WWE News and Rumor Roundup - Major star terminated by the company over creative issues, Former UFC star jailed, Latest on Brock Lesnar and Bayley

We are back with another stacked edition of WWE News and Rumor Roundup. A major star's firing has caused an uproar in the locker room. Meanwhile, a former UFC Champion has been sentenced to prison.

A shocking claim has been made about Brock Lesnar. On the women's side, Bayley has opened up about potentially facing AJ Lee.

Continue reading as we dive into the top five news and rumors of the day.

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#5. Dustin Rhodes addresses potential WWE return

Dustin Rhodes, formerly known as Goldust, has been heavily linked with a WWE return since his brother, Cody Rhodes, came back in 2022.

However, it looks like The Natural wants to write the final chapter of his in-ring career in AEW. He recently signed a contract extension to put the speculation of a WWE return to rest once and for all.

Dustin Rhodes stands firm on his decision. A few days ago, an X user strongly advised him to go back to the Stamford-based promotion. Rhodes responded to the fan by saying he was happy in AEW.

"No! I am happy where I am at," Dustin wrote.

Dustin Rhodes previously clarified that he has no desire to get in the ring with Cody Rhodes again, despite much speculation that the two brothers would work together one more time.

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#4. Bayley reacts to the idea of facing AJ Lee

AJ Lee continues to be the talk of the wrestling world, even though she has stayed retired for a decade. During a Q&A on X, a fan asked Bayley when she was going to face AJ Lee.

The Role Model didn't seem interested in facing her friend. However, she said she would probably win if the two women were to face each other in the future.

"Why, Ted?!? I probably would win…right," she wrote.

Check out her response below:

Bayley has been actively pushing CM Punk to convince AJ Lee to return to WWE. Will The Geek Goddess lace up her boots again? Only time will tell.

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#3. Brock Lesnar allegedly canceled a former WWE star's push

In an interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling's Kevin Kellam, former WWE star Matt Riddle once again noted that he was supposed to eliminate Brock Lesnar from the 2022 Men's Royal Rumble and win the 30-man Battle Royal.

The King of Bros alleged that plans changed after The Beast Incarnate canceled the originally planned finish.

"There was, believe it or not, when Randy [Orton] and I were together, and they pitched it - that I would win the Rumble, have some back-and-forth, maybe get rid of Brock [Lesnar]. And then Brock came in and called the match and that wasn't going to happen," Riddle said.

Riddle stated that Lesnar didn't want to do ''business with everybody'' and called his shots.

“I was told at one point, yeah, I was gonna win the Royal Rumble and everything else. Then Brock came in, didn’t wanna do business with everybody, said he was winning, and then he won, and then none of the producers… nobody stood up to him, and they let him do it. I didn’t either,” he added.

There have been some conflicting reports that Matt Riddle was never supposed to win the 2022 Men's Royal Rumble Match in the first place.

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#2. Backstage reaction to Gail Kim's TNA departure

Gail Kim's firing from TNA shook the locker room to its core. The former WWE Women's Champion was let go by the company, along with several other backstage figures, via an email confirming the latest round of releases.

Fightful Select recently learned that several within TNA claimed that Gail Kim's sudden departure was met with shock, disbelief, and anger. One talent even made up their mind about not re-signing with the promotion, while others were said to be scared for their jobs.

According to the report, Gail Kim was said to be very outspoken when it came to the creative and butted heads with some people in charge. Meanwhile, Sportskeeda's own Bill Apter reported that her firing had something to do with the ongoing partnership between WWE and TNA.

Kim made a seamless transition from an in-ring competitor to a producer of the Knockouts division. She has now entered free agency after ending her 14-year stint with TNA.

Will she return to the Stamford-based promotion? The Canadian is expected to have interest from both WWE and AEW.

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#1. How many years will Cain Velasquez serve in prison?

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez has been sentenced to five years in prison. The Cardio Cain was engaged in a high-speed chase with Harry Goularte, who was accused of molesting his then-four-year-old son back in 2022. During the incident, Velasquez allegedly fired rounds at the vehicle, accidentally injuring the accused's stepfather.

As a result of his actions, Cain Velasquez spent several months in prison and was denied bail. The former WWE competitor pleaded no guilty to all the charges last year.

Earlier this week, a Santa Clara County judge announced the verdict and delivered a five-year jail sentence to Cain Velasquez, including the time he already served.

He will get the time served credit for three-and-a-half years, implying that the 42-year-old will have to serve another year in prison.