Rumor Roundup for Monday, December 2 - WWE Network, Creative, TLC, and More!

Speculating on the rumors surrounding pro wrestling is a favored pastime of many fans, perhaps second only to actually watching the matches. In this daily column, we take a look at the latest rumors being churned out by the pro wrestling rumor mill.

Important reminder: Rumors are just that -- rumors. None of this has been confirmed as legitimate news or fact; so remember to take it all with a grain of salt.

Rumors for the Day:

• It is now more clear than ever that the WWE Network is coming, likely hitting WWE's target launch date of February 2014. As you may have read, WWE's Classics on Demand channel will officially shut down on January 31, 2014, and there are even rumors out there that WWE will air WrestleMania XXX on the new network in order to entice viewers to subscribe. With all of this news regarding the WWE Network coming out, I thought it would make for a good time to review some of the other rumors surrounding the network:
  
  
  • With WWE pulling their Classics on Demand service, it is clear that WWE will fill some programming time on the new network with some of their classic events and matches.
    
  • Another programming option for the WWE Network has long been rumored to be some or all of the companies "B" pay per views (PPVs.) These would be PPVs like Extreme Rules, Night of Champions, Hell in the Cell, and the like. The rumored $9.95 monthly fee would certainly interest viewers who already buy WWE's monthly PPVs for $60 or $70 per event.
  • WWE shows which are currently web based, such as SuperStars and NXT could also find their way onto the WWE Network. Past rumors indicated that WWE was highly interested in bringing NXT to US television, and that it may even be included in a renewed television deal with SyFy for Smackdown. (Those rumors also suggested that the deal with SyFy was up in October, but there has been no news about what the new deal contains or even if that was the actual expiration date.)
  • WWE Network original programming is also a definite possibility based on the rumors out there. The idea of an "all cruiserweight" show has been kicked around for years now, but never materialized. Now, it is an idea that may find new life with many more hours of programming time to fill on a WWE dedicated network. Non-wrestling shows, such as a WWE talk show with superstar interviews, are another rumored possibility.
• In case you missed it over the weekend, rumors late last week indicated that there was a "toxic" environment backstage within WWE right now, and there are a lot of people in the creative areas of the company fearing for their jobs. A number of planned matches and storylines were hastily derailed in recent weeks, including separate stories for the WWE and World Heavyweight title scenes, as well as the long planned Big Show vs. Triple H story. (If the John Cena/Randy Orton unification storyline feels rushed and like it came out of nowhere, this is why.) Another major source of contention was in regards to the booking of the Miz. Miz was turned heel prior to Survivor Series and is now apparently being turned back. This is so he can properly promote the new WWE Studios movie, Christmas Bounty, properly. Some were reportedly "furious" that he underwent a heel-turn, even though approval for the move is said to have gone through all the proper channels. And all of this is on top of the writers in creative being extremely overworked. Never before has there been so many hours of programming for WWE to fill each week, and this is a problem that will only get worse if/when the WWE Network comes into being.
• Speaking of that title unification match at TLC, it is strongly believed that there will be a "screw job" finish of some sort according to every rumor out there right now. At this point, the only way you should be surprised is if the titles are actually unified at the end of the night.
• Evan Bourne is working towards a return to action after missing nearly two years due to injury and a Wellness Policy violation. Currently, he is expected back "by the end of the year."
• If anyone has watched WWE's new History of WWE DVD, you may have noticed that the Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant match at WrestleMania III on the DVD is excessively edited. Only one camera angle is shown and the commentary for the match is gone entirely. According to several reports, this was done to edit out former ring announcer and backstage worker Mel Phillips, an exposed pedophile. WWE has yet to offer an official reason for the edits or address the rumors regarding the match.

If you have heard of any interesting rumors that you'd like to add, feel free to post them in the comments section below. Please remember, these are merely rumors. Try not to take them too seriously, just have fun with them.