Top AEW Stars Reportedly Refusing To Work With CM Punk

It's looking more and more certain that CM Punk won't be returning to All Elite Wrestling. 

Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reports that a number of top stars in the company say they would refuse to work with Punk in the aftermath of his All Out press conference tirade and the backstage brawl that followed. Chris Jericho is the only performer mentioned by name in the report, and there are additional stories circulating that Jericho confronted Punk about his behavior after the brawl took place and had some harsh words to say.

One performer reportedly told Meltzer that Punk's value to the company was not worth the "black cloud" he would bring with him backstage. Another AEW talent reportedly compared the situation to the CBS reality competition series "Survivor," stating that "the collective decided that he was voted off the island."

According to Meltzer, the third-party investigation into the All Out brawl concluded last week, at which point Ace Steel was let go and the decision was made to bring back Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. All three members of The Elite were reportedly backstage at this week's "AEW Dynamite," but it is unknown when they'll be returned to their prior onscreen roles.

Tensions between CM Punk and the rest of the locker room seem to date back months before things boiled over at All Out, with multiple references made by Punk's camp to "Hangman" Adam Page's onscreen comments about workers' rights. As for the future for CM Punk, it doesn't look likely that WWE is interested in bringing him back, though fans will have to wait and see what happens for sure.