WWE Rumor Roundup: Raw Superstar to retire after current contract ends, Superstar returning with new gimmick - 1st September 2019
Welcome once again to our daily WWE rumor round. You know what we do.
With AEW's All Out grabbing all the headlines, the rumors were far and between in WWE. As always, we've gone to the extreme depths of the dirt sheets to get you five pieces of speculation doing the rounds.
A handful of these stories may not even classify as rumors, but the ambiguity surrounding them make them worthy enough to feature as part of our round-up.
A multiple-time WWE Champion confirmed that he will retire from pro wrestling as soon as his current contract with the company comes to an end.
A missing WWE Superstar dropped an intriguing teaser on a new look and gimmick while preparing for a return. Elsewhere, WWE made a major hire to spearhead an exciting new project. There was also a backstage update regarding the next WWE draft and what the fans can expect from the same.
The hopes of seeing CM Punk in a WWE ring were reignited once again after he made a surprising admission during the Starrcast interview.
Let's look at each one of them in a detailed manner:
#1. AJ Styles to retire after his WWE contract expires
United States Champion AJ Styles was on Lillian Garcia's Chasing Glory podcast where he opened about his in-ring future. The 2-time WWE Champion admitted that he would be hanging up his boots after his current contract with the WWE reaches its end.
“I had no doubt that you know this is what I was going to do for my career. It really was. And you couldn’t have told me any different. And I can tell you that the contract that I signed, here in the WWE, is my last. This is it for me. This is where I’m going to end my career no matter what happens. I got to, you know? I want to be there for my kids.” H/t Credit: WrestlingInc
It's a shame that AJ Styles came to WWE during the latter as he would have surely added countless other accolades to his already glittering resume. As stated earlier, Styles has won the WWE title twice and is currently in his third reign with the United States Championship.
At 42 years old, the Phenomemal One is still one of the best in-ring performers in the world and it won't be surprising if WWE lures him into another lucrative deal.
Styles signed a contract extension earlier this year and is expected to be around for another couple of years. However, what happens once the new deal comes to an end? Will he call it a day or will Vince McMahon coax him into prolonging his stay? Only time will tell. For now, enjoy the brilliance of Styles for as long as you can.