Buying or Selling The Elite Free-Agency Buzz and Latest WWE and AEW Rumors

The pro wrestling rumor mill is akin to a rollercoaster, with massive highs before steep drops into rather quiet stretches.

Let's just say the current buzz around WWE and All Elite Wrestling is at a peak.

Go figure, as WWE creeps closer to WrestleMania 39, which should be one of the biggest of its ilk ever with headline items such as Triple H leading creative and the potential end of the Roman Reigns-Bloodline saga in the main event.

On the AEW front, some major internationally-known potential free agents could hit the open market soon, allowing them to seek the pastures of WWE—unless they end up re-signing with AEW.

Here's a look at the hottest rumors making the rounds right now, plus a buying or selling verdict on each.

Becky Lynch's WrestleMania Roadmap

One of the biggest question marks floating around WrestleMania 39 was what WWE might do with Becky Lynch.

After all, Ronda Rousey has been involved in the tag title scene, Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley will fight for the SmackDown women's title, and Asuka will take on Bianca Belair for the Raw women's title.

Turns out we have a possible answer.

According to WRKD Wrestling, the plan is for Trish Stratus to turn heel and go against Lynch, setting up a WrestleMania feud that could extend all the way through SummerSlam.

And it makes perfect sense. Lynch is arguably the top women's star on the planet, and if she's not in a title scene while others shine, she's still deserving of something like a program against a legend. This is a dream feud for fans and, should it really last until the summer, it would mean WWE is letting long-term storylines play out around both women's titles, too.

Verdict: Buying

Ronda Rousey Missing WrestleMania?

Speaking of Rousey, it seemed obvious she and Shayna Baszler were headed for a match with the women's tag titles at stake.

An injury might have complicated things, though.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Cageside Seats' Rick Ucchino) Rousey is dealing with a hairline arm fracture that could mean she isn't a full-go at Mania. Some speculation has hinted that she might miss Mania outright, which would leave WWE grasping for a backup plan for the women's tag titles or keeping them off the program outright until a later marquee event.

Thankfully for all involved, though, Rousey's current injury happens within the context of a tag match. That shouldn't stop her and Baszler from competing for, if not winning the titles during a carefully-scripted match that protects the injury.

Given the fun MMA-wrestling style Rousey and Baszler work anyway, it can work and fit quite well. Both being physically dominant with strikes in that fashion before going on a run as dominant heel champions can work.

Plus, Mania is better with Rousey as one of the headline items, so it's hard to see this injury preventing it.

Verdict: Selling

WWE Interested in The Elite

The Elite—Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks—feel like forever-type staples of AEW.

But so did Cody Rhodes.

Now, according to Josh Nason of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer has reported AEW is attempting to re-sign all three to long-term deals before they hit free agency and earn obvious interest from WWE.

All of it is a no-brainer. AEW can't exactly afford to lose three more of its founders after Rhodes' departure. WWE should naturally want one of the hottest tag teams of their generation, never mind Omega—who it is easy to envision going on an AJ Styles-esque run if he goes to the biggest promotion out there.

Omega is especially interesting to think about in WWE besides the Styles comparison. He's already 39 years old, so his chances of hitting free agency again after this and getting a headline run in WWE seem small. He and fans would get endless, never-before-seen feuds.

On WWE's end, it would be sheer foolishness not to have an interest in talents like these when it would be doubly beneficial to swipe them from its biggest competitor.

Verdict: Buying

WWE interested in Brian Cage

WWE could get rather busy in free agency soon.

It's not just Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and even MJF potentially heading to market. It's also Brian Cage.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Paul Davis of Wrestling News), WWE has plenty of interest in Cage with his AEW deal about to expire.

But Cage's name isn't exactly up there with The Elite or MJF, two big-time bidding wars that could occupy WWE's time soon.

Make no mistake, Cage is an awesome performer who could fit on any wrestling promotion's roster. But he's also 39, and as the report states, AEW's trying to extend his contract because of time missed with injury. He's been most recently seen on AEW Dark tapings, so he's not making headway with a WWE competitor.

While this could always change in a hurry, right now it feels like WWE wouldn't have major interest other than to make AEW panic a little, especially after trimming their own rosters down for the last couple of years. If WWE is going to put effort into swiping talent, it will be on the Rhodes level.

Verdict: Selling