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Welcome to this week's edition of WWE/wrestling rumors we hope are true and those we hope aren't. With Money in the Bank now behind us, the build-up to the second biggest show of the wrestling calendar year, SummerSlam, has already begun.
It's going to be an action-packed month of programming in July, so expect a lot of rumors to emerge in the process. We start this week with plans for SummerSlam, WrestleMania 39, returning superstars, as well as backstage reports and canceled plans.
In this article, we look at 4 wrestling rumors we hope are true and 3 we hope aren't.
#4 Hope is true: WWE's plans for Liv Morgan at SummerSlam 2022
Liv Morgan won the Money in the Bank ladder match and cashed in the briefcase on the same night. Morgan continued the tradition of women in WWE cashing in the briefcase the same night that they won it, with the exception of Carmella.
She also became only the third woman in WWE to pin Ronda Rousey after Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. Now that she is the SmackDown Women's Champion, what's next for her? Even without a Rousey heel turn, Morgan is reportedly slated for a SummerSlam title defense against the megastar.
According to Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE is reportedly planning for Liv Morgan to face Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam:
"Right now, the plan is Liv Morgan and Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam, which kind of surprises me in a lot of ways. Especially because they didn’t leave with any heat. Ronda just hugged her, walked out of the ring, and let her have her moment."
He continued by stating that it was a surprise as fans thought Charlotte Flair would return to face Rousey at SummerSlam:
"It is interesting though, as I think almost everybody figured it was going to be Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey at SummerSlam, and it’s not." (H/T: Ringside News)
We hope this is true because it's a good direction to go in and hopefully one that will result in a good storyline. It's a fresh match-up for Rousey as well, and one that should be entertaining.
#3 Hope isn't true: Plans for John Cena delayed until WrestleMania 39?
John Cena returned to RAW before Money in the Bank 2022 in Laredo, Texas, to celebrate his 20-year anniversary with the company. His appearance boosted ticket sales, proving that he is still a big draw. Cena had a backstage interaction with Theory in a feud that has been teased for a while now on social media.
With Theory having lost the United States Title to Bobby Lashley and then going on to win the Money in the Bank briefcase, the assumption was that Cena would return for a SummerSlam program against Mr. McMahon's handpicked future star. However, a new report has revealed that the program could be drawn out for much longer.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON), John Cena vs Theory could be delayed until WrestleMania 39:
"However, [John] Cena is not announced for any future TV dates and given how many tickets he moved in Laredo, if he was announced for a show, he’d move more tickets right now than anyone except Dwayne Johnson. So it makes no sense not to advertise him. But they wouldn’t do such a match without more of an angle. So the match, which is clearly a direction, may also be delayed for WrestleMania," stated Meltzer
We hope this isn't true because it's far too long to wait for a build-up. However, if Cena isn't available, then all WWE can do is continue teasing the match until it's actually a realistic possibility.
#3 Hope is true: Positive backstage reception to Stephanie McMahon's talent meeting
Stephanie McMahon is the new Interim CEO and Chairman of WWE, presumably until Vince McMahon steps right back into his role. However, if that doesn't happen, she will continue to be the most powerful person in professional wrestling.
Seeing as how the Vince McMahon incident shook things up backstage, Stephanie McMahon has seemingly felt the need to establish her leadership in the company.
According to Fightful Select, Stephanie McMahon held a backstage talent meeting involving Triple H and Nick Khan, and it was well-received. Sportskeeda's Matt Black wrote:
"According to Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp (via Fightful Select), in addition to Stephanie, both Triple H and Nick Khan were part of the meeting, and those who have spoken to SRS have said the meeting was "positively received." While all three are reportedly well-liked backstage, Stephanie is "outright adored" based on those Sapp spoke to."
We hope this is true because it's a great and positive start to what is hopefully a new era for the company.
#2 Hope isn't true: WWE's abrupt decision to cancel stipulation plans for the tag team title match at MITB
The Usos defeated The Street Profits in another epic match between the two teams at Money in the Bank 2022. What went unnoticed by many, however, was the fact that the challengers were supposed to choose a stipulation for their bout.
Montez Ford's win over Jimmy Uso on the go-home episode of RAW to MITB meant that the former champions could have chosen a stipulation. Instead, it was a regular tag team match.
According to Fightful, WWE quietly canceled plans for a stipulation for the tag team championship bout at MITB. Sportskeeda's Rosanne Raphael wrote:
"According to a report by Fightful, WWE scrapped plans for The Street Profits to set the stipulation for the championship bout at MITB. Instead, The Usos beat The Street Profits in a standard tag team match to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship."
We hope this isn't true, but given that it turned out to be a regular match, it definitely is true.
#2 Hope is true: WWE's positive interaction with Tony Khan for John Cena tribute videos
John Cena's 20th anniversary saw an outpouring of love and support for the former franchise player of WWE. Apart from just fans, there were several legends of the past who Cena faced that paid tribute to him via a pre-recorded video.
Of all the legends, Big Show, Chris Jericho, and Daniel Bryan nka Bryan Danielson were the AEW stars that were seen praising Cena. It was a bit surprising that AEW stars were allowed to appear on WWE TV, even if it was a pre-recorded video. However, it was reportedly a smooth process.
A report from Fightful Select revealed that the process was very straightforward:
"We're told that the situation was very straightforward in making it happen. The idea was pitched, and then AEW founder Tony Khan was contacted in order to see if he'd be okay with it. Given the circumstances surrounding the videos, he was said to be okay with the videos and provided approval. A WWE source told us that they were able to land virtually everyone they hoped to for the 'congrats' videos. These instances have been few and far between since AEW launched in 2019."
We hope this is true because it's always good to hear about healthy conversations between the two pro wrestling giants.
#1 Hope isn't true: Chaos backstage at Money in the Bank 2022?
Money in the Bank 2022 turned out to be one of the better shows of the year. WWE has generally done well with premium live events this year.
Their momentum continued, but there were reports of a chaotic environment backstage as there were no production meetings as there normally are. A report stated that the environment backstage in WWE was a little more chaotic than usual ahead of Money in the Bank 2022:
"The backstage scene at Money In the Bank has been described as a little more chaotic than usual compared to recent PPVs. There was no production meeting early in the day per normal. Some matches were still being worked out as of an hour ago, which is much later than usual as well."
We hope this isn't true because it's not good to have a chaotic environment backstage. However, it didn't stop them from putting on a good show.
#1 Hope is true: Bayley's return to WWE status
It's been over a year since Bayley last wrestled a match, and she hasn't competed in front of a crowd for close to two-and-a-half years now. She was one of WWE's MVPs during the Thunderdome era, and she suffered an injury on July 9, 2021 - right before the crowds returned.
It's been almost a year since her injury, and many fans are hoping for the return of Bayley, who was one of the central figures of the women's division from 2019 to 2021. There is finally some good news regarding that.
According to Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the Grand Slam Champion is expected to return soon:
''Bayley should be back somewhat soon,'' said Meltzer
We hope this is true because the women's division hasn't been the same without her. She will slot in perfectly regardless of which brand she competes in.
