2 AEW rumors we hope are true & 1 we hope isn't: Mistake cost talent to WWE; John Cena received push because of Hall of Famer; Update on Sasha Banks
Welcome to the latest column on AEW rumors that we hope are true and some we hope aren't.
WWE has been the talk of the wrestling world lately, thanks to Triple H for his newest acquisition.
However, the talent wouldn't have put pen to paper on this mega deal had AEW not made a notable blunder.
Meanwhile, recent revelations have explained why the company invested heavily in John Cena.
With these lead stories, we'll dive into the top three rumors of the week to wrap up 2022.
#3. Hopefully True: Has AEW missed the opportunity to sign Dragon Lee?
.@TripleH welcomes the newest signee, Dragon Lee!
#WWE #TripleH #DragonLee
@dragonlee95 https://t.co/DIvFhPbU0u
Up-and-coming Mexican star Dragon Lee stirred the wrestling world on Wednesday night when he announced that he had signed with WWE.
The massive news broke following Los Hermanos Lee's triumphant win over FTR for the AAA World Tag Team Championship.
However, Triple H wasn't interested in Lee until Tony Khan put him on AEW television during the World Trios Championship tournament a few months ago.
Dave Meltzer reported that his sporadic appearance caught WWE's attention and helped him strike a deal with the sports entertainment juggernaut:
"Like with Bandido, WWE’s interest in Dragon Lee came when they found out that AEW put this guy on television with no contract. So it was kind of like, ‘We can swoop in.' That was one of the things. They came after him after that deal, and right after that, he was signed, but he was signed a couple of weeks back. That was the catalyst of it was them finding out that AEW put a guy on television with no deal," said Meltzer. [H/T: Wrestlingnews.co]
We hope this report is accurate because Mr. Khan has a penchant for putting talent randomly on television programming without signing them to a deal first.
His approach seems to have cost him an unbelievable athlete in Dragon Lee.
#2. Hopefully True: Sting responsible for John Cena's WWE main roster push
Sting has rightfully earned the prestige of being hailed as a timeless performer in pro wrestling today, having competed in every major promotion from WCW to WWE and now AEW.
While his legacy cannot be replicated, Dave Meltzer revealed that Paul Heyman initially labeled John Cena as the "next Sting" upon his WWE arrival.
The resemblance became the catalyst for Cena receiving the main roster call-up and the buzzworthy program against Kurt Angle:
"Paul Heyman plucked him from OVW when he was in control of SmackDown, because he saw the same future superstar and 'next Sting' label that some, including us, had given him. It probably was a little early in the sense while Heyman debuted him with Kurt Angle in a now-famous television debut segment,'' stated Meltzer.
We hope this report is accurate. John Cena captivated millions with the way he carried himself.
His unmatched charisma bore a striking resemblance to Sting's Surfer persona. In hindsight, Heyman's instincts proved to be a mega success for WWE.
#1. Hopefully Not True: Sasha Banks and AEW hadn't held talks about a potential signing
Sasha Banks has seemingly closed the chapter on her WWE career and is now rumored to embark on a new one in 2023.
In the wake of speculation that she'd show up at Wrestle Kingdom on January 4th, fans have been mulling over the remote possibility of The Boss debuting in AEW on January 11th at Kia Forum.
The company has announced a blockbuster tag team match pitting Dr. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter against Saraya with a mystery partner of her choosing.
Fightful Select hasn't heard any potential talks between Sasha Banks and WWE yet.
But that doesn't mean the two sides won't be inking a deal.
We hope this report is not accurate. Considering she's a free agent, there's a strong chance that AEW might reach out to her for a potential signing.
Moreover, Tony Khan is keeping Saraya's mystery partner a secret, implying he could be having something up his sleeve.
Given The Boss' history with The Anti-Diva, it makes sense for her to join forces with her frenemy and further their storyline.
What do you make of these rumors? Sound off in the comment section below.