CM Punk walked away from WWE and professional wrestling in 2014, and yet fans continued to chant his name at wrestling shows, signings, and other events through the fall of 2019. After making millions working for Vince McMahon, Punk signed a multi-fight contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in December 2014. His wife, former WWE wrestler AJ Lee, claimed Punk earned “a million dollars” for his debut bout, a humiliating loss to Mickey Gall, as explained by Forbes. Per Metro, Punk took home another $503,000 following his second UFC defeat, a loss to Mike Jackson.
According to Uproxx, Punk reigned as the WWE’s top merchandise seller for a brief time following his infamous “Pipe Bomb” and title run in 2011. That, coupled with the millions he earned off WWE contracts, other business endeavors, and a noted frugal lifestyle all helped him accumulate an estimated net worth of about $8 million. As noted by Wrestling Inc, Punk claimed in August 2019 he would be open to having a future conversation with Vince McMahon and/or Triple H, but he also said, “I think I had a pretty good career, I don’t think there’s anything left that I need to accomplish.” That’s just enough hope for Punk’s wrestling fans to cling to as they dream of him returning to the squared circle.