25 Worst Wrestling Moments Of 2024
3. AEW Air The CM Punk/Jack Perry Fight
At some point in 2024, it felt like the passage of time had finally worked its magic and everybody had found a way to move on from the acrimonious 2023 exit of CM Punk from All Elite Wrestling.
Both sides were guilty of fanning flames in the interest of drumming up business or tribalist support, and all the key players being known for having particularly parasocial fans didn't hurt either. It was destined to be a massive story until it wasn't, but as more details crept out, the moves both sides made got more pronounced. So much so that CM Punk was happy to tell his version of events pretty much in full during an April interview with Ariel Helwani. Those within AEW saw it differently, had the footage to prove it, and elected to air it in full on less than a fortnight later.
As a ratings ploy it was a notable success, and the move was revealed to be part of the reintroduction of Jack Perry as a new member of The Elite following his scapegoating for the incident. It did however make the company look like it was either sinking to lows in the turf war or finding new ones themselves, depending on your outlook. The optics war as of writing was being won by Punk following a host of strong angles and matches since his WWE return and AEW's overall business decline, but this particular battle just made losers out of all involved.