CM Punk Explains Why He Doesn’t Have a Timetable For Retirement

CM Punk doesn’t have a date in mind for when he’s going to retire, because he knows that it could all end in a heartbeat. Punk is in the elder statesman era of his career at this point, and he has been clear that he’s not retiring any time soon. While he’s aware that he’s closer to the end than the beginning, he said on All the Smoke that he has no timetable for when he will call it quits.

Punk spoke about how getting injured in the 2024 Royal Rumble shortly after his return is something he remembers strongly, and how he felt like he had let people down. He noted that he is trying to do as much as he can while he can and that he’s in until “the wheels fall off.” You can see highlights below:

On Not Putting a Timetable On His Retirement:

“No, I don’t put a timetable on it because I know it could end like that, any day. And I don’t want to say like, ‘Hey, I’m really pushing for XYZ and that I’m going to make it.’ I just, I remember the heartbreak I felt when I came back [to WWE] and there’s all these great plans ahead, and I tore my tricep. And it was just like, I felt like a lot a lot of people down. I let myself down. And really, it was just a freak accident. It’s just — the thing was probably hanging on by a thread from years of wear and tear. And now it’s just about just kind of greeting every day with a smile. And every situation is going to be different.”

On Doing Every Show He Can:

“What I’m really proud of over the last six to eight months is, I’ve done everything. Every every Christmas Loop show, I did a full European tour. And everyone keeps telling me, ‘Hey man, you don’t got to do this.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I get it. I don’t have to do it, but I have to do it,’ you know? Especially with this [the World Title] around my waist? I feel like there’s there’s a responsibility.

“And I’m not doing it to a detriment. Like, if I need a day off, I’m going to tell somebody. But I still feel very much inclined to work harder and if something’s aching, not to cry about it. Because we’re all aching, you know? But I do very much look at that as a responsibility.

On His Plan To Keep Going:

“At the end of every tour, we’ll do a toast. Those who don’t drink, don’t drink but you know, I’ll have my little shot of Pepsi or whatever. And I always tell everybody like, ‘I don’t know why you want me doing this toast, but it is an honor. I don’t know how many of these I have left in me but man, to me? I’m going until the wheels fall off.'”

Punk will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Roman Reigns at night two of WrestleMania 42 on Sunday.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit All The Smoke with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.