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One of the hottest topics in pro wrestling following the AEW Dynamite episode on Wednesday was the backstage footage from AEW All In. Taking place in August 2023, the show became infamous for the backstage altercation between CM Punk and Jack Perry. Following this, the Chicago-based star was terminated and Tony Khan claimed he was fearful for his safety at that point. However, after watching the footage, one former WWE icon blamed Khan and AEW for it.

The intention behind releasing the footage was to gain attention for the upcoming AEW Dynasty PPV. However, those plans quickly backfired as fans couldn’t stop talking about Punk and who was really at fault. Nevertheless, one wrestling legend made his opinion known in no uncertain terms.

Bully Ray blames Tony Khan and AEW for the backstage altercation with CM Punk

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Bully Ray recently made an appearance at the WWE Hall of Fame 2024 for Paul Heyman’s induction ceremony. Following this, he was the special guest referee for the Philadelphia street fight match at WrestleMania. A beloved icon of ECW and the WWE, his podcast Busted Open has a strong fanbase, and his opinion as a veteran is well-respected. Following the airing of the backstage footage, Ray decided to share who he believed should take the blame for it.

At the 15:30 mark of the podcast, Ray said, “This company needs help. At this point, I hope even you diehards realize that.” This was said about the video being aired and their rating going higher than last week. However, according to him, the video only proved Punk was telling the truth all this while.

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Before this, he also claimed, “This is not on the talent. This is not on the locker room. And most of the time, it never ever is across the board.” As someone who has worked in multiple promotions, Ray has never accused the talent of the company’s faults, although he did say that the altercation was Perry’s fault. Another interesting line was who should be blamed.

Ray blames AEW management for the promotion’s shortcomings

During the segment, Ray also said, “It’s on creative. It’s on the booker. It’s on the matchmaker.” According to him, the talent only follows the orders and the ones giving it and running the show should be held accountable for what happens. That is the nature of how the business has always been run no matter the promotion.

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Ray has always supported AEW but has also voiced his concerns about the company. From the lack of leadership skills from Khan and repeating the mistakes of WCW, the WWE legend has pointed out everything that was wrong with the company. In closing, he also said that he wanted to help at zero cost. What did you think about the segment and do you agree? Tell us in the comments.

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