Ace Steel AEW Comeback In Play - CM Punk Latest
Ace Steel has been out of AEW since Brawl Out, but could he return with CM Punk?
Ace Steel's name has surprisingly returned to the AEW rumour mill, with reports that a potential comeback for the long-time CM Punk ally has been brought up as part of Punk's own return talks.
Steel was involved in the post-All Out 2022 brawl that saw all involved parties, including Punk, suspended indefinitely last September. As AEW conducted an internal investigation into the fight, Steel was released from his backstage position. The 50-year-old is alleged to have bitten Kenny Omega after The Elite had entered Punk's locker room.
Fightful Select reports that during a meeting between Punk and AEW personnel last week, Steel's return was presented to the 44-year-old. It was proposed that Ace come back to the company to work with Punk, though the coach/producer wouldn't be allowed to attend television tapings, which Punk apparently didn't agree with.
There is currently no word on whether or not this played a role in Punk being pulled from Collision's launch materials at yesterday's Warner Bros. Discovery upfronts. Fightful has not been informed of any changed plans when it comes to Punk.
PWInsider, meanwhile, states that AEW had decided against having Steel work Collision tapings. Punk and AEW disagreed on this, with the outlet claiming that this led to Punk being pulled from materials.
IMPACT Wrestling had expressed an interest in bringing Steel in for a tryout, though Ace turned this down weeks ago. Company sources took this as Steel being WWE or AEW-bound.