Ladies and gentlemen, grab your popcorn because the drama behind the scenes at AEW is spicier than a jalapeño in a hot sauce factory. Just weeks before their marquee pay-per-view event, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has suspended former Women’s World Champion Britt Baker. The reason? A backstage kerfuffle involving Alicia Atout and everyone’s favorite wrestling bad boy, MJF.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer spills the beans. He reports that Baker has been benched for “either one or two weeks” and slapped with a fine by AEW’s disciplinary committee. While the details are as elusive as a unicorn, Meltzer notes the drama ignited on the July 17 episode of “AEW Dynamite.” Apparently, Atout overheard Baker mouthing off about MJF, leading to a confrontation hotter than a summer BBQ. This verbal smackdown caught the attention of HR, who swiftly launched an investigation, culminating in Baker’s suspension and fine. Whether AEW President Tony Khan was involved remains as mysterious as the contents of a magician’s hat.
Sean Ross Sapp from Fightful echoed Meltzer’s report, adding a pinch of extra spice. He revealed that Baker was venting her frustrations about MJF in the women’s locker room, within earshot of Atout. Sapp describes the incident as a classic “he said, she said” scenario and mentions that Will Ospreay also got involved in the aftermath. The cherry on top? Baker and MJF apparently had a falling out sometime last year, making this incident juicier than a gossip column.
Despite the backstage fireworks, Baker is still slated to compete at All In, where she’s set to challenge Mercedes Mone for the TBS Championship. Last year’s All In was a record-breaker in attendance, albeit with some debate, and was also the stage for the infamous CM Punk vs. Jack Perry backstage brawl. That incident led to Punk’s dramatic exit from AEW.