Konnan Says AEW’s Execution Of CM Punk’s 2021 Debut Was “A Mistake”

In a recent episode of his K100 podcast, Konnan reviewed CM Punk’s history with AEW and levied some criticism at the company’s initial handling of Punk’s 2021 debut (via Wrestling Inc). While his first AEW match against Darby Allin garnered significant praise, Konnan said that it didn’t capitalize on Punk’s momentum or increase Allin’s standing in a way that justified the decision. You can find a highlight from Konnan and listen to the full podcast below.

On the errors made by AEW with Punk’s debut: “When he first came back, I was certain that place [Chicago] would melt and he’d pop a rating, which he did. Then, the problem was — and this was not Tony’s decision — he wanted to wrestle with these young talents. The problem is these talents weren’t over, and to this day, are still not over. In my mind, you [Tony Khan] don’t do what Punk wants, you do what the fans want. That was a mistake. They mishandled him coming back.”