CM Punk on Regrets Over His Handling of All Out 2022 Post-Show Media Scrum & Issues with Hangman Page

ESPN held a recent interview with CM Punk. One of the topics discussed included Punk’s thoughts about his actions at the now infamous post-show media scrum following AEW’s All Out 2022 event this past September.

“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. 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%.”

Punk also gave his thoughts about the backstage brawl that took place after his media scrum and felt it was not as big of a deal that it has been made out to be.

“I don’t think what happened was a big deal… 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 also gave his thoughts about Hangman Adam Page’s promo that was directed towards him during the May 25, 2022 episode of AEW Dynamite stating that he had spoke to Page backstage prior to his segment about what Page would say for his promo segment and that Page had strayed away from what they had agreed upon. Punk also stated that he had questioned Page backstage after his promo segment and was told by Page that the reason why he did it was due to his issues with Punk trying to get Colt Cabana fired from AEW.

In regards to this situation, ESPN’s Marc Raimondi reported that “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.”

On the topic of his AEW World Championship match against Page at AEW’s Double or Nothing 2022 event, Punk stated:

“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. 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 also stated that he had tried to reach out to Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks after their backstage brawl incident but received messages from lawyers stating “Do not contact this person.” Punk also stated that he has been told by AEW officials that using this real-life situation as part of an angle for AEW television is not going to happen.

Punk also gave his thoughts about his frustrations being labeled as the “bad guy” regarding the situation between himself and The Elite.

“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 also gave his thoughts about his upcoming return to AEW at this Saturday’s debut show for AEW Collision in Chicago, Illinois.

“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.”