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The industry of pro wrestling has evolved so much over the years. Gone are the days when kayfabe used to be a thing as we are in the Reality Era of WWE now where fans are as much as interested to know what's happening off-screen as they are about the on-screen storylines and feuds.
We all have our opinions on how the product should be, how WWE should book certain Superstars and whatnot. Another important aspect is the rumors that keep floating around the Internet. While more often than not these come out to be true, few don't. Of course, plans change on the go in this business, hence not all rumors become news.
With that in mind, I'll be starting this new monthly piece covering major WWE/wrestling news that didn't come true this month and analyzing what if they were true - the impact they could've had on the current product and the storylines.
So let's dive straight into the six WWE rumors that didn't come true in May 2020. Be sure to comment down and let us know your opinions and views on the same!
#6 Apollo Crews to turn heel
Last week on Monday Night RAW, we saw the crowning of the new United States Champion, Apollo Crews - who won his first championship in WWE. Having had a plethora of talent and skills, it's great to see Apollo finally getting a title reign. It's safe to assume that he's one of the biggest babyfaces on the RAW roster after this major win over Andrade.
But as per a rumor earlier this month, WWE was all set to turn Apollo Crews heel and he was also speculated to join MVP's new stable alongside Shane Thorn and Brendan Vink.
"They are turning him. He was going to turn on [Chad] Gable before Vince decided to move him back to RAW."
As it currently stands, this rumor did not come true as we did not see the new United States Champion turn heel this month. With the kind of attention and fan support that he has been getting over the last month or so, keeping him a babyface seems to be the right decision from WWE for the time being. There are several heels on the RAW roster who could feud with Apollo Crews for the United States title and produce some great rivalries and matches. We might see Superstars like Angel Garza, Murphy, Jinder Mahal, and even Seth Rollins challenge him for his championship.
What if WWE had turned Apollo heel?
Had the rumor been true about Apollo Crews turning heel, we probably would not have seen him win the United States Championship from Andrade. While the idea of a trio of underutilized talents in WWE sounds interesting, a heel turn here probably wouldn't have helped him a lot. RAW already has top heel Superstars and factions, and there were chances of Apollo being lost in the shuffle yet again. But at the same time, it would be interesting to see whether WWE turns him heel down the line!
#5 Money in the Bank match to take place throughout the PPV
The 2020 edition of Money in the Bank saw WWE making a unique twist in the ladder matches. For the first time in history, the match took place at the WWE Headquarters with a unique stipulation. The match began on the ground floor and the Superstars were supposed to make their ways to the top of the Titan Towers where a ring was set up with the briefcase hanging on top of it.
The match was pre-taped by the company and was presented in a cinematic manner during the pay-per-view. As per the rumors, the plan at one point was to go back-and-forth between WWE Headquarters and the WWE Performance Center throughout the show, with segments of the MITB match airing in between.
“It’s not gonna be like one segment of Money In The Bank and we’re done. They’re gonna use it like the lure to keep people entertained over the course of the broadcast.”
"It’s gonna start with ‘this is what’s happening at the Titan Tower’ and we’re gonna kinda see an overview of what’s going on there and then we’re gonna go back to the Performance Center and they’re gonna do scenes with picture-in-picture with scenes of what’s going on at Titan Tower while the real-life wrestling is going on live. We’re gonna go back and forth and see the journey of these wrestlers and how they fought and made it up the floors of the building over time.”
The above rumor didn't turn out to be true as WWE aired the MITB match from the headquarters as the main event at the end of the show. Take a look at the hilarious moment where Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles accidentally entered the office of Vince McMahon during the MITB match.
What if WWE had aired the MITB match in segments?
It would've been interesting to see glimpses of the match throughout the show. Of course, there could be arguments like it would've distracted from the matches going on live in the ring, but WWE is trying a lot of interesting concepts during this pandemic and this could've been one as well.
There were mixed reviews from fans and critiques for the cinematic Money in the Bank matches. Some loved it and found it entertaining, while others thought it took away the seriousness of the competition. What were your thoughts on it, dear reader?
#4 AJ Styles the favorite to win the Money in the Bank match
AJ Styles technically main-evented the first night of WWE WrestleMania 36 against The Undertaker in the Boneyard match. The two Superstars had a heated and very personal rivalry on the Road to WrestleMania which resulted in the unique stipulation match. At the Show of Shows, it was the Dead Man who walked out victorious after burying AJ Styles (in kayfabe, of course).
The Phenomenal One was absent from WWE programming for a long time, before returning on the RAW episode before Money in the Bank. He entered the gauntlet match to determine the last entrant in the men's MITB match and won it. With that, fans immediately started speculating him to be the winner.
As per the rumors, AJ Styles was the favorite to walk out as Mr. Money in the Bank 2020. While he came very close to achieving that, he couldn't hold on to it and didn't end up winning the match and the briefcase. A couple of weeks after the PPV, Styles was traded to Friday Night SmackDown and is currently competing in the tournament to determine the new Intercontinental Champion.
What if WWE had made AJ Styles the MITB winner?
While it's great to see WWE trying to go all the way with the popularity of Otis and trying to push him in the best possible way by making him Mr. Money in the Bank, one can't deny that AJ Styles was a more deserving winner. The Phenomenal One with the MITB briefcase could've had a great run with it, potentially cashing in on Drew McIntyre down the line. Being the heel he is, we could've seen WWE recreating the classic cash-in of Edge this time with AJ Styles cashing in on a battered McIntyre after one of his matches.
#3 Otis to cash in on the Tag Team Championships
Otis winning the Money in the Bank briefcase was one of the most unexpected results we saw this year in WWE. While many were skeptical about WWE handing him the opportunity, it surely ensured the chances of something unique happening.
During an interview before Money in the Bank, Otis revealed that if he wins the briefcase, he and Tucker will use it to challenge for the Tag Team Championships.
"If I get the briefcase, we're challenging for the Tag Team titles. I don't think there's a rule of what titles to challenge for, so we're going to challenge for the Tag Team titles, cash it in and that's what's going to happen... if I can get up that ladder. I'm a little scared of heights. And I hope that ladder's going to be sturdy enough to carry my weight."
However, Otis looks to have changed his intentions as we all saw him eyeing opportunities to cash in on the Universal Champion, Braun Strowman. Also, Tucker has been absent from WWE programming ever since. The signs are pointing towards WWE going all-in on a singles run for Otis.
What if Otis went after the WWE SmackDown Tag titles?
While it's great to see Otis trying to make the most of the opportunity in his hands, we might soon be seeing the Heavy Machinery either imploding or fading away into obsoleteness. The MITB winner cashing in on the Tag Team Championships would've surely been a unique thing to do, presumably uplifting the status of the tag team division. Let's wait and watch whether Otis changes his mind on which championship to cash in on in the future.
#2 Rey Mysterio done with WWE after Money in the Bank
Speaking of Money in the Bank, one of the biggest talking points of the match at the WWE Headquarters was the spot where King Corbin threw Aleister Black and Rey Mysterio off the top of the roof of Titan Towers. Of course, there was protection for the Superstars performing the stunt, but in the world of kayfabe, it was a big deal.
There were rumors floating about Rey Mysterio leaving the company, and soon after Money in the Bank was over, there were speculations about the above spot possibly being a unique way for WWE to kill off the character for his real-life exit.
If the rumors are true and Rey Mysterio is possibly on his way out of WWE, killing off his character by throwing him off the roof is certainly a unique exit. I also like that this allows Aleister Black to return as an even darker entity out for revenge for his murder.
Thankfully, this turned out to be just speculation and Rey Mysterio was back on Monday Night RAW the following night - though he got viciously attacked by Seth Rollins that night. Now, WWE has announced a retirement ceremony for the master of the 619 and the Monday Night Messiah is all set to host it. There are a lot of things that could happen at the said segment but all signs are pointing towards this being a big swerve and Mysterio continuing his rivalry with Rollins.
What if Rey Mysterio had left WWE after MITB?
Had the rumor been true and Rey Mysterio were to leave the company after Money in the Bank, it would have been the end of a great run and a Hall of Fame-worthy career in WWE. A potential signing with AEW would've been an option, but it would've resulted in Rey probably never getting the match that he so badly wants - against his son Dominick.
#1 Seth Rollins to turn face
Seth Rollins is someone who has excelled in every persona that he has been given to portray on the WWE programming - be it a vigilante with The Shield, a heel who betrayed his brothers, a Kingslayer, a fighting champion, or the most recent one - the Monday Night Messiah.
At Money in the Bank, Seth Rollins came up short against Drew McIntyre in their WWE Championship match. McIntyre, being the fighting champion, offered a handshake after the match, and despite being a heel, Rollins went ahead and shook his hand.
Next night on RAW, Seth viciously attacked Rey Mysterio and shove his eye on the corner of the steep step, injuring him badly. The Monday Messiah surprisingly went on to apologize to Aleister Black and expressed remorse over his actions - something not expected from a heel. This led to speculations that WWE might be planning a potential face turn for him soon.
When it comes to the Money in the Bank finish, I do think they are still going face despite what happened. The reason I think that is because Seth went to apologize after he injured Rey. I don't know whether this is going to be the whole Bray Wyatt/Fiend thing but he definitely had an out-of-body experience, attacked Rey as he did...but if he was a heel, he would not have apologized.
The above speculation didn't turn out to be true as we saw Seth Rollins continue his heel tendencies, attacking Aleister Black and recruiting Austin Theory as his disciple.
What if WWE had turned Seth Rollins face?
Seth Rollins has been doing an exceptional job with the entire Monday Night Messiah gimmick. We have seen him cut some intense promos stating facts that were tough to deny. A face turn as this point wouldn't have been a great idea as RAW already has many top babyfaces in Drew McIntyre, Asuka, Kevin Owens, and others. A face turn would've also meant that Seth would no longer be able to lead the young Superstars of WWE - something which has been doing wonders for the careers of Murphy and Austin Theory.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
