'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Welcome to this week's edition of WWE/wrestling rumors we hope are true and those we hope aren't. We're in the final month on the road to WrestleMania 38, and things are beginning to heat up.
This week's edition includes reports of a possibly huge return at WrestleMania 38 after six years, a bizarre contract offer from Vince McMahon, the status of a few superstars for WrestleMania, plans after the grandest stage of them all, and more:
#4. Hope is true: Former WWE star "internally listed" for WrestleMania 38?
Trending
WrestleMania 38 is now less than a month away. As WWE goes all in with the build-up to the "stupendous" two-night event, there are still a lot of things that could be up in the air.
One such instance is that of the status of former and possibly soon-to-be WWE star Cody Rhodes. While a report indicated that the return has fizzled out and may not happen, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter stated that it's all still in the works.
RSN reported that a backstage source informed them that Cody Rhodes is "internally listed" for WrestleMania 38:
"I know what’s scheduled for Cody for Mania, and that it’s still on the list. If it’s changed, no one has told us yet or corrected the internal documents. Cody, as of an hour ago, still on internal documents for WrestleMania,” stated the report.
We hope this is true because it would be the biggest possible return at the biggest possible stage. With that said, we wouldn't blame WWE for saving his return until the RAW after WrestleMania 38.
#3. Hope isn't true: Vince McMahon's bizarre 15-year contract offer to a retired legend
Vince McMahon doesn't make too many lucrative offers unless he truly feels that a superstar is worth it. In this particular scenario, we're talking about the soon-to-be WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker.
Vince McMahon has never made it a secret about his admiration for The Undertaker, and he will make an unprecedented move by inducting The Phenom into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Dave Meltzer of WON stated that when The Undertaker began making appearances outside of WWE post-retirement, the Chairman wasn't happy and went out of his way to offer a 15-year contract even though he wasn't going to wrestle again:
''He (The Undertaker) was considered so valuable that when his contract expired a few years ago an,d he started booking his own dates, including a date for a Starrcast convention in conjunction with an AEW PPV show, McMahon immediately made him an offer for an unprecedented 15-year contract even though he was never going to wrestle again,'' said Meltzer
We hope this isn't true because it's a bizarre offer to make for a retired superstar, no matter how legendary The Undertaker is.
#3. Hope is true: WWE's plans after the World title unification at WrestleMania
Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns will enter unchartered territory at WrestleMania 38. It will be a rare World Championship unification match at the Grandest Stage Of Them All, and it is being advertised as the biggest WrestleMania match of all time.
It isn't, but it's good to market it as such. What is for sure is that it's the biggest bout between the two biggest stars of this generation. However, many fans don't like the idea of a single world champion across two brands.
Fortunately, that may not be much of a worry. Given the lucrative broadcasting network deals that WWE receives from FOX for SmackDown and the USA Network for RAW, there is a need for two world champions. According to a report from Dave Meltzer, there still will be two world champions post-WrestleMania:
“I was told that it is not feasible in the modern environment to not have each brand, given the two networks, have a champion. So this will be a unification match, and then they will, not forget about it, but there will be two champions,” said Meltzer. [H/T WrestleTalk]
We hope this is true because it's the most sensible way to go about it. It simply implies that the Universal title lineage will end and there will be a new World Championship introduced soon after WrestleMania 38.
#2. Hope isn't true: Update on Asuka's WrestleMania status
Asuka has been out of action due to an injury for a while now. While there were earlier reports indicating that she is cleared and is simply waiting for a creative plan, that may not be the case anymore.
Asuka is one of the most accomplished women in WWE history, but she has been out of action and hasn't appeared in 2022 at all. As per a new report from Fightful, Asuka is one of two superstars who are still on the inactive list.
Sportskeeda's Soumik Datta wrote:
"The latest update from Fightful has suggested that Asuka hasn't been cleared to make her return to in-ring action. New Day's Xavier Woods is one of the superstars whose name has recently been removed from WWE's inactive list. But that isn't the case for the multi-time women's champion."
We hope this isn't true because it almost guarantees that The Empress Of Tomorrow won't be appearing at WrestleMania 38. Even if she is fit, the fact that both singles and tag team title matches for the women are set means that there won't be anything big in store for her.
#2. Hope is true: An interesting WWE title match advertisement that indicates post-WrestleMania plans
On the topic of a second world title, we're not exactly sure how it will play out. It seems unlikely that the Universal title lineage will continue, as the WWE Championship has always been the most prestigious prize in the entire industry.
An advertisement for late April 2022 showed Seth Rollins vs Bobby Lashley vs AJ Styles as the World title match. It could indicate bigger things to come post-WrestleMania:
"According to Wrestling Inc., Seth Rollins vs. Bobby Lashley vs. AJ Styles for the coveted title is being promoted for a live event on Saturday, April 30 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida."
We hope this is true because the three men listed are all multi-time world champions and are the perfect stars to contend for whichever World Championship RAW will have post-WrestleMania.
#1. Hope isn't true: Triple H's heart situation
This is going to be the third WrestleMania in a row without Triple H. By the time 2020 had come around, The Game admitted that he was glad not to be a part of the WrestleMania 36 card and that he was satisfied with his backstage role.
Things are massively different for him in 2022 as the revamp of NXT happened while he was away, still recovering from major issues with his heart. Dave Meltzer stated on the Wrestling Observer Radio that his heart issues are still in a place where he can't realistically compete at WrestleMania this year:
“No, Triple H would be a terrible idea. I mean his heart situation is, he can’t. I don’t want to say never because that’s unfair because maybe he can do something but that would be a horrible idea for him and it’s not gonna happen this year. There’s no way,” said Dave Meltzer.
We hope this isn't true, but also understand that his health is far more important than WrestleMania. Hopefully, Triple H recovers soon enough and is able to have a deserving send-off at WrestleMania.
#1. Hope is true: 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin's best friend on his WrestleMania status
It's been a while since we've seen 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin at WrestleMania. Given that the show this year is in his home state of Texas, it led to a lot of speculation and eventually rumors that he was originally penciled in to make an in-ring return against Kevin Owens.
There was a lot of skepticism about it, and those rumors soon fizzled out. It's still believed that he will appear in some capacity to presumably hit Kevin Owens with the stunner. However, Dave Meltzer reported that according to Austin's close friend Jim Ross, he won't be making his in-ring return:
"As of right now, this is not certain to be a match although there will be a confrontation. Austin has been very careful for years not to put himself in a position to be disappointing to fans and has not agreed to do it as a match as best we know. It is unknown the final form but the belief is it will be more than just Austin giving Owens a stunner, although that will be the final payoff most likely. But WWE wants a match."
We hope this is true because, as good as it would be to see Steve Austin return to the ring after 19 years, it simply shouldn't happen. Austin is one of the rarest legends to stay true to his retirement, and it's better for him to do a one-off appearance.
