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Welcome to another column on AEW rumors we hope are true and some we hope aren't.
Things couldn't have come at a better time for the free agent market than this summer when Triple H and Tony Khan had a vested interest in signing the same talent. As such, a renowned wrestling couple was in negotiations with WWE before inking a deal with AEW.
And speaking of signings, Mr. Khan has brought another released superstar from the global juggernaut to bolster his roster. In this unprecedented situation, the rumor mill went into overdrive over the remote possibility of Sasha Banks showing up on Dynamite this past week.
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Of course, that didn't happen, but we learned her whereabouts during the Wednesday night show. In addition to these lead stories, we'll cap off the article with two more intriguing reports.
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#5. Hopefully True: Triple H and WWE turned down the idea of bringing back Maria Kanellis and Mike Bennett
Maria Kanellis and Mike Bennett (w/Matt Taven), collectively known as The Kingdom, arrived in AEW during Rampage's Canada debut last month.
Though they are yet to receive their official #AllElite graphic poster, several reports have suggested that The Kingdom has signed a multi-year deal with the company. Fightful Select recently learned that Maria, Mike, and Matt held talks with WWE for a potential return, but the discussions soon fizzled out.
Triple H and Gabe Sapolsky from the creative team are said to be the main points of contact during the communication. However, the company seemingly had no plans to bring the couple back anytime soon.
We hope this is true because The Game has already strengthened the locker room (men and women) by bringing back multiple former employees. Had the Kingdom headed back to the Stamford-based promotion, the faction would have gotten lost in the shuffle.
#4. Hopefully True: Josh Woods signs with AEW
Josh Woods finally appeared to have put pen to paper on his AEW contract after making several sporadic appearances for the company since late last year. Fightful Select reported that Tony Khan had signed Woods to a multi-year full-time contract, which will keep him with the promotion until at least 2025.
We hope this report is true. Like WWE, AEW doesn't need to add more talent to its bloated roster. But one-half of the Varsity Athletes could be a great addition to the ROH division if Mr. Khan lands a weekly TV deal for the promotion in the future.
Josh Woods is synonymous with the ROH brand for his incredible reign as Pure Champion. The 33-year-old even unsuccessfully challenged Samoa Joe for the ROH Television Championship a few months ago. Hence, he could easily thrive with Tony Nese in the tag team division.
#3. Hopefully True: Sasha Banks' whereabouts amid speculation on AEW Dynamite debut
Sasha Banks' future in pro wrestling has been up in the air since she and Naomi walked out on the company during the May 16 episode of RAW earlier this year. Despite the regime change in WWE, Triple H has shown no signs of bringing The Boss and Glow connection back to TV programming anytime soon.
In the wake of her uncertain future, rumors started swirling that Banks could be on her way to AEW after posting an appearance in Boston via her Instagram story. Interestingly, the latest Dynamite edition happened to go down from the same city, which further fueled this wild speculation.
As expected, the rumor ended up being mere talk as Graham "GSM" Matthews of WrestleRant Radio quashed the hearsay. He managed to get first-hand information from his brother that Sasha Banks was shooting for a movie in Massachusetts.
We hope this report is accurate because The Boss is still contractually obligated to WWE despite not being on good terms. Wrestling fans shouldn't keep their hopes up of seeing Banks in AEW unless WWE releases her from her contract.
#2. Hopefully Not True: Is Adam Cole unlikely to get medically cleared?
Adam Cole hasn't wrestled since the AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door event on June 26, which became infamous for his terrifying concussion. In his last televised appearance (August), he returned to orchestrate The Undisputed Elite's heel turn on The Young Bucks, planting seeds for a future feud in the process.
Since then, wrestling fans have been fretting over Cole's in-ring future. Dave Meltzer recently reported that the 33-year-old suffered a "bad" concussion, and it's unknown if he'll get medical clearance to wrestle again. Bryan Alvarez backed the report and noted that he hadn't heard any updates on The Panama City Playboy's in-ring return.
We hope this rumor is not true because Adam Cole has been posting cryptic messages to ensure everyone that he may not be done yet. Though it is unknown if the former WWE Superstar has fully recovered, fans can still expect him to return at the forthcoming Full Gear pay-per-view.
#1. Hopefully True: WWE hasn't completely shut the door on CM Punk's potential return
Much like other superstars on this list, CM Punk's pro wrestling future is also uncertain at the time of writing. Not just because of his untimely torn tricep injury but mainly for his notorious tirade at the All Out media scrum, which resulted in a backstage scuffle with The Elite.
With AEW looking to buy out Punk's remaining contract with the company, fans are baffled as to whether they've seen the last of the Chicago native in a squared circle. Fightful Select recently learned that WWE is interested in bringing The Straight Edge Superstar back. However, there is said to be concern over his desire to continue in the business.
People close to the AEW star have revealed that he still has "the wrestling bug." The report comes on the heels of rumors that real-life enmity between Triple H and CM Punk has "softened a bit."
We hope this report is true because CM Punk owes it to the fans who were robbed not once but twice of the so-called "Summer of Punk." Moreover, WWE bringing back the Second City Saint could be a major blow to AEW's business, especially after losing Cody Rhodes earlier this year. Of course, the two sides need to reconcile before working out a deal in the future.
2023 is already shaping up to be an exciting year in pro wrestling, as fans could see several superstars switch companies, and CM Punk could be one of them.
Which superstar do you want to see jump ship next year? Sound off in the comment section below.
