Buy or Sell Roman Reigns WWE Rumors, Bron Breakker Turning on Seth Rollins and More
The pro wrestling rumor mill is a slog to get through these days because WWE and AEW are pumping out so much content.
Gone are the days the summer months could be considered something of an “offseason” for the sport. WWE has Saturday Night's Main Event, Great American Bash and Evolution 2, while AEW has All-In, never mind weekly broadcasts for both companies and non-big two stuff like Ring of Honor.
Never mind that’s all in addition to the usual rumor-mill staples like booking plans, contract status, big returns and more to make things all the more complicated.
One has to wonder when an era of excess might lead to oversaturation. Until then, though, fans who love rumors continue to feast.
Here’s a look at the most notable rumblings of the week and whether fans should buy or sell on each.
Jelly Roll Latest
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The Rumor
When it comes to celebrity involvement in WWE, Jelly Roll is merely the latest. According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Cultaholic.com's Aidan Gibbons), the musician continues to be a staple of the upcoming SummerSlam programming in some capacity.
Reaction
It could always be worse is what most WWE fans probably think about this one. They are, after all, still dealing with the after-effects of Travis Scott getting involved with and arguably spoiling the main event of WrestleMania and something as historic as John Cena’s heel turn. Surely Roll can’t one-up that moment…right?
Buy or Sell?
Buy. WWE isn’t going to stop being WWE and suddenly not crave that crossover appeal that gets national attention. Roll is, for better or worse, very on brand. One has to think, at least, that he won’t be getting a match or come close to the main-event scene.
Seth Rollins Betrayed Soon?
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The Rumor
The good vibes between Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker and Paul Heyman can’t continue, right? According to Bodyslam.net’s Viper (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), the plan continues to be a betrayal that will leave Rollins on his lonesome.
Reaction
This feels inevitable, right? Rollins isn’t a guy who needs a mouthpiece like Heyman and an internal conflict seems likely. Keeping Heyman with Breakker, who could probably use somebody on the mic just like a young Brock Lesnar back in the day, would make a lot of sense.
Buy or Sell?
Sell on this happening anytime soon. But it will. Maybe the betrayal pushes Rollins back to being a face. Maybe not. But Heyman being a snake and finding the next big thing while clashing with a personality like Rollins is obvious. WWE will milk this stable for all it’s worth in the interim, though, as it should.
Big Upcoming WWE Crossover?
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The Rumor
WWE isn’t going to stop expanding under TKO, it seems. According to Fightful Select (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), WWE will do a crossover soon involving Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights.
Reaction
WWE has some acts capable of making waves in haunted houses, that’s for sure. It’s a bit of an odd mix, but WWE themes throughout Universal Studios in Orlando isn’t all that hard to picture. The event runs from August 29-November 2 this year.
Buy or Sell?
Buy. As fans will rightfully point out, this is just another part of a big trend under TKO that attempts to garner more mainstream appeal for WWE. It’s hard to proclaim it’ll work, but they could be doing much worse things than getting involved with a haunted house event.
WWE Going After AEW?
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The Rumor
It’s getting harder to deny allegations that WWE counterprograms AEW. According to WrestleVotes (h/t Ortman), WWE running shows at the same time as AEW is intentional and a directive from within WWE and signed off on by TKO, too.
Reaction
No kidding. This weekend is a good example of that and not the first time. Per the report, NXT Heatwave will just-so-happen run the same weekend as AEW Forbidden Door on the weekend of August 24.
Buy or Sell?
Buy. Call it a combination of petty and smart. Dominating the online discourse and promotion and not giving competition any breathing room is, for better or worse, to be expected. The vocal fans who dislike the practice, again, for better or worse, won’t make enough of a negative impact for this practice to hurt WWE.
New Roman Reigns Nickname?
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The Rumor
Rumblings about a Roman Reigns nickname keep surging. The latest comes from WrestleVotes (h/t Ortman), who says the top idea of a new moniker for Reigns is “OTC1” that stands for “Tribal Chief One.”
Reaction
Brutal if true. Original Tribal Chief was already a pretty tough sell for Reigns. It worked, but most fans might agree that just “Tribal Chief” was fantastic. Even if there’s a dispute to the status within a storyline, Reigns veering off and calling himself “OTC1” would smack a little silly.
Buy or Sell?
An unfortunate buy. WWE likes its weird nicknames, especially with abbreviations like that capable of being slapped all over merchandise. Maybe it will make storyline sense if and when it happens.
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