Ryan Nemeth Says ‘Literally The Softest Man Alive’ Tweet Towards CM Punk Was In Character

Ryan Nemeth clarifies his tweet aimed at CM Punk.

When CM Punk returned to AEW television on the premiere episode of AEW Collision, he said that the only people softer than certain fans are the wrestlers that they liked.

Nemeth took to social media to tweet, “Literally the softest man alive.”

Speaking to Sportskeeda, Nemeth clarified his tweet.

“There are some things I can talk about and some things I can’t talk about. I can very happily tell you about my tweet. The top good guy on the TV show was missing for eight months due to what I was told was a triceps injury, right. On his very first night back, he, in character, called someone else soft. I thought, ‘Well, I’m a heel, this is a babyface, we both work for the same wrestling company. He gets injured more than anyone who has ever wrestled, and on his very first night back, in character, called someone else soft.’ I thought, ‘What else am I supposed to do? Of course I must respond to this. In character,’ and I did. Anything beyond that, I’m probably not safely able to talk about at this time. I think that’s a very reasonable thing for a bad guy heel to say in response to a heroic babyface who seemed to be a little hypocritical. Is that fair?” he said.

Fightful Select published the following report on Nemeth and Punk on August 13:

We’ve now heard stories from many sides of the AEW Collision/CM Punk/removal situation.

As highlighted on August 13, Ryan Nemeth was brought into North Carolina before the tapings, before he was promptly sent home. We’ve learned more about the words that they had recently. According to those familiar with the situation, Punk approached Nemeth when the two were at the Chicago Dynamite, where Punk was asked to be at. Punk spoke to Nemeth and asked him to make good on his “literally the softest man alive” tweet. The two moved out of the locker room and into a hallway, where those close to Punk claim that Nemeth said he was working to get heat. Punk believed that the tweet was Nemeth trying to score points with his friends, and asked him to knock it off because “tensions were high and they were trying to move on.” He said that he didn’t want Nemeth being passive aggressive unless they were handling it another way.

People close to Punk claim that Nemeth apologized, and that the two shook hands.

It was confirmed to us that Punk didn’t want Nemeth on Collision, even eating in catering, much less wrestling on the show. It wasn’t clarified to us if that was because of his tweet, or the relationship with the Elite. In addition, Nick Hausman of Haus of Wrestling reported that the reason Christopher Daniels was kept from Collision because Ace Steel, CM Punk’s friend, is not allowed at Collision. Punk didn’t see that as fair, as Daniels was also involved in breaking up the Brawl Out fight last September.

We’ve made an effort to reach out to Nemeth, but he’s off of social media.

Nemeth has not wrestled on AEW television since November 2023.

Punk is now back in WWE, sidelined again with a triceps injury, but will be on commentary for Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40.

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