Report: Ace Steel "Surprised" By AEW Sacking
Backstage reaction, notes & more to AEW releasing All Out biter Ace Steel this week.
Ace Steel, who is believed to have bitten Kenny Omega and pulled the former World Champion's hair during AEW's post-All Out 2022 brawl, was reportedly surprised by his release from the company.
This is according to Dave Meltzer, who broke the news of Steel's AEW departure yesterday. Meltzer wrote the following in response to a poster on his Figure Four Online/Wrestling Observer message board suggesting that Steel may have been let go by AEW prior to the news getting out (h/t r/SquaredCircle):-
"No, he actually thought the opposite and was surprised."
Steel had been working for AEW in a backstage capacity since February. Along with CM Punk, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks, he was suspended in the 4 September fight's aftermath, from which potential legal issues have stemmed, holding the process up.
Elsewhere, Fightful Select reports a unanimous consensus amongst the AEW personnel the outlet spoke to that Ace's departure was inevitable. If not for legal constraints, he would've been released during the week of All Out, with one talent who is on good terms with Steel stating the writing was on the wall when Omega's bite marks were still visible.
Amusingly, one talent commented "Biting people bad" when asked.
Punk, Omega, and The Young Bucks remain under indefinite AEW suspension.