WWE News & Rumor Roundup: Former champion released despite getting 'over' and showing improvement, Roman Reigns' future, Ricochet's new name
A very warm welcome to yet another chapter of WWE News & Rumor Roundup! In today's edition, we will cover exciting topics related to top names like former Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Ricochet and Cameron Grimes.
The Tribal Chief lost his title to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40 after holding it for over three years. Reigns has not been seen on RAW or SmackDown after the defeat. However, in his absence, Solo Sikoa seems to have taken over the role of The Tribal Chief. What does the future hold for The Head of The Table? Let's find out:
#1. Will Roman Reigns return on SmackDown?
A recent report revealed that The Tribal Chief has landed a role in an upcoming Hollywood movie named Good Fortune. It was also stated that Reigns might not return soon but would still have creative control over The Bloodline storyline in WWE.
However, a new poster by WWE has shown Roman Reigns to be eligible for the first-round draft picks on SmackDown this week. This has led to the belief that The Tribal Chief could be making an appearance. While his return has not been advertised, the chances of Reigns returning for one night for the Draft seem plausible.
#2. Ricochet reveals his new nickname
Former United States Champion Ricochet just posted on social media to announce his cool new nickname! Even though he wasn't in a match at WrestleMania XL, he and Andrade won a tag-team match on RAW last Monday. Ricochet shared a pic on his X account with his new nickname, "The Frontrunner."
The former NXT North American Champion has been on a roll as of late, picking up win after win against members of The Judgment Day. The Frontrunner has time and again proven that he is a human highlight reel, and fans are hoping that his new name in WWE will also bring with it a freshness to his character, leading to a bigger push.
#3. Cameron Grimes released by WWE despite getting 'over' and showing improvement
Cameron Grimes has been released by the Stamford-based promotion. The former NXT Million Dollar Champion was drafted to the main roster last year but wasn't used much. However, Grimes was one of the most popular superstars on NXT, and his release came as a surprise to many, considering he was a regular at TV tapings and was considered to be talented and 'over' with the crowd.
''Cameron Grimes release was “unexpected by many in the company,” according to Fightful Select. ''That was because of his skill set and experience level, how he was able to get over during his NXT run, and that WWE was still bringing him in for SmackDowns even though they weren’t using him on TV.'' [H/T: Cagesideseats]
Fightful Select reported that there was surprise backstage over Grimes' release because, unlike the other superstars who were released last week, he had shown improvement and was popular with the fans. Some other names who were let go last week include Jinder Mahal, Veer Mahaan, Sanga, and Xia Lee.