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Welcome to the latest edition of WWE Rumor Review, where we'll review some of the top rumors from a few months ago and analyze how they have fared so far. In this edition, we'll look at the rumors surrounding Roman Reigns' historic title reign.
Along with that, we'll also check out the rumors that originated about Jeff Hardy bringing a new gimmick to the table and also the clarification of Bianca Belair's status after the WWE Draft.
So, without further ado, let's dive into some of the top rumors.
#5. Rey Mysterio's rumored injury
Around the time of the WWE Draft last year, Rey Mysterio was involved in a feud with Sami Zayn alongside his son, Dominik. Dominik suffered three losses in a row to Zayn that built up his frustrations with Rey. The two even had an argument on the September 24th episode of SmackDown.
During that time, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that Rey Mysterio was away from the in-ring competition for some time due to an undisclosed medical condition.
The report turned out to be true as Mysterio didn't compete for a few weeks and was even pulled from a live event in Puerto Rico where he was scheduled to wrestle. He returned to action on the October 8th episode of SmackDown, where he lost to Zayn.
#4. Rumors of Retro RAW return
WWE has presented nostalgia-driven special episodes of Monday Night RAW over the years, which sees the returns of legends and Hall of Famers. RAW Legends Night, held on January 4th, 2021, saw the return of Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Goldberg and many more.
Wrestling Observer's Andrew Zarian reported that Retro RAW could be returning in January 2022 but did not mention any details on what fans could expect from the show.
While it could've been a good move on WWE's part to cash-in on the nostalgia and have an episode of Retro RAW, that didn't end up happening. However, on the 1500th episode of RAW held in late February, we saw the return of Edge in the lead-up to WrestleMania.
#3. Clarification on Bianca Belair's status
In the 2021 WWE Draft, Bianca Belair was drafted to RAW from SmackDown. However, she was also scheduled to compete at Crown Jewel for the blue brand's top championship.
On the October 11th episode of RAW, Belair was shockingly omitted from the graphic showcasing the new roster, leading to speculation about where she would end up.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that The EST would indeed be a part of the red brand despite her competing for the SmackDown Women's Championship.
Belair lost the title match and moved to RAW where she feuded with Becky Lynch, thereby confirming the report. She ultimately went on to capture the RAW Women's Championship from Lynch at WrestleMania earlier this year.
#2. Jeff Hardy's new WWE gimmick
Jeff Hardy was part of Monday Night RAW ahead of last year's WWE Draft. He spent a major portion of the year on the lower midcard and was even part of the 24/7 title segment that infuriated a lot of fans. But everyone was thrilled when he was drafted to SmackDown as part of the Draft.
Even before moving to the blue brand, he cut a promo on RAW teasing a potential new gimmick on Friday Nights. Cageside Seats reported that Hardy could be bringing his Willow persona, which he'd made famous in IMPACT Wrestling, to SmackDown.
"Based on Jeff Hardy’s promo on Monday’s Raw and an interview with the NC Culture State podcast where he talked about the character, there’s a lot of speculation Hardy could use his Willow gimmick on SmackDown," Cageside Seats reported.
However, contrary to speculation, The Charismatic Enigma never brought back the Willow gimmick and was eventually released from WWE in December 2021 after an incident at a House Show.
#1. Spoiler on Roman Reigns' title reign
During the course of his historic reign as Universal Champion, Roman Reigns fought many adversaries, including the likes of John Cena, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan, Edge and more. But none of them threatened his reign like Brock Lesnar did.
So when the two behemoths were set to battle at Crown Jewel 2021, there was a lot of speculation that his title reign could be in jeopardy, with people expecting Paul Heyman to turn on him and align with The Beast Incarnate.
WrestlingNews.co reported during that time that The Head of the Table was set to continue enjoying his run at the top as WWE had no plans of taking the title away from him for a while.
Fast forward to today, and The Tribal Chief is fast approaching the two-year mark. His last title defense at a premium live event was against Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing match at SummerSlam. He is currently scheduled to defend his title against Drew McIntyre at WWE Clash at the Castle on September 3rd.
