I don't know if you guys heard, but I'm tired of being nice. Gone 10 months with a ruptured triceps tendon, tore it straight off the bone. But I'm still here, and as long as I am, this is the professional wrestling business. It's a business of grown-ups, this has never been a popularity contest. We all know I probably would've lost that one a long time ago. So tonight, we're going to have a little conversation about the future, but first I would like to have a little conversation about my past, which I don't think is checkered. If you would have told 15 year old me that you're gonna sell out the Budokan, that you're gonna sell out Madison Square Garden, that you're gonna sell out multiple times over every single building in Chicago with a roof, well I'm not sure little Punker would have believed you. That's because he didn't experience what present me, standing here in front of all you crazy bastards has experienced. I'm tired of being nice! Tell me when I'm telling lies! I did all these things and I got here to this place riding a wave, riding the backs of smart, passionate professional wrestling fans like you. And, oh gosh, I never fit in somewhere more in my entire life than I have here in professional wrestling. I love you for it! I love you because you love me! And you love me because I have never compromised, I've been unapologetic my entire career, I am me! And I couldn't have done all of this without all of you. But it seems there's some people that hate me for the same reasons you all love me. Hey, listen, I understand that the sheer magnitude of me makes people uncomfortable. I very much understand that my mere presence makes people uncomfortable. That's because I am the truth and the truth is painful.

This sign right here says "CM Punk is my hero", you can call me that. This sign here says "Pepsi Phil", you can call me that. This sign here says "CM Junk", you can call me that. Boo me, cheer me, love me, hate me, you all do it because you know I'm right! You can call me whatever you want, you know what David Zaslav calls me? "One Bill Phil." That's because I am the one true genuine article in a business full of counterfeit bucks!

The king is back, baby. And I do have a lot of things to get off my chest. I got a question, Chicago, and then I'll get out of your hair: why would I change? This is what Joe Strummer trained me for! I will always speak truth to power, I will always be myself, I will never compromise! And there's the people who think that they're owed an apology. I've grown older and wiser in my years, sometimes it's better to be the bigger man. If you feel you're here today and I owe you an apology, here it is: I am sorry that the only people softer than you are the wrestlers you like. Tell me when I'm telling lies!

The last time you saw me with my tri-cep meat hanging down, I held what's in this bag above my head, and it's not because I deserve it, it's because I earned it. And it's not mine because I had the best dog collar match, it's mine because I won the dog collar match! Tell me when I'm telling lies! This belongs to me until somebody can pin me or submit me for it.

And there are those of you who I'm sure were praying to whatever God you believe in that I'm going to put these down here in this ring and walk into the sunset, never to be seen again. But until there is somebody in this company that can fill these boots, they belong on my feet. Tell me when I'm telling lies.