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Welcome to the Rumor Look Back, where we look at the hot rumors from six months ago and see how they ended up playing out. This week’s is a shortened one due to February having 29 days (this year was a leap year) compared to August’s 31. Let’s get right to it.
- It looks like it’s possible John Cena will be used at WrestleMania 32, even if he isn’t physically cleared to wrestle.
- He was used, delivering some punishment to the Wyatt Family alongside the Rock. While he may have had some clearance at that time, he didn’t officially come back until May. (1/1)
- A couple more matches for WrestleMania 32 are expected to be made on Raw tonight.
- Looking at the Cageside Live Blog and the WrestleMania 32 wikipedia, no matches were officially made this night. (0/1)
- Enzo, Big Cass, Carmella, Samoa Joe, and Bayley are the top candidates for a call up from NXT to the main WWE roster after WrestleMania 32.
- Enzo and Big Cass are definite yeses, debuting right after Mania. Samoa Joe has not been called up yet. Bayley didn’t get called up right away, working NXT through SummerSlam. Carmella was called up mid-July in the draft. Since Baron Corbin, Apollo Crews, and the Vaudevillains were called up right after Mania, I’m saying Carm and Bayles were not part of the immediate call ups. (2/5)
- Talk of a brand split started before Shane McMahon's return was official, so his WrestleMania match stipulation is more that they are going back to thinking about running Raw and SmackDown as different promotions, not the start of those plans.
- This rumor is more about when the split was decided and we really don’t know that than the split happening. Funny enough, it also kind of implies that Shane will win the match at Mania to start the brand split and he ended up losing and running SmackDown instead of Raw.
- Enzo Amore, Colin Cassady & Carmella worked WWE house shows this past weekend and reportedly were greeted with silence in Missouri. However, they won the crowd over by the end their segment working with Big Show against the Wyatts.
- The Realest Guys had no problem getting crowd reactions after their call-ups. Carmella was sent on her own to SmackDown and she was often greeted with silence doing her “Hottest chick in the ring” shtick. They decided to turn her heel instead.
- It’s expected that Kevin Von Erick will induct the Fabulous Freebirds into the WWE Hall of Fame.
- It was the New Day who inducted them. Kevin Von Erick was there though and came out during the Freebirds speech. He accidentally called the New Day the ‘New Gay’. (0/1)
- Undertaker is expected to work some shows for WWE post WrestleMania 32.
- He did not. In fact he left his gloves in the middle of the ring after the match, fueling speculation that he was done. We haven’t seen him since but there’s also no word about him being retired. (0/1)
- Shane McMahon’s training videos released through social media has been part of a concerted effort to build their WrestleMania match. Expect more of these in the upcoming weeks.
- I don’t know how many more of them we got. But there were others. (1/1)
- Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks does appear to be the plan for WrestleMania and a title change will likely occur.
- That was the match, but Charlotte retained the title. (1/2)
- The Andre the Giant Battle Memorial Royal is expected to be a showcase for the Wyatt Family at WrestleMania.
- Yeah, they weren’t even in it. Shaq and DDP were though. (0/1)
- There appears to be a multi-man match on the WrestleMania card outside the Andre.
- The Intercontinental title ladder match had numerous competitors as well. (1/1)
- Apparently WWE was going to book Triple H vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar for Roadblock but then decided to book Lesnar against Bray Wyatt.
- I’m glad they did because I really enjoyed the Ambrose/Trips one on one. Brock Lesnar really fought Luke Harper and not Bray Wyatt. The match was booked as a 2 on 1 match on the fly but Wyatt didn’t get in the ring.
- Sami Zayn is reportedly scheduled for WrestleMania 32. It is expected that will represent his main roster call up, although, like others before him, he may stick around in NXT for a while before moving up for good.
- He made his full time debut to Raw this week on March 7, and he did work WrestleMania. He didn’t stick around in NXT after Mania though as Dallas was his curtain call. (1/2)
- Dave Meltzer is reporting the multi-person match at WrestleMania is likely going to be for Kevin Owens' Intercontinental title and look a lot like last year's ladder match with a lot of good workers. Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, and, of course, Owens, are all apparently penciled in for it already.
- This is correct. Ziggler and Miz were in the match. (3/3)
- Matt Riddle will be working in NXT soon, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
- Riddle hasn’t made his way to NXT yet, still working Evolve. (0/1)
- The Observer notes there are “talks going on” for a New Japan video game.
- I don’t see anything about that. I can sit on it for a bit and if there’s anything out there I’m unaware of, you can leave it in the comments.
This week: 10/20 - 50%
February: 59/92 - 62%
Overall: 1,041/1,955 - 53.2%
Have a great week, everyone!