CM Punk Meeting With The Elite Called Off Before All In
CM Punk was due to sit down with The Elite just days before AEW All In.
After a week of intense speculation following a backstage altercation with Jack Perry at Wembley Stadium, CM Punk (Phillip Brooks) has been terminated with cause effective immediately by AEW.
The news was announced on social media via a statement where AEW CEO Tony Khan was quoted as saying:
“Phil played an important role within AEW and I thank him for his contributions. The termination of his AEW contracts with cause is ultimately my decision, and mine alone. Of course, I wish I didn’t have to share this news, which may come as a disappointment to many of our fans.
“Nevertheless, I am making the decision in the best interests of the many amazing people who make AEW possible every week – our talent, staff, venue operators and many others whose efforts are unsung but essential to bringing our fans great shows on television and at arenas and stadiums throughout the world.”
The issues regarding Punk in the company stretch back to All Out in 2022 where he was involved in a backstage fight with The Elite. That led to suspensions being handed out to all involved with CM Punk having a lengthy layoff from the company, also due to injury, with him only returning in the summer of 2023.
While fans had hoped the sides would be able to work together, reports suggested that The Elite did not want anything to do with Punk and they were kept apart with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega working on Dynamite and Punk working on Collision, although all involved would be backstage at pay-per-view events.
Clear-the-air talks between CM Punk and The Elite were called off
Nick Hausman has reported since the announcement of CM Punk’s firing that talks were due to take place with The Elite and Punk were due to take place just days before All In but these were seemingly called off at the last minute by “The Elite’s camp.”
The report frames the call-off as adding to CM Punk’s frustrations before All In took place with Jack Perry’s on-camera comments about using real glass on the pre-show proving to be the straw that broke the camel’s back for Punk’s time in AEW.