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We welcome you back to another stacked edition of the daily WWE Rumor Roundup, where we take a look at all the top stories in professional wrestling.
NXT suffered another massive blow in the form of talent releases recently, but WWE might not be done with its budget cuts just yet. The latest backstage report regarding the future of the WWE roster doesn't invoke a lot of positivity, to say the least.
WWE's mass releases have not stopped AEW from onboarding talent, as Tony Khan has signed many established names since the turn of the year. A recently hired AEW star is reportedly looking to get a current RAW superstar over to Khan's company.
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The latest WWE rumor roundup also features an interesting note that could hint at Bray Wyatt's 'landing spot'.
We ended the roundup with all the details of Vince McMahon's 'high-level' meeting with a top WWE superstar.
#5 More WWE releases are expected to happen
As reported earlier, WWE released 13 NXT Superstars recently that featured a few heavily-pushed names from the black and gold brand.
A high-ranking official told Fightful Select that releases would be a 'regular occurrence' in WWE. While the roster cuts are expected to continue, they won't happen at the same frequency or scale going forward.
Andrew Zarian of Mat Men Pro Wrestling podcast also confirmed the rumor of more releases being on the way. Dave Meltzer also alluded that WWE might still have a few more wrestlers to release during a recent Wrestling Observer Radio.
2021 has already been a rough year for professional wrestling as WWE has released over 50 wrestlers since January.
Fightful added that the company was looking to move away from a "talent-stashing" mode and explained how the COVID-19 pandemic halted WWE's expansion plans in its report.
#4 Andrade wants Charlotte Flair in AEW
Ric Flair's WWE release has naturally given rise to rumors of the Nature Boy possibly making a move to AEW.
Dave Meltzer addressed the speculation and revealed that Andrade is keen to get his close family and friends over to AEW. Charlotte Flair is one of the names that El Idolo wants Tony Khan's promotion to sign, and Meltzer even spoke about the current RAW Superstar's WWE status.
Meltzer felt that Flair would personally want to continue with WWE as she probably sees it as the big leagues.
While Charlotte Flair's WWE contract status is a topic of great interest amongst reporters, Dave Meltzer didn't expect the former women's champion to leave Vince McMahon's company.
Here's what Meltzer revealed in the Wrestling Observer Radio:
"The big question [and] I know everyone's gonna get pissed about this…Andrade has told people that he wants the whole family there. By the family, it's Rush, Bestia [666], Dragon Lee, him, Ashley, Ric, that's what he wants. Ashley, I don't know her. I certainly am not gonna speak for her [but] I sense that she wants to be in WWE, that it's the big leagues to her, but I don't know. It would be a big perception get [for AEW], and I also don't know when her contract ends. Believe me, I have been asked when her contract ends by many inside people, not in AEW, but reporters, because what I just told you is something that everyone is talking about because everyone knows that story…I don't expect that she is gonna leave, but it is something every reporter worth their soul must have heard because I hear it all the time."
Will Charlotte Flair consider the idea of joining Andrade in AEW? Only time will tell.
#3 A family connection could lead former WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt to AEW
Bray Wyatt's WWE release was one of the topics in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and Dave Meltzer brought up the possibility of the former Universal champion's AEW debut.
While most pro wrestling companies would love to have a name like Wyatt on their payroll, AEW could be a potential landing spot for the star due to a connection with Cody Rhodes.
Bray Wyatt's family has known the Rhodes family for a very long time. Wyatt's father, Mike Rotunda, was the son-in-law of the legendary Blackjack Mulligan.
The Rhodes and Mulligan families shared a close bond for years, and Dave Meltzer highlighted the hint that could point towards Wyatt's next move.
Here's what Dave Meltzer noted in the Newsletter:
"The question becomes the landing point. His name value is such that most companies would have an interest in him. The character that he used in WWE wouldn't fit well with AEW, but that isn't to say they couldn't modify it in some form. He's a contemporary of Cody Rhodes since the Rhodes and Mulligan family were close for decades," said Meltzer
Bray Wyatt was released at the end of July and is expected to see out his non-compete clause before returning to action.
#2 Should top WWE superstars like Roman Reigns be worried about getting released?
Bray Wyatt's WWE release has created an air of uncertainty at the top of the card. As expected, the former world champion's release came as a shock to the entire locker room.
However, Dave Meltzer reported that the 'tippy-top guys in the WWE, including Roman Reigns, are safe and won't be released anytime soon.
Bray Wyatt was cut due to budgetary reasons, and the nature of his WWE departure seems to have unsettled a few roster members.
"Wyatt, 34, who had spent his entire career with the promotion, was, according to sources in the company, told by John Laurinaitis that he was being cut for budgetary reasons. The news was a shock to most and led to a reaction that if they would cut him, who is safe with the exception of the tippy top guys like Roman Reigns," stated Meltzer.
Additionally, a network source told Andrew Zarian that it was a 'little scary' to see WWE cut top stars without much hesitation.
#1 Details of Vince McMahon's meeting with Adam Cole
As reported by Fightful Select, Vince McMahon had a 'high-level' meeting with Adam Cole backstage during the most recent SmackDown episode.
The former NXT champion was reportedly taken directly to Vince McMahon's office hours before the event. Sources within WWE told Fightful that Mr. McMahon developed a liking for Adam Cole on a personal level and that the meeting went well.
Adam Cole is yet to sign a long-term deal with WWE, and he will be a free agent after SummerSlam weekend if the negotiations fall through. The writing teams of RAW and SmackDown have been told to come up with pitches for Adam Cole in case he re-signs with WWE.
With the obvious AEW rumors also doing the rounds, where do you see Cole after SummerSlam? In the comments section, let us know what you think regarding Cole's status and all the other stories covered today.
Vince Russo answers who killed WCW HERE
