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SummerSlam is in the books. While most of the show was underwhelming, the fatal 4-way main event stood out and delivered big time. The episodes of Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live that followed the pay-per-view also had some interesting developments.
In parallel to this television programming, the internet was abuzz about a number of rumours. A good portion of the rumours that came up this past week revolved around SummerSlam.
Now that the show is wrapped up, we will be filtering it out for the list that follows. As usual, we will take a look at the most interesting rumours from the lot and analyse them.
#5 Bobby Roode to continue working in NXT
The Rumour: Bobby Roode made his main roster debut this week on SmackDown Live. Cageside Seats reported that Roode would continue working in NXT to finish his advertised dates. They further added that it will serve as a farewell tour for the "Glorious One".
The Potential: Roode appearing for NXT and SmackDown will work well for both the brands. He was a major part of NXT throughout the past year and it’s only fitting that he gets a proper farewell. However, expect this run to be short as he will have to shift his focus completely to his SmackDown Live role.
The Fallout: While it’s good to have Roode on two shows, WWE should be careful about burning him out. He was in exceptional shape when he made his SmackDown debut but an injury is all it takes to derail a career.
#4 More NXT call ups coming up
The Rumour: More NXT superstars are expected to follow Bobby Roode to the main roster. According to Cageside Seats, Authors of Pain, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, Hideo Itami and No Way Jose are next in line to get a call-up.
The Potential: The names mentioned in the rumour are not involved in major NXT storylines, hence it wouldn’t be a surprise if they are called up in the coming weeks. The exact brand that will host these Superstars, meanwhile, hasn't been confirmed. From the potential call-ups, Authors of Pain seems set to be the most promising one as well.
The Fallout: The NXT call-ups were expected to happen during the rumoured Superstar Shake Up. Now that Roode has already been called up, the Superstars Shake Up might not happen (more on this later on the list).
#3 Ronda Rousey to WWE rumour
The Rumor: Wrestling Observer noted that WWE is planning a match for Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series. It could either be a four-on-four tag team match involving the MMA Horsewomen or a singles match against Stephanie McMahon or Charlotte. Cageside Seats also added that Rousey will have a singles match at WrestleMania nevertheless.
The Potential: The MMA Horsewomen are heavily involved in the Mae Young Classic Tournament, so it might be a buildup to the eventual WWE debut from Rousey.
While one match from Rousey seems possible, the former UFC Champion performing on two separate WWE pay-per-views could be a long shot. But if it does happen, it would be a big deal for WWE.
The Fallout: The entire buzz surrounding Rousey and WWE will be cleared up after the Mae Young Classic finals.
#2 Bobby Roode to replace Baron Corbin
The Rumour: The Wrestling Observer notes that there is backstage heat on Corbin right now. Cageside Seats followed up this by mentioning that Roode will be used in the upper-mid card or main event role that Corbin was intended to fill.
The Potential: It’s hard to compare Corbin and Roode; both are extremely different performers and replacing one with another in-term of skill and experience is unacceptable.
However, from a storyline perspective, Roode could replace "The Lone Wolf". The former NXT Champion could be used in a similar way to how Corbin was used on the SmackDown roster.
The Fallout: If the rumour is indeed true, Corbin is expected to drop down the ranks on SmackDown. Roode will get the opportunities that Corbin was gifted in the past few weeks.
#1 Update about the Superstar Shake Up
The Rumour: The long-rumoured Superstar Shake Up might not be happening after all. The call-up of Bobby Roode, John Cena moving to Monday Night Raw and the return of Shelton Benjamin might be the ‘shake-up’ that was rumoured, as per Cageside Seats.
The Potential: As WWE has already made three major changes to their roster, the Superstar Shake Up might not happen despite all the rumors. On the flip side, if that is the case, then we might see more NXT call-ups happening in the coming weeks as mentioned in the earlier slide.
The Fallout: A second superstar shake up would’ve changed the landscape of the WWE roster. But if it is not happening, the value of the next shake up goes up and it would end up being a bigger event.
