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Welcome to another edition of the daily WWE rumor roundup where we try and bring the latest news and rumors from the day.
In today's edition, we will take a look at Vince McMahon's new attitude towards WWE, major confusion regarding former Champion's character among other interesting topics.
Vince McMahon recently re-launched his football league XFL to great fanfare. While this may be great news for the fans of McMahon, it may result in less involvement by Vince McMahon in matters pertaining to WWE.
Let us take a look at the biggest stories of the day:
#5 Vince McMahon has suddenly become 'very private'
Vince McMahon is not just considered a genius but a workaholic as well. It is a well-known fact that the Chairman of WWE does not take off days and keeps himself busy throughout the year with WWE.
As per reports from Fightful, Vince McMahon has been acting very private as of late and hasn't been attending shows like he once used to do. It is said that Bruce Prichard has been handling Gorilla Position for SmackDown completely.
Over on Raw, it was noted that Vince McMahon was around "approximately half the time." Outside of that, McMahon is said to have been exceptionally private of late. This is still a far cry from decades past when McMahon would almost never miss an episode of WWE Raw if he could help it.
(H/T: SportsKeeda)
With Vince McMahon's pet project - XFL - off to a great start, it looks like the former WWE Champion will be shifting his focus more towards the football league than WWE in the coming time.
It was also reported by SportsKeeda's Tom Colohue that Shane McMahon is line to take over from Vince McMahon when the Chairman finally decides to step down. So it is quite possible that we may get to see Shane's version of WWE more and more in the future.
#2 Update on Taynara Conti's future
NXT Superstar Taynara Conti allegedly left the company in January after she refused to take part in an NXT Women's Battle Royale match. It is being reported by Fightful that the Brazillian Superstar was seen training at a local gym in Florida.
While her training at a gym may not be anything of note, it is interesting that Conti is in Florida - the location of WWE's performance centre.
Here is what Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful has reported:
Conti had refused to work a battle royal on NXT TV in the middle of January and would subsequently leave. She was still in Florida at the very least towards the end of the month, taking in some jiu jitsu training at a local gym.”
(H/T: SportsKeeda)
While Taynara has not been seen in action since she left the company, her husband Jorge Conti has stated that she is still under contract with WWE.
Conti was supposed to be part of the Women's Battle Royal to determine who would face Rhea Ripley at NXT Takeover: Portland - the match eventually being won by Bianca Bellair.
Do you think Taynara Conti did the right thing by walking out on WWE? Tell us in the comments!
#3 Major confusion regarding Angel Garza's character
Former Cruiserweight Champion made a major impact when he debuted on RAW two weeks back to face Rey Mysterio. While Zelina Vega's latest acquisition portrayed a heel character on RAW attacking Mysterio in a brutal fashion and taunting Humberto Carrillo, it is being stated that the Superstar works as a babyface at NXT live events.
Angel Garza is currently part of the NXT roster although he has become a regular on RAW in order to fill in for the suspended Andrade. Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez spoke about Graza's character on a recent edition of the WOR:
Meltzer: Angel Garza and Zelina come out and they replay the destruction of Rey Mysterio. Angel says, 'I'm a man's man and I'm also a ladies man and he looks at Zelina. So we'll see if that leads to anything.
Alvarez: But, didn't he get engaged right before our eyes? That's a different show, Dave. That doesn't count.
Meltzer: I don't know if you know this or not, by the way, he was wrestling in all the NXT shows this weekend, Angel Garza, and he was a complete babyface every night.
Alvarez: Well, maybe they'll figure it out that he should be a babyface on NXT TV too because he sure wasn't this past Wednesday.
(H/T: SportsKeeda)
#2 Triple H reveals Shayna Baszler's plans
Former NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler made a remarkable appearance on RAW this week when she attacked the reigning RAW Women's Champion in brutal fashion.
While it has become common for NXT Superstars to be part of RAW as of late - Rhea Ripley and Angel Garza being good examples - many fans wondered if Baszler had been promoted to the RAW roster or not.
Triple H answered this query on a media call and stated that the former MMA fighter is still an NXT Superstar.
As far as I'm concerned right now, Shayna is still an NXT talent until we make a deal for her to go somewhere else. Does that mean there's a moment where Becky comes hunting for Shayna or vice versa? I don't know yet. We'll see."
The Game also spoke about the speculation regarding a name change for the NXT Women's Championship:
There were conversations that were had, it was basically about not having to beat it into the ground when you say it, but it just got run with. When you have that many people working on a product, and something gets taken the wrong way, everyone in trying to do their job just spreads it. There was never an edict, there was never anything. If you’re showing a graphic you don’t have to say the title belt says women’s, the graphic says women’s, you get it, you don’t have to beat it in the ground. It was more that, it just got run with an speculated on”
(H/T: SportsKeeda)
#1 CM Punk on who he thinks is the best WWE talent
CM Punk was part of the latest edition WWE Backstage and the former WWE Champion gave his opinion on a variety of topics. The Voice of the Voiceless also stated that he believed Randy Orton to be the absolute best when he is motivated.
Punk said that there is nobody better than Randy Orton when he is fully motivated. This week on RAW, Randy Orton brutally assaulted Matt Hardy which is being reported as a way to write off Hardy from RAW.
Orton is in the midst of a feud with the recently returned Edge after the Viper turned on Edge, almost breaking his neck yet again.
Here is what CM Punk stated:
A motivated Randy… Book, tell me, am I wrong? Is there anybody better? I think Randy – and I think all of us can – we can take our eye off the ball, we can get complacent. But when he’s dialled in and he has something he can really sink his teeth into and something that motivates him, I don’t think there’s anybody better.
(H/T: SportsKeeda)
Do you agree with what CM Punk has said? Let us know in the comments below!
