WWE Top Five Rumors of the week and analysis: 1 August 2017

Talent cuts coming soon?

A lot of interesting names popped up in the rumour mill this past week. The most notable one perhaps was that of Brock Lesnar. The Reigning WWE Universal Champion was all over the headlines with his title defence at SummerSlam and a potential super fight with Jon Jones being the major talking points.

Elsewhere, rumours suggested that the WWE might also be looking for some major changes on their roster. WWE’s plans for SummerSlam and Jinder Mahal’s WWE championship reign also featured on the rumour mill this past week. And on this list, we are going to take a look at these top rumours and analyse them one by one.


#5 Superstars to be released

PaigeWWE
WWE to make roster cuts?

The Rumour: The Wrestling Observer speculates that a round of roster cuts might happen soon. The rumour came up in the light of the recent budget cuts on WWE Network.

The Potential: WWE has a stacked roster at this point in time. They have plenty of wrestlers at their disposal and even if they release some, it won’t make too much of a difference. And to be frank, there are some superstars who are being wasted. So don’t be surprised if WWE decides to let them go as it would be a better option for both parties.

The Fallout: If WWE does indeed go for a roster cut, the first name would probably be Paige. She has been going through a lot of problems and WWE would be eager to let her go.

#4 Wrestlers to move to NXT

NXTWWE
NXT might get a boost

The Rumour: WWE may be planning to move some main roster superstars to NXT in the next couple of months according to Cage Side Seats.

The Potential: Main roster superstars being sent to NXT is not a new thing. While some turned out to be successful, others fell flat. Either way, there are some names on the main roster that could benefit from such a move. The NXT roster will also flourish with some extra star power.

The Fallout: As mentioned, a move to NXT could make or break careers. It all depends on which superstars return to developmental and how they are utilized. In this current scenario, we can only wait and see what will happen.

#3 Rumours about superstar shake up

VinceMcMahonWWE
Superstar Shake-up coming up?

The Rumour: This past week, there were some conflicting rumours about the superstar shake up. PW Insider and Observer noted that there will be a superstar shake-up after SummerSlam while Pro Wrestling Sheet notes that there won’t be one until next WrestleMania.

The Potential: Last time around, the Superstar Shake-Up turned out to be a moderate success. While holding it after SummerSlam might yield similar results, holding one after WrestleMania would be more impactful. The Post-WrestleMania period is usually the time when WWE sows the seeds for new storylines and a Superstar Shake-Up would complement the same.

The Fallout: If WWE holds a shake-up after SummerSlam, then we can eliminate the WrestleMania possibility and vice versa.

#2 Jinder Mahal to retain the WWE championship

JinderMahalWWE
Jinder might retain the belt at SummerSlam

The Rumour: As per Cage Side Seats, Jinder Mahal could retain the WWE championship at SummerSlam. The current plan is to have a John Cena vs. Jinder Mahal match at the pay-per-view but Cena winning is unlikely.

The Potential: Before Cena returned to WWE programming, there were whispers of him possibly facing The Maharaja for the title. It was poised to be a blockbuster with the WWE having the opportunity to move forward with the plan. As for Cena not winning, it is a possibility considering that Mahal has support from the Singh Brothers and the Great Khali.

The Fallout: The introduction of The Great Khali makes Mahal’s title reign stronger. And retaining the belt against someone like Cena would be a huge boost as well.

#1 Lesnar to drop title at SummerSlam

LesnarWWE
Lesnar could drop the WWE Universal Title in order to focus on the UFC

The Rumour: Cage Side Seats suggests that Brock Lesnar might drop the WWE Universal title at SummerSlam.

The Potential: The chances of Lesnar dropping the title at SummerSlam are high since it is a fatal-four-way match. According to the stipulations, WWE can take the title away from Lesnar without him being pinned or submitted. This way, they can keep him protected. Also, Lesnar will be freed up for a potential super fight with Jon Jones in the UFC.

The Fallout: With a super fight against Jon Jones being discussed, the door to the UFC could be wide open for Lesnar. As he might have to prepare for the fight, dropping the title and freeing up his schedule would be the right move to make.

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