Buying or Selling Seth Rollins' Contract Rumors, Brock Lesnar WrestleMania Feud, More

The pro wrestling rumor mill isn't one to take breaks.

If anything, the buzz on the mill only ramps up because an impending new year means examining a world of possibilities for the next calendar year.

That's a standard pro wrestling year, at least—this is anything but. The mill, in a manner of days, has spit out more rumblings around CM Punk after his historic return to WWE. Plus, there's contract chatter and future musings about major names like Seth Rollins and Mercedes Moné, formerly known as Sasha Banks.

Tack on the buzz including names like Shawn Michaels and Brock Lesnar and it has the feel of one of the biggest weeks of the year for the mill.

As such, here's a look at the must-know buzz and whether fans should buy or sell on each item.

Seth Rollins a Priority Ahead of Contract Talks?

Let the rumor mill tell it, Seth Rollins' contract with WWE is up in 2024.

That bit of buzz comes from Fightful Select (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), who adds that talks between the two sides haven't started, yet Rollins will be a priority for the company.

Unfortunately for fans who might yearn to see Rollins pull a Jon Moxley and head for other companies, this one is an easy buy. The man formerly known as The Architect has been one of the faces of Raw and greater WWE as a whole for a long time.

And while some might point to Rollins' purgatory-ish status as a babyface who has to keep tweaking his character after fan backlash in recent years, the reality is that he looks finally headed for that can't-deny WrestleMania main event, likely on Night 1 against CM Punk.

WWE not doing whatever it takes to retain Rollins would be one of the biggest shockers in modern pro wrestling history.

Verdict: Buying

No Contact Between WWE and Sasha Banks?

Mercedes Moné projects to be one of the biggest stories in pro wrestling in 2024.

Naturally, then, her name has come up on the rumor mill as of late, with SEScoops (h/t Ortman) reporting that WWE has yet to be in touch with her about a return, nor so much as discussed creative.

That's a sell because—like with CM Punk—that's exactly what a company already doing those things might leak to get the public off the trail.

While she's spent time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and appeared in speculation around AEW, it has always felt like Moné would end up back in WWE as Sasha Banks once more.

The idea this hasn't even crossed the minds of WWE is hard to imagine, given her legendary status there and within the industry as a whole.

Verdict: Selling

CM Punk the Next Shawn Michaels?

The idea CM Punk is the next Shawn Michaels is funny (and fitting) for a number of reasons.

But maybe the one fans would least expect is how this sort of idea pertains to the behind-the-scenes world of WWE.

According to Ibou of WrestlePurists (h/t Ortman), Punk's long-term goal is to handle creative on NXT, similar to what Michaels has been doing very successfully for a while now.

It sure feels like a buy, considering Punk just appeared on an NXT broadcast and has been in seemingly endless posts on social media with up-and-coming WWE talents working at the performance center.

Under Michaels, NXT has enjoyed an unexpected resurgence, bringing the brand back to must-see status for many fans. That Punk would want to eventually steer that sort of ship while training the next generation of Superstars sure sounds like a great idea, once Michaels is ready to step away at some point far down the line.

Verdict: Buying

Brock Lesnar vs. Gunther?

Two of the more interesting long-term points of speculation around WrestleMania 40 have focused on Brock Lesnar and Gunther.

With Lesnar, it has been about if and when he will actually return and what he'll do once he does. When it comes to the current Intercontinental champion, it has been about who he might defend against.

So why not combine the two? Wrestling Observer Radio's Dave Meltzer (h/t Ortman), for example, suggests Gunther-Lesnar could be the plan at 'Mania.

And while that would make some sense, it has the vibe of a sell for a pretty interesting reason—Gunther doesn't need Lesnar. Lately, it feels like WWE rolls out Lesnar to help up-and-coming stars, which is a great way to use the GOAT-contender as his career winds down.

But one could argue that Gunther is already a historic champion who doesn't need a bump from Lesnar in the same way say, Drew McIntyre needed it years ago. In fact, we're at the point where Gunther should probably be facing an up-and-comer and passing the torch before he goes after one of the two bigger men's titles next year.

Verdict: Selling