Luckily, the rumors about Edge’s return look to be wrong

Welcome to the weekly Rumor Look Back, where we look at the rumors from six months ago and see which played out as originally stated. Let’s jump right to it.

July 24, 2020

• According to Fightful, Kevin Dunn was upset with “production snafus” during the Asuka vs. Sasha Banks match at Extreme Rules, particularly with certain camera shots involving Bayley.
• I don’t recall that match well enough to remember production issues. Though the Kevin Dunn style is one that is an issue when there are no snafus.
• PW Insider indicated that the Eye for an Eye match at Extreme Rules was taped ahead of time, with Vince McMahon “personally overseeing” it and even picking out specific weapons used in the match.
• I wonder how the wrestlers feel in a situation like that when Vince is there like “Pick up the kendo stick!”
• On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said the idea is for The Deadly Draw women’s tournament in AEW to be an annual summer tournament, but only if it is a ratings success.
• Ratings success? It was on YouTube, eliciting some understandable criticism for how AEW books and showcases their women. Given the rumor implied AEW would be looking at the ratings and then it was on YouTube, I’m going to give it a nay, even if it’s back next year. (0/1)
• Meltzer also noted that the Young Bucks and The Blade were “pretty messed up” coming out of their Falls Count Anywhere match on Dynamite. The leg of the table jammed Matt Jackson’s knee on the final spot of the match, and Nick Jackson was shaken up after his Swanton dive.
• Ouch.
• In an interview with AdAge, Stephanie McMahon mentioned that a virtual ceiling has been added at the Performance Center because WWE didn’t like the look of the big ceiling fans.
• Those Performance Center shows were rough.

July 25, 2020

• The Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes the current plan is Edge vs. Randy Orton in an I Quit match at WrestleMania next year. That had been the plan for SummerSlam but Edge’s injury changed that.
• We’ll have to wait and see on that, though I predict this will be incorrect. He’ll be back tonight, but it sounds like he may be moving on from the Orton feud. His promo on Monday talked about winning back a title he never lost with no mention of his program with Randy. With only so much time left, losing more from injury, he should move on to the feuds we’ve never seen before. There’s no need to close out the Randy program.
• The WON also says a lot of people within WWE don’t like the idea of a new Nation of Domination because of the current social climate.
• I wouldn’t trust WWE not to screw it up right now. Luckily the Hurt Business just remained their own thing.
• Original plans called for Asuka vs. Charlotte at SummerSlam, per the Observer. It’s unclear what the plan is now, as things are rapidly changing.
• Charlotte wasn’t back for SummerSlam. Asuka faced both Bayley and Sasha in different matches.
• WWE has applied to trademark “NXT UK Heritage Cup,” according to PW Insider. The early speculation is this will be for a tournament of some sort.
• They unveiled the idea in September. It’s similar to a championship title but needs to be defended under British Rounds rules. They did use a tournament to crown the inaugural champion, A-Kid. (1/1)
• Jacob Fatu’s deal with MLW makes him exclusive to the promotion and expressly forbids him to work with WWE or AEW, per Insider. He’s signed through 2025.
• Fatu has not worked any AEW shows. I guess because MJF worked AEW while under contract with MLW, that’s why working some AEW was possible. No one who works for WWE works for any other company so that was never going to happen while he’s under contract.

July 27, 2020

• Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler is now a non-title match tonight on Raw. The Observer notes that was a late change and it was indeed originally planned to be a title match.
• That looks to be correct. Dolph didn’t deserve another title shot since he lost clean the first time. (1/1)
• Speaking of McIntyre, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter mentions talk of Orton possibly winning the title from McIntyre to set up a future match for the WWE championship with Edge.
• He won the title from Drew but then won it right back so it didn’t set up that Edge match. (0/1)
• Sportskeeda says Vince McMahon isn’t sold on Aleister Black and the push he enjoyed while Paul Heyman had power could be done for.
• Oh it’s done. (1/1)
• Fightful says Saurav Gurjar recently apologized backstage at an NXT meeting for spoiling the Adam Cole vs. Keith Lee match on his Instagram.
• Because of the Superstar Spectacle, he was finally back on TV. After he spoiled the finish to the Great American Bash, he hadn’t been on NXT TV and his tag team’s manager Malcolm Bivens was reassigned.
• For whatever it’s worth, Matt Hardy is saying he’s going to just be himself on AEW TV going forward and no longer do any gimmicks.
• The Elite Deletion happened after this, so he definitely kept the gimmicks going. He’s now the Iconic Matt Hardy (a favorite of mine). (0/1)

July 28, 2020

• WWE is thinking about running SummerSlam outdoors, per Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp. On PW Insider Elite, Mike Johnson said there have been talks about doing it at the beach or on a boat.
• They did it in the ThunderDome, which wasn’t a thing at this time. I wonder if ScoonerSlam was a real possibility. (0/1)
• Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez has heard Vince McMahon’s goal is to not have another PPV “in an empty arena with a bunch of fans wearing masks… he wants something wacky for SummerSlam.”
• I would say the ThunderDome was creative enough. Not whacky like a beach show, but innovative. (1/1)
• In a report for Sportskeeda, Alex McCarthy wrote that WWE is “more than likely” to run Evolution 2 before the end of 2020 as many inside the company consider it a “no brainer.”
• What’s the opposite of a “no brainer?” “Yes brainer?” Just a “Brainer?” (0/1)
• According to Tom Colohue of Sportskeeda, there are no plans to break up The New Day as part of Big E’s new singles run.
• I will agree with this. They physically split them, but they didn’t breakup. The New Day still exist as a unit. (1/1)
• Lio Rush indicated his match with Joey Janela Sunday’s GCW Homecoming show was his last.
• It was not. This isn’t the first rumor I’ve had about Lio Rush saying he’s done wrestling. (0/1)

July 29, 2020

• Charlotte Flair had surgery days ago, according to talkSPORT, and it went well but she won’t be cleared in time for SummerSlam.
• She didn’t return until rather recently. (1/1)
• The reason WWE changed Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler to a non-title match, per Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, is because they wanted to get to the start of McIntyre vs. Randy Orton as soon as possible.
• They could have kept the title match stipulation and still run the post match angle with the RKO afterwards if they wanted to. Drew won that match decisively.
• For that matter, Meltzer said WWE tore up the promo written for Orton where he would challenge McIntyre, then decided to put it back in.
• That’s gotta be frustrating.
• Original plans called for Rollins & Murphy to take Aleister Black out in an injury angle that would put him on the shelf for some time, per the Observer.
• This was the beginning of Black’s phasing out.
• Rey Mysterio still hasn’t signed a new contract with WWE, per Meltzer.
• Sounds like he worked without one for a bit. A gentleman’s agreement maybe?

July 30, 2020

• According to WrestleVotes, “the lengths WWE are going to find a location for SummerSlam are both astonishing and outlandish.” The account also says they’ve been turned down by states in the Northeast when inquiring about holding the event outside with limited fans.
• I would love to see a list of actual suggestions and how much they explored each possibility.
• There’s a lot of interest from Hollywood about Charlotte Flair, per Alex McCarthy of talkSport, but it may not be mutual: “Several agents have said they’d be shocked if she wasn’t the next WWE talent to cross over, but who knows. She legit loves wrestling.”
• If this is true, I’d hope Charlotte gives Hollywood some of her time. That’s something that will be there after wrestling isn’t an option. It could be prudent to get her foot in the door now so they don’t forget her.
• McCarthy had a source tell him Vince McMahon hasn’t “soured” on Aleister Black, but is worried his character and gimmick “will limit him.” Sportskeeda’s Tom Colohue heard McMahon’s thoughts on Black are “similar to how he feels about Cesaro.”
• This was before Black’s wife Zelina Vega was released for defying the Twitch directive. That can’t help matters. There was a rumor recently about them holding out Aleister to give him a big re-debut when things cool off, but honestly I don’t buy it. I think it’s just as possible we never see him on WWE TV again.
• Also from WrestleVotes, once audiences return WWE plans to honor Stone Cold Steve Austin with something like what they did for Triple H’s 25th Anniversary.
• That won’t be for a little while longer. Though Triple H’s 25th was rather weird. Hopefully Austin gets something better when there are fans to celebrate with him.
• On his Twitch stream Miro (Rusev in WWE) said he’s “not a wrestler anymore” and is now “a professional Twitcher, YouTuber, content creator.” It should be noted Rusev has been known to tease fans online in the past.
• Another misdirection by AEW’s Miro. (0/1)

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This week: 6/13 – 46%

Overall: 3,629/6,459 – 56.2%

Have a good week, everyone. Stay safe out there.

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