"I think it backfired in Tony's face" - WWE legend lashes out at AEW airing All In 2023 backstage footage

Tony Khan's decision to air the footage of the backstage altercation between Jack Perry and CM Punk at AEW: All In 2023 is a point of discussion for the wrestling community.

One WWE Legend thinks the decision has not been good for Tony Khan. That legend is Dutch Mantell, and he has spoken about the incident on the latest episode of Story Time with Dutch Mantell.

Mantell believes that airing the footage backfired on AEW. He also claimed that nobody swung first:

"I think it backfired in Tony's face. It backfired in AEW's face and all of their faces. Because what CM Punk has been saying for months and months and months, is what I saw. And nobody swung first. I don't think there was any swinging there at the beginning. It was just that CM Punk grabbed him for being a smartass, I can see that, and then said 'get the hell away from me' and Samoa Joe moved in to separate him," he said.

The airing of the footage could be the last twist in a controversy that's been going on since 2023 when CM Punk and Jack Perry disagreed on the latter using real glass during a match on Collision.

Perry later mocked that decision by referring to using real glass before taking a suplex onto a car's windshield from HOOK at All In 2023. That incident had several repercussions, including a backstage skirmish between the two. Since then, Punk has returned to WWE and Perry is performing in NJPW.

AEW President Tony Khan justified the airing of the footage

The airing of the footage happened days after CM Punk revealed his side of what had happened during the skirmish. Rumors of the broadcast started a few days ago, and Khan later confirmed that he would broadcast the footage and justified the broadcasting during an interview with Sports Illustrated.

"AEW has a great track record on delivering what we advertise, and it is real footage, The Young Bucks will show backstage footage from All In, the most important event in AEW history–the world record-holder for the most tickets ever sold for any wrestling record, over 81,035 total–and it was an important night backstage, as well," he said.

Reports are now coming in that the Young Bucks, who were part of the broadcast spot, agreed to do the segment because they thought it would generate heat for their feud with FTR, who were once part of a stable with CM Punk known as CMFTR.

The next twist in this controversy remains to be seen.

Please credit Story Time with Dutch Mantell and h/t Sportskeeda Wrestling if you use the first quote in this article.