Rumor Look Back: Oct. 14 - 20, 2018

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. First, we’re going to knock off some outstanding rumors, all Dave Batista related.

December 27, 2014

• WWE is apparently still hoping Batista will return, at least for a retirement match. He has stated in the past that he wanted to work his final match at a WrestleMania with Triple H.
• This is an OLD rumor, and it looks like since that time, they stopped returning his calls for a bit. But that match with Triple H at WrestleMania just happened. (1/1)

January 14, 2015

• It’s looking unlikely that Batista will be back for WrestleMania 31 this year and there has been at least some speculation that he’s done with pro wrestling altogether.
• Continuing with the Batista rumors, he did not work that WrestleMania, but he was not officially done with wrestling. Now he is. (1/2)

February 13, 2015

• WWE reported a rumor that Batista is being cast as The Kurgan in a new Highlander movie.
• This movie has not happened and may never happened. Would have loved the Animal as the Kurgan though. (0/1)

February 14, 2015

• While Batista is still reportedly under contract with WWE, there is an expectation that he’s never coming back and his movie career has taken off to such a degree that his pro wrestling days are over.
• A lot of outstanding Batista rumors. He did finally come back for one more match. (0/1)

Now onto this week’s rumors:

October 15, 2018

• Many have noticed that WWE has seemingly removed references to Saudi Arabia on its Crown Jewel page. There’s speculation this could mean the event is going forward but changing countries. PW Insider says as of right now no decision has been made on pulling the event from Saudi Arabia.
• That speculation was incorrect. It was held in Saudi Arabia. It was always going to be in Saudi Arabia. (0/1)
• On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned hearing that many are unhappy in New Japan and that’s across the board. He also said The Elite didn’t want to leave but it’s up in the air now what they do.
• They all left. This likely goes along with the rumor a couple weeks back about the new management team not really knowing what they are doing. However, we haven’t heard rumblings of that as of late
• That said, Tama Tonga has been on Twitter saying Meltzer has been getting played.
• People always say Meltz is getting played, but I wonder if those are the times Meltzer is right.
• Per PW Insider, Edge is still scheduled to be at SmackDown 1000 despite WWE no longer advertising the “Cutting Edge” segment.
• He was there and did a Cutting Edge segment with Becky Lynch. (1/1)
• They also say Booker T and Big Show have been booked for the event, and if The Rock appears it will likely be via video.
• Both Book and Show were there. Rock was not there at all. (2/2)

October 16, 2018

• A source told WrestleTalk current plans call for Shawn Michaels to work WrestleMania 35 in a dream match against AJ Styles.
• I wish. That HBK “comeback” continues to bum me out. (0/1)
• It’s been discussed on Wrestling Observer Live, however, that HBK’s entire return could be off if Crown Jewel doesn’t happen in Saudi Arabia as planned.
• The match happened in Riyadh, but that was it.
• Bound for Glory was the last match on Austin Aries’ Impact contract, according to producer Petey Williams on the Wrestling Perspective podcast. On Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez indicated Aries issues with Johnny Impact began as a work, but much of the events this past weekend were something of a shoot.
• Aries hadn’t worked again for Impact. Can’t speak to how much people were worked into a shoot, brother. (1/1)
• WWE is considering moving Zack Ryder to 205 Live, per Barnburner.
• He’s on Raw, a recent tag team champion. Also, he’s 224 pounds according to google. (0/1)
• PW Insider says Mark Henry will be among the Legends appearing on SmackDown 1000tonight.
• He was not on the show. Though his SmackDown Hall of Pain run was spectacular. (0/1)

October 17, 2018

• Per PW Insider, Alexa Bliss is now scheduled to wrestle at WWE house shows this weekend, so she’s cleared to wrestle again.
• Looks like she worked those two house shows but didn’t work again until the Royal Rumble. (1/1)
• On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said the tournament at Crown Jewel is called the World Cup because Qatar got the soccer World Cup and because that’s Saudi Arabia’s enemy, they created one of their own in WWE.
• They eventually changed it to the Best in the World tournament.
• SEScoops says Impact Wrestling is looking at bringing back Alberto El Patron, possibly to work next month’s tapings in Las Vegas.
• El Patron isn’t in Impact, thankfully. (0/1)
• PW Insider, however, disputes that, saying there haven’t been any discussions about a return.
• These are more like it. While I can’t speak to discussion, he didn’t return. (1/1)
• They also say Austin Aries flying home after Bound for Glory and not showing up at TV tapings was not originally planned and led to re-writes for upcoming TV episodes.
• What a weird story this one was.

October 18, 2018

• PW Insider says SmackDown 1000 was originally supposed to open with Rey Mysterio vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, “but there was a lot of shuffling of segments in the last few hours prior to the show.”
• This match was very rushed.
• Time was cut from that match, Mysterio’s entrance, and Undertaker’s promo due to the show running long, per Insider. Several backstage segments were cut. Miz’s match was always supposed to be short, though.
• I bet the Evolution segment went long because Triple H segments are always long.
• Lots of confusion about Chelsea Green’s WWE status. She was in attendance at the NXT tapings last night, but there are still those saying she hasn’t signed and is just visiting friends and has permission to use the Performance Center via her relationship with Zack Ryder.
• She’s a WWE/NXT talent.
• Insider also reports Sami Callihan has signed a new deal with Impact, and that Willie Mack will be a regular for the company moving forward. They’ve also signed Jordynne Grace.
• I can’t speak to who signs what deals, but Grace and Mack are both with Impact. (2/2)
• Hall of Famer Ivory and Legend Molly Holly have been added to the line-up for Evolution, according to PW Insider.
• Both were in the battle royal. (2/2)

October 19, 2018

• Shane McMahon’s return at SmackDown 1000 wasn’t just a one-time thing, says PW Insider. He’s apparently back on TV now and will be worked back into storylines going forward.
• He soon entered into a long program with the Miz. (1/1)
• That site also says Madusa is scheduled for the Evolution pay-per-view.
• I don’t see her in the live blog. (Whoops, she was under her other name so she was there.) (1/1)
• Per the Observer, there is an idea within WWE to try to get Ronda Rousey on Total Divas due to viewership taking a dive.
• This did not happen. (0/1)
• The Wrestling Observer Newsletter maintains that Impact Wrestling seems to be going with a worked shoot story with Austin Aries and Johnny Impact.
• It’s not a story that ever had any followup, so it’s not really a story. (0/1)

October 20, 2018

• The Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes Paul Heyman has been producing Ronda Rousey segments and working closely with her.
• That’s a rumor that has persisted.
• That includes apparently giving her lines like what she said about Nikki Bella knocking down the door to John Cena’s bedroom that got over so well live on Raw this week.
• Heyman still knows what he’s doing.
• Per the Observer, those at FOX want WWE to make SmackDown less about comedy and presented more like sport, specifically for the purpose of cross-promotion with sports programs on the network.
• I’m curious to see if this actually happens. Seems outside WWE’s wheelhouse.
• Shawn Michaels will be appearing on Monday Night Raw next week in Rhode Island to build to his return match, says PW Insider.
• Indeed he was. (1/1)

This week: 13/20 - 65%

Overall: 2,692/4,896 - 55.0%

Have a great week, everyone!