Dave Meltzer Feels Guilty About AEW Backstage Fight Between CM Punk & The Elite

In an exclusive interview with Nick Hausman of Wrestling Inc, Dave Meltzer has spoken of his regret in relation to the AEW All Out post-show fight between CM Punk and members of The Elite. 

Punk aired various grievances during the post-All Out press conference while sat next to AEW owner Tony Khan - words which led to a confrontation backstage also involving Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. In a Sports Illustrated interview before All Out, Punk implied that members of the AEW locker room were feeding false stories to Wrestling Observer founder Meltzer. Punk was thought to be referring to the rumours that he was responsible for Colt Cabana being removed from AEW TV, due to a years-long fallout between the two.

Meltzer explained:

"I know [Punk] well enough that I probably should have - as soon as I saw that quote - go, 'Dude, it didn't happen. I can just tell you it didn't happen. Nothing close to that happened.' But I didn't, and I'm not saying that that would've stopped any of this, because it probably still would've happened. But [...] I sort of do feel guilty about that aspect of it."

Speaking on the press conference itself, Meltzer described the experience of witnessing Punk's rant unfold in person.

"At first, I just thought it was Punk venting, and that's definitely all I thought. 'Oh he's venting and that's fine, whatever.' When he [said] 'Adam Page had never done anything in the business,' it was like [...] I don't like where this is going, because he just really insulted the entire company at that point."

Punk, Omega and the Bucks have been suspended indefinitely since the incident. The Elite were stripped of the AEW Trios Championship they captured that very night, while Punk was stripped of the AEW World Championship he had just won for a second time. Punk's future is still unknown, although it was reported by multiple news outlets that he and trainer Ace Steel are not expected to return to the promotion. 

H/T to Wrestling Inc.