Leading up to Sunday night, the rumour mill was buzzing about Extreme Rules. And amidst the buzz, WWE delivered a solid show as well.
Samoa Joe being crowned the new number one contender for the Universal Championship was the major talking point that came out of the show. The fallout of this decision immediately became a talking point on the internet.
Meanwhile, Shane McMahon’s announcement of the Women’s Money in the Bank match was the highlight of SmackDown Live. All this and more featured on the internet this past week and we are going to take look at the most notable rumours from the lot and analyse them.
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#5 Stephanie McMahon to be back on television
The Rumour: The mystery text storyline featuring Corey Graves and Kurt Angle could lead to a television return of Stephanie McMahon as per rumours on Cageside Seats.
The Potential: Stephanie McMahon’s return to television is inevitable. WWE making use of Angle and Graves to aid the return looks promising. But then again, this could go either way. As nothing has been revealed so far, WWE could also use the storyline to bring back even Triple H.
The Fallout: Stephanie McMahon’s return to television could lead to a full-fledged power struggle between her and Angle. Corey Graves could also get a crucial role in the storyline, which is great considering the talent that he has.
#4 WWE signs six new superstars
The Rumour: Pro Wrestling Sheet notes that WWE has signed six new superstars including two former Impact Wrestling performers. Thea Trinidad, Gunner, Evie, Nixon Newell, Fabian Aichner and Axel Dieter Jr. are the names mentioned in the report.
The Potential: Thea Trinidad, who wrestled as Rosita in Impact Wrestling, is currently in a relationship with Austin Aries. Similarly, Fabian Aichner had already made an impression by appearing in the Cruiserweight Classic tournament. Therefore, WWE signing these two isn’t a huge surprise. The other four names are also stand out performers in the independent scene and hopefully, they can make it big in WWE.
The Fallout: Though all the names mentioned have a fair amount of experience in the business, they will have to go through the WWE’s system. Getting to see the likes of Thea, Gunner, and Evie in NXT would be a treat for the fans.
#3 Talks between WWE and Hulk Hogan
The Rumour: The Observer is reporting that there is a talk in WWE about bringing back Hulk Hogan. It further added that there may have been talks between Hogan and Vince.
The Potential: Hogan is hands down one of the biggest stars in WWE’s history. WWE having talks with Hogan over a potential return make sense. He could return in an ambassadorial role soon and if everything goes well, we could also see Hogan on WWE television.
The Fallout: Having another big name on their roster is good for WWE. Hogan is still popular with the WWE Universe despite his controversial comments.
#2 Samoa Joe to lose against Brock Lesnar
The Rumour: The Wrestling Observer have speculated that the winner of the Fatal-five way match at Extreme Rules is in for a losing feud against Brock Lesnar. Furthermore, it adds that WWE is fast tracking towards a Braun Strowman-Brock Lesnar fight at SummerSlam.
The Potential: Samoa Joe was never a favourite in the on-going storyline with Brock Lesnar. The fact that he is a transitional contender is known to most fans. WWE still pursuing the Lesnar-Strowman match suggests that Strowman could chase Lesnar once he returns to television.
The Fallout: Joe is heading into a tough battle, but it is going to be fun while it lasts. The promo he gave on Raw Talk after Extreme Rules was top notch. Similarly, the segment with Paul Heyman during this week’s Raw was also impressive.
#1 Hardys could split up
The Rumour: According to Cageside Seats, WWE could split up the Hardys. Jeff and Matt had dropped the Raw Tag Team Title at Extreme Rules when they lost to Cesaro and Sheamus.
The Potential: WWE going ahead with such a split is likely. The way in which the Tag team title match at Extreme Rules ended suggests the same. WWE could have two established singles stars if they split up the Hardy Boys up. However, whether or not it is a good idea remains to be seen.
The Fallout: As mentioned earlier, splitting up the Hardys will give WWE two established singles stars. But unfortunately, there isn’t such a need. Raw already has some great singles performers on its roster and without the Broken gimmick, it would be hard for someone like Matt Hardy to stay relevant.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
