All Elite Wrestling is moving ahead to its next pay-per-view, but the young promotion is still feeling the ripple effects from its predecessor. Even six weeks removed from AEW All Out and the subsequent backstage fight that broke out after the show’s press conference, AEW has yet to conclude the third-party investigation into what went down between CM Punk, Ace Steel, Kenny Omega, and the Young Bucks. Following an uncensored tirade at his presser, Punk was reportedly confronted by Omega and the Bucks in his locker room before things turned physical. Punches were thrown, chairs were tossed, and Omega was reportedly bitten. Since this incident, all five men who were physically involved have remained off of AEW programming and have been removed from AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage video packages.
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While it remains to be seen as to when, or if, any of the four wrestlers will be back on AEW TV, one talent involved has seen his last days with the company. According to the Wrestling Observer Radio, Ace Steel has been released from his AEW contract, effective at the start of this week.
Steel began working with AEW earlier this year, serving as a backstage producer. He would make two televised appearances for AEW ahead of All Out, first helping Punk to the back after he was defeated by Jon Moxley in quick fashion on AEW Dynamite. The second appearance came the following week, when he claimed the open title match contract that Moxley left in the ring and presented it to Punk, motivating his long-time friend to find his confidence again and take the match. Punk and Steel had been friends for decades, as Steel helped train Punk to become a professional wrestler.
Details of the AEW All Out fight are largely he said, she said, but one commonality in most reports has been that it was Steel who bit Omega. The bite was strong enough that Omega was still showing a bruise from it over two weeks later.
Steel’s release is a strong sign that this third-party investigation is making progress. It was reported earlier that there was an “uncooperative” party that was threatening “legal action,” leading to a stall. Another party is said to be frustrated with the whole process as they just want to return to work. Regardless of when this investigation concludes, Punk will be out of action until deep into 2023 as he recovers from a torn triceps.
Stay tuned to ComicBook.com for updates on this investigation.
