People close to CM Punk spoke to Wrestling Inc’s Nick Hausman, in a report posted tonight (Oct. 26) amidst multiple signs the men he fought after AEW’s All Out PPV could be returning to the company very soon.
Punk, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks have been suspended since the brawl backstage at NOW Arena in the early hours of Sept. 5. Ace Steel, a producer & long-time friend of Punk, has already been released for fighting by Punk’s side when Omega & The Bucks confronted him for his remarks at the post-PPV media scrum.
Hausman, who you may recall was Punk’s segue into his gripebomb at the All Out scrum, writes that he reached out to “CM Punk’s camp” after a report earlier today The Elite trio’s AEW comeback was “imminent”. The response he got included:
• That those close to Punk thought his remarks at the scrum “didn’t seem like a big deal,” and the situation only escalated when The Bucks ”kicked in” the door to Punk’s dressing room. We’d previously heard the investigation into the incident disproved the claim Matt & Nick Jackson busted into Punk’s space.
• Kicking in the door accidentally hit Punk’s dog, Larry, in the face. When he took Larry to an already scheduled veterinarian appointment two days later, the doctor told him two of the rescue dog’s teeth were damaged and needed to be removed.
• We’ve also heard that AEW’s investigation was held up by potential legal action by one of the parties. Hausman’s report doesn’t confirm that Punk was that party, but it does reveal he has his defense lined up should he be charged or sued. Hausman writes: “Wrestling Inc. has been told that Punk felt threatened and reacted in a legal way under Illinois’ Castle Doctrine laws, which allow for the use of force in defense of a person in their dwelling.”
• Punk’s camp reiterated another previously reported point, that Steel’s wife Lucy was not interviewed about the fight despite having been there when it happened.
• Finally, because Hangman Page brought his behind-the-scenes issues with Punk up in an on-air promo during their feud, Punk was said to be concerned their Double or Nothing match would turn into a real fight.
While we still don’t know Punk’s fate (word is he & AEW are negotiating a buy out of his contract), it does seem like the investigation is complete and Tony Khan’s made some decisions. This report indicates the public relations battle is far from over, however.
