Following John Cena’s final match of his career last month at Saturday Night’s Main Event, and AJ Styles’ being open about his own retirement to come in 2026, which he confirmed at Crown Jewel, other veteran wrestlers within the industry have been asked when they plan on hanging up their boots. World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, who helped send Cena off alongside Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, has said he’s “not going anywhere anytime soon,” but recently clarified to CinemaBlend when he does plan on finishing up in the ring.
“When I was 15, if you asked me if I’d be wrestling when I was 40, I would tell you, ‘No, that’s crazy. 40 is so old,'” Punk told the outlet. “I’m 47, and I don’t feel old yet. Terry Funk wrestled for a long time, Ric Flair wrestled for a long time. I mean, there’s luchadors that are like in their 70s that are still doing it. Do I want to be doing that? Probably not. I would estimate probably the big 50 is when I should maybe gracefully bow out. Knock on wood, if nothing else horrible happens.”
By “nothing else horrible,” Punk was likely referring to injuries, which plagued him during his AEW run, which lasted from 2021 to 2023. Punk made his grand return to WWE after a decade at Survivor Series: WarGames in Chicago in November 2023. He competed in the 2024 Royal Rumble, his first televised match back in a WWE ring, and tore his right triceps during the match.
Since his return from the injury at SummerSlam that August, Punk has remained healthy throughout feuds with Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins, as well as for numerous big matches. He captured the then-vacant World Heavyweight title at Saturday Night’s Main Event in November.
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