Has CM Punk had a real-life backstage brawl before AEW?

CM Punk made headlines last month after a backstage altercation occurred following the AEW All Out post-event media scrum. Following the alleged fight, Punk, Ace Steel, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and more were suspended. However, this isn't the first time the former WWE Champion has had a real-life altercation.

Before Punk landed a role in WWE, he first wrestled in other promotions like ROH and IMPACT Wrestling. One of the people he had an encounter with was Teddy Hart, son of Georgia Hart, who is a member of The Hart wrestling family. Teddy garnered a reputation at Ring of Honor, especially when he performed unplanned aerial spots during a match in 2003, which later caused him to be suspended.

The two wrestlers may not have crossed paths there, but the same can't be said when they met at IMPACT Wrestling the following year. Punk and Teddy had a physical fight outside a restaurant in Knoxville due to the aforementioned unplanned spots. It was then said that due to Teddy's boxing background, he landed a couple shots on Punk before they were broken up by Sabu.

A few years later, the former WWE star recalled the incident and shared that it was Punk who threw the first move. However, the incident caused them to become friends and Teddy even praised Punk for his talents.

"It was over doing too many moves in ROH, and he was ballsy enough to come up to me. He threw the first slap, and it led to us being friends down the road when I saw his true talents. I didn't know he was that talented until he moved into the WWE." [H/T Wrestling Inc.]

Teddy signed with the Stamford-based promotion in 1998 but was released in 2002 due to reported attitude problems. He made sporadic appearances for the company in the following years.

AEW reportedly planning to buy out CM Punk's contract

Ever since the September backstage brawl in the Jacksonville-based promotion, the future of CM Punk with the company has not been reported as well.

In one of its reports, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter shared that AEW is not looking to bring CM Punk back. However, they are worried about him possibly moving to WWE.

"Those with close knowledge of the situation said they are in talks with Punk about a buy-out of the remaining years of his contract which tells you that they are not looking to bring him back. The hold-up right now is said to be the non-compete period. Obviously if the non-compete is an issue, it’s about interest in going to WWE because there’s no need for a non-compete otherwise because nobody else but AEW and WWE can pay him close to what he was making."

What do you think about CM Punk's current situation with AEW? Do you think he will return to AEW or move back to WWE? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!