BS Meter on New Roman Reigns Rumors, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre WrestleMania Plans, More
Normally, the pro wrestling rumor mill would be coming into gear right about now ahead of Royal Rumble at the end of the month.
There's nothing normal about the last few months of pro wrestling, though.
That's especially true on the WWE side. John Cena's retirement tour feels like it just wrapped up. Not long after, Cody Rhodes shockingly lost the promotion's top title to Drew McIntyre, really throwing the expected time of year's happenings for a loop.
Now, the rumble approaches alongside the kickstart to WrestleMania season and all is, in a word, chaotic.
To help fans keep up, let's throw the most notable rumors against a BS Meter below, with 10 being the highest form of unbelievable buzz fans can safely dismiss.
WrestleMania 42 title match buzz
1 of 6
The Rumor
Where do things go with Rhodes now hunting a title again? According to Wrestling Observer Radio's Dave Meltzer (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), Drew McIntyre, Jacob Fatu and Rhodes in a triple-threat match could be the route WWE takes.
Reaction
This one would be pretty surprising. Rhodes always feels like a guy headed for a solo match at 'Mania. Him fighting McIntyre again would be an upteenth retread of a weekly show's match at this point. And Fatu just doesn't have the star power yet to main event, provided that's what we're talking about here.
BS Meter: 10
No chance. This feels like recency bias. And the proposed match feels like one they'd throw on a lesser PLE before 'Mania itself. Think, Elimination Chamber. Not that this would be a bad 'Mania match, per se, but they tend to want to go bigger.
Tiffany Stratton injury, booking buzz
2 of 6
The Rumor
Tiffany Stratton remains a major point of speculation during her absence. According to Bodyslam.net (h/t Ortman), she's medically cleared to return from injury and will have major moments during the road to 'Mania soon.
Reaction
File this one under an "undisclosed" injury that was pretty much unknown by the public. It felt like a typical post-title loss hiatus, considering Stratton lost her belt to Jade Cargill in November and hasn't been seen since. It always felt like, were she to miss time, she'd be back for the Royal Rumble.
BS Meter: 1
The what around what Stratton does during 'Mania season is up for debate. There are plenty of interesting storylines and angles unfolding. But she's one of the top in the division and always seemed like she would factor heavily into the rumble itself, if not the 'Mania title scene.
Drew McIntyre backstage buzz
3 of 6
The Rumor
McIntyre finally got his big win. And according to Fightful Select (h/t Ortman), some within WWE viewed it as a must-win thing for McIntyre so he could be "taken seriously as a top guy moving forward."
Reaction
This was a general feeling amongst the fanbase for a while now. McIntyre was top dog during the pandemic era after taking down Brock Lesnar. But besides the lengthy feud with CM Punk since, he's sort of been sidelined. Repeated losses to Rhodes didn't help the perception.
BS Meter: 5
Let's go halfway on this one. Why this match was the one that was make-or-break for McIntyre in the minds of WWE brass is hard to say. But he was certainly due. And there has been a risk for a little while now that he would fade into being "just another guy" in the minds of the casual audiences.
Rhodes-Reigns III buzz
4 of 6
The Rumor
Will WWE go back to Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns at 'Mania now? According to Meltzer (h/t Ortman), WrestleMania 42 being the spot for Part 3 is "probably not happening" after the pivot to McIntyre as top champion.
Reaction
Is there Rhodes-Reigns fatigue for fans? Because there probably should be. Both could be off doing their own interesting things at 'Mania and it's hard to imagine fans would complain. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, to get cliche, and that's true of a feud like this.
BS Meter: 5
There's plenty of time for WWE to steer back in this direction. But overexposure of the feud that has defined this modern generation could do it more harm than good. WWE's top title scenes deserve new blood for a little while. And when the time comes, Reigns and Rhodes won't necessarily need to even have titles at stake. It's transcended that.
WWE's newest arrival buzz
5 of 6The Rumor
One of the rare talent jumps between AEW and WWE has occurred. According to Meltzer (h/t Ortman), Powerhouse Hobbs going to WWE has been anticipated for a little while now. The report adds that AEW President Tony Khan was unaware, but more than willing to bring him back at a later date.
Reaction
Smart play by Khan and AEW. If a talent wants to jump ship, why burn bridges? Hobbs turns 35 this month, so he might want to see what else is out there before the dreaded age of 40. Maybe he goes back to AEW eventually, considering how stacked WWE's roster is.
BS Meter: 5
Not to get too repetitive here, but this one feels like we're meeting it halfway, too. WWE and Hobbs probably knew this was the play. It's hard to imagine Khan had no idea. Either way, WWE gets a possible main-eventer and AEW keeps the door ajar for him, so everyone wins.
Big Roman Reigns changes?
6 of 6
The Rumor
More about Reigns' immediate future as 'Mania looms. According to Meltzer (h/t Wrestle Zone's Matt Black), Reigns is fully the "odd man out" when it comes to WWE's top title picture.
Reaction
This one sort of goes hand in hand with the other buzz. McIntyre is the top dog for now and Rhodes won't be happy about it. WWE couldn't have picked a better time for this, though: Fans will probably get a serious taste of what's next for Reigns in the middle of the Royal Rumble match at the end of the month.
BS Meter: 1
Easy buy right here. Reigns doesn't need to have a title at stake in a match for it to be a big deal. And if he's sort of part-time right now, they don't want him running off with a title or outright losing singles matches. It feels like the right time for this shift, too, as other top names, similar to McIntyre, deserve the chance to shine.
