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Welcome to the latest edition of our daily rumour round up. You know what we do!
The world of pro wrestling is never short on speculation and we get the best bits in one place for your convenience. It may not have been a very newsworthy weekend but there were still quite a few rumours that are worth mentioning.
Raw's Executive Director Paul Heyman has taken a liking for an underutilized Superstar. A former Women's Champion's Twitter activity has hinted towards a possible WWE departure. A former WWE Champion could return with his old gimmick.
There were major developments regarding WWE's King of the Ring Tournament as the company may have zeroed down on the finalists and the potential winner. WWE's weird rule for Superstar entrances was also revealed during the Wrestling Observer Radio.
There was an interesting rumour from NXT as well, where a Superstar could be in line for a push all thanks to Netflix.
On that note, let's check out the top rumours of the day in detail:
#1. Jeff Hardy could be getting his old gimmick back
Moving from one injured superstar to another, Jeff Hardy has been sidelined with a leg injury since the end of April.
While The Charismatic Enigma is expected to be out of action for at least 6 to 9 months, he may have already dropped hints of a big gimmick change for his much-anticipated return.
Jeff Hardy took to his Instagram profile and posted a video of him singing 'It's been a while' by Staind. The lights go out in the middle of the video and Hardy appears manically laughing as Willow, which was a character created by him during the early stages of the career. He went on to use the gimmick during his time in TNA.
Hardy successfully underwent surgery to fix his injury and while there is no update regarding the timeline of his comeback, we expect him to be back sooner rather than later. The teaser of the possibility of him introducing the WWE Universe to Willow increases the hype around his return.
Willow vs. The Fiend? Sign us up!
#2. King of the Ring 2019 bracket, finalists and possible winner
WWE announced the first-round matches for the King of the Ring 2019 tournament that would take place on the upcoming episodes of Raw and SmackDown.
RAW:
- Cesaro vs. Samoa Joe
- Cedric Alexander vs. Sami Zayn
- Ricochet vs. Drew McIntyre
- The Miz vs. Baron Corbin
SmackDown:
- Kevin Owens vs. Elias
- Chad Gable vs. Shelton Benjamin
- Ali vs. Buddy Murphy
- Apollo Crews vs. Andrade
The quarter-finals will take place on the August 26th and 27th episodes of Raw and SmackDown respectively. The Semin-finals is scheduled for the Raw and SmackDown editions on September 9th and 10th.
The finals will be one of the marquee matches on the Clash of Champions card, which will happen on September 15th in Charlotte, North Carolina.
We know the question in running through your minds. Who will win it this time?
According to WhatCulture, speculation is rife that WWE may have either Baron Corbin or Ricochet win the tournament. The KOTR winner's tag suits the heels more than the babyfaces and The Lone Wolf is one of the top heels whose character fits the criteria.
Ricochet went by the 'King Ricochet' moniker before arriving in the WWE and the company could easily revisit that gimmick by handing him a big win.
Dave Meltzer also noted that the WWE has already decided the finalists of the tournament, however, the names of the Superstars were kept a secret for obvious reasons.
The whole purpose of having the KOTR tournament again is to give the Superstars a chance to shine. However, only one Superstar will be lucky enough to go all the way. Who would that be? Let us know your picks in the comments section.
#3. Nia Jax's social media activity has raised a few eyebrows
Nia Jax has been out of action since WrestleMania 35 as she had to undergo ACL surgery after suffering tears in both her knees.
Jax has always been one of the most active Superstars on social media as her confrontational comments and opinions have always drawn the attention of the fans. However, Jax has sparked rumours of a possible WWE departure by deleting her Twitter handle altogether.
Any references to the WWE were also previously removed from her Instagram profile with many cryptic posts alluding to an uncertain future. However, Jax is still a part of the WWE roster and is contracted with the company for the foreseeable future. She may have modelling assignments outside the ring but the former Raw Women's Champion would still want to get back to the ring, which is expected to happen in the first half of 2020.
Jax loves to attract focus on herself with her statements on social media and deleting her Twitter handle itself is certainly a good way of reminding the fans about her presence.
#4. Paul Heyman is high in Cedric Alexander
Paul Heyman is at the wheel on Raw and that's a great thing for talented Superstars who have not been afforded a fair share of the limelight.
Cedric Alexander is one of those Superstars. The former 205 Live Superstar was brought up to the red brand as part of the Superstar Shakeup 2019. After a tough start to his journey on Raw, things are finally picking up for the 30-year-old Superstar.
Getting TV time itself is a luxury these days as WWE boasts of a very deep roster with many unused talents warming the bench. Alexander has been featured on TV in the past few weeks while being engaged in a feud with Drew McIntyre, who is viewed highly backstage.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Radio, Paul Heyman is quite high on Alexander and that has been evident if you watch WWE's programming off late.
Paul Heyman is well aware of the fact that the former Cruiserweight Champion possesses all the tools that can get him over with the WWE Universe. Alexander is a part of the King of the Ring tournament and considering that he is the good books of Heyman, we expect WWE to book him well enough to have a strong showing.
#5. Superstars not allowed to sell during entrances
In what can be termed as a really weird revelation, Bryan Alvarez stated on the Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE Superstars are not allowed to sell injuries during their entrances.
The WWE has told its stars to not limp or sell, and to carry out the same entrance that they normally do. There are a few exceptions made when a Superstar may be heavily taped or hurt as a result of a nasty assault, but the basic proposition is that minor injuries are not to be sold while talents make their entrances.
Meltzer added that this has been followed for many years. It's a strange rule as Superstars selling an injury from the get-go would help to push and focus on the psychology during matches.
#6. Keith Lee could be in line for a big push
WWE and Netflix have collaborated for the very first time and will soon be releasing 'The Main Event', a film that revolves around a bullied boy who grows up to become a WWE Superstar. The plot of the movie is based on the boy getting hold of a Luchador mask with magical powers before going on to become a Superstar through his rise in NXT.
The role of the lead villain is played by NXT Superstar Babatunde. Kofi Kingston, Maura Ranallo, Beth Pheonix, Heavy Machinery, The Miz and Sheamus will also be making special appearances in the film.
It has been reported by PWInsider that Keith Lee has a big role in the film. It was also additionally stated that he could get a big push during the time the film is released.
PWinsider revealed, "One source noted that they wouldn't be surprised to see Lee get a big push timed with the release of the film."
