'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Welcome back to the latest edition of SK Wrestling's daily WWE Rumor Roundup. Fastlane is the final PPV stop before WrestleMania 37, and WWE is currently making sure that all the top storylines for the Shows of Shows are built up well.
Two matches have been confirmed for WrestleMania 37, and both are from the SmackDown brand. WWE also accidentally advertised a Goldberg match for WrestleMania during the recent Blue brand episode.
Vince McMahon was also reportedly not favoring an interesting idea that is being considered for 'Mania. Big Show's AEW signing has also given rise to speculation that more familiar faces could be on their way to Tony Khan's promotion. It has now been confirmed that AEW is indeed interested in signing a popular former WWE Superstar.
An update regarding the backstage reactions to The Undertaker's 'soft' comments has also been covered in today's lineup.
#5. WWE accidentally advertises Goldberg for a WrestleMania match
As noted above, WWE has confirmed two matches for WrestleMania 37. Edge picked Roman Reigns as his WrestleMania opponent, and the marquee showdown will be for the Universal Championship.
However, an interesting line was spotted during the latest SmackDown broadcast. Apollo Crews was shown backstage, and the following line flashed on the screen:
"Still to come LIVE on SmackDown: Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg WrestleMania Continues."
Screenshots of the moment quickly circulated all across the internet, and Goldberg was unsurprisingly briefly trending during SmackDown. Is WWE actually teasing a Reigns vs. Goldberg match, or was it a production botch?
The safe bet would be the latter, as WWE has already announced The Tribal Chief's WrestleMania 37 match.
Goldberg was originally scheduled to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 36, but the match fell through due to Reigns' unplanned hiatus.
WWE still has the Fastlane PPV and many episodes of SmackDown to go before WrestleMania. Fans should ideally expect many twists from the WWE's end. WrestleVotes had reported in January that Goldberg was one of the legends who was almost locked in to wrestle at WrestleMania.
Goldberg's last appearance was at the Royal Rumble PPV, where he put over Drew McIntyre.
#4. Tony Khan on AEW's interest in signing former WWE Superstar Thea Trinidad, fka Zelina Vega
Thea Trinidad, fka Zelina Vega, was released from the WWE in November 2020 after disagreements over WWE's third-party edict. Trinidad's 90-day non-compete clause recently came to an end, and there has been a lot of speculation regarding her next destination.
Tony Khan was the guest on a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Radio. The AEW CEO was asked about the possibility of seeing Thea Trinidad in All Elite Wrestling.
Khan was under the impression that Trinidad's 90-day non-compete clause was still active. The AEW boss admitted that he has been waiting for the clause to expire, which seemingly confirmed AEW's interest in the former WWE Superstar.
Khan said that he would love to see Zelina Vega's status after AEW wraps up the ongoing women's title eliminator tournament and the Revolution PPV.
"Isn't she in a 90-day non-compete? She was in a non-compete last time I checked. I've been waiting for that. I don't talk to people when they have the non-compete. If hers' expired, it must have just expired. I've been waiting on her non-compete to expire. I'd have to check the math to see if she expired. When we get through this tournament and through this pay-per-view, I'd be interested to see where she's at." H/t Fightful
Trinidad had dropped a possible AEW Dynamite teaser recently, and while she didn't appear on AEW's flagship show, all roads still point towards the former WWE star being All Elite very soon.
#3. The story of Vince McMahon stopping a backstage argument in WWE revealed
Former WWE referee Nick Patrick was a part of SK Wrestling's Inside SKoop with Dr. Chris Featherstone. Patrick revealed an incident when Vince McMahon intervened to stop a backstage argument involving him and John Laurinaitis.
The argument stemmed from what happened in the WWE Elimination Chamber match from No Way Out 2008. It was stated that a referee wasn't able to lock the door, and The Undertaker ended up falling through the door in the match.
Nick Patrick was one of the two referees tasked with being inside the Chamber during the match. However, he was apparently not responsible for leaving the door unlocked. John Laurinaitis wasn't too happy, and he blamed Nick Patrick. Laurinaitis felt Patrick was experienced enough to avoid the mishap.
Patrick and Laurinaitis argued backstage following the match, and it was Vince McMahon who told them to iron out their issues somewhere else.
Patrick recalled the following about the incident:
"He [John Laurinaitis] goes, 'You know, you're the two experienced guys [Patrick and Jimmy Korderas], and I'm holding you two responsible for what just happened.' I'm like, 'Wait a second, dude…' I can't repeat what I said, but it was not good. It was enough to make Vince say, 'Hey, don't do this here. Let's take this back to another room.' I said, 'Yes, sir, let's take it to another room, and you come with him.' So that was the beginning of the end for me." H/t Danny Hart of SK Wrestling
Nick Patrick would get released from WWE six months after No Way Out 2008, and what happened in the Elimination Chamber match ultimately played a role in his departure.
#2. WWE's proposed idea to have cardboard cutouts at WrestleMania 37, Vince McMahon's initial reaction
WWE WrestleMania 37 is just around the corner, and the amount of speculation going around regarding the PPV is ridiculously high. While the fans can already predict the match card's overall structure, what are WWE's plans for the show's rumored live audience?
WrestleVotes was the first to report at the start of February that WWE was against the idea of having cardboard cutouts at WrestleMania 37. The Raymond James Stadium, which will host WrestleMania 37, looked great with cardboard cutouts at the Super Bowl LV.
Fightful Select now reports that many people in WWE are pushing for cutouts to be used similarly as the Super Bowl. The venue looked stacked, and the people who Fightful got in touch with 'were in awe of the visuals.'
Vince McMahon, however, was initially not in favor of having cutouts, and that was also the company's stance on the matter when it was first reported.
While cardboard cutouts would help make the stadium look full, WWE also plans on having a healthy number of live fans in attendance for the PPV. WrestleMania 37 is scheduled to take place on April 10th and 11th.
#1. Backstage reaction to The Undertaker's comments about modern-day WWE
The Undertaker kicked up quite a storm with his comments about the present-day WWE during his recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience.
The Undertaker felt that the current crop of talent was 'soft', and Dave Meltzer has now revealed in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that many Superstars were upset with The Deadman's views. The talent was also annoyed with the people who supported The Undertaker's opinions.
Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns, the two top Superstars in the company, responded to The Undertaker by defending the current generation of Superstars.
Meltzer noted that Reigns and McIntyre felt that their backstage status and star power meant they could respond to The Undertaker without attracting any heat. However, most other locker room members have chosen to stay quiet because they can't win against a WWE legend in public.
Meltzer reported:
"Let's just say a lot of talent, not just here, was very upset about Undertaker calling the modern generation of wrestlers soft, and at those who backed up that statement. Aside from Reigns and McIntyre, who evidently felt their stature was such that they could retaliate without getting heat, most kept quiet because it's a no win situation arguing with a legend in public."
It's crazy to think that even one of the most respected veterans of all time, like The Undertaker, can rub WWE talent the wrong way.
