5 wrestling rumors we hope are true and 5 we hope aren't: WWE refusing to bring back 8-time World Champion for SummerSlam, Why AJ Styles was "mad" about Undertaker match

Two days off WWE Extreme Rules 2002, welcome to this week's "late" edition of wrestling rumors we hope are true and those we hope aren't! It's been an interesting week in the world of wrestling and WWE, with IMPACT Wrestling taking up the headlines with all their big-name signings.

Let's jump right into it, starting with WWE SummerSlam 2020!

#5. Hope is true: WWE not bringing back Brock Lesnar for SummerSlam?

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We'll be the first to admit that we're slightly backtracking from comments that we made previously. While we earlier felt that WWE needed Brock Lesnar for SummerSlam 2020 (and perhaps for RAW ratings, they do), they're reportedly going to have their first SummerSlam in eight years without The Beast Incarnate.

In that time, Brock Lesnar has accumulated quite the record at the Biggest Party of the Summer, having main-evented every SummerSlam since 2012 except for the 2013 edition (where he arguably had his best SummerSlam match against CM Punk).

The rumors indicated that he would return to face Drew McIntyre in the main event of SummerSlam this year, but according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Brock Lesnar isn't scheduled for a SummerSlam return this year.

Tom Colohue had reported earlier that WWE doesn't want to bring back Brock Lesnar as they think he's too big to perform in an empty arena. Either way, we hope that the above rumor is true because it can be a test for WWE to see where they stand by having the first SummerSlam in eight years without a megastar in Brock Lesnar.

All signs seem to indicate that Randy Orton is the next WWE title challenger and given how great he's been since the pandemic, he's the right choice to challenge Drew McIntyre.

#5. Hope isn't true: AJ Styles was 'mad' about his match against The Undertaker

If you were to ask most WWE fans which the best match of WrestleMania 36 was, you're likely to get one answer - The 'Boneyard' match between The Undertaker and AJ Styles.

The cinematic-style match-up headlined night one at WrestleMania 36 and if The Undertaker is true to his word, then that was the final match of his legendary three-decade career.

The final shot of The Undertaker riding off into the night on his motorbike was truly a fairytale ending to his career, especially since it was in a match that everybody loved. However, according to Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson on the Talk 'N Shop podcast, AJ Styles was 'mad' at first when realizing that he would have to face The Undertaker in front of an empty arena.

We hope this isn't true, but in all likeliness, it is since Gallows and Anderson said it themselves. With that said, we can't help but assume that Styles was happy with the end result of what they did. He gave The Undertaker his best match in seven years and being the final opponent of The Phenom will go down as one of his greatest career achievements.

#4. Hope is true: Shayna Baszler didn't get two major wins due to changing plans

When Shayna Baszler made a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble match this year, it seemed all but certain that she was going to win it. Instead, she was eliminated by Charlotte Flair in the end.

She did win the Elimination Chamber match, however, in what was the most dominant performance in the history of the stipulation match. Many felt she would dethrone Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 36, but she lost narrowly.

Then, she was the favorite to win the Money in the Bank corporate ladder match, but Asuka won instead. Fightful Select reported that Baszler was penciled in for two major wins but plans changed in the last minute:

At various points this year, Fightful reports Shayna Baszler was pencilled in by WWE to win the Royal Rumble, the Raw Women’s title at WrestleMania 36, and Money in the Bank. Then in each case, “plans changed.”

We hope this is true for one simple reason - it would have been too soon. While we've seen meteoric rises to the top, perhaps having it in front of a crowd would have been better. Either way, most women take years to get to a top spot (except Charlotte Flair), and it's better if Baszler has her moments after the audience starts getting more invested in her character.

As for the rumors of Vince McMahon 'giving up' on Shayna Baszler, we'll address that shortly.

#4. Hope isn't true: Reported reason for Bianca Belair's absence from RAW

Bianca Belair made her long-awaited debut on Monday Night RAW post-WrestleMania 36 when she helped her husband Montez Ford and his tag team partner Angelo Dawkins.

Considered to be one of the best homegrown talents in WWE in the last decade (male and female), Belair looks to be an example of a Superstar who didn't need to find Championship success in NXT to make it on the big stage.

She certainly has all the tools, but she was abruptly removed from TV until her recent return, where she's been helping Ruby Riott get revenge on The IIconics.

It's been working so far, but according to Tom Colohue, this is only a temporary role for her:

"The plan for Bianca Belair this week was just the one match. She was essentially filling in space for Liv Morgan who will eventually rejoin Ruby Riott. Bianca Belair does not have any long-term feud with the people in the ring. Currently, Liv Morgan isn't available, and hence, Bianca Belair is being used in her place."

We hope this isn't true because we don't think WWE should pair her up with The Street Profits, who have only returned on the latest episode of RAW. She's meant to build a legacy on her own and not have to settle for being "Montez Ford's wife".

#3. Hope is true: Rumor killer on Vince McMahon 'giving up' on Shayna Baszler

We said we'd elaborate on this rumor that has been circulating for the last couple of months so let's address it without any further delay. Given the way Shayna Baszler was pushed from the start, it was clear that there were big plans revolving around her, Becky Lynch, and the RAW Women's Championship.

Unfortunately, she was merely a victim of the circumstances surrounding her. Tom Colohue revealed that the rumors about Vince McMahon "giving up" on Shayna Baszler simply aren't true:

Well, I know there have been a lot of rumors about Shayna Baszler. A lot about Vince McMahon being a fan and then not being a fan. From everything I have been told, that simply isn't true.

We hope that this is true because Shayna Baszler should be the next top heel of the Women's division. Sometimes things take time and it was clear that her recent hiatus was a creative one. There's a lot of time left for her and it looks like WWE is going to start putting her in important storylines to progress her character soon.

#3. Hope isn't true: Apollo Crews reportedly tests positive for COVID-19

Apollo Crews was supposed to defend the United States Championship against MVP at Extreme Rules 2020. However, the WWE Superstar was forced out of the event, and MVP stated on the show that it was due to him not passing a "physical" test. Dave Meltzer revealed on the Wrestling Observer Radio that Apollo Crews tested positive for COVID-19:

"So Apollo Crews has COVID. People have been suspecting it, and it was."

We don't need to state why we hope this isn't true. It's a shame if he caught the virus when he did, especially since he's having the best run of his WWE career. With that said, we're not sure how long it's going to take for him to return or if it means the end of his United States Championship run.

We certainly hope it isn't. Tom Colohue stated on Twitter that there's no confirmation as such, but the fact that he was quietly pulled from the card is quite telling.

#2. Hope is true: Reported reason why WWE held off on Big Show vs Randy Orton at Extreme Rules

Randy Orton vs Big Show was a bit of a surprising direction for WWE to go in after his feud with Edge and decimation of Christian. It makes sense because WWE seems to be bringing back his "legend killer" side, but many felt that the match should have happened at Extreme Rules 2020.

According to WON, WWE purposely chose to air the Randy Orton-Big Show match on the RAW after Extreme Rules because they knew that they needed a better TV rating and that it wouldn't drive up WWE Network subscribers:

''With Raw ratings declining so significantly, the Big Show vs. Randy Orton match will air on the 7/20 Raw show in an unsanctioned match. That does make sense because that match isn’t going to add any network buyers, which is how you make money today off a PPV, but after this past week’s record low, Show vs. Orton should avert coming even close to another record low next week. At least they’d better hope for that, because it will be scary if they put that match on television and don’t get a significant improvement.''

We hope this is true and that it reflects better on their ratings. They reportedly felt similarly about Jeff Hardy vs Sheamus, which was kept off Extreme Rules 2020 as well. Either way, it was a smart call by WWE.

#2. Hope isn't true: Kairi Sane truly on her way out of WWE per reports

Kairi Sane in one of her final WWE matches?

There have been many rumors of late about WWE star Kairi Sane and her status with the company. With Tokyo Sports reporting that the Japanese star was headed back home to be with her husband, PWInsider further confirmed that the former Women's Tag Team Champion is on her way out of WWE and that the latest set of tapings were her last ones:

Sportskeeda's Kishan Prasad wrote:

The website has reported that today's WWE taping will be Kairi Sane's last as it marks her final date with the company. The report also notes that Sane is leaving WWE on good terms and that she will remain a part of WWE's extended family.

It's sad to see that a talent as young and incredible as Kairi Sane is heading out of WWE. The company reportedly chose not to extend her contract, but we're happy to hear that she's leaving on good terms. We still hope that it isn't true, but all signs seem to indicate that she's truly done with WWE.

#1. Hope is true: Vince McMahon's reported reaction to The Swamp Fight

While the WWE Universe didn't take to the 'Wyatt Swamp Fight' very well, it turns out that the same sentiment wasn't necessarily shared by the higher-ups backstage.

The cinematic match that headlined Extreme Rules saw Braun Strowman return 'home' to the Swamp where he shared history with Bray Wyatt from 2015. While it was filled with many different aspects that fans didn't really understand, it seemed to represent an inner journey for The Monster Among Men Braun Strowman.

Either way, Tom Colohue reported on SK Live that Vince McMahon loved the match:

On this week's episode of SK Live, Tom Colohue reported Vince McMahon's reaction to the Wyatt Swamp Fight at WWE Extreme Rules. According to Colohue's sources, McMahon apparently loved the match.

We hope this is true because his opinion is ultimately all that matters for the Superstars. It also means that there won't be any heat as such on Bray Wyatt or Braun Strowman. We expect them to clash for a trilogy at SummerSlam where Bray Wyatt returns as 'The Fiend' for the first time since WrestleMania 36.

#1. Hope isn't true: Rey Mysterio's contract status

Was Extreme Rules the final match of Rey Mysterio's in WWE? We can't be sure, but as of this writing, it seems to be that way. It was no secret that Mysterio hadn't signed a new WWE contract before Extreme Rules and that his current deal was set to expire.

On his recent Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer spoke about Rey Mysterio's contract situation. Meltzer noted that Mysterio losing to Seth Rollins was a sign that he didn't sign a new contract:

Rey Mysterio, which is the other question everyone has, he has not signed. My gut is still, as it's been all along that he will, but it has not happened yet. So, that finish was because he had not signed. As I mentioned like if he doesn't sign, the obvious finish is that he has to lose, and if he does sign, the obvious finish is that he has to win. But the reason that they gave that open-ended thing that we may save his eye is in case he does sign. That's their out.

We hope this isn't true. We hope that he ends up signing a short-term deal that allows him to help Dominik transition into WWE programming while he has his well-deserved retirement.

Edited by Zaid Khan