AEW is known for having locker room issues throughout its five-year history.
Almost 12 months ago, CM Punk made headlines for a reported physical altercation with Jack Perry at “All-In” in Wembley Stadium. Both Punk and Perry were suspended, with the former being released from his deal and Perry missing 10 months of television time.
Recently, Britt Baker was suspended due to a reported backstage argument involving MJF and Alicia Atout, once again bringing AEW’s locker room harmony into question.
During a recent episode of his “Hall of Fame” podcast, Booker T shared his belief that AEW should begin handing out harsher punishments when backstage issues occur.
“Suspensions can work, I think,” Booker T said. “But my thing is this: they’re gonna have to start firing some people sooner. That’s one thing I haven’t heard as far as AEW. I’ve heard a couple of people got let go, but I haven’t heard anybody that has been, just say, fired … Punk would be the only one. And that right there says a lot. That says a whole lot … (he was) the most popular star that they had in the company.”
Outside of the issue between Baker and MJF, AEW’s locker room has recently been drama-free. Very little has made it out into the public since Punk’s departure.
Nevertheless, when these stories do surface, they hurt the company’s brand. AEW is already fighting an uphill battle to stay relevant in the face of WWE’s recent explosion in popularity.
As such, Booker T’s suggestion may not work. While the risk of being fired could limit any confrontations backstage, the optics of releasing talent hurt AEW last year. Instead, Tony Khan must find a middle ground or at least have a stronger code of conduct in place that all staff members must sign and adhere to.
AEW is currently negotiating new television rights with Warner Brothers Discovery. It can’t afford any major drama to derail those negotiations or potentially risk the future of the company. However, it also can’t afford to let the talent run backstage. As such, Khan will have a difficult balancing act until he decides how to implement a fair but stringent disciplinary procedure.
