Dave Meltzer has explained that he believes it will be hard for CM Punk to return to AEW, adding that he had been rubbing people up the wrong way.
CM Punk remains at the centre of the chaos surrounding All Elite Wrestling. The star launched a tirade at the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Hangman Page and others at the post-All Out media scrum. This led to a fight backstage where punches and chairs were thrown. Punk’s long-time friend and AEW producer Ace Steel is also alleged to have bitten Kenny Omega.
This led to a whole list of suspensions for those involved. Furthermore, the AEW World Championship held by Punk was later declared vacant, as was the World Trios Championship that had been held by The Elite.
It has now been reported that CM Punk sustained a serious injury during his match at All Out and will be out of action for up to eight months. This means that regardless of any suspension, the star will be unable to compete for a long period.
Speaking on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Melter addressed the situation and the ill feeling around Punk. Meltzer revealed that he believes it will be difficult for Punk and Ace Steel to ever return to the company. He added that Punk had been “rubbing people up the wrong way” long before the incident following All Out.
“It’s hard for me to see Punk or Steel back. As far as the other guys I don’t know. I know from talent that’s not affiliated with anyone that… you know, with the Punk thing, there was already a lot of divisiveness when it came to Punk. It had nothing to do with the Young Bucks or anything like that, it was just a feeling. I don’t know how to really explain it.
He was rubbing people the wrong way. I know from his standpoint, his feeling was that he’s trying to teach these guys how to draw money. Kind of the veteran thing, how to draw money, how to do stuff, he’s trying to give them good advice and he was very frustrated. There were people that were listening, and there were people that weren’t listening.
He didn’t really realise, I think, that a lot of the guys that are there were told so many times that everything that they’re doing is wrong. And some of them had got very, very successful doing things that they were told were wrong. So when someone comes and tells you ‘Hey what you’re doing is wrong.’ It’s going to have that effect of not listening, because the business is rapidly changing.”
Meltzer added that he saw the issues coming regarding Punk as tensions have risen significantly in recent weeks, but the problem wasn’t addressed.
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