CM Punk returning to the professional wrestling world to join AEW was something that brought a lot of excitement among fans at first, while also creating a genuine buzz for AEW as a company. Since that point Punk has put together some great matches and storylines, particularly through his work against MJF, reminding fans just how gifted he is as a performer.
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However, with all the great promos and matches has come a lot of controversy. Punk has always been a divisive figure who has no problem speaking his mind, but that appears to be more true than ever throughout this run. This has led to several major backstage incidents, and some slightly smaller ones having taken place, all of which have led to people questioning his future in the company and the business on the whole.
8 Brawl Out
The biggest incident that CM Punk has been involved in has been infamously dubbed 'brawl out' by fans and the media, with this taking place after All Out, 2022. Punk decided to unload his true thoughts and feelings on The Elite and Adam Page during a post-show press conference that got the entire wrestling world talking, which put a lot of negativity on the company.
This then led to a huge backstage altercation where The Elite, CM Punk, and Ace Steel ended up physically involved. Punk's dog was allegedly hurt, and it ended with them all being suspended. It remains the biggest controversy in AEW's brief history and is a situation that still hasn't been talked about in detail by any of those involved. It put AEW in a terrible light and is something that could easily have cost everyone involved their jobs, showcasing how serious it was.
7 A WWE Appearance
During his time away from AEW because of the incident with The Elite CM Punk still managed to get the wrestling world talking with a major backstage incident. However, this one ended up taking place in WWE. Punk randomly showed up at an episode of Monday Night Raw which instantly set the wrestling world alight about the potential of him returning to the company and leaving AEW.
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He was spotted outside speaking with Tamina Snuka and apparently managed to have conversations with the likes of The Miz and Triple H during his brief visit. Punk was eventually asked to leave due to the commotion it would likely have caused, but he had already created a stir on the internet.
6 Online Outburst
Another issue that CM Punk caused during his time away from AEW came when he decided to get the wrestling world talking due to a post on Instagram. He decided to aim at some journalists as well as Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley, which instantly caused a huge shockwave amongst fans.
Punk blasted Moxley for some of his creative ideas regarding their storyline while claiming he had to work hurt. Meanwhile, he labeled Jericho a stooge, making his feelings on some of AEW's top stars clear.
5 Confrontation With Ryan Nemeth
Ryan Nemeth might not be one of the top guys in AEW, but that hasn't stopped him from getting involved in a backstage issue with CM Punk. Nemeth took to social media and made comments online about Punk being the softest man alive after his promo about "counterfeit bucks," and that isn't something Punk took lightly.
He confronted Nemeth backstage and asked if they had a problem or if they needed to sort it outside. While things never did get physical it was another example of a big blow-up that Punk was involved in with another member of the roster.
4 Making Collision Demands
After returning to AEW the company made him a major focal point of AEW Collision, essentially becoming the face of the new show. However, it appears there are certain talents he doesn't wish to work with because it has been reported that certain people who were once booked for the show ended up having to leave or stay at the hotel.
This ended up happening to Christopher Daniels, Matt Hardy, Adam Page, and Ryan Nemeth. While it isn't known if Punk was specifically the reason behind this, it is believed he didn't want them to be present.
3 No Glass Allowed
Another wrestler that CM Punk has controversially been involved with backstage has been Jack Perry, which has become another huge talking point. The situation initially dates back to an episode of AEW Collision and a spot that Perry wanted to do, which would have seen him use real glass in a bump.
However, Punk opted to urge Perry against that. He used his star power to essentially stop it from happening, despite beliefs that Perry had already got things okayed by other people. He thinks Punk refused him due to his friendship with The Young Bucks, while Punk's camp pushed the idea it was simply due to safety, but either way, it caused an issue between them.
2 All In Fight
The problems between CM Punk and Jack Perry did not stop with him putting restraints on using glass. That's because during the All In Zero Hour Perry decided to fire a live round at Punk after dropping HOOK onto a car windshield. He told the camera, "You know what that is right there? Real glass, go cry me a river."
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It was an obvious shot at Punk, and this reportedly led to a backstage fight between them afterward. Punk wasn't happy with the situation and the two got physical in Gorilla, which led to Punk putting him in a chokehold. The situation saw Punk almost not compete and threaten to quit until he was spoken to by Samoa Joe and ended up with both men suspended pending an investigation, once again casting a negative cloud over a big moment for AEW.
1 Jokes With Miro
Another backstage incident that has been reported on was between CM Punk and Miro directly after Punk's match against Samoa Joe at All In. However, there have been some contrasting claims for this one. Some have stated that Miro confronted Punk about what had just happened with Jack Perry, which led to Punk offering him out for a fight as well, but this has been debunked by others.
According to some reports, Punk and Miro did speak when he got to the back, but it was all done as a joke. This wouldn't have been a backstage incident if it was the case, and it is unlikely people will ever truly know the answer, although it got people talking either way.
