CM Punk’s post-All Out media scrum sent shockwaves through AEW, and several prominent members of professional wrestling’s media core have expressed frustration about the lack of information coming out afterward. Fans have almost entirely been left to guess and speculate about what is going on with Punk, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks. Ace Steel was quietly released earlier this week, but there was no official statement from Tony Khan or All Elite Wrestling about that move. Likewise, it’s never been confirmed or denied by AEW that Punk, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega are suspended, even though multiple reports have indicated that this is true.
Dave Meltzer wrote about this in the most recent edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. “It has really gotten ridiculous that AEW hasn’t acknowledged anything at this point regarding Punk, Omega and the Young Bucks. They did nothing in the local markets in September when they ran shows where tickets were purchased with Punk as arguably the biggest draw and Omega as one of the biggest draws and the Bucks as stars as well, for shows they weren’t going to be at.” Meltzer noted that in sports, theatre, or concerts, something would have been said to let fans know if someone considered a draw was pulled from the show. AEW didn’t do that with Punk and the Being The Elite crew. Meltzer opined that “even by the rules of wrestling, any indie group or any stature immediately lets people know when people are injured or pulled from the show, most immediately.” He concluded that “(a)t a time when AEW is not selling tickets like it was and not being hot on Fridays is not the time to have their fan base see them as carny sleazy wrestling for the hardcores who do defend them or just have them care less and feel less of a bond with the company for the hit and miss viewers.“
AEW Failing To Disclose Missing Talent Doesn’t Fly In 2022
Tony Khan has made it clear that he isn’t willing to disclose injury information about AEW wrestlers, as he considers this their personal business. That stance is very respectable, and there’s no issue whatsoever. The problem Meltzer brings up is a real one, though. By sweeping the suspensions of Punk, The Young Bucks, and Kenny Omega under the rug and not acknowledging them, fans can believe that returns are possible when they simply aren’t. Consider that All Elite Wrestling still sold shirts centered on The Elite arriving in Toronto last week, even though they weren’t at the show. Because AEW has not officially disclosed the suspensions, and because not everyone is subscribed to news outlets like WON and Fightful Select, there was some belief and hope in the crowd that Being The Elite would be featured in a run-in. That didn’t happen, and it couldn’t have because they aren’t currently available to the company.
There’s a fine line to be walked when disclosing personal information or legal problems, but it doesn’t seem like that’s what Meltzer or AEW fans have an issue with. The problem lies in not knowing if appearances are possible, especially when someone like CM Punk is advertised for a show and then pulled from it without notice or acknowledgment. That kind of thing will catch up with AEW eventually, and it’s challenging to rebuild trust with fans once it is gone. Here’s hoping that Tony Khan and his advisers learn from this string of incidents and handle them differently in the future.
