It has been revealed that AEW owner Tony Khan secretly rehired Ace Steel with full back pay, a move allegedly made as a concession to CM Punk.
This revelation comes from the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, where Dave Meltzer shared this explosive information. Steel, who had previously been let go by AEW, was rumoured to be returning to the company to work as a producer for AEW Collision, which was said to be associated with Punk’s highly anticipated return.
According to Meltzer’s report, Tony Khan decided to bring back Steel behind closed doors, offering him his job back and the opportunity to work closely with Punk. However, there was a catch – Steel would be working remotely and not be present at the events in person. This move was apparently made to appease Punk’s demands and secure his loyalty.
Steel was fired, then secretly hired back, according to one source, with back pay from the time he was let go, as a concession to Punk when he agreed to come back, but then told he could only work remotely and not work backstage.
The news of Steel’s secret rehiring has added a layer of complexity to the situation, raising questions about the power dynamics behind the scenes at AEW. It seems that CM Punk’s alleged influence and veto power over who can be backstage at AEW Collision shows has caused significant discussion within the wrestling community.
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Instead, he insisted that the show was great and that he appreciated fans continuing interest in his performers.