BS Meter on CM Punk's Elimination Chamber Opponent, Bron's Masked Mystery Attacker, More Rumors
The conclusion of the Royal Rumble didn't exactly slow the pro wrestling rumor mill.
In fact, one could argue things just kicked up yet another gear.
The happenings in the rumble itself play a big role in a fast-paced road to WrestleMania now. Pair that with rumblings about possible retirements, inter-company drama, Superstars going to free agency and so much more, and things can tend to get overwhelming.
To help fans keep pace with all the buzz making the rounds, let's put the most notable rumors against the BS Meter, with 10 being the highest form of unbelievable buzz fans can safely dismiss.
AEW signing new Superstars?
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The Rumor
WWE isn't the only company adding new names. According to Fightful Select (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), AEW has signed "a number of talent" yet to be announced.
Reaction
The note goes on to say the women's roster could be getting new members. After the signing of someone like Tommaso Ciampa, one could speculate that the duo of Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay are the obvious next additions after they didn't appear in WWE's Royal Rumble.
BS Meter: 1
New additions are inevitable in AEW. That's especially the case right now as AEW barrels toward AEW Grand Slam: Australia. It only seems sensible to balance out the women's side of things after adding to the men's side again, too.
John Cena Hall of Fame buzz
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The Rumor
One would think John Cena is an instant Hall of Famer. Or not. According to WrestleVotes (h/t Rajah.com's Jeff Whalen), given the timing of everything, Cena won't be in the 2026 class and is likely the 2027 headliner.
Reaction
Cena being the headliner of his own class makes plenty of sense. What's interesting here, though, is WWE retaining Stephanie McMahon as the headliner for 2026 because of when it was announced.
BS Meter: 5
Given the timing of his final match, Cena was probably always going to need to wait until 2027, so leaning on McMahon as a reason seems a tad exaggerated. Keep in mind, too, it needs to work with Cena's schedule. Now, all involved can plot the 2027 event from as far out as possible.
Vince McMahon latest
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The Rumor
Vince McMahon's name came up, but WWE isn't listening. According to Fightful Select (h/t Ortman), there are no plans for Vince to come back to the promotion in any shape or form.
Reaction
This is a discussion at all because fans at the Royal Rumble chanted Vince's name. It was a, well, odd way for fans to get vocal about their frustrations with Triple H's booking decisions, if not outright simple trolling.
BS Meter: 1
Easiest buy of the week, really. There's no place for Vince in modern WWE as it continues to expand its global reach. The weekly programming doesn't need him in an on-screen role, either, not when folks like Adam Pearce are doing such a fantastic job as authority figures overseeing brands.
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Roman Reigns' shot at Triple H
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The Rumor
Before he won the Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns made massive headlines for criticizing WWE creative on Pat McAfee's show. During an appearance on The Coach & Bro Show, Jonathan Coachman (h/t Ortman) has said that Reigns' comments were directly aimed at Triple H.
Reaction
Coachman and Co. went as far as to speculate that Reigns' comments came from The Rock behind the scenes. The idea being, creative differences behind the scenes, if not pure power struggles, have played a role.
BS Meter: 10
The highest order of unbelievable silliness from the rumor mill here. Reigns getting back in the main-event scene was inevitable. WWE knew exactly what it was doing when he went out and made these comments. It's all part of the story, and gets some bonus points for keeping the door ajar for Rock in the future, too. Everything Reigns said was perfectly in character for where he's at right now.
Masked man drama
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The Rumor
The masked man thing is at it again in WWE. This time, Cory Hays of BodySlam.net (h/t Ortman) relayed that this angle popped up again at the Royal Rumble because WWE expects Seth Rollins back before 'Mania.
Reaction
The mystery attacker is a worn-out trope at this point, but WWE using it to eliminate Bron Breakker from the rumble was a pretty shrewd move. It creates some intrigue about whether it was Logan Paul, Austin Theory or somebody else. More importantly, it provides some serious flexibility, should injuries or something occur and plans need to change.
BS Meter: 1
This feels like a pretty no-kidding report here. Rollins already had one major fakeout injury angle recently that played into a storyline. It feels like he'll be back sooner than whatever WWE tries to push as the real timeline. A return for a 'Mania feud feels inevitable, with the masked man a way to keep that going.
Bron Breakker…rumble winner?
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The Rumor
Things change fast in WWE. According to Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer (h/t WrestleVotes), WWE planned for Breakker to win the rumble before creative went away from Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes as a 'Mania match.
Reaction
No word on what Breakker would have done with the win necessarily, but WWE is clearly all-in on Reigns vs. CM Punk now. Also, no word on why WWE went away from Reigns-Rhodes, either. But this is all really a can't lose set of outcomes, given the names and feuds involved.
BS Meter: 5
It's hard to know if one specific thing led to a change in the rumble outcome. Plans change on a dime around real-world events, availability, fan reception and so many other factors. But doing Reigns-Punk right now, given all the history there, makes a ton of sense.
Major Elimination Chamber match?
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The Rumor
According to Fightful Select (h/t Ortman), WWE will massage the gap between now and 'Mania with a major title defense for Punk, with Finn Bálor as the challenger.
Reaction
This will be a fun defense for Punk while the chamber itself turns its attention to other things in the men's division. The only real drawback, if this plan proceeds, is that the end result isn't really in doubt.
BS Meter: 1
This one is less a question of believability than it is whether or not the match will actually end clean or not. One can almost see Reigns throwing interference because he wants his shot at Punk at 'Mania for personal reasons. Regardless, it's an epic matchup that WWE would be smart to do.
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