The Self-Destruction Of CM Punk In AEW | Wrestling Timelines
October 31, 2022 - Case Closed
In the October 31, 2022 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reports that the internal investigation into the events of ‘Brawl Out’ is complete.
Ace Steel is fired by AEW. The Elite’s in-ring return is imminent, and has been teased on television. Dave also writes, following an initial report from PW Insider’s Mike Johnson, that AEW is working on buying out CM Punk’s contract.
Very little is known about what drives these decisions - so much of Brawl Out is locked under various non-disclosure agreements - but certain developments happen, at near enough the same time, that don’t flatter the “Punk camp” account.
November 2, 2022 - “For The Boys”
The timing of a certain match on Dynamite is curious. It doesn’t happen between March and August, put it that way.
Colt Cabana returns to AEW to take on Ring of Honor World champion Chris Jericho. AEW wrestler and obvious Colt sympathiser Trent Beretta quote tweets a video of Cabana’s entrance with the caption “FOR THE BOYS”. Matt Hardy replies with a ‘Breaking Bad’ GIF of Heisenberg saying “You’re goddamn right”.
The match is a disaster; speaking on his podcast subsequently, Colt reveals that he misplaced the soccer socks he usually likes to wear under his boots and knee pads. He hastily, accidentally purchases compression socks, "essentially [making] a tourniquet for the lower half of my body”. Colt is unable to feel his legs as he positions Jericho to deliver a move from the top rope. His legs give way, they each tumble out of the ring, and Jericho is lucky to land, ultimately, on his stomach.
Still, while the match is humiliating, the circumstantial evidence is compelling. Again: nobody knows who said or did not imply what to Tony Khan, but as Colt makes his entrance, he does so looking like he’s on the absolute verge of ugly crying. Colt made his name as an irreverent comedy performer, and while he had performed weighty, serious material before, it does not look like he’s acting.
Nothing can be accurately determined - but it sure looks like he is so emotional because he doesn’t think he would be allowed to do this again.
This does nothing for Khan’s reputation, either. Within the space of a few months, he absolves Punk of blame and affords Cabana, who hardly scans as a special mystery opponent on merit at this stage of his career, something that feels as much like an apology than anything else.
It might simply be a case of saying sorry for being caught up in everything. It certainly isn’t an epic showdown between two ROH greats. Weeks later, when hosting a pre-Full Gear media call, Khan is definitive in stating that Punk never asked for Colt to be removed from the locker room. What’s going on?
It’s as unclear as ever - but it’s more compelling than the onscreen product.
On the episode of Wrestling Observer Radio in which Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez review Dynamite, Alvarez says it’s a little funny how Colt walked back into AEW the second the investigation concludes.
“It’s almost as if a certain story was true from the start!” Dave says, and he’s animated. He bellows those last three words.