AEW has often mixed real-life moments with storylines, and the April 1, 2026, episode of AEW Dynamite did it again. During a six-man tag match, the viewers got to see a subtle reference to one of AEW’s most talked-about real-life controversies- the CM Punk – Jack Perry incident.
The match featured Brody King, Jack Perry, and Kenny Omega against Bishop Kaun, Ricochet, and Toa Liona. The match was full of action, but one particular moment in the middle raised some eyebrows.
Ricochet references CM Punk–Jack Perry incident with ‘cry me a river’ line
At one point, Perry was down outside the ring after a tough exchange. That was when Ricochet decided to look at the camera and say, “Cry me a river… cry me a freaking river,” while pointing at Perry.
The comment was a callback to the real-life issue between CM Punk and Perry back in 2023. The phrase became famous after their backstage drama at AEW All In 2023.
Back then, the problem reportedly started over a disagreement about using real glass in a segment. Punk was against it for safety reasons, while Perry was frustrated when his idea was turned down.
Things escalated during the Zero Hour pre-show of All In. Perry faced Hook in a match that featured a spot on a limousine windshield. Before performing the spot, Perry reportedly looked at the camera and said, “It’s real glass, cry me a river,” which was a direct shot at Punk. After that, CM Punk and Jack Perry got into a physical confrontation backstage. Notably, reports about what exactly happened have differed.
The fallout was serious. AEW owner Tony Khan fired Punk, while Perry was suspended for a while.
Coming back to this week’s Dynamite, Ricochet’s line was a clear nod to that situation. It didn’t take away from the match, though. There were big moves, dives outside the ring, and several close near falls that kept the crowd engaged.
In the end, Kenny Omega hit a V-Trigger and followed it up with the One-Winged Angel on Ricochet to win the match for his team.
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