WWE Rumors: Examining Latest Buzz Around Undertaker, Daniel Bryan and More

What WWE reportedly has in the works for Undertaker and Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 31 headlines the latest batch of rumors from the squared circle.

The focus on the upcoming pay-per-view intensifies now that the Royal Rumble is over. The rumor mill is sure to pick up speed now as well.

Questions swirl around The Deadman and the leader of the Yes! Movement. Will Undertaker wrestle his 23rd WrestleMana bout this March? Will Bryan get a significant match at that event?

Until Bryan gets a confirmed opponent and The Undertaker emerges on Raw, expect those men to pop up in Internet rumblings again and again.

Other rumors center around Bryan's response to not winning the Rumble and WWE's reported strategy involving surprise entrants that night. 

Bryan Rumor Shot Down

After Bray Wyatt eliminated Bryan from Sunday's Royal Rumble, the Philadelphia fans were angry and flustered. A rumor is that Bryan was as well. 

Shaheen Shayegan of The Hot Tag Podcast posted a video blog (contains NSFW language) detailing Bryan's reaction to getting ousted. Shayegan said, "We were near backstage and he walked right by all of us. We said hello and he paused, looked at us with a blank stare and then walked off. He looked super pissed and completely ignored all of us."

Word spread quickly. Several wrestling sites picked up the story, including WrestleZone. 

PWInsider's Mike Johnson refutes the rumor, calling it "absolutely ridiculous." He says that Bryan was simply playing his role. Johnson writes, "Somehow, Bryan doing what every other competitor was told to do by WWE has been blown into a 'story.'" 

There have been no backstage reports about Bryan's unhappiness over the Rumble result. In fact, he sounded far from angry when he saluted fans on Twitter following his defeat: 

It appears that Bryan just did a great job of selling on Sunday night and that kayfabe isn't dead after all. 

Bryan's Rumored Opponent

WWE really likes pitting Bryan against Sheamus at WrestleMania. Those foes have squared off at that event twice already, and rumors of a third showdown continue to emerge.

PWInsider Elite (h/t Wrestling Inc) reports that WWE is currently planning on having Bryan face Sheamus at WrestleMania 31.

For fans hoping for a repeat of last year, where WWE crammed Bryan into the main event, this has to be a letdown. Sheamus is a former world champ, but battling him is a step down from the top of the card.

It would be a bout fans have already seen and one that comes off as Bryan getting stuck with whatever star was left after all the big names got their matches.

WWE can do a lot better than this. Bryan vs. Seth Rollins, for example, is much more of a marquee match at this point.

It's relatively early still, and plans change. However, several of the top talents are already heading in a clear direction, one that doesn't have them crossing paths with Bryan. Sting and Triple H are on a collision course, and so are John Cena and Rusev.

Undertaker may be taken as well.

Undertaker En Route?

The Deadman may soon cometh.

After spending the night after last year's WrestleMania in the hospital, as reported by WWE.com, there has been serious doubt about him being able to come back. At 49 years old, the clock is ticking on his career.

There may be at least one more go-round in his future, though.

According to the Wrestling Observer (h/t Wrestle Zone), the feeling within WWE is that Undertaker will indeed compete at WrestleMania 31. The official announcement on his status is expected soon. 

The report also notes that his likely opponent will be Bray Wyatt.

That's been the belief among many fans about how things will play out. With how strong WWE has made Wyatt look as of late, imagining a collision between the two of them isn't hard.

Going with Wyatt allows a younger star to do much of the heavy lifting for Undertaker. It's a smart move as well as it gives Wyatt an incredible opportunity.

Backstage Word on the Rumble

WWE left a lot of cannons unfired at the Royal Rumble.

The Rock didn't officially enter the match. The company didn't bring back Randy Orton. Bo Dallas didn't make his return.

Reportedly, there were three other men of note who didn't make it into the 30-man field.

According to PWInsider Elite (h/t Wrestling Inc), Chris Jericho, X-Pac and Nikolai Volkoff were backstage at the pay-per-view. WWE reportedly looked to trick fans, hoping word of those men's presence would leak.

The report also notes that Alex Riley was backstage, but changes to the Rumble match left him on the sidelines.

If WWE truly did bring in Jericho and company just to mess with people, that's a complete waste. What's the benefit of people expecting someone like Jericho to enter the Rumble only to have him not show?

Leaving Erick Rowan out and inserting Y2J would have elevated the match. It makes no sense to not make use of the former world champ's star power if he's in the building. 

Having Volkoff stand in Rusev's corner would have been smarter than just having him sit behind the curtain.

And what WWE is doing with Riley is hard to understand. He's done well as a broadcaster, but he still has miles left in him as a wrestler. He hasn't competed on TV in ages, though.

Riley isn't going to challenge Cena for the title of company centerpiece, but he can offer the company more than filler at live events.