Dave Meltzer Weighs In On Ryan Nemeth's Lawsuit Against AEW, Tony Khan & CM Punk

Earlier this month, Ryan Nemeth filed a lawsuit against AEW, Tony Khan, and CM Punk (real name Phil Brooks), alleging that he experienced workplace harassment and stopped being used by AEW as a result of speaking about that harassment. Breaking down the case on "Wrestling Observer Radio," Dave Meltzer shared some doubts regarding Nemeth's chances of success in civil court.

"I was aware of all that stuff as it was going on and [Nemeth] was wronged," Meltzer said. "I don't know [if] that means he was wronged enough for a lawsuit — that's a debatable point. But having read a lot of the lawsuit, it almost reads as comedy."

Meltzer referred to the summary of events that allegedly occurred as "ridiculous," comparing Nemeth's case to the concussion lawsuit against WWE that was dismissed years ago. While both cases had plaintiffs with legitimate complaints, Meltzer feels that the lawsuits were constructed in a way that delegitimizes those claims.

"Essentially, the argument is that [Nemeth] wasn't used because of Phil Brooks — Punk — being mad at him, which is true. It's probably why he wasn't used," Meltzer continued. "There is something there, but he basically said that Tony Khan hates him because he caused Tony Khan to lose Punk, and Tony Khan was in love with Punk and blames him for losing Punk."

The weak point in Nemeth's argument, according to Meltzer, is that Jack Perry played a much larger role in Punk's departure. Punk's AEW contract was terminated by Khan after a disciplinary investigation recommended that course of action, and the situation had to do with Punk's altercation with Perry at AEW All In 2023 rather than the issues between Punk and Nemeth. Looking over the lawsuit, Meltzer also noticed incorrect dates in certain places, which could further hurt its chances of success.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Wrestling Observer Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.