Rumor Look Back: March 24 - 31, 2017

Welcome to the weekly Rumor Look Back, where we look at the rumors from six months ago and see which played out as originally predicted. Let’s get right to it.

March 24, 2017

• WWE wanted Conor McGregor for WrestleMania 33 but couldn't come to terms on a financial agreement.
• They’d probably need a couple dumpster trucks full of money.
• WWE may be waiting a little longer to bring Hulk Hogan back after Paige was victimized by a hacker because they don't want to draw any attention to either situation.
• Hogan’s not back still, but we don’t know if the Paige issue had any impact in that.

March 25, 2017

• AJ Styles is expected to resume his place in the SmackDown title picture following WrestleMania.
• He’s still not in the title picture. He’s been the US title guy. (0/1)
• WWE doesn't have plans to use Mick Foley again, even after he heals up from his hip surgery.
• He hasn’t been used. I’m sure he’ll be used one day again. (1/1)
• Baron Corbin is likely winning the Intercontinental championship from Dean Ambrose, as WWE officials are still high on him and want to push him to the top by the end of the year.
• He did not win that title. And his push to the top was pretty derailed. He could still become a US champion next week though. (0/1)
• There's some talk that Asuka could be used in the SmackDown women's title match at WrestleMania 33 but it wouldn't act as a main roster call up.
• She wasn’t part of the match. However, she’ll be debuting for Raw soon. (0/1)
• The Observer is saying Dr. Jerry Graham, Haystacks Calhoun, Rikidozan, June Byers, Farmer Burns, Judy Grable, Toots Mondt, and Luther Lindsay will added to the WWE Hall of Fame's Legacy wing this year.
• Accurate. WWE really never talks about this. You have to go looking for it. (1/1)

March 27, 2017

• There are once again reports floating around that Undertaker is in a lot of pain and there is concern within WWE.
• I don’t know if there was concern in the company. But he’s since retired.
• As usual, the belief is this year's WrestleMania will be Undertaker's last.
• This time it was for real. (I really hope Undertaker doesn’t come back next year forcing me to go back and find all the times I graded this as correct.) (1/1)
• Eve Torres will be at WrestleMania weekend doing something with WWE, though it’s unclear what.
• It looks like she was at Axxess and likely there for Beth Phoenix’s Hall of Fame induction. (1/1)
• The Hardys store may have closed because of their pending move to WWE.
• They are in WWE currently and they wouldn’t be able to have their own merch site when in the E. (1/1)

March 28, 2017

• There are apparently no plans to promote Asuka from NXT to the main roster any time soon.
• It took about six months. I’d say this is accurate in this case. (1/1)
• It’s possible Eva Marie is done with WWE, as she’s moved on from wrestling and the company isn’t planning to re-sign her when her contract expires.
• She’s done with the E. Sorry, Geno. (1/1)
• Plans called for Finn Balor to wrestle Triple H at WrestleMania 33 if Seth Rollins had been completely unable to go, according to former WWE writer Brian Maxwell Mann.
• Seth was able to go, so we’ll never know. However, I don’t know how they would have built that.
• The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and Cruiserweight championship matches are currently scheduled for the WrestleMania Kickoff this Sunday. It’s expected one more match will also move to the pre-show.
• They originally put the SmackDown women’s title there and then switched it with the Intercontinental championship after a bit of backlash. (1/1)
• As covered in their recent social media postings, it looks like Paige & Alberto El Patron are getting married this week.
• They’re still not married. They’ve stayed out of the news lately. It’s been lovely. (0/1)

March 29, 2017

• WWE is expected to go right back to the Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman feud after WrestleMania.
• They did and it was awesome. (1/1)
• Strowman, for that matter, is likely winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
• He was eliminated pretty early. Mojo Rawley won it. (0/1)
• Nikki Bella is being advertised for shows beyond WrestleMania 33, so it's possible she may not be taking time off just yet.
• She didn’t come back after Mania. She is on Dancing With the Stars now. (0/1)
• It's unclear when Mauro Ranallo will return to WWE television but he is expected to return.
• He did, but probably not the way this rumor was thinking. He left after Mania and then returned to work on NXT. (1/1)

March 30, 2017

• WWE definitely plans on Goldberg’s match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 33 to last longer than their Survivor Series encounter.
• It did. About 5-6 minutes. (1/1)
• The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports sources have told them Mauro Ranallo’s hiatus from WWE stems from JBL taking their (possibly not kayfabe) feud too far.
• That’s still not known. SI reported that JBL kind of took the heat but he really wasn’t the issue.
• It’s expected NXT’s Elias Samson will debut on Raw or SmackDown sometime in April.
• He did. He’s a Raw guy. I walk with Elias. (1/1)

March 31, 2017

• There's still talk of big stars switching brands shortly after WrestleMania, like Roman Reigns to SmackDown Live and AJ Styles to Monday Night Raw, though it could be others too.
• Neither of those happened. (0/2)
• Finn Bálor could be booked in the title picture immediately upon his return.
• Not yet. He’s been feuding with Wyatt the whole time. Or maybe not. But it feels like it. (0/1)
• Eva Marie isn't expected to make any appearances for WWE during WrestleMania weekend, furthering the idea she's done with the company.
• She wasn’t on TV at all. (1/1)
• Edge & Christian are apparently getting a second season of their show on the WWE Network.
• More recently, the guys said “Probably not.” (0/1)

This week: 13/23 - 57%

March 2017: 59/97 – 61%

Overall: 1,752/3,207 - 54.6%

Have a great week, everyone!