More Backstage Details on Punk-Perry Altercation; Some Feel Punk May Not Return to AEW

Submitted by Jeff Whalen on


-- During AEW's All In at Wembley Stadium last weekend, CM Punk and Jungle Boy Jack Perry ended up in a physical confrontation backstage over comments Perry made during his match. Earlier today, even more details emerged about what went down and additional, related incidents that took place backstage:

  • Early during the PPV, after Perry had already wrestled on the pre-show but prior to Punk's match against Samoa Joe, the two wrestlers got into a backstage incident. As per Bryan Alvarez of f4wonline.com, Perry was getting some minor cuts worked on by AEW's medical personnel when Punk approached and asked if he had a problem with him. Perry responded with something to the effect of "you heard what I said out there", Punk fired back saying he could beat Perry's ass and according to witnesses, immediately either shoved or pie-faced Perry and put him in a headlock.
  • The altercation was broken up quickly but was in the presence of multiple witnesses as well as AEW CEO Tony Khan himself, who was situated in the Gorilla Position, working the PPV. Monitors were said to have been knocked down onto Khan.
  • Punk was said to be "furious" about the situation and threatened to quit and not go out for his scheduled match against Joe, causing a delay as officials scrambled to find a replacement match to move ahead in its place. The Young Bucks & FTR were approached about going out for their match, but the response from the teams was that they weren't ready. The Golden Elite vs. Bullet Club Gold/Konosuke Takeshita participants were then asked and they said they could go out if needed. Joe was said to also be furious and ultimately talked Punk into moving ahead with the match as planned.
  • Another incident took place between Punk and Miro, after the latter approached and asked what happened in the situation with Perry. Punk asked Miro if he too had a problem with him now and asked him to step aside but the altercation was managed and nothing further happened before Punk exited to the trainer's room. Multiple sources have since confirmed that there was only a verbal exchange between the two, nothing physical.
  • As reported already, Punk and Perry are both suspended pending an investigation. Alvarez reported that there are some people within AEW who believe Punk has had enough and won't be coming back but there are others who think that he will return once the investigation is complete. It is believed that he won't be at All Out this weekend, however, fightfulselect.com is reporting that Punk has reportedly not even been told that he's been suspended.
  • Another rumor making the rounds is that when CM Punk arrived in London, nobody from AEW was there to pick him up. At least some of this appears to be true, but the exact details are unclear. The first version is that when Punk arrived and saw no one there, he tried to contact AEW officials unsuccessfully and then decided to take the train. The second version claims that Punk did get in touch with AEW and either they suggested or he offered to take the train. He was apparently fine with that but once on the train, he got lost.