Damage control underway over the AJ Lee-Beadle incident?

Earlier today, my colleague Sean Rueter passed on the news from Wrestling Observer Radio that AJ Lee was in the WWE doghouse for cussing out NBC personality Michelle Beadle backstage at the Tribute To The Troops special after the celebrity had merely spoken with her real life boyfriend CM Punk. The implication was that she was behaving like a crazy, jealous, possessive girlfriend similar to the character she plays on WWE programming.

However, as our very own Geno Mrosko pointed out, almost immediately after the story broke PWInsider.com gave their own contradictory account that downplayed the incident. In their version of events, AJ only confronted Beadle after she said something that upset Punk and basically told her never to disrespect her partner ever again, otherwise there would be trouble. One source claimed that AJ never raised her voice or swore at Beadle when the scene occurred and anyone who said that was lying.

However, Dave Meltzer is sticking to his guns, reiterating his original story in his daily news update and is now claiming that all sides are desperately trying to contain the damage from the embarrassing story becoming public:

"Several sources in WWE said A.J. Lee cursed out Michelle Beadle in front of many people on Wednesday at the Tribute to the Troops show. It's been the talk of people backstage at the show, both wrestlers and non-wrestlers. There's public damage control of the story going on and as far as what happens, who knows."

On his subscriber only message board, Meltzer added that even the sole person who had defended AJ to him admitted that she "was way out of line and nuts", but had understandable reasons for her overreaction.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, Michelle Beadle is trying to draw a line under the messy storm in a teacup by issuing the following statement, which seems to corroborate Meltzer's claim that public damage control is already underway:

"Once and once only: I've known CM Punk for years. Considered him a friend. When I saw him at the arena, I said 'hey f&$?face'. The exact same way I talk to everyone. His girlfriend was nowhere near this. And I kept walking along with my assistant and two members of WWE PR. Next thing I know, I'm being yelled at. I honestly thought it was a joke. Period. The event went on and it was amazing. So I hope we can move on from this ridiculously lame 'story.' As for the crazies, BLOCKED! And Happy freaking Holidays!!! Now I'm headed out to do Sunday things, you f- faces. Mwahahahahhahaha"

I'm guessing Beadle has had much more of a hard time from obsessive AJ Lee Twitter followers sticking up for their favourite Diva than the lady herself and wants to get on with her life in peace.

There's also the strange story being floated by Richard Gray of WrestlingNewsWorld.com that AJ's flare up at Michelle Beadle was because she was in character and had been told to verbally attack Beadle by a producer for an online segment:

"@WWEAJLee was TOLD by a producer they were filming a segment with Beadle for the WWE App. When Lee went to do AS SHE WAS TOLD, she got heat. The story is @WWEAJLee was told to do a segment, when she went to do it everyone acted like they didn't know what she was talking about. WWE officials, who hadn't been made aware of what the producer told AJ, thought it was a shoot. Beadle's Tweets were in reference to Punk being upset at her for believing the entire thing was a setup on AJ Lee. So to recap.  Producer tells AJ segment w/Beadle.  AJ executes.  Beadle's reaction is WTF & other WWE officials as well. AJ Lee tries to explain.  Punk steps in.  End of story, let's move on."

Gray also claimed: "The entire thing was due to misinformation and miscommunication and exacerbating it is careless reporting." Ouch! I'm guessing he got really badly worked, as all the major news sites agree that the incident was genuine and instigated by AJ Lee herself, but who knows for sure what is really going on in the weird world of wrestling?