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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 get right to it!
- WrestleVotes claims there is another SmackDown title that has been redesigned and could debut soon.
- The new Intercontinental title design debuted just a few days later. It’s currently in abeyance. (1/1)
- WWE may actually start granting some releases, per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
- They soon granted Sin Cara and Luke Harper - though Harper’s didn’t do much since the non-compete kept him out almost the same amount of time as if they just let the contract expire. Maybe earned him a week or two.
- On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted the rule WWE implemented doing away with automatic title rematches has already changed.
- We don’t get them like we used to. While it happens once and awhile, there are plenty of times we don’t. (0/1)
- Kairi Sane has apparently expressed interest in pursuing options outside WWE, says Meltzer.
- We’ll see what happens when her contract is up. She recently got married back in Japan. I could definitely imagine she wants to go home to be closer to her new husband.
- WWE Network News notes WWE will have an upcoming episode of “Untold” that focuses on Sting’s last match, and it will debut on Nov. 22.
- While I can’t say when it debuted, there is a WWE Untold about that match. (1/1)
- According to WrestleVotes, there was a push backstage to put Triple H on NXT’s men’s team at Survivor Series, but it was met by mixed reactions. Triple H himself is said to be against the idea.
- I don’t think Triple H wants to wrestle like he used to. He wasn’t on the team.
- Rey Mysterio could leave WWE in April 2020 via an opt out clause WrestlingNews.co says he has in his contract. But since WWE has plans for his son, Dominick, it’s not expected he’ll leave.
- So that’s right now. And word is he hasn’t re-signed. However, he’s still part of the Seth story so let’s sit on this for awhile.
- Plans for Cain Velasquez on WWE’s Mexico City house show have changed again. He’s back to being listed for a match, teaming with Humberto Carrillo against Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows.
- That match did happen. It was his last match in WWE. (1/1)
- Cody Rhodes recently filed for a trademark on “The Match Beyond,” which has led to speculation AEW will use his father’s War Games concept under that old nickname for the gimmick.
- War Games in AEW is Blood & Guts. (0/1)
- Aliyah’s injury from last week’s NXT was a work to cover for an upcoming surgery, per Wrestling Observer Radio.
- We still don’t know one way or another. I leaned towards work but we don’t know.
- Bill Goldberg told SI he’s probably going to wrestle again. It’s expected he’ll have at least one more match in WWE, if not more.
- He won the title within months. (1/1)
- On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed that Lana only went off script when she said “90 days,” during her promo on Raw. The rest of it, including Bobby Lashley correcting her, was scripted.
- That was a weird one.
- Nikki Cross has signed a new three year deal with WWE, according to Squared Circle Sirens.
- Nikki is great.
- Per the Observer, AEW Full Gear likely did under 100,000 buys on pay-per-view.
- They push B/R Live though so maybe they did OK there.
- Marty Scurll is almost certainly going to AEW soon, per Meltzer.
- He opted to stay in ROH. (0/1)
- WrestleMania 36 plans call for Bray Wyatt to be in one of the main event matches, according to WrestlingNews.co’s sources, so don’t expect a title change at Survivor Series.
- He was booked to face John Cena and I bet that’d be a main event match if it went on in front of people. He also didn’t lose his title at Survivor Series, though did lose his title prior to WrestleMania. (2/2)
- That site also says WWE plans to start building Roman Reigns up to the main event, and his name has been mentioned as a challenger for The Fiend at WrestleMania.
- It was going to be Roman vs. Goldberg. (0/1)
- Her tag partner might be considering leaving, but Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio that Asuka is very happy in the U.S. and he’s “heard no rumblings whatsoever” that she might leave.
- Asuka has been booked rather well the last six months. I also don’t think she’s married to someone overseas like Kairi.
- Randy Orton’s contract talks started in the spring, but WWE kept pushing meetings back as it was not a “high priority” according to Fightful. Orton told Corey Graves on After The Bell that he never seriously considering leaving, so that might be why WWE’s wasn’t concerned.
- Randy in AEW would have been the biggest shock.
- Dio Maddin is still part of the Raw announce team, per PW Insider. He’s just off selling Brock Lesnar’s attack.
- He never came back. (0/1)
- There aren’t expected to be any title changes at Survivor Series, and both title programs will likely go all the way up to, and possibly through, Royal Rumble.
- While there were no title changes, the Rey Mysterio vs. Brock Lesnar program didn’t go any further. (1/2)
- Cain Velasquez has been working out at the WWE Performance Center this week, says PW Insider. It’s thought to be in preparation for his match at the upcoming house show in Mexico.
- He’s already been released.
- Per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there are talks of cutting back NXT house shows in 2020.
- Well I guess that’s the case. I don’t think it was prior to all this though.
- The Observer notes that the NWA let Jim Cornette go in large part because he wouldn’t apologize for the offensive remarks that were edited out of the latest episode of NWA Powerrr.
- Jim Cornette has been in and out of a lot of promotions in the last couple years.
- ROH gave a statement to PW Insider that they didn’t fire Kelly Klein but simply won’t be renewing her contract. The site says that contract is up on Dec. 31, 2019.
- That situation was ugly.
- The idea is to go back to the hard brand split right after Survivor Series, per Wrestling Observer Radio.
- That was accurate. (1/1)
- Despite 205 Live not airing a new episode this week on the WWE Network, the word going around is that it’s not cancelled and this was just for this week.
- This show is still happening. (1/1)
- Per PW Insider, WWE will be going back to Madison Square Garden on March 22, 2020, but there are no other pro wrestling dates currently contracted for the venue, from WWE or otherwise.
- That show was canceled, but it was scheduled to happen prior to COVID. (1/1)
- Marty Scurll will work Final Battle on Dec. 13, even though his contract expires prior to that, says the Observer. His working the show does not mean he’s signed there.
- He was part of a tag time. He did end up re-signing. (1/1)
- The NWA wanted to keep Jim Cornette but wanted him to apologize immediately before taking a hiatus, according to the Observer. They also note there were “other issues” involved but that was the key issue.
- Jim Cornette doesn’t apologize. Ever.
This week: 11/17 - 65%
Overall: 3,320/5,924 - 56.0%
Have a good week, everyone. Stay safe & healthy.