CM Punk

Background

Phillip Jack Brooks, known professionally as C.M. Punk, is an American professional wrestler, sports commentator, actor, and retired mixed martial artist born in Chicago. He is the son of a housewife and an engineer and grew up in Lockport where he attended Lockport Township High School. Brooks began wrestling when he joined the Lunatic Wrestling Federation, which is a “backyard wrestling” ring. He then started his professional wrestling career in 1999 on the independent circuit, mainly with Ring of Honor (R.O.H.), winning the R.O.H. World Championship once.

In 2005, he signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (W.W.E.) and won the W.W.E. Championship twice. He has also won several other championships, including the World Heavyweight Championship three times, as well as the Intercontinental Championship, and the E.C.W. World Heavyweight Championship. In 2011 and 2012, Brooks was voted “Wrestler of the Year” by the readers of “Pro Wrestling Illustrated.” In 2014, he left W.W.E. and decided to retire from professional wrestling.

After retiring from professional wrestling, Brooks sought a profession as a mixed martial artist, and he signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (U.F.C.). In 2019, he made an appearance on the Fox Sports 1 program “W.W.E. Backstage,” where he subsequently became a full-time commentator. In 2021, Brooks announced his comeback into wrestling and signed to All Elite Wrestling (A.E.W.). Other than wrestling, Brooks has also starred in several films and television productions, including the horror movies “Girl on the Third Floor” and “Rabid”, as well as the shows “Heels” and “Mayans M.C.” In his personal life, Brooks married fellow pro wrestler A.J. Mendez, and they are still happily together.