"I'm sorry, Tony, everybody is not going to like you" - WWE veteran shares the real problem after CM Punk's AEW release (Exclusive)
Tony Khan publicly firing CM Punk from AEW was a surprising development, and while discussing the root cause of the company's backstage problems, Vince Russo pointed out Khan's mistake.
CM Punk's reported altercation with Jack Perry at AEW All In resulted in an argument with Tony Khan as well, and following the show, multiple versions of what possibly happened hit the internet.
After a thorough investigation, Tony Khan announced All Elite Wrestling had terminated CM Punk's contract in a taped video segment on AEW Collision.
Vince Russo wasn't a fan of how Khan broke the news and speculated that the AEW boss would have been trying to pacify the people who were against letting CM Punk go. While speaking on this week's Sportskeeda Wrestling's Legion of RAW, Vince had some advice for Tony Khan and stressed that it's impossible for a human being to please everybody:
"I think Tony felt there was going to be pushback and that you are going to a lot of people that are happy, but you are going to have a lot of people that are pissed off, and he's trying to go out there and massage those that are going to be pissed off. Chris, you as a psychologist, bro, I bet you must say this at least ten times a day, 'Tony, you ain't going to please everybody, bro.' It doesn't matter what you say, some people are going to be happy, and some people are going to be pissed at you. You are not going to please everybody." [18:44 - 19:18]
Had Vince Russo been in charge, he would have just released a press statement about Punk's departure and not bothered going on TV to address the crowd.
Vince delved deeper into Tony Khan's people-pleasing personality and urged the AEW President not to feel wrong about angering some in order to maintain control and discipline behind the scenes.
"Again, I just think that you are the psychologist here; I'm not. I think that just goes back to Tony just wanting everybody to like him. I'm sorry, Tony, everybody is not going to like you, bro." [21:50 - 22:10]
Vince Russo doesn't think Tony Khan really understood the wrestling business when he founded AEW
For a wrestling promotion that has been around for four years, Tony Khan and his team have done commendably well based on their reported success in Wembley.
The backstage atmosphere, however, leaves a lot to be desired as there have been multiple fights between talents, with CM Punk being involved in the high-profile ones. Vince Russo felt that when Tony Khan decided to enter the wrestling business, he wasn't informed about the complex and often explosive backstage scenarios and the ways to navigate through them.
As time has passed, Russo noted that Khan has been "smartened up" regarding the missteps a booker could make while dealing with talents. The former WWE writer added:
"From what I gathered, listen, bro, it should have never gotten to where it had gotten to. When Tony Khan started his own wrestling company, I don't think he really understood what came with that; I really don't. I think Tony wanted to just book wrestlers and be a wrestling mark and beloved by the wrestling community. I don't think he really understood that world behind the curtain. He does now, bro. He was smartened up." [17:20 - 17:52]
Do you agree with Vince's take on Tony Khan? Sound off in the comments section below.
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