Report: CM Punk Did More Than Lunge At Tony Khan During AEW All In Incident

CM Punk lunging at Tony Khan immediately following Punk's backstage altercation with Jack Perry at AEW All In was worse than initially reported.

Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Punk was heated at Tony Khan following the altercation with Perry, screaming and swearing at the AEW CEO while also saying he was quitting AEW. It was suggested that Punk "lunged" in Khan's direction after the altercation with Perry was broken up but several people got in Punk's way.

Tony Khan was also reportedly hit by fallen monitors during the fracas with Perry and Khan became involved, yelling at Punk to let the former Jungle Boy go.

Meltzer has since noted that he toned down the language when reporting on Punk's lunge, saying on Wrestling Observer Radio: "If you saw the actual wording of what was said, lunging was...I was toning it down. It was more than lunging."

Sports Illustrated, meanwhile, reported that Punk was fired by AEW after Tony Khan "felt physically threatened by Punk at All In during his attempt to get Punk refocused on the match. Unlike prior occasions, Khan was not able to effectively communicate or reason with Punk and eyewitness accounts supporting Khan's claim further ended any chance that Punk would return to AEW."

Khan stated to open Saturday's episode of Collision that he feared for his life during the altercation. Punk was fired with cause on Saturday, September 2 upon the recommendation of AEW's disciplinary committee and outside legal counsel. Jack Perry remains suspended for an indefinite period.