PWInsider and Fightful Select report that in spite of rumors to the contrary, the Young Bucks were fine with their promo and the AEW All In footage segment on Dynamite. The segment showed the backstage altercation between CM Punk and Jack Perry that led to Punk’s firing and Perry’s suspension.
The Young Bucks had no problem with the creative for the segment. The idea came from Tony Khan but the Bucks were okay with it as they used it to build to their match with FTR. It also helped open the door for the return of Perry, who they helped get signed to AEW. They also have had issues with Punk in the past and didn’t have a problem with the shots at him.
Fightful notes that most of the reactions to the footage were said to be “tepid”, with many seeing what they expected to see. It was said to be a “one night ratings ploy.” The mood backstage at AEW Dynamite was said to have dropped after the footage aired, with most worried about the “social media bullshit” that would follow. The feeling backstage is that now it’s more important than ever to deliver a big show with AEW Dynasty, and they don’t think the PPV schedule being released today was an accident.
Khan came up with the idea after Punk’s interview with Ariel Helwani and the shots from WWE during Wrestlemania weekend. Creative was set by late last week and the decision to promote it right after Wrestlemania was planned in advance.
FTR were informed about the decision to promote the footage and agreed to it. They both reportedly believed that if it creates buzz for their match and storyline with the Bucks, it’s fine. Fightful states they’ve heard of no issues between Punk and FTR over the footage.
There were also several people discussing the matter in WWE, although sources were mostly “exhausted” after Wrestlemania week. No one was said to be surprised by what was shown and Punk is not expected to get any kind of punishment over the incident. Some of the wrestlers called the video a “self-own”, others didn’t care and watched out of curiosity. One veteran that has been in WWE and AEW said this wasn’t anything worse than what happened in the Monday Night Wars, and there are plenty of similar examples from that time period.
The hope backstage in AEW is that this will help Perry, both from crowd reactions (especially if he wrestles in Chicago) and bringing him back to AEW to capitalize on it. However, some in AEW wished that “someone else would have got that TV time” in regards to showing Punk. Some felt they were in a “no-win situation” after the multiple WWE shots and references last weekend.
None of the talent believe this is any kind of a “company killer” and most agreed that AEW expected the hyperbole and reactions it got from people online. Fightful noted these were all reactions based on responses it received and are therefore subjective.
