AEW Wrestler Reportedly Initially Thought AEW All Out Melee Was An Angle

AEW CEO Tony Khan didn't leave the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates, IL, without some headaches. During the post-All Out media scrum, CM Punk blasted AEW EVPs, claiming he believes they leaked a rumor that he attempted to oust Colt Cabana from AEW programming. This led to a backstage brawl involving Punk, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Punk's trainer and AEW producer Ace Steel. According to Dave Meltzer in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, one AEW star, who was next door to the locker room where the fight occurred, was under the impression that an angle was being filmed. Once he went to check out what was going on, he quickly realized that it was a real situation.

Meltzer noted that as of now, no one has been fired as a result of the incident, though several participants have been suspended. Some key names, such as former AEW World Champion "Hangman" Adam Page and multi-promotional tag team champions FTR, weren't in the building during the incident. Page is a longtime friend of The Elite and has been the target of Punk's comments, as well as some of his other behavior, while FTR have become quite chummy with Punk.

As for former world champion Chris Jericho, it's unclear what exactly he saw, but he definitely knew something had transpired, and notified Tony Khan of the incident once his time with the media was over. Jericho was reportedly one of three AEW stars who led a talent meeting following the events of All Out.