As we’ve noted, the situation was described as a “melee” and AEW Producer Ace Steel was there with his longtime friend/student, Punk. The altercation began when The Bucks confronted Punk about his scrum comments, and things then got physical when Punk threw punches to Matt Jackson. There were rumors of Nick Jackson getting “knocked out” during the altercation, and rumors on Nick and Matt sporting cuts/bruises on Monday. Steel then reportedly threw a chair that hit Nick in the eye, and this “knocked out” or “rocked” Nick. Steel also allegedly bit Omega and grabbed his hair. The situation between Steel and Omega was described as a “tussle” but it escalated to where Steel bit Omega and pulled his hair. It was later reported that Steel “shoot cracked Nick with a chair” and that Steel had major heat on him, with many people believing he will be done with the company over the incident. AEW President Tony Khan was not fully notified of the entire incident until after he finished speaking with other talents at the scrum, and he was not present for any part of the backstage incident. There’s been a lot of talk about how Khan recently set a precedent by suspending Eddie Kingston for his incident with Sammy Guevara, and how he almost has to suspend all or some of the parties involved with Sunday’s incident. You can click here for our previous report with more details, including backstage talk on what happened, who was to blame, why there is some sympathy for MJF, and lots more.
Quote:
* Regarding the Punk/Steel side of the story, it was said that after Punk’s appearance in the scrum, The Young Bucks approached Punk’s locker room, and Punk wasn’t answering the door after working a long match, bloodied, and he’d just finished with an emotional scrum. The Bucks reportedly pounded on the door, with some claiming that they “kicked the door down.” We noted before how Steel’s wife was in Punk’s locker room as she was watching his dog earlier in the night. Steel told people that his wife being in the vicinity of the incident is what set him off and made him go ballistic, throwing chairs and biting Omega. The claim from Steel was that he was looking out for his wife above anything else. Omega reportedly did not seem nearly as upset initially, but things got out of hand and he ended up getting bit by Steel. The physical altercation was described as “very long” but as noted, another source put it at six minutes. It was also said that the back & forth talk did not stop after the brawl. It should be noted that these details just mentioned are from one side of the story
* Some believe Punk should’ve been confronted over the things he said during the scrum, while another person said Omega and The Bucks aggressively approached Punk’s locker room in what Punk could have construed as a 3-on-1 attack
* Many people are not in favor of the way Punk handled things at all on Sunday night. Even talents that would usually back Punk up either said that’s not what they would have done, or they are not commenting on the record. Several longtime AEW wrestlers are saying they don’t understand how Punk could not be let go after this
* Regarding the conflicting reports on the start of the physical altercation, it was noted on Wrestling Observer Radio how there is no dispute that Punk punched Matt multiple times, and that Steel threw the chair at Nick, then bit Omega and pulled his hair. However, there is one side that claims Punk threw the first punch when The Bucks came into the room where the brawl broke out, while the other side claims The Bucks were the aggressors, and Punk and Steel were just defending themselves. It was also said that the parties involved are not allowed to talk due to pending legal issues, but in talking to neutral parties, all but one person had the same account of what happened. There was a small number of people in the room at first, and then a large number of people present when the fight broke out. Those who witnessed what happened will have to talk to AEW officials and legal regarding what happened, if they haven’t already. It was also speculated that if something happens to Steel, then Punk will want to walk because that’s his longtime friend and original trainer
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Honestly it puts Tony Kahn in a really tough spot here.
Only fire Punk and Steele...well then it looks like Bucks and Omega have free reign to do whatever they want in the locker room if they don't like someone.
Don' fire Punk and Steele...well then you are going to have two guys with huge heat in that locker room.
Honestly I think you probably need to strip all 4 of them of their titles (Punk, Bucks, Omega), and suspend them all for 60-90 days.
Reassess it all after that point and maybe Punk just quits which solves half your problem anyways.
I saw an idea online where you have MJF cash in his title shot, but with Punk unable to defend he wins by default. Would actually be the perfect "heel" MJF way to win a tile. Go away for 3 months, win the title shot in a match you don't actually compete in, then win the title by "default" when Punk is unable to defend the title.
I think suspensions are probably coming for everyone. No one gets fired, but 30-90 day suspensions from TV sound like a middle ground. I thought Punk (and Steel) would get fired, but perhaps not the case now.
This is MJF's window and I hope Khan capitalizes on it. Use it to establish other stars.
Honestly it puts Tony Kahn in a really tough spot here.
Only fire Punk and Steele...well then it looks like Bucks and Omega have free reign to do whatever they want in the locker room if they don't like someone.
Don' fire Punk and Steele...well then you are going to have two guys with huge heat in that locker room.
Honestly I think you probably need to strip all 4 of them of their titles (Punk, Bucks, Omega), and suspend them all for 60-90 days.
Reassess it all after that point and maybe Punk just quits which solves half your problem anyways.
I saw an idea online where you have MJF cash in his title shot, but with Punk unable to defend he wins by default. Would actually be the perfect "heel" MJF way to win a tile. Go away for 3 months, win the title shot in a match you don't actually compete in, then win the title by "default" when Punk is unable to defend the title.
Love the idea of MJF just walking in and taking the title. However, again depending on the relationship with Tony and if its been resolved. Do you take the risk on a guy that basically took his ball and went home.
For me the suspensions have to be fairly long. I mean you have EVP's that went in and tried or did kick a door down. How about some maturity.
I would still hope, think, believe that if Tony seriously wants to grow the business he has to get the backstage stuff under control, and to do that, he really needs to bring in a strong right hand man to run the backstage side of things and over see creative and be a level above the EVP's.
I hear Vince McMahon isn't doing anything
And yeah, if he just punishes the EVP side of things then frankly its a bad look, if he just punishes the EVP, I think we see a massive locker room split.
With Punk if they fire him or release him he probably really doesn't care. He's done well for himself. But you really would let a bull out in front of the media if they do release him.
Losing Omega, Bucks, Punk from the top of the card is a really tough thing, I'm interested to see what they do. I'm betting suddenly Jericho gets a ton of time at the top of the card which is unfortunate.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Losing Omega, Bucks, Punk from the top of the card is a really tough thing, I'm interested to see what they do. I'm betting suddenly Jericho gets a ton of time at the top of the card which is unfortunate.
Honestly they have the bodies.
Hangman Page, Jericho, MJF, Danielson, Moxley, Adam Cole (if healthy) are all main event bodies that have been in main events in the last 6 months.
Plus a chance to elevate guys like Cesaro, Andrade, Eddie Kingston, Wardlow if you really need to.
Punk and Omega were both just injured and the company was fine so think it would be okay. Losing the Bucks isn't a huge deal to me either, strap a rocket to the Acclaimed and you are fine.
Put the title on MJF and have Kingston as his first fued leading up to the big New York show.
Honestly it puts Tony Kahn in a really tough spot here.
Only fire Punk and Steele...well then it looks like Bucks and Omega have free reign to do whatever they want in the locker room if they don't like someone.
Don' fire Punk and Steele...well then you are going to have two guys with huge heat in that locker room.
Honestly I think you probably need to strip all 4 of them of their titles (Punk, Bucks, Omega), and suspend them all for 60-90 days.
Reassess it all after that point and maybe Punk just quits which solves half your problem anyways.
I saw an idea online where you have MJF cash in his title shot, but with Punk unable to defend he wins by default. Would actually be the perfect "heel" MJF way to win a tile. Go away for 3 months, win the title shot in a match you don't actually compete in, then win the title by "default" when Punk is unable to defend the title.
If this is accurate:
Quote:
The altercation began when The Bucks confronted Punk about his scrum comments, and things then got physical when Punk threw punches to Matt Jackson.
Then Tony Khan can definitely fire Punk and not the Bucks.
Verbal is one thing, but physical assault can warrant instant termination.
I'm not 100% up on the event, so I'm open to being corrected, having more info given, etc. But if the Bucks were upset verbally with Punk and Punk responded by throwing hands, then yeah, you can fire punk and suspend the Bucks.
__________________ "Calgary Flames is the best team in all the land" - My Brainwashed Son
Then Tony Khan can definitely fire Punk and not the Bucks.
Verbal is one thing, but physical assault can warrant instant termination.
I'm not 100% up on the event, so I'm open to being corrected, having more info given, etc. But if the Bucks were upset verbally with Punk and Punk responded by throwing hands, then yeah, you can fire punk and suspend the Bucks.
Apparently the Bucks kicked the dressing room door down to get in to yell at Punk. And even if they hadn't, you don't get to act like one of the boys when you're an executive.
I don't know if you have to fire the Young Bucks, but they certainly have to lose any sort of executive status within the company.
Apparently the Bucks kicked the dressing room door down to get in to yell at Punk. And even if they hadn't, you don't get to act like one of the boys when you're an executive.
I don't know if you have to fire the Young Bucks, but they certainly have to lose any sort of executive status within the company.
Yeah.... can't be doing that. Again, without knowing the situation that might warrant a suspension to both.
Makes being armchair owner difficult when you only get bits and pieces.
I firmly believe everything is contextual, and depends on the situation.
__________________ "Calgary Flames is the best team in all the land" - My Brainwashed Son
Then Tony Khan can definitely fire Punk and not the Bucks.
Verbal is one thing, but physical assault can warrant instant termination.
I'm not 100% up on the event, so I'm open to being corrected, having more info given, etc. But if the Bucks were upset verbally with Punk and Punk responded by throwing hands, then yeah, you can fire punk and suspend the Bucks.
so reading the story, the Bucks tried to kick the door down, or did kick the door down, Punk was in the room with Steel's wife who was watching the dog. Omega was with the Bucks, so its now a 3-1 situation with a definately hey we as executives want to chat about this whole thing over a nice cup of tee. Only to have Punk and Steel snap.
This is a bad situation made worse and felt like a gang up.
So yeah, you can go after Punk for throwing the first punch but they've rightfully suspended the Bucks and Omega and it should be for a good length of time, not like a Scott Hall suspension where WCW sent him home with pay.
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
I know I'd be throwing hands if 3 yahoo's kicked my door down yelling at me.
Prepare for bloodshed. And if buddy's wife was in there too, yeah definitely a flight or flight response and they're blocking the flight portion. Don't care who you are, that's an instant response .
__________________ "Everybody's so desperate to look smart that nobody is having fun anymore" -Jackie Redmond
The Following User Says Thank You to dammage79 For This Useful Post:
