WWE Rumors on Carmelo vs. Andrade; Sami Zayn Injury Update; Rousey Talks Evolution 2
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.
Andrade, Carmelo Draw Internal Praise Amid Storyline
Carmelo Hayes and Andrade have been battling on SmackDown over the past month, with Andrade claiming a 2-1 head-to-head advantage so far. Hayes got the better of the WWE Speed champion on Aug. 16 and it doesn't look like their story is over.
One reason for that is Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp reported Saturday the pair have "gained a lot of praise for their program" inside WWE.
Sometimes the formula for a compelling storyline is straightforward.
Hayes and Andrade are both talented in-ring competitors and each has a chip on his shoulder. The former is still finding his place on SmackDown a bit following his illustrious NXT run, while the latter has been up and down across his time in WWE and AEW.
Maybe WWE is content to let this feud unfold entirely on SmackDown, but Carmelo vs. Andrade is a match worthy of a slot on a premium live event. Perhaps a best-of-five or best-of-seven series is in store, with the resolution to come at Bad Blood on Oct. 5.
Zayn Undergoing Stem Cell Therapy
RejuvStem Regenerative Medicine in Cancún, Mexico, revealed on Instagram that Sami Zayn and Ivar were getting stem cell therapy to address "a career's worth of nagging injuries."
Zayn lost the Intercontinental Championship to Bron Breakker at SummerSlam, an outcome that cemented Breakker's continued ascent in the promotion. They had a rematch Aug. 12 on Raw in a 2-out-of-3 Falls match, with the former champion failing to regain the gold.
That seemed to close the curtain on their feud, so it's a good time for Zayn to step away and recuperate. It didn't appear the 40-year-old was dealing with a specific injury as he and Breakker fought over the IC title, but the wear and tear adds up for a wrestler with his experience.
Perhaps Zayn's stem cell therapy will allow for him to be in the frame for Survivor Series this fall.
Rousey Declined Evolution 2 Match with Lynch
Ronda Rousey turned down the opportunity to main-event a second Evolution show with Becky Lynch for 2019.
Beginning at the 18:23 mark of Saturday's episode of Ring The Belle, Rousey said WWE officials approached her with the idea but that she wanted to stick with her plan of taking time off after WrestleMania 35.
At the time, Rousey was one of the biggest stars at the company. An encounter with Lynch in a singles bout — they competed in a Triple Threat match with Charlotte Flair in the main event of WrestleMania — would've been a massive affair.
Not only did Rousey vs. Lynch fail to materalize, but WWE also hasn't staged a second installment of Evolution. Nearly four years later, the demand is still seemingly there. The depth of the women's division has only gotten stronger since 2018.
Should it happen, we can probably rule Rousey out. She said on Ring The Belle she doesn't believe WWE needs her as a draw for a theoretical Evolution 2.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode below.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
