WWE News & Rumor Roundup – 5-time champion 'heavily considering' AEW, Original retirement plans for Big E, Star might not be at WrestleMania 38 (December 24th, 2021)

We're back to a special Christmas edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's daily WWE News & Rumor Roundup.

A recently released WWE Superstar is reportedly considering making a move to AEW. Reigning WWE champion Big E opened up about his retirement plans and when he originally wanted to hang up his wrestling boots.

We also have some exciting speculation regarding Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar's absorbing storyline. What will Paul Heyman do in the coming months? Multiple possibilities have been explored in the roundup.

Booker T said fans should not expect to see a former WWE Champion at WrestleMania 38.

Samoa Joe's recent spotting has given rise to speculation regarding his status, and we ideally concluded today's roundup with an update on the Samoan Submission Machine.

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#5. Former WWE star Johnny Gargano is considering going to AEW

Johnny Gargano ended an eventful run with WWE earlier this month as he chose not to re-sign with the company. Gargano is presently a free agent, and Dave Meltzer revealed that the former NXT star is angling towards working with AEW.

During the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer said that the five-time champion in WWE was 'heavily considering" a move to Tony Khan's promotion:

"Just things he's said both publicly and privately, I mean I know he's heavily considering going to AEW, put it that way." (H/t Cultaholic)

Gargano has been quite active on Twitch since leaving WWE. The former NXT star is expected to take a short break as he's expecting his first child with his wife Candice LeRae.

There are no updates on whether AEW has offered Johnny Gargano a contract. However, the superstar's recent comments have made his intentions reasonably clear.

Gargano has name-dropped multiple AEW stars and has teased the possibility of extending his rivalry with Tommaso Ciampa outside WWE.

AEW seems like the most likely destination for Johnny Gargano, but will he be able to stand out on a stacked roster? Only time will tell.

#4. WWE Champion Big E reveals original retirement plans

Big E is currently having the best phase of his career as WWE Champion, but the superstar would've missed the moment if he stuck to his original retirement plans.

During a recent interview with The Sun, Big E revealed that he initially wanted to end his career at the age of 35. The RAW star felt his body wouldn't hold up in the wrestling business and had chalked up plans to conclude his in-ring career early:

"I was talking to one of our refs, Rod Zapata, and I've known him since I got to FCW, so I've known him for 12 years. We've talked about how I'd spoken about getting out at 35, but I think, in many ways, a lot of wrestlers' primes are like 35, 40. We're seeing Bobby Lashley now having his best run in his mid-40s."

Big E is now 35 and desires to wrestle for a few more years as he feels excellent physically:

"I've got a few more years left in me. I don't really know when that time will be but, when you're 23, 35 feels like it's ages from now and that you'll be an old man and beat up. So 35 felt like, at the time, a good time to get out, and I don't want to overstay my welcome."

The former WWE Tag Team Champion also addressed the possibility of becoming a manager after his in-ring stint. Big E said he'd be open to any role in the future as he wants to stay close to professional wrestling and the WWE:

"It's an incredible business and I'd love to find some way to stay involved, but maybe life takes me in another direction. I just want to be open to everything."

Big E is slated to defend his title against three other superstars at the WWE Day 1 pay-per-view and will walk into the event as the odds-on favorite.

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#3. Booker T on why The Undertaker might not wrestle at WrestleMania 38

The Undertaker seemingly announced his retirement at Survivor Series 2020, but fans still expect to see The Deadman wrestle another match or two.

Booker T, however, revealed on his podcast that he doesn't see The Undertaker returning for a match at WWE WrestleMania 38. The WWE Hall of Famer said that while The Phenom could still deliver a few more bouts, it'd be too soon for him to make an in-ring comeback.

Booker T explained that even if The Undertaker decides to lace up his wrestling boots again, the return match won't feel special and would fail to invoke some nostalgia amongst WWE fans:

"Honestly, I don't think we're going to see The Undertaker in-ring at WrestleMania 38. The thing is, can The Undertaker come back and have one more match? I'm sure he could. That's what wrestlers do, whether they can do it or not, it's almost, like, 'Okay, there's the ring right there, just push me, and I'll do the rest.' (laughs) That's the way wrestlers are. Can The Undertaker go out there and do another match? Yes, I think he could. But I think for the nostalgia of The Undertaker, it's too early to see him in the ring and really get the bang for our buck. If he came back and did it now, I don't think we'll get that same feeling."

The Undertaker's last WWE match was against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36, where the two veterans battled in a memorable cinematic contest.

The Boneyard Match would be a fitting way to end The Undertaker's career, but could we still hope to see the 56-year-old legend in a proper wrestling match for the last time?

#2. Backstage Update on Samoa Joe's WWE status

Samoa Joe hasn't stepped foot inside a WWE ring since relinquishing the NXT title in September due to an undisclosed injury.

The former champion was recently spotted at the Performance Center for the NXT Tryouts, which has unsurprisingly given rise to rumors about his status.

Dave Meltzer revealed that Joe was re-hired by WWE primarily for a non-wrestling role. Joe's recent sighting at the tryouts indicates that he could work with the coaches to groom the fresh talent signed by WWE.

While Joe is gradually transitioning to a backstage role, he could still wrestle again as the superstar is yet to announce his retirement officially. The former United States Champion is reportedly not done with his in-ring career, but his injury record could prove to be a hindrance.

NXT is focussing on pushing younger stars, and the 42-year-old Samoa Joe could be a vital asset for the WWE behind the scenes in the developmental system.

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#1. Speculation on Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar's feud, Paul Heyman twist, and more

Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar's storyline continues to get better with each passing week as The Tribal Chief recently fired Paul Heyman.

Dave Meltzer opened up about the various possibilities for the angle in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

As reported, WWE wants Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar to main event WrestleMania 38. The company has many creative options on the table to build towards the massive clash.

The upcoming Day 1 title match is expected to have a big finish, and Meltzer speculated that Heyman could end up costing Lesnar the championship.

While Lesnar could win the belt to take the story in a different direction, it was stated that Heyman 'double-crossing' his former client is the logical booking decision, which could happen either at Day 1 or at WrestleMania 38:

"There are different ways they can go, including a Lesnar title win to set up a WrestleMania rematch, or Lesnar on the verge of winning and it comes out that the Heyman firing was a ruse and he double-crosses Lesnar. The idea should be what is the best way to build WrestleMania. It could also be that a Heyman double-cross of Lesnar could be saved for WrestleMania."

What do you think happens in Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar's rivalry? How should WWE book Paul Heyman in this scenario? Share your predictions in the comments section below.