New reports describe how The Elite contributed to AEW backstage drama

Lest you think all the tension in the AEW locker room is Colt Cabana-related and/or stems from the post-All Out fracas, this week a story circulating that Kenny Omega’s speech at the Aug. 24 talent meeting rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.

Reports about the pre-Dynamite meeting focused on improving communication, the company’s expanded talent relations team, and its response to WWE’s alleged tampering. AEW head honcho Tony Khan, Executive Vice-Presidents The Young Bucks & Omega, Sr. Producer & Talent Advisor Tony Schiavone, and veteran Chris Jericho all spoke. It was noted at the time that Kenny in particular took a tough love approach to his remarks, and now it seems one line in particular wasn’t well received by everyone.

According to Voices of Wrestling’s The Flagship podcast (and since confirmed by Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer), Omega told the assembled AEW roster that he wouldn’t have hired eight out of 10 people in the room.

Meltzer writes the line received a mixed reaction. Some took it as clearly being a joke, noting Omega was looking at Will Ospreay when he said it and was just messing with his rival from New Japan. Others believed he was being serious and took offense. Someone in the first group told Dave the line was "totally misinterpreted and taken out of context."

Omega also talked about how AEW’s energy was more positive when the company started, presumably to encourage the current roster to achieve that same attitude.

Back to the VOW pod, they also discussed how Punk was known to stay and watch all the matches on any given show. That's in contrast to rumors he had a "big time" attitude with others behind-the-scenes -- and to Omega and The Bucks, who were said to often leave early.

There's always at least two sides to every story. Seems The Elite got theirs out first. Now it's the Punk camp's turn.