WWE Rumor Roundup - Female Superstar reportedly tests positive for COVID-19, Tag Team removed from TV, Company unhappy with The Street Profits - 19th June 2020 

It's Rumor Roundup time. We are here every day rounding up the most prominent rumors and speculation being talked about in the WWE. It has been a very newsworthy week in the WWE, and the biggest story came out at the end of RAW as the WWE confirmed its second positive COVID-19 test.

We have more details about the positive test in today's lineup.

People in the backstage area were also reportedly unhappy with The Street Profits for an unplanned moment on RAW, which also got a lot of flak on social media.

A faction has reportedly been removed from WWE TV, and they have been replaced by a veteran tag team in the tag titles picture.

There is also some speculation with regards to Edge's in-ring career following the serious injury he suffered at Backlash.

Finally, we have a long list of Superstars from RAW and SmackDown who have expressed their desire to work in NXT. It's quite a star-studded list!

On that note, here is the latest WWE Rumor Roundup:

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#5. Female WWE Superstar reportedly tests positive for COVID-19

WWE released a statement at the end of RAW, confirming the report of a Developmental Talent testing positive for COVID-19.

Dave Meltzer revealed more details on the positive test, and the results of the testing conducted the following day.

Meltzer noted in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the performer who tested positive was a female WWE Superstar from NXT, who has not been used on NXT TV. She was, however, part of the fans in the crowd and was used on June 9th.

Meltzer added that based on the test results that have been received thus far, no other talent or employee had contracted the virus from the unnamed female Superstar.

Meltzer reported:

The performer who tested positive was a female wrestler in NXT who has not been used on television. She has been one of the fans in the crowd, and was last used in that role on 6/9. No positive test results have been reported so hopefully nobody else was infected by her.

WWE's tapings affected by the COVID-19 testing

While WWE did tape episodes of RAW, 205 Live, and Main Event, the company was forced the postpone the SmackDown tapings due to timing issues that stemmed from the company-wide COVID-19 testing.

SmackDown will reportedly be taped in the afternoon of June 26th, and the show will air later that night.

#4. The Forgotten Sons removed from TV, get replaced by Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura

The Forgotten Sons may not be seen on WWE TV for the foreseeable future.

Sean Ross Sapp was the first to report on Fightful Select that WWE had taken the Forgotten Sons off TV due to Jaxson Ryker's political comments and the backlash that it received online and backstage in the WWE.

Dave Meltzer confirmed the report while also adding that Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura replaced The Forgotten Sons in the SmackDown Tag Team titles feud against The New Day.

Meltzer added that people in the WWE thought that having the The Forgotten Sons gimmick on TV would not be the right thing to do during these turbulent times.

Nakamura & Cesaro are replacing The Forgotten Sons in a planned program with The New Day. It's unfortunate because the comments by Jaxson Ryker, which both Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake immediately and publicly distanced themselves from, has led to all three of them being taken off television. And Cutler & Blake were the team in the ring as Ryker was used more in an outside interference role. There are those who felt the gimmick itself wasn't the right thing in these turbulent times.

The three-man team consisting of Wesley Blake, Steve Cutler, and Jaxson Ryker has not been used on TV due to the Ryker controversy.

Ryker's comments were not well-received even by the locker room, as the talents backstage were reportedly furious at the Superstar. Blake and Cutler also put out tweets in which they distanced themselves from Ryker's stance about Donald Trump and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Forgotten Sons may not be back for a while and their gimmick could also be altered if the situation doesn't get better.

#3. Reported reason why the backstage area was unhappy with The Street Profits

Street Profits reportedly attracted a considerable amount of heat for an unplanned moment on the most recent episode of WWE RAW.

Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins were shown interacting with the crowd and giving everyone high-fives on the latest episode of WWE RAW, which was a blatant violation of the social distancing guidelines.

Many fans highlighted the moment on social media, and Tom Colohue revealed on the Dropkick DiSKussions podcast that people in the backstage area were also upset with the Street Profits.

Tom explained that Dominik running through the crowd was planned, but what the WWE RAW Tag Team Champions did was an impulsive decision and not well-received behind the scenes.

Tom revealed:

The backstage areas were upset with the Street Profits that they went out and joined the crowd. The plan was not to go out, They were giving high fives to everyone, and they have obviously taken a risk with that. Dominik's run through the crowd, that was planned, and he was definitely breaking social distancing with how close he was to some of these people later on. So there was something planned, and there was something not planned.

#2. Speculation on Edge's in-ring future following injury

Edge suffered a torn triceps injury during his WWE Backlash match against Randy Orton and the Rated-R Superstar recently underwent surgery as well.

Dave Meltzer revealed in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Edge is expected to be out of action for six to eight months from WWE. Edge could also be susceptible to tearing his muscles again, according to Meltzer, which is a common trend with torn triceps injuries.

Meltzer speculated that Edge should ideally be back to wrestle again as he has signed a $3 million-a-year WWE contract and it would be tough for the 11-time World Champion to walk away from the deal.

Meltzer noted the following in the Newsletter:

Edge actually had surgery to reattach the triceps muscle to the bone before the match aired. Generally that's six-to-eight months of recovery, and will likely lead to another match. The problem with triceps tears is that a once torn muscle has far greater susceptibility to do so again. People like Dave Bautista, who did come back from multiple tears, and Del Wilkes, who the multiple tears led to a horrible pain pill addiction and did end his career, are notable examples of this. At the age of 46, this happening in his third match back after nine years off does bring forth an obvious question. But at $3 million per year for limited dates, it would be difficult to not come back and at least complete the deal.

Edge is speculated to return to WWE and complete his deal. However, we may not see him back in the ring this year.

#1. Many Superstars would reportedly love to work in NXT

WWE's efforts in making NXT look like a brand that is on par with RAW and SmackDown have led to the company sending a handful of main roster stars to the Black and Gold brand.

Tom Colohue revealed that there are many talents from WWE RAW and WWE SmackDown who want to work in NXT. Tom first reported about a shortlist being made of main roster talents who could be sent to NXT back in October 2019.

On the latest edition of the Dropkick DiSKussions podcast, Tom delved deeper into the topic of RAW and SmackDown stars possibly going to WWE NXT.

Tom noted the names of Asuka, Cesaro, New Day, Charlotte Flair, Kevin Owens, Ricochet, Bayley, Sasha Banks, and Naomi as talents who have expressed their desire it mix it up with NXT Superstars. The decision to put the Women's Tag Team titles on Banks and Bayley and the general direction of their reign has also been made to accommodate their presence in NXT.

Tom explained:

There are actually a lot of names who are interested in doing that. I had reported that there was a shortlist of WWE Stars who wanted to work in NXT. And then shortly afterwards, Kevin Owens appeared at Takeover, and suddenly that's when my report started getting picked up other sites. So people seemed to think I was saying after the fact, 'Ohh, Kevin Owens is staying in NXT', when in reality, before the fact, I had said that WWE stars would be appearing in NXT. That was a wonderful one where people were saying, 'oh you're just guessing', when in reality, Kevin Owens had confirmed my report from months before.

Since then, I've learnt a lot more names. Asuka being one of them. Cesaro. Naomi has confirmed that she tried to go back to NXT. Members of the New Day have mentioned that they would love to work in NXT. Ricochet, Kevin Owens, Charlotte Flair, and, Sasha Banks and Bayley - who I had mentioned a couple of months ago I believe, as people who really wanted to spend more time in NXT and that is why the tag team championships of the women have been set up as they are. So it could be anyone of those.