Rumor Look Back: April 1 - 7, 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.

April 1, 2017

• The continued talk is that John Cena will propose to Nikki Bella at WrestleMania.
• He did. She said no. (OK, that’s not true at all, but that would have been some swerve.) (1/1)
• Seth Rollins will likely be feuding with Samoa Joe coming out of WrestleMania 33.
• Yes, they had a pay-per-view match at the next show. (1/1)
• It looks like Stone Cold Steve Austin won't be at WrestleMania this year.
• There really weren’t any legends (outside the ones wrestling) this year. (1/1)
• It's possible Luke Harper and Erick Rowan get involved in the Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton match at WrestleMania.
• They did not. Projections of bugs did though. (0/1)

April 2, 2017

• The Rock is not expected to make an appearance at WrestleMania 33 tonight.
• Much like Austin, he was not there. (1/1)
• PW Insider reported that Jim Ross will call the Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg match at WrestleMania tonight but there are others, like Ryan Satin, saying they have at least one source saying he'll call the Undertaker vs. Roman Reigns match.
• So this is a push. He called the Taker/Reigns match, so it was Satin who was right on this one. (1/2)
• The word going around right now is Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin will be on the pre-show and won't get much time.
• Sounds about right. (1/1)
• There may be more NXT wrestlers in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, possibly two. No word on what this means for the wrestlers who were in the graphic for the match on SmackDown but not listed on WWE.com.
• Killian Dain and Chinese wrestler Tian Bing were in the match, but already announced prior to this rumor. No more were added. (0/1)

April 3, 2017

• Shinsuke Nakamura may very well debut on the main roster this Tuesday, as WWE will be trying to turn the post-WrestleMania SmackDown into a big event like the Raw after ‘Mania.
• He did. He’s challenging Jinder Mahal for the title tonight. Who would have thought that would be something six months ago? (1/1)
• Drew McIntyre’s new WWE NXT deal came together at the last minute, and the decision to bring him in for an announcement at TakeOver: Orlando wasn't made until really late.
• He worked a ton of indie shows that day and then had to rush to the arena to do his thing there.
• While it’s possible plans will change in the future, there are no current plans to do a women's-only show after this Summer’s tournament on the Network.
• It doesn’t look that way. If they did, I wonder if Enzo Amore would somehow be champion of that show too. (1/1)

April 4, 2017

• There are no plans for a more “official” statement of Undertaker’s retirement as he and WWE believe the segment in Orlando came off perfectly.
• They didn’t do any other segments, like Edge or Ric Flair received. That fits the Undertaker character though. (1/1)
• Getting AJ Styles to Raw is still thought to be a top priority of the roster changes coming to Raw or SmackDown next week.
• Not that much of a top priority as it did not happen. (0/1)
• A wave of NXT call-up is expected between now and the “Superstar Shake-up”, with Andrade “Cien” Almas and Tye Dillinger said to be joining The Revival and the expected arrival of Shinsuke Nakamura.
• Almas is the only of this list that didn’t get called up. (3/4)
• Interestingly, there may have been a change in WWE thinking regarding Elias Samson, as The Drifter doesn’t seem to be a part of Raw or SmackDown plans right now.
• This turned out to be incorrect as the Drifter (though he’s not called that any more) is on Raw. (0/1)

April 5, 2017

• Despite being featured in early promotional materials for the show, it doesn’t look like Brock Lesnar will be working Raw’s April pay-per-view (PPV) Payback.
• He didn’t. They main evented with Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns. (1/1)
• While there are no plans for him currently and his last deal is expired, WWE is open to bringing Goldberg back in the future.
• I suppose we’ll have to see. I’d be surprised if we saw him again, but you never know.
• That said, a return would require a specific opponent and story they believe would work as well as his angle with Brock - and paying him a lot of money.
• Is there anyone you’d like to see face Goldberg if he came back?
• Former TNA Knockout Taeler Hendrix announced she’s left Ring of Honor, and there’s some speculation she could be involved in WWE’s upcoming Women’s tournament.
• She was not part of the Mae Young Classic. (0/1)

April 6, 2017

• Undertaker is reportedly scheduling surgeries he put off for after his retirement, possibly including a full hip replacement.
• I hope he gets to a point where he can move comfortably.
• Initial plans for WrestleMania reportedly called for a Six-Man Cruiserweight tag, and Wrestling Observer reported talents were even told they would be on the card before it was cut for time constraints.
• That sucks for those competitors. Not that there was room on that card, but it sucks to be cut.

April 6, 2017 (Shake Up specific rumors)

• Although it was initially planned that Roman Reigns would move to SmackDown Live, he won't be doing so now and will stay on Raw.
• That’s true. (1/1)
• AJ Styles is still planned to move over to Raw.
• This is not true. He is still a SmackDown guy. (0/1)
• The New Day look to be switching over to SmackDown Live.
• That’s where they are now, tearing down the house with the Usos. (1/1)
• Charlotte's name has been thrown around as someone who could be moved but it looks more likely Alexa Bliss will switch to Raw.
• Alexa did move to Raw as Charlotte moved to SDLive. (2/2)

April 7, 2017

• Apparently a big reason John Cena's WrestleMania 33 match was changed from Undertaker to the mixed tag was because WWE believed the proposal would mean more than the Undertaker match.
• Interesting. The proposal was cool and all, but I’d be much more hyped for John Cena/Undertaker.
• Braun Strowman vs. Brock Lesnar is planned for the future but it won't be happening at Payback.
• True on both accounts. It happened last month. Brock retained after one F5. (2/2)
• Speaking of Payback, the Observer notes Chris Jericho may not actually wrestle on the show and if he doesn't, Finn Bálor would likely replace him. Even if he does, Bálor vs. Owens looks to be the direction moving forward.
• He did work the show, defeating Owens for the US title. Owens moved to SmackDown and didn’t work Bálor. (0/2)
• The reason you never heard anyone in WWE call it "Camping World Stadium" at WrestleMania 33 is because Vince McMahon told everyone they had to say "Citrus Bowl."
• I mean it is cooler to call it the Citrus Bowl.
• The idea may be for Drew McIntyre to be the top babyface in NXT going forward.
• Looks that way so far. (1/1)

April 7, 2017 (Shake Up rumors)

• In recent days, there’s been increased talk of sending The Club to SmackDown, says PWInsider, so AJ might be staying put after all.
• AJ did stay put but the Club didn’t join him. (1/2)
• Sending Sasha Banks to Tuesdays is an idea gaining a lot of steam, possibly instead of the previously rumored Charlotte/Alexa swap.
• She’s still on Raw. It was Charlotte who was moved. (0/1)
• NXT’s Andrade “Cien” Almas and Elias Samson are both names who could find themselves on the main roster during the “Shake-Up”.
• Samson is on the roster but Almas is still in NXT. (1/2)

This week: 22/35 - 63%

Overall: 1,774/3,242 - 54.7%

Have a great week, everyone!