CM Punk

, born Philip Jack Brooks on October 26, 1978, in Chicago, Illinois, is a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, actor, and comic book writer.

Punk

's wrestling career, spanning over two decades, has been marked by his passion, dedication, and unapologetic honesty.

CM Punk grew up in a troubled home, with his father struggling with alcoholism, while his mother suffered from bipolar disorder. He has five siblings and has a brother who used to be in the wrestling game. Punk found solace in punk rock music and professional wrestling, citing Bret Hart and Ricky Steamboat as early influences. His interest in wrestling led him to begin training in 1999. Punk has been married to April Jeanette Mendez, aka AJ Lee, a former WWE wrestler, since 2014.

Punk started his wrestling career on the independent circuit, competing for promotions like Ring of Honor (ROH) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He joined WWE's developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), in 2005, before making his WWE debut in 2006, competing in ECW.
Throughout his career, CM Punk has accumulated an impressive array of championships. He held the ECW Championship in 2007, which was the first title of his career. The Best in the World then went on to win the WWE Championship twice, with his first reign beginning in 2011. He won the World Heavyweight Championship once, defeating Jeff Hardy in 2009. Punk has also won the Money in the Bank ladder match twice, in 2008 and 2009.
His infamous "Pipe Bomb" promos, which criticized WWE's creative direction and sparked the "Summer of Punk," are widely regarded as some of the greatest promos in wrestling history. In partnership with Kofi Kingston, Punk has also held the World Tag Team Championship in his career after defeating Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase Jr. Their reign continued for 47 days. He also won the ROH World Championship in 2005.

CM Punk left WWE in 2014, after feeling sick and burnt out. He then made a couple of cloaked appearances in the independent circuit. Punk then went on to pursue a career in mixed martial arts, even competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
In 2021, he joined All Elite Wrestling, winning the

AEW World Championship

twice. It took him two more years before he was ready to come back to WWE. He returned for the Survivor Series: WarGames Premium Live Event in his hometown of Chicago, and just recently announced his entry to the 2025 Royal Rumble.
Punk has also written comic books for Marvel and DC Comics. But his impact on professional wrestling cannot be overstated. His unwavering commitment to his art, his unapologetic honesty, and his unrelenting passion have inspired a generation of wrestlers and fans. As "The Best in the World," CM Punk's legacy continues to be felt throughout the wrestling world.
Also Read: CM Punk's Unscripted WWE Promo On Hulk Hogan Had An Entirely Different Outcome Backstage