Rumor Look Back: July 5 - 11, 2019

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.

July 5, 2019

• The Observer notes that Paul Heyman is a strong advocate for Ricochet, Aleister Black, and Lacey Evans.
• Interesting enough, Evans went to SmackDown. Black and Ricochet usually have something for them. Of course when Lacey was on Raw, she was very featured.
• The Street Profits are still considered NXT talent, instead of being full blown call ups, says the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
• They eventually were called up, but they worked a full NXT program and lost their titles before moving on, being drafted in October. (1/1)
• Fightful says Roman Reigns, who missed both WWE television shows this week, went home right after the Japan tour. The Usos & Naomi were also apparently listed as being on vacation.
• More people should have time off.
• Dave Meltzer noted he was told to “expect another major counter by WWE” to All Out here soon.
• There was nothing big. They ran a UK TakeOver earlier in the day, which was already announced, earlier in the day. But they didn’t counter program otherwise. (0/1)
• ROH Best in the World did an estimated 1,200 buys, per the WON.
• Now they’re just giving shows away.

July 6, 2019

• Sportskeeda is claiming Ronda Rousey could be coming back to WWE sooner rather than later to work with Paul Heyman.
• Nothing in the last six months. (0/1)
• They’re also claiming FOX wants WWE to get President Donald Trump for the first episode of SmackDown Live in October.
• If they did, it certainly didn’t happen.
• The Observer notes the recent WWE moves are as much about competition from AEW as much as they are the decline in the promotions own numbers.
• Competition makes folks work harder.
• According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Mike & Maria Kanellis didn’t know about her pregnancy until after they signed their new deals. They also rushed to put the angle together with Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins the moment WWE became aware of it.
• We never got a real end to that one.
• Adam Pearce is now running 205 Live, per the Observer.
• 205 is more and more forgotten.

July 8, 2019

• According to Fightful, Randy Orton has been dealing with a neck issue and was given some time off for it but he’s expected to be fine and back on TV soon.
• Looks like he didn’t miss any legit chunk of time. (1/1)
• Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows have indeed signed new deals with WWE, and that’s part of the big push they’re getting on television.
• We never know for sure, but the fact they’re still around, I’d say so. (1/1)
• Furthermore, WWE is apparently making bigger money offers than have been reported in an effort to ensure no one leaves right now.
• The best part about AEW coming on the scene is wrestlers were able to make more money.
• SI notes that Vince McMahon was incredibly happy with Monday Night Raw last week with the little changes that were implemented.
• The word is he works well with Heyman this time around.
• PW Insider notes Eric Bischoff was scheduled for SmackDown last week but wasn’t there. The speculation is WWE is giving Bischoff time to move to Connecticut to get settled, which is why he’s scheduled to start after Extreme Rules.
• Did he ever really start?

July 9, 2019

• Sources told Fightful that Paul Heyman told several Raw creative team members Vince McMahon is “coming to grips with the fact” the show needs to be upgraded. It’s led to more optimism change is really coming this time.
• I’d say the show has changed. It’s up to you all to decide if it’s for the better or not.
• Cesaro was the original plan for Aleister Black’s opponent for Extreme Rules, according to WrestleVotes, but that may have changed after Heyman & Eric Bishcoff were hired.
• That did not change. (0/1)
• AEW and New Japan were both interested in signing Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows, says PW Insider, but the promise of a push with AJ Styles and “ridiculously amazing” 5 years offers cemented their decision to stay in WWE.
• They took the money, but they probably would have meant more to both those other companies (especially AEW).
• Insider also reports John “Johnny Impact” Hennigan finished up with Impact at Slammiversary on Sunday, but he may re-sign with the promotion.
• He’s in WWE now. (1/2)
• Wrestling Observer says LAX also finished up at the PPV, and the team already has offers from WWE and AEW.
• They actually worked a set of tapings for the fallout of Slammiversary so did not finish up at the PPV. (Ortiz actually worked them solo because Santana got hurt at the PPV.) (0/1)

July 10, 2019

• The injury Kofi Kingston is dealing with is a back issue, says PW Insider. All indications are he’ll be able to wrestle at Extreme Rules.
• Kofi worked Extreme Rules against Samoa Joe. (1/1)
• They also say Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows were looking at doing a podcast if they left WWE but that’s not happening since they’re staying.
• People loved their Talking Shop, but from the ones they did with Jericho, it wasn’t for me.
• There’s a video going around of a Bayley promo talking about WWE doing TV in Madison Square Garden in September.
• They did. (1/1)
• There’s some speculation that Drake Maverick will no longer be working with AOP once they return to television now that he’s 24/7 champion.
• They took forever to return, but they didn’t work with ol’ pee pants. Rollins is their guy now and up to now, he’s yet to urinate himself. (1/1)
• MMA Fighting is saying the Tito Ortiz vs. Alberto Del Rio fight will take place at a 210-pound catchweight and it should happen later this year.
• It happened in December. Kinda wild it’s a thing that happened, especially with a replicate WWE title on the line. (1/1)

July 11, 2019

• The new story started with Kevin Owens on this week’s SmackDown will eventually phase Shane McMahon out of weekly storylines, says WrestlingNews.co.
• That’s the case. Haven’t seen Shane since KO finally vanquished him. (1/1)
• The version they saw listed Alexa Bliss as being out last Tuesday due to “illness”. That’s the same reason Post Wrestling reports she was kept off Raw this week, too.
• Alexa unfortunately has to miss time often, but this didn’t cause her to miss much at all.
• This tweet from Scott Dawson has re-started rumors The Revival are unhappy with WWE management and could be looking to leave when their current contracts expire.
• That still may happen.
• Expect an Elias/Undertaker segment on Sunday’s Extreme Rules PPV.
• Elias got involved in the tag match on behalf on Shane McMahon and Drew McIntyre. (1/1)

This week: 10/15 - 67%

Overall: 3,090/5,535 - 55.8%

Have a great week, everyone!