Rumor Look Back: Aug. 26 - Sept. 4, 2022

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 to it.

August 26, 2022

• According to Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer, CM Punk’s drama with Hangman Page was never brought up in Tony Khan’s backstage meeting with the AEW roster before this week’s Dynamite.
• I’m sure it was a topic of conversation a week later.
• There are people in AEW who believe that Punk is the reason why Colt Cabana is no longer on AEW television. However, Meltzer said Punk has told people that’s not the case.
• There is no concrete word that Punk actually had anything to do with it, but the fact that folks who worked there did was the problem - a problem that Tony Khan should have gotten in front of. He didn’t and it cost him.
• Per PW Insider, while many of the people who spoke at the AEW meeting (like Tony Schiavone, the Young Bucks, and Chris Jericho) used an encouraging tone to rally the troops, Kenny Omega took a harsher “tough love” approach in his speech towards the locker room.
• Given Brawl Out was a week later, that meeting didn’t have the desired effect. Then again, the incident involved half the guys leading the meeting.
• F4WOnline’s Bryan Alvarez heard that “the vast majority” of people came out of the meeting feeling better about things, but some people did not.
• Only one person’s grievances mattered in this case - CM Punk.
• Multiple outlets claim that Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter legitimately don’t like Thunder Rosa, partially because she works too stiff. Meltzer says the original plan was for Rosa to lose the AEW women’s world title at All Out, before she was pulled from the show due to injury.
• There was enough smoke to the heat rumors that the fire of legitimate dislike is a possibility. Rosa’s injury recover is slow, but she is working at AEW as a Spanish commentator. She also somewhat indirectly addressed those topics when talking about her new role.
• Insider says there’s “a lot of talk over the last week” in WWE about calling up Solo Sikoa to the main roster, and it could happen in September.
• He debuted at Clash at the Castle, helping Roman Reigns defeat Drew McIntyre. (1/1)
• There’s also been talk of WWE’s interest in NJPW wrestler Jonah, who previously wrestled in NXT as Bronson Reed. That comes from Andrew Zarian on We’re Live, Pal.
• He returned to WWE as well. He looked good in the Elimination Chamber match. (1/1)
• Sammy Guevara was said to be difficult to work with in recent programs with Ethan Page, Scorpio Sky, and Sonjay Dutt, according to Fightful. As far as the backstage altercation between Guevara and Eddie Kingston is concerned, it was the way Guevara carried himself leading up to and after the verbal shot on Eddie that set him off. For example, Sammy obnoxiously smiled in Eddie’s face when Eddie confronted him about what he said in the ring.
• Sammy Guevara comes off like a little shit in these rumors. But Eddie was the aggressor, as was Andrade in a later altercation with Guevara.

August 27, 2022

• Johnny Gargano “strongly considered” signing with AEW before Vince McMahon left WWE, per Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. There were those in AEW interested in signing Gargano, but “for whatever reason” Tony Khan opted not to make him an offer.
• I think signing with Triple H is the best for him. It’s very very easy to get lost in the fray at AEW. Meanwhile, Triple H clearly thinks highly of Gargano and showcased him frequently in NXT. Even though Gargano isn’t in a major program, he’ll find something on a 3-hour Raw run by Triple H.
• Meltzer confirmed the entire Legado del Fantasma group will head to the main roster with Santos Escobar. In addition to Joaquin Wilde, Cruz Del Toro & Elektra Lopez moving up to Raw or SmackDown, Meltzer reiterated recent reports on Solo Sikoa and said Indi Hartwell has also been discussed for promotion, but right now there is “no time frame for either.”
• Legado del Fantasma did head to the main, though this mentions Elektra Lopez, who was not with them. Instead they were paired with Zelina Vega. Solo debuted but Indi has not. (2/4)
• Brock Lesnar, Pat McAfee & the Undertaker were also guests at Vince McMahon’s 77th birthday celebration this week, says PW Insider.
• Must have been some time.
• At the AEW talent meeting this week, the WON reports Tony Khan made it clear he wouldn’t be a “pushover” when it comes to creative. In the past, Khan would sometimes adjust plans if he thought a wrestler’s “demands” were better than his ideas.
• CM Punk sure tried to test the pushover aspect of Tony Khan at the All Out presser. He ran down talent in front of the boss while said boss sit there and just listened, not putting a stop to it. But in the end, Punk’s gamble that he’d side with him did not pan out.
• Insider noted that Theory is billed as “Austin Theory” for this weekend’s house shows, but couldn’t confirm if it was an error or if he’ll be getting his first name back.
• He did get his first name back.
• Given that former AEW World Champion Hangman Page currently has nothing lined up for All Out 2022, there is speculation that Dark Order will make it to the finals of the Trios Championship tournament, and Page will end up replacing one of the Dark Order members in the match.
• That’s exactly what happened. (1/1)

August 29, 2022

• According to the Observer, there is turmoil within AEW but it’s “not as much as people think.”
• I’m going to mark this one as incorrect. (0/1)
• Vince Russo is now claiming he was consulting for USA Network overseeing Monday Night Raw for two years, from WrestleMania in 2020 up to this past WrestleMania.
• I highly doubt this one.
• There is apparently word going around, via BeltFanDan, that Triple H could be making “numerous belt design changes.”
• That did not happen. (0/1)
• On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said AEW is “serious” about doing a women’s show but it’s unclear when that may come to fruition.
• Nothing in the pipe just yet. Tony Khan recently talked about still being interested in it but again, nothing concrete.
• PW Insider says the Good Brothers are already working up plans for Talkin’ Shop A Mania 3, but no date is set for it just yet. They also say WWE made overtures to the two but they were asking for a lot and talks dissipated.
• That Talkin’ Shop A Mania 3 didn’t happen, maybe because they actually did sign with the E. (0/1)

August 30, 2022

• WWE has discussed bringing Braun Strowman back, per Fightful Select. No decision’s been made, but advocates have argued Strowman looks “ring ready” and “better now than when he was in WWE.”
• They ended up bringing him back.
• There have also been internal discussions about ending Roman Reigns’ title run, according to WrestleVotes. The account has heard “multiple ideas” which have “intrigued” Triple H & the team deciding who will leave Clash at the Castle with the WWE & Universal championships.
• It was Reigns, and I don’t think there was ever really much doubt otherwise.
• After word spread of former NXT star Patrick “Velveteen Dream” Clark’s Aug. 26 arrest in Orlando for Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, PW Insider reported Clark was also arrested on Aug. 20 for a pair of first degree misdemeanors, Battery and Trespassing on Property After a Warning.
• What an implosion of a talent with a ton of potential.
• Jon Moxley legitimately hated being labeled the interim AEW champ, Dave Meltzer wrote in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. It was also noted that Moxley vs. CM Punk happening last Wednesday wasn’t a “ratings ploy”, but a way to tell the story of their All Out match that’s different than just two great wrestlers having a great wrestling match.
• I think that was the better story to be honest.
• Santana Garrett, who was released by WWE as a wrestler last June, tweeted that she’s started working as a coach at the Performance Center.
• She has a good amount of experience to offer.

August 31, 2022

• According to Fightful Select, USA Network is incredibly happy with the changes within WWE and what it has meant for Monday Night Raw.
• Raw is definitely better under Triple H.
• The Observer notes that WWE is currently trying to get Raquel Rodriguez over as a big star, which is why the Women’s Tag Team Championship Tournament was booked the way it was, with her so dominant in all the matches.
• I think they’ve still got that in their back pocket given they still overall protect her character, though they haven’t pushed her that hard.
• PW Insider speculates Triple H deliberately booked NXT’s Worlds Collide on the same day as AEW’s All Out as a way to fire back for all the times Tony Khan has tried to hurt Triple H.
• That’s not really a shot across the bow.
• Carmella told a fan on Twitter that she’s not sure when she’ll be back from her injury just yet and she’s still recovering. There’s currently no expectation she’ll be back anytime soon.
• She recently opened up about the difficult time of her ectopic pregnancy.
• On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that Tony Khan isn’t committed to anything in regards to the commentary team and changes his mind a lot.
• Maybe all promotors change their mind often.

September 1, 2022

• Eddie Kingston & Sammy Guevara squashed their beef before last night’s Dynamite, says PW Insider. The two sought each other out backstage, talked, shook hands, and “agreed that the issues were in the past and everyone was moving on.”
• And everything was calm in AEW from here on out...
• Tyson Fury will be in attendance at Clash at the Castle this weekend, reports GiveMeSport, but he won’t get involved in anything physical.
• He punched Theory, which is physical enough. (1/2)
• Bobby Fish’s AEW contract won’t be renewed when it expires, which is believed to be in October. The report comes from Fightful Select. Speculation is Fish may end up back with WWE in some capacity.
• He ended up in Impact after he didn’t stay with AEW. Return to WWE though? There’s the lie. (1/2)
• NXT will run the next Halloween Havoc on a Saturday (Oct. 22) rather than as a special episode of the weekly show, per Insider. It’s assumed it will be a PLE which airs on WWE Network and Peacock.
• That’s accurate. (1/1)
• Lady Frost requested her release from Impact via Twitter, but according to Fightful the promotion will not be granting her request. She still has two years left on her contract. Frost apparently has had communication issues with the company, and when you factor in her travel & expenses has told people it’s “effectively was costing her money” to wrestle for Impact.
• Looks like she got that release a couple months later.

September 2, 2022

• PW Insider says Solo Sikoa will be called up to the main roster “ASAP” and will be joining the SmackDown brand.
• It was the next day and he’s SmackDown (in the way the entire Bloodline is). (2/2)
• There have been rumors going around that some AEW wrestlers have asked for their release from the company, such as Malakai Black and Miro. Fightful Select says this is not the case.
• There were definitely conflicting rumors about Black and a release release. I can imagine Miro, who is never used and has several years on his deal left, probably wants out too.
• Having said that, they did say that they had sources that said Black was unhappy but it wasn’t something they could speak on without confirming it and it may have already been smoothed over.
• He was given time off but came back (probably when he learned going to work with Triple H wasn’t an option).
• There’s a lot of speculation, some based on odds from places like BetOnline, that MJF will return at All Out.
• He returned in the Casino Ladder match. (1/1)
• Insider expanded on Lady Frost’s issues with Impact Wrestling. They note a source in the company told them she was offered a full release if she would put over Masha Slamovich on TV but she stopped communicating with them. Then “sources close to Frost” denied that claim and said she agreed to it but wanted something in writing to confirm the arrangement and never got that.
• These stories are not unique to any promotion.

September 3, 2022

• Regarding the story of WWE tampering with AEW talent, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter claims that many of the AEW wrestlers who were contacted by WWE previously worked with Triple H in NXT.
• While there’s no such thing as illegal tampering in this situation, I’m not surprised Triple H would reach out to his former guys and see their status.
• At least one AEW person “asked for his release,” but it wasn’t granted. This person has “a long time” left on his contract.
• Both WWE and AEW didn’t release certain wrestlers who were requesting it. Not that the scenarios are exactly the same. AEW doesn’t randomly release folks under contract and allows them to work non-televised events. But both companies surely don’t want to give the message that anyone who asks can quit and go work for the competition.
• The Observer says even though WWE originally planned for Ronda Rousey to be at Clash at the Castle, she’s no longer scheduled to be at the show.
• Accurate. (1/1)
• Meanwhile, Paul Heyman is in Cardiff right now, so he might make his return to WWE this weekend after spending the last month off television selling injuries sustained at the hands of Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.
• That doesn’t look like the case. (0/1)
• The WON also notes that Adam Cole should be “healed up and ready” in time for All Out, which means there’s a chance he could be The Joker in the Casino Ladder match.
• He most certainly was not ready for All Out. He only just came back and hasn’t stepped into the ring yet. That injury sounded very scary. A bit worried to watch him wrestle again scary. (0/1)
• Per Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer, it’s not clear if Austin Theory will actually get his first name back in WWE, because it sounds like he prefers to just be called Theory.
• He did get his first name back.
• This year’s AEW Full Gear will happen on Sat., Nov. 19 at Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center, Fightful reported and Wrestling Observer confirmed.
• Accurate. (1/1)

This week: 13/22 - 59%

August 2022: 25/48 - 52%

Overall: 4,476/7,856 - 57.0%

Have a great week, everyone!