WWE Rumor Roundup - Royal Rumble winner revealed? Uncertainty over Drew McIntyre's neck injury, talents depressed after major release (January 7th, 2022)
Welcome back to another edition of Wrestling's daily WWE Rumor Roundup, where we gather all the biggest stories from the rumor mills.
With Royal Rumble and WrestleMania just around the corner, several updates regarding WWE's creative plans for the events have made their way online. Details of the possible winner for the Royal Rumble have also been disclosed.
We've also covered notes regarding the storyline direction for Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar heading into WrestleMania.
WWE's injury woes continue to increase as Drew McIntyre deals with legitimate neck issues. There is some degree of uncertainty backstage over the Scottish superstar's immediate future and the timeline for a return.
The backstage atmosphere within WWE is also not the greatest at the moment, as a recent high-profile release has shaken the company to its core.
We wrapped up the roundup with news on Samoa Joe's future after getting released from WWE for the second time. Without further ado, let's get started with the rumor roundup.
#5. Backstage News on WWE's plans for the Royal Rumble
The last-minute changes at Day 1 significantly impacted WWE's plans for Royal Rumble and WrestleMania.
As noted earlier, Seth Rollins was initially slated to win the WWE Championship and defend the title at WrestleMania. Dave Meltzer revealed more information in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, including the superstar who could win the Royal Rumble match.
Big E was reportedly the front-runner to win the Royal Rumble. Despite the booking reshuffle, WWE could still work towards the same outcome but follow a different creative path to get there.
"The plan for that was originally Seth Rollins, likely against the winner of the Royal Rumble, with Big E the favorite, but Kevin Owens and Bobby Lashley were also possibilities. The match in that position may remain the same, but getting there is different," noted Meltzer.
WWE can always pivot back to its original plan after Royal Rumble, which has two massive world title matches. Big E has been kept out of the title picture, and winning the Battle Royale would be ideal for his quest to become a world champion again.
#4. Updates on Drew McIntyre's injury and WWE hiatus
Drew McIntyre was written off WWE TV at Day 1 due to a legitimate neck injury, and we've now received a timely update on his status from the Wrestling Observer.
The former WWE Champion has been facing neck issues for a few months. If he continued to wrestle, McIntyre could have been forced to undergo major surgery.
McIntyre will get his neck extensively tested next week, and as of this writing, there is some uncertainty over the seriousness of his injury. WWE officials hope the SmackDown superstar isn't severely hurt and will be eligible to return for WrestleMania.
"Legitimately, McIntyre's neck has been bothering him for months and if he kept going he was on the way to major surgery. As of a few days ago, the plan was for McIntyre to have the neck looked at extensively over the next week," revealed Dave Meltzer.
However, WWE's plans could get scrapped if Drew McIntyre needs surgery, putting him out of action for several months. It was noted that people backstage were unsure about McIntyre's status and the timing of his absence was also the worst as he was one of SmackDown's leading babyfaces.
"There's really nothing more known until it's fully examined The hope is that it's not bad and he can come back soon, at least by Mania, and that he won't need surgery which will put him out for months. But right now nobody knows. From a timing standpoint it wasn't good because Smackdown has no other full-time top face," Meltzer added.
#3. Talents depressed after William Regal's WWE release
William Regal's shocking WWE release has had a negative impact on the talents in NXT, as revealed by Dave Meltzer.
The most recent cuts resulted in long-time veterans being let go, and William Regal's WWE departure was the most unexpected development. Superstars and backstage officials of NXT are reportedly 'very depressed' about Regal's release and are pondering the future of WWE's third brand.
"Talent and others in the system were very depressed, with many wondering the future of the brand," Meltzer wrote in the Newsletter.
William Regal is one of the most respected names in the wrestling business and was responsible for giving several top stars their early break.
Many top stars still approach William Regal for advice, and he has also received a lot of support on social media following the release.
After an abrupt end to his 22-year-long tenure in WWE, where do you see William Regal going next?
#2. Update on Samoa Joe's future after WWE release
Samoa Joe's second WWE release was reportedly expected to happen after William Regal's exit, but what's next for the Samoan Submission Machine?
Fightful spoke to multiple sources, and the belief is that Samoa Joe will return to the ring outside WWE. He has not wrestled since he relinquished the NXT title and transitioned to a backstage role in WWE.
As expected, the reason cited for Joe's release was WWE's move to 'dismantle' Triple H's vision for NXT that kickstarted in 2013. A high-ranking WWE official revealed that Samoa Joe handled his second release very professionally despite his contentious history with the company.
Interestingly enough, four indie promoters have already expressed their desire to book Samoa Joe, and he could be back in the ring later this year. No details were provided regarding his possible non-compete clause, but the good news is that he intends to resume his in-ring career.
Which promotion do you think Samoa Joe joins as an active in-ring performer?
#1. WWE's plan for Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar
Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar are both world champions and are currently scheduled to defend their respective titles against different opponents at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
However, they are expected to cross paths again at WrestleMania 38 eventually. Dave Meltzer has revealed that Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar is still the top match for WrestleMania despite recent storyline alterations.
Reigns and Lesnar's Day 1 match was pulled after the Universal Champion tested positive for COVID-19. However, as mentioned previously, WWE will attempt to get back to its original WrestleMania plans.
"The belief is that Reigns vs. Lesnar, the match that was to headline the WWE's first Day 1 show at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, is still on top as the main match for the 2022 WrestleMania," reported Dave Meltzer.
What are your predictions as we approach the road to WrestleMania 38? Share your views in the comments section
No comments:
Post a Comment