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Welcome back to another stacked edition of Sportskeeda's daily news roundup as we look at the top stories doing the rounds in and around WWE.
A top RAW superstar has apparently been tipped to become the next Shawn Michaels in the professional wrestling world. Elsewhere, we might also have a spoiler regarding Roman Reigns' upcoming title defense against Logan Paul and a few other matches from the Crown Jewel card.
The injured Cody Rhodes returns to the roundup column today as the American Nightmare came out and debunked a massive rumor about his AEW exit.
#1. Kurt Angle says Seth Rollins is the next Shawn Michaels
Seth Rollins has been one of WWE's most consistent performers in recent years. The multi-time world champion has mastered the art of reinventing his characters while also maintaining high standards in the ring.
Kurt Angle recently referred to Rollins as the second coming of Shawn Michaels and praised the former Shield member's abilities as a well-rounded wrestling star. Despite Seth Rollins' impressive resume, Angle felt that the 36-year-old talent still had some way to go before he could genuinely match HBK's body of work.
"You know what? It's not too much of a leap to say that he is the next Shawn Michaels. I believe he will be eventually. He is not there yet because Shawn put in a lot more years. So you know, 30-something years," said Angle. [From 9:35 to 9:50]
Seth Rollins has been among the world's best wrestlers for several years and has always delivered high-rate matches against all kinds of opponents. Shawn Michaels also had a reputation for having incredible in-ring chemistry with most of his rivals.
Kurt Angle further explained that just like Michaels, Rollins also gets the best out of his adversaries in WWE.
"He does remind me of Shawn because everybody he wrestles, he has five-star matches with. I mean, when you have that kind of chemistry with everyone, you're an incredible performer. And I think Seth Rollins is a lot like Shawn Michaels," added Angle. [From 9:51 to 10:03]
Seth Rollins is inarguably in his prime right now, and it's pretty fascinating to imagine how the next phase of his career will pan out. Could he even outshine the legendary Heartbreak Kid? Only time will tell.
#2. Betting odds for WWE Crown Jewel reveal possible spoilers
Roman Reigns and Logan Paul will headline the next event in Saudi Arabia, and based on betting odds, WWE's Tribal Chief is the clear favorite to retain his undisputed championship.
While Logan Paul could have a decent showing against WWE's most dominant star, the company is unlikely to book a shocking title change. It should be noted that betting odds don't guarantee winners but have proven to be the leading indicators of the eventual outcome.
Elsewhere on the card, The OC, Brock Lesnar, Drew McIntyre, and Braun Strowman are listed as favorites in their respective matches.
Given below are the updated betting odds, as per BetOnline:
- Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match: Roman Reigns (C) -5000 vs. Logan Paul +1000
- Six-Man Tag Team Match: The O.C. -400 vs. Judgment Day +250
- Singles Match: Brock Lesnar -400 vs. Bobby Lashley +250
- Steel Cage Match: Karrion Kross +110 vs. Drew McIntyre -130
- Singles Match: Omos +400 vs. Braun Strowman -700
The odds for the undisputed tag team and RAW Women's Championship matches have not been released as of this writing. There is also the possibility of new bouts being announced on the go-home RAW and SmackDown episodes, and as always, we'll keep you updated.
#3. Cody Rhodes reveals the reason why he left AEW
The chaotic situation in AEW surrounding The Elite has given rise to rumors of Cody Rhodes' alleged dissension with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. Many speculated that Rhodes chose to leave AEW due to his real-life issues with his former colleagues, but that is far from the truth.
The American Nightmare took to Twitter to clarify that Omega and Bucks had no role in his decision to depart All Elite Wrestling. Rhodes, in fact, continues to share a close bond with the AEW stars, and he was admittedly proud of what they'd built together.
The former AEW TNT Champion also alluded to the real reason why he chose to return to WWE, as you can view in his tweet below:
"I didn't leave because of the Bucks/Kenny. I'm forever bonded to those men over what we created, and I remain very proud of it, and I didn't leave because of/or have issues with Punk. We got along. Not money, not booking, just a personal issue and my wanting to go for the big one," Rhodes tweeted.
Cody Rhodes has been on the shelf since Hell in a Cell and is working extra hard to get medical clearance from WWE's doctors to wrestle again. A Royal Rumble return looks probable for the 37-year-old star, and he will surely get one of the loudest pops if his music does play that night.
Rhodes was treated like a top star before his hiatus, and most fans hope Triple H pushes him in the same manner once he's back on TV.
Do you see it happening? Sound off in the comments section below.
