Tony Khan Addresses CM Punk AEW Incidents & Disagreements

Tony Khan has commented on the incidents and disagreements involving current WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk in AEW.

Before his 2023 WWE return, Punk joined AEW and things ended on a bad note as there were several incidents involving Punk and other talents backstage that ultimately led to fallouts and his departure.

Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show today, Khan was asked about the situation with CM Punk. He replied:

“By the way, I really think you’re a great interviewer and I very much appreciate it because we’ve had a very good interview, and I think I’ve been very good to answer all the questions, and now you’ve got me where I’m enjoying talking to you so much, you’ve really got me hooked in, so I wanna answer your questions, even the challenging ones.

“I didn’t necessarily agree with everything that was said in that interview (Punk’s interview with Helwani) about how things happened, but also, it’s a TV show, and it did a very strong number (playing the camera footage of the Punk and Jack Perry incident from AEW All In London 2023). So for many reasons I think that it made sense, and it was a thing that was advertised, and it got a lot of attention, it did a very strong number. And also, it’s in the eye of the beholder.

“I think the tape spoke for itself and I think that I didn’t agree with how it happened, and obviously it was a major part of why things were no longer able to continue with us even though I would have liked to have been able to, and it’s clear that I wanted to reconcile and do those things.

“I think really for us, we’ve had a great run for six years, and if you look at the time before Phil came to AEW, we were having a great run, and we had some great times together, but we’ve been on a great run and we’re having this great year right now with this roster, and I think this is the best roster and the best AEW locker room.

“It feels like in and out of the ring, the combination of them, this is the best we’ve been, but I also think that we had great times together and it was clear when we started doing Collision, I wanted to reconcile and find a way to still do those things, and I guess that wasn’t possible.”

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Khan was also asked his thoughts on Punk suggesting he isn’t firm enough as the boss of AEW, saying

“I don’t agree with that, but I also think that everybody’s entitled to their opinion, and that’s feedback, and it’s fair if that’s how he feels.

“But I didn’t agree with the description of the way things played out, and that’s okay. That’s all in the eye of the beholder, just like the whole situation. If you see the way it came out, it all was in the eye of the beholder, and that’s okay.

“I think AEW’s doing really well right now, and I’m really happy with what the people on the shows are doing.

“It wasn’t the first time that he and I had disagreed about something, and it may not ever be the last, and that’s okay.

“But I had tried to reconcile and I wanted to find a way for everybody to be able to work together, and that didn’t work, and that’s okay.

“It seems like everybody’s happier and doing better right now. I know in AEW right now, everybody’s really happy, and it feels like this is the best the locker room’s been since the Jacksonville lockdown days.”

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