SI: Your head is in a different place. Your body, too, I’m guessing. How banged up do you get wrestling?

Punk: When I stopped wrestling I literally lay in bed for two weeks. In a lot of ways I’m still decompressing for leading that life. I definitely went through a transitional period, probably with some depression mixed in—waking up and not knowing what to do. Normally you’re waking up to catch a plane, in a different zone. But yeah, physically, you take a beating.

SI: Do you feel like you’re competing in WWE?

Punk: It’s definitely a competition. Backstage is so shark-infested and political. It’s almost comical. A lot of people are more interested in the backstage goings-on than what they see on television. A lot of ways it’s more fascinating. It’s a competition for sure.

SI: Do you have a say over storylines?

Punk: Yeah, eventually. But I was one of the few. And even in that, I could make a recommendation but at the end of the day, it’s Vince’s company and his say.

SI: Not a lot of grey area in MMA—

Punk: Exactly. In pro wrestling, it’s fake. People always get offended by that word. ‘No, we like to say it’s pre-determined.’ For whatever reason, people get angry at fake; pre-determined eases the blow? It’s fake. At the end of the day it doesn’t really mean anything. So after a while, it was, ‘Let’s just really fight and see what happens.’ Now I get to.

SI: What made you a good pro wrestler?

Punk: Well, that’s another thing in that phony world. What does it mean to be a good fake wrestler? That’s an identity crisis that I think I struggled with. It doesn’t matter if you’re the best; someone else picks who they want in the top spot.

SI: But were you particularly adept at the choreography—

Punk: I think I connected with the people. And the people drive the sport. If they don’t like—or they don’t care about you and sit on their hands or take a piss or get popcorn when you’re on—that’s when you’re no good. But if you can captivate a room, whether it’s 300 or 80,000, that’s when you’re good.

SI: Go back to the politics in WWE. That’s among fighters?

Punk: You wonder, Did you really punch me in the face? You say it was an accident but I know you and I think you’re a p—– and I’ve seen you do this to other people. Are you doing this to me? Did you kick me in the ribs as hard as you can? No, no I would never do that! In [MMA] I know the other guy is going to try and kick me in the ribs as hard as he can. No, not maliciously. But I’ve been in the [wrestling] ring with plenty of guys where I’m wondering, Is he is trying hurt me? Is he mad because he is losing? I don’t have to deal with that bulls— any more. It’s a godsend.

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