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 into it.
- The Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes the plan for the main event of WrestleMania 35 is to “come out of this match with a clear direction for next year’s WrestleMania.”
- That is definitely not the case. I don’t even have an idea what the main event will be next year. (0/1)
- It’s also noted that the idea isn’t to merge the titles but rather it’s likely they’ll announce that whoever gets pinned loses their title, be it Rousey with the Raw title or Charlotte Flair with the SmackDown title.
- It was for all the titles. They didn’t merge them either though as there are still two championships. (1/2)
- Speaking of Charlotte, she is going to be promoted as “Ms WrestleMania,” with merchandise calling her that already available.
- I have not seen anything like that. (0/1)
- According to the Observer, Mandy Rose was penciled in to win the Fatal 4-Way for the title shot against Asuka at WrestleMania 35 before it was scrapped in favor of putting the title on Charlotte.
- I was expecting them to eventually put the title on her but they did not.
- Per PW Insider, Alicia Atout finished with Impact Wrestling last week.
- She’s with All Elite now. (1/1)
- The Observer is saying WWE has a deal “on the table” with John Cena for a WrestleMania 35 match and that match would not be against Kurt Angle.
- There was no John Cena match. But looks like the rumors persisted until the end. (0/1)
- They also note that with the SNL hosts in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, that match will likely be on the main pay-per-view at WrestleMania 35. Conversely, the women’s battle royal will likely be on the pre-show.
- It was still a preshow match. (0/1)
- As for The Andre Battle Royal, it’s expected more names will be added to it by the time it happens.
- Looks like one more was added (Luke Harper), though not announced beforehand. (1/1)
- The Wrestling Observer Newsletter says Keith Lee hasn’t wrestled because he’s been hurt but it’s not a serious injury.
- He missed a taping or two.
- Speaking of injuries, Squared Circle Sirens notes Jinny is on the shelf with an injury of her own.
- The injury bug sucks. She claimed she wasn’t “Seriously hurt” on Twitter.
- It’s expected that WWE will reveal what the plan is for the Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair match tonight on Raw, and speculation is that if either champion takes the pin they lose their title.
- They did reveal the plan, but it was “Winner takes all.” (1/2)
- On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned that John Cena’s match at WrestleMania 35 is being kept a closely guarded secret.
- There was no match. (0/1)
- He also said the expectation is that Lars Sullivan will return sooner rather than later.
- He returned the Raw after Mania. He’ll be out for a while now with a knee injury. (1/1)
- According to the Observer, a Raw tag team title match is not currently planned for WrestleMania but a SmackDown tag team title match is scheduled and it will be multi-team match.
- There was a Raw tag title match on the Kickoff where Hawkins & Ryder defeated the Revival. There was also a multi-man SmackDown tag title match. (2/3)
- WWE Network News says Cathy Kelley’s show, Talking Snack, will be added to the WWE Network today.
- Four episodes are up on the Network. (1/1)
- Reaction to John Oliver’s latest WWE coverage among talent backstage at WWE was mixed, according to wrestlers Fightful says they spoke to. Responses ranged from calling it “hacky” to a “home run”.
- Given there’s a range of different people in that locker room, this makes sense.
- There are still talks of SmackDown becoming a three hour show when it moves to Fox, according to Wrestling Observer Radio. The third hour would probably air on FS1.
- Thankfully, that has not happened. (0/1)
- Raw and SmackDown tag title matches will be added to the WrestleMania 35 card, says Post Wrestling.
- Accurate. (2/2)
- According to that report, The Usos will defend against multiple teams in a match booked on tonight’s SmackDown. The Revival’s match will be announced later this week, and will not be against Ricochet & Aleister Black.
- That is accurate about the Usos. The Revivals match was added very last minute and it was not against Ric and Black, who were in the SmackDown match. (4/4)
- Alicia Fox is set for a signing at Axxess this week, her first appearance for WWE since Arn Anderson was fired, allegedly for allowing her to wrestle on a house show while intoxicated.
- Looks like she’s a legend now.
- According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, the Seth Rollins-Brock Lesnar segment on Monday Night Raw this week was “originally scheduled to go the other way.”
- It ended with Seth standing tall over Brock.
- He also says John Cena is already in New York and still planned for WrestleMania 35.
- He was on the show in a segment with Elias. (1/1)
- Per WrestleVotes, the WrestleMania program looks to feature a match that isn’t currently advertised.
- That would be the Raw tag title match. (1/1)
- Bray Wyatt and Kane are both scheduled for WrestleMania week in New York, says PW Insider.
- Neither were on the show and neither were at Axxess. If someone recalls seeing Kane in the background of the Hall of Fame, let me know and I’ll adjust. (0/2)
- The current plan is for the Elias performance at WrestleMania 35 to be interrupted, per the Observer.
- What a gimme rumor. (1/1)
- According to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE’s next Saudi Arabian date will be moved from May 3 to June 7. Undertaker and Brock Lesnar were scheduled for the May date, but it’s not known yet whether they’ll work the show in June.
- It was on the 7th of June. Taker worked the show but Brock did not. (1/1)
- The Observer also says SmackDown’s touring schedule will shift to Thursday to Sunday after TV moves to Fox on Fridays in October. Raw will continue to run Friday to Monday.
- Right now I’m seeing SuperShows. And I don’t see any Thursday house shows as far out as I can follow their schedule. (0/1)
- Eve Torres will be in town for WrestleMania 35 and could be a surprise entrant in the Women’s Battle Royal, per Wrestling Inc.
- She was not in the Battle Royal. (0/1)
- Just days after resigning from the President’s Cabinet, Linda McMahon was backstage at Raw this week, reports Pro Wrestling Sheet.
- I wonder what it’s like when Linda is backstage.
- There will be inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame “Legacy Wing” this year, according to WrestleVotes. The account lists “Wahoo McDaniel, Jim Barnett, Luna Vachon & Playboy Buddy Rose among others.”
- Bruiser was also among them. (1/1)
- In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it’s noted that many “high on the food chain” in WWE have said Undertaker won’t be at WrestleMania 35 but others have played coy on it.
- He was not there.
- PW Insider, meanwhile, is saying Undertaker is scheduled to be in town for the weekend but that may not necessarily mean he works the show.
- Maybe he was there, but I don’t see him at Axxess.
- Per the Observer, there was apparently a plan in place at one point for Asuka vs. Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville for the SmackDown women’s title at WrestleMania 35.
- Instead they all got battle royal’d.
- It’s looking likely that Lacey Evans will enter the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal, and don’t be surprised if she wins it.
- She was not in it. (0/1)
- The WWE schedule appears to indicate they won’t be doing four shows in the same market during big events like Royal Rumble going forward.
- They did that for SummerSlam and will be for Survivor Series. (0/1)
This week: 19/34 - 56%
March 2019: 57/84 - 68%
Overall: 2,941/5,298 - 55.5%