WWE Rumor Roundup - 7-time champion chosen as Steve Austin's opponent, AEW to sign two big stars after Cody Rhodes' exit (February 18th, 2022)

It's time to look at the most prominent rumors doing the rounds in the WWE in today's edition of the roundup.

Stone Cold Steve Austin's return is inarguably the most exciting story developing backstage, and we have more details on The Texas Rattlesnake's long-awaited return.

A veteran employee was recently released after spending 29 fruitful years in the company. The reason behind the sudden exit has also been covered in the rumor roundup.

Amidst Cody Rhodes' WWE comeback possibly being in the works, reports suggest that AEW could make two big signings soon, and interestingly enough, both formerly worked for Vince McMahon. On that note, here's the latest rumor roundup:

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#1. Details on Steve Austin's return, possible WrestleMania 38 opponent

The 19-year wait to see Steve Austin wrestle again could soon end as rumors about his return are catching steam with each passing day.

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that all roads lead to Stone Cold coming out of retirement for a WrestleMania match.

Vince McMahon has finally convinced Steve Austin to wrestle, and money might have played a significant role in making it possible. As reported extensively over the past few days, Kevin Owens has been chosen as Austin's opponent for WrestleMania 38.

KO makes for the perfect wrestler for Austin's first match in years, as the seven-time champion is considered a safe and efficient worker in the ring. Additionally, it was stated that Owens could afford to take a loss to the Hall of Famer.

''Steve Austin looks to be coming out of retirement to face Kevin Owens at WrestleMania this year. As for why now, there is far more money available for these types of matches and Owens is someone who can work a good match and lose. Austin was always going to be a part of the show in some form,'' wrote Meltzer

Steve Austin vs. Kevin Owens could be one of the marquee matches at WrestleMania 38, and we just can't wait for WWE to begin building towards the showdown.

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#2. The reason Carlos Cabrera was released

WWE recently released legendary Spanish commentator Carlos Cabrera after a 29-year stint with the company.

Lucha Libre Online first reported the news of his shocking departure, and Dave Meltzer followed up by stating that Cabrera was let go due to age-related reasons.

Cabrera was the lead Spanish language announcer for WWE for several years, and the promotion reportedly now wants someone younger to occupy the position.

"It was an age related decision as they were looking for somebody younger for the spot," reported Dave Meltzer.

Carlos Cabrera joined Vince McMahon's organization in 1993 and rose to become an iconic voice in professional wrestling, having called 25 WrestleMania events and many other memorable shows during his career.

Spanish-speaking wrestling fans saw Cabrera as a Jim Ross-like figure, and the WWE faithful will undoubtedly miss him.

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#3. Two more former WWE stars expected to join AEW

Cody Rhodes' departure might not impact Tony Khan's operations very much, as the AEW President is expected to continue with the big-name signings.

It was revealed in the Newsletter that Shane Strickland (fka Isaiah "Swerve" Scott) and Jeff Hardy will soon join the AEW roster.

Tony Khan is focused on strengthening the AEW roster with top tier talent, and Keith Lee's recent debut was a prime example of that strategy.

"Khan has also talked about signing more new talent, with Keith Lee signed and Shane Strickland and Jeff Hardy both expected to be coming at some point, and other ex-WWE names have been talked with, such as Buddy Matthews," stated Meltzer.

AEW was dealt a massive blow with Cody Rhodes' exit. As a result, the contract statuses of several other wrestlers have been brought under the scanner over the past few days.

While Cody Rhodes is widely rumored to return to WWE and get a massive push, Tony Khan and his team are looking to target all the hot free agents on the market.