Rumor Look Back: Aug. 20 - 26, 2021

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!

August 20, 2021

• PW Insider says WWE wanted to use Mike Tyson to do the voice-over for the opening video package at SummerSlam, but they were unable to reach a deal.
• My dude probably wanted to get paid. Well, we’ll always having him fighting off sleep during the first TNT title match.
• Megan Thee Stallion is another celebrity who WWE hoped to bring in for SummerSlam, but that plan also failed, per Fightful. In this case, WWE thought it was a done deal, but they were told last weekend that it’s not happening.
• Strike two.
• Chris Jericho mentioned on his podcast that the original name for New Day was supposed to be “Fresh Coat of Paint.”
• Woof. That would have been bad.
• Insider claims Scarlett is off WWE television right now because she is not cleared.
• She never made it to WWE TV.
• Fightful indicated the IIconics had interest from Impact Wrestling. They also have interest from “a new wrestling program scheduled for the fall.”
• I wonder if that new program is WOW. They did end up in Impact. (1/1)

August 21, 2021

• Tony Khan isn’t done signing big names, based on a Wrestling Observer Newsletter report: “Sources close to the promotion that would be alerted to such things also noted a new major AEW acquisition is coming on the heels of the deals for CM Punk and Bryan Danielson.”
• Cole is the other name that could fit this bill, debuting at All Out alongside Danielson. He is a “major AEW acquisition”? It’s close enough for me to give it the nod. (1/1)
• The WON also says NXT’s partnership with Full Sail has ended. The Capitol Wrestling Center is NXT’s long-term television home.
• That’s the case. (1/1)
• Dave Meltzer also wrote about changes to the CWC, which will likely involve more light and color since WWE officials think it looks too dark on TV. The plexiglass barrier may also be removed.
• That’s all correct. A brighter, more colorful show. The plexiglass was removed. (1/1)
• Asuka is healthy and available, according to The Observer, WWE’s just not using her. It was noted she was at last week’s Raw, but went home early when it was clear she wasn’t booked.
• There was word she wasn’t used in the Rumble because they didn’t think she was healthy enough. There’s a pretty big gap between “healthy and available” and “didn’t think she was healthy enough for the Rumble.” There’s also word she may have been back from a shoulder issue in Feb, but that only leaves one Raw left. There’s really been no concrete word in general. While obviously, the parties involved know what’s going on with Asuka, no one else seems to.
• In his latest Eck’s Files blog on ROHWrestling.com says two wrestlers recently released by WWE will have a match on September’s Death Before Dishonor PPV.
• I guess that’s Taylor Rusk vs. Jake Atlas. Given that’s a teaser by someone who works for ROH, it’s not really a rumor.

August 23, 2021

• Ringside News claims Becky Lynch wasn’t supposed to return at SummerSlam but WWE made the call for it once they knew Sasha Banks wouldn’t be able to work the show.
• WWE likes to make audibles that involve title changes. Like when Lesnar was added to the fatal 4-way at Day One and won Big E’s title.
• Speaking of which, Fightful says Sasha Banks wasn’t cleared for SummerSlam but WWE is hoping she will be back soon.
• It was about a month. (1/1)
• Relations between WWE and 2K are “seriously strained,” per Sports Gamers Online. Issues include WWE wanting the usual pre-Survivor Series release for WWE 2K22 while the developers fought to push it to next March. There are also concerns about the game’s roster being outdated due to this year’s releases.
• After the last game was awful, I can imagine there were some issues.
• On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned there were always plans in place to do Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns but not for a long time down the road. Obviously, they moved that up.
• They’re still running that program.
• According to Meltzer and several fans online, WWE was confiscating Bray Wyatt signs at SummerSlam.
• Anyone ever have a sign taken at a WWE show? Let us know in the comments.

August 24, 2021

• Becky Lynch requested that she be a heel upon her return, according to Wrestling Observer.
• Similar to Roman upon his return a couple years back.
• A source told Jon Alba “the WWE merchandise team was notified around 48 hours in advance of SummerSlam of Becky Lynch’s return”. Alba added “that should give you some indication as to how quickly” plans for Lynch’s return came together.
• There were rumors that she wasn’t going to be back for a couple months until the Draft. But she must have been ready to go.
• Adam Cole has not signed a new WWE contract and was not mentioned during planning for last night’s Raw, according to Fightful. PW Insider confirmed TakeOver 36 was his final NXT appearance. The Young Bucks & Kenny Omega have referenced Cole & their history with him several times online in recent days.
• He did not sign a new contract given he landed with AEW. (1/1)
• Pretty Cool, the company who made the CM Punk ice cream bars handed out at Rampage, shared that Punk “came to us on his own and asked us to help him do this 2 years ago, and finally the moment was right,” and that “Punk wrote the check for the entire bill himself.”
• Punk was planning that comeback for years.
• Vince McMahon is pushing hard to get Gable Steveson to sign with WWE, according to Thirsty For News.
• Stevenson signed with WWE.

August 25, 2021

• Fightful claims that Adam Cole’s contract with WWE expires at the end of the week, on Aug. 27. PW Insider notes that WWE considers Cole done with the company even though his contract has a couple more days to go.
• It’s still wild they didn’t know when his contract was coming due.
• According to Mat Men’s Andrew Zarian, a lot of people in WWE thought Cole would have signed a new deal by now, but that feeling has changed over the last couple days. Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer heard from a friend of Cole that he has not made a decision yet about whether he will sign with AEW or WWE.
• Cole talked about how he had a great time in WWE, so it sounded like he had to give a good deal of thought to it.
• A source told Zarian that Karrion Kross’ new look on Raw is about making him marketable, for the purpose of selling toys, shirts, accessories, and so forth.
• I hope they sold enough toys in the three months prior to his release.
• Insider says WWE filmed a lot of content in Las Vegas with Baron Corbin. This will lead to some ups and downs in his story, before a “big twist” takes place on SmackDown.
• I don’t know if I’d consider any twist outside he won money and became “Happy.” (0/1)
• Kofi Kingston is not cleared to perform right now, per Insider. He wasn’t on the road with WWE for SummerSlam weekend.
• Kofi missed a little time in the summer. And then later when he and his wife had another child.

August 26, 2021

• On Sunday Night’s Main Event, Dave Meltzer noted that Impact is “really after” Bray Wyatt. But he reiterated his report that “people in high places” at AEW believe he’s signing with them.
• He hasn’t signed with anyone yet.
• WWE sources told PW Insider they expect the company to make Adam Cole another contract offer this week.
• If they did, it wasn’t enough.
• Regarding Pete Dunne’s similarly expiring contract, Fightful Select’s sources say WWE recently offered him an extension. There’s no word yet if Dunne’s re-signed.
• Rumor has it that he did.
• Trent Osborne of Bodyslam.Net says he “was removed from the NXT tapings” at the Capitol Wrestling Center on Tuesday night after publishing spoilers from Monday night. He was told his report violated the “no recording or picture taking” rule WWE announces at the start of the show, even though he didn’t take any video or photos. Osborne also noted no one who attends NXT is asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
• That’s lame.
• After his show-stealing match with Ilja Dragunov Sunday night at TakeOver 36, Insider says there is a lot of talk backstage that WALTER needs to be on the main NXT show on a consistent basis.
• Eventually, WALTER ahem GUNTHER set up shop there. (1/1)

This week: 7/8 - 88%

Overall: 4,062/7,175 - 56.6%

Have a great week, everyone!