Tony Khan Says CM Punk Put His ‘Life In Danger’ During Heated Altercation

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AEW President Tony Khan is speaking out about his altercation with CM Punk.

Last week, Punk reportedly got into a backstage altercation with wrestler Jack Perry at AEW’s All-In event in the UK.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, Punk sucker punched Perry and lunged at Khan during the altercation.

Via Wrestling Observer

“Another version, and this would be a neutral source who was not a wrestler, but was there and witnessed it, and his version was that, right after Perry came to the back, Punk went nose-to-nose with him aggressively and asked him if he had a problem. That person said Perry said he was just looking to get heat as a heel.”

“Punk shoved him hard, Perry got in his face and in that version, Punk sucker punched him and went for a choke. People immediately broke it up and Khan was yelling at Punk to let him go. That person said that once they were separated, Punk lunged in Khan’s direction but a number of people got in his way while Punk was yelling ‘I Quit.’ Monitors were knocked down during all this.”

On Saturday, AEW released saying they had fired Punk.

Before Saturday’s AEW Collision, Khan addressed the fans in attendance and explained why he fired Punk.

“Today I had to make one of the toughest decisions of my professional career. Today I terminated Phil Brooks, CM Punk, for cause. This stems from a backstage incident at AEW All In last Sunday. The incident was regrettable, and it endangered people backstage. That includes the production staff, the people who help put the show on every week, innocent people who had nothing to do with it.

I’ve been going to wrestling shows for over 30 years. I’ve been producing them on this network for nearly four years. Never in all that time have I ever felt, until last Sunday, that my security, my safety, my life, was in danger at a wrestling show. I don’t think anybody should feel that way at work. I don’t think the people I work with should feel that way, and I had to make a very difficult choice today. It came at the recommendation of a discipline committee here in AEW, as well as outside legal counsel, who delivered a unanimous recommendation, and I have followed up on that recommendation. I’m sorry to any fans who are upset by this.”