4 AEW rumors we hope are true and 1 we hope aren't: 8-time world champion returning soon, Goldberg slated to be Tony Khan's dream signing?

Goldberg (left) and Tony Khan (right)

Welcome back to another stacked edition of AEW rumors that we hope are true and we hope aren't. In today's edition, we'll discuss several reports hinting at the potential identity of Tony Khan's 'dream' signing.

Speaking of the company's head honcho, it is evident from the beginning that the contacts of a few wrestlers will expire soon, and Mr. Khan may not renew them. Recent information has shed light on the contractual situation of a Jurassic Express member.

We have plenty of stuff to discuss today, but we'll begin our column with a positive update on the return of a former World Champion. Let's dive straight into the top rumor stories of the week.

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#5 Hopefully true: Jon Moxley could return to AEW programming sooner than later

Jon Moxley, who entered an inpatient alcohol treatment program some time ago, will return to in-ring action later this month. The former WWE Superstar will put his GCW World Championship on the line against Homicide at the upcoming Hammerstein Ballroom on January 23rd.

Dave Meltzer said there's no way Moxley's first appearance won't be on AEW television, hinting that the former WWE star could return to the company soon.

We hope this rumor is true. The 36-year old star is one of the most prominent members on the AEW roster.

As of this writing, Mox's return seems all but certain, and one would expect him to make a highly-anticipated comeback on his home turf sometime next week.

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#4 Hopefully not true: Goldberg is potentially out of the league for Tony Khan

AEW owner Tony Khan recently hinted at a potential 'dream signing' coming over to his company. While speaking during the Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed several possible names, such as Jeff Hardy and The Briscoes, to name a few.

Interestingly enough, the wrestling journalist talked about the legendary Goldberg having only one match left on his WWE contract. Meltzer thinks the former WCW Champion would be too expensive for Mr. Khan.

"Bill Goldberg has one more match on his contract but I think Bill will be too expensive for their taste and they already have Sting. I don't think you want to overload it with people like that."

We hope this assumption is wrong since we are fully aware of Tony Khan's billionaire status. It's worth recalling that Mr. Khan has himself expressed his desire to work with Bill Goldberg whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Though the 55-year old star has achieved everything there is to offer in the wrestling business (WCW and WWE), he could become one of AEW's biggest box-office attractions. Once his deal expires, the company's head honcho could offer a lucrative deal on the table for Goldberg.

#3 Hopefully true: AEW star Jake Atlas survives the injury scare during his match against Adam Cole

AEW's latest acquisition, Jake Atlas, reportedly 'blew out his knee' during his Rampage debut against Adam Cole this week.

Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Radio noted that the former WWE Superstar needed an MRI scan following his match against Cole. However, the wrestling journalist heard he may have survived the injury scare and should be fine.

"He [Jake Atlas] suffered a knee injury, and I don't know, I was told that he needed an MRI, and it's possible that he's gonna be alright, but he was hurting really bad in that match, couldn't even get up to take the Panama Sunrise. Hopefully, you know, first big match for AEW outside of the YouTube show. Hopefully, he is alright."

We hope this report is true as Jake Atlas tweeted an update on his knee injury. The 27-year-old star assured everyone that he wouldn't be gone for too long, which is positive news.

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#2 Hopefully true: Big Swole's criticism has nothing to do with Jade Cargill becoming TBS Champion

Jade Cargill finally accomplished her goal of becoming the first-ever TBS Champion after defeating Ruby Soho in the tournament finals this past week.

Surprisingly, Cargill's title win could have come off as an assumption that AEW crowned her the champion in response to Big Swole's 'lack of diversity' remarks against the company.

But as per Dave Meltzer, Jade Cargill was anyway slated to become the TBS Champion, long before the tournament began.

We hope this report is true and the company didn't put the title on Cargill's waist because of Swole's criticism. The 29-year-old star has been protected heavily in AEW programming since joining the roster.

Her undefeated streak could also be one of many reasons why the company didn't intend on breaking it, at least not yet.

#1 Hopefully true: Tony Khan is unwilling to extend the contract of Marko Stunt in AEW

Dave Meltzer recently expressed concern over Marko Stunt's hiatus from AEW programming. The wrestling journalist observed that Stunt didn't come out during the Jurassic Express tag team title win this past week on AEW Dynamite.

Meltzer believes that Mark Stunt's continued absence may suggest that Tony Khan may not renew his contract once it expires.

Marko Stunt hasn’t been on the show for a while. It was even more notable when Luchasaurus & Jungle Boy won the tag titles and he wasn’t brought in. He is still under contract and being paid and AEW is trying to be different from WWE & is not releasing people who are under contract unless it’s for disciplinary reasons.

"But there will be people not renewed when their deals come up if they aren’t being used. This isn’t to say he’s one of them, but his never being used while his group just won the titles says something."

While we don't want anyone to lose their job, there's no point keeping someone on a payroll if the company has no plans for him. The AEW roster is stacked at the moment, and Marko would be wasting his talent if he continues to sit on the sidelines waiting for a potential opportunity.

It is evident that Tony Khan will let these contracts expire, unlike WWE's strategy of releasing them instantly.