Ryan Nemeth Sues AEW, Tony Khan, and CM Punk Over Alleged Assault and Blackballing

According to legal documents obtained by Ringside News, the lawsuit alleges assault, breach of contract, and intentional efforts to destroy his wrestling career. Nemeth claims that Punk physically threatened him, Khan enabled it, and AEW ultimately blackballed him from the industry.

Nemeth was under contract with AEW and had built a solid career in wrestling, following in the footsteps of his brother, Nic Nemeth, formerly known as Dolph Ziggler. He alleges that things changed in early 2023 when CM Punk, real name Phil Brooks, assaulted Matt and Nick Jackson, also known as The Young Bucks. Nemeth claims AEW and Tony Khan were fully aware of Punks history of violent outbursts but refused to take action because of Khans personal admiration for Punk and his value to AEWs business.

Brooks undertook a campaign to terrorize and intimidate Plaintiff, including physical assault. AEW and Tony Khan did nothing to protect Ryan Nemeth and other wrestling performers from despicable conduct on the part of Brooks, the lawsuit states.

Nemeth alleges that in April 2023, he told AEW executives that he feared Punk would retaliate against him once he returned from suspension. His concerns became reality on June 21, 2023, when he claims Punk confronted him in the AEW locker room, cornered him, and shouted, Do we have a fucking problem? Do we need to step outside and handle this like men? Nemeth says he did everything he could to de-escalate the situation, but the damage was already done.

The following day, Nemeth was contacted by Tony Schiavone and AEW executives, where he explained what happened. Despite this, no action was taken against Punk. Instead, Nemeth claims AEW retaliated against him by keeping him off television for over two months, cutting off his income and damaging his career momentum. AEWs legal team initially assured him he would not be benched, but that turned out to be false.

On August 12, 2023, Nemeth was booked for an AEW event in Greensboro, North Carolina, but his return was short-lived. While walking through the hotel lobby, he spotted Punk, who immediately took out his phone and started texting. Shortly after, Nemeth received a message from AEW supervisor Pat Buck, requesting a meeting at the arena. When he arrived, he was told he needed to leave immediately and that travel was being arranged for him to fly home that same day.

Nemeth was embarrassed and humiliated in front of other wrestlers who witnessed him being kicked out of the arena. More importantly, fans observed him leaving the arena. Pictures were taken and the expulsion became viral on social media, the lawsuit states.

Nemeth continued reaching out to AEWs legal team, trying to understand why he was being removed from events. He claims AEW attorneys were caught off guard and could not provide a clear answer. Things escalated further when AEW attorney Chris Peck accused Nemeth of using a ghost writer in his emails and even threatened legal action against him.

Punk was ultimately fired by AEW in September 2023 after a backstage altercation at AEW All In. The lawsuit alleges that after Punks departure, Khan became furious with Nemeth, blaming him for Punk leaving the company. Nemeth claims AEW then worked to blacklist him from the wrestling industry, ensuring that he would never be able to make a living in professional wrestling again.

The Defendants have embarked upon a campaign to blackball Nemeth from professional wrestling. Specifically, Tony Khan blames Nemeth for Brooks leaving AEW and has used his significant resources to make sure that Nemeth can never again make a living in wrestling, the lawsuit claims.

Nemeth last wrestled for AEW on November 18, 2024. He has since moved on to TNA Wrestling, while Punk returned to WWE in November 2023. Nemeth is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and has demanded a jury trial.

With AEW already dealing with a history of backstage conflicts, this lawsuit could bring more unwanted attention to the company. Do you think Ryan Nemeth has a strong case, or is this just another messy fallout from AEWs locker room drama? Drop your thoughts in the comments!