CM Punk made his wrestling comeback in 2021 under the banner of All Elite Wrestling (AEW). However, a series of mounting issues culminated in Punk’s termination by AEW CEO Tony Khan in September 2023.
These recent developments were brought back into focus by Punk during a recent interview on “The MMA Hour” with Ariel Helwani, where he candidly discussed AEW, its Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs), and specifically Khan, portraying him as more of a friendly figure than a traditional boss.
In Khan’s first public appearance following Punk’s interview, during a media call to promote the upcoming ROH Supercard of Event on April 5, he was queried by Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald about Punk’s remarks.
“I’d rather not go into that,”
Khan responded.
“I believe my focus should remain on discussing the card and Supercard of Honor, but thank you for the inquiry.”
Khan’s response was expected, as he has consistently chosen to refrain from commenting on various incidents involving Punk, dating back to the infamous “Brawl Out” altercation in 2022.
Prior to Punk’s return on the inaugural episode of “AEW Collision,” following a controversial promo by Punk, his termination after a backstage incident with Jack Perry at All In, and his subsequent return to WWE in November, Khan had declined to offer any comment on Punk.
However, he eventually provided his perspective on Punk a few days after the latter’s WWE return.
In a separate development, AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland kicked off the April 3 edition of “AEW Dynamite” with an in-ring promo addressing the recent negative events and reaffirming AEW’s position as the premier destination for wrestling talent, although he did not explicitly mention Punk by name.
