Tony Khan Still Angry At AEW Star For CM Punk Firing
CM Punk’s turbulent time in AEW came crashing to a halt in September 2023 and it seems Tony Khan is still not happy with one star for their involvement in the situation.
CM Punk was involved in a backstage fight with Jack Perry at All In which was not Punk’s first backstage scuffle in the company. Infamously, CM Punk was involved in a fight with The Elite at All Out in 2022 that led to a split in the roster with Punk heading up Collision while The Elite stuck to Dynamite.
The fight with Perry was a bridge too far to recover from as it turned out as Tony Khan fired CM Punk after a disciplinary committee – involving Bryan Danielson – concluded that he had to go.
CM Punk shocked the world when he returned to WWE two months after his firing but it wasn’t until early 2024 before Jack Perry resurfaced in the wrestling world. Perry has not been seen in AEW since the incident but has appeared in New Japan Pro Wrestling, apparently ripping up his AEW contract and joining NJPW’s House of Torture.
Tony Khan Still Mad At Jack Perry
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez were asked about Jack Perry’s status with AEW and Meltzer confirmed that the company had not fired Perry but Tony Khan was angry at him for the situation that led to Punk being fired:
Meltzer: “He has absolutely not been fired, but they’re not using him. Essentially, Tony is really mad at him because he cost him CM Punk, so he’s getting the blame. He probably should have been suspended for a month or two. Where are we at? Seven months now? It’s ridiculous. Punishment doesn’t fit the crime at this point. I mean, it’s like it’s his fault because the other guy lost his mind?”
Alvarez: “He didn’t cost Tony CM Punk. CM Punk cost Tony CM Punk. Punk could have just gone to Tony suspend this dude, that was unprofessional.”
Meltzer: “But it was such a nothing. None of it should have happened because the fact is that it wouldn’t have happened with Jack Perry if Punk didn’t start the thing in the first place. It’s like, yell at him over something that had already been, it had already been approved. I mean, they brought the glass right?”
Alvarez: “They got the car. He was given approval to do it. They had the car it was all ready to go, and then Punk said not doing it.”
It remains to be seen when Jack Perry will return to AEW but he will appear for NJPW at Windy City Riot in Punk’s hometown of Chicago where he is sure to get an interesting reception.