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Welcome to another column on AEW rumors that we hope are true and some we hope aren't.
Parker Boudreaux's shocking debut during Dark Tapings became the latest instance of a loss for WWE and a gain for AEW. We have a compelling update on Tony Khan's plans for him.
Meanwhile, CM Punk's return timeframe looks more promising than ever ahead of the All Out pay-per-view. Plus, Fuego Del Sol's cryptic tweets caused concern about his future with the promotion, but the masked star appears to have shut down the speculation.
With all these lead stories, we'll dive into the top six rumors of the week.
#6. Hopefully true: Tony Khan is "high" on Parker Boudreaux following his AEW Dark debut
Parker Boudreaux, who has been anointed as "The Next Big Thing" in pro wrestling by many fans and veterans like Paul Heyman, has arrived in AEW.
The 24-year-old was released by WWE earlier this year after a failed run as Harland in NXT 2.0. Boudreaux sent shockwaves across the wrestling world when he showed up at the latest Dark tapings in Orlando, Florida.
He defeated Serpentico and joined forces with former WWE star Ariya Daivari and Slim J. in the Trust Busters faction. While there is currently no word on whether the former Harland has signed with AEW, Tony Khan is optimistic about the stable's future.
Dave Meltzer recently reported that Mr. Khan is "high" on the Trust Busters, but it is unknown if the faction will be exclusive to the AEW or ROH banner:
"Right now no decision has been made regarding if this will be primarily for AEW or ROH, but Tony Khan was high on the idea," said Dave Meltzer. (H/T: F4WOnline)
We hope this rumor is true. Parker Boudreaux could be propelled as the muscle for his stable.
Moving forward, he can finally fulfill the prophecy of establishing himself as the "next Brock Lesnar" by competing in feuds against top names like Wardlow and Keith Lee in AEW.
#5. Hopefully true: CM Punk closing in on AEW return
CM Punk had a bittersweet moment after dethroning Hangman Page to win the AEW World Championship at this year's Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
The Second City Saint sustained an untimely foot injury the following week, which put him out of commission.
Punk recently went under the knife and is now on the road to recovery. Dave Meltzer recently reported that the reigning AEW World Champion is slated to return soon and thinks that it will be in time for either the All Out or Full Gear pay-per-view:
"Punk should not be long before he returns, I mean not this month, probably not August, but perhaps All Out, perhaps Full Gear, I think it’ll be one of those shows when he’s back,” Meltzer said. (H/T: WrestleTalk)
We hope this report is accurate. CM Punk returning sooner than expected could ignite a dream feud with Interim AEW World Champion Jon Moxley.
The company has been teasing a title vs. title unification match whenever The Straight Edge Superstar returns from injury. With All Out right around the corner, many fans would love to see Punk and Mox collide for the coveted prize in the main event.
#4. Hopefully true: Fuego Del Sol is not leaving All Elite Wrestling
Fuego Del Sol's future with AEW has been up in the air since he revamped his Twitter handle by deleting all of his mentions related to the company. The 26-year-old even tweeted a few cryptic messages, which only fueled speculation of him leaving the promotion.
However, the rumors were seemingly put to rest when Del Sol showed up wearing a sinister new mask on recent AEW Dark tapings.
While there is no word on the real reason behind Fuego Del Sol removing all AEW references from his Twitter handle, his presence on the YouTube show suggests that he might have undergone a character change.
We hope this speculation is true. Del Sol's underdog persona has run its course since he earned his official contract following his memorable match against Miro last year.
With his best friend Sammy Guevara's recent heel heel, it makes sense for Del Sol to embark on a new chapter of his own.
#3. Hopefully true: Ruby Soho is not legitimately hurt
With AEW already plagued by injuries, fans are pondering whether Ruby Soho is the latest to join the list.
The former WWE Superstar recently became a victim of The Jericho Appreciation Society when Tay Conti brutally attacked her backstage. Soho was also seen wearing a black brace on her right hand when Eddie Kingston cut a scathing promo on Chris Jericho last week.
Dave Meltzer recently noted that The Runaway's injury could be a "work" as she has been performing on the indies recently:
“So, she’s not hurt, because she was doing indies over the weekend. She had a cast, of course, because they did the gimmick. But, the point is, last week we’re going, ‘Is this a cover for an injury?’ and it’s just an angle. There’s no real injury.” (H/T: BodySlam)
We hope this report is true. Ruby Soho's kayfabe injury could help bring her back into the limelight. She can exact her revenge on Tay Conti by kickstarting a typical babyface vs. heel feud heading into the All Out pay-per-view.
#2. Hopefully not true: Tony Khan planning to keep Ortiz on television
Santana suffered an ACL and ligament injury during the Blood and Guts match between The Jericho Appreciation Society and The Blackpool Combat Club.
Chris Jericho recently shed light on his former protege's injury status and revealed that Santana would be out of action for eight months. With rumors of a real-life beef between Proud & Powerful, Ortiz's future looks uncertain.
Fightful Select recently reported that the company still intends to use Ortiz on television despite his partner being sidelined with an injury for the foreseeable future.
We hope this is not true. Ortiz's character has become stale and is in dire need of change. Santana's injury could be a blessing in disguise if the company decides to repackage Ortiz and reintroduce him down the road.
#1. Hopefully true: Claudio Castagnoli potentially becoming the new ROH World Champion
Claudio Castagnoli has been on a roll since he jumped ship from WWE to AEW last month.
Following his triumph in three consecutive matches, he's now set to challenge ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham at the upcoming Death Before Dishonor pay-per-view.
However, the company appears to have accidentally spoiled the outcome of this highly-anticipated title match on July 23. During the recent Dark tapings, Gresham was spotted without his title during a match against Jordan Oasis.
The pre-taped episode of Dark is scheduled to air on YouTube days after Death Before Dishonor. This suggests that Claudio may defeat Gresham and become the new ROH World Champion.
We hope this is true because the Swiss star will fulfill his prophecy of becoming a world champion, which has eluded him throughout his career.
