Over the last year, the environment backstage in AEW has changed, with many blaming CM Punk because he has issues with some in the promotion and some people there not liking the top star.
It got worse with the All Out 2022 brawl with The Elite, his comments about the top AEW stars in an ESPN interview a few months ago, and the most recent situations, including his post-Collision comments about Hangman Page.
It was also revealed this week that the likes of Page, AEW Head of Talent Relations Christopher Daniels, Matt Hardy, and Ryan Nemeth are not allowed backstage at Collision shows with the internal belief that they’re being banned from those shows because of Punk considered program is built around him.
There have been reports about unhappiness among those in the promotion for a while now. Dave Meltzer elaborated on this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter further by noting that some fear things could get worse if not dealt with.
“For the most part, the crew is harmonious, but there are those tired of it, different cliques, and a couple of the backstage veterans who aren’t part of the actual conflict directly, expressed concern to us this week that unless things are handled now, they are risking things getting far worse.”
