Rumor Look Back: Oct. 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 stated. Let’s jump right in, shall we?

October 5, 2019

• The Observer notes that Undertaker is likely for the next WWE Crown Jewel show in Saudi Arabia.
• Taker was not on that show. Though he was on Super ShowDown, defeating AJ Styles in a match Taker wasn’t even scheduled for. But that seems to be a norm for the Saudi shows. (0/1)
• Edge seemed to refute rumors of a potential return match on his Twitter during SmackDown this week.
• Edge was lyyyyying. (Though I don’t blame him.) (0/1)
• John Pollock noted that the decision to air a replay of 205 Live instead of taping a new show after SmackDown was a “late call.”
• I’m surprised 205 Live is still going as it had been as the SmackDown post show.
• The Wrestling Observer Newsletter says the current belief within the company is Kacy Catanzaro will return to WWE after her decision to step away.
• She did eventually (1/1)
• According to PW Insider, everyone within AEW was “very happy” with the ratings for the first episode of Dynamite.
• Ratings for Dynamite in general are good.

October 7, 2019

• Cain Velasquez’s offer from WWE was actually pulled when word got out about it early last week, according to Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer. But given his appearance on Friday, it’s almost certain he’s signed, despite what he told ESPN.
• Even though we haven’t seen him since this time, he confirmed he signed with WWE. (1/1)
• On Observer Radio, it was also mentioned that Tyson Fury vs. Braun Strowman will likely join Velasquez vs. Brock Lesnar on the Oct. 31 Saudi Arabia card.
• It did. Fury won by countout. (1/1)
• Last week’s Observer Newsletter had some numbers for recent WWE re-signings. Braun Strowman is guaranteed $1.2 million annually on his new deal. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson will each make $700K per year on their new contracts after turning down offers for $500K.
• Creatively the Club aren’t doing much more, though I’m sure those deals are lucrative. Braun finally won the championship, though he wasn’t the first choice.
• Scarlett Bordeaux has signed with WWE, says Squared Circle Sirens.
• That is true. She may have been hanging out in a car at the end of NXT this week. (1/1)
• She won’t be competing in the third Mae Young Classic, at least not in early November. The NXT ticket site briefly advertised the return of the women’s tournament on Nov. 2 - 3 at Full Sail, but WWE told Fightful it was a mistake.
• It did not happen as WWE stated here.

October 8, 2019

• After Hell in a Cell Sunday night, WWE tweeted out an announcement that Seth Rollins and The Fiend would face each other at Survivor Series, but then quickly deleted it.
• That match didn’t happen at Survivor Series. Seth was on the men’s Raw Survivor Series team. Wyatt fought Daniel Bryan. (0/1)
• Early advertising for Survivor Series from Allstate Arena is playing up the Raw vs. SmackDown theme, and promotes a Braun Strowman, Miz, Ricochet, Drew McIntyre & Rey Mysterio vs. Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens, Aleister Black, Daniel Bryan & Finn Balor elimination match. Obviously, with the Draft coming and Finn being on NXT, that’s gonna change.
• More often than not, though not always, the early advertising is wrong. (0/1)
• Don’t expect Raw or SmackDown to be represented by General Managers or authority figures during the Draft.
• That’s accurate. They haven’t gone to an authority since the switch. (1/1)
• Sources tell Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio that Eric Bischoff isn’t doing much in his new role as SmackDown Executive Director.
• That’s often the word. Of course, Bischoff will claim everything Meltzer says is utter BS.
• A shot of Daniel Bryan stumbling on the ramp after his match on Sunday’s PPV caused concern among fans, but Wrestling Observer says Bryan is fine.
• He was working SmackDown again not long after. (1/1)

October 9, 2019

• PW Insider says Edge was in Pittsburgh just yesterday on WWE business, speculating that it could have been to see Dr. Joseph Maroon, who is headquartered there.
• This is probably accurate, but I don’t think we can confirm when Edge went to Dr. Maroon unless he said so on a podcast not that just he did, but when he did. If anyone watched the WWE 24 and remembers that detail in there, let me know.
• Insider also says Samoa Joe has been out of action with a broken thumb and he’s just waiting to be cleared to return.
• Joe is always hurt unfortunately. It’s marred his WWE run.
• Aleister Black and Buddy Murphy are Paul Heyman guys, says the Observer, so there’s speculation they could come to Raw in the draft and get a push.
• They are both on Raw and I think both got a decent enough push. (2/2)
• Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that the Sasha Banks injury could lead to a Becky Lynch vs. Asuka program.
• Becky didn’t move on to Asuka for awhile. (0/1)
• He also said the idea of Lacey Evans working with Natalya so much recently was to help her improve as a wrestler.
• It’s a good idea. Wonder if it made much of a difference.

October 10, 2019

• Sasha Banks is “in the favor of Vince McMahon”, per Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful. Sources tell him the WWE CEO has gained respect for her over the past few months.
• Wonder what his mind set was prior then.
• A comment by Cody Rhodes about the Hell in a Cell main event on the Joe Cronin Show has led to speculation that either Bray Wyatt or Seth Rollins got a concussion during the match.
• That wouldn’t have helped that clunker of a match, but it was also just booked very poorly.
• Talent is currently unaware of what brand they’ll land on in Friday & Monday’s WWE Draft, according to Fightful Select.
• WWE likes to keep the talent in the dark about things like this.
• On Wrestling Observer Radio it was said that Cain Velasquez needs knee surgery. It’s not clear if he’s going to get a minor procedure done before the Brock Lesnar match or put it off until after.
• That’s probably what he’s out dealing with now.
• Squared Circle Sirens reported that WWE signed Shotzi Blackheart, but she seemed to shoot down the news on her Twitter.
• She’s with NXT now. So Sirens right, Shotzi denied it. (1/2)

October 11, 2019

• John Pollock notes that Stephanie McMahon will announce the picks in the WWE Draft, the way you might see from a Commissioner in other sports. Also, the celebrities appearing will be doing spots breaking down the strategy with analysis.
• That’s the way it worked. The “breaking down the strategy” part is very open to interpretation. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman just talked about what it was like when Troy was drafted. But others did a bit more so I’ll give it to them. (2/2)
• According to WrestleVotes, Paul Heyman has tried to get Bray Wyatt and Aleister Black on Raw while FOX wants Roman Reigns and Charlotte Flair on SmackDown.
• Both got half of who they wanted but Bray and Charlotte went the other way.
• Cain Velasquez’s MMA career appears to be over, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He apparently took himself out of the USADA drug testing pool.
• That’s the case. (1/1)
• They also say WWE pulled the offer for Velasquez’s recent angle with Brock Lesnar after coverage broke saying it was going to happen because they wanted to keep it under wraps.
• They paid him eventually.
• There have been ideas discussed for a new Steve Austin series on the WWE Network, per PW Insider.
• This must be referring to the Broken Skull Sessions. (1/1)

This week: 13/19 - 68%

Overall: 3,252/5,816 - 55.9%

Have a good week, everyone. Stay safe and healthy.