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Another day has gone by and we are back again with a fresh edition of the Rumor Roundup.
Randy Orton is the star of the show today and Vince McMahon won't be particularly pleased with what was written about the Apex Predator in today's roundup. In another blow for the WWE, a popular Superstar is reportedly going to be out of action for almost a year due to an injury.
We just can't leave CM Punk out these days now, can we? The Cult of Personality is back in the news again and yes, it's about his WWE return. It always is! This time, however, we have a positive update.
Elsewhere, Triple H confirmed that an absent Superstar will return at some point in the future. The length of Cain Velasquez' WWE contract was also revealed in a new interview.
A false report about Tyson Fury was also squashed by Dave Meltzer. Lastly, there was some concerning news about RAW's viewership figures from this past week and the possibility of seeing more Superstars move to AEW.
As you may have imagined by now, we have a stacked line-up of the best rumors and news bits in the world of WWE.
Let's get right into it then:
#1 Randy Orton hints at leaving WWE again and The Revival could also follow him, possibly to AEW
Randy Orton is at it again on social media, however, this time, he may not be messing around and it could be a serious problem for WWE.
It all started with Scott Dawson's tweet in which the Revival member wrote, "What SHOULD’VE been! Thank you, Randy. We’ll see ya down the road. #FTRKO#TopGuys@RandyOrton @DashWilderWWE."
His partner in crime, Dash Wilder replied by stating, "What WILL be. Eventually."
As if the nature of the tweets weren't obvious enough, Orton took it to another level by commenting, "2020."
It's widely expected that the WWE contracts of Orton, Wilder, and Dawson will expire in 2020. The social media activity of the aforementioned Superstars hints at a possible departure, however, we have been trained to believe that this is all a ploy to get WWE's attention.
Such teasers - especially Orton's recent one about joining AEW - could be to get a more lucrative deal from WWE. It's also a possibility that the three Superstars end up joining AEW once their contracts expire.
All we can do for now is to wait and watch. Also, it would be good to keep an eye out on Orton and The Revival's social media handles.
#2 Xavier Woods could be out for a year
It's been a rough week for Xavier Woods. The New Day member suffered a freak injury during a recent WWE Live Event in Sydney by getting an Achilles tendon tear in his ankle, which subsequently led to him being pulled from all future shows.
The multiple-time WWE Tag Team Champion had to undergo surgery to fix the tear and he even put out a photo of his heavily-taped leg on Twitter.
PWInsider reports that Woods could be sidelined for 6 months to 1 year. Achilles injuries are painful and the recovery period for the same is said to be quite lengthy.
We at Sportskeeda wish Woods a speedy recovery and hope to see him on UpUpDownDown regularly.
#3 Triple H comments on Ronda Rousey's return
TMZ recently caught up with Triple H and they asked him about the potential return of Ronda Rousey.
The Game confirmed that the former RAW Women's Champion will be back at some point, and at the moment, she is just too busy with various commitments outside the realms of wrestling.
Rousey last appeared for WWE at WrestleMania 35 where she lost the RAW Women's Championship to Becky Lynch in a match that also involved Charlotte Flair.
Rousey has been on a hiatus since then. She is currently part of two TV shows - 9-1-1 and Total Divas - while also actively creating content for her YouTube channel.
While the exact date of her return has been kept a secret, the Rowdy One should be back in time for next year's WrestleMania.
#4 Randy Orton's salary, current contract status, and future
We're not done with Orton just yet.
Dave Meltzer shared a few important details about the Apex Predator's current deal with WWE in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Orton signed a 10-year contract with WWE which will come to an end in 2020, predictably in June next year.
It was also revealed that Orton makes $3 Million per year and that he could be looking for an improved deal in 2020. He has also planted the seeds for some healthy negotiations with WWE by teasing a potential move to AEW on Instagram
His IG activity and the other teasers are so that Orton has leverage when he sits down to talk terms with Vince McMahon's company. The 39-year-old would ideally like to have a lighter schedule and get a better offer than his existing pay package.
AEW would also love to get a start as established as Orton on board, but will WWE let it happen? We're not so sure about that.
Here's what Meltzer wrote about Orton's situation in the WON:
Orton got a lot of talk this past week with a tease on Twitter. He could just be having fun, but Orton’s ten-year WWE deal expires in 2020 and he’s in a great position to play both sides against each other, and that’s the smart thing to do. In the end, for someone like Orton, who is believed to be making in the $3 million per year range, and doesn’t work a full house show schedule, WWE is probably the better place.
No matter what Orton wants to do, the smart thing is to, especially right now given his age, to use both sides to get the best offer, which at this stage is not just money, but the schedule and perhaps putting a cap on a professional legacy.
Should Orton continue to stay in his comfort zone in the WWE or should he take up a new challenge in AEW? You decide and let us know what you think.
#5 Length of Cain Velasquez' WWE contract
Cain Velasquez is getting ready for his first WWE match, which will take place at Crown Jewel on October 31st. The former UFC Heavyweight Champion will take on Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship.
There has been a lot of talk about WWE and pro wrestling future for Velasquez after he is done with the daunting Saudi Arabia assignment. During a recent conversation with WrestlingNews.co, Velasquez revealed that the WWE Universe must get used to seeing him on their TV screens as he has signed a three-year deal with the company.
Velasquez added that he loves his new line of work and is only focused on getting better as time passes on.
"Yeah, I'll be here for the next 3 years for sure. And as I get better and better as I'm going to keep doing this. I love it, so I'm going to keep doing it. Yep." h/t Credit: WrestlingInc
Cain is here to stay in the WWE and his first test will be against one of the most protected Superstars of the generation. Talk about high profile debuts, it doesn't get any bigger than this for Cain Velasquez.
#6 CM Punk looking for a blank check from WWE
Let's talk about CM Punk returning to WWE. Again!
We have another interesting backstage development courtesy of Dave Meltzer. It was revealed in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE has stopped offering its top-tier talents signed blank checks.
It was added that CM Punk is reportedly looking for such an offer, at least that's what the folks backstage in the WWE think.
Here's what was noted in the WON:
WWE hasn’t been signing blank checks and guys who are near the top asking for giant money haven’t gotten the blank check. Those in WWE believe Punk is another guy looking for that. Both sides have had their moments where they’ve sworn off ever doing business with him, but this is wrestling and it’s competition and if there is the belief he can move numbers, there is no such thing as never."
Let's all continue believing in the adage, 'Never Say Never'!
#7 The truth about how much Tyson Fury is getting for Crown Jewel match
WWE is going all out for Crown Jewel. It's obvious from the fact that the company has roped in undefeated boxing sensation Tyson Fury for a special attraction match against Braun Strowman.
Irrespective of how the match ends up being, Fury is set to make a lot of money. However, he isn't going to make the amount that was reported by the BBC.
BBC stated that Fury would take home $12 million for his one-off WWE match. That's far from the truth as Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
He wrote:
"The BBC reported Fury is getting $12 million for the bout. I was told that Fury is getting 'a few million' but the $12 million figure is total bulls***."
Also Read: Tyson Fury reveals whether he will be part of the company after Crown Jewel (Exclusive)
#8 RAW draws dismal ratings in the UK
The October 21st episode of RAW had just 3,000 viewers in the UK. Yes, you read that absolutely right. Three Thousand!
Dave Meltzer revealed the figure in the Newsletter and stated that the date was accurate, even though it was first believed to be a glitch of some sort.
Raw on 10/21 did 3,000 viewers. It was so bad people thought it was a computer glitch but we’re told the data was sound
One of the reasons could be because RAW airs late in the UK at 1 am, however, when compared to the figures of previous weeks, 3000 is truly awful.
Check out the big drop in UK ratings for the most recent episodes and you'd know why it's bad:
October 14 (RAW): 38,000
October 18 (SmackDown): 23,000
October 21 (RAW): 3,000
#9 More current WWE talents want to join AEW
At a time when WWE is trying its best to preserve its roster strength, there are still many talents backstage who wish to jump ship to AEW once their current WWE contract expires.
This is according to WrestlingNews.co, who report that there are Superstars in the WWE who feel they aren't getting the deserved limelight to shine.
A Superstar, whose identity wasn't revealed, had this to say about the morale backstage:
"Let’s just state the obvious, Vince is still in charge and nothing will change until he steps down and that might not happen for another 10 years or more. A lot of guys realize this and some will take the money, but some guys have a lot of money saved up and that AEW schedule looks really good.”I don’t know how many of us watch AEW, but I know a few guys and girls here that watch the show every week. You can’t deny that their shows are great."
It was also revealed in the report that the company promised Superstars healthy pushes if they re-signed. However, all they got were broken promises.
Another reason why a certain section of the WWE roster wishes to join AEW is that the Tony Khan-led promotion offers a lighter schedule. This would give them the freedom to spend some more quality time with their respective families.
Now, every rumor needs to be taken with a grain of salt. However, AEW does offer a great alternative to WWE and we won't be surprised to see more Superstars follow the likes of Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho to All Elite Wrestling.
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