CM Punk Megathread

JP Liz V1

If CM Punk wants to return to AEW, as have been the rumors for months now, he sure has an odd way of showing it.

After seeming to suggest that his toxic issues with The Elite can be worked out, CM Punk took to his Instagram Stories to lash out at Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, Tony Khan and Dave Meltzer, all of whom are arguably the real-life pillars of AEW.

In a diatribe similar to his rant at the AEW All Out media scrum, Punk claimed Moxley refused to lose to him last fall—which Moxley ultimately did at AEW All Out—while calling Chris Jericho a “liar and a stooge.”

Said Punk in a since-deleted IG Story on Thursday:

“SIGH. I wasn’t cleared to come back to wrestle yet. Then [sic] plan was to wrestle at the ppv. I sat and listened to Moxleys Rocky three idea. I explained how I’d never seen a Rocky movie. I and thought the idea sucked [sic] but if the boss wanted to do it whatever. He said he wouldn’t lose to me.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2023/03/23/cm-punk-calls-chris-jericho-a-liar-buries-aew-creative-in-deleted-instagram-story

Punk has not seen Rocky 😧

Lord TSC

Back causing drama…

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/aew/matt-hardy-christopher-daniels-ryan-nemeth-sent-home-from-past-aew-collision-shows

Dave Meltzer is reporting that Hangman Page is not the only wrestler to have been booked and then asked to leave from recent AEW Collision shows.

Meltzer noted in Sunday's Daily Update that Page had been booked to film a pre-tape interview for Dynamite at the Greensboro (North Carolina) Coliseum this past Saturday but when he arrived, Page was told they would have to do the segment away from the building.

Meltzer addressed the backstage issues in AEW further on Wrestling Observer Radio, stating that similar situations involving Matt Hardy and Christopher Daniels have occurred as well. He also confirmed a report from Fightful Select that Ryan Nemeth has been sent home from shows recently too. 

While not explicitly stated by Meltzer, the common denominator is CM Punk who has had his issues with Page and addressed the former AEW World Champion in an off-air promo Saturday that did nothing to quell matters between them as his comments were not part of any angle.

"Everyone believes that it's Punk. I'm sure that Tony (Khan) will say it's not Punk, just like he did before," Meltzer said. 

Nemeth and Punk's issues stem from Nemeth tweeting "Literally the softest man alive” following Punk's return promo where he mockingly apologized to fans of The Elite where he said, "I am sorry that the only people softer than you are the wrestlers you like." Nemeth has since deactivated his Twitter account. 

"Punk confronts (Nemeth) on June 17th in Chicago his first night back," Meltzer said on WOR. "Something happened. I was told it was all settled, it wasn't a big deal. Obviously, it was not all settled."

"What ends up happening because one's a star and one is not a star is that Ryan Nemeth wasn't booked after that point. 

"For whatever reason, (Nemeth) was supposed to come back last night in Greensboro, came in and then was told - however the story goes - all of a sudden, people find out that he's there and then he's told not to go to the building after he was booked. So, he was never at the building, nobody saw him at the building but he was there."

"Matt Hardy was booked on a Saturday, went there, and then was told not to go to the building after he got there. That was not last night, but Matt Hardy was one of them. Christopher Daniels, who had been working with Matt Sydal as a tag team in Ring of Honor, for whatever reason, same thing happened with him. He's not supposed to go on Saturdays and he's frickin' head of talent relations. There may be others, but those are the ones that I know of that have been happening too," Meltzer continued.

Nick Hausman is reporting that Nemeth and Daniels being sent home from Collision were a direct result of conflicts with Punk. 

"Notably, Christopher Daniels’ involvement in the post-AEW All Out altercation was specifically portrayed to us as the reason The Fallen Angel is not at Collision," Hausman wrote. "Since Ace Steel, Punk’s good friend, was also involved in the altercation but not allowed to return backstage for Collision, Punk is said to feel the same about Daniels and does not want him backstage either."

As for Nemeth, Punk is said to feel that his "softest man alive" Tweet shows he is willing to unnecessarily cause drama backstage and Punk doesn't want that at Collision tapings. 

savemejebus

When Punk first returned earlier this summer after his hiatus dating back to the prior year’s All Out media Q&A, Khan stood up backstage in the gorilla position with his headset on and started pumping his fist and chanting “C.M. Punk!” enthusiastically as Punk walked by.

lol

https://www.pwtorch.com/site/2023/08/14/exclusive-punk-staking-out-his-territory-in-collision-details-on-intense-confrontation-with-one-wrestler-over-critical-tweet/

riffmongous

"As for Nemeth, Punk is said to feel that his "softest man alive" Tweet shows he is willing to unnecessarily cause drama backstage and Punk doesn't want that at Collision tapings. "

Well you couldn't disagree with that anyway, what on earth was he thinking when he tweeted that? And I would dispute the claim Nemeth isn't being booked anymore when he was never being booked in the first place (1 tv appearance all year I think). On the other hand, that coming from Punk is just so hypocritical that it makes the mind boggle

Man can't AEW go one week without some drama? The last weeks it was the women, now this. Like you have one of the biggest events ever in wrestling coming up and instead there's all this crap about tweets and Punk pursuing some personal vendetta

B.A._Baracus

Am starting to question why anyone would be a fan of Punk anymore. All his antics and whining....

The White Wolf

I don't think Nemeth helps himself as he has a penchant for talking **** on social media. It's one thing to throw pot shots at the likes of Joey Ryan, and a whole other kettle of fish **** talking one of the biggest stars in the company you work for, a company that could very easily dismiss you and carry on without a second's thought.

That being said, it's getting harder to defend Punk as there was absolutely no need to shoot on Hangman again. It seems to be all kicking off again now and Meltzer is in over drive.

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120978679#Comment_120978679

No AEW can’t and somehow they’ve booked ppvs a week apart which is bizarre. It can’t get out of its own way and it’s very annoying as a wrestling fan. Yes punk has been the cause of so much hassle but Tony khan is to blame in general as he is the boss and it’s from him down that set the tone in the company, yet we have seen many instances of backstage bullshit between talent.

I can actually agree with the Christopher Daniels shouldn’t be at TV as fair is fair he was a part of that fight.

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120980843#Comment_120980843

His in ring stuff is why I’m a fan of his or still a fan. Punk has caused hassle but let’s not even try to pretend he alone is the issue.

Punk is surrounded wall to wall by cretins at AEW.

He was doing Tony a solid keeping Nemeth away from the show.

Nemeth was being a lickarse to the Counterfeit Bucks on Twitter and when Punk confronted him face to face, Nemeth squealed like a hog stuck under a gate.

Harpo Marx and Counterfeit Bucks are raging that CM Punk has taken custody of their baby.

AEW is Punk's show.

Punk is the daddy.

JP Liz V1

Speaking on the ‘Kliq This’ podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash believes CM Punk needs serious mental help:

“Honest to God, I mean, this is in all seriousness, what I take from this whole thing is he needs serious help. He needs mental help. When it becomes destructive, when there's a chance this costs you millions of dollars and you just continue to push and push and push. They have to (let him go). I'll tell you right now man, if I would have broke in and saw some motherfucker doing that ****, I would have said, 'Oh if he can get away with that, well ****, then I'm going to do it.”

“I just think that Tony Khan needs to get somebody there to be the heater. He needs to bring somebody in. Vince wouldn't put up with that ****. It's disrespectful to Tony. To me, Punk is almost a bully at this point because he knows that Tony is not, that's just not in his DNA.”

Agent Coulson

The Endeavor take over of WWE will be completed next week.

I wonder what kind of say will they have on a resigning of Punk if it was to happen since they have previously had him under contract as a UFC fighter.

He was an initial draw in his first fight (450k buys) for them even as a guy who wasn't up to fighting at that level.

His second fight 250k buys when everyone realized he couldn't fight.

He didn't have his 3rd contracted fight so is he still under contract to the UFC?

Itssoeasy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121080754#Comment_121080754

Nobody at all if they have their wits about them should have anything to do with CM Punk. And if they do then they deserve the **** that will eventually come with him being in that company. It’s why I felt Tony khan should’ve fired him after the initial brawl, but didn’t which I don’t get, but I think WWE and triple h in particular won’t have forgotten how he left the last time.

The White Wolf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121092100#Comment_121092100

I'm guessing he didn't fire him first time around because it was more complicated. EVPs confronted a member of the roster and then it turns into a he said, she said. No clear way to fire Punk without a major lawsuit.

All In was much more straightforward; Tony actually witnessed it and there's cameras all over the shop. I'm sure Tony didn't want to do it but there was no better time to get it dealt with than the opportunity Punk offered up.

I'd be surprised if Punk goes the legal route.

savemejebus

To be fair to Punk, if he gets some help for his issues he can be big money for any company. I would not be in any way surprised to see him back in WWE. Why?

• He is still a proven draw
• For 99% of his WWE run he was a company guy. worked hard, worked hurt, did everything he asked until he physically couldn't. When he walked out he didn't say a word against WWE until they fired him on his wedding day. His biggest slight to HHH was saying that 'with respect' HHH needed to work with him more than he needed to work with HHH when he was leaving. HHH has gotten over worse than that for dollar signs
• Up to when certain parties in AEW started leaking Colt Cabana crap to dirtsheets he was a model employee for AEW, drawing numbers and helping the new-ish guys on the roster. If Tony had locked down the situation when it arose then Brawl Out, Brawl In would never have happened and they'd still have a guy who legitimately sells tickets on board. How many pre-press conference horror stories about his behaviour are there that came from from non-elite aligned sources.

The AEW locker room really sounds like a horrible horrible high school environment and Tony is the headmaster that wants to be cool and down with the cool kids. I doubt anyone is scared of being fired by Tony for anything. Cody had the sense to get out, Punk didn't and it broke his already fragile ego. He would probably get on fine in WWE for one reason, the boss isn't 'friends' with everyone. He's the Boss. The 'boys' aren't EVPS or bookers or sh1t like that.

The White Wolf

If Punk ends up in WWE, he should be treated like Brock and there won't be any issue; get in, work who are asked to work and then leave.

savemejebus

Nick Khan doesn't answer a question about Punk

“Listen, we only have respect for Phil [Brooks, Punk’s real name]. We appreciate his run here. We appreciate what he did and tried to do with the UFC. Not many people can actually get in there and do what he did. So, when we have respect for Phil, we wish him nothing but the best.”

Agent Coulson

Nick Khan blowing off Punk by the looks of it.

We wish him nothing but the best.

JP Liz V1

..

Agent Coulson

Why would CM punk be suing AEW and what would he be suing them for?

ebbsy

The question for me is do WWE actually need Punk ? I don't think they do.

It would only be a short term move. Remember when he got fired from the WWE ? On his wedding day.

He is not reliable.

I am not a Nash fan but I agree he does need help.

JP Liz V1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121129451#Comment_121129451

If he thought an unfair dismissal, contract termination, full payment etc., but it looks like Punk has accepted his AEW faith and perhaps his own wrongness or wants to look appealing for WWE to come calling

Agent Coulson

Being reported across all the dirt sheets now that WWE have turned down the chance to sign Punk despite him wanting to go there, they decided that the negatives outweighed the positives.

Lord TSC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121223237#Comment_121223237

I think it's hilarious that they spent a few weeks dropping teases, had Punk briefing through his mouth piece that he was all set to come back, and I guess WWE have, at the last second, realized it was going to be a **** show and pulled out.

Shame. It would have been a car crash super quickly, but also super fascinating to watch.

Agent Coulson

This actually reflects bad on Punk really he was fired by AEW and went pretty much begging to go back to the WWE after everything he said about them and the WWE said nah we don't need you or the hassle you bring.

J. Marston

I bet it's more about money than anything behaviour related.

Punk probably wanted mega money and Endeavour control the purse strings now, the same Endeavour who pay UFC fighters fúck all. They wouldn't even cough up for a new deal for their heavyweight champion, Ngannou, who had beaten basically everyone. So I can't see them being too enthusiastic to splash out on old, injury-prone, problematic Punk.

JP Liz V1

Maybe top WWE talent wouldn't work with Punk, I'm thinking Seth, he didn't mince his words?

I would like to see Punk back in WWE even briefly for a WM match with Seth

PTH2009

Impact it is for Phil but he won't lower himself to that

B.A._Baracus

Ah, WWE are right to not touch Punk. Am sure he would be alright to do business with at the start then the old Punk would come out. It's just a headache they don't need.

As I said on another thread here before, it doesn't matter how much money you can bring to a company, there's a point when you are simply not worth the hassle. That's Punk now. It's happened a million times in Hollywood and other forms of entertainment.

I wouldn't be surprised to see he does the odd show for who ever next. Just out of ego. Since aew fired him and wwe doesn't want him he won't end his career with an aew match. Probably something like one match for MLW or something there other.

princemuzzy

would Japan not be perfect for him , he could do stints rather than full time less likely to fall out with people he doesnt see every week

The White Wolf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121236444#Comment_121236444

Japan fanboys frothing at the mouth right now at the suggestion Punk could hang over there. I don't think it's a runner.

I think had this been a WWE still stale under Vince, they would have taken the chance, but they're thriving right now. Why risk that on someone who is liable to throw a stick of dynamite at any given moment, and I say that as someone who is a big Punk fan.

I think Punk will be ok, as half of the reason I think he's happy to walk away from AEW without legal gripe is because he gets to keep the cash bag from Tony. Give it a few years and WWE might go there again for one last run, once he's healed body and mind.