Ace Steel and CM Punk have been linked together regarding Punk’s return to AEW following the All Out brawl with The Elite last year as the two remain loyal friends.
Before Punk’s AEW return for the premiere of Collision on June 17th, Punk and AEW were at odds over a misunderstanding regarding bringing back Steel, resulting in Punk being removed from the AEW Collision announcement.
Steel was allegedly fired after the incident and then secretly hired back before Punk returned.
All parties involved eventually reached an agreement. Steel is working remotely rather than at Collision shows to avoid conflicts with talent.
In the most recent issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer confirmed reports that when Punk expressed his belief that Christopher Daniels, AEW’s Head of Talent Relations, should not be allowed backstage at Collision.
Daniels was among those who intervened in the fight backstage at All Out and suspended everyone else. Everyone else had a short suspension, except the Elite, Punk, and Steel.
According to Meltzer, Steel was rehired “with back pay from the time he was let go, as a concession to Punk when he agreed to come back, but then told he could only work remotely and not work backstage.”
Steel’s return was controversial backstage because he allegedly threw a chair at Nick Jackson’s head and bit Kenny Omega in the forearm. Omega made an appearance in Japan a week after the incident, and photos of bite marks on his forearm circulated.
