AEW: Dax Harwood on CM Punk & Elite Situation, Evil Uno on Canadian Cities AEW Should Visit, Dark Results

Dec 27, 2022

Dax Harwood Comments on CM Punk’s Backstage Fight Incident & Hoping CM Punk & The Elite Settle Their Issues

The debut episode of the FTR with Dax Harwood podcast featured co-host Dax Harwood’s thoughts on if Punk was feeling bitter backstage towards AEW or The Elite prior to his infamous backstage fight incident at AEW All Out 2022.

“No, not at all. Punk was still so joyous and happy to be in the wrestling business. To be honest, he told me, when they were going to put the belt on him, that he didn’t want the belt. He said, ‘I just want to have fun,’ but he understood that Tony putting the belt on him would put AEW in a better light. He took it, begrudgingly a little bit, but he took the belt. At the time, he was taking me, Cash, Max [MJF], Wardlow, Hobbs, I’m missing so many guys, he was taking us out to eat, always paying for it. He bought all the girls in the locker room Starbucks gift cards and had one of the girls hand them out, anonymously, and didn’t say who they were from, but it was from him, just because he loved the atmosphere and loved being there. He also loved the work the girls were putting in. He thought they were busting their ass to try and get the attention that WWE’s women’s division was getting.”

Harwood also revealed that he had talked with Punk shortly following his backstage fight with the Elite.

“All the boys in the locker room were drinking and having a good time, and we were hugging, I have picture of me and Jay Lethal on the ground together just laughing our ass off. I had my wife and daughter there, Cash had his girlfriend. It was such a great time. After our match was over, I shower up, we had a couple of drinks with the guys real quick, grab my girls, and head back to the hotel. I was laying in bed and I got a text from one of the wrestlers that said, ‘is this shit true?’ I had no idea what he was talking about. Right after that, I got a call from my buddy CM Punk and he told me what happened. I said, ‘You’re lying to me dude. There is no way that happened.’ He was covered in blood from the match. He FaceTimed me, it was that night. He said, ‘I want to let you know, you’re going to hear some things. I want you to hear it from me. This is what happened.’ I said, ‘Dude, are you okay? Do you need anything? I’ll come right now to help you out, get you cleaned.’ ‘No, no, everything is fine, it’s died down, we’re good.’ That’s when I first heard about it.”

Harwood also gave his thoughts on what he believes to be the true parts from all of the reports about the backstage fight incident between CM Punk and The Elite.

“Obviously, I wasn’t there. Who I perceive to be God is the only person who really knows the truth. Everyone is going to have their own version in their head. We’ve all done it before, we’ve made what we perceive to be the truth. What I’ve heard that is reported, there are elements of truth in it, but then there are also some things that raise a red flag to me. It seems like we’re only getting a portion of the story or what this journalist wants to put out, whether he has a bias or grudge against one of the parties, that’s just how I felt. I also knew that I didn’t know the whole story. I also felt that the stories that I heard from a few people, I don’t feel like they would blatantly lie to me. I do think there are bits of truth, but I also believe that some fans have read too much into it and I think they should let what happened, happen, and it die down. When it’s all said and done, I can’t tell you that I know 100% of the truth and I can’t tell you that the journalist reporting is 100% of the truth. I know what I perceive to be the truth and from the things I’ve read and heard, there is partial truth and partial things that are a bit exaggerated.”

Harwood also gave his thoughts on the potential of CM Punk returning to AEW and being hopeful that both Punk and The Elite will be able to resolve their issues and work together again in the future.

“I can tell you what I hope, because I don’t know. Everyone knows about the legalities of the situation and no one is really expressing what is going to happen, what has happened, and what won’t happen. I can tell you, all I can be truthful about, I can only tell you what I know and what I perceive to know, I hope that he comes back. I feel that AEW should have the Young Bucks in their locker room. AEW should have Kenny Omega in the locker room. I know that I feel AEW should have CM Punk in the locker room. With those four entities, it makes our talent roster so much deeper and better. It’s four guys who want to be the best. Regardless of what any of us think personally, I know that we all want to be the best and I know we all want the best for professional wrestling. It’s given us a life that we could never have otherwise …
This is my plea to all four guys. Please find a way to make it work. If we can make it work, we can set up the future of professional wrestling for a long time and we can change the course of professional wrestling for a very long time. When you think about it, unselfishly, we’re doing this for 20-30 years down the road so guys and girls can make a living.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

Evil Uno Comments on Other Cities AEW Should Visit for Future Shows in Canada

AEW held their first official events in Canada this past October, which involved two tapings for their AEW Dynamite and Rampage series at the Coca-Cola Colosseum on October 12th and 13th.

Fightful held a recent interview with Evil Uno. One of the topics discussed included Uno’s thoughts on which other cities he is hopeful that AEW will hold future events in Canada. It was noted that this interview took place prior to AEW’s official announcement of them holding new Dynamite and Rampage shows in Winnipeg in March of 2023.

“Winnipeg, I think is a guarantee. If we don’t Winnipeg, I’d be very, very surprised. I mean, Kenny’s from there. Don Callis is from there. Then, finally, if I could have a personal stake, I would love if they went to the nation’s capitol, Ottawa. That’s where I live and am from. But truthfully, it’s a large city but it’s not as crazy and enamored by wrestling as the other cities are.
I mean, Toronto must be the first city we hit and it makes a ton of sense. I think Toronto is one of the larger wrestling markets, just historically. If I were to hit some major cities, Montreal. Absolutely. Great city for wrestling. Great crowds, historically crazy crowds. I’m really excited to see what happens. I think Vancouver is another one.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

AEW Dark Results – Dec. 27, 2022

Dec. 27, 2022
Orlando, FL – Universal Studios
Commentary: Excalibur and Taz

AEW Dark Quick Match Results:

Angelico defeated Dante Casanova via Modified Magikatami (submission)
The WorkHorsemen (Anthony Henry & JD Drake) vs. The Hughes Brothers (Terrell & Terrance Hughes) via Assisted Backstabber (pinfall)
Fuego Del Sol defeated Lucky Ali via Springboard Tornado DDT (pinfall)
“Daddy Magic” Matt Menard defeated Brock Anderson via Pinfall.
Evil Uno defeated Blake Li via Something Evil (pinfall)
Red Velvet defeated Billie Stark via Corkscrew Kick (pinfall)
Iron Savages (Bronson & Boulder) defeated Brandon Bullock & Jameson Ryan via Double Team Running Cannonball (pinfall)
Diamante defeated Mafiosa via Code Red (pinfall)
AR Fox defeated Slim J via 450 Splash (pinfall)