:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63782037/Dpq8cFtUwAAkjdQ.0.jpg)
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 just right into it.
- According to WrestleVotes, Triple H getting injured has whatever plan there may have been for a Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker match “in question.”
- We don’t know what the original plan was, but that match didn’t happen. HBK made it sound like it was always going to be just the one show.
- They also say that Roman Reigns leaving WWE led to the Raw vs. SmackDown theme for Survivor Series coming back, as it wasn’t the original plan.
- I wonder how different it would have been.
- Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio that original plans were for Roman Reigns to retain the Universal title at Crown Jewel and Brock Lesnar would have been finished up with WWE for the foreseeable future.
- Instead it was six more months of winter.
- PW Insider notes the belief is Triple H flew directly back home to get a full evaluation on his torn pectoral muscle.
- That makes sense. Want to get things checked out close to home. That plane ride probably sucked.
- The Observer says if surgery is required it will likely rule him out for WrestleMania 35, taking way the possibility of a match against Batista.
- Surgery was required but he healed super fast and went on to face the Animal in New Jersey. (0/1)
- Heading into Raw yesterday, PW Insider said the Raw men’s Survivor Series team would consist of Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley & Kurt Angle with Baron Corbin as captain.
- Finn was in there instead of Kurt. (5/6)
- Their sources have SmackDown’s side as Daniel Bryan, Samoa Joe, Rey Mysterio, The Miz & Randy Orton, with Shane McMahon in their corner.
- No Bryan (he was WWE champion) and no Orton. Shane was not in the corner but on the team. (3/5)
- Shane McMahon’s heel turn is part of a long-term plan on SmackDown. At least, that’s what Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez was “basically told”.
- That’s the case. Even when they did the BS where the McMahons “changed things,” this story held pat. (1/1)
- There’s also speculation the World Cup final angle at Crown Jewel was the start of a face turn for Miz.
- This is also accurate. (1/1)
- According to Ringside News, Saudi fans “felt betrayed” by John Cena’s decision to pull out of Crown Jewel.
- Well, they still got HBK.
- With Roman Reigns out, there’s more talk than ever that women could main event WrestleMania 35, with whatever is planned for Ronda Rousey at the show.
- That’s the case. Would it have happened if Roman was healthy? (1/1)
- According to PW Insider, Daniel Bryan initially got the title shot against AJ Styles at Crown Jewel because he’s a known big name and “that is what they wanted over there.” It’s not believed that his not going will hurt him going forward.
- It obviously did not since he won the title by the end of the month.
- Curt Hawkins is hoping to be cleared to return from injury soon, says the Observer.
- He worked a house show the night before this rumor, so it had just found its way into fact.
- Quote-tweeting a report of theirs from May, WrestleVotes says a big Drew McIntyre push is starting now and WWE has “major plans for him in 2019”.
- 2019 is still early.
- Perhaps in conjunction with that (and talk of heat on Braun Strowman), SAP Center has changed the advertisement for TLC and now has Braun facing Baron Corbin instead of McIntyre at the Dec. PPV.
- Braun faced Corbin at TLC and won. Strowman was hurt at the time and was in a sling during the match. It was no DQ so a bunch of people could interfere. (1/1)
- Alexa Bliss being pulled from in-ring duty for a second straight PPV and how WWE is presenting her on Raw right now has triggered speculation she could be moved into an authority figure role after her latest injury.
- She’s still an active competitor. I would understand arguing that as host of WrestleMania, she was kind of an authority, but I read this rumor to mean they’d be transitioning her into that role full time. (0/1)
- Zelina Vega was kept off the European tour after taking a bad bump at Evolution, according to PW Insider. She may have suffered a concussion, but she was reportedly working out at the Performance Center recently without issue.
- She mainly works as a manager on TV so even if she had an injury, they could still use her.
- Tetsuya Naito told Tokyo Sport (translation via Chris Carlton) he received and turned down an offer from WWE in June.
- I believe it, but can’t imagine he’d do better in WWE than in New Japan.
- Roman Reigns just started treatment for his leukemia and any talk of his returning to WWE is “a long way off,” says the Observer.
- He was back by WrestleMania, so luckily not too long of a way. (0/1)
- In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it’s mentioned there is “a significant angle that is supposed to be a part of Brock Lesnar’s storyline going forward,” and that it includes other wrestlers than Braun Strowman.
- Significant angle? Not really. He had matches. But there was more than Strowman. Let’s go 50/50. (1/2)
- Triple H vs. Batista was indeed on the cards for WrestleMania 35, per the Observer, before the former tore his pec.
- I believe it since it happened. (1/1)
- The Jericho Cruise is supposed to be an annual thing, but when the next one may be is apparently up in the air.
- Just about. Jan. 2020 is the next one. (1/1)
- PW Insider notes they’ve heard Impact is looking for a new television partner.
- They did and only came up with Pursuit. But supposedly, they’re still looking. (1/1)
- Bryan Alvarez said on Wrestling Observer Live that WWE social media has been told not to feature Hulk Hogan going forward, but he will return at some point.
- He returned at Crown Jewel. Ya know... less than a month later. (1/1)
- Sports Illustrated notes that the Kurt Angle vs. Drew McIntyre match on Raw this week was put together by Angle and Vince McMahon.
- The biggest Drew’s ever been put over. (Most people don’t get put over that big.)
- Chris Jericho was apparently paid $100,000 for doing Greatest Royal Rumble earlier this year, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
- And still said he’d never do it again (and this was before signing with AEW).
- Josh Barnett and Jim Ross are out as the New Japan AXS announcing crew, says the Observer. Ross is apparently a free agent next April with his WWE deal coming up soon.
- Both men are gone. (1/1)
- They also say AXS will announce their wrestling plans on television in 2019 sometime next week.
- There was an AXS New Japan announcement 11 days later. So not technically the next week. (0/1)
This week: 18/26 - 69%
Overall: 2,727/4,952 - 55.1%
Have a great week, everyone!