Nick Khan addressed the narrative surrounding CM Punk’s reputation as a disruptive force within wrestling locker rooms, particularly stemming from his AEW tenure that included two backstage incidents.
Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast while promoting WrestleMania 41, the WWE President directly countered the “locker room cancer” label that had followed Punk.
Khan stated, “By the way, it was so obvious to me that he wasn’t a cancer. In having been an agent, assume I dealt with some personalities that were not the easiest [to deal with]. That’s part of the job. I’d always found [CM Punk] to be a gentleman.”
“I always found him to be honest, responsive, and I felt like if he was that way outside of [WWE], if given an opportunity to come back to the company, he would be that way. And he said that he would be, and he’s been a gem to work with.”
The “locker room cancer” moniker gained traction following a reported backstage altercation involving Punk after AEW All Out, with Chris Jerichousing the term. This label was further amplified when Seth Rollins referred to Punk as a “cancer” during a WWE 2K23 media event prior to Punk’s return to WWE. However, since Punk’s return to WWE at Survivor Series 2023, several figures within the wrestling industry, including veterans like Bully Ray and Mark Henry, have publicly defended Punk.
Punk is slated to work a triple threat match with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 41.
