Tony Khan thinks it made a lot of sense to air CM Punk-Jack Perry scuffle on AEW Dynamite, says Perry got superstar reaction at NJPW Windy City Riot

News
1

Originally published at Tony Khan thinks it made a lot of sense to air CM Punk-Jack Perry scuffle on AEW Dynamite

Khan reflects on his decision. 

Going into the 4/10 episode of AEW Dynamite, it was being promoted that backstage footage from AEW All In would be airing on the program. When it came time for the show, AEW showed the physical altercation between CM Punk and Jack Perry that led to Punk’s termination from the company and Perry being suspended. 

Tony Khan guest appeared on The Chris Russell Show and was asked about that decision. He feels it made a lot of sense. Khan stated that because of the altercation, there was a thought that FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) versus The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson & Nicholas Jackson) would have to kick off All In. 

He added that it was fascinating to hear and see the reaction that Jack Perry received at NJPW Windy City Riot in Chicago. Khan said Perry got a superstar reaction. 

Well I think it made a lot of sense (to air CM Punk-Jack Perry footage on AEW Dynamite). First of all, Young Bucks, FTR, Ladder match coming up at AEW Dynasty for the World Tag Team Championships. This is the fourth chapter in FTR versus The Young Bucks. I believe they’re the two greatest tag teams in wrestling, the two best tag teams on the planet and the last time they wrestled, Young Bucks-FTR III was at Wembley Stadium, AEW All In, and a lot happened that day. They were the third match on the pay-per-view and at one point, it looked like we were gonna have to call them up and they were gonna have to wrestle the first match and then they ended up going on in the spot they were in but The Young Bucks said the whole day, everything that happened, it really affected their mental preparation, they weren’t able to pray before the match, they were very stressed out and they slipped on the banana peel, lost the match and they blamed FTR, they blamed what happened at Wembley Stadium… in hindsight, that’s why they refused to shake FTR’s hand in front of those 81,035 fans. The biggest crowd ever in pro wrestling… And it was fascinating to see after that tape played, the reaction that Jack Perry got at New Japan Pro-Wrestling this week. He got the reaction of a superstar and that is not altogether unexpected and it is something very interesting. Perhaps the side effect of this, Jack Perry, already a big star in wrestling. Really the way the crowd connected with him in Chicago, that was interesting to see. Definitely leaves a lot of intrigue going into tomorrow night on TBS, AEW Dynamite coming off last week and also into AEW Dynasty pay-per-view this weekend.

The match between FTR and The Young Bucks at Dynasty is going to be a Ladder match for the vacant AEW World Tag Team Championships. 

It’ll be their fourth match against one another and FTR is in the lead 2-1. 

If the quote in this article is used, please credit The Chris Russell Show with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcription.

1 Like
2

I didn’t know Tony signed “DAMAGE CTRL”?

1 Like
3

Wow! Tony is just becoming so out of touch, it really is beginning to feel like Vince. I really hope he starts listening to people, because he comes off like regardless of how bad something is received he’s just going to double down.

4

Really? That seems like a bit of a stretch. I’m not sure what you expect him to say?
He’s not going to admit it was a bad decision he’s a manager and they all stick to their guns when they’re wrong. That doesn’t make him Vince. He’s not making woman bark and asking his children to do an incest story.

5 Likes
5

Not going to rehash whether or not they should have run the footage, I think most of our opinions are very clear on that in a different thread if anybody cares to look. But given that they did run it, I think Tony’s answer is fine. He didn’t really “double down” in my eyes, he just didn’t backtrack, because to do so would be shitting on his own booking and build for this weekend’s pay-per-view.

3 Likes
6

Lines like that truly make me feel as if Tony is in constant “work mode”, as I promise on many things I love…unless I’m misreading this quote…Jack Perry is and may never be on the tips of the lapsed wrestling fan lips. There’s wrestlers who can get shown on a commercial and random viewer will go “OH, that’s _____”. THOSE are the big stars and frankly, AEW doesn’t have those people. They have stars within the community but not BIG STARS. WWE barely has those people, just to note.

The biggest mistake about the footage being aired was not how Jack Perry didn’t get any offense in but how nobody in AEW at least made it seem as if he was caught off guard and what CM Punk did was dishonorable. We all saw he lost. At least play it up hard that he was caught slipping!

7

Yes, he’s also not forcing employees to sleep with him. I never said they were identical in every way. Come on, you know what I mean.

He’s becoming similar to Vince in the sense that he’s making unilateral poor booking decisions and won’t listen to anyone. He needs to take a break, as he’s clearly burning out creatively. A few years ago the guy could barely do anything wrong creatively, he made people like Dustin Runnels and Shawn Spears come off like superstars. He’s lost something, and the only thing that makes sense IMO is burnout. It’s ok to to acknowledge this, doesn’t mean you’re not an AEW fan.

8

I get what you’re saying about not shitting on his own booking, you make a point, but he’s kind of doubling down by insinuating that by airing the footage he made Perry into a star as that implies it was a good thing which is doubling down.

2 Likes
9

I acknowledge his booking is pants right now. I think All In was too much for him including the build up. It’s been a mess since then.

Thankfully there’s some awesome wrestlers so the shows have still felt decent to good on the whole (with weak storytelling).

I just think comparing anyone to Vince is a stretch these days but I get where you’re coming from.

3 Likes
10

Ok I get that….to be clear, I meant Vince the booker not Vince the human being.

2 Likes
11

Tony’s not going to reveal his hand on his true motives for releasing the footage. The explanation for the video being released was it being part of an angle to build to a pay-per-view, right? He’s being Tony Khan the promoter here, not Tony Khan the human.

I’m not sure what premises construct Tony’s argument that “it made a lot of sense to air” this footage, but I’m skeptical it’s deductively sound.

BTW: I saw ads for Dynamite during the Lakers/Pelicans game. Things are so different now compared to when I stopped actively watching. Wrestling moves fast. I was not moved or inspired to watch Dynamite by the ad at all.

Edit: I’d argue Tony’s “superstar” reaction comment and counter with, “No, Jack got a heated reaction from a super niche, die-hard wrestling fan base - the fan base that are the tastemakers and shapers of your program, and in one of the most prominent wrestling markets, whose favorite local wrestling hero is the antagonist of the footage.” That’s how I’d counter this hyperbolic “superstar” promoter speak: pragmatic realism. lol.

1 Like