4 Wrestling Rumors we hope are true & 3 we hope aren't: Triple H to repackage popular RAW star, Plans for former WWE Champion changed because of Roman Reigns?
Welcome to this week's edition of WWE/wrestling rumors we hope are true, and those we hope aren't. It's been an eventful first week of August in the world of wrestling as we build up to Clash at the Castle 2022.
This week's set of rumors is interesting in more ways than one. Some of the stories include Triple H repackaging an underutilized RAW star, significant changes in plans, alterations under the company's new regime, a major backstage note regarding the main event of SummerSlam 2022, and more. Let's get right into it:
#4. Hope is true: Triple H to repackage a 35-year-old WWE star
Triple H is now in charge of all things creative on the main roster. Fans have been rejoicing, and we have already seen immediate impacts, such as the push of Ciampa and the returns of once-popular NXT stars Dakota Kai and Karrion Kross.
It's clear that Triple H wants to push several of the previously-underutilized stars, and one of the biggest examples of that is RAW Superstar T-Bar. Formerly known as Dominik Dijakovic in NXT, he has been floundering on the main roster since the get-go. However, his fortunes might turn soon.
PWInsider recently reported that T-BAR is in discussions for a gimmick change:
"The one name that has been bouncing around with that sort of talk in recent weeks is T-Bar, the former Dijak in WWE NXT and Ring of Honor."
We hope this is true because even if T-BAR isn't going to be a main eventer, he deserves better than to be sitting on the sidelines.
#3. Hope isn't true: Roman Reigns is responsible for a change on the MSG episode of RAW
Roman Reigns opened the show at Madison Square Garden, having a memorable segment with Mr. Money in the Bank Theory. He famously told the upstart, "Your Daddy's gone," as the broadcast was right in the fallout of Vince McMahon's retirement.
According to Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), Drew McIntyre and Theory reportedly had to call the match in the ring due to the Roman Reigns' segment going over time:
''On the Madison Square Garden Raw, there was an in-ring promo before McIntyre vs. Theory that was cut because the opening Reigns segment went long. Because of the time change in the match the match was all called in the ring rather than preplanned. So there is more of that,'' stated Meltzer
We hope this isn't true because it deprived fans of a great contest between McIntyre and Theory. That said, it happens, and no blame should be placed on anybody.
#3. Hope is true: WWE unbans two words in the post-Vince McMahon era
Vince McMahon has long been known for his quirks. He stopped putting numbers ahead of WrestleMania events after the 30th edition in 2014 as he felt it would make the spectacle seem too "old" - something that fans seemingly never understood.
Apart from this, there are several examples, such as his emphasis on particular words and ban on others. For a long time now, the words "wrestler" and "wrestling" were banned terms in WWE, but that may not be the case any longer.
According to a report from Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the terms "wrestler" and "wrestling" can now be used and is no longer considered a banned word.
We hope this is true because the era of banned words should be over.
#2. Hope isn't true: Immediate plans for Karrion Kross upon his return to WWE
Tick. Tock. ⏳
@realKILLERkross @Lady_Scarlett13 #SmackDown https://t.co/DIzVs0dASN
Karrion Kross had a bizarre main roster run in 2021, lasting only a few months. The dominant star lost to Jeff Hardy on his RAW debut in minutes. Apart from that, the way WWE handled him on the main roster left a lot to be desired, and it was made worse when Scarlett Bordeaux wasn't paired with him.
The pair were released later, but Kross seemingly knew the value of not burning bridges, and here he is. He interrupted the main event of the August 5th episode of SmackDown, surprisingly attacking Drew McIntyre and hinting at his entry in the Undisputed Universal Championship picture.
According to Fightful Select, there are plans for Karrion Kross to get involved in the Undisputed Universal Championship feud between Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre. Other plans call for him to challenge for one of Reigns' titles but not both.
We hope this isn't true because as good as Kross is, this seems to be a "try-hard" statement from Triple H. It makes little sense to insert him in the main storyline of the company after he was made to look like a mid-card performer in 2021. There should be a gradual and organic build to the top for Kross.
#2. Hope is true: WWE continues to remove Vince McMahon from different departments
Vince McMahon's association with WWE continues to get cut off. When he first stepped back as the CEO and chairman of the company, he was still the head of creative. That quickly ended as McMahon was seemingly pushed into retirement following several allegations made against him.
He had his fingers on every slice of pie in the company and was regarded as a talent as well. However, that has changed too. PWInsider reported that Vince McMahon had been removed from the company's internal talent roster:
"Vince McMahon was officially removed from the WWE's internal talent roster earlier this week, PWInsider.com has learned. McMahon had been listed internally as a talent alongside other talents who were not assigned to an official brand but would make occasional appearances and were signed to WWE deals (for example, this is how Nikki and Brie Bella and John Cena would be listed) but McMahon is no longer listed."
We hope this is true because the company needs to continue distancing itself from Vince McMahon purely from a PR perspective. It certainly doesn't or shouldn't take away from the four decades of dominance in the industry he was directly responsible for.
#1. Hope isn't true: Brock Lesnar's epic SummerSlam ring-lift spot didn't go as planned
🤯 @BrockLesnar is a MENACE! #SummerSlam https://t.co/ntYJVC4WQQ
Brock Lesnar has headlined SummerSlam more than any other superstar in WWE history. There is a reason why he is such a big star in WWE, and he proved that when he had an all-time classic against Roman Reigns in the 'final' match of their series.
While Reigns won the match to definitively end their 7-year-long feud (that has been on and off), Lesnar was still the talk of fans online after his epic performance. However, not everything went as planned - even the now-iconic ring-lift spot.
Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported that Brock Lesnar hadn't rehearsed the risky spot beforehand:
"The Brock Lesnar tractor spot at Summerslam where he pushed the ring back towards the announcers' table was apparently far rougher and harder than anyone had planned for. We are told there was at least one rehearsal for the spot the day before Summerslam with someone from the production team lifting the ring," reported PWInsider.
We hope this isn't true, but despite the supposed hitch, it came out as smooth as one could hope.
#1. Hope is true: Update on Riddle's return to WWE
Riddle vs. Seth Rollins was supposed to happen at SummerSlam but was postponed due to an injury to the former. However, it is believed that the health situation was a part of the storyline, and there were other reasons why the bout was taken off the SummerSlam card.
According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Riddle is expected to return to the ring very soon.
We hope this is true because The Original Bro has been integral to WWE programming for over a year-and-a-half now. Hopefully, his feud against Seth Rollins resumes, and they lock horns at Clash at the Castle.