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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:
- Starting out with some TNA news, if you were still holding out hope that someone other than Hulk Hogan would rise to the occasion to stop Bully Ray and the Aces and Eights, you may want to rethink things. Like it or not, the Hulkster is probably going to return to the ring. Tweets like this just add fuel to the fire:
Perfect timing to start serious training again,last time around the block for me so this is gonna be really intense,transformation time.HH
— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) June 10, 2013 - It seems all but certain now that CM Punk will make his return as a babyface. Between the standard return pop most returning superstars get, further escalated by returning in his hometown of Chicago, IL, and the storyline tension with heat magnet manager Paul Heyman for putting Punk in a match, it would be near impossible to bring him back as a heel. The face turn and tension with Heyman is likely going to be the catalyst for the long-rumored feud between Punk and Brock Lesnar.
- As you've likely heard by now, Fandango reportedly suffered a concussion at last week's (taped June 4) Smackdown taping and will not participate at the Payback pay per view coming up this Sunday (June 16.) There has been some discussion that the injury sounds completely kayfabe, and the early reports from WWE.com did nothing to dissuade that feeling. However, the general feeling in the rumor mill is that the concussion is legit, but the severity is perhaps being played up for kayfabe reasons. (For instance, Fandango has already passed "Impact" concussion testing, but will still be held out.) With Curtis Axel already penciled into Fandango's spot in the Intercontinental triple threat match against the Miz and Wade Barrett, it's possible that plans changed in the back for Fandango and this concussion was convenient means to move him out of the picture.
- Those who watched last week's Smackdown saw Randy Orton lay Daniel Bryan out with an RKO. Speculation was rampant over the weekend that this was the first step of Orton's long rumored heel turn, but it does not seem likely to happen anytime soon. The turn for Orton could still occur, but Daniel Bryan will likely "turn" first, especially with the two having a WWE Tag Team title match at Payback against Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns of the Shield. (Bryan is expected to be moving onto the main event scene to feud with John Cena for the WWE title at July's Money in the Bank pay per view.)
- Though there is much debate amongst fans about the quality of the in-ring product these days, one cannot deny how much of a financial juggernaut WWE is right now. WWE (a publicly traded company,) saw its stock reach its highest value at any time in the past year.
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.