"Guys around him could have told him" - Wrestling veteran thinks AEW locker room should have warned Tony Khan about 5- time WWE Champion's attitude problem before signing (Exclusive)

AEW President Tony Khan has dealt a lot of issues over the past few weeks.
AEW President Tony Khan has dealt a lot of issues over the past few weeks.

Dutch Mantell claimed that the AEW locker room should've warned Tony Khan about five-time WWE Champion CM Punk's attitude before acquiring him.

Punk debuted in AEW on August 20, 2021, episode of Rampage after a seven-year absence in wrestling. During his one-year run, he became a two-time AEW World Champion. The Second City Saint's recent title win was at the All Out pay-per-view on September 4 when he ousted Jon Moxley.

After the event, the former WWE Champion went on an outburst when he threw incendiary remarks towards Colt Cabana, 'Hangman' Adam Page, and The Elite (The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega) during a media scrum. This led to a reported backstage physical altercation between Punk and The Elite.

Speaking on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk, the wrestling veteran stressed that Khan found out what Punk really was.

Mantell then pointed out that the other members of the AEW roster could've given the AEW President a heads-up about the tendencies of the former world champion.

"Well, he's [Tony Khan] getting some good first hand experience so... But I think some of the guys around him could have told him that and they may have told him that. That you know, you have a little bit of a wild card in CM Punk so be careful how you handle him and especially when live mics are around," Mantell said. [from 6:24 - 6:44]

Watch the full episode below:

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Punk is currently recuperating from an arm injury (torn left triceps) he suffered during his title match against Moxley. A recent photo of himself with a fan also surfaced on social media, his first public appearance since the September 4th event.


WWE veteran Dutch Mantell on AEW President Tony Khan's respect and CM Punk's revenge

During the same episode, Dutch Mantell thought Tony Khan greatly respected the wrestling industry. However, he was saddened that the AEW President would have to endure a huge amount of problems during the All Out media scrum.

The WWE veteran then opined that CM Punk was just incensed and that he just wanted revenge against The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson).

"I don't think he realized.... I don't know what he even thinks about the business but I know he loves the business, Tony Khan does. Has a lot of respect for it and that's why I kinda hated to see him really get jacked around and I think CM Punk was mad. He [CM Punk] didn't care who he jacked around, he just wanted to get back at those Bucks," he stated. [From 6:48 to 7:14]

Mantell concluded by saying that Khan was learning after the All Out controversy and that he should listen to his other veterans like Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson.


Do you think the AEW locker room should've given Tony Khan a warning about former WWE Champion CM Punk, as Dutch Mantell stated? Let us know your answers in the comments section.


Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the YouTube video when using quotes from this article.

Meet the man who called CM Punk the softest man alive HERE

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Edited by Jeevak Ambalgi