CM Punk's media scrum caught the attention of EVPs in AEW, but also wrestlers around the industry.
There were numerous WWE talent that reached out to Fightful to get the notes of what all went down, as well as details behind the skirmish at AEW All Out. A top WWE star said that they believe that the CM Punk that they knew years ago is being highlighted.
Another WWE talent said that if it was a work, it was one of the most elaborate works they've ever seen. A third talent said much of the same -- "If this Punk press scrum thing is a work.. bravo." Both had contacted Fightful before Raw and said that they learned individually it wasn't a work, and expressed surprise that it even happened. There was confusion from both of those as to why Tony Khan would not comment in the follow up about Punk bashing the EVPs and not providing clarity regarding the people who launched the company with him.
"You can't expect a lot of people here to have a lot of positive things to say about Punk, and I think he's aware of that and has probably come to peace with it," one talent who worked with Punk in the past said. "I feel like he's trying to run things there, and it looks like he's doing it."
Another longtime main eventer told us that they considered Punk's actions unprofessional, and don't believe he's the company man or leader that he made himself out to be. That same person would call Punk "selfish and arrogant." This sentiment was echoed by several we spoke to, including some talent that worked on set with Punk at FOX.
A WWE official said that they agreed with Tony Khan that wrestlers not liking each other wasn't bad for wrestling, but said that in situations like Punk and the Elite's, that power had to be asserted in order to let everyone know that wasn't tolerable. The same official said that kind of thing didn't happen as often recently in WWE -- except for the likes of Chris Jericho and Brock Lesnar -- because talent knew that if they did that while Vince McMahon was there, they probably weren't going to be welcomed back. With situations where it did happen, like Alberto Del Rio, they were fired.
Another top WWE name told us that if the parties involved don't put their issues aside and make money with it that "none of them have business talking about drawing houses or losing fans or interest. They have a good show but this is still the biggest piece of business they've done and they have to capitalize."
This article first appeared on our premium service, Fightful Select and was republished here on Fightful. If you complain about it being "old news," you have to buy SRS melatonin. Subscribe to get exclusive news every day, and a half-dozen weekly podcasts.
To directly support us and our continuing breaking news, interviews, and the like, subscribe to FightfulSelect.com. You'll get exclusive news sent to you directly before anyone else, and dozens of podcasts monthly including Alex Pawlowski's Sour Graps, Sean Ross Sapp's Q&A, Retro Reviews and more
