CM Punk was fired by AEW before All Out 2023, just one year after being suspended for a backstage fight with some of the company’s top stars.
The two-time AEW Champion had a controversial time in the company, spending a lot of time on the shelf with injuries and suspensions.
He originally came in as a figure of joy, enjoying wrestling again and wanting to help the young talent grow with the company.
However, bitterness soon grew and fight after fight made CM Punk’s position in AEW untenable, leading to his release with cause from the company.
William Regal
The most recent story to come out of the CM Punk’s backstage fight saga was with somebody he was thought to respect greatly in William Regal.
As reported following his firing from AEW, CM Punk refused to shake the hand of William Regal when he joined the company in March 2022.
According to reports by Bodyslam.net, in the altercation between the two, Punk refused to shake Regal’s hand, and would then get in the legend’s face, telling him that he did not like him, he did not trust him, and that Regal was a “stooge for Triple H.”.
The pair never appeared on-screen together, wtih the backstage fight clearly souring the relationship between the pair. William Regal left AEW after Full Gear 2022, while Punk lasted until All In London.
The Elite
After suffering an injury during a victory over Jon Moxley at All Out 2022, CM Punk engaged in an explosive press conference, tearing down The Elite and Colt Cabana for leaking various rumors about Punk.
He invited The Elite to come see him after the fact, claiming that if anybody had a problem with him that they should come and see him.
With various people, including AEW head of talent relations and their resident lawyer, The Elite went to confront CM Punk in his locker room.
This lead to Punk throwing a punch at Nick Jackson, while his friend Ace Steel threw a chair at the Young Bucks, before biting Kenny Omega in the arm.
All the men involved were suspended, except for Ace Steel who was fired (and later brought back as CM Punk’s creative advisor).
Jack Perry
Jack Perry referenced a supposed argument between the pair, during his match with Hook at All In.
After suplexing Hook through glass, Perry looked into the camera and said “Real glass. Cry me a river” – an oblique reference to CM Punk and his disagreement with the young star.
CM Punk was said to have confronted Perry as soon as he got through the curtain, sucker punching the young star before attempting to lock in a guillotine choke.
This was split up by Samoa Joe, who went on to lose to Punk at Wembley Stadium just moments later.
This ended up being CM Punk’s last match in AEW – maybe ever.
Tony Khan
The fight that got CM Punk fired from AEW came directly after his altercation with Jack Perry at All In.
According to recent reports, CM Punk “lunged” toward Tony Khan in the Gorilla Position, threatening to quit the company before his match against Samoa Joe.
Tony Khan revealed that he feared for his life at All In, as noted in a promo before the September 2nd, 2023 episode of AEW Collision (the same promo where he announced he had fired CM Punk).
The whole ordeal was seen by many eyewitnesses, as well as taped by the vast array of security cameras filming all over Wembley Stadium.
It was the testimony of the non-wrestling eyewitnesses that was said to have swayed Tony Khan to fire CM Punk, which was tough because he was the biggest draw and highest merchandise seller in AEW.