Stokely Hathaway Confirms CM Punk's AEW Exit Affected The Firm's Plans

The Firm made its debut at All Out, helping a masked MJF defeat seven men in the Casino Ladder match to secure a championship match. At the end of the show, MJF unmasked, marking the first time he been seen in months, and stared down CM Punk following Punk's win over Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship. Stokely Hathaway, the mouthpiece and coach of The Firm, recently revealed that the brawl that took place following the All Out media scrum resulted in plans for The Firm being changed.

"Everything that was supposed to happen with The Firm did not happen," Hathaway said on "The Sessions with Renee Paquette." "I think if people look back at All Out and what happened immediately after the pay-per-view, that's a huge part of it, you know? Who we were supposed to directly feud with is no longer in the company and that was one thing I was looking forward to. ... I don't know the specifics, like people are choosing sides, whatever. I just know for me, the fact that CM Punk said, 'Hey, I want to work with this guy,' that holds a lot of weight. It means a lot regardless of what has happened."

Punk reportedly was suspended following the brawl that also involved Ace Steel and The Elite. The Elite returned at Full Gear and Steel has been released, but Punk's status with AEW remains unknown.

"It was literally rewriting everything on the fly," Hathaway said regarding how Punk's status affected The Firm. "Everyone in the group is trying to do their best. ... The original purpose isn't the purpose anymore."

If you use any quotes in this article, please credit "The Sessions with Renee Paquette," with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.