Rumor Killer on CM Punk Wanting Out of His WWE Contract & Being Asked To Take Pay Cut

CM Punk has been absent from WWE since this past April’s WWE RAW After Mania show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Punk’s current abscense and being pulled from WWE’s recent European tour was believed to be due to a recent “schedule change” for him and WWE changing their post-WrestleMania 42 plans for him after moving Gunther to SmackDown and Jacob Fatu to RAW.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that his sources debunked recent online rumors of there being a backstage conflict between him and WWE.

Sapp reported that other online rumors involving Punk and WWE having a dispute over something Punk had “politicked” for WrestleMania 42 and him being upset over the “booking and treatment” of his wife AJ Lee have not been verified to be true from his sources.

Sapp also reported that there are also vague rumors revolving around a WrestleMania 42 incident involving Punk that also has not been verified to be true from his sources. It is currently not known if these rumors were related to Punk’s two altercations with fans during WrestleMania 42 weekend in Las Vegas.

In regards to the rumors of Punk wanting out of his WWE contract, Sapp reported that at least dozens of sources spoken to within WWE claimed that they had not heard anything regarding Punk wanting out of the company. Those spoken to reportedly confirmed that there were plans for Punk to return to WWE television and merchandise, dates, and a storyline were in place for him. Sapp also reported that the reason why Punk has been kept off of WWE television since post-WrestleMania 42 is something he has yet to confirm beyond it being unrelated to disciplinary reasons.

In regards to the rumors involving Lee, Sapp reported that those spoken to scoffed at the idea that Punk would be upset with her direction in WWE. Lee’s creative direction reportedly was stated to have been planned out and completed with no changes. Those spoken to who worked with Lee reportedly were also unaware of any issues Punk would have had with Lee’s creative.

In regards to the rumors of a rift between WWE and Punk, those spoken to within WWE that were not friendly with Punk nor were keen on his return to WWE three years ago had claimed that they had yet to hear anything regarding a rift or that Punk was looking to get out of the company.

In regards to the rumors of Punk being asked to take a pay cut, Sapp reported that several WWE talents spoken to stated that they did not believe that he was asked to take a pay cut.