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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. But first we tackle some outstanding rumors.
- Apparently Triple H is interested in Samoa Joe and he could be a big player in NXT. However it is unlikely he’ll have any impact on the main roster.
- I made a note to myself that I already graded the NXT part. It’s the main roster portion that hasn’t graded. While he’s only been on the main roster for a couple weeks, he’s already felt like an impact player. (0/1)
- There’s at least some talk of Samoa Joe never being called up and just being an NXT guy.
- Also incorrect, though he spent a lot of time in NXT since they needed some star power. (0/1)
And now onto this week’s rumors.
- Both AJ Styles and Randy Orton are expected to win their matches against John Cena and Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam, and likely immediately begin a feud with each other just after.
- Styles won but Orton didn’t. Randy didn’t even come close. He got busted open and beat by TKO. (1/2)
- The SmackDown women's and tag team titles are apparently coming "in the fall," according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter. There is currently no word on what those championships will be called.
- It came right after SummerSlam. It was late August/early September so I’ll count it. (1/1)
- Lucha Underground may film season four later this year instead of next year, according to the Observer.
- They still haven’t filmed season 4. (0/1)
- If Nikki Bella is cleared to return to wrestling, the expectation is she would work a part time schedule on SmackDown but be one of the top stars in the women's division.
- She is on SmackDown, but she’s really not really part time since she’s around often. Rumor has it she’ll take time off after Mania because of lingering injuries, so maybe after that she’ll be more true part time. (1/2)
- Heath Slater may actually end up going to EVOLVE for a show or two but it would only be to advance his current story of being a free agent.
- This was during his free agent run, but he didn’t show up in EVOLVE. I was disappointed. (0/1)
- The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes "the impression we have is MVP will not be coming in," (to WWE) even though some have said it could still happen.
- He didn’t come in. (1/1)
- While Bray Wyatt isn't missing any time due to his ankle injury, WWE is likely going to keep his matches relatively short to help with the healing process.
- He wasn’t on the SummerSlam card but otherwise this seems accurate. (1/1)
- While her mother is fighting back against dirt sheets, there have been various rumors floating around, most attributed to the Observer, that Paige's future in WWE is of concern thanks to behind-the-scenes goings on. Either way, her current absence is related only to her injury situation.
- Maybe it was injury concern this week, but 9 days later, she was suspended.
- Some new advertising has Dean Ambrose working with AJ Styles and Randy Orton working Bray Wyatt post-SummerSlam, leading to the obvious speculation that could be the direction for all four.
- These are accurate. (2/2)
- It doesn't look like Zack Sabre Jr. will be signing with WWE at this time.
- He hasn’t. (1/1)
- Word is WWE is second guessing some of the draft picks from the roster split, and Creative is looking for ways to reshuffle. Specifically mentioned were Kevin Owens going to SmackDown and Randy Orton headed to Raw.
- They really didn’t reshuffle outside Jack Swagger going from Raw to SmackDown. The Orton for KO thing did not happen. (0/1)
- Plans called for Shelton Benjamin to immediately enter the Intercontinental championship picture on SmackDown, and some feelers were sent out to Charlie Hass about returning so they could put World Greatest Tag Team in that brand's future tag title scene... but that’s all on hold/over due to Benjamin’s injury.
- Man, Benjamin’s injury was a blow to a rather weak SmackDown midcard division.
- There are photos going around claiming to be Universal championship belt design renderings that show it will look just like the WWE championship but red to represent Raw and the current WWE title will become blue to represent SmackDown.
- This is half true. The Universal title was just a red WWE title (and the fans weren’t receptive to it). The WWE title has been unchanged. (1/2)
- Big E may be kept off WWE television until after SummerSlam while selling the injury to his groin area.
- He showed up at SummerSlam to get revenge for his nutties. (0/1)
- While it's still unclear as of now, the word going around is Joey Styles was fired by WWE over the Facebook Q&A he did that had some (arguably) controversial comments on it. Dave Meltzer added that he's heard "Joey was always on the bubble" and it's likely there's more to it than just that interview.
- Within six months he was fired from another company for controversial comments as well.
- Jimmy Uso is expected to return to television soon.
- The Usos were back together by Aug. 21. (1/1)
- Despite there being a lot of heat on Brock Lesnar for his failed drug test while with UFC, WWE is said to be building toward a 2017 Universal title shot for him, as Vince wants to do whatever he can to get his money’s worth out of Lesnar’s contract.
- While this is still an outstanding rumor, it sure looks like that’s happening at WrestleMania.
- That likely means a loss for Randy Orton at SummerSlam, but officials are excited about how Orton’s performed as a babyface since his comeback and think he’s “turned a corner” toward a defining run.
- He did lose at SummerSlam. He’s no longer a babyface. He did win the Royal Rumble this year so clearly they still are behind him. (1/1)
- One of the motivations for WWE having Big E miss SummerSlam is so a New Day loss there could be used to break him off from the trio (saying he never dropped the tag titles) to start his singles push.
- New Day didn’t lose for a while longer.
- It doesn’t really have anything to do with wrestling, but it’s a future Hall of Famer and everyone’s talking about it, so... The Rock and Vin Diesel have apparently had a major falling out on the set of Fast 8. The beef was reportedly a clash of egos and both wrapped filming without resolving anything.
- There was later rumor that this was somewhat a work. Everything’s a work.
This Week: 11/18 - 61%
Overall: 1,350/2,480 - 54.4%
Have a great week, everyone!