Backstage WWE Rumors: Latest on Triple H, Paul Heyman and More

The wrestling world is still reeling following a shakeup at the top of WWE after the retirement of chairman and chief executive Vince McMahon.

Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have taken over as co-CEOs of the company, and Triple H has become head of creative.

As is the case with any shakeup of that magnitude, rumors and speculation run rampant about what it means for the company moving forward.

With SummerSlam approaching this Saturday night, all eyes will be on Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee to see exactly what The Game has in store for fans. Thanks to an insider report, we know what he won't be doing.

That update, plus reports on Paul Heyman's role in the new power structure, the next NXT live event and WWE executive producer Kevin Dunn, await in this collection of rumors.

WrestleVotes reported that, with SummerSlam being his first show in total control, "Triple H would like to make a creative splash at the event, HOWEVER—only if it makes sense. Won’t just do something to do it."

It makes sense that the new WWE head of creative would want to make an immediate impact. That is a natural inclination, if for no other reason than to create excitement about his vision for the future of the product moving forward.

What is more refreshing is that last part, about him not doing something just for the sake of doing it.

Surprises are great when they make sense within the context of everything else going on. When they are just thrown into a show to pop the crowd with no real reason behind them, they are cheap and meaningless.

Hopefully, Triple H can come up with something to capitalize on the interesting surrounding the event and spark viewership for the rest of the week's TV. Even he manages just to oversee a good SummerSlam, that will be perfectly fine, too.

Either way, a less impulsive approach to the booking of WWE television is a great change of pace for the company.

Paul Heyman sat alongside Triple H at the latest talent recruitment event Wednesday, leaving some to ponder whether the special counsel for Roman Reigns may see his role in WWE increase under the new regime.

Wade Keller mentioned during his latest VIP Audio Show at PWTorch that Heyman is one to watch in the company's new power structure, thanks to the trust Triple H has in him and the improved relationship he has with Stephanie McMahon since their much-publicized spats early in the 2000s.

Heyman is a creative genius with an eye for talent. He knew Steve Austin was going to be a big deal long before he was ever "Stone Cold," so he fought for him to be added to the Dangerous Alliance back in 1992. He knew Brock Lesnar was going to be the guy and hitched his wagon to The Beast Incarnate.

The godfather of Extreme Championship Wrestling, he also knew there was a portion of the audience that wanted hardcore, in-your-face attitude well before Vince McMahon used it as a marketing ploy to describe his own product.

Heyman sees things coming before they arrive. Why would you not want him in the inner circle, advising you on this fresh face he saw or informing you of the hidden talents of an underutilized wrestler and why they might be an asset to the show?

His knowledge and experience are invaluable, and he was probably being underutilized for far too long in that regard.

Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics (h/t Sai Mohan of Wrestling Inc) reported that the next NXT live special will be on September 4. While he could not confirm the start time, it is interesting that it will be the same day as All Elite Wrestling presents its All Out pay-per-view.

It would not be out of the realm of possibility for NXT to go on earlier in the day. We saw that happen in April, when Stand and Deliver took place in the afternoon of WrestleMania Saturday.

Surely, Triple H and those in power understand that counter-programming AEW's biggest PPV of the year would be a major miscalculation and result in some of the worst viewing figures for any NXT special event ever.

Hopefully, common sense prevails and the show does go on earlier in the afternoon. The talent in NXT has worked hard to make the most of the creative content handed to them so rewarding them with as large an audience as possible would be appropriate.

Especially Carmelo Hayes. That guy is going to be the guy in WWE one day.

Actor and former WWE Creative team member Freddie Prinze Jr. told his own Wrestling with Freddie podcast a story about his experience working with Kevin Dunn and the longtime executive producer's philosophy on women's champions.

"You could pitch for like 20 minutes and Kevin [Dunn] would be like, 'Well I don't think she's pretty,' and all of a sudden six weeks of story would just be gone... 'Our champ has to be pretty.'"

That is not necessarily a rumor in its own right, but it does support a report by The Hard Way's Leslie Lee III that Dunn once said six-time women's champion Becky Lynch was not attractive enough to be women's champion.

The article also claimed he disliked her accent so much that he "planned to give her less speaking time on TV just to not hear her voice as much."

Lee revealed a 2016 tweet by Lynch was an apparent subliminal message directed at her critic:

Lynch proved too undeniable to be held down, and she went to become the biggest star in professional wrestling.

Luckily, with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon now firmly entrenched atop WWE, the chauvinistic opinions of one man will matter less. Especially since it was The Game who championed women's wrestling in NXT and pushed the likes of Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bayley and Paige in a way they never would have been prior to that point.