Former WWE champion accuses CM Punk of sabotaging his appearance in AEW

A former WWE champion has shed some light on his planned AEW appearance being indirectly ruined due to CM Punk. This came at a time when The Second City Saint was at loggerheads with Tony Khan just before he was fired from the promotion.

Former WWE United States Champion Matt Hardy joined AEW in 2020 and enjoyed a four-year stint with the Jacksonville-based company before his contract expired in April 2024 and he opted not to re-sign with the company.

On the latest episode of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, Hardy spoke on how Tony Khan had high regard for CM Punk before delving into how The Best in The World was potentially responsible for sabotaging his planned appearance on Collision.

"They were taping Collision on a Thursday after Wednesday, and we were in Canada. I said, ‘Okay, cool.’ Then I talked with Travel; they changed my flight, [and] did the whole deal. I went back to the hotel, and then I got a call from Travel saying, ‘Just heard you’re not needed for tomorrow’s event. We’ll try to get you back on your original flight; see what we can do,'' he said. [1:09:19-1:09:40]

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Matt continued:

"I’m like, ‘What do you mean I’m not needed? I just talked to Tony three hours ago, and he was excited. He said, 'Let’s f****** go.’ And really, I don’t have the full authority to say, but someone stopped that from happening. I couldn’t imagine it was anyone besides Punk because that was his show, right?” [1:09:40-1:09:58]

Check out the full video below:

Matt Hardy comments on AEW star Danhausen's booking

Late last year, Matt Hardy raised some questions regarding Danhausen's booking in AEW. The enigmatic star was last seen on All Elite Wrestling TV in December 2023.

Speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, the veteran stated:

“Danhausen's a hustler, too, man. Lots of love for him. He's a great entertainer. He's a great commodity. With him, there are so many different avenues you can take to put Danhausen on your TV program and get him over and make him sell tons of merchandise and make him a compelling part of your TV program. I don't know why they decided not to do that." [H/T: Wrestling Inc.]

Meanwhile, there have been reports that Danhausen may leave AEW to join WWE. It will be interesting to see if the switch happens soon.

Please credit The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling if you take quotes from the first half of this article.

About the author

Karan Raj is a senior writer in Sportskeeda's AEW division. He holds an engineering degree from Manipal University, but his passion for sports motivated him to pursue an MSc in Sports Business from the University of Liverpool. Karan has been in the sports marketing industry for the past seven years.

As a lifelong WWE fan and enthusiast of wrestling entertainment, he has always been drawn to the industry's unique blend of sports and storytelling. Karan was introduced to the business by his elder sister when he was 10 years old.

Before assuming his current role at Sportskeeda, Karan worked for several reputable organizations, such as Ting Works LLP and Sportz Interactive, wearing different hats. He also wrote the anthem of UP Rudras, a hockey team that played in the Hockey India League. Karan conducts thorough research while writing articles and only relies on credible sources for information.

Karan's favorite pro wrestler is Seth Rollins. He admires The Visionary's versatility as a performer and his ability to play both heel and babyface characters to perfection. Besides Rollins, Karan looks up to Roman Reigns for his storytelling skills and ability to captivate audiences.

In AEW, he enjoys watching Will Ospreay compete inside the ring. Karan loves The Aerial Assassin's technical in-ring ability and athleticism. If Karan could go back to the Attitude Era, he would combine forces with Jericho and promise to elevate his career to the same level as The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin.When not writing about pro wrestling, Karan loves to play and watch football. It is a huge part of his life.

He is also a massive fan of tennis and is learning to play the sport. Apart from sports, he also knows how to play the ukulele.

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Edited by Yash Mittal