AEW terminates CM Punk's contract after All In incident; CEO Tony Khan says he feared for his life

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All Elite Wrestling on Saturday fired CM Punk days after the pro wrestling superstar got into a backstage incident with colleague Jack Perry at the company’s premier event, All In.

AEW made the announcement that Punk’s contract had been terminated hours before Collision aired. AEW CEO Tony Khan said that Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, had been terminated with cause.

"Phil played an important role within AEW and I thank him for his contributions," Khan’s statement read. "The termination of his AEW contracts with cause is ultimately my decision, and mine alone.

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CM Punk in the ring during AEW Dynamite on January 26, 2022, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

"Of course, I wish I didn’t have to share this news, which may come as a disappointment to many of our fans. Nevertheless, I am making the decision in the best interests of the many amazing people who make AEW possible every week – our talent, staff, venue operators and many others whose efforts are unsung but essential to bringing our fans great shows on television and at arenas and stadiums throughout the world."

Khan further explained his decision in a message to fans before the start of Collision. He described Punk’s incident with Perry as "regrettable" and one that "endangered people backstage."

"That includes the production staff – the people who help put the show on every week. Innocent people who had nothing to do with it," Khan said. 

"I’ve been going to wrestling shows over 30 years. I’ve been producing them on this network for over four years. Never in all that