This week’s episode of SmackDown concluded with John Cena cutting a promo on CM Punk after putting him through a table which was reminiscent of the one the “Voice of the Voiceless” cut in 2011. In this Cena would shout out former WWE talents Claudio Castagnoli, Nic Nemeth and Matt Cardona, and while it got a big crowd reaction it wasn’t clear why they were chosen.
However, fans online think they’ve decoded the meaning behind the names, with Claudio Castagnoli being a reference to Colt Cabana, while the mention of Nemeth and Cardona was a nod to Nick and Matt Jackson. Whether this is true is unconfirmed, but given the storyline, it makes sense to reference Brawl Out.
For those unaware, Brawl Out is what fans call the fallout of CM Punk’s post-show comments following 2022’s All Out pay-per-view, where the now-former AEW star decided to get some things off his chest. This would see Punk mock former best friend Colt Cabana for sharing a bank account with his mother, and claim EVP’s Kenny Omega, Nick Jackson, and Matt Jackson “couldn’t f*cking manage a Target.” Subsequently this resulted in a backstage altercation, which saw everyone involved suspended, and is considered by many to be the low point of AEW’s existence.
