Backstage WWE and AEW Rumors: Latest on WrestleMania, CM Punk and More

It's WrestleMania season in WWE, and rumors tend to circulate at this time every year regarding the company's plans for its annual showpiece.

What, if any, plans have changed on this road to The Showcase of the Immortals? For longtime fans, the answer may be surprising.

That topic headlines a collection of insider reports that also features the latest on CM Punk's status with All Elite Wrestling and a big backstage meeting in Tony Khan's promotion.

Has WWE Altered Its WrestleMania Plans?

Contrary to the way things were under Vince McMahon, WWE has not deviated from the plans it has had in place for WrestleMania 39 over the last month or so, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio.

It is usually around this time each year when rumors surrounding a reshuffled WrestleMania card abound, with McMahon second-guessing planned matches and segments for the biggest show of the year.

So, the idea of a card that has remained mostly untouched even at this point in the build is a welcome change.

That has seemingly been a trademark of Triple H's, though. There is more long-term planning and less deviation from it, and the result is a more coherent show than that of the previous regime.

Some will insist that the uncertainty of things made for a more enthralling show but even those fans would be hard-pressed to find something more compelling than what Triple H, Paul Heyman and the rest of the creative forces have put together with the Roman Reigns-Cody Rhodes-Sami Zayn program.

While one would assume Rhodes vs. Reigns will be the WrestleMania main event, the journey to it is what will make WWE programming most intriguing over the next six weeks.

No Fences Mended Between CM Punk and The Elite

Meltzer also noted there has been no mending of fences between CM Punk and The Elite since last September's "Brawl Out," something that would have to happen if the former is to return to AEW.

If the report proves true and is not the result of one-sided insider information, it's not all that surprising. Punk has shown in the past he is capable of holding a grudge, sometimes deservedly.

With that said, unless both sides put in the work to repair a fairly large schism, there's no way Tony Khan can even entertain the possibility of bringing Punk back. That is not to say he was totally at fault for what went down at All Out, but The Elite have already reestablished themselves backstage.

Working Punk back in and expecting harmony would be extremely naïve of the AEW president.

Would AEW benefit from Punk's return? Absolutely. He is still a big star in the world of pro wrestling and has a strong fanbase that will follow him. He also has a lot to offer a young locker room that would benefit from his knowledge and expertise.

TBS champion Jade Cargill is just one of the AEW stars who have spoken out about the 44-year-old helping young talent behind the scenes.

There was a clear philosophical difference between Punk, The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega that would have come to a head at some point. Did it need to happen last September in front of a room full of media? Maybe not, but we also do not know how many times it was brought to the attention of higher-ups that it was an issue without being addressed.

Whatever the case may be, without some sort of meeting and compromise on the part of both parties, the likelihood that Punk sets foot in the AEW locker room again is very low.

WrestleMania 39 Goes Hollywood

WrestleVotes reported that WWE has filmed parody vignettes similar to those it produced prior to WrestleMania 21 as the event returns to Los Angeles.

The idea of Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch as The Joker and Batman is excellent, especially since the influence of The Clown Prince of Crime is very evident in The Visionary character.

The 40 Year Old Virgin could be a lot of fun, and The Bloodline are seemingly made for a Goodfellas parody.

Those vignettes helped set WrestleMania 21 apart from others and played up the novelty of an event based in Hollywood. It is refreshing to see Triple H and WWE management getting back to that this year, though it feels like something Vince McMahon would have put into place, too.

Regardless of who is behind the idea, fans are in for a good time in the coming weeks.

Especially if WrestleVotes' report on which movies will be spoofed proves accurate.

Backstage AEW Meeting Featuring Thunder Rosa

It's been some time since AEW fans have seen Thunder Rosa in the squared circle, but she announced this week that she will be returning as part of the Spanish announce team.

It may be exciting news for the former champ but, in keeping with the theme of AEW rumors this week, there were some fences to be mended. That happened in a recent backstage meeting, according to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select:

"Those that we spoke to with knowledge of the meeting said that Rosa did a lot of 'making amends' for several issues that came up along the way during her previous run in the company. There were those on the roster that took issue with her approach to things, and believed she made others on the women's roster seem like bullies."

Sapp added: "There were some on the roster that took issue with her not being on the road with AEW while traveling for other work, and questioned the legitimacy of her injury, which Rosa addressed publicly."

Rosa was the women's champion the last time fans saw her on television, which caused the title picture to become muddied as Tony Khan scrambled to find an interim champion.

When it became clear that the 36-year-old would be unable to return in a timely manner, the "interim" label was dropped and Toni Storm became the undisputed titleholder.

It remains to be seen if Rosa will compete again for AEW, but utilizing a competitor with recognizable appeal in a role that benefits the company in some form or fashion is the best that one can hope for.

That any backstage drama appears to have been squashed is a bonus.