Like the sport itself, the pro wrestling rumor mill has turned the proverbial corner and now only picks up the pace for the rest of the summer.
August is the big target, with AEW heading toward All In and WWE on the way to SummerSlam.
The WWE side is especially heating up right now after the stunning results at Money in the Bank, highlighted by yet another escalation of the feud between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre—now with a splash of Seth Rollins, too.
And yet, as if to illustrate just how hot things are right now, the biggest rumors dial in on other names.
Here is a look at the must-know rumblings right now, plus whether fans should buy or sell on each.
More Women's Titles on the Way?
One long-running point of speculation for fans might be about to come true.
According to Wrestling Observer Radio's Dave Meltzer (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), the women's division in WWE could end up getting mid-card titles such as an intercontinental championship and others soon.
That one is a super-logical buy given the impressive depth of the roster right now. And it's an especially interesting thing to consider in this Triple H era of long-form storytelling and championship runs that see top Superstars hold the top titles for a long time.
Giving the rest of the women's division something to chase beyond the tag titles would just be a smart move, plus it would keep the door wide open for another WWE Evolution-styled event.
Verdict: Buying
How WWE Views Judgment Day
Despite the chaos of Money in the Bank, one of the biggest items of the week actually occurred on Raw, where Rhea Ripley returned from injury to confront fellow The Judgment Day member Dominik Mysterio.
That created an interesting dynamic, to say the least. PW Insider (h/t Ortman) reported that Ripley is now considered a "babyface" on backstage WWE items, while the rest of her stable remain listed as heels.
At this point though, it feels like a sell and those classifications are mere placeholders or formalities and little more. Fans are going to cheer Ripley, but they also won't stop cheering for Mysterio and his flirtations with Liv Morgan. Even Damian Priest is too liked in a blurred-lines way to really get booed at this point.
Maybe the only classification the heel tag would make sense on is Finn Bálor and JD McDonagh at this point.
Verdict: Selling
A New Innovation Set to Arrive in WWE?
WWE has modernized a lot over the last few years and tried some interesting things, including social media concepts like WWE Speed and those refreshingly great new camera angles and presentations.
From the sounds of a report from Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp (h/t Ortman), the company will push in a new direction on this front—with referee cams.
Giving fans the perspective of referees is something other sports have done to great success, as those officiating contests have the best view in the house.
This one honestly felt like it was only a matter of time. The views from a ref's perspective would be captivating and, in a way that only professional wrestling can, the idea could work into actual stories and feuds in creative ways, too.
Verdict: Buying
Explaining the Holdup on the Documentary
The Rock.
That's the reason hinted as to why the hotly anticipated WrestleMania 40 documentary was delayed, as reported by PW Insider (h/t Ortman).
Dwayne Johnson as the reason was the longstanding hypothesized reason amongst fans for the documentary's delay, too. Given the messy booking that nearly derailed Cody Rhodes' run and the blurred lines reality of Rock needing to protect his brand, the idea made some sense.
And yet...this one feels like a sell. The real reason for the documentary's delay is probably a little more complicated than that, and in a year from now, perhaps fans find out that this is just the normal time WWE likes to release it now.
And this is pro wrestling, after all. If a wrestling promotion wanted to keep fans hating a blurred-lines corporate heel like Rock who might just main event next year's WrestleMania against Roman Reigns as part of a family-based feud, why, this is the type of "rumor" a company might put out to keep things interesting, indeed.
Verdict: Selling
Bryan Danielson's Disinterest in AEW World Title
One of the more interesting underlying issues in AEW is the promise or general disinterest of certain top stars in chasing certain top titles.
Cody Rhodes vowing to never pursue the top title comes to mind, sure. But so does Bryan Danielson's incessant reminders that he's simply not interested in winning AEW world title gold.
But according to Wrestling Observer Radio's Dave Meltzer (h/t Ortman), those comments from Bryan are and have been "all a work" to this point.
That would make a lot of sense, as blurring the lines probably added to the shocker that was Danielson upending Hangman Page in the Owen Hart Tournament. It's the type of realistic work that fits perfectly alongside the well-known idea that Danielson is headed for retirement soon—but not before a shot at the title in late August.
Verdict: Buying
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