Nick Khan Shuts Down “Locker Room Cancer” Claims About CM Punk

CM Punk’s reputation took a hit during his time in AEW, but WWE President Nick Khan says the label that followed him out the door doesn’t match the man he knows.

Appearing on The Bill Simmons Podcast while promoting WrestleMania 41, Khan addressed the narrative that Punk is a locker room problem—one that’s been repeated ever since backstage altercations rocked AEW following All Out. Chris Jericho reportedly called Punk a “cancer” after the incident, and even Seth Rollins echoed the same term publicly before Punk’s WWE return.

But Khan isn’t buying it. “By the way, it was so obvious to me that he wasn’t a cancer,” Khan said. “In having been an agent, assume I dealt with some personalities that were not the easiest. That’s part of the job. I’d always found to be a gentleman.”

Khan went further, saying he had no doubts about bringing Punk back to WWE—especially after how he carried himself behind the scenes.

“I always found him to be honest, responsive, and I felt like if he was that way outside of WWE, if given an opportunity to come back to the company, he would be that way. And he said that he would be, and he’s been a gem to work with.”

Since returning to WWE at Survivor Series 2023, Punk has largely kept a low profile backstage. His interactions with the roster have been positive, and several industry veterans—like Bully Ray and Mark Henry—have defended Punk publicly, saying the perception doesn’t match the reality.

Now with Khan going on record to back him up, it’s the strongest internal vote of confidence Punk has received since his return.