The odyssey of CM Punk in All Elite Wrestling ended where it began in Chicago.
AEW has terminated CM Punk’s contract following a week-long investigation over a backstage incident with Jack Perry at last weekend’s All In pay-per-view.
AEW released a statement Saturday afternoon.
CM Punk and Jack Perry had an altercation shortly before Punk’s match with Samoa Joe at All In at Wembley Stadium last Saturday.
Reportedly, the altercation occurred over a comment Perry made during his match with Hook on the All In Pre Show. A spot involving a limo saw Perry slap his hand on the windshield and shout, “It’s real glass. Go cry me a river!”
The comment stems from a backstage conversation Punk had with Perry about a segment planned for AEW Collision. Perry wanted to use real glass during the segment and Punk rejected the idea after Perry ignored caution over using fake glass instead.
While several versions of the All In altercation have surfaced, one account has gained the most corroboration.
When Perry came to the back from his match, Punk went nose to nose with him and asked if he had a problem. Perry reportedly responded that he was just trying to get some heel heat. Punk shoved Perry. Perry shoved him back and Punk followed up with a punch and a choke.
Punk and Perry were separated immediately, and Punk lunged in either Tony Khan’s direction or directly at Khan and yelled, “I Quit.”
Punk allegedly refused to wrestle, causing a 10-minute delay as AEW scrambled for a new opening match. Samoa Joe calmed Punk down and the Punk/Joe match started the show as planned.
The firing of CM Punk couldn’t have been an easy decision. Tony Khan proudly stated at last year’s All Out post-show press conference that “No one has meant more to AEW’s bottom line than CM Punk.” He is also the company’s biggest merchandise seller.
AEW’s ratings have increased on Punk helmed shows, and Warner Bros Discovery gave AEW another prime-time television show (Collision) with the expectation that Punk would be the show’s flagship star.
Punk had a lot of clout in AEW, as he could reject and edit other wrestlers’ storylines on Collision after Khan had already approved them. Even though Dynamite is the higher rated show, many feel Collision is the better overall show.
With Punk gone, Collision could take a dip in quality.
Only in pro wrestling can someone receive one of the Cauliflower Alley Club’s highest honors (The Iron Mike Mazurki Award) on a Wednesday and be fired on a Saturday.
It will be interesting to see if reports about backstage drama in AEW will continue. For narrative sake, if issues persist, someone better make sure none of it leaks, otherwise, Punk will not be considered the problem.
As far as Jack Perry is concerned, he deserves to be disciplined. He’s a 26-year-old wrestler working on AEW’s most important show in front of the largest crowd ever to attend a pro wrestling event (81,035). His only goal should have been helping AEW put their best foot forward and nothing more. Bottom line, he went into business for himself, which is a no-no.
I can empathize with Punk for being frustrated with a young wrestler who ignores his advice and arrogantly dismisses it. It’s happened to me on several independent wrestling shows. However, I learned not to take it personally. After all, you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.
The situation got worse on Saturday night as Tony Khan opened a Collision in front of the United Center crowd in Chicago with the announcement of Punk’s firing stating
“I’ve been going to wrestling shows for over 30 years. I’ve been producing them on this network for four years. Never in all that time have I ever felt until last Sunday [All In], that my security, my safety, my life was in danger at a wrestling show.”
AEW announcing their termination of Punk’s contract with cause and with unanimous consent of the discipline committee means they’re looking to get out of paying him. Khan stating on television that he feared for his life serves that cause.
Fear and endangerment serving as legal cause is a potent argument. It also paints Punk in an unfavorable light that could hurt his earning potential. There is no way a lawsuit doesn’t happen.
There is plenty of blame to go around. Perry should not have gone into business for himself. Punk shouldn’t have put his hands on anyone. Tony Khan should have controlled this situation a year ago.
Punk is an adult and made his decisions, but Khan gave him a show, championship, and the political power to keep certain wrestlers and staff, including the head of talent relations (Christopher Daniels), out of the building.
The Young Bucks appeared on Collision on Saturday night, which never would have happened a week ago. Now, AEW has access to all of their talent to book on any show. Talent access within the company never should have been an issue in the first place.
Khan deserves credit for not dangling the possibility of Punk appearing on Sunday’s All Out pay-per-view by waiting until Monday to announce Punk’s firing. He also deserves for facing the music from the Chicago crowd instead of allowing the press release to do all the talking.
It’s clear backstage tensions grew to be untenable and there were no motions made to change the existing status quo. Tony Khan didn’t create the monster but he certainly fed it.
Sad, is the only word to describe this ordeal. It seems like it was only yesterday when CM Punk joining AEW was the dream. Punk’s rebel cache and All Elite’s alternative swagger seemed like a match made in heaven. Their origin stories were birthed in the same city.
Images of Punk grappling with Matt, Nick, Omega, and others danced in our heads. Harmony seemed inevitable and no one imagined the turmoil that became reality.
Regardless of whose side anyone takes, rest assured, there are no winners here. AEW lost their marquee attraction. CM Punk lost his job and income. Wrestlers lost out on all the money that could have been made. Wrestling fans lost.
Ringside Logic 