WWE News & Rumor Roundup: The next Drew McIntyre? More potential victims of Vince McMahon reach out, Huge backup plan for Cody Rhodes

On the heels of an explosive SmackDown episode, WWE is riding on the momentum heading into the month-end PLE, Survivor Series WarGames. The newly introduced Independent Development program has gathered a lot of buzz online and one of the recruits has already been compared to some big names, including Drew McIntyre.

On the other hand, while he isn't involved in any capacity in professional wrestling, Vince McMahon remains a talked-about figure due to unending legal troubles. The latest news & rumor Roundup also features details of the possible creative direction for Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.

#1. WWE ID talent gets compared to Drew McIntyre, John Cena and others

The excitement has been palpable in the pro wrestling world since WWE rolled out its ambitious Independent Development program. The promotion has thus far unveiled four indie talents that have been onboarded and Bryce Donovan's name is getting a lot of attention.

A product of the Create A Pro Wrestling Academy (CAP), Donovan was trained by a star many fans formerly knew as Curt Hawkins, who now goes by his real name Brian Myers. Myers labeled Donovan as the John Cena of CAP and believed that getting a pathway into the Stamford-based organization was long overdue.

While being likened to Cena is a massive compliment, the wrestling community couldn't ignore the evident similarities between Donovan and Drew McIntyre.

As you can view below, several reactions were about WWE potentially finding the second coming of McIntyre:

Donovan is already making waves! [Screenshots via X]

Bryce Donovan has been wrestling since 2016 and has also competed in a handful of matches for AEW. The promising star signing an ID contract opens the door for his arrival into WWE, where he could follow in the footsteps of the former World Champions he's currently being compared to by the fans.

#2. Janel Grant's attorney provides an update on the Vince McMahon lawsuit

While reports might hint at McMahon working on a new project, he continues to face a lot of heat from law enforcement agencies. Former WWE employee Janel Grant had filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and the company, accusing them of sexual misconduct and trafficking.

Sescoops recently spoke with Ann Callis - among the attorneys representing Janel Grant against the defendants. Callis spoke about her client's brave approach and how it has inspired other possible victims to reach out to her.

Ann Callis confirmed that not only have they gotten in touch with her, but many have already begun going through the vetting process.

“I can say generally Janel has been courageous in speaking out about her situation,” Callis said. “Her hope is she is an example to other people who feel that they are not alone and they can speak out for themselves and we have been seeing that. I have had several people contact me and we are doing vetting and going through that process.”

The civil lawsuit against Vince McMahon will be on stay until December 11th as the former WWE CEO battles a separate federal investigation.

#3. How do WWE internally feel about Cody Rhodes?

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Cody Rhodes has been the face of the company since becoming the World Champion and WWE is also seemingly very happy with him. The American Nightmare's present and future were discussed on a recent episode of WrestleVotes Radio exclusively on Backstage Pass, where TC and JoeyVotes revealed some fascinating details.

For starters, Triple H and the higher-ups are extremely happy with Cody Rhodes and feel he is doing a tremendous job similar to John Cena. He is currently the Undisputed Champion but the return of Roman Reigns and the ever-changing Bloodline dynamics don't guarantee a seamless reign for Cody Rhodes.

While he is fully expected to remain champion for the foreseeable future, there is a chance the company could lean towards booking The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 41.

JoeyVotes clarified that even if Reigns and Rock have a match on night two, the backup plan would be for the first night to be "Cody-Heavy." In that scenario, Rhodes would be the headliner on day one despite inadvertently affecting other plans.

Cody Rhodes has been one of the hardest workers in the company since returning and WWE wants to reward him by presenting him prominent during the next WrestleMania season.