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 in it.
- BetOnline’s latest odds for WrestleMania 41 indicate there could be several championships changing hands. John Cena, Bianca Belair, Jacob Fatu, Charlotte Flair, and Dominik Mysterio are currently favored to win their respective title matches.
- Bianca did not win (Iyo Sky did) and neither did Charlotte (Tiffany Stratton retained). The others did win. (3/5)
- The Wrestling Observer Newsletter says Chris Jericho is “taking time off” from AEW. He originally left most Wednesday dates open on his upcoming Fozzy tour in order to work those Dynamite tapings. However, “he’s feeling it’s the right time for a break and there’s no time frame known or that likely will be talked about until a ‘surprise’ return.”
- He still hasn’t returned and there’s rumor he’ll be going back to WWE. That would be an interesting return to watch. Jericho talked a lot of shit early about WWE when he was in AEW. That makes sense given they wanted to distinguish themselves as an alternative and that was kind of AEW’s identity early on. Honestly, that’s something Triple H likely understands and forgives. The more interesting aspect I can’t imagine fans have a ton of desire for more Jericho in WWE. He wouldn’t have to keep up with the faster AEW style, but it would be an interesting thing to observe.
- The Observer indicates that “neither Sting nor WWE” contacted AEW President Tony Khan about Sting potentially inducting Lex Luger into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
- That’s unfortunate, if true, that they didn’t want to try to honor Lex’s wishes here.
- Regarding Deonna Purrazzo’s current absence from AEW programming, Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp says she is “healthy” and “able to wrestle.” He also claims “there was no plan for a third member of The Vendetta. That was just them trying to create some intrigue.”
- She’s wrestled for them since then.
- Shelton Benjamin told the Huge Pop! podcast that his AEW deal is for three years.
- Glad he’s still has a place he can get screen time.
- F4WOnline’s Dave Meltzer said the reason why Billy Gunn is in the WWE 2K25 video game is because “he also has a WWE Legends contract” in addition to being under contract with AEW.
- I wonder how he swung that.
- Nick Aldis is the favorite to replace Kevin Owens as Randy Orton’s WrestleMania opponent at outlets like BetOnline. Aleister Black has the next best odds, followed by Solo Sikoa and Ludwig Kaiser.
- It was none of these guys. I do want to see Aldis wrestle at one point and that seemed like a good spot for it. But the Joe Hendry pop was really good. (0/1)
- According to Fightful Select, Alexa Bliss has been off television due to creative plans to tie her into the Wyatt Sicks and Bo Dallas suffering an injury that has kept the group on the shelf. It’s almost certain they won’t return until after WrestleMania 41.
- They didn’t return until after Mania. But she wasn’t part of that. (1/2)
- They also say the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony may no longer be a mandatory event for talent to attend like it has been in the past.
- I wonder if that was the case. You’d think they’d want to continue to present it like a big deal. Allowing a lot of talent to no show would lessen that.
- PW Insider notes that the finish to the Chelsea Green vs. Zelina Vega match on Friday Night SmackDown this past week was not the originally planned finish. The count out was legitimate in the sense that the referee felt he had to go through with it and Green simply didn’t realize where he was in the count.
- Seems like these things happen.
- Having said that, there was apparently no heat on anyone backstage after the fact and everyone understood it to be a simple miscommunication.
- That’s good.
- They also reiterate that Kairi Sane is expected back in WWE on television at any time now that she has healed from her injury.
- She’s back and part of the familial drama with Asuka & Iyo. (1/1)
- Fightful says that there was a plan earlier this year for Joe Hendry to appear on Raw and kick off a feud with The Miz but a WWE executive didn’t like the idea of Hendry losing in his debut. Ethan Page was ultimately sent to TNA to do a version of the same idea.
- That makes sense.
- Hikaru Shida is not injured and just off television right now, says Insider.
- She’s slated to return soon. Kenny Omega indicated it was visa related. (1/1)
- Living Colour is performing in downtown Las Vegas on Friday night, prompting speculation they could play CM Punk to the ring on Saturday night at WrestleMania.
- That they did. (1/1)
- According to Fightful Select, as of last week there were no creative plans in place for United States Champion Chelsea Green at WrestleMania 41 but they caution that could always change before the show.
- She was not on the show.
- In response to questions about Hook after fans spotted him vomiting in the ring during a break after his match with Samoa Joe against Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta on last week’s Dynamite, Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer said, “He threw up, but he didn’t have a concussion. That’s what I found out.” It’s not known why Hook got sick, but speculation is he landed stomach-first on the legs of a steel chair.
- It was a concussion, which Hook confirmed. (0/1)
- Scorpio Sky is healthy and “good to go”, so it’s not clear what’s keeping him off AEW television. That per a Fightful Select report that also says there was a creative pitch to team Sky with Private Party, which was teased on television but never followed up on.
- He’s had a handful of matches in AEW this year. As an AEW original, he sees little time.
- F4WOnline’s Dave Meltzer on Jeff Cobb leaving NJPW for WWE: “Those in WWE have confirmed Cobb is starting soon, but the only other thing we were told is that he is not Randy Orton’s opponent at WrestleMania. While he had moved to Japan, his age was likely the key and the money in WWE and AEW was so much better than New Japan. For whatever reason he didn’t have a lot of interest in AEW, where he also could have gone.”
- He debuted at Backlash to assist Solo Sikoa. (1/1)
April
16, 2025
- The Roast of WrestleMania likely won’t air live because, as Fightful Select notes, WWE executives believe it to be too much of a risk and it will likely be available for viewing later.
- It was never made available to watch anywhere. (1/2)
- Fightful says real time changes were made to the Gauntlet match to determine new top contenders to the women’s tag team titles on SmackDown this past week, notably that the match was cut down.
- It’s tough to book those matches. Early on, you need to find excuses for matches to end quicker than they normally ever would if it were just a one on one match.
- According to PW Insider, there was a rumor at one point after her program with Toni Storm ended that Mariah May requested her release from AEW but they couldn’t confirm its accuracy.
- I’m sure that’s accurate to a degree. But they also had a very full story that did not feel like it was incomplete.
- Meanwhile, WWE sources are “playing coy” in regard to how interested they may be in signing her because she’s still under contract elsewhere.
- She’s in NXT as Blake Monroe currently.
- TNA has made multiple signings of at least three international wrestlers that haven’t been announced yet, according to Fightful Select.
- Definitely two. Indi Hartwell signed around that time, and while from Australia, she’s been very established in America by that time. But we’ll count it. Even if we don’t count Indi, we’ll invoke the Meatloaf Claus and take 2 out of 3. (1/1)
- They also say it’s part of a bigger strategy from the company to expand its presence in international markets.
- WWE can see if they can help them expand their TV presence overseas.
- During his appearance with Triple H on The Ankler Podcast, WWE president Nick Khan said that Travis Scott will be at WrestleMania, but kept it vague about what the rapper will be doing in Las Vegas. WWE announced Scott merch & collectibles will go on sale at WWE World on Thursday.
- The boss wasn’t lying. I wish he was.
- On that same podcast, Nick Khan also revealed that it was The Rock who told Scott to “slap the shit out of” Rhodes, telling him otherwise people would think Scott didn’t “have it”. Triple H said Cody was one of the only people who wasn’t upset about the allegedly eardrum-rupturing slap: “He just wanted it to look good.”
- Sounds like higher ups really wanted Scott there so I’m sure Nick would defend him.
- While discussing Nick Khan’s quote from another interview about how WWE “won’t sign and bench people”, Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp said on The Hump that WWE was urgent to re-sign Natalya last year to prevent her from jumping to AEW for the Owen Hart Tournament. Sapp called Nick Khan’s claim “incredibly hypocritical” because WWE hasn’t done anything with Natalya on her new deal, and instead she’s working NWA and indie shows.
- Every company with a large roster is going to bench people. As for Natalya, she has a pretty cool, more badass character in Bloodsport & NWA and I think they should showcase that side of her on Raw.
- Sapp also used Omos as an example, repeating a Fightful Select report the WWE big man isn’t injured and “is ready to work and perform”, but his name hasn’t come up in any creative discussions. It was also mentioned that Omos made a good impression during his time in Japan with Pro Wrestling NOAH, and that that promotion would likely welcome him back.
- Looks like he’s been working some on NXT tours lately. That said, he still has spent much of the year riding the pine.
- It would be surprising if Tetsuya Naito signs with AEW after exiting NJPW, per Fightful Select. AEW officials apparently have never had much interest in signing Naito to a full-time deal.
- He’s not there. (1/1)
- On his X/Twitter, Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez wrote that “the impression” he’s gotten about Naito and New Japan is “simply that he wanted a lot more money than they were willing to pay him.” Alvarez thinks there’s a “good chance” Naito’s departure “had been awhile in the making.”
- He’s worked a few RevPro matches and one xWx show since this.
- On a WrestleBinge Q&A, WrestleVotes said Roxanne Perez will be on the main roster post-WrestleMania and “get a good spot and push” to start. They added, “She’s got a hell of a career lined up for her.”
- She is a main roster talent. (1/1)
- In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Tony Khan said he likes AEW’s current schedule of nine PPVs per year, but “could see it going up to 10”.
- All going past midnight.
- During a Fanatics Live signing at WWE World in Las Vegas, Big E said Rusev confirmed with him that he is returning to WWE.
- Big E ruining the surprise.
- WrestleVotes Radio indicates that he is indeed going back to using the name Rusev in WWE instead of Miro, and his return might be fast-tracked. It doesn’t sound like WWE is planning to bring in Aiden English for a Rusev Day reunion, at least not yet.
- That’s the case. (2/2)
- Votes says there is “growing speculation that some within WWE are expecting The Rock to show up at WrestleMania this weekend.” That’s big if true.
- He most certainly did not. (0/1)
- The outlet also claims the opening matches at WrestleMania 41 will be GUNTHER vs. Jey Uso on Saturday night (Apr. 19) and IYO SKY vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley on Sunday night (Apr. 20).
- That’s correct. (2/2)
- The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is under the impression that it was Nick Khan’s decision for WWE to not contact AEW President Tony Khan about Sting possibly inducting Lex Luger into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
- Lame if true.
- The Observer also says there was “talk this week” that PAC’s injury could keep him sidelined from AEW for four months, but that’s a preliminary number. For whatever it’s worth, Fightful Select says there is still no timetable for PAC’s return.
- He returned in September (5 months) at All In.
- According to Fightful, Sarah Stock is no longer with AEW. She worked for the company over the last two years as a producer and coach. It was noted that Stock raised “issues with the company’s mental health program and department being heavily shifted.” However, it’s not known if that was related to her exit.
- Haven’t heard much more on this.
This week: 16/23 – 70%
Overall: 5,902/10,095 – 58.5%
Have a great week, everyone!
