Colt Cabana slams former best friend CM Punk with over $1 million lawsuit over legal fees
Looks like CM Punk has more legal drama flying his way as clearly the massive ordeal that was the drawn-out WWE lawsuit wasn't the only thing he had to slay this year. In a turn of events that have rendered his legal matters uglier, messier and way more personal, Scott Colton - more popularly known as Colt Cabana - is in the middle of suing his former best friend. The reason? Punk's appearance on Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast, was what led WWE doctor Chris Amann to sue them for over $4 million. In simpler terms, Cabana is suing the UFC fighter - whose real name is Phillip Jack Brooks - under allegations of breaching of contract and fraud, in the Cook County Circuit Court.
As the Chicago Sun-Times reports, Cabana and Punk have been close friends since their early days in Chicago’s independent pro wrestling circuit, and as per Cabana's account of the issue, Punk had promised him in writing that he would cover his legal fees that they amassed in fighting the defamation lawsuit they had landed themselves in, about two months ago. Punk had told him in a text that he would be "100% covered."
Following that, Punk failed to deliver on his promise, leaving Cabana with unpaid legal bills totaling $513,736, as per the lawsuit. Punk also asked Cabana to pay half of the legal fees, which amounts to $256,868, saying “You are on your own.”
Punk's email to Cabana read: "To date I have spent $513,736 dollars on this Amman [sic] lawsuit. My outstanding current bill is at least 300k. Half of all this is yours. Divide the 513,736 by 2 and that is what you owe me and what I expect you to pay me. Starting now I will no longer be paying your bills. You are on your own. Whatever my bill is currently, will be cut in half, and half will be yours. If you choose to make this all ugly, that's fine too. I hope you won't, but I gave up on you doing what is right a long time ago."
This has caused Cabana to sue Punk for $200,000 in general damages in addition to $1 million in punitive and exemplary damages, as the lawsuit details. It claims, “Brooks acted with fraud, malice and oppression toward Colton, with the deliberate intention of causing Colton harm.”
The relationship between the two had strained, suggested reports back in 2016 itself. Their tiff happened as Punk got upset with Cabana for reportedly showing up backstage at a WWE event. But since then, the two seem to have reconciled throughout their extremely bizarre week-long trial.