As noted before, CM Punk recently gave an interview with ESPN that had been rumored rumored to have caused new backstage issues between Punk and AEW over the tone of Punk’s comments made during it.
Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that CM Punk did not do any other interviews besides the one with ESPN ahead of the debut of AEW Collision and the reason for the interview with ESPN was due to that being the outlet AEW wanted for Punk.
It was reported that Hangman Adam Page, The Elite, and others within AEW were made aware last weekend that Punk’s interview with ESPN and its release was on the horizon.
In regards to the backstage reaction over Punk’s interview, it was reported that many people spoken to within AEW stated that it did not seem as bad as had been previously indicated. Several AEW talents spoken to reportedly stated that unlike others involved in the backstage brawl incident, Hangman Page did not have any restrictions on being able to talk about the incident but chosed not to do so in order to not stir anything up again. In regards to Punk’s issues with Page’s promo that led to friction between the two backstage, it was reported that Punk had met with high level AEW officials this past summer over it and had grown frustrated that nothing was being done about it to his level of satisfaction.
It was also reported that despite being told that AEW would not be turning the real life backstage brawl into a storyline angle for the company, there have been people on Punk’s side who are still hopeful of this happening in the future.