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This week has been an incredibly busy one for those in and around WWE. Several unforeseen circumstances have made the rounds and the industry has been left in shock by some of the stories surrounding the company.
Stephanie McMahon has assumed the role of WWE's interim CEO and Chairwoman amidst allegations against her father. However, Vince McMahon's daughter reportedly does not get along with a top name backstage, and we have all the details on the explosive story.
Brock Lesnar also made his return on SmackDown to resume his ongoing storyline with Roman Reigns. What compelled Vince McMahon to get Lesnar back on TV? An insightful backstage report from Fightful has provided us with some answers.
The latest WWE Rumor Roundup ends with multiple sources confirming the release of an established superstar.
#1. Backstage news on Brock Lesnar's return
As seen on SmackDown, Brock Lesnar returned to set up a SummerSlam clash against Roman Reigns. While there has been a primarily negative reaction to the creative direction, the promotion allegedly has a reason for the change of plans, as Fightful reported.
Randy Orton was originally slated to face the Tribal Chief at SummerSlam. However, The Viper will undergo surgery soon and be out of action for the rest of the year.
Officials began working towards Brock Lesnar's comeback once it became evident that Orton would not be able to wrestle. It should be noted that getting Brock Lesnar back was not a reactionary decision after the investigation against Vince McMahon.
Fightful stated that the plans for Lesnar's next match were confirmed backstage three weeks ago. While The Beast Incarnate was not part of the internal rundown sheet on SmackDown, word began spreading about his appearance at 5 PM EST.
Lesnar confronted Reigns after this week's SmackDown main event and laid out the undisputed WWE Universal Champion. The perennial rivals will face each other at SummerSlam 2022, and the reactions to the match announcement haven't been favorable, to say the least.
#2. WWE has finally released Sasha Banks
Wrestling Inc's Raj Giri reported on June 15th that the company had come to terms with the release of Sasha Banks. While Banks was expected to leave the company, sources backstage couldn't confirm the report at the time.
WrestleVotes recently issued an update and verified Raj Giri's claim. As things stand, Sasha Banks is no longer a WWE Superstar.
"The word backstage from SmackDown tonight is that the report from @TheRajGirl is indeed accurate, according to multiple sources. Sasha Banks has been released from her WWE contract," revealed WrestleVotes.
Reddit insider kerrmit125 has broken many accurate stories in the past and noted that the 10-time champion was actually let go "some weeks ago." While Sasha Banks is seemingly done with the company, there is still no news on Naomi's current status.
WWE has not issued an official statement on Banks' departure, and there is also no clarity on whether she has a 90-day non-compete clause in her contract. The Legit Boss, however, has already received a massive challenge from a top AEW star.
#3. Stephanie McMahon and Kevin Dunn don't get along with each other
Stephanie McMahon will be WWE's interim CEO and Chairwoman until the highly-publicized probe against Vince McMahon concludes. However, Stephanie could face a few challenges in her new role as she is reportedly not on good terms with long-time executive Kevin Dunn.
Brandon Thurston revealed on Busted Open Radio that Stephanie McMahon and Dunn "don't like each other."
Kevin Dunn has been with working for Vince McMahon for multiple decades and is also the company's Chief of Global Television Distribution. His issues with Stephanie McMahon are well-known behind the scenes, as Thurston stated below:
"I know that Stephanie is going to be interim CEO, but I've heard from many people that Stephanie and Kevin Dunn, for example, don't like each other. And as long as someone like Kevin Dunn has a job at WWE, this seems to be for public consumption, looking around at some of the headlines that I see in mainstream media today. I think WWE is getting the response in the headlines that they want," said Thurston. [H/T WrestlingInc]
Stephanie McMahon has her work cut out as she looks to steady the ship. Early feedback on Stephanie's appointment has been positive, and it will be interesting to see if she has a significant impact on the product moving forward.
