AEW surprised many fans when they announced that World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk and Interim World Champion Jon Moxley would collide in an undisputed title bout on tonight’s episode of Dynamite instead of saving it for the All Out pay-per-view event in Chicago next Sunday.
Moxley vs. Punk
Fightful Select reports that sources indicated “Moxley was in favor of the move, and one source even indicated that it was his idea and pitch, and All Elite Wrestling went with it.”
One source noted that Punk eventually agreed to it. It’s unclear if this was connected to any of the reported issues with Punk last week.
Grapsody’s Will Washington noted that he’d heard there was an idea in play a few days before to increase ticket sales and add buzz to the Cleveland show. The decision was not the original plan, and “multiple plans” for AEW All Out had changed.
All Elite Wrestling has still yet to confirm what the main event will be for All Out.
Mandatory Talent Meeting
Fightful also reported that AEW will be holding a mandatory talent meeting at Dynamite in Cleveland, OH with company president Tony Khan in attendance.
Talent does expect management to address “the rumors of unrest, contract inquiries, and personal issues, as well as those things being leaked.”
As previously reported, Tony Schiavone dismissed that there is a lot of backstage tension in the promotion by calling the reports bulls**t.
