Posted in: AEW, Sports, TV | Tagged: cm punk, Ryan Nemeth, wrestling

Ryan Nemeth Files Lawsuit Against AEW, Tony Khan, and CM Punk

Former AEW wrestler Ryan Nemeth files lawsuit alleging physical assault by CM Punk and systematic career interference by Tony Khan and AEW management.

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 15:32:07 -0600

by Brad McMahon

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Professional wrestler and actor Ryan Nemeth has filed a lawsuit against All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Chief Executive Officer Tony Khan, and former AEW star Phil "CM Punk" Brooks, alleging assault and systematic career interference. The legal filing reportedly submitted to the court on February 14, 2025, presents a series of allegations regarding backstage incidents and professional repercussions.

According to a legal filing published by Fightful, Nemeth claims he was physically confronted by Brooks in the male talent locker room on June 21, 2023, potentially related to a tweet posted by Nemeth around that time calling Punk "the softest man alive." The filing alleges that Brooks approached Nemeth "in a menacing manner" and reportedly shouted, "Do we have a fucking problem? Do we need to step outside and handle this like men?" The document states that "Nemeth was cornered by Brooks and did everything he could in order to de-escalate the situation."

The lawsuit further alleges that Nemeth had previously expressed concerns about potential confrontations with Brooks. The filing claims that on April 16, 2023, "Nemeth contacted executives within AEW to tell his employer that he was worried Brooks would come back to the wrestling circuit following his suspension and assault Nemeth."

Following the alleged June incident, the lawsuit claims that Nemeth experienced what is known in professional wrestling as "benching" – a punitive measure where performers are not booked for matches, effectively cutting off their income stream. The filing states that "Following his June 22 conversation with Tony Schiavone, et al., Nemeth was not booked for a match for over two months."

A particularly detailed portion of the lawsuit describes an incident allegedly occurring on August 12, 2023, in Greensboro, North Carolina. The filing claims that after Brooks spotted Nemeth in a hotel lobby and sent a text message, Nemeth was promptly instructed to leave the arena upon arrival and was arranged immediate travel out of the city. The lawsuit characterizes this as "embarrassing and humiliating," noting that the incident became "viral on social media."

The legal document suggests that various actions were influenced by what the filing describes as Khan's "deep admiration for Brooks (bordering on an obsession)." The lawsuit alleges that following Brooks's departure to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), AEW and Khan have "embarked upon a campaign to 'blackball' Nemeth from professional wrestling."

The filing makes reference to previous incidents involving Brooks, including an alleged assault on Matt and Nick Jackson in early 2023 after Punk publicly denigrated them and the company at a media scrum that came to be known as "Brawl Out," which the document uses to suggest that AEW was "on notice regarding Brooks' violent proclivities."

Nemeth's lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and alleges that "The conduct of each of the Defendants was malicious in that Defendants intended to cause injury to the Plaintiff. Defendants acted willfully and with a conscious disregard for the rights of the Plaintiff."

As of this reporting, neither AEW, Khan, nor Brooks have publicly responded to the lawsuit's allegations. Nemeth, who last appeared for AEW on November 18, 2023, currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Brooks, who was publicly fired by AEW in September 2023 after another backstage altercation with "Jungle Boy" Jack Perry, now performs for WWE.

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