All Elite Wrestling is reportedly suspending some of its top talent and current champions after a real-life backstage fight that happened this past Sunday, September 4 following a heated media scrum for the All Out pay-per-view event. Current AEW World Champion CM Punk participated in a media scrum shortly after winning the title from Jon Moxley in the All Out main event, sharing harsh words for Colt Cabana, "Hangman" Adam Page, and AEW's Executive Vice Presidents, Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson.
During the media scrum, CM Punk called Adam Page an "empty-headed dumb f***" and said the AEW EVPs "couldn't f***ing manage a Target." With his comments, Punk seemed to be blaming the AEW EVPs and Page for telling those in the pro wrestling media that he was responsible for Colt Cabana being "fired." Cabana, it should be noted, is still under contract with AEW at the time of this writing. Click here to watch the media scrum, but please keep in mind that there is some offensive language used throughout the broadcast.
There is some dispute about what happened next, but allegedly, The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega confronted Punk in his locker room. There are conflicting reports about who started the actual altercation, but it's been said that Punk punched Matt Jackson, while Punk's friend and AEW producer Ace Steel allegedly threw a chair and hit Nick Jackson in the eye, along with biting Kenny Omega and pulling his hair. Sports Illustrated and top wrestling journalists like Sean Ross Sapp are now reporting that The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Pat Buck, Christopher Daniels, Michael Nakazawa, and Brandon Cutler are all being suspended following the incident, with CM Punk and Ace Steel also expected to either be issued suspensions or outright fired from the company. According to the Sports Illustrated report, Punk has already met with AEW president and CEO Tony Khan about the situation, though nothing official has been announced at the time of this writing.
If these reports are accurate, it would be virtually unprecedented in the world of professional wrestling. While champions have been fired or suspended before, it may be a first that a company has had to suspend four brand-new champions just days after they won their titles. At the time of this writing, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks at the AEW World Trios Champions, while CM Punk is, as mentioned previously, the current AEW World Champion.
It's safe to say that if AEW does end up parting ways with CM Punk that it will be a huge blow to the company. CM Punk has been positioned as the AEW's top star since he made his shocking return to pro wrestling last year, earning record TV ratings and pay-per-view buy rates. Not to mention the main storyline on AEW television right now involves Punk feuding with MJF, whose big return at All Out is being overshadowed by the backstage drama.
AEW Dynamite will be airing live on TBS tonight, and it's possible the company will reveal how exactly it's going to handle the situation at the event. It's also possible that any suspensions or other punishment will be announced in press releases off-air, but that remains to be seen.
Source: Sports Illustrated