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This is also pure speculation on my part but I think there’s something going on with CM Punk behind the scenes that we don’t know about.
Dave has been VERY high on Hangman since the Punk feud started. Not that he wasn’t high on Page before that, but it was pretty clear Page wasn’t a guy that would regularly speak to Dave just by the way Dave would talk him Page and his matches. He liked Page, but he wouldn’t gush about Page the same way he does about wrestlers who he regularly talks to (eg. Omega, Bucks, Jericho, Mox etc.)
Since the Punk feud though he’s been very defensive of Page and has been putting him over big. Saying Page should win the IWGP belt, said he looked incredible at FB, getting really pissed Page wasn’t in the battle royal for the opportunity at the interim belt etc.
When Page cut that promo before DoN about saving AEW from Punk, Dave said there’s a lot that wasn’t being said that and he felt like he was watching a Bret Hart promo on Shawn Michaels, with Page obviously being Bret Hart and Punk being Michaels. Obviously a wrestler getting compared to 90s backstage Michaels is a bad sign.
So yeah, whether it’s Page or Kenny or the Bucks feeding Dave information, I get the feeling Punk has done some things that has ruffled some feathers. Maybe he’s got Tony by the balls, maybe it’s the Dark Order thing, whatever. Just feels like to me Dave has been told something abo it Punk that’s soured him on the direction of the company.
TLDR: HEAPS of my own personal headcanon about how Punk isn’t well liked backstage.
