CM Punk says he’s apologized to Tony Khan for the AEW All Out media scrum and regrets how he handled the situation.
Punk revealed the news in a much anticipated ESPN interview released on Friday. He told Marc Raimondi that he was frustrated at the time of the scrum and “just didn’t approach it in the right manner.”
“The first thing I said to Tony when I sat down with him and spoke to him after it was, ‘Man, I’m really sorry I put you in that position,'” Punk said. “I apologize for the scrum. But when you’ve watched that scrum, you’re looking at a very, very frustrated guy who had told people. That’s not the first time he heard all that. It’s not the first time lawyers were told all that. And I was just looking for something to be done and nothing got done. So, if you want something done right, you got to do it yourself. And I just didn’t approach it in the right manner, but tension was high. I was very, very pissed. I pretty much knew that I had just injured myself again. I was hurt, and I was disappointed. Yeah, it’s very easy for me to say I regret that and I handled it the wrong way, 100%.”
Regarding the physical confrontation after the scrum, Punk said that everyone is trying to move past what happened that night. However, he would say that he doesn’t think it was as big of a deal as it’s been made out to be. He noted that similar situations occur from time to time amongst teammates in major sporting leagues as well.
“I don’t think what happened was a big deal…” Punk said. “This has happened in the last 10 months in hockey, in basketball, in baseball, in just about every sport. And it’s covered and it’s gone the next day. I think because I have injured my tricep and I’ve been out for so long, I think it has been exacerbated. I think it’s been exacerbated by people spreading lies about the whole thing. And when, in reality, my attitude is, well, s— happens.”
Punk addressed Hangman Page’s promo on the May 25, 2022 edition of Dynamite as well. He said that he and Page spoke backstage before the segment about what they would say but Page strayed from what they agreed on. When Punk questioned him about it after, he says Page told him he said what he did because Punk had attempted to get Colt Cabana fired from the company.
Raimondi wrote:
Punk told ESPN that he has no relationship with Cabana but that he “never” asked Khan to take Cabana’s or anyone else’s job. But others in the company, including the Elite, believe Punk did indeed do that, per sources.
Punk continued to say that Page going off script led to them having a “garbage match” at the pay-per-view.
“And I proceed to have what I think is a garbage match because I’m trying to protect myself on stuff instead of actually just working and trying to put on the best performance I can,” Punk said. “I’m keeping an eye out. He chopped me in the mouth one time, and I’m just like, ‘OK, did you do that on purpose?’ You chip my tooth, and I’m like, ‘All right, should I give him a receipt?’ It changes the dynamic. It poisoned everything for me, and it made it all really, really ugly, and that was what set all of this off, and here we are over a year later and ain’t s— been done about it.”
Punk continued to say that he’s attempted to speak with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks regarding what happened. However, he told ESPN that after attempting to contact them, he received “messages from lawyers saying, ‘Do not contact this person.'” He’s also been told that using the real-life situation as part of an angle on television is not going to happen.
Punk expressed frustration at being labeled “the bad guy” regarding the situation, and says he’s just been trying to defend himself. He said people in the AEW locker room leaking reports to the wrestling media have contributed to the drama.
“Now we all got to roll in the f—ing mud, and that never should have happened and has never been course-corrected,” Punk said. “So, I understand people want to say that, ‘Oh, man, Punk is a dick.’ Well yeah, because I’m defending myself and I will always defend myself. I’m open to have a full-blown f—ing sit-down powwow discussion with everybody about it. But it hasn’t happened yet, and it’s not because of my lack of trying.”
Punk makes his long-awaited return to the ring on Saturday in the main event of AEW Collision. The event takes place in his hometown of Chicago from the United Center. Punk will team with FTR to face Samoa Joe and Bullet Club Gold members Jay White and Juice Robinson.
“I know pro wrestling is absolutely the most bizarre form of entertainment on Earth, but to me, I treat it like a business, and I treat it like the television show that it is,” Punk said. “So, y’all haven’t seen me since I won the belt. I’m coming back. Tune in to find out exactly what I have to say. I’m picking up right where I left off.”
