Folks, if you thought the CM Punk – AEW drama was finished, guess again—because Ryan Nemeth just hit AEW, Tony Khan, and Punk with a lawsuit that might be more chaotic than a locker room brawl at All In.
Filed on February 14 (because nothing says Happy Valentine’s Day like legal action), Nemeth’s lawsuit accuses AEW, Khan, and Punk of:
- Assault
- Breach of contract
- Breach of good faith
- Intentional interference with prospective advantage (a fancy way of saying “ruining his career”)
According to Fightful, this whole mess traces back to June 21, 2023, when Punk allegedly confronted Nemeth in the male talent locker room over a spicy tweet calling Punk “the softest man alive.” Now, to be fair, Nemeth claims this was just him playing the heel. Punk, however, reportedly did not take it as playful banter.
Nemeth’s lawsuit says that Punk cornered him and aggressively asked, “Do we have a f*ing problem? Do we need to step outside and handle this like men?”** Nemeth, realizing that throwing hands with Punk was not the path to career longevity, tried to de-escalate the situation.
Nemeth’s Allegations Against AEW & Tony Khan
The next day, Nemeth reported the incident to AEW executives, expecting some kind of action. Instead, according to the lawsuit, AEW’s legal team informed him that he was benched from the company—at Punk’s request.
Fast forward to August 12, 2023, and things got even weirder. Nemeth flew to Greensboro, NC, for an AEW event, only to be met at the door by AEW official Pat Buck, who told him to turn around and leave the building. AEW even booked him a same-day flight home, essentially treating him like a wrestler-shaped Amazon return.
Nemeth’s final AEW match was on November 18, 2024, before he parted ways with the company. Meanwhile, Punk himself was fired in September 2023 following his own backstage altercation at AEW All In (because apparently, AEW locker rooms double as UFC warm-up gyms). Punk would later return to WWE, while Nemeth went on to work in TNA alongside his real-life brother, Nic Nemeth (FKA Dolph Ziggler).
As of now, this case is still developing, so buckle up—because if there’s one thing pro wrestling loves more than dramatic promos, it’s lawsuits.