WWE Rumors: Examining Latest Buzz Around Seth Rollins, Samoa Joe and More

What lies ahead for Seth Rollins and Samoa Joe headlines the latest round of WWE rumors.

Rollins may follow up his clashes with his old partners from The Shield with a bout against a surefire Hall of Famer. As for Joe, he's officially a part of NXT now after months of rumblings and whispers, but there's some confusion about his contract.

A backstage report helps clear things up.

Word from behind the scenes also offers information on Sami Zayn's shoulder injury, while an interview with Kurt Angle seems to dispel previous rumors surrounding him. Like with the rumors about Rollins and Joe, these items get some clarity in light of recent reports.

This is not a controversial set of stories this go-round, but instead an informative one.

Backstage Update on Zayn

Before NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable, Kevin Owens wanted to make it clear to fans that it was him—not John Cena—who hurt Zayn. Of course, that is just part of the storyline.

Zayn's shoulder issues reportedly go back much further than when he lost his title to Owens.

PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson reports that Zayn is currently in Birmingham, Alabama, likely to go under the knife for his damaged rotator cuff. "We are told the injury is actually something that has been haunting Zayn since before he signed his WWE deal," he writes.

If that's the case, it's good that WWE is taking care of it now. It was sure to flare up in the future even if it hadn't done so against Cena earlier this month. Having him undergo surgery and have time to recover before he moves to the main roster is smart.

As a bonus, it adds to Owens' character, as he gets kayfabe credit for putting Zayn on the shelf for the second time this year.

Rollins to Feud with Triple H?

Rollins is sure to face Roman Reigns again after fending off Dean Ambrose. After that, Brock Lesnar looms. Once those feuds are all done with, a megastar may be waiting for him.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc), WWE is discussing a potential feud between Rollins and Triple H.

One can already see the company slowly building toward that. Rollins' tension with The Authority has worsened in recent weeks. Many assume that it will lead to Kane leaving the group, but perhaps it's Rollins who will get pushed out.

Having the WWE champ use Triple H's Pedigree could be foreshadowing as well.

If WWE does indeed go in this direction, it would make a lot of sense. Triple H is still a big star who can boost careers, as we have seen with Daniel Bryan and The Shield as a whole as of late.

He and Rollins going to battle would be fresh despite their past skirmishes as part of factions. Putting those talents together would be a recipe for excellence.

Angle Addresses Rumors

When Angle didn't sign with WWE last year, instead re-upping with TNA, reports of heat between him and Triple H circulated the Internet.

For example, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc), noted that Triple H was reportedly angry about Angle going over his head to speak with Vince McMahon about a potential WWE return.

Angle says otherwise. In an interview with the Mirror, Angle said, "I don't think that Triple H and I have any problems with each other, I've always liked him. He's always treated me with respect and I've always treated him the same."

There are a number of possibilities for the discrepancy in the previous reports and what Angle says here.

For one, the earlier rumors could just have been wrong. It's also possible that Triple H does in fact have issues with Angle, but the Olympic gold medalist didn't experience them firsthand.

Either way, Angle is in a much higher position at TNA than he would be with WWE. He's one of the company's key stars and the current world champ. Whether Triple H was upset with him or not is irrelevant at this point.

Word on Joe's WWE Contract

The Samoan Submission Machine stormed into Full Sail University at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable. So ended the discussion about whether rumors of him coming to NXT were true or not.

The story doesn't end there, though. Joe still has indy dates set up, and as noted by Pro Wrestling Torch, he will soon be wrestling on Ring of Honor TV. What does that say about Joe's status with WWE?

It means the company is treating him as a unique case.

For PWInsider.com, Johnson writes:

"

Samoa Joe has come to terms with the company to be part of WWE NXT. I am told the deal to bring Joe into the company was spearheaded by Triple H and was likely worked out in principle when Joe visited the last set of TV Tapings.

We are hearing that Joe will, for the time being, continue to work existing and future independent dates. 

"

Perhaps the deal will change in the near future, with him focusing more on NXT and WWE. This unconventional arrangement may just be what he and WWE worked out, though. It would allow him the freedom to take other gigs but have him boost NXT's profile.

This is likely the scenario if WWE doesn't plan on bringing him to the main roster. He can just be a mercenary of sorts—like Rhyno has been, but with a bigger name.

Regardless of how often Joe appears on WWE programming, it's going to be a fun ride. And that fun is set to continue beyond WWE's borders.