CM Punk’s AEW debut in 2021 marked a major moment for the company, but his time there ultimately ended in controversy, leading to his firing.
During his tenure, Punk faced opponents such as Jon Moxley, MJF, “Hangman” Adam Page, and Darby Allin, though not all matches were well-received. Notably, his match against Bobby Fish was considered by many fans to be his weakest in AEW.
Speaking on the Cheap Heat Podcast with Peter Rosenberg, Punk reflected on his run in All Elite Wrestling and admitted that he felt some matches were wasted on certain opponents.
When asked if there were any storylines he regretted missing out on, Punk stated:
“No. I feel like I wasted some matches on some people, for sure. That is what it is. Some people understand the business and some people don’t. I think everybody here (in WWE) understands the business.”
On the October 27, 2021 episode of AEW Dynamite, CM Punk defeated Bobby Fish in a singles match. At the end of this match, Fish kicked out of the GTS, but the referee still counted to 3. You can watch it below:
During an interview with NBC Sports Boston, Fish talked about his match with Punk and said Punk was a c*nt after the match for his own mistake. Below is what the former NXT Tag Team Champion said:
“CM Punk is not a martial artist. He went on pay-per-view twice and showed the world he is not a martial artist.
He is a pro wrestler, so go out, tackle, drop down, leapfrog, all that stuff, all good. In that lane, like, dare I say, he’s got talent. But when it comes to martial arts, you’re insulting the audience’s intelligence because we’re supposed to be creating an atmosphere where you can suspend your disbelief.
It’s honestly insulting for you as one of my coworkers or peers. As a martial artist, you’re asking me to go out and sell and put over your bunk a$$ martial arts, which it’s insulting to the audience and it’s insulting to me.
At the same time, I’m working for AEW. They’re the ones paying my check. You asked me to go out and put my shoulders down for Phil Brooks. I go out and I do it.
Interestingly enough, there was a little bit of whatever in the match that he and I had, and then, you know, Phil, after the match, was a c*nt.
Frankly, as a martial artist, I went out and I laid my shoulders down for you. You should be grateful that I did because on national TV, if I decided that I wanted to f**king Haku your a$$, I could have because you’re that little bit of a threat in my world.
I’m not Jon Jones or Anderson Silva, but like, I’ve been doing martial arts since I was young and I can handle myself enough to where I will fold you like a wet nap, Phil Brooks.
So for you to be a c*nt afterwards because of a mistake that you made, it doesn’t wear well, not to mention the move that he finished me with, it’s not even his finish. It was Kenta’s.
Phil, you took a man’s finishing move, which anybody who knows pro wrestling knows like, that’s kind of f**ked up, and you weren’t even decent enough to change the name.
So yeah, I mean, it goes back. It wasn’t a challenge. It was an invitation like Phil, if you want to throw hands with The Young Bucks, who are on a short list of people that are my friends when it comes to this business, I’m happy to oblige.
I wasn’t there, so I don’t know what exactly went on. But like, if you’re feeling froggy, man, come on. Let’s jump together.”
Later in an interview with WrestlingHeadlines, Fish explained why he kicked out of Punk’s finishing move:
“The match that I had with Punk, where things go wonky at the end of that match with the kick out on the GTS, which isn’t even his move.
That’s me giving into my desire to be a little bit petty in that regard. It’s KENTA’s move and you didn’t even have the decency to change the name.
Regardless, the confusion at the end of our match was the fact that he did what’s called ‘the office’ or an ‘iggy.’ This is some inside baseball stuff here. He did that before the three count was over.
Having been in the business for a long time, I recognize what that is and have done it myself to somebody to say, in our way, ‘whatever, good match.’ He did it before the three count was over. That’s also a way to alert your opponent that, ‘Hey, let’s change something.’
In that moment, I can liken it to what Tony Khan might have been feeling when he’s going off on the EVPs. You don’t know what to do. In that moment, I know for myself, I had to make a split-second decision, couldn’t weigh out this or that.
I had to kick out or not kick out and lose the moment forever. I kicked out. Being whatever it was.”
New Video: Former WWE NXT Diva Brandi Lauren Exposes Her Big Buns:
