“I’m Better Than You, And You Know It”

"Every Man Has A Price For The Million Dollar Man"

"The Best There Is, The Best There Was, And The Best There Ever Will Be"

"Whatcha Gonna Do, When Hulkamania Runs Wild On You"

"And That's The Bottom Line Because Stone Cold Said So"

Rumor Roundup


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Recent WWE Releases Seemingly Did Not Include Any &#8220;Triple H Guys&#8221;</h2>



<p>WWE did their usual releases following WrestleMania yesterday, and there were several shocks among the names. Braun Strowman and Dakota Kai were released for the second time, whilst Kayden Carter and Katana Chance were also released along with Shayna Baszler. This effectively split Damage CTRL and Pure Fusion Collective, whilst the company also let go of several names from NXT.</p>



<p>While discussing the main roster releases, Sean Ross Sapp of <a href="http://www.patreon.com/fightful" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Fightful Select </a>noted that “If Triple H wanted to keep these people, they’d still be there.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">WWE SmackDown to Return to Two Hours in June</h2>



<p>SmackDown has been operating as a three-hour show since RAW moved over to Netflix back in January, and it seems there is now a date for the show to return to two hours. According to <a href="http://www.f4wonline.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The Wrestling Observer,</a> the date for the return to the two-hour format is June 6th.</p>



<p>It was noted that this could change, and it wasn&#8217;t set in stone at present, but it has been reported for several months that June would be the return of the old format, and the decision will reportedly be made later this week. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Cody Rhodes Expected to Return Following WWE Backlash</h2>



<p>Cody Rhodes hasn&#8217;t been seen on WWE TV since his defeat to John Cena in the WrestleMania 41 main event. It seems the former World Champion is taking some time away whilst Randy Orton battles Cena and will make his return following Backlash.</p>



<p>It was recently revealed that Rhodes is advertised for the May 16th episode of SmackDown, which could be when he opts to make his return. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Tama Tonga&#8217;s Injury Much Worse Than Expected</h2>



<p>Tama Tonga was written off WWE TV last week when he was attacked by LA Knight, but it seems that his injury could be much worse than first feared, and according to <a href="https://www.patreon.com/BackstagePassSK" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes,</a> this could also delay his brother Tonga Loa&#8217;s WWE return.</p>



<p>Loa has been out of action since Survivor Series WarGames back in November when he suffered an arm injury. Tama recently joined the injured list, and it was reported that he may now require surgery.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">WWE Draft Still Planned to Take Place in 2025</h2>



<p>There has been a lot of movement across brands over the past few months, with Bianca Belair going to RAW for her WrestleMania story, whilst Gunther has appeared on SmackDown, and Cody Rhodes appeared across both shows as World Champion.</p>



<p>It seems that the brand split is still in play, and according to WrestleVotes Radio, the Draft will take place later this year. There has just been a delay with the recent run of Premium Live Events being so close together.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Liv Morgan &amp; Raquel Rodriguez Not to Be Stripped of Tag Team Championships Amid Absence</h2>



<p>Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez noted this past week on RAW that they were taking some time off as Morgan heads over to Japan to begin filming &#8216;Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo.&#8217; It seems the two women will be able to take some time away and hold on to their Women&#8217;s Tag Team Championships, since it was noted by several outlets that they will not have the titles stripped from them in their absence.</p>



<p>It appears that new contenders for the titles will be decided in their absence instead. </p>



<p><strong>As always, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>


WWE Rumor Roundup: Releases, SmackDown Change, Cody Rhodes Return, Tama Tonga Injury


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Backstage Reaction to The Rock&#8217;s Recent Actions Against WWE</h2>



<p>Several people backstage in WWE were seemingly confused by The Rock&#8217;s actions in recent weeks. The former World Champion helped to promote WrestleMania and was part of one of the biggest storylines in the show, but then no-showed the event and went on the Pat McAfee show to note that he would have booked it differently. </p>



<p><a href="http://www.patreon.com/fightful" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Fightful Select </a>noted that they spoke to several people who were perplexed by this. There was also confusion about his claim that it was all a work, since The Rock was clearly not in character when he was part of The Pat McAfee Show.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Tension Between The Rock and Triple H</h2>



<p>The Rock and Triple H have been working together cohesively over the past few years, but it seems that when The Rock shows up, the card is at his mercy, which has worried many current WWE stars.</p>



<p>That being said, <em>Fightful </em>noted that no one backstage has seen any tension between The Rock and Triple H, despite the clear issues in storyline.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Finn Balor Expected to Turn on Dominik Mysterio</h2>



<p>Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio have been teasing tension in The Judgment Day for several weeks, and when Mysterio pinned Balor at WrestleMania this past weekend, it appeared to have caused more issues.</p>



<p>While Balor has brushed off his problems, according to <a href="https://x.com/WWE/status/1915963688713932924" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes</a>, Balor is expected to turn on Dominik Mysterio in Saudi Arabia, and they are expected to have a program heading into SummerSlam.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Gunther Requested Time Off From WWE</h2>



<p>Gunther was officially suspended from WWE by Adam Pearce after his attack on Pat McAfee on RAW, and it seems there is a real reason behind the assault and the suspension.</p>



<p>According to Cory Hays of <a href="https://x.com/cory_hays407" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Bodyslam</a>, Gunther requested time off from WWE following WrestleMania, so the company has written him off TV. The suspension is indefinite, which means he could return at any time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">John Cena vs Randy Orton at Backlash to Be Handed &#8220;One Last Time&#8221; Billing</h2>



<p>John Cena&#8217;s title defense against Randy Orton was <a href="https://wrestlingworld.co/news/john-cena-vs-randy-orton-undisputed-wwe-championship-match-officially-announced-for-backlash-2025">officially announced this week on SmackDown</a>, and it seems their match will be handed its own billing for the show. Orton is in his hometown and going for his 15th World Championship, and according to <a href="https://x.com/WrestleVotes/status/1915805853610918396" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes</a>, the match will also be &#8220;One Last Time&#8221; between two of WWE&#8217;s most iconic rivals.</p>



<p>Orton would equal Triple H&#8217;s World Championship haul with the win and would prevent John Cena from walking away from the company with their iconic title.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">John Cena Set to Team With Travis Scott Later in the Year</h2>



<p>John Cena and Travis Scott have been rumored to be working together again in WWE after he invaded the WrestleMania main event. The <a href="http://www.f4wonline.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Wrestling Observer </a>noted that this would be happening later in the year and that <strong>Bad Bunny</strong> was expected to be on the opposite side of the ring.</p>



<p>While the fourth man in the match remains unknown, Dave Meltzer noted that he is expected to be &#8220;on the level of John Cena.&#8221;</p>



<p><strong>As always, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>



<p></p>


WWE Rumor Roundup: Reaction to The Rock, Finn Balor Turn, John Cena vs Randy Orton, Gunther Suspension


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Many Titles Are Expected to Change Hands at WrestleMania</h2>



<p>There are a number of championship matches set to take place at WrestleMania next weekend, and it seems that betting odds are expecting a number of title changes.</p>



<p>At present, John Cena, Jacob Fatu, Charlotte Flair, Dominik Mysterio, and Bianca Belair are all heavy favorites to walk out of WrestleMania with their respective championships. Cena would make history if he defeats Cody Rhodes in the WrestleMania main event to become a 17-time World Champion. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Randy Orton Expected to Face Nick Aldis at WrestleMania 41</h2>



<p>Randy Orton is still expected to wrestle at his 20th WrestleMania despite Kevin Owens being forced to pull out of the match. Last night Nick Aldis addressed the situation, and Orton made it clear that he would have a new opponent. </p>



<p>Betting odds claim that Aldis is set to be the one to take Owens&#8217; place following that RKO, but it seems that last night&#8217;s SmackDown could have hinted that Solo Sikoa may be the man chosen instead. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Kevin Owens Could Miss WrestleMania 42</h2>



<p>It was heartbreaking for Kevin Owens to be forced to walk away from a match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania, but it seems that this is where the bad news starts for the former World Champion. </p>



<p><a href="http://www.patreon.com/fightful" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Fightful Select</a> reported last night that Owens is yet to undergo surgery on his injured neck and could be out much longer than expected. The report noted that he isn&#8217;t expected back until at least 2026 and could even miss WrestleMania 42 with the newest prognosis.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Tiffany Stratton Was Warned Charlotte Flair Would Go Off-Script on SmackDown</h2>



<p>Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton&#8217;s promo exchange last week on SmackDown has been making headlines all week, and it seems that there is a lot more to the story. </p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.patreon.com/BackstagePassSK" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes, </a>Stratton was warned ahead of the segment that Flair would go off script, which was why she was prepared to fire back with the line about her divorce. It was noted that the original script saw Flair taking a shot at Tiffany using The Money in the Bank contract, whilst Stratton used Flair&#8217;s lack of TV time recently.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">More Matches Set to Be Added to WrestleMania 41</h2>



<p>Last night on SmackDown, there was a rundown of matches for Saturday and Sunday, which revealed that there will be seven matches for night one and six for night two. It seems that Randy Orton&#8217;s match, when it is finally announced, could be added to night two, but there may be others added as well.</p>



<p><em>WrestleVotes </em>recently noted that there were plans for the shows to have eight or nine matches, but WWE has recently announced Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal for SmackDown as well as the WWE Tag Team Championship match between The Street Profits and Motor City Machine Guns, which would have evened out the card.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">WWE Has No Plans for Saraya&#8217;s Return</h2>



<p>Saraya, who was known as Paige in WWE has officially left AEW and at present appears to be concentrating on promoting her new &#8220;Hell in Boots&#8221; book. The former Divas Champion is expected to make her return to WWE, but according to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SportskeedaWrestleBinge" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleBinge,</a> there are no short term plans for this.</p>



<p>Instead, it seems that Evolution 2, which is rumored to be taking place in July, could be the place where she is recalled.</p>



<p><strong>As always, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>


WWE Rumor Roundup: WrestleMania Title Changes, Randy Orton Opponent, Paige Return, Kevin Owens Update


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Charlotte Flair &amp; Tiffany Stratton Went Off Script on WWE SmackDown</h2>



<p>Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton had another segment this week on SmackDown, and it was completely hijacked by fans. Charlotte was unable to respond to Stratton as she mocked her throughout, and then Tiffy brought up the fact that Flair had just been divorced, and her record was now 3-0. </p>



<p>It was noted that this wouldn&#8217;t have been used if it wasn&#8217;t cleared ahead of time, but <a href="http://www.twitter,com/WrestleVotes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes</a> noted that much of the segment was completely off script, and it didn&#8217;t make sense to bring Ludwig Kaiser into the story. Flair claimed that the RAW star who was Stratton&#8217;s real-life boyfriend had been in her DMs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Becky Lynch&#8217;s WWE Future Looks Bleak</h2>



<p>Back in January, it seemed as though Becky Lynch would be making her WWE return after being featured in the adverts for RAW&#8217;s move to Netflix. Sean Ross Sapp of <a href="http://www.patreon.com/fightful" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Fightful</a> recently noted that he doesn&#8217;t expect Lynch to be part of WrestleMania despite many pitches being made for The Man a few months ago.</p>



<p>Lynch hasn&#8217;t been seen on WWE TV for almost a month, and as of writing,g it&#8217;s unclear if she will return. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">JD McDonagh Expected to Return Before End of April</h2>



<p>JD McDonagh hasn&#8217;t been seen on WWE TV since he suffered a punctured lung when he wrestled The War Raiders on RAW earlier this year. The Judgment Day member has since recovered, and it was reported by <a href="http://www.pwinsider.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">PWInsider</a> that he is expected to make his return before the end of April.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s unclear if McDonagh will be back before WrestleMania or if he will be ready to make his return following the biggest event of the year. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Kairi Sane Is &#8220;Very Close&#8221; to a WWE Return</h2>



<p>Kairi Sane has been out of action since she was attacked by Pure Fusion Collective in the fall of last year, and it seems that she could finally be ready to make her return. According to a report by <em>PWInsider</em>, Sane is &#8220;very close&#8221; to a return and could be there to support Iyo Sky as she retains the Women&#8217;s Championship at WrestleMania.</p>



<p>Dakota Kai has been doing her own thing, separate from Iyo Sky on RAW recently, while Asuka and Sane have been sidelined. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Lana Not Expected to Return to WWE Alongside Rusev</h2>



<p>It was revealed earlier this week that Rusev had re-signed with WWE and could be set to make his return in the near future. There had been several rumors claiming that Lana could be looking to return alongside her husband, but according to Dave Meltzer of <a href="http://www.f4wonline.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The Wrestling Observer,</a> this is not the case.</p>



<p>The report noted that Lana wasn&#8217;t at the Performance Center with her husband when he re-signed and isn&#8217;t expected to be with him when he returns.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">WrestleMania Saturday and Sunday Matches Confirmed</h2>



<p>WrestleMania matches have already begun to be announced for their respective nights, and WWE has now confirmed that Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins vs CM Punk will be on WrestleMania Saturday. Cody Rhodes vs John Cena will take place on WrestleMania Sunday, whilst AJ Styles vs Logan Paul and Iyo Sky vs Bianca Belair are all expected to be on the Sunday as well.</p>



<p>According to <a href="http://www.patreon.com/backstagepassSK" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes</a>, Gunther vs Jey Uso, Tiffany Stratton vs Charlotte Flair, and the recently cancelled match between Randy Orton and Kevin Owens were all expected to be on WrestleMania Saturday.</p>



<p><strong>As ever, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>


WWE Rumor Roundup: Charlotte Flair Unscripted Line, Becky Lynch WrestleMania Update, Lana Return


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Hall of Fame Match Was Always the Plan for 2025</h2>



<p>Last night on WWE SmackDown, it was revealed that the match between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart would be <a href="https://wrestlingworld.co/news/wwe-introduces-immortal-moment-at-hall-of-fame-bret-hart-vs-steve-austin-chosen-for-2025">added to the Hall of Fame as an &#8220;immortal moment,&#8221;</a> which is the first of its kind.</p>



<p>There has been speculation that this was because of the show&#8217;s underwhelming ticket sales, but according to <a href="https://x.com/WrestleVotes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes,</a> this was the plan from the beginning, before the ticket sales were taken into consideration.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">WWE Interested in Bringing Rusev Back</h2>



<p>Rusev has been a free agent after leaving AEW for several months, and it seems that the company is interested in bringing him back. <a href="https://www.patreon.com/BackstagePassSK" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes</a> recently reported that there could be plans for him to come back, but the deal isn&#8217;t imminent, and it could take until the end of the year for the deal to be done.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s unclear if his wife Lana will make her return to the company as part of the same deal. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">WWE Has Denied Reports That Giulia Was Banged Up </h2>



<p>Giulia hasn&#8217;t been seen on WWE since dropping her title to Stephanie Vaquer a few weeks ago at NXT Stand and Deliver, and reports suggested that this was because Giulia was banged up and needed some time off.</p>



<p><a href="http://www.f4wonline.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The Wrestling Observer</a> has recently revealed that WWE has denied these reports, despite Giulia taking time off after dropping the title.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Paige Expected to Return to WWE</h2>



<p>Paige announced that she had left AEW last week, and it seems that there has been much discussion about whether Paige is still contracted to AEW. Reports suggest that she is now a free agent, and according to The Wrestling Observer, she is expected to return to WWE.</p>



<p>Paige left WWE back in 2022 after a stint as a manager, but she hasn&#8217;t wrestled for the company since 2017, when she suffered a neck injury. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">WWE Wants to Bring Back Evolution This Summer</h2>



<p>WWE Evolution took place back in 2018 and was the first-ever all-female Premium Live event. There have been rumors that WWE has been wanting to bring back Evolution for several years, but it seems that it could finally be happening this summer. </p>



<p>WrestleVotes recently reported that WWE is looking to bring back the event this summer, and an official announcement could be made ahead of WrestleMania 41. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Asuka Has No Concrete WWE Return Plans</h2>



<p>Asuka has been sidelined for almost a year after suffering a leg injury back in May. There have been rumors that the Damage CTRL member could be heading back for WrestleMania, with several sites claiming she had some plans to be in a tag team match.</p>



<p>According to<a href="https://pwinsider.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> PWinsider,</a> there are currently no concrete plans for Asuka&#8217;s return to the company, which could be the reason for the delay.</p>



<p><strong>As ever, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>


WWE Rumor Roundup: Hall of Fame Match, Paige Return, Rusev Plans, Asuka


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Alexa Bliss WWE Return Update</h2>



<p>Alexa Bliss hasn&#8217;t been seen on WWE TV since Elimination Chamber where she came up short in the women&#8217;s Chamber match. Bliss was recently removed from a WWE World event on WrestleMania weekend and reports suggested she had been pulled from WrestleMania.</p>



<p>According to<a href="http://www.patreon.com/fightful" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> Fightful Select,</a> there are no issues between WWE and Bliss and she isn&#8217;t injured, she is expected to return to SmackDown when Wyatt Sicks are ready.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Uncle Howdy Cleared Following Injury</h2>



<p>Bo Dallas has been out of action for several months which has meant that Wyatt Sicks have been kept off TV as well. Howdy has reportedly been struggling with an injury and it was noted as part of Fightful Select&#8217;s recent report that he has finally been cleared to make his return. </p>



<p>The report went on to state that there are discussions regarding Wyatt Sicks&#8217; return but it is unclear if this is expected to be imminent.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Rey Fenix Has Officially Signed With WWE</h2>



<p>Rey Fenix has been rumored to be joining WWE over the past few months and WWE has been playing several cryptic videos that appear to be teasing his debut on SmackDown. </p>



<p>During last night&#8217;s show, it was reported by <em>Fightful Select</em> that Fenix has officially signed with WWE and is now expected to debut in the coming weeks. It also appears that Fenix and his brother Penta have now been split across brands since Penta remains on RAW in the Intercontinental Championship picture ahead of WrestleMania.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Kamala Being Discussed for 2025 WWE Hall of Fame</h2>



<p>Several names have already been announced for the 2025 WWE Hall of Fame including Michelle McCool, Lex Luger, and the headliner Triple H. It seems that there are several people still yet to be added to the class ahead of the show which takes place in less than a month. </p>



<p>According to <a href="https://x.com/wrestlevotes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes,</a> Kamala is being discussed as a post-humous induction for this year&#8217;s class. The site also noted that Ken Shamrock could be one of the names added to this year&#8217;s class.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Sean Waltman Has Resumed a Working Relationship With WWE</h2>



<p>It has been several years since Sean Waltman was on the WWE payroll, but the man who was once known as X-Pac in D-Generation X has reportedly returned to WWE and is now helping the company with their new ID prospects.</p>



<p>According to a report by <a href="http://www.f4wonline.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The Wrestling Observer, </a>Waltman is back working for the company and is a part of their new ID project.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>&#8220;Sean Waltman is working with the company watching videos of the ID talent.&#8221;</p>
</blockquote>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Brock Lesnar Breaks Silence on WWE Return</h2>



<p>Brock Lesnar has not commented on his WWE future or spoken publicly since he appeared back at SummerSlam in 2023. The former World Champion was identified in Janel Grant&#8217;s recent lawsuit, which has led to him being kept away from the spotlight. </p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.ringsidenews.com/2025/03/20/brock-lesnar-breaks-silence-on-wwe-future-as-legal-drama-keeps-him-off-tv/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">RingsideNews, </a>Lesnar was approached at a Steakhouse recently and asked about a WWE return, to which he commented <em>“We’ll see.</em>&#8221; It seems there could be some way for Lesnar to return in the future when he is cleared by WWE&#8217;s legal team.</p>



<p><strong>As ever, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>


WWE Rumor Roundup: Alexa Bliss Return, Uncle Howdy Update, Rey Fenix Signing


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Rey Fenix Set to Align With Penta in WWE</h2>



<p>WWE played a <a href="https://wrestlingworld.co/news/wwe-teases-the-arrival-of-rey-fenix-on-smackdown-mar-14">cryptic video <span style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px">this week on SmackDown</span></a><span style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px"> that appeared to tease Rey Fenix&#8217;s debut. While many fans were worried that this could mean Penta and Fenix would be split across brands, <a href="https://www.patreon.com/BackstagePassSK" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes Radio</a> recently noted that Fenix would align with his brother Penta,</span> and WWE plans to call them The Lucha Brothers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Drew McIntyre&#8217;s Future Depends on John Cena</h2>



<p>Drew McIntyre was moved over to SmackDown earlier this year and it appears that the plan was for McIntyre to be part of a series of WWE Championship matches. According to <a href="http://www.f4wonline.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The Wrestling Observer,</a> this plan will likely fall apart if John Cena defeats Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 41 since he will no longer have a reason to be in that story.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Jeff Cobb Being Eyed By WWE</h2>



<p>Jeff Cobb has already turned heads worldwide, so it is no surprise that he has found himself on WWE&#8217;s radar. According to <em>WrestleVotes</em>, a well-placed source noted that the company is very interested in signing Cobb now he&#8217;s a free agent and even went on to claim that his name is already featured on WWE&#8217;s internal roster.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Asuka May Not Return at WrestleMania 41</h2>



<p>Asuka has been out of action for almost a year with a leg injury but it seems that the former Women&#8217;s Champion was planned to be part of a Tag Team match at WrestleMania 41.</p>



<p>According to<a href="http://www.patreon.com/fightful" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> Fightful Select, </a>this isn&#8217;t the case, Sean Ross Sapp noted that he has heard nothing new about Asuka and all of the creative plans for the show are now set without her included.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Aleister Black Expected to Make His Return Following WrestleMania 41</h2>



<p>Aleister Black has been a free agent for several weeks after it was recently confirmed that he had departed AEW. The former NXT Champion is expected to be heading back to WWE to link up with his wife Zelina Vega and it appears that his return could be very soon. </p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/updates-on-black-124384542?utm_campaign=patron_engagement&amp;utm_source=post_link&amp;post_id=124384542&amp;utm_id=798d520a-95d4-4e6f-a434-ed1933852bab&amp;utm_medium=email" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">PWNexus</a>, the current plan is to have Black make his return on the episode of WWE SmackDown following WrestleMania 41 in April.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Moose Left a Good Impression Following NXT Roadblock</h2>



<p>Moose came up short to Oba Femi this past week at NXT Roadblock but it appears that despite his loss, he left a good impression with WWE following the show.</p>



<p>Moose has made several appearances for WWE, and <em>Fightful Select</em> noted that he had already had discussions with Canyon Ceman before his departure from the company.</p>



<p><strong>As ever, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>


WWE Rumor Roundup: Rey Fenix Debut, Drew McIntyre Plans, Aleister Black Return


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">John Cena&#8217;s Heel Turn Was Originally Planned for WrestleMania 41</h2>



<p>John Cena turned heel for the first time in his career at Elimination Chamber last weekend, and it seems that it was something that was in motion for several months. According to <a href="http://www.f4wonline.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The Wrestling Observer</a>, Cody Rhodes was the one that The Rock chose to turn heel but he turned it down, leaving John Cena as his new champion.</p>



<p>The report claims that the original plan was for John Cena to turn heel at WrestleMania 41, after his match against Cody Rhodes where he would have won the 17th World Championship thanks to The Rock. This scenario would have had him win the Undisputed WWE Championship so now it&#8217;s unclear if this part of the plan will remain the same. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Travis Scott Has Heat Backstage in WWE</h2>



<p>Travis Scott was the person who reportedly injured Cody Rhodes at Elimination Chamber, which has led to him having heat backstage in WWE. </p>



<p>The Wrestling Observer noted that there are many people backstage in WWE who believe that Scott shouldn&#8217;t have been out there or put in that position in the first place. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Cody Rhodes Heel Turn Was the Original Plan</h2>



<p>Cody Rhodes refused The Rock&#8217;s offer which led to John Cena turning heel instead. According to Fightful Select, Rhodes was the original plan and someone that The Rock wanted in his corner. </p>



<p>Rhodes turned the offer down and WWE ultimately didn&#8217;t want to take the risk of turning him heel too soon. Instead, the plan was changed and John Cena was the one chosen to align with The Rock instead. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Jade Cargill &amp; Shayna Baszler&#8217;s Heat Dates Back to Clash at the Castle</h2>



<p>Jade Cargill recently returned to WWE after several months on the sidelines with an unknown injury. The former Women&#8217;s Tag Team Champion has since been the subject of much speculation, where it was reported that she had backstage heat with Shayna Baszler dating back to Clash at the Castle last year. </p>



<p><a href="http://www.patreon.com/fightful" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Fightful Select </a>noted that the finish to the match between the two women was botched and this led to Cargill claiming that Baszler needed to &#8220;learn to work&#8221; and at one point Baszler was ready to legitimately fight Cargill.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Jade Cargill Injury Confusion </h2>



<p>When Jade Cargill was attacked backstage at SmackDown in the fall of 2024, there was some confusion over whether this was an angle or a legitimate injury. Fightful Select has noted that this is because there was confusion over if Cargill&#8217;s injury was actually real because she had asked for the Holiday Tour off and been told that it was mandatory. </p>



<p>The report went on to note that Cargill did want to return much sooner than she did, but WWE wanted their team to sign off on her being medically cleared as well. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Rey Fenix WWE Debut Date Revealed</h2>



<p>Rey Fenix is no longer part of AEW and it seems that he could be moving forward with his move to WWE. Many believe Fenix will debut on RAW alongside his brother Penta, and it seems that WWE is delaying his debut for a reason. </p>



<p>According to <a href="http://www.pwinsider.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">PWInsider,</a> the plan is for Rey Fenix to make his debut in WWE following the European Tour which ends on March 31st, just three weeks before WrestleMania.</p>



<p><strong>As ever, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>


WWE Rumor Roundup: John Cena Heel Turn, Jade Cargill Heat, Travis Scott Backstage Issues


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Drew McIntyre Set to Win Men&#8217;s Elimination Chamber Match</h2>



<p>Rumors several weeks ago stated that John Cena was expected to win the Elimination Chamber match to set up a match with Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, which would be his last main event match.</p>



<p>It seems that The Rock&#8217;s WWE return has forced WWE to change many of their original plans and, according to a report by<a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/featherbombs-123275462" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"> Chris Featherstone</a>, Drew McIntyre is now booked to win the Men&#8217;s Elimination Chamber match tonight.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Many WWE Writers Were Left Confused By The Rock&#8217;s Abrupt Return</h2>



<p>The Rock&#8217;s SmackDown return last week caused a number of issues for the writers and the show, as many last-minute changes were made to allow him to have a segment with Cody Rhodes.</p>



<p><a href="http://www.f4wonline.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The Wrestling Observer</a> reported that several writers &#8220;were confused and thrown for a loop” not only by his return but also by the angle of him approaching Cody Rhodes because it diminishes the Championship, with the claim that Cody isn&#8217;t a star on the level of The Rock.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Several People Left Upset By WWE&#8217;s Change of Advert for Elimination Chamber</h2>



<p>WWE&#8217;s original Elimination Chamber advert featured a number of WWE stars who would be competing in the Chamber match, but since The Rock&#8217;s return and his angle with Cody Rhodes, the advert has been changed to feature only The Final Boss.</p>



<p>According to a report by The Wrestling Observer, this change of plan has upset several people in WWE, making The Rock the main angle of the show when it should be the Elimination Chamber match and the WrestleMania main event.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">This Week&#8217;s SmackDown Included Several Last-Minute Changes</h2>



<p>This week&#8217;s episode of WWE SmackDown was stop-start throughout and it seems that WWE was forced to change the United States Championship match between LA Knight and Shinsuke Nakamura.</p>



<p>Sean Ross Sapp of <a href="http://www.patreon.com/fightful" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Fightful </a>noted that there were a lot of last-minute changes to last night&#8217;s SmackDown. It&#8217;s unclear why the changes were made, but LA Knight went from being the number one contender to once again being the number one contender at the end of the night.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Jade Cargill&#8217;s WWE Return Is Now Imminent</h2>



<p>Jade Cargill has been out of action since the fall of 2024 when she was attacked backstage at SmackDown. The former Women&#8217;s Tag Team Champion has since awaited WWE&#8217;s investigation to reveal her attacker, and Naomi and Bianca Belair have been informed that Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez could have been involved.</p>



<p><a href="https://x.com/WrestleVotes/status/1895155241294643359" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">WrestleVotes </a>have now reported that Cargill has been cleared to make her WWE return and is expected to return to the company to wrap up her mystery attacker angle imminently.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">SmackDown&#8217;s Three-Hour Format Is Getting Pushback from the Company</h2>



<p>SmackDown has been a three-hour show since January when WWE RAW made the move to Netflix. It seems several people in WWE are happy with the new format because it allows several stars to have opportunities that they wouldn&#8217;t have had otherwise.</p>



<p>According to Fightful Select, there is also some pushback about the new format with several people in the company believing that it diminishes the quality of the product.</p>



<p><strong>As ever, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>


WWE Rumor Roundup: Drew McIntyre Push, The Rock’s Return Confusion, SmackDown Changes


<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">The Rock&#8217;s Return to SmackDown Was a Last-Minute Booking Decision</h2>



<p>The Rock <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">returned to SmackDown last night and was there to make the WrestleMania announcement and start a storyline with Cody Rhodes. It seems that The Rock&#8217;s addition to the show was a last-minute decision since <a href="https://pwinsider.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">PWInsider</a> reported</span><a href="http://www.pwinsider.com"> </a>that the show was changed to include him the night before.</p>



<p>The report noted that &#8220;the company shifted plans to pivot towards his appearance.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Women&#8217;s Frustrations Backstage in WWE</h2>



<p>It was noted last week that there are several women backstage in WWE who are frustrated with their booking and have rejected pitches for WrestleMania because they don&#8217;t want to be stuck in filler tag team matches. </p>



<p><a href="http://www.patreon.com/fightful" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Fightful Select</a> expanded on that original report this week to note that several women are frustrated with the process and even noted that Sonya Deville&#8217;s exit has made many women worry about their WWE future. It was also noted that the female lack of screen time, poor development of Championship contenders, and the struggling Tag Team Division were all factors of their frustration.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Superstar&#8217;s Frustrated With Creative Booking</h2>



<p>It seems that there is a lot of frustration backstage at present and one of the most interesting points of <em>Fightful Select</em>&#8216;s report was that many are being told to be patient when it comes to creative ideas but then nothing comes of it.</p>



<p>It was noted that the fact that many women aren&#8217;t featured on RAW and SmackDown because of the current lack of TV time for women makes many of them fear for their future.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Shawn Michaels&#8217; Could Have More WWE Matches</h2>



<p>Fandango recently made his return to WWE on their NXT brand and was recently part of an interview with For The Love Of Wrestling. As part of the interview, Dango revealed that Shawn Michaels had told him he has &#8220;one or two matches left in him&#8221;</p>



<p>This has led to speculation that Michaels could be open to wrestling another match, after his 2018 return in Saudi Arabia. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">Solo Sikoa vs Jacob Fatu Not Booked for WrestleMania</h2>



<p>Solo Sikoa&#8217;s story with Jacob Fatu continues to build on SmackDown with both men seemingly no longer on the same page. It was recently speculated that the plan was for the two men to meet at WrestleMania in less than two months, but this may not be the case.</p>



<p>Instead, <a href="http://www.f4wonline.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The Wrestling Observer</a> reports that this is not the plan since there is a plan for at least one of the stars to be wrestling in a different match on the show. The report didn&#8217;t expand to give any details.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center">WWE Moving Away From NXT Branding</h2>



<p>WWE&#8217;s current branding for the upcoming NXT shows Vengeance Day and Roadblock events doesn&#8217;t include the words NXT. Fightful Select noted that this wasn&#8217;t by accident this was a change that the company made because they believed that the show would get more attention without the NXT branding. </p>



<p>This could be a change that WWE makes permanent in the near future.</p>



<p> <strong>As ever, wrestling fans are reminded that the above are just rumors and should not be taken at face value as facts.</strong></p>


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