Backstage News On If Tony Khan Is 'Siding With' The Elite Or CM Punk

Ever since the backstage incident following AEW's All Out show back in September resulted in CM Punk and Ace Steel reportedly brawling with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega, followed by titles being vacated, rumors of suspensions, and at least one firing, AEW and its CEO, Tony Khan, have remained steadfastly silent on the matter. That's left wrestling fans to speculate on whether Khan sees eye-to-eye with Punk, who kicked off the drama with his explosive post-show media remarks, or The Elite, AEW's EVPs. On Saturday, Wade Keller of the Pro Wrestling Torch attempted to answer that question.

"Tony is siding with Kenny and The Bucks more than Punk," Keller said on his "Focus On AEW" special, an opinion that seemingly coincides with Steel, a strong Punk ally, being reportedly let go by the compan.

Keller did note, however, that Khan still has a great deal of interest in Punk from a creative perspective.

"There are times when Tony would have wanted to side with Punk over the Bucks and Kenny in terms of him as a wrestling fan, thinking about what he could do with Punk — the matches that haven't happened yet, the promos that haven't happened yet, the storylines that haven't happened yet," Keller continued. "I think he's not as enamored as with what's left to do with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega."

Keller made it clear that is all conjecture on his part, and not Khan telling him on background, but that is the word he was getting from people in AEW. While the Bucks and Punk were both featured in promotional material on last week's "AEW Dynamite," talks of a contract buyout for Punk have also been reported.