5 AEW rumors we hope are true and 2 we hope aren't: Cesaro's future; another star unhappy with Tony Khan; Jon Moxley favorite to become Interim World Champion?
Welcome back to another column on AEW rumors that we hope are true and those we hope aren't.
On the back of an eventful Double or Nothing 2022, the fallout episodes of Dynamite and Rampage ended on a bittersweet note.
The Summer of Punk has been shelved for the foreseeable future as the 43-year-old has sustained a foot injury, which will require surgery.
On the brighter side, The Second City Saint hasn't relinquished the AEW World Championship, meaning an interim champion will be crowned in his absence. We have early betting odds suggesting a new champion in light of these startling developments.
But before we make the revelations, let's dive into the lead reports, including the future of Cesaro.
#7. Hopefully not true: Cesaro is heading back to WWE
Earlier this year, Cesaro and WWE failed to come to a new agreement, which led to the departure of the veteran after 11 years in the company.
Dave Meltzer recently reported the possibility of The Swiss Cyborg inking a new deal and returning to WWE instead of making his debut in AEW:
"It’s not known if AEW made an offer for him but Tony Khan has spoke highly of him. But with the size of some of the new contracts WWE has given, there is the feeling a guy like Cesaro, in his early 40s, will return because he’s comfortable with WWE even though he recognizes he’ll never be used on top, but there’s nothing definite in that direction."
We hope this rumor is not true because the 41-year-old might utilize his full potential outside Vince McMahon's sphere.
And speaking of the WWE Chairman, it's no secret that he has never viewed Cesaro as the main eventer. However, Tony Khan is high on the former U.S. Champion, which implies the latter has a higher chance of succeeding in AEW than WWE.
The King of Swing could also work on a handshake deal, quite similar to what Johnny Elite has been doing lately. Given his long-standing rivalries with stars like Eddie Kingston, Cesaro could provide a lot of dream matchups.
#6. Hopefully true: Thunder Rosa unhappy with AEW?
Apparently, MJF isn't the only star unhappy with All Elite Wrestling.
According to WhatCulture, Women's World Champion Thunder Rosa has become "frustrated" due to not being given sufficient television time lately. The Mexican star's anger reportedly mounted when the company didn't utilize her on the Double or Nothing fallout episode.
We hope this report is true. La Mera Mera has only made two successful title defenses since winning the coveted prize from Dr. Britt Baker in March this year.
Having not booked her on the fallout episode from the pay-per-view only devalued her title reign and showed a lack of credible storylines in place for her. Keeping that in mind, there could be some truth to these surprising revelations.
#5. Hopefully true: Jon Moxley is slated to become the Interim AEW World Champion
Who will win the Battle Royale THIS WEDNESDAY on #AEWDynamite at 8/7c on TBS, to face #1 contender @JonMoxley in the Dynamite main event? The winner of Dynamite’s main event goes on to #ForbiddenDoor to challenge for the Interim #AEW World Championship! https://t.co/1iyt4Ye0GF
On the upcoming episode of Dynamite, Jon Moxley will face the winner of a battle royale, the participants for which are yet to be announced.
Whoever wins that match will then earn the right to wrestle either Hirooki Goto or Hiroshi Tanahashi to crown the Interim AEW World Champion at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view.
According to Figure Four Online, the current betting odds indicate that Jon Moxley is the (-150) favorite to win the title at the June 26 pay-per-view.
We hope this turns out to be true because The Purveyor of Violence is the right choice to carry the company in Punk's absence.
Moreover, Mox is long overdue for his crowning moment in front of wrestling fans. If one may recall, the former WWE Superstar spent the majority of his first title reign during the pandemic era.
Imagine the possibility of dream matchups if Moxley becomes the Interim World Champion. The company could book a match between Mox vs. Punk to crown the Undisputed Champion down the road.
#4. Hopefully true: Johnny Elite still not signed with AEW
After making a few appearances on AEW programming, wrestling fans have been wondering whether Johnny Elite has become All Elite.
Fightful Select now reports that the former WWE Superstar has not yet signed a full-time deal with the company. This means that the veteran will continue to work on a handshake deal.
We hope this rumor is true. While people would love to see John Morrison sign a full-time deal with Tony Khan, he may get lost in the shuffle on an overstacked roster.
The 42-year-old could be booked as a "special attraction" as we've seen him recently wrestle Samoa Joe and Miro.
#3. Hopefully true: Kazuchika Okada vs. Hangman Page could happen at AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door
The Observer reports that Hangman Page vs. Kazuchika Okada is internally listed to take place at Forbidden Door. https://t.co/I2NOVXhYZi
Dave Meltzer recently reported that Hangman Page vs. Kazuchika Okada (c) for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship is currently listed for the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door pay-per-view.
Interestingly, Meltzer later created a fuss on social media when he corrected that the reported match wasn't officially on the card for the event.
"I had seen a lineup, which was interesting because it was Punk and Tanahashi for the AEW title and the other match was Okada and Adam Page, which actually could be a hell of a match for the IWGP title." (H/T: Wrestling Observer)
We hope the wrestling journalist's original report turns out to be true. Okada vs. Page is a dream match for many wrestling fans.
The two men could blow the roof of the United Center in Chicago if given sufficient time in the ring. Moreover, the Anxious Millennial Cowboy deserves a high-profile match following his title loss to CM Punk at Double or Nothing 2022.
A clash against a star of Okada's stature would elevate his career to higher heights and help him regain some of his momentum.
#2. Hopefully true: Bryan Danielson could return before AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door
Bryan Danielson has reportedly sustained an undisclosed injury following the Anarchy in the Arena match at AEW Double or Nothing.
This forced the former multi-time WWE Champion to miss a meet-and-greet in Massachusetts last week.
Bryan Alvarez is now reporting that Danielson could recover from the injury in two weeks' time, which will make him eligible to compete at the Forbidden Door pay-per-view.
We hope this rumor is true because having Danielson out of action for the foreseeable future would be a massive setback for the company.
The long AEW injury list, which includes big names like CM Punk and Jeff Hardy, has jeopardized several booking plans. Should The American Dragon return in time for the Forbidden Door pay-per-view, the company could book him for a marquee match.
He could also join forces with Kingston to fight The Jericho Appreciation Society in a Blood and Guts match later this month.
#1. Hopefully not true: No timeframe set for CM Punk's return
CM Punk injured his foot during a trios match on AEW Dynamite last week, where he joined forces with FTR to defeat The Gunn Club and Max Caster.
His heart-wrenching announcement, in which he spoke about undergoing surgery, left fans daunted about his return date.
PWInsider recently shed light on the matter, noting that it is unknown how long the former WWE Superstar will be away from the squared circle after going under the knife.
We hope this isn't true. AEW President Tony Khan must have estimated Punk's return timeframe, which exemplifies why he didn't let the champion relinquish the title.
Regardless, we should take these rumors with a pinch of salt. Given the seriousness of CM Punk's injury, it is too early to predict how long he will stay out of action.