Rumor Look Back: February 24 – 28, 2025

Welcome to the weekly Rumor Look Back, where we look at the rumors from six months ago and see which played out as originally stated. Let’s jump ri...

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Welcome

to the weekly Rumor Look Back, where we look at the rumors from six months ago and see which played out as originally stated. Let’s jump right to it.

February 24, 2025

The Observer says that the writers were “confused and thrown for a loop” with The Rock appearing on SmackDown this past week. They say it wasn’t as last minute as has been talked about but the belief is his schedule may have changed for WrestleMania.
He still didn’t work WrestleMania which was the assumption coming into this night. (0/1)
Dave Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that AJ Styles vs. Finn Balor isn’t booked for WrestleMania 41 right now.
That was not the match. Finn was in a fatal 4-way for the Intercontinental title and AJ Styles faced Logan Paul. (1/1)
Meltzer also said Ricky Saints wasn’t used by AEW for so long because Tony Khan believed he was always going to end up going to WWE.
He may have been right but it may have been a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because if he’s not going to use him because he thinks he’s leaving, Ricky will leave because he’s not being used.
Fightful Select says WWE’s recent trademark filing for “Kalyx” is for referee Jessika Carr, who is now working under a mask at recent Evolve tapings.
Looks like that’s the case. That’s gotta be fun for her to get to wrestle again on the side of her full time referee gig. (1/1)
Elektra Lopez (real name Karissa Rivera) was backstage at Full Sail during Friday’s TNA taping, per Lucha Libre Online.
If she did, it didn’t lead to her signing with them.

February 25, 2025

During his post-SmackDown press conference on Friday, The Rock confirmed that WWE wanted to announce WrestleMania 42 for New Orleans at the Super Bowl: “We had a couple of hiccups, and we couldn’t make that happen.”
They’re not going to be in New Orleans anyway.
Sami Zayn told Sean Ross Sapp that he’s “usually kind of private about” things like his WWE contract status, but said, “I’ve got a good thing going here [at WWE] and I see it continuing for the foreseeable future.”
I think he may finally win a world title this year.
Hook hired agent Barry Bloom to represent him, according to PW Insider. It’s not known when Hook’s deal is up, but AEW is expected to make sure he re-signs when it is.
I don’t think we have a confirmation, but the word is he did (or maybe did a while ago).
Mike Bailey’s AEW debut has been delayed by the ongoing processing of his visa, per Fightful Select.
Given he once had a travel ban due to not following proper protocols, it makes sense he’d be very diligent thereafter.
TNA has a strong interest in signing Elektra Lopez, says Backstage Pass’ Chris Featherstone. Discussions are reportedly already underway for her to debut once she’s contractually able to.
That did not happen. (0/1)
New Japan’s Henare could miss the rest of the year due to a knee injury, according to Fightful Select.
There’s more year left so we’ll wait officially. But he’s still out.

February 26, 2025

According to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, WWE wants Randy Orton involved in WrestleMania 41 but he hasn’t specifically heard of any particular plan for him just yet.
Of course they d0 – he’s Randy Orton. He had a match against surprise opponent in Joe Hendry. (1/1)
WrestleVotes notes that there is internal optimism for the Hardy Boyz to “have a main roster program sometime this spring/summer.”
With the summer almost over, I’m going to say this is wrong. If they have a main roster match in the next month, I’ll come back to this. (0/1)
Jade Cargill is expected back on WWE television soon, possibly as early as this week, says PW Insider.
She returned at Elimination Chamber. (1/1)
They also say WWE officials were really happy with how Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez’s title win played out on Raw this week and they’re expected to be booked strong leading into WrestleMania 41.
These are often somewhat subjective. They did get a WrestleMania match, though it was also a vehicle for Becky’s return and more to service that whole story than one of their own. And to really send this home, outside one 6-person, they didn’t actually have a tag match prior to Mania. (0/1)
Per Fightful Select, the awkward Thunder Rosa/Megan Bayne angle on Dynamite this past week was just a miscommunication and there is no heat from anyone involved in the situation.
That stuff happens (though this was also pointed to in the Look Back last week in a rumor saying more production meetings may help with this).

February 27, 2025

Regarding Becky Lynch’s status with WWE, Sean Ross Sapp said on a recent Fightful Select Q&A podcast that Lynch is signed and healthy but he believes she’s “she’s still awaiting creative”. Sapp said he knows “they wanted to get her involved with WrestleMania plans”, but doesn’t know what that might entail at this point.
She’s back and having a very entertaining heel run.
Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez reported that the reason NXT is doing a Giulia vs. Stephanie Vaquer match so soon is because one of them “is banged up, [and] needs time off”. Alvarez didn’t want to say which one so as to not spoil the match, but both PW Insider’s Mike Johnson and Ibou followed up that it’s Giulia who’s dealing with an unspecified/unknown injury.
It was Giulia. She’s since returned and is the US champion. (2/2)
On a Backstage Pass pod, WrestleVotes said that Fraxiom are “main roster bound post-WrestleMania”. If true, that could explain WWE filing to trademark Nathan Frazier & Axiom’s team name Tuesday.
That’s the case. (1/1)
Votes also thinks Bron Breakker will defend the Intercontinental title in a multi-man match at WrestleMania 41. They haven’t heard if it will be a ladder match.
That’s how it went. It wasn’t a ladder match. (1/1)
Back to trademark news, Chris Jericho filed one this week for “Hi Spot”. That’s the name of a move he debuted on Collision last Saturday.
Now we’re wondering if we see him in AEW again.
Sheamus is the latest WWE star to sign with Paradigm Talent Agency, reports Deadline. He joins fellow WWE stars CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Tiffany Stratton, Damian Priest, Liv Morgan, and Alexa Bliss as Paradigm clients.
Paradigm is the home of a lot of WWE clients.
While speaking to Jonathan Coachman on Behind The Turnbuckle, Matt Morgan said Vince McMahon originally wanted to give his 2005 stuttering gimmick to Brock Lesnar.
Would have been an interesting “What If?” if true.
Jazz has been working as an agent at recent TNA tapings, according to Fightful Select.
That’s cool.

February 28, 2025

Sources told WrestleVotes that Jade Cargill has been cleared to return to WWE. She should be back imminently for a resolution to the mystery angle regarding who attacked her on SmackDown.
That’s the case. (1/1)
Votes also says that Stephanie McMahon will be “launching her own podcast series, expected this spring.” It will be an official WWE podcast.
It’s “What’s Your Story?” This isn’t the first time that WWE has attempted to get a foothold in the podcast world with Corey Grave’s podcast, the New Day pod (which was hilarious), and Alexa Bliss even had a short-lived one. (1/1)
Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer heard from people close to Vince McMahon who say he does not plan to start a new wrestling company. Such a company would do no better than third place in the current market due to all the talent that’s locked up and difficulty in securing a TV deal, and Vince isn’t interested in that. He does plan to launch a new entertainment company, however.
That’s the case. (1/1)
When asked for AEW’s internal reaction to NXT fans chanting “Tony fumbled” during Ricky Saints’ debut match this week, Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp said, “They don’t give a fuck…they don’t care.”
That would be the proper reaction. And I’ll say that Tony Khan not going to twitter after Jake Hager dragged him through the mud. I’d have understood it if he did to a degree because Hager really went after him. But it’s the right thing to do to not respond, and, for a change, he did so.
On a Backstage Pass pod, WrestleVotes said there are several people in WWE who do not like the three hour format for SmackDown and feel it has hurt the quality of the show.
It’s struggled creatively even at two hours.
Regarding a potential return to WWE, The Ryback said, “It would most honestly probably take The Rock getting involved for something to get done.”
I’m shocked TKO isn’t making the Rock get on that.