TNA's Ryan Nemeth Files Lawsuit Against CM Punk, Tony Khan, And AEW

This is an ongoing case.

It seems that history has a way of catching up. On February 14, former AEW star Ryan Nemeth filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against AEW, Tony Khan, and former star CM Punk. The lawsuit alleges assault, breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and intentional interference with prospective advantage.

In December 2024, Nemeth submitted a complaint to several AEW executives that outlined "a timeline of events highlighting the abuse, harassment, and threats he faced while working at AEW." According to Fightful, more details about the lawsuit were provided, which seems to stem from an incident on June 21, 2023, involving Nemeth and Punk, during which the plaintiff alleges an assault occurred in the male talent locker room. Reports indicate that the argument originated from Nemeth's tweet, referring to the former two-time AEW World Champion as "the softest man alive," which Nemeth stated was intended to enhance his heel persona. According to the filed lawsuit, Nemeth claims Punk menacingly approached him and shouted, "Do we have a f***ing problem? Do we need to step outside and handle this like men?" It is stated that Nemeth was cornered by Punk and did everything possible to de-escalate the situation. Although he contacted executives about the incident the following day, Nemeth asserts that no punishment was imposed on Punk for his actions.

After the confrontation, Nemeth alleges that he was benched by the company, which he was informed of by AEW's legal team, stating that Punk "insisted" on his benching despite not being the perpetrator. Following his benching, Nemeth claims there were several unsuccessful attempts for his return to the ring. Still, he was turned away, such as on August 12, 2023, when upon arriving in Greensboro, North Carolina, he was immediately told by AEW supervisor Pat Buck that he needed to leave the arena and that travel would be arranged for him to fly out that same day. Nemeth's last match for AEW occurred on November 18, 2024. Punk's abrupt firing occurred in September 2023 after a backstage altercation at AEW All In. Two months later, he returned to WWE. Ryan currently works with his real-life brother Nic on TNA.