Tonight’s AEW All In London show was historic on many levels, including tickets sold and moments made, but, unfortunately, there was one negative backstage story leaking out as things progressed. Prior to the first match on the main show taking place, CM Punk versus Samoa Joe, there was reportedly a physical confrontation between The Second City Saint and Jack Perry backstage. The two men had previously shared words at a Collision taping early in the show’s tour of Canada over the use of glass in a backstage segment. So the story goes, Perry was adamant that real glass be used, while CM Punk and AEW doctors objected, resulting in a tense standoff between the two stars.
Flash forward to Perry’s FTW title match against HOOK on Zero Hour, which he lost, where he slammed Taz’s son into the windshield of a limousine that was sitting near the entrance area. Perry looked straight into the camera after the move and said, “It’s real glass; cry me a river,” which looks to have jumpstarted the confrontation that followed.
PWTorch reports that, unlike the previous report that Perry confronted Punk, it was actually Punk who confronted Perry. Punk allegedly asked Perry if they had a problem, and as words were exchanged, he eventually pie-faced the young star in the face. The former UFC star then restrained Perry in a facelock before throwing some punches and being pulled off. The encounter nearly caused a delay to the start of the show, as some production members were apparently scrambling for ways to fill time if Punk was going to be late.
Both wrestlers left the arena shortly after the incident, with Perry being asked to leave immediately and Punk leaving after his match with Joe. It was left open that Punk may return if needed for a post-main event angle with MJF and his “Real AEW World Championship,” but that never manifested, and it is not clear if there were any plans for it.
It is worth noting that Tony Khan began the AEW All In media scrums by confirming a backstage incident took place just before they went live, and the company is investigating it.
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