4 AEW rumors we hope are true and 1 we hope isn't: Locker room's strange reaction to Cody Rhodes' departure; Seth Rollins' former partner possibly joining Malakai Black's faction?

Welcome back to another exciting edition of AEW rumors that we hope are true and those we hope aren't.

While one must take whispers with a pinch of salt, Cody and Brandi Rhodes' shocking exit from All Elite Wrestling has forced us to look at some surprising revelations.

We'll begin today's column with a backstage reaction to The American Nightmare's departure. Meanwhile, we've come across contract updates on Kenny Omega and Chris Jericho.

And last but not least, we'll shed light on two more former WWE Superstars who could be on their way to Tony Khan's promotion. With all that said, let's quickly dive into the top rumor stories of the week.

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#1 Hopefully not true: AEW locker room celebrated after Cody and Brandi Rhodes' departure

It seems like Cody and Brandi Rhodes parting ways with Tony Khan was a blessing in disguise for some people, at least that's what a recent report from Dave Meltzer suggests.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, the wrestling journalist reported that the "hero" treatment given to The American Nightmare on his way out could merely be a public story, not what went down in actuality.

Meltzer believes there were some stars within AEW who quietly enjoyed themselves after the pair walked through the exit doors:

"While many publicly thanked Cody for his work, it was noted to us that this was not universal. There were those happy both Cody and Brandi were gone and thought the "hero treatment" given to him by some in the company after he left is a great public story but not the real story," reported Dave Meltzer.

We hope this rumor is not true because several AEW stars have gone on record in the past to talk about Cody Rhodes' good reputation in the locker room.

While Mr. Khan and the former EVP could have had a fallout that led to the latter not re-signing with the promotion, it is unlikely that some talents would have developed enmity towards Cody. The former TNT Champion was instrumental in All Elite Wrestling's swift success.

#4 Hopefully true: Buddy Murphy could become AEW's next blockbuster signing

Buddy Murphy could soon be on his way to AEW if the latest reports from Dave Meltzer are any indication.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, the wrestling journalist noted that the company is planning to bring Murphy as the third member of the House of Black faction:

"On the show tonight they had Malakai Black and Brody King hint about a third guy. And I did hear some talk that this [Buddy Matthews] would be the third guy. I don’t know that but it’s certainly something to talk about. Though I would say that could be the case." - Dave Meltzer said.

We hope this rumor is true. Although the AEW roster is overstacked right now, the former RAW Tag Team Champion would be a perfect fit to thrive alongside Malakai Black and Brody King.

More than that, Murphy and Black have had quite a bit of chemistry with one another stemming from their long-running feud in WWE. Keeping that in mind, if the Australian star joins All Elite Wrestling, it would be interesting to see how he gets on the same page with Black.

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#3 Hopefully true: Chris Jericho has re-signed with AEW

According to the latest reports, Chris Jericho has re-signed with AEW.

Fightful Select reported that The Demo God has "roughly two years" remaining on his contract, which means he will continue to wrestle through at least 2024.

Dave Meltzer also provided insider information, saying that Tony Khan enforced the two-year option on Jericho, which the head honcho had previously activated on some of the original AEW roster members like The Young Bucks.

We hope this is true because Le Champion has been one of the pillars of All Elite Wrestling since its inception. The 51-year-old wrestler has shown that he is still a valuable member of the roster and has been instrumental in Sammy Guevara's meteoric rise.

Moreover, Jericho possesses star power appeals to the hardcore audience. Mr. Khan will never let anyone of his caliber even run out of contract.

#2 Hopefully true: Kenny Omega's AEW contract will expire next year

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio has disclosed the remaining time span on Kenny Omega's AEW contract. The wrestling journalist said The Cleaner's original four-year deal with the promotion will expire on February 1, 2023.

We hope this rumor is true because Omega recently confirmed that his contract will expire next year. However, the 38-year-old star has assured everyone that he will re-sign with the promotion.

The Cleaner has been one of the stalwarts for All Elite Wrestling from the beginning. Aside from being a measuring stick for the men's division, the EVP oversees the women's division. His contribution is immeasurable, and wrestling fans will be hoping to see Omega stay as an AEW lifer.

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#1 Hopefully true: Jeff Hardy and Shane Strickland could find their next wrestling home in All Elite Wrestling

Since being released by WWE last year, Jeff Hardy and Shane Strickland's next potential wrestling destination has been among the hottest topics in pro wrestling today.

Dave Meltzer reported that both the stars are expected to make their AEW debuts soon enough. We hope this rumor is true. Given the recent hints dropped by Matt Hardy and The Young Bucks, it's almost a foregone conclusion that The Charismatic Enigma will work for Tony Khan's promotion once his non-compete clause expires on March 9th.

Meanwhile, Strickland isn't as popular as Jeff in the wrestling business. He will quickly get lost in the shuffle considering the overstacked men's division. With that said, Tony Khan should invest wisely, knowing that he has already created a star-studded roster.

Poll : Who do you want to see make his AEW debut this year?

Jeff Hardy

Murphy

113 votes

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