AEW’s Jack Perry Reflects On Growth Following CM Punk Incident

AEW

AEW’s ‘Jungle’ Jack Perry has reflected on his growth over the past few years following the CM Punk incident at AEW All In.

CM Punk was fired by All Elite Wrestling following the AEW All In London pay-per-view event following an altercation with Jack Perry backstage at the show.

Perry would be left off AEW television for six months after the altercation, returning as the ‘Scapegoat’ in New Japan Pro Wrestling, before returning as part of the Elite in the Spring of 2024.

Perry would then also take another 9 months off AEW television following Full Gear 2024, returning at All Out back in September to reunite with Luchasaurus.

Speaking on Up Close with Renee Paquette, Jack Perry was asked how he has grown over the past two years, discussing the Punk incident without mentioning it by name.

He said:

“I think, I feel like I’ve grown a lot from it, but I feel like the growth came from a lot of, it sounds dramatic to say pain, but it wasn’t the nicest of times, for most of that time.

“I think it really freed me in a lot of ways, it’s kind of like before all that feels like another lifetime at this point, and I think back to how I felt before that, and I think a big thing I had was like, I just really, it sounds silly, I just wanted everyone to like me.

“I was new to being on TV, this was my dream job since I was a little kid, and I wanted to do it perfectly and I wanted everyone to like me, and it’s not something I worry about so much in my real life, but this was different. I kind of wanted to micromanage it and make it perfect.

“So then when I would come up short of that, it was very disappointing, and I think coming up short of anything sucks, but doing it in such a public way, and then there are a million people telling you you’re a piece of shit or whatever, it’s hard.

“And I think, through all that, I finally realised there are some people that are never gonna like me no matter what I do, and in a way that was really freeing because then I was like I don’t have to worry about that anymore, what do I wanna do?

“I think at a certain point it just amplified like 100 times, and I just realised there are people here I’m not gonna win over at this point, or win back. The people that really matter to me I think I’m good with. I dunno, a little controversy is fine too.

“It’s funny because if you had gone back 10 years ago and someone showed me ‘this is gonna happen’ I’d have been like ‘to me? Are you serious?’ But now also, it kinda is what it is, and I think as much as some people would probably want me to, I wouldn’t change anything.

“In the time when it was happening, it all felt terrible, but I think it forced me to realise things that are bigger life things.”

If you use this transcription or any portion of it, please credit WrestleTalk.com and link to this page.

To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, follow us on Threads by clicking this link!

• AEW
• cm punk
• jack perry

Share this article with friends