3 AEW rumors we hope are true and 1 we hope isn't: Goldberg signing? Jon Moxley's heat, 6-time WWE World Champion returning?
Welcome to the latest edition of AEW rumors that we hope are true and some we hope aren't.
It's been seven months since the infamous All Out media scrum, but skeletons keep tumbling out of AEW's closet. CM Punk dropped another bombshell and lashed out at several names via his Instagram story.
His recent tirade spells doom for his imminent future with the company. We have an update on his injury status and possible heat.
Meanwhile, is Tony Khan planning to bring WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg? Continue reading as we divulge several ongoing rumors in the column today.
(Note: None of these rumors have been confirmed by the parties, so take it with a pinch of salt)
#4. Hopefully True: Is Tony Khan interested in signing Goldberg?
Goldberg and WWE appear to have parted ways after the two parties failed to agree on a new agreement. Da Man has now become one of the hottest free agents in pro wrestling today.
He has expressed his desire to have one last hurrah, though the likelihood of it happening in WWE is slim to none. His free agency has fans mulling over a potential AEW move.
Fightful Select recently reported that Tony Khan held talks with Goldberg's reps, but the exact details are unknown. Several companies are interested in inking a deal with him:
"In regards to Goldberg’s free agency status, it isn’t necessarily new. We’re told be became a free agent on January 1, and that Tony Khan has had to interact with his reps for other deals as well. Goldberg’s last match was February 2022, but there was still time on his deal. Goldberg has several companies already interested in booking him, including one in Israel," per Fightful.
We hope this report is accurate. Goldberg could be the answer to AEW's recent decline in ratings. The Myth has the star power to bring several lapsed fans back into watching the product. Tony Khan has also expressed interest in signing him.
He could face a litany of opponents ranging from Wardlow to Powerhouse Hobbs before officially bringing the curtain down on his legendary career.
#3. Hopefully Not True: CM Punk has heat with Jon Moxley
CM Punk's infamous tirade at the All Out media scrum didn't just create a rift with The Elite, but apparently with Jon Moxley as well.
The Chicago native's recent Instagram rant, where he made surprising revelations about his pay-per-view plans with The Purveyor of Violence. According to Punk, he wasn't medically cleared to wrestle in his return match that went down on the August 24th episode of Dynamite last year.
The Second City Saint also noted that Moxley's pitch "s**ked" and that the Blackpool Comat Club member refused to lose to him.
Fightful Select learned that those "familiar with the situation" asserted that The Straight Edge Superstar wasn't comfortable working in any capacity without getting medical clearance first.
Rumor has it that Punk wouldn't show up a week before the title vs. title unification bout. However, special arrangements were made to ensure his presence at the flagship show.
CM Punk's media scrum tirade also left a bad taste in Jon Moxley's mouth, which reportedly caused a heat between them. If the situation came down to Moxley or Punk, the company would side with the BCC member over the controversial star.
We hope this report is not accurate. It's worth noting that the Chicago native didn't badmouth Mox during the media scrum. In fact, he lavished praise on his opponent for putting him over. Even if the two men have heat, they must hash things out for the sake of the company's reputation.
#2. Hopefully True: Jay White is still in talks with WWE and AEW
Jay White's future has been uncertain since he lost the "Loser Leaves NJPW" match to Eddie Kingston at Battle in the Valley.
His free agency has sparked rumors of him joining WWE or returning to AEW.
Dave Meltzer recently reported that The Switchblade had held talks with both companies. At the time of writing, he hasn't signed a deal with anyone:
"Regarding Jay White, we are told that White has been talking to WWE but has not signed. He is also talking to AEW. From someone familiar with the situation they described it as 50/50 which side he would go with," Dave Meltzer wrote.
We hope this report is accurate. White must choose WWE over AEW if he doesn't want to get lost in the shuffle.
Should Triple H sign him, he could be a formidable challenger to Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes on RAW after WrestleMania.
#1. Hopefully True: CM Punk could be cleared to return to AEW soon
CM Punk hasn't been a part of wrestling capacity since his supposedly final AEW outing against Jon Moxley at All Out pay-per-view last year.
Following the show, he went under the knife to repair a tricep injury, which forced him to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Fightful Select learned that The Straight Edge Superstar was hopeful of getting fully healed by late January. Those close to him believe he'll be medically cleared "if not now, very soon."
We hope this report is true. CM Punk has proven that he still has a lot left in the tank, and if the AEW locker room can mend fences with him, there's no reason Tony Khan shouldn't bring back the company's biggest draw.
What do you make of these rumors? Sound off in the comments section below.
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Jeevak Ambalgi