The never-ending drama between All Elite Wrestling and CM Punk took another turn this week, but hopefully this is the end of it for now.

On the latest episode of Dynamite, controversy arose again as AEW aired backstage footage from All In London. For the first time, viewers saw exactly what happened after Punk confronted Jack Perry and the events that led Tony Khan to fire him with cause last September.

This bewildering move came a week after The Best in the World gave his side of the story, among other inflammatory statements about AEW and its management, on The MMA Hour With Ariel Helwani.

It's certainly an unenviable situation for Khan, his staff and the locker room, but the response was misguided.

One could argue that the footage exposed the polarizing star as the aggressor in the ensuing scuffle. However, that's not a shocking revelation because we already knew it provided enough evidence to terminate his contract.

The most reasonable onlookers had to understand that Punk's version of what happened was an embellishment. Even if his side of the story was accurate, getting into two separate physical altercations was enough to justify his dismissal.

As such, it's hard to understand the decision to relitigate this issue and air that clip seven months later. AEW doesn't have anything to prove here. It's impossible to completely win over the court of public opinion at this point because most people are obstinate in their view of everyone involved and what happened.

The embattled company is losing the war of perception with WWE for the first time since its inception, and this recent marketing ploy didn't help. For many, this embarrassing chain of events exasperated the divide between the global juggernaut and its chief competitor.

Growing Signs of Wear and Tear

Given the circumstances, airing the All In footage was hardly worth the negative backlash that came with it.

Sure, Dynamite's ratings did receive a boost, generating the best viewership since Feb. 28, but the bump was less than most probably anticipated and the promotional tactics felt disingenuous.

"The decision is based on putting on the best show for AEW, as well as driving interest for Dynamite and our Dynasty pay-per-view on April 21," Khan told Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated.

Considering the timing, it would be naive to believe this wasn't a response to Punk and was an attempt to provide the best weekly product. It was disappointing to see AEW go this route, but even more so to see its owner try to disguise such an obvious act of pettiness.

That isn't to say his frustrations with Punk aren't understandable, but the belief that he's better than this was part of the initial appeal of an alternative. This seems so low-brow in light of the original promise of a more progressive wrestling company and healthy competition.

Furthermore, we didn't need this footage or storyline to raise excitement for Dynamite or Dynasty. The weekly series improved in 2024 following the Continental Classic, and Revolution was a resounding success.

The company also signed the three hottest free agents available: Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada and Mercedes Moné. There was no need to revisit its most humiliating moment and get in the mud with someone trying to rehabilitate their image elsewhere.

As AEW enters its fifth year, it has lost some of its original luster, but there's still so much to like about its brand of pro wrestling. That should be the focus moving forward instead of old grudges and antiquated rivalries.

The Key To Weathering This Shift In Momentum

With that said, the company found itself in WWE's crosshairs often during WrestleMania weekend. Punk wasn't the only one who took shots at AEW, as Triple H and commentary also got in on the act.

It wasn't difficult to predict this would eventually happen because the wrestling industry is so cyclical. AEW started as a breath of fresh air, but the pendulum eventually swung in the other direction after The Game took over WWE Creative.

When Khan and The Elite were the new kids on the block in 2019, anti-WWE sentiments were a norm. As AEW rose to prominence, it got its fair share of digs in at the expense of the industry leader.

The new alternative became a plausible destination for stars who grew tired of being underutilized or wanted a creative direction. That dynamic shifted after the first major star made the jump from AEW to WWE and quickly made an impact.

A terrible decision like airing the All In footage won't cause a domino effect that will eventually ruin All Elite Wrestling. It will probably blow over with time, but it seems like a bigger deal now that its distinguished competitor is winning the perception war.

WWE is hotter than it has been in a long time, and Khan is feeling the effects of this change in momentum. AEW has changed pro wrestling for the better. If it is going to weather this storm and persevere, it has to recapture some of the energy it brought to the industry.

Regressing when someone like Punk takes a shot at it won't win some fans over; it will only alienate them. Being reactionary won't solve anything. It makes it seem like AEW could dish it out when it was trending upward but can't take the heat when it's on the hot seat.