Promoters Aren’t Allowed To Book Suspended AEW Stars

CM Punk spewed pure vitriol on Colt Cabana, Hangman Page, and The Young Bucks during the post-AEW All Out media scrum. Punk’s words angered Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks as well. Punk and Ace Steel were involved in a brawl with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega after Punk’s harsh words. Promoters are currently not allowed to book suspended AEW stars.

The AEW wrestlers that were punished following the now-famous CM Punk-instigated backstage incident at AEW All Out won’t be permitted to work in other leagues. According to a story in Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the wrestlers are restricted from working for other companies because of their status as employees of AEW, where they hold executive vice president positions in addition to their roles as stars in the ring.

Talent while on suspension is not allowed to work anywhere, since as EVP’s all of their outside bookings run through Khan and the office. Punk is a moot point due to the injury but there are promoters interested in at least one if not all of them for major shows and were told they aren’t available until the suspensions are over.

The only way the AEW wrestlers could work for someone else, according to Meltzer, is if they didn’t work for Khan. “Of course, if anyone was to be let go, they could go anywhere they wanted as soon as they were no longer being paid on their contract. Khan has made a general rule of not letting people go until their contracts have expired, although there have been exceptions for out of the ring conduct, such as Jimmy Havok.”

While Christopher Daniels, Pat Buck, Brandon Cutler, Michael Nakazawa, and The Young Bucks have subsequently been cleared, Punk, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Ace Steel remain suspended. As a member of the AEW representative team, Omega travelled to Japan last week for the Tokyo Game Show; but, because of his ban, he was not involved in any AEW-related events. Stay tuned to Ringside News for the latest updates.

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