Rumor Look Back: Aug. 4 - 10, 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.

August 4, 2017

• The Observer notes that WWE is going all out to protect the result of the Universal title match at SummerSlam, to the point that almost no one will be told the finish until the last minute.
• I would think/hope they do this for all of the matches. Less people the know, the better.
• They also note there’s speculation that Shinsuke Nakamura will win the title from Jinder Mahal and Baron Corbin will immediately cash in on him at SummerSlam.
• This is wrong in a couple ways. Nakamura lost and Baron Corbin had already failed his cash in attempt due to stupidity by the time SummerSlam happened. (0/1)
• SummerSlam is looking at being a five-and-a-half to six hour show.
• SIgh... yes. (This was counting the kickoff.) (1/1)
• Ho Ho Lun has apparently been released by WWE.
• Lun had already announced this so this isn’t technically a rumor. Unfortunately for the man, he had to leave to help his ailing mother.

August 5, 2017

• The current expectation is that Bayley is going to be removed from the Raw women’s championship match at SummerSlam and they’ll figure out a new contender on Raw next Monday.
• Unfortunately for the Hugger, due to injury, that’s what happened. She never really found her way back into the title picture outside being in a multi-woman championship match where she took the pin. (1/1)
• Randy Orton and John Cena are missing some house shows but aren’t expected to miss TV anytime soon.
• They were both on TV for most of the SummerSlam build. (2/2)
• WWE apparently pulled its contract offer for Io Shirai due to injury concerns.
• The word is the found multiple issues, including a cardiac issue in addition to prior neck concerns.
• Moose has apparently signed a three year extension with GFW.
• I can’t speak to the terms of his latest contract, but part of me really wants to mark this as incorrect since he technically signed with Impact and not GFW. Apparently, Impact never officially owned the GFW promotion.

August 7, 2017

• There’s no heat on Shinsuke Nakamura for the spot where John Cena was dropped on his head during their match.
• That was a nasty looking spot. He did lose to Mahal, but that was likely more because they were still into the Mahal run. Nakamura won the Rumble though! Would you have believed that six months ago?
• Breezango’s “Twin Peaks” bit being such a big hit means the duo are likely getting a bigger spotlight going forward.
• I wouldn’t say they ever got a bigger spotlight. They did weekly Fashion Files often, which they were already doing. Since then, it’s become an online exclusive. (0/1)
• Baron Corbin may be debuting a new theme song soon.
• He did. It took me awhile to get used to it, but I’ve come around to it. (1/1)
• PW Insider noted there’s “talk of putting all the former ROH talents coming in together in one group” in NXT.
• Maybe not all of them, given that someone like Lio Rush wasn’t put with them. But the major ones, Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O’Reilly, are all part of the Undisputed ERA. (1/1)

August 8, 2017

• Conflicting reports on Paige’s WWE return - PWInsider speculated she could be cleared this week; Pro Wrestling Sheet’s James McKeena says she won’t even be evaluated until the end of August.
• Two conflicting rumors would usually get the good ol’ 1/2 but we can’t really speak to either of them. Could she have been cleared that week and held off TV until they had a plan for her? Was she evaluated later on?
• Expect a BIG entrance for Shinsuke Nakamura at SummerSlam, including the return of violinist Lee England, Jr., who played “Rising Sun” for him at TakeOver: Brooklyn II last year.
• It wasn’t a BIG entrance, but Lee England did play him to the ring. However, the cooler thing Lee did was the video where he played Nakamura’s music around the city. (1/1)
• “Taboo Tuesday” might be returning as a special edition of SmackDown, similar to last December’s “Wild Card Finals” episode.
• It did not. (0/1)

August 9, 2017

• According to PW Insider, WWE is likely going to do two separate Superstar Shake-Ups each year instead of another draft.
• Two? They did one this last year. (0/1)
• Ronda Rousey has apparently started some training for pro wrestling, and there have been talks with WWE, per Fightful.
• That’s the word in regards to the training. Can’t speak to when she really started talking a deal with them though.
• Sasha Banks is expected to be challenging Alexa Bliss for the Raw women’s championship at SummerSlam.
• She did and she won. She couldn’t defend it successfully though. (1/1)
• The Hardy Men vs. The Good Brothers and The New Day vs. The Usos are both planned for the SummerSlam Kickoff show, per PW Insider, with the caveat that plans can change.
• Good Brothers weren’t on the show at all. But the New Day/Usos was on the Kickoff and it ruled. (1/2)

August 10, 2017

• Contrary to previous reports, SI.com says Vince McMahon was “furious” with Shinsuke Nakamura for John Cena landing on his head and neck during an exploder suplex spot last Tuesday on SmackDown. Justin Barrasso says the CEO hasn’t lost faith in Nakamura, but “another mistake” could cause him to.
• This isn’t the exact opposite of the other one but has an angrier Vince. We may never know. Or maybe someone will eventually talk about it on a podcast.
• PWInsider’s sources believe Alberto El Patron’s GFW suspension will be lifted on Aug. 17, in time for the live Destination X show and their next set of Impact taping.
• Alberto’s suspension lasted until November. (0/1)

This week: 9/15 - 60%

Overall: 1,969/3,614 - 54.5%

Have a great week, everyone!