WWE Rumor Roundup - Emergency plan to break up team, Brock Lesnar really hates a Superstar, Former US Champion banned - 1st August 2020

We welcome you all to another edition of Sportskeeda's daily WWE Rumor Roundup.

Things are heating up in the WWE as the company focuses all its attention on building up the SummerSlam card. However, there is still a lot of uncertainty concerning the location of the summer's biggest show.

WWE also has an emergency backup plan to break up a team and have the Superstars feud against each other.

A Superstar also confirmed a rumor that Brock Lesnar may not be a big fan of him backstage.

A former US Champion was also handed a streaming ban days after he said he was done with wrestling.

What's the real reason behind Kofi Kingston's absence? We now know the answer to that question as well.

There is also a big rumor going around that a popular former WWE Executive could appear on next week's episode of AEW Dynamite.

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#5. WWE's emergency plan for Seth Rollins and Murphy

The ongoing contract negotiations between Rey Mysterio and WWE have forced WWE to keep their options open with regards to their plans for SummerSlam. Dave Meltzer's latest update revealed that the negotiations, as of early this week, were still going on between Vince McMahon and Mysterio.

However, as noted earlier, WWE has a few options on the table.

Tom Colohue reported on the latest edition of the Dropkick DiSKussions podcast that WWE does have an emergency backup plan to break up Seth Rollins and Murphy and have the two Superstars feud against each other.

The idea of the split was teased on the recent RAW episode, and there was a reason why WWE booked it. It was added that WWE could abandon the idea, as is the case with many teased storylines.

"There is an emergency backup situation that being Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy as a potential feud. That's why they teased it this week, but they could very easily just abandon that completely."

The plan, for now, is to build up Dominik's debut match at SummerSlam, and it could either be a tag team or singles contest, depending on what Rey Mysterio decides to do about his WWE future.

#4. Matt Riddle admits Brock Lesnar may actually hate him

The real-life backstage altercation between Brock Lesnar and Matt Riddle from Royal Rumble has been discussed at length ever since it happened earlier this year.

Matt Riddle has always pushed for a match against Brock Lesnar, but the Beast Incarnate, based on various reports, doesn't seem to be a big fan of the Original Bro.

Matt Riddle recently admitted on Corey Graves' After The Bell podcast that Brock Lesnar may actually hate him. Riddle understands where Brock Lesnar is coming from as he rubbed the former WWE Champion the wrong way.

"Brock - guy has it all. I want a piece because he's awesome. I think he's taken my comments as literal disrespect and I think he really hates me, which hey, okay, I get it. I rubbed you the wrong way. And I told everybody, 'Hey, I get it. I'll stay away, I won't call these people out anymore, but I still want it.' I'm not gonna go away, I'm gonna make myself valuable enough until the money's on the table and he's like 'it's worth it.' And I know I can do it."

Riddle explained that his words might have been perceived as disrespectful, but he has nothing but respect for Brock Lesnar.

"When I first started wrestling... people would go like, 'what's your goal?' And I like to set goals that are unattainable because in the process of trying to get to that goal, you're probably going to be great. So, because he had just beat The Undertaker, I was like 'I want to retire Brock Lesnar,' and everyone was like, 'Hahaha! That'll never happen! You're an idiot.' And I'm like, yeah, it probably won't happen, but I know if I try, I'll probably be super successful... Brock - nothing but the utmost respect. And I think my words were taken as disrespectful, which is fine. But like I said, at the end of the day I just know I need to make myself valuable enough to where we get in the ring. I hope I can do that - and it's not like a one minute squash [laughs]." H/t WrestlingNews.co

#3. Rusev gets his first Twitch ban following WWE release

Rusev had recently revealed that he was done with professional wrestling and that he was now a full-time content creator and pro Twitch streamer.

"I'm done. I'm done, man. I'm just enjoying my Twitch. I'm a professional Twitcher, YouTuber, content creator. I'm not a wrestler anymore. Can I be your favorite streamer?"

A day later, Rusev was handed his first Twitch ban. Yes, the timing of the ban couldn't have been worse!

As updated on Streamerbans, Rusev was banned, and the reason wasn't initially revealed. However, Lana appearing in a bikini during one of Rusev's older streams was pinpointed as the cause for the ban as it went against Twiitch's code of conduct. Rusev reacted to the ban on Twitter.

Rusev's ban, as things stand, has already ended, and Machka even got back to streaming earlier in the day.

Twitch bans are quite common as many small-time, and top streamers get slapped with indefinite bans due to different violations and offenses.

If you ask many ardent Twitch users and us, the fact that Rusev got banned makes him a real streamer!

#2. Backstage news on Kofi Kingston's absence from WWE TV

Kofi Kingston revealed on a recent episode of SmackDown that he would be out with an injury for six weeks. Big E's single push got underway on this week's episode of SmackDown, but is Kofi Kingston's injury real?

Tom Colohue revealed on the latest edition of the Dropkick DiSKussions podcast that Kofi Kingston is doing just fine, and he has been given a quarantine off period, during which the former WWE Champion will get to spend some quality time with his family.

WWE has allowed the talents to take some time off during the pandemic, and Kingston has also been afforded a much-needed hiatus.

Here's what Tom revealed:

Kofi is absolutely fine. He has just been given six weeks off to take a quarantine period, go and see his family, take a quarantine period and then come back to work.

The WWE have mentioned to every member and talent they have in that locker room. They ave said to them, 'if you want to opt-out of working, if you want to go and spend some time with your family, just tell us.' That's where Daniel Bryan is at the moment, that's where Kevin Owens was for a couple of weeks. If you want to spend some time away, come to us, we will find a way to write you out, all you have ask you is to give us the time to do that in a way that it makes logical sense. That is what happened with Kofi, and I'm sure he'll be very happy to be Big E's buddy and be in Big E's corner cheering him on when he does return.

#1. Former WWE Executive Eric Bischoff reportedly set appear on next week's AEW Dynamite

All Elite Wrestling, as expected, have been bringing in various known former WWE personalities onboard, and the recent names to have joined the list include Matt Cardona FKA Zack Ryder and Ariane Andrew AKA Cameron.

It seems like AEW is all set to get another popular former WWE Executive on the next episode of Dynamite.

As revealed by Reddit user SpaceForce1, Eric Bischoff is reportedly scheduled to appear on Dynamite to be a part of the ongoing feud between Chris Jericho and Orange Cassidy. It was added that the former SmackDown Executive Director could be brought in for a one-off appearance.

It should also be noted that Reddit user SpaceForce1 was accurate about all the spoilers of Fyter Fest Night 2, which makes the Eric Bischoff rumor really credible.

Eric Bischoff recently appeared on Sportskeeda's UnSkripted series with Chris Featherstone, and the former WCW head said that AEW has started to show some real signs of life during the pandemic era.

He also compared AEW's status to the situation over at RAW and SmackDown. You can check out what he had to say in detail in the video given above.

"In the context of the period that we're in, we're in the context era. We're in the COVID era. And nothing really is growing in audience, in terms of sports entertainment. Nobody! Except for AEW. It has started to show some real signs of life. They are knocking out a million viewers again, which is not far off from where they were when they debuted. So, that's a really good sign."