wrestling / News

Latest Details on Backstage Brawl at AEW All Out, Who Started the Fight

September 6, 2022 | Posted by Jeffrey Harris
CM Punk AEW All Out Image Credit: AEW

Fightful Select has released another update on the fallout of the brawl. With regards to what took place, Brandon Cutler, Christopher Daniels, and Pat Buck were among those who attempted to diffuse the interaction, which reportedly went on for “about six minutes.”

Someone high up in the company said that no one should expect to hear much of anything officially due to possible legal issues from the incident. The Hoffman Estates Police Department also informed Fightful of the following: “Hoffman States Police Department does not have any police reports, nor any documentation that police were requested, during AEW All Out event for anything that allegedly occurred backstage. The only police response at the event was regarding a family issue in the audience.”

Most of the talent spoken to in AEW are not in favor of the way CM Punk handled things following the event. Also, talent who would typically support Punk said they would not have done what Punk did or opted not to comment on the situation.

Several wrestlers are also in the dark about their creative plans for tomorrow’s episode of AEW Dynamite as a result of the altercation. Also, several longtime wrestlers in AEW have said they do not understand how CM Punk could not be let go after the incident.

Punk’s anger with Hangman Page is reportedly not connected with rumors that Page has worked “stiff” with other wrestlers in the past. It’s rumored that Arn Anderson once advised Page to “lighten up” in the ring. However, Page is also said to be “generally well-liked” in AEW outside of this. Many backstage also believed that Hangman Page and Punk got along together well until earlier in the Spring.

Fightful noted that the sources they spoke to haven’t heard about any heat between MJF and CM Punk. However, Punk mentioned MJF as one of the “stubborn kids” he had to work with. Everyone backstage in AEW was reportedly left in the dark regarding MJF’s status with AEW for months.

UPDATE: Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer also reported additional details on the AEW All Out backstage fracas on today’s edition of Wrestling Observer Radio. According to Alvarez, no one he has spoken to on the incident is disputing that CM Punk punched “Matt Jackson.”

Also, Alvarez said, “No one is disputing that Ace Steel threw a chair and hit Nick [Jackson].” Alvarez also noted that all accounts seem to agree that Ace Steel did pull Omega’s hair and bite him.

Additionally, Alvarez said the only disagreement by accounts of the incident was on who basically started the fight. It appears one side is claiming that CM Punk threw the punch first, that CM Punk “started punching” after The Young Bucks came into his locker room. Another side claims that The Young Bucks stormed in and were the aggressors of the incident, so Punk and Ace Steel were merely trying to “defend themselves.”

Meltzer said that most of the people who he spoke to on the incident were “neutral parties,” and they all “essentially” had the same story on what took place. He noted that there were other people in the room who were not The Young Bucks, CM Punk, Ace Steel, and Kenny Omega. According to Meltzer, Ace Steel might’ve felt protective of his wife because she had a broken foot and couldn’t move.

Additionally, Meltzer stated that Punk was in the trainers’ room backstage. It’s rumored that Punk could be hurt or injured. However, there’s no confirmation yet if Punk is severely injured or if it’s anything serious.

ORIGINAL: Fightful Select released an update with additional details on the fight that took place following AEW All Out that involved CM Punk, Ace Steel, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega. According to Fightful’s update, Ace Steel, a producer for AEW and CM Punk’s former coach and trainer, “shoot cracked Nick Jackson with a chair.”

Another person close to the incident told Fightful that Steel is lucky not to be in jail due to his role in the incident. Also, several sources within AEW told Fightful that they believe Steel will not be back in AEW after this fracas. WWE released Ace Steel in April 2020. He was hired by AEW earlier this year. There was reportedly a large amount of heat on Ace Steel after the situation took place.

As previously noted, Fightful reported earlier this week that during the fracas, Ace Steel is rumored to have bit Kenny Omega and grab his hair.

One person who wasn’t sure what happened is quoted as saying to Fightful, “It couldn’t have possibly escalated to hitting someone with a chair.” As noted previously, some are siding with Punk over the incident, while others are siding with The Elite. However, Fightful’s update noted that a “large majority” think hat Punk should have expected to be approached following his comments during the scrum, where he slammed Hangman Page and the AEW EVPs (Omega and The Bucks).

Additionally, several people reportedly credited Chris Jericho for stepping up and taking up more of a leadership role in AEW over the past two weeks. Multiple people have cited how Jericho maintained calm demeanor during the All Out scrum in the middle of the chaos, along with how he spoke to the roster during the recent talent meeting.

Lastly, Fightful noted that there has been no word of a camera catching any footage of the melee that took place.