Following the termination last Saturday of CM Punk this past weekend, PWInsider is reporting that Chris Guy (real name Ace Steel) was released by AEW on Thursday.
Steel was the original trainer for Punk and Colt Cabana. Steel was initially hired as a Coach and Producer by AEW, after he had been released by WWE where he held the position as a Performance Center Coach and NXT Producer.
Steel made several appearances on AEW TV programming Punk leading into the All Out 2022 pay-per-view, where Punk got into a physical altercation with Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks backstage during the post-PPV media scrum. It had been said Steel’s wife, who was also in the room got involved, alleging biting Kenny Omega in the arm.
Steel was the only staff fired from AEW following the altercation. Tony Khan then brought Steel back when Punk returned to the company this past June on the debut episode of Collision, after serving a nine month suspension.
AEW’s plan was for Steel to again work as Punk’s Coach and Producer upon his return. However, when it came time for Collision to be announced, AEW made the decision that Steel would not be allowed physically on location at any of the shows. This would then cause a bit of a delay in the announcement of Punk’s return to the company. Eventually it was agreed upon by both sides that Steel would work remotely through Zoom.
PWInsider concluded by noting there had been discussions over the last month that AEW was looking into a space in Florida for Steel to train and work with talents. This now of course will not happen with Steel gone from the company.
Source: PWInsider