3 Wrestling Rumors we hope are true and 3 we hope aren't: 4-Time Champion's injury a part of storyline, Vince McMahon makes a major change to upcoming WWE faction?
Welcome to this week's edition of WWE/wrestling rumors we hope are true and those we hope aren't. It's been an action-packed week in the world of WWE as the company is set for its next sold-out Premium Live Event - Hell in a Cell 2022.
This week's edition features reports on a storyline injury, changes to an upcoming faction, possible news on the WWE brand split's future, further updates on the Sasha Banks-Naomi situation, a backstage story about The Rock, and more. Let's get started:
#3. Hope is true: Update on Roderick Strong's injury
Roderick Strong was in the headlines not too long ago when it was reported that he asked for his WWE release multiple times, only to be denied. He is back on NXT 2.0, where he is the unofficial leader of the Diamond Mine faction.
In the most recent episode, he was said to have suffered a training injury. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the injury is only for the storyline and isn't a legitimate one.
Sportskeeda's Aakaansh wrote:
"In the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), it was reported that Roderick Strong hasn't been injured for real and it's just a part of the storyline. The injury was used to fuel the animosity between Strong and the Creed Brothers."
We hope this is true because injuries can drastically affect superstars' careers, especially when they have momentum.
#3. Hope isn't true: Vince McMahon makes a major change to an upcoming faction on SmackDown?
Vince McMahon has the ultimate final say in WWE, that's no secret. As a result, many creative pitches are changed at the last minute.
One of SmackDown's newest stars is Max Dupri fka LA Knight in NXT and Eli Drake in Impact Wrestling. He seems set for a managerial role and has announced his 'talent agency' named Maximum Male Models, which WWE has reportedly filed a trademark for.
According to Wrestlingnews.co, the original plans to have Mansoor and Mace in the upcoming faction have been scrapped by Vince McMahon. Sportskeeda's Aakaansh wrote:
"Earlier, WWE filed a trademark for “Maximum Male Models,” a stable to be led by Dupri after he made his SmackDown debut. According to the report, Mansoor and Mace are not a part of the stable. At one point, there was an idea to reintroduce them as heels on SmackDown, but McMahon changed those plans."
We hope this isn't true because Mace and Mansoor would be perfect up-and-coming stars who would benefit from the faction. It's better as opposed to what they're doing now, which is nothing.
#2. Hope is true: Newest report on WWE's plan to end the brand split
The two World Championships and the two Tag Team titles have officially been unified by The Bloodline. While Roman Reigns is the undisputed WWE Universal Champion, The Usos are now the Undisputed Tag Team Champions.
This has led to a lot of speculation that the company is phasing out of the brand split, which was restarted six years ago in 2016. Many fans think that the split is a better idea as the exclusivity allows more superstars to shine.
According to Andrew Zarain of the Mat Men Podcast, the company is reportedly not planning on ending the brand split, but they also have a different concept in mind:
"Spoke with WWE regarding the brand split this morning. WWE source stated that the brand split will not be ending. However, the current plan is to have more individuals jump from brand to brand depending on storylines."
We hope this is true because brand exclusivity is a proven way to create more superstars. Hopefully, they can eventually introduce a new world title again, but it may not be harmful to have tag team champions jump from brand to brand.
#2. Hope isn't true: WWE reportedly sends a message to the roster after the Sasha Banks-Naomi saga
The Sasha Banks and Naomi saga was perhaps the most talked-about news in all of wrestling last week. It all happened when Sasha Banks and Naomi reportedly had a disagreement with Vince McMahon and other officials before walking out.
With WWE putting out a statement and making the commentators talk about it, it's clear that they are furious over the duo walking out. On the Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer revealed the message that the company sent to the roster following the walk-out incident:
"The fact that they buried [Sasha Banks and Naomi]… Again… It just tells you the mood that they were in. They were in a very strong mood and I know also it was absolutely meant as a message to talent: Don’t walk out during a live show, because we will bury you. Whether that matters or not to talent, I don’t know, but it absolutely was a message to everyone there that if you, again, you can discuss things and whatever. You can question things and all that and that’s part of the deal. I think that the problem was the walking out."
We hope this isn't true because it's not the best way to make amends with them and could potentially lead to bridges being burned.
#1. Hope is true: Backstage update on whether there is political pressure from Naomi's family
Sasha Banks and Naomi have been suspended indefinitely. There will be a future tournament to crown the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions. https://t.co/8xhJe0l5bV
Continuing with the Sasha Banks-Naomi story, it seems as though there is more heat on The Boss than Naomi. One of the big questions asked was whether Naomi's ties to The Bloodline (via her marriage to Jimmy Uso) would add political pressure to the situation.
According to a report from Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer, the company hasn't had to face political pressure from Naomi's family:
“There has been no political pressure on WWE as far as the family situation [with Naomi] goes. I haven’t heard of anything from that side,"
We hope this is true because it would also be a bad precedent to use political pressure to negotiate a return to TV.
#1. Hope isn't true: The Rock was told to bury a WWE legend?
Happy 50th birthday to @TheRock 💪
📽️: @WWE
https://t.co/BgpzlNGaId
While it isn't the same story, it's interesting to note exactly how Vince McMahon feels about superstars walking out. In hindsight, it seems to be considered one of the most unacceptable acts that a superstar can do. Whether you agree or not, it's a precedent that was set a long time ago.
Perhaps the biggest example of a superstar facing the wrath of the company after a walk-out is Stone Cold Steve Austin, who did so in 2002. According to Dave Meltzer, WWE reportedly went out of their way to bury Stone Cold Steve Austin with a promo from The Rock:
''Nobody was buried as badly as Austin, who was the biggest star the company had as far as winning the wrestling war a few years earlier, including Jim Ross, Austin’s best friend in the company at the time, and Dwayne Johnson both being told to bury him and doing so, including Johnson using the famed “took his ball and went home” line on television,'' said Meltzer.
We hope this isn't true, but after seeing how McMahon handled the recent situation, it seems clear that it's most likely the truth.