Last night’s episode of AEW Dynamite featured The Young Bucks and Bullet Club Gold’s The Gunns in the event, with the EVPs picking up an underhanded victory to close the night show. After the cameras stopped rolling, the ring was quickly turned over to set the stage for an ROH Honor Club taping. What is unique about the taping taking place after Dynamite is that since the launch of AEW Collision, ROH tapings have traditionally happened on Saturday nights.
There could be a good reason for the taping taking place on Wednesday this week instead of on the weekend, considering some of the talent that was used. Notably, AEW Head of Talent Relations Christopher Daniels, Ryan Nemeth, and Colt Cabana, who all wrestled during the taping, are men who have been at odds with Punk backstage in AEW in some capacity. It is worth noting that Cabana seconded The Elite’s Brandon Cutler to the ring and was dressed like him.
Earlier this week, Haus of Wrestling confirmed that CM Punk requested that Christopher Daniels and Ryan Nemeth not be allowed backstage at AEW Collision for different reasons. In the case of Daniels, Punk perceives his involvement in the AEW All Out altercation on the same level as his friend Ace Steel, who is not being allowed to return backstage, and therefore feels The Fallen Angel, who was on the side of The Elite, shouldn’t be around, either.
In regard to Nemeth, Punk took issue with a tweet the younger brother of Dolph Ziggler put out, calling him the “softest man alive.” After an awkward backstage confrontation over the issue, Punk decided he did not want Nemeth around on Saturday nights, as he is trying to avoid any kind of backstage drama with the brand.
Punk’s issues with Colt Cabana are likely the most well-documented. The two men had a falling out during their Chicago-based trial over comments Punk made about WWE Dr. Chris Amann on Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast. During last year’s AEW All Out media scrum, Punk lay bare his issues with Cabana, noting there were financial and personal issues that arose during the trial that ended their friendship. There had been rumors in the months leading into the scrum that Punk requested Cabana not be allowed at AEW tapings, but he has fervently denied that allegation.
While it is not confirmed that the ROH taping was moved to Wednesday this week to accommodate wrestlers that Punk doesn’t want on Saturdays, the timing of the matches taking place is certainly eyebrow-raising.