4 Wrestling rumors we hope are true & 3 we hope aren't: WWE "pushing hard" to sign 5-Time World Champion, Big plans after SummerSlam 2021 revealed?

Welcome to this week's edition of WWE/wrestling rumors we hope are true and those we hope aren't! It's been a wild week in the world of wrestling, and a lot is going on.

WWE is edging closer to WrestleMania Backlash, which is a week away as of this writing. Let's jump right into the rumors of the week including ex-WWE superstars, long-term storyline plans, canceled returns and more:

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#4. Hope is true: WWE "pushing hard" to sign Daniel Bryan to a new deal

Daniel Bryan was reluctant to be in the WrestleMania main event this year

There has been a lot of news about Daniel Bryan's WWE status ever since he lost to Roman Reigns and was booted from Friday Night SmackDown. It marked the end of an incredible 3-year run from his in-ring return. If you count his run as the SmackDown General Manager, then it's five years.

There were reports that Daniel Bryan's WWE contract legitimately expired after his loss to Roman Reigns on SmackDown. It came as little surprise since Daniel Bryan was open about his desire to shift into a part-time role and potentially even wrestle for other promotions.

Some believe that Daniel Bryan's statements about working outside of WWE is purely a negotiation tactic, since he's highly valued by the company and would be given big money even if he transitioned into being a part-timer.

According to Dave Meltzer of WON, WWE is pushing to re-sign Daniel Bryan to a new deal and is looking to lock it in sooner rather than later. Sportskeeda's Matt Black wrote:

"In an update to the situation, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reports that WWE is 'pushing hard' to sign Daniel Bryan to a new deal sooner rather than later."

We hope this is true since WWE is the best place for Daniel Bryan to be in as he enjoys a few more years in the ring on a limited schedule. It's been ten years for him in the company and it's hard to argue that he doesn't deserve it.

When taking into consideration the health factor, it's a bigger incentive for WWE to give him what he wants. Dave Meltzer noted that if there was no pandemic, Daniel Bryan would likely have competed in venues such as the Tokyo Dome and taken a chance outside of WWE.

#3. Hope isn't true: WWE's plans for SummerSlam and after

The second biggest show of the year

This is a tricky decision for WWE, and a tricky one to judge as well. WrestleMania 37 marked the first WWE show in over a year to have a large number of fans in attendance - even though the capacity was limited to 1/3rd of what it usually is.

With WWE back in the ThunderDome, a lot of questions were brought up about when they plan to resume their touring schedule. It was revealed that the next time WWE hosts a show with fans, it will be their full return to the touring schedule.

As of now, the target seems to be SummerSlam 2021 as the starting point. WrestleVotes reported that this summer could be when WWE returns to touring:

"WWE is looking to have SummerSlam be the official kickoff as a 'return to touring.' With that said, if things work out a certain way, the PPV might be even earlier than usual this year. I’ve heard 3 to 4 locations are on the table, with 1 having better odds than the others."

We hope this isn't true, unless it's done with full precautions. The United States of America is no longer the worst-hit COVID country in the world, and certain states have opened up sporting events to full capacity.

It will be interesting to see how WWE handles it, but full-capacity shows may need to be avoided for a while.

#3. Hope is true: Kenny Omega to face a recently-released WWE Star?

Kenny Omega

Kenny Omega is on top of the wrestling world outside of WWE. He is the most decorated World Champion (including WWE) right now, holding world titles across three promotions - AEW, Impact Wrestling and AAA.

A recently-released WWE superstar is gunning for Kenny Omega. Andrade will be a part of AAA's event TripleMania this year, and there could be something big planned for him.

Even though Kenny Omega is a three-promotion world champion, it's clear that the Impact Wrestling World Title and the AAA Mega Championship are temporary and short-term for him.

He will be expected to drop both at some point, with AEW being his biggest focus. Dave Meltzer has revealed that Andrade vs Kenny Omega for the AAA Mega Championship is being targeted for TripleMania. Sportskeeda's Shiven Sachdeva wrote:

"The biggest news coming out of Rey de Reyes was the beginning of the angle for a planned Kenny Omega vs. Andrade El Idolo AAA Mega heavyweight championship match at TripleMania," stated Meltzer.

We hope this is true because Andrade could be the man to dethrone Kenny Omega - giving a huge boost to his life outside of WWE. He has all the star potential, and he could reach a new level faster than we think.

#2. Hope isn't true: The reason why WWE didn't feature Aleister Black on the Throwback SmackDown

Aleister Black

A notable absence from WWE's "throwback" SmackDown was Aleister Black. While there was speculation about his return, not even a promo package featuring him was aired.

Throwback SmackDown would have been a great way to re-introduce Aleister Black - who has now been away from WWE TV for over half a year. It will be interesting to see how he is handled upon his return, especially since it was rumored that he fell out of favor with Vince McMahon. Interestingly, McMahon only pushed him in WWE to begin with because of Paul Heyman.

PWInsider reported that the latest video package featuring Aleister Black was scheduled to air on SmackDown, but WWE canceled it due to early segments running long.

Sportskeeda's Alex Turk wrote:

"According to PWInsider, WWE initially expected the latest video package involving Black to air last night. However, it was pulled at the last minute due to a few of SmackDown's early segments running long."

We hope this isn't true because it would have only taken 3-4 minutes to give Aleister Black that screen time. It seems like poor time management on WWE's part.

#2. Hope is true: AEW talents' backstage reaction to Daniel Bryan's WWE status

What do the AEW superstars think of Daniel Bryan's chances of joining the promotion?

Now that Daniel Bryan's WWE contract has expired, he's free to do as he pleases. Even during his retirement between 2016-2018, he was under contract and WWE didn't want to let him go.

Luckily for Daniel Bryan, he was cleared for an in-ring return to WWE and subsequently re-signed a 3-year deal that just expired in 2021. The first two options outside of WWE were always going to be AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling.

AEW has a lot of dream matches for Daniel Bryan, while NJPW will allow him to use a style that he prefers.

Per a report from Fightful Select, two AEW talents gave their thoughts on Daniel Bryan potentially signing with the company. One even said that they heard Daniel Bryan was, in fact, staying with WWE:

"Two AEW talent we spoke with said they fully expect Bryan to remain with WWE, with one outright saying they’ve heard he’s staying with WWE. Of course we’ve not been able to confirm that, as it’s just speculation."

We hope this is true because WWE seems to be the best final destination for Daniel Bryan before he hangs up his boots for good.

#1. Hope isn't true: Paul Heyman told a WWE superstar that his character was dead

Paul Heyman

Around the end of 2019, Sin Cara got his wish and was released from WWE. It ended the Sin Cara character in WWE and was for the best. Right around the end of his run, Sin Cara was on RAW and he aligned with WWE's first Chilean wrestler, Katrina, in what was supposed to be her main roster debut.

As it turns out, she was brought in just so that the duo could help elevate Andrade and Zelina Vega - neither of whom are in WWE anymore. A report from Fightful Select seemed to confirm WWE's lack of plans for Sin Cara. It went on to state that then-RAW Executive Director Paul Heyman told him that his character was dead.

Sportskeeda's Lennard Surrao wrote:

"WWE booked Sin Cara and Katrina together just to get Andrade and Zelina Vega over. Beyond the said objective, WWE had no long-term plans for the two. Fightful Select's story also revealed that Paul Heyman himself told Cara backstage that the Sin Cara character was 'dead.'"

We hope this isn't true because it's the ultimate form of disrespect to Sin Cara, or any performer for that matter. It seems to validate AJ Styles' previous comments against Paul Heyman for his time as the RAW Executive Director.

#1. Hope is true: WWE's long-term plan for R-K-Bro

An unexpectedly good combination

R-K-Bro has taken the WWE Universe by storm. The odd pairing tag team is already one of the hottest acts on RAW and fans seem excited about what lies ahead.

The big concern is as to whether it will be a short-term tag team - something that's highly likely given WWE's history of long-term alliances. Dave Meltzer of WON stated that the plan is for R-K-Bro to eventually get into the RAW Tag Team Title picture:

"For the Raw tag titles, A.J. Styles & Omos beat The New Day in a manner where you wouldn’t think of a rematch given two straight clean finishes. It feels early to go with Randy Orton & Riddle as challengers, although at some point that does look like a destination." Meltzer stated.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider had a similar report, stating that R-K-Bro is set for a sizeable push in WWE and that it isn't a short-term plan. Sportskeeda's Matt Black wrote:

"According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, the tag team isn't scheduled to be a short-term storyline as WWE plans to give R-K-Bro a 'sizable push' going forward. It was also reported that R-K-Bro merchandise is already in production and will be on sale soon."

We hope this is true because it's a rare moment of something unlikely clicking instantly. It will help elevate Riddle, and if WWE can play it out and have a long-term storyline, it's the best utilization of a legend like Randy Orton.