WWE Rumor Roundup - Is there backstage pressure on a top name to leave? Major star might only re-sign on one big condition, Surprising update on Triple H
Welcome to the latest edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's daily WWE Rumor Roundup, where we gather all the top speculation being discussed amongst the pro wrestling faithful.
Many fans have wondered whether Vince McMahon could be forced out of the company after new allegations against the boss recently came to light. We have an update on if there is a possibility of WWE not having McMahon's constant presence moving forward.
A highly-rated star's contract status has also been a trending topic this week, and it seems like she might only sign a new deal under one condition, which has been covered in the rumor roundup.
We wrapped up today's lineup of stories with backstage news on Triple H's new role in the promotion.
#1. Update on if there is pressure on Vince McMahon to leave WWE
The most recent Wall Street Journal report opened a fresh can of worms as Vince McMahon allegedly paid an additional $12 million in hush money to at least four women over the past 16 years.
The former WWE CEO is still under investigation, and thus far, there have been no announcements regarding its outcome. Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that while the general public expects a significant change, there is no pressure on Vince McMahon to walk away from the WWE entirely.
McMahon is still the undisputed creative head and is unlikely to be booted out despite the fresh allegations.
"From the outside, you would read the article and think they have no choice but to make a change, but there is no indication at all that will happen," Meltzer continued. "And there doesn't appear to be any real pressure for it to happen."
It was also noted that Vince McMahon still holds 80% of the voting power, making it impossible for the Board of Directors to force him out of the organization. As things stand, the 76-year-old veteran has shown no signs of giving up his WWE throne.
#2. Possibility of Io Shirai signing a new deal
Io Shirai has not competed for the WWE since Stand and Deliver 2022, and as reported recently, the superstar is pretty much considered done with the company.
However, an update suggests that Shirai could re-sign with WWE if she is offered a lucrative main roster contract. People close to the wrestler revealed that Shirai has had the goal of working on the main roster for a long time.
Meltzer stated that the 32-year-old superstar "has an offer on the table"; however, she is yet to decide on her future.
"Those who know her from Japan said she went to WWE with the goal of making the main roster and believe she would stay with a main roster deal," reported the Wrestling Observer journalist. "We haven't heard about her signing a new deal this week after checking but there is an offer on the table and her current deal hasn't expired yet."
Shirai's current deal is expected to end in August, and the belief within NXT was that she wanted to return to Japan to be closer to her family. The former NXT Women's Champion has been with WWE since 2017, and a potential main roster run might be able to convince her to stay for a few more years.
#3. Backstage news on Triple H's new role
Triple H gave rise to some interesting speculation online when he said "I'm back" while addressing the talent at the Performance Center back in June. The Game's comments hinted at a return as NXT's head, but that doesn't seem to be the case.
As revealed in the newsletter, Triple H has surprisingly not been involved with NXT since returning to work following his health issues. While the former WWE Champion has resumed his duties at the office, he has reportedly taken up more significant responsibilities which don't directly pertain to NXT.
Shawn Michaels continues to spearhead the operations at NXT 2.0 with a small creative team. Triple H has also not been at the NXT tapings, as was noted in the report below:
"It appears that when Paul Levesque was talking to the folks at NXT and said he was back, and nobody knew what that meant, it appeared just to mean he's back working in the office," reported Dave Meltzer. "He has not been doing anything direct with NXT, which is still being run by Shawn Michaels with a small creative staff for television. Levesque has not been at the Tuesday night tapings."
Triple H's experience as an executive is unmatched, and most talents and fans would be glad to see him doing what he does best behind the scenes.