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Welcome to another edition of the WWE Rumor Roundup where we bring the biggest rumors and backstage stories from the world of WWE. The biggest stories of this week are the unceremonious release of former Universal Champion Bray Wyatt and the unexpected release of Hall of Famer Ric Flair.
Wyatt had been missing from WWE for months. It was believed he would return once the crowd returned, but WWE released him instead.
We will take an in-depth look at what went wrong in today's edition, among many more interesting topics including the speculation that Brock Lesnar could be AEW-bound.
#5 Is former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar joining AEW?
A user on the Wrestling Observer's message board suggested that former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar is heading to AEW according to a '20-year' source. This led to rampant speculation on Lesnar's future. Rumors stated that Lesnar would join CM Punk and Daniel Bryan in AEW.
However, Andrew Zarian of Mat Men podcast has put an end to them. He said Lesnar has not signed any deal with AEW. The two parties may have spoken in passing, but nothing concrete came of it.
“I can tell you right now that Brock Lesnar has not signed with AEW," said Zarian. "They have spoken maybe once in passing, nothing serious whatsoever. Everybody that I asked about this... they laughed.” (H/T Inside The Ropes)
Brock Lesnar was last seen at WrestleMania 36 when he lost the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre. It is believed he will return next year.
#4 The backstage equation between Bray Wyatt and Vince McMahon in WWE
Bray Wyatt was arguably one of the most creative minds in WWE history. However, that trait probably landed him in trouble with Vince McMahon a few times.
PWInsider reported that Bray Wyatt's relationship with Vince McMahon wasn't all rainbows and unicorns. The former WWE Superstar had a 'topsy-turvey' equation with McMahon.
"Others noted that Wyatt and Vince McMahon's relationship behind the scenes ran very hot and cold at times," the PWInsider report said.
Bray Wyatt was apparently prepping for an in-ring return in August before he was released by WWE due to budget cuts.
"We are told that Wyatt was called by John Laurinaitis (who wasn't even at TV this week as he's in the middle of moving back to Connecticut) and informed it was simply a budgetary decision and not something Wyatt had done," the PWInsider report stated.
The Fiend was last seen on the RAW after WrestleMania 37 after he shockingly lost his match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 37.
#3 Why did WWE release Ric Flair?
WWE has parted ways with legendary superstar Ric Flair.
While Flair wasn't active as an in-ring superstar, he was still active when in appearances and storylines. He was a part of a major story that involved his daughter Charlotte Flair, and Lacey Evans.
Fightful Select revealed that the Nature Boy wasn't happy about a few recent creative decisions the company had taken in regards to him, and that these creative issues were fairly recent.
''According to Fightful Select, Ric Flair was frustrated by some of the booking decisions and voiced the same to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon while asking for his release. The report adds that these booking decisions in question were fairly recent.''
There is speculation that Ric Flair is AEW-bound, where he could take up a managerial role.
#2 What was the original plan for Bray Wyatt at WWE SummerSlam?
As per John Alba of the Living The Gimmick podcast, the original plan for Bray Wyatt after his return was to feud with Drew McIntyre at SummerSlam this year.
"I had reported this on @theLTGpodcast Patreon a few weeks ago, but Bray Wyatt/Drew McIntyre had at least been pitched for SummerSlam at one point. I'm not sure how far those discussions went, but it was talked about at one point," John Alba shared.
McIntyre is currently embroiled in a rivalry with Jinder Mahal and his lackeys on RAW. It's disappointing that WWE would throw away a money-making program like McIntyre vs. Wyatt and give the fans a staid feud between The Scottish Warrior and The Maharaja instead.
#1 Backstage reaction to Bray Wyatt's WWE release
Speaking of Bray Wyatt's release, it has been reported that the networks associated with WWE as well as the locker room are not happy. PWInsider reported that the superstars were shocked after learning of Wyatt's release.
"To say that the reaction within the company was stunned would be a massive understatement given how plugged into licensing the Wyatt character has been in recent years. The Fiend had been a massive hit for t-shirts and action figures," PWInsider reported.
Andrew Zarian also revealed that (FOX and NBC Universal) are frustrated with the decision as Bray Wyatt was seen as one of the top names in WWE.
''I’m hearing a lot of frustration from the networks regarding Bray release," Zarian said. "A network said 'Bray’s release is really disappointing and a little scary that top stars are being let go.' You have to remember perception is everything.''
Multiple other reports have also suggested that the feeling in the locker room is that no one is safe anymore. Wyatt was a 3-time world champion in WWE and one of the biggest merchandise movers in the company.
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