Backstage Update On Extent Of CM Punk's Injury Following All Out

Even if CM Punk had been a congenial and humble winner on Sunday, without burning any bridges, throwing any punches, or whatever led to Ace Steel to bite Kenny Omega, it looks like AEW would still have needed to strip him of the AEW World Championship

According to Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, Punk likely suffered a tricep injury during his match against Jon Moxley at All Out. "It looks like he may have already undergone surgery," Meltzer said on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, "but either way he's going to undergo surgery, and it was not confirmed to me that it was torn triceps, but it was confirmed to me that it was surgery for a torn muscle in the arm, so it's triceps/biceps, maybe pec, but probably triceps." 

According to Meltzer, a torn tricep is "usually an 8 month or so recovery period, so he was going to be stripped of the title either way." The injury made stripping the title from the controversial champion "pretty easy to do," which was likely something of a relief after Punk's vitriolic diatribe against AEW's Executive Vice Presidents, Colt Cabana, and "Hangman" Adam Page caused such a controversy that Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks to seek out Punk's locker room to confront the ornery champion. The confrontation led to a violent brawl that has seen Omega, The Bucks, Pat Buck, Christopher Daniels, Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa suspended from the company, and Punk's future in question.

The now-former AEW World Champion recently returned from surgery to repair a broken foot, an injury that occurred immediately after his first world title victory. AEW has vacated the world championship and is currently holding a tournament to crown a new champion, with the finals taking place on the "Grand Slam" episode of "AEW Dynamite."