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Welcome to this week's edition of WWE/wrestling rumors we hope are true and those we hope aren't. This is the post-SummerSlam edition and what a whirlwind of a past few days it has been in the professional wrestling industry.
CM Punk's return was undoubtedly the biggest thing this weekend. However, Becky Lynch and Brock Lesnar's returns made for a lot of positive talk when it came to SummerSlam 2021.
All in all, it's a great time to be a WWE and wrestling fan in general. Let's look at the six biggest rumors of the past week:
#3. Hope is true: Adam Cole still hasn't signed a new WWE contract
It was rumored in July that Adam Cole's WWE contract had run out. He reportedly signed a small extension so he worked the SummerSlam weekend. At NXT Takeover: 36, Adam Cole seemingly had his last match in NXT as he lost to rival Kyle O'Reilly.
It marked the end of a historic 4-year run with the brand, where he was the longest-reigning NXT Champion in history. However, he is now done and it's time for the next chapter.
That leaves two big options - the WWE main roster, or AEW. Unlike several WWE superstars who were shockingly released this year, Adam Cole is in a far better position.
Fightful reported that Adam Cole still hasn't signed a WWE contract despite Vince McMahon trying to convince him to do so earlier. Sportskeeda's Prityush Haldar wrote:
Mike Johnson from PWInsider has confirmed that Adam Cole’s 2-out-of-3 Falls Match with Kyle O’Reilly was his final appearance for NXT. Adam Cole reportedly met Vince McMahon earlier this month to discuss his future the company. However, Fightful has confirmed that Cole has not signed any deal with the company till now.
We hope this is true because this is an extremely advantageous position for Adam Cole - creatively and financially. It all depends on who gives him the better offer. AEW can guarantee a better role for him creatively, and he will also get to reunite with his partner Britt Baker.
However, there is a lot of potential for bigger stardom in WWE. If Vince McMahon had a personal meeting with Adam Cole to convince him to sign a new contract, he may have better leverage overall. It's a good sign for Adam Cole.
#3. Hope isn't true: WWE's unexpected plans for Becky Lynch post-SummerSlam
One of the two big returns WWE had at SummerSlam belonged to Becky Lynch. Sasha Banks vs Bianca Belair was advertised as it was up until the announcement in the ring, leading to Becky Lynch's return to WWE.
Becky Lynch returned to WWE after nearly 14 months away, throwing Carmella out of the ring and challenged Bianca Belair to an impromptu SmackDown Women's title match.
Belair obliged and their match ended in less than half a minute, with the SmackDown Women's Championship shockingly changing hands. It was a bit controversial, and so is WWE's reported decision.
According to PWInsider, WWE has reportedly chosen to position Becky Lynch as SmackDown's top heel going forward.
"The new update reveals that The Man [Becky Lynch] will be positioned as the top heel on the SmackDown roster in the future, with Bianca Belair being her first feud."
We hope this is true because the overall handling of the situation at SummerSlam wasn't well done by WWE. To add to it, WWE turning Becky Lynch heel is going to backfire more than it did when she turned heel at SummerSlam 2018.
However, we don't believe this will affect Bianca Belair's WWE standing in the long run.
#2. Hope is true: Bray Wyatt's next destination post-WWE
Bray Wyatt is done in WWE and nearly a month later, it still comes as a big shock. Bray Wyatt was arguably the most shocking WWE release since April 2020, especially since he was considered a "WWE lifer".
However, as we've found out, very few superstars can hold that position. That doesn't mean there aren't windows of opportunity for Bray Wyatt, however. According to Dave Meltzer of WON, Bray Wyatt to AEW isn't a done deal, but it's his most-likely destination once his 90-day non-compete clause with WWE ends:
"It's not 100%. His non-compete's not up, but it's most likely happening. It's at the same stage when I said Aleister Black long before it's happened. It's at the same stage. It's an expectation that's pretty strong. Put it that way," revealed Dave Meltzer.
We hope this is true because we're curious to see what Bray Wyatt can achieve with a new persona post-WWE. It's a huge opportunity for him and AEW is the best destination for him to make his name again.
#2. Hope isn't true: John Cena's immediate WWE future
John Cena was WWE's franchise player for an unprecedented decade. His accomplishments in WWE are unmatched and he truly is in a league of his own.
However, John Cena failed to become the most decorated world champion in WWE and wrestling history as he lost to Roman Reigns in the main event of SummerSlam.
It was also a rare instance of WWE's former franchise player getting squashed by his opponent - something that only Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar have done.
With that loss, the summer of Cena is officially over in WWE. Not only is his run over, but he reportedly may not return to WWE for another run, with a future appearance in Madison Square Garden on the cards. According to PWInsider, John Cena won't be available for a proper WWE return in the near future:
"We are told that Cena is done with future WWE appearances due to filming commitments. Currently, Cena is only scheduled for the 9/10 Friday Night Smackdown taping at Madison Square Garden in New York City." Johnson added, "Beyond that, WWE is going forward with the understanding that he won't be available for them for the foreseeable future due to filming commitments. There is no timetable for another potential return, WWE sources confirmed this evening."
We hope this isn't true, but it was expected news, just as John Cena was expected to lose to Roman Reigns at SummerSlam. With his Hollywood profile growing, John Cena can only be expected for one-off runs in WWE these days.
#1. Hope is true: The reason why WWE brought back Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam
Brock Lesnar is back in WWE after 18 months away. It was massive, as can be seen by the live reaction as well as the online one. WWE's biggest part-timer seems to have finally re-signed a contract, a full year after it quietly expired.
Many wondered whether Becky Lynch and Brock Lesnar's return was WWE's answer to CM Punk's AEW debut. As hinted by Andrew Zarain of the Mat Men podcast, Brock Lesnar's return was WWE's answer to CM Punk's AEW debut.
We hope this is true because it's an incredible response by WWE. While CM Punk's AEW debut undoubtedly stole the entire week, WWE pulling off all the stops at the biggest pay-per-view in 2021 is an indication of how they truly perceive AEW.
As history has shown before, having legitimate competition can always lead to a better product. This can happen if CM Punk and the rest of the AEW roster take the brand to the next level.
There's no doubt as to how big a statement CM Punk's AEW debut was. If Brock Lesnar was WWE's response, then fair game.
#1. Hope isn't true: The reason why WWE didn't go with Brock Lesnar vs Bobby Lashley at SummerSlam
At this rate, WWE fans may have to forego the idea of a Brock Lesnar vs Bobby Lashley match. There have been numerous opportunities to do it - both in 2018 and 2021.
However, Brock Lesnar returned to WWE at the end of SummerSlam 2021 to confront his old rival Roman Reigns. The emotions were high seeing Brock Lesnar's return, but many fans forgot that his feud with Roman Reigns was criticized for being dragged out back in 2018.
But why didn't WWE go with the fresh and exciting Brock Lesnar vs Bobby Lashley match? According to Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observer Radio, the reason why WWE didn't book the dream Lesnar-Lashley match is that they felt The Beast Incarnate shouldn't take a loss against The Almighty one:
"One of the reasons why they went with Bill (Goldberg) instead of Brock against Lashley is because they didn't want to beat Brock Lesnar. Brock winning the championship when he is not going to be around, hardly at all. You know you can do it, and it has been done before, but you know, I wouldn't have recommended it, as opposed to Lashley," Meltzer stated."
While we slightly understand the logic behind it, we hope it isn't true because WWE missed out on a huge opportunity to make Bobby Lashley a bigger star. It would also have been a blockbuster match for SummerSlam 2021.
