AEW CEO Tony Khan Addresses Firing Of CM Punk On Collision

Company founder takes boos directly from fans and explains his decision.

By Scott Carlson /

AEW

Just hours after firing CM Punk, AEW founder and CEO Tony Khan addressed the decision to open Collision, which emanated Saturday from Punk's hometown of Chicago.

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Khan delivered remarks both live in person in the arena at the United Center before Collision went on the air, and in a pre-recorded video to open the show. During his remarks, Khan noted that he feared for his safety and life during the backstage fracas between Punk and Jack Perry. Reports have suggested that Punk lunged at Khan at one point.

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When he walked out on the stage, fans loudly booed him throughout his remarks. Khan sat in a chair and continued his comments over the boos, with fans briefly cheering when he talked about the success of last week's All In PPV. When he mentioned firing Punk, they resumed booing. He defended his decision, apologized to the fans repeatedly, and basically let them get their frustration out of their collective systems before the show began.

Firing Punk just hours before a live show airs from his hometown and a day before a PPV broadcasts from the same arena is a really dicey situation, but kudos should be given for making the decision and announcement beforehand rather than sitting on it to try to get through the weekend unscathed.

Khan addressing the live crowd to defuse the situation also was risky, but it also could be seen as being honest with them and allowing them to vent their anger at him rather than the wrestlers performing during the show.

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