On Sept. 2 of this year, Phil Brooks, alias CM Punk, made headlines when he was fired from popular wrestling promotion, All Elite Wrestling (AEW). This came following an incident between him and another wrestler, Jack Perry. However, this is not where the end of his career began. 

Coming back from an injury that had occurred during a championship-winning match, Punk successfully claimed his championship title back at AEWs pay-per-view “All Out” in September 2022. He then would then go on to the Media Scrum, and publicly call out not only fellow wrestler Adam Page, but the Executive Vice Presidents of the company, Kenny Omega, Matt, and Nick Jackson. While people were asking him questions about his match, he went on a tirade about the unfairness of politics in the professional wrestling business, as well as attacking the character of each person listed before. 

“The fact that I have to sit up here because we have irresponsible people who call themselves EVPs and couldn’t manage a target and they spread lies,” Punk told the press at the conference. “What did I ever do in this world to get to deserve an empty-headed, dumb [__] like ‘Hangman’ Adam Page to go out on national television and go into business for himself,” Punk continued in his rant. 

This did not end well for Punk, as when he finally left the conference and went backstage, he was confronted alongside his friend Ace Steel by Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson. Although based on different accounts of what truly happened, it is not known how everything truly went down. What is known is that Punk and both Jacksons all got into a physical incident, and Omega was bitten by Steel. 

Following this incident, the CEO of AEW, Tony Khan, would suspend all involved, indefinitey but also stripped Punk, Omega, and the Jacksons, who had just won the Worlds Trio Championship, of their belts. It would be about 10 months until we would see any sign of Punk again, and there were rumors of his expulsion from the company. 

Punk has had a professional wrestling career spawning multiple companies, including the famous World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He was a superstar for the company for nine years. He was a fan favorite for his ‘straight-edge’ gimmick and his refusal to abide by the rules of authority. However, his anti-authority principles did not stop once he left the ring. Punk had problems with the way WWE CEO Vince McMahon and the company handled him, and eventually, he walked out of the company, leaving behind a sour note in both Punk’s and WWE’s memory. 

Although the Jacksons and Omega would make their return to the screen about eight months before, Punk would mark his return on AEW’s debut of Collision on June 17 of this year. He came back, angrier than when he had left. He came back to TV, but the fans were now indecisive about their love for the straight-edge man. He did not interact with the EVPs publicly and tended to stick with certain individuals. 

“All In,” another pay-per-view hosted by AEW would premier on Aug. 27, Punk would face fellow wrestler Samoa Joe, and Jack Perry would face the young fighter, Hook. The altercation began due to Punk telling Perry not to use real glass in his match, Perry proceeded to use real glass against Hook in the fight and then mocked Punk through the camera. Following Perrys’ loss, it is known that a physical altercation occurred between the two and that Punk may have come for Khan following it. 

There would be no word from AEW after, only the decision by Khan to suspend both wrestlers. Finally, on Sept. 2, Khan made a statement on Collision, where he addressed the incident and finally revealed the termination of Punk’s employment due to reasonable cause. 

“And this is the first time, this incident, that I have ever feared for my safety at a wrestling show, that I have ever feared for my life.” Khan told the Collision audience, “The recommendation was from the committee, but the decision was mine.” 

Punk began his career as a hero to the people, whether he was playing a good or bad character. Unfortunately, Punks’ long and wondrous career may end with him being disgraced from the very sport he proudly campaigned for.