:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49594821/20150824_RAW_TripleHSeth_2rev.0.0.jpg)
Welcome to the weekly Rumor Look Back, taking a look back at the rumors from six months ago and seeing if they played out like predicted. Before we start, I’m going to knock out a couple of outstanding rumors we can finally grade:
Despite their recent break up, WWE is already discussing the reuniting the Shield at the end of 2015 or beginning of 2016.
This rumor is from my first ever Rumor Look Back, when I did it in italics instead of bold. And it’s finally time to mark it as incorrect because I would consider us past the beginning of 2016. Though it’s interesting to think about how far out we are from the inevitable reunion. If Rollins comes back a babyface, all the guys are actually the same alignment. But I don’t see it coming any time in 2016. (0/1)
Kevin Owens moving to the main roster could mean that they are going to lock down Samoa Joe and put the NXT title on him.
I had already graded the "lock down Joe" part but was waiting on the NXT title part. He finally did win it at an NXT house show in Massachusetts. (1/1)
Though there’s definitely an angle being set up between Y2J and Dean Ambrose following Night of Champions, it won’t be addressed until 2016. Jericho has Fozzy tour dates going through the end of 2015. A WrestleMania program is a possibility.
While they did not hook up at Mania (Dean faced Brock Lesnar and Jericho faced AJ Styles), they worked with each other right after WrestleMania and are still feuding. (1/2)
PW Insider notes that the fear is Sting has suffered a spinal injury. What more, WWE is almost surely going to avoid booking him for matches in the future, so his in-ring career is likely over.
I graded the spinal injury part already, leaving the part about his career being over to grade later. We learned about a month ago that his career is in fact over. (1/1)
OK, finally onto this week's rumors.
One of the names being considered as Undertaker’s WrestleMania opponent is John Cena.
That was the word for a while but an injury to Cena kept him off of WrestleMania and Taker faced Shane McMahon. (0/1)
It is expected that a tournament to crowd a new WWE champion after Rollins’ injury should be laid out and matches set up on Raw tonight.
They announced the tournament and announced the matches of the tournament. The matches started this night. (2/2)
Court Bauer noted that we can expect ESPN to break more big WWE stories along the lines of Rollins injury.
I can’t think of another "big story" they broke. Daniel Bryan announced his retirement on Twitter. I don’t think they broke the Cesaro injury. You all can correct me in the comments if I’m forgetting one, but I don’t think they really broke anything big. They do have a hearty working relationship though. (0/1)
Alberto Del Rio will apparently be allowed to work an independent date outside the WWE to finish up obligations.
I found that he worked one date while in WWE which was a World Wrestling Council date on December 5. ADR lost that match by DQ. (1/1)
Special Raw rumor from November 9
Undertaker is in route to Raw for tonight.
Undertaker did return this night alongside Kane, complete with the powers that Bray Wyatt recently had stolen from them. (1/1)
While rumor had it Roman Reigns was going to defeat Seth Rollins to win the WWE title, he’s not a lock to win the WWE title tournament. WWE is worried that there aren’t going to be any heels strong enough to challenge him.
I have opted not to grade this because "not a lock" is too vague. The rumor isn’t that he won’t, but that it’s not definite he will. If it is true, who’s fault is it that they didn’t build up anyone to be able to challenge Roman though?
There’s buzz that NXT will be making room for their new signees by releasing at least one or two Performance Center talents later this month.
Solomon Crowe was released at the end month. Technically, he asked for the release, so that may not be in line with this rumor, but I’ll count it. (1/1)
Despite speculation that Finn Balor could debut on Raw last night, that was never the plan.
It’s never the plan. Never.
The date that Alberto Del Rio will work on the indies is reportedly an already announced December show for Carlos Colon Sr’s World Wrestling Council in December.
Yes. He did not work any other dates. (1/1)
It’s not expected that Brock Lesnar nor John Cena will return any earlier than planned despite Seth Rollins’ injury.
This is the case. Lesnar was planned in 2016, which is when he returned. Cena’s target date was end of December, which was when he briefly returned as well. (2/2)
WWE has started planting seeds of a Team B.A.D. break up. When they do go through with it, Sasha Banks will be the babyface while Naomi and Tamina stay heel.
That’s the way it happened. (1/1)
Tyler Breeze isn’t expected to be a main event level star in WWE. It’s already though that he’s seen as only a midcard act and likely won’t go higher than a possible Intercontinental Title win.
Man, now it looks like the IC belt would be a huge leap. That being said, I’m going to put this rumor in the outstanding column for now.
Sami Zayn isn’t expected back until sometime in 2016.
Luckily, this rumor was off a bit. He was back for the NXT tour in London in December. (0/1)
The Observer notes that Seth Rollins vs. Triple H had replaced Triple H vs. the Rock as one of WrestleMania’s top matches prior to Rollins’ injury.
We’ll just never know. Instead of this, Triple H was the WWE champion going into Mania and had a match against Roman Reigns, which the crowd either was rejecting or too out of energy to react. That Rollins’ match would have been nice though.
That said, WWE is going straight to Rollins/Triple H when he returns, possibly for a SummerSlam match.
Hmmm…. I look forward to finding out hopefully sooner than later. Triple H hasn’t been on TV since WrestleMania.
Neither the Rock nor Ronda Rousey are expected to work WrestleMania but both could make appearances on the show.
What does work even mean outside being on the show? Have a match? Because, technically, the Rock had a match. Ronda wasn’t there at all. I’m going to call this. I’m going to say the Rock is one for two because he did show up (correct) but also worked a match (incorrect.) Ronda didn’t show up at all (so correct for no match, incorrect for not being there.) (2/4)
It is expected that the WWE world heavyweight title tournament will see the semi-finals and finals at Survivor Series.
That is correct. Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns pulled double duty. (Technically, Roman pulled triple duty since Sheamus cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on him.) (1/1)
The Observer notes that WWE may be interested in a Mike Bennett/Matt Taven tag team when their contracts are up.
Bennett went to TNA while Taven stuck around in Ring of Honor. (0/1)
Two people on John Cena’s list of possible opponents for WrestleMania are Roman Reigns and the Undertaker. If it is Roman, it is a possible passing of the torch scenario.
John Cena didn’t work WrestleMania so he didn’t have an opponent. He’ll face off against Roman eventually, I’m sure. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a SummerSlam match.
According to the Observer, former UFC fighter Matt Riddle could start work with WWE as early as February 2016.
While Riddle is in Evolve, which is a feeder system for WWE, he doesn’t technically work for the E currently. (0/1)
Apparently, the long-term goal of Lucha Underground is to make a movie out of the wrestling show. Expect the storylines to get really out there in season 2.
I’ll put the movie part on hold, though I don’t know how that would be appealing. They like to say they aren’t a wrestling show but a show about wrestling. But in the end, I don’t’ think non-wrestling fans are watching it. I don’t think it’d translate to a movie format.
I’m going to grade the "out there storyline" part as correct because they featured Aerostar as a time traveling space man. (1/1)
With the injury to Rollins, and Rock & Rousey unlike to wrestle, apparently there’s been a renewed emphasis on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s role at WrestleMania 32, though it’s not clear what that would be.
I don’t know what to do with this rumor. He worked the show, but it wasn’t really emphasized at all. It’s between grading it as incorrect for the lessened emphasis and not grading it at all because it’s too vague. What do you all think?
While Batista can’t be back for the Royal Rumble due to film commitments, WWE may be looking to bring him in for WrestleMania 32.
He wasn’t at the show. Word is he turned down an offer to be part of the legends segment with the New Day and League of Nations. (0/1)
When SmackDown moves to USA in January, it’s expected there will be renewed focus on putting major angles on the show.
While all the stories are represented on the show, there are no major angles that aren’t already done on Raw. (0/1)
Goldust should be making his return in the near future.
He returned at Survivor Series. Since then he’s bee in a decade long angle with R-Truth. (1/1)
___________________________________
This Week: 14/23 - 61%
Overall: 812/1,549 - 52.4%
Have a good week, everyone!