Buying Or Selling LA Knight's Upcoming Contract and Latest WWE and AEW Rumors

If the last few months have stressed anything to pro wrestling fans, it's that the sport is never not interesting.

Just look at the rumor mill. WWE and AEW combined for a stunning three pay-per-view-styled events in roughly a week and put on some classic shows in the process.

And yet the mill is on fire coming out of those events in perhaps a bigger way than it was going into them.

Thank the CM Punk saga as he exits AEW and heads to...something. Thank LA Knight's stunning rise as a top superstar. And thank near-endless buzz about re-signings, contracts for top stars and surprise appearances, etc.

With so much in the way of rumblings generating headlines, let's highlight the must-know rumors and dish advice on whether wrestling fans should buy or sell on them.

LA Knight's Contract and Push

It sounds like LA Knight is about to get two of the massive Ps that result in getting over in pro wrestling.

Paid and pushed.

According to PWInsider.com (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), a big long-term contract extension is either done or close between LA Knight and WWE.

To be blunt, it's the easiest buy of a rumor on the year. LA Knight has generated WWE-best reactions amongst live crowds thanks to his character and mic work, forcing WWE to shift him from heel to babyface while giving him big spots like a battle royal win at SummerSlam and a big endorsement from John Cena after beating The Miz at Payback.

All of the above feels like a humble beginning for what could be LA Knight becoming the face of SmackDown itself, with Roman Reigns part-timing on his way to the next WrestleMania. By then, who knows? Maybe a freshly-extended LA Knight has peaked by becoming the No. 1 contender to main event against Reigns.

Verdict: Buying

Gable Steveson off NXT?

Gable Steveson briefly looked like a guy headed for some sort of push after an intriguing first match and feud with Baron Corbin.

But now he's apparently off the roster.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Aidan Gibbons of Cultaholic), Stevenson has been removed from the NXT roster entirely.

But this one might be a technicality or even for WWE-ish reasons. Stevenson returned to amateur wrestling earlier this year and won the US Open. More recently, he pulled out of the Senior World Championships. It's not entirely unfair to wonder if WWE played a role in this, but the company seems just as likely to use any possible non-WWE achievements, including the 2024 Olympics, as a way to promote.

For now, this is a sell. Within the last month, WWE even moved Jey Uso to the "alumni" section of the roster online to play up his "quitting" during the Bloodline saga before he resurfaced. With Stevenson, it could be a whole range of things that don't imply he's not in the plans.

Verdict: Selling

Bryan Danielson Exclusive to Collision?

In the wake of CM Punk's departure from the company, AEW needs some star power to keep Collision going strong.

Said star power might just be Bryan Danielson.

According to Meltzer (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), moving forward, Danielson will primarily be on Collision, not Dynamite.

It's a brave move for AEW to make given that Dynamite needs to remain a steady presence to draw in viewers. But it's also a sensible one, given Danielson's beyond-AEW appeal and talent. Heck, back in May, Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp reported he was already helping with Collision's creative.

Truth is, filling a void as big as the one left by Punk is a near-impossible task, but if fans had to name three or four candidates from any promotion, Danielson's would undoubtedly be on most lists.

Verdict: Buying

WWE signed Carlito

Carlito was one of the highlights of the 2023 edition of Backlash and it felt super obvious that he would end up with WWE again for a fun throwback run that would be a big deal for long-term fans.

On cue, Meltzer (h/t sportskeeda's Shiven Sachdeva) has commented that Carlito indeed has a deal with WWE and merely awaits actual creative that will get him on television.

But Meltzer also reported this in June (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) and it's pretty unlike WWE to make a splash like this, then sit on it for so long. Especially so with a fan favorite who had been with the company from 2003 to '10 in such notable roles before that massive reaction at Backlash.

Verdict: Selling