10 Wrestlers Who Buried Their OWN Promotions
2. CM Punk Torches AEW
The post-AEW All Out 2022 press conference was equal parts fascinating from a fan perspective and depressing from a leadership one. Tony Khan looked on with puppy dog eyes as CM Punk cooked everyone he could think of. Nobody was safe. It was so dramatic that one would've been forgiven for thinking the whole thing was an elaborate work.
“I’m hurt, I’m old, I’m tired and I work with f***ing children”.
Punk spat those words with venom, and it didn't sit well with EVPs like The Elite behind the scenes. A locker room brawl erupted and led to the downward spiral of Punk's AEW career. He'd be gone after even more backstage drama at All In 2023. The writing was on the wall in September 2022 though.
Ultimately, Khan backed The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and Hangman Page. He'd also choose to side with Jack Perry over Punk, which has led to criticism of Tony's management in subsequent interviews. The whole situation was messy, but it was astounding to hear Punk lay into AEW minutes after a pay-per-view.