Buy or Sell WWE's Next Big Thing, the Future of SmackDown and More Rumors

The cold and the holidays won't slow down the pro wrestling rumor mill this year. 

For WWE and the sport as a whole, the tail end of this year is unlike any other, a one-off in history as the John Cena retirement tour wraps up. 

That tour has already featured some shocking surprises in the tournament to be his last opponent. The fallout from those stunners, plus who might be next, continues to dominate the mill. 

As always, the usual suspects pepper the rumor mill, too. This week includes speculation about returns, major plans for rising stars and, for better or worse, buzz about WWE again considering changing up the run-time of weekly shows. 

Here's a look at the most notable items on the rumor mill right now, plus whether fans should buy or sell on each. 

WWE's next big thing? 

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The Rumor

When chatting about WWE's next big thing, most minds wander to Bron Breakker. But according to Wrestling Observer Live's Bryan Alvarez (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), WWE might have "finally figured out that they have something special in Je'Von Evans".

Reaction

Alvarez's commentary comes on the heels of Shemaus noting that John Cena himself is hugely high on Evans' future in the business. Still just 21 years old, Evans has certainly shown flashes across early WWE and TNA appearances after only starting to train in 2018. 

Buy or Sell?

Easy buy. There's a simmering hype around Evans and it feels like WWE won't be able to ignore it for long. Considering he's caught the eye of fans, it's no wonder there is buzz about Cena, well, seeing him, too. 

Another weekly show change?

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The Rumor

Just when fans thought they'd memorized how long each weekly WWE show lasts, here comes the rumor mill. According to Alvarez (h/t Ortman), SmackDown is about to go back to the three-hour format…before reverting again at a later date. 

Reaction

Talk about confusing fans. On paper, the report suggests WWE's blue brand will go to three hours for about three months before then going back to the two-hour runtime. 

Buy or Sell?

Sell, loosely. WWE does love messing with its show runtimes in ways that often don't even make a ton of sense. The positive side? In the era of social media, fans don't need to watch all three hours for fear of missing something. If a longer runtime means more meaningful moments and stories get breathing room, great. But why mix it up for a small amount of time, then revert?

AJ Lee return on the way?

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The Rumor

AJ Lee returned for Wrestlepalooza in an iconic moment, then dipped out again. But that could change here soon, with Alvarez (h/t Ortman) reporting that she is "expected" to be in the women's WarGames match. 

Reaction

As of this writing, the WarGames match still has a few unannounced names: 

Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair and 1 TBA vs. Nia Jax, Lash Legend, The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane), and TBA

Lee joining the fray would be a welcome surprise and let WWE creative pepper some possible storyline angles in for future major dates like the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, too. 

Buy or Sell?

Buy. This might not feel so guaranteed even just a few days ago. But WWE going wild by getting Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar in the mix for the men's match to hype the PLE changes that. Throwing Lee back in the mix now would match that energy for the women's side. 

New deals for surprise returns?

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The Rumor

The Last Time is Now Tournament isn't leading to contracts for some of the surprise entrants. According to Fightful Select (h/t Ortman), Dolph Ziggler is not signed to WWE despite his recent appearance. 

Reaction

The report notes that this is the same situation as Zack Ryder: A one-match deal to make the tournament appearance happen at all. For both guys, it sort of felt like a coin flip if fans would see them again beyond those special moments. 

Buy or Sell?

Buy, at least for now. Ryder and Ziggler have been off doing their own things and, frankly, might not want to come back and get lost in the midcard of arguably the deepest, best pro wrestling roster of all time. Kudos to them for it, too. They played key roles in the Cena timeline and it was just really cool to see that able to be acknowledged, too. 

Adam Cole buzz

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The Rumor

For now, at least, it's more of the same when it comes to AEW star Adam Cole. According to Alvarez (h/t Ortman), there is "a strong feeling" within the promotion that Cole won't ever return to the ring as a wrestler. 

Reaction

Vague, but something is better than nothing when it comes to Cole updates these days. Now 36 years old, Cole hasn't had a match since last July. Around that time, he hinted at retirement while addressing fans in the wake of his undisclosed health issues. 

Buy or Sell?

Buy. This has never, ever vibed like traditional pro wrestling working when it comes to the injury updates on Cole. It's been more like the unfortunate case of Big E over in WWE, in that sense. Never say never, this is the same promotion that got Daniel Bryan back, of course. But it's hard to blame anyone for the reported feelings listed here.