CM Punk’s AEW Future In Question After Backstage Fracas!
The surreality of the pro wrestling genre continues to push new boundaries.
Multiple reports indicated that CM Punk and his longtime mentor Ace Steel got in an altercation with Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) after AEW’s “All Out” extravaganza on Sunday night.
An AEW spokesperson did not respond to an inquiry on the matter from The Post.
This particular issue arose after Punk’s press conference on Sunday. Punk and Colt Cabana were trained by Ace Steel and Danny Dominion in Chicago in the early 2000s.
Punk gave his infamous first interview after leaving WWE to Cabana in 2014, and the two were sued for defamation by Dr. Christopher M. Amann, WWE’s ringside doctor whom Punk essentially accused of malpractice on Cabana’s podcast.
At some point during the lawsuit, Punk and Cabana had a falling out and Cabana wound up suing Punk for alleged breach of contract. Punk countersued.
According to Sports Illustrated, Punk and Steel will be “suspended, or will no longer be with the company by the end of Wednesday” for their role in the fracas.
The Young Bucks and Omega are also going to be suspended according to the report, as are other participants Christopher Daniels, Brandon Cutler, Pat Buck and Michael Nakazawa.
This is where we add the obligatory pause and say that anything that happens in pro wrestling should be treated with healthy skepticism about whether it is part of the long arc of the storyline.
For example, MJF had his infamous pipe bomb interview several months ago where he ripped AEW and founder Tony Khan, but he returned at “All Out” and was booked as a superstar and will immediately receive a world title shot. In WWE, Brock Lesnar was said to have “walked out” of the company when Vince McMahon abruptly retired, but then he returned that evening to “Smackdown” to cause a ruckus.
The surreality of the pro wrestling genre continues to push new boundaries.
The backstage confrontation and brawl followed, with Punk and Steel being accused of physically taking things too far.
It would be a massive blow for AEW’s planning if Punk is indeed gone from the company. They have been building his story with MJF for about a year, not to mention the huge intrigue the promotion could get from booking matches of Punk versus Omega, Bryan Danielson and Hangman Page — and now the Young Bucks — down the road.
Sports Illustrated reported that Punk and Khan met on Tuesday to discuss what is happening in the future.
What happens from here in all this is anyone’s guess.
After Punk arrived in AEW, Cabana was moved from there to Ring of Honor, which Khan also owns. At the press conference, Punk angrily denied having played a role in this move, and appeared to blame the Young Bucks and/or Omega — who have EVP titles with the company — for leaking the idea that he did to the media.
“The fact that I have to sit up here because we have irresponsible people who call themselves EVPs, and couldn’t f–king manage a Target, and they spread lies and bulls–t and put in the media that I got someone fired when I have f–k all to do with him,” Punk said. “And the fact that I have to get up here and do this in 2022 is f–king embarrassing. If y’all are at fault, f–k you. If you’re not, I apologize.”
WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
The backstage confrontation and brawl followed, with Punk and Steel being accused of physically taking things too far.
It would be a massive blow for AEW’s planning if Punk is indeed gone from the company. They have been building his story with MJF for about a year, not to mention the huge intrigue the promotion could get from booking matches of Punk versus Omega, Bryan Danielson and Hangman Page — and now the Young Bucks — down the road.
Sports Illustrated reported that Punk and Khan met on Tuesday to discuss what is happening in the future.
What happens from here in all this is anyone’s guess.
Ryan Glaspiel
https://nypost.com/2022/09/07/cm-punks-aew-future-in-question-after-backstage-fracas/
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