CM Punk has labelled Chris Jericho a “stooge” after a comment by Dave Meltzer claimed some heinous things about Punk’s matches with Jon Moxley last year.
CM Punk lost a match in mere minutes to Jon Moxley before All Out 2022, as the AEW Championship swapped hands and legitimised Moxley’s interim Championship reign.
Punk won the rematch at All Out 2022, but suffered an injury in the match which has kept him out of wrestling to this day. It was followed by an explosive press conference that saw CM Punk tear down The Elite and Colt Cabana, seemingly burning any bridges he had with AEW.
You can read the full story about CM Punk’s fight with The Elite by click the link directly below;
It seemed unlikely that the former WWE Champion would ever return to AEW. However, if you thought there was still a chance to see the Chicago native wrestle in the company again, what happened today completely ruined that chance.
Unless it’s a work, then bravo Tony Khan.
CM Punk Calls Chris Jericho A Stooge
On the 23rd March, 2023, AEW put on a fantastic episode of Dynamite, headlined by Kenny Omega vs El Hijo Del Vikingo.
However, a storm was brewing online, started by a simple post by Dave Meltzer on the Figure4 Online wrestling forums.
Talking about the Jon Moxley vs CM Punk match from AEW Dynamite, just weeks before AEW All Out 2022, he revealed that Punk originally refused to wrestle the AEW interim champion, before having his lawyers send a letter detailing his refusal.
However, it was said that Tony Khan then put his foot down, and CM Punk was forced into the match, where he was squashed by Jon Moxley to lose his AEW Championship.
This caused quote the stir. Most people noted that the information was 7 months later, and likely given to Meltzer by Chris Jericho – who has previously spoken about not wanting CM Punk back in an AEW ring.
However, CM Punk, tired of all the posts about him without response, decided to address the information claimed by Meltzer about him.
Calling Chris Jericho a “stooge”, he shot down the rumours and claimed that he wasn’t medically cleared when AEW wanted to do the match with Moxley – with AEW trying to force him to wrestle, hence the message from his lawyers.
In his Instagram post, CM Punk talked about his match with Jon Moxley, revealing he hated the idea that the former WWE Champion had, taking inspiration from Rocky III.
“SIGH. I wasn’t cleared to come back to wrestle yet. Then 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 but if the boss wanted to do it whatever.
He said he wouldn’t lose to me. I’d never experienced someone refusing to lose to me. I just laughed. I asked Tony if this was what he wanted. He said yes. He’s the boss so I said okay but I’d need to be cleared first. They kept saying it could just be a squash so I didn’t need to be cleared.
I scoffed at that. My health is more important. Dave Meltzer is a liar. Jericho is a liar and a stooge. There were plans but plans always change but I’ll never put a company above my health ever again.”
If this is all true and not a work, this surely rules out any chance of CM Punk ever returning to AEW. It is a sad end to a great career, and we can only hope he moves to WWE for one last run, and a Hall of Fame run down the road.
If it is all a work, AEW are crafting the greatest story ever and should be awarded an Emmy for Tony Khan’s vision.