CM Punk’s 2014 Royal Rumble walkout sent him into nearly a decade away from WWE, a stretch that only ended with his shock return in 2023. Now back on top as World Heavyweight Champion, Punk looked back on that lost time during a recent appearance on No Contest Wrestling with O’Shea Jackson Jr. and TJ Jefferson.

Asked whether he ever regrets the matches and rivalries that never happened, Punk made it clear he would not change a thing.

“Do I ever think like, ‘I missed ten years. I could have worked with AJ a bunch. I could have done more with Cena.’ I think I did pretty good,” Punk said. “The Tribal Chief says he graciously scaled back for two years. I graciously stepped back for ten, and it took him that long to become the superstar that he is. I have no regrets.”

The mention of AJ Styles carries extra weight given recent events. Styles arrived in WWE during Punk’s absence and became one of the company’s defining stars. Although the two eventually shared the ring after Punk’s return, a full rivalry never truly took shape before Styles’ career came to an end at the 2026 Royal Rumble against Gunther.

Punk’s reference to John Cena also underlines what might have been. Their rivalry helped define an earlier era, but with Cena shifting to a part time role and then retiring at the end of 2025, there was never a chance for a modern day sequel.

For Punk, though, the missed opportunities are not regrets. In his view, the decade away was not lost time at all, but the very reason he stands where he does today.

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