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We're back with another edition of the WWE Rumor Roundup, and we have lined up some big stories for you today.
WWE recently released a highly-rated superstar, and backstage details of his alleged unprofessionalism have now been revealed. We have a massive update on John Cena's return date as WWE could be planning something big for the Cenation Leader.
Rey Mysterio also provided an update on his daughter Aalyah's wrestling future. Elsewhere, many AEW regulars attended WWE's most recent male tryouts. One of the talents spotted at the tryouts played the role of Lana's first husband on TV last year.
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We end the roundup with Kurt Angle's revelation regarding how two former WWE Champions evaded drug tests in the company.
#5. Velveteen Dream released by WWE, backstage details of behavioral issues and unprofessionalism
Mike Johnson of PWInsider was the first to report about Velveteen Dream's WWE release, and several other outlets later confirmed the story.
Velveteen Dream was no stranger to controversy as his name cropped up during the #SpeakingOut movement. The former NXT North American Champion also had quite a questionable reputation backstage, and several details have now started trickling over on the internet.
WWE artist Rob Schamberger reacted to Velveteen Dream's release on Twitter, and he gave a blunt verdict on the 25-year-old wrestler. Schamberger said Velveteen Dream was the most unprofessional person he'd come across in the wrestling business.
Bryan Alvarez also spoke about Velveteen Dream's WWE departure during a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Live, where he discussed the NXT superstar's behavioral problems.
Alvarez said that talents in NXT were uncomfortable going up to the officials to complain about Velveteen Dream as the star reportedly had friends in high places and was close with management.
Velveteen Dream's run was riddled with controversies, and all the problems ultimately resulted in his release.
Velveteen Dream was once tipped to become a significant player, and thankfully for the former Tough Enough competitor, time is still on his side if he intends on turning his career around.
#4. Several well-known wrestlers attend WWE tryouts
Many wrestlers attended WWE's male tryouts this week, and Fightful Select revealed the list of names.
The latest round of tryouts was reportedly headlined by John Skyler, Wheeler YUTA, and many other known indie talents.
John Skyler is a seasoned 33-year-old performer who has previously appeared as an enhancement talent on WWE TV on various occasions. Skyler, however, is more famous for his appearances on AEW Dark, where he has wrestled 14 times throughout the year.
In addition to John Skyler, other AEW Dark regulars such as David Ali, Will Allday, Ray Jaz, and Tyson Maddux also participated in the tryouts.
EJ Risk, aka Eric James, was also present, and most WWE fans would remember the 33-year-old as Lana's 'first husband' from the Ravishing Russian's wedding to Bobby Lashley on an episode of RAW.
Wheeler YUTA was one of the high-profile invitees as he has extensive experience working for promotions like CZW, CHIKARA, AAW, GCW, and many others. YUTA has also worked for ROH and Beyond Wrestling.
Given below is the list of wrestlers who were spotted on the WWE tryouts and their age:
- Patrick Scott (24)
- Romeo Quevedo (33)
- Jake Logan (27)
- Alexander James (29)
- Joshua Dawkins (23)
- Brady Pierce (29)
- Rayo (29)
- Tony Vega (29)
- Tyson Maddux
- Idris Abraham (29)
- Robert Fuchs (29)
- Nate Carter (34) & David McCall (34) (Collectively known as The REP)
- Wheeler Yuta (24)
- David Ali (32)
- Will Allday (32)
- Ariel Levy (36)
- John Skyler (33)
- Ray Jaz (25)
- EK Risk (Eric James) (33)
- Jason Cade (30)
A handful of talents mentioned above have appeared on WWE TV before as extras. There are some exciting names in there who could be valuable to the company; however, who will secure WWE contracts? We'll keep you updated.
#3. Rey Mysterio provides an update on Aalyah and whether she wishes to pursue a WWE career
Aalyah Mysterio has not been seen on WWE TV since the company dropped a romantic storyline featuring her and Buddy Murphy.
Aalyah rose to become a crucial on-screen figure during Seth Rollins' feud with The Mysterio Family last year. Reports stated that WWE officials were pleased with her performances and that the door could be open for a potential full-time wrestling career.
During a recent interview with talkSPORT's Alex McCarthy, Rey Mysterio revealed that his daughter had not asked the all-important question about joining wrestling.
Rey Mysterio noted that he would back his daughter if she chooses to follow in his footsteps. While the WWE Legend would love to be the first person to train her, he wants Aalyah to focus on her school as she has always wanted to be involved in the medical field.
Here's what Rey Mysterio had to say about Aalyah's future:
"She hasn't asked the question, but it's funny you asked me that because my wife, she asked me a couple of days ago, she goes: "what would you say if your daughter came at you and said Dad, I want to become a wrestler?' I said, 'I would be the first one to train her, just like I did with Dom!' She said, 'No, you wouldn't [laughs]. I would! I would back her up 100 percent," said Mysterio.
Aalyah Mysterio is still just 19 years old, and she certainly has a lot of time to decide when it comes to taking up professional wrestling as a career.
#2. Big update on John Cena's WWE return
John Cena has been absent from WWE programming for quite a long time, but his name has been mentioned a few times over the past few weeks, and it seems like we might be edging closer to his return!
As reported by the Wrestling Observer, John Cena's return is currently being discussed for the company's first show back with fans on July 16th, 2021, the SmackDown episode at the Toyota Center in Houston.
WWE will kick off its much-hyped 25-city tour with a SmackDown episode on July 16th, and John Cena could be in attendance to welcome fans back as the promotion returns to the road.
John Cena has not appeared on TV since 'losing' to "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 36 in the Firefly Fun House match. John Cena recently posted an interesting picture on Instagram, which hinted towards an impending comeback.
Cena would later break his silence amidst all the rumors and state that he would love to return to WWE.
Could John Cena's rumored SmackDown return be a one-off, or could WWE plant the seeds for an extensive program for the veteran superstar?
#1. Kurt Angle reveals how Randy Orton and RVD bypassed WWE drug tests
WWE's drug testing policies and stance towards marijuana, in particular, have often been topics of debate amongst the online wrestling community.
During the most recent edition of 'The Kurt Angle Show' on AdFreeShows.com, Kurt Angle revealed WWE's drug testing details and how RVD and Randy Orton found a way to evade possible suspensions.
Kurt Angle revealed that talents were tested around seven times a year by WWE, and the company would fine the wrestlers who failed tests. The Olympic Hero then stated that Randy Orton and RVD offered to pay the fines upfront.
"Well, I think that the WWE, what they are doing right now, and I don't know if it has changed since I left, but they would just fine the wrestler. So, you're going to get drug tested seven times a year. If you're going to fail seven times a year, and this is one of the wrestlers, this is what I heard one of the wrestlers say, and I might as well say who it is, Randy Orton and Rob Van Dam," Kurt Angle said.
WWE Superstars were fined $2000 for a failed test, and Orton and RVD were willing to pay $14,000 in advance to bypass the testing procedures. Angle added that while talents don't get suspended anymore, they do get fined by the company
"They basically told the company that they would, 'How much were the fines, and how many drug tests would I do this year?' So, they wanted to pay the money upfront (laughs). I think the fine was two thousand dollars, so they just said, 'Here, take 14 grand, I'm good.' They would bypass the test, and they wouldn't get suspended. So, I think marijuana, they have been lighter on about because it's not banned anymore. You don't get suspended, but you still get fined," added Kurt Angle. H/t Sportskeeda
What are your opinions about WWE's drug testing practices and its outlook on superstars using marijuana? Let us know in the comments section below. We'll see you in the next edition of the WWE Rumor Roundup.
