CM Punk
The straight-edge real-life icon who held the Undisputed WWE Championship for the 11th-longest reign in history.
Phillip Jack Brooks, known globally as CM Punk, is an American professional wrestler and actor born October 26, 1978. As of November 2023, he performs on the WWE SmackDown brand as the current Undisputed WWE Champion in his third reign. A former UFC fighter and actor, Brooks is best known for his outspoken straight-edge persona rooted in real-life experiences. His career spans from independent circuits in 1997 to stints in Ring of Honor (ROH), TNA, WWE, and All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He holds the distinction of being the only back-to-back winner of the Money in the Bank ladder match in 2008 and 2009. After a controversial departure from WWE in 2014 and retirement, he returned to wrestling in 2021 with AEW before rejoining WWE two months after his September 2023 firing.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Phillip Jack Brooks
- Born
- 26 October 1978
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- Occupation
- Professional wrestler, actor
- Years active
- 1997–present
- Spouse
- AJ Lee, June 13, 2014
- Height
- 6 ft 2 in / 1.88 m
- Weight
- 218 lb / 98.9 kg
Lore & Background
Brooks' journey began in a backyard federation called the Lunatic Wrestling Federation with his brother Michal, where he debuted on October 25, 1997. He adopted the name CM Punk after forming the 'Chick Magnets' tag team, though the initials later held no specific meaning. Trained at Steel Dominion by Ace Steel, Danny Dominion, and Kevin Quinn, he rose through the independent circuit, winning the IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Championship five times and feuding with Chris Hero in a 93-minute two-out-of-three falls match.
In Ring of Honor (ROH), he formed the Second City Saints with Colt Cabana and Ace Steel, defeating Raven to settle a rivalry rooted in his straight-edge lifestyle against alcoholism. He won the ROH World Championship once and was inducted into the ROH Hall of Fame in 2022. His time in NWA: TNA (2002–2004) saw him paired with Julio Dinero in Raven's stable, The Gathering, before he quit over disputes regarding his ability to work for ROH.
Reader's Guide
Outside the ring, Brooks pursued a mixed martial arts career in the UFC welterweight division. He lost his professional debut via submission to Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in 2016 and lost his second fight to Mike Jackson by unanimous decision at UFC 225 in 2018 (later overturned to a no contest); he retired from fighting in August 2021. His media career includes work as a pundit on WWE Backstage (2019–2020) and part-time color commentary for Cage Fury Fighting Championships since 2018. As an actor, he starred in horror films such as Rabid (2019), Girl on the Third Floor (2019), and Jakob's Wife (2021). He also appeared in the animated comedy Zootopia 2 (2025) and drama series including Heels (2021–2023) and Mayans M.C. (2022–2023).
Did You Know?
- His second WWE Championship reign lasted 434 days, making it the 11th-longest world title reign in WWE history.
- Phillip Jack Brooks was born with his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, causing his face to appear blue at birth.
- He lost his UFC debut to Mickey Gall via submission and his second fight to Mike Jackson (later overturned to a no contest) before retiring from MMA in 2021.
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