The All Elite Wrestling (AEW) community finds itself amidst an upheaval that has escalated since the return of CM Punk.
Punk’s return, marked by his comeback promo on Collision and an ESPN interview, has apparently exacerbated the division within the AEW locker room’‹.
Hopes of a healing locker room, nine months since CM Punk’s brawl with The Elite at All Out 2022, seem to be fading. Punk’s much-publicized ESPN interview, where he expressed feeling unsafe working with ‘Hangman’ Adam Page, caused a stir backstage.
The interview, rather than being a cathartic experience, apparently led to a surge of issues, becoming a point of contention within the locker room’‹.
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Divisions Deepen
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer has stated explicitly that the divisiveness in the AEW locker room is worse now than it has ever been, and it shows no signs of improvement in an interview with POST Wrestling.
The situation has seemingly reached a critical point. Individuals close to Page expressed their displeasure, a reaction that was much anticipated given the controversial nature of Punk’s comments during the ESPN interview’‹.
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Broken Promises and Rising Tensions
The situation was further inflamed when Punk appeared on an episode of AEW Dynamite, contrary to promises made to the AEW stars.
One of the top stars disclosed that they were assured they would only have to engage with Punk on pay-per-views. However, Punk’s appearance on the weekly show disrupted these expectations, adding fuel to the fire’‹.
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CM Punk: Legal Constraints and Provocations
Amidst this escalating conflict, Punk, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega find themselves legally restricted from discussing their backstage brawl after All Out 2022.
However, this restriction doesn’t extend to issues between Punk and Page. Punk, without directly addressing their differences, provocatively referred to Matt and Nick Jackson as “Counterfeit Bucks” on Collision’‹.
This subtle jab didn’t go unnoticed and served to intensify the tension within the AEW community. The absence of Page, Omega, and the Bucks from the following Dynamite episode, with The Elite only appearing in a pre-taped backstage segment, further underlined the discord within the organisation’‹.
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