogative of how he/she wants to treat his/her body, but I can't imagine doing it past 40. I'd want to be able to walk for the second half of my life.