BS Meter on Triple H's Backstage Role, New Roman Reigns Opponent, More WWE, AEW Rumors
The pro wrestling rumor mill has started to finally slow.
Granted, the buzz around the sport has shifted from quantity to quality, because some of the rumblings around WWE right now are head-turning items that could impact things far into the future.
This week alone, there's chatter around a sudden top free agent, new possible TKO decrees around the entire makeup of the WWE roster, and who the next controversial celebrity getting in the mix might be.
And that's just to name a few.
To help fans keep up with the mill, let's throw the biggest rumors on the BS Meter, with 10 being the highest form of unbelievable buzz fans can safely dismiss.
Triple H's status with WWE
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The Rumor
One of the biggest talking points exiting WrestleMania is where Triple H stands with TKO. According to Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live (h/t Cage Side Seats' Geno Mrosko), his status and perhaps future were openly talked about backstage because of all the changes to 'Mania.
Reaction
No wonder. It felt like TKO meddling given all of the weird Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll stuff. But in the aftermath, Triple H apparently has a new deal with WWE, so who knows?
BS Meter: 5
Given that TKO was more than happy to insert McAfee at the finish line of a 'Mania main event, it's hard to buy one way or another what the erratic bosses overseeing the whole thing might do. But right now, it feels like a pretty good setup for Triple H: Deal with the meddling, while otherwise getting to be blame-free for anything that happens because it's TKO that is perceived as the big bad guy behind the scenes.
Aleister Black latest
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The Rumor
Aleister Black was one of the biggest recent WWE cuts, but Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Live (h/t Mrosko) reported that his reputation in AEW is "pretty negative" at this point, making a return there seem unlikely.
Reaction
Here's a weird one: WrestlePurists noted after the cuts that TKO isn't a fan of "darker characters" in WWE. Black very much falls in that bucket. Regardless, on the topic of his return to AEW, from an outside view, that would seem ot make sense, given all the perceived bridges burned by him in recent years.
BS Meter: 5
Never say never, especially in pro wrestling. It's hard to totally dismiss anyone returning, anywhere. Also it's 50-50 on the "darker character" stuff for WWE, seeing as we simply can't know all of the reasons for recent cuts, given whatever is going on behind the scenes.
Roman Reigns' next challenger?
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The Rumor
What's Roman Reigns going to do after his current feud? How about Bronson Reed? According to Self Made Pro (h/t Cage Side Seats' Sean Rueter), Reed is next up for Reigns as soon as he's back from injury.
Reaction
Talk about spoilers. Just kidding. Did anyone think Jacob Fatu was going to take the title off Reigns so soon? Reigns is back full-time, so this is essentially a world tour of him elevating talent around him with feuds.
BS Meter: 1
There's a shortlist of feuds for Reigns now that the clear goal is elevating new main-event talent. Fatu already looks like a million bucks, even if he's not going to win the feud. Reed would make perfect sense as the next guy, when healthy. Heck, they have a little history to play into for the story, too.
WWE's next big celebrity is…Stephen A. Smith?
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The Rumor
Is WWE going to pivot from McAfee to Stephen A. Smith? According to WrestleVotes on Fightful Select (h/t Derek Holloway of Ringside News), ESPN loves the idea of the well-known personality becoming "more involved" with WWE.
Reaction
Unfortunate…but expected? ESPN became the home of PLE events not all that long ago and the cross-promotion has been endless. That included Danhausen going on Smith's First Take to interact with him.
BS Meter: 1
Easy enough to buy this one. Hard to say if the cross-promotion is really going to bring in a ton of new fans to the sport. But it's worth the effort over a few years, just in case. That won't please non-fans of Smith, but as soon as the WWE-ESPN stuff was even hinted, fans had to know it was ineivtbale.
Stephanie Vaquer update?
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The Rumor
Mystery solved on Stephanie Vaquer? According to WrestleVotes (h/t Cage Side Seats' Cain A. Knight), Vaquer has a legit injury and will be out for the "foreseeable future," with some involved hoping for a SummerSlam timetable.
Reaction
WrestleMania 42 was littered with problems, chief among those minimal match times while the two nights threw endless-feeling advertisements at onlookers. Vaquer's world title match loss to Liv Morgan didn't even hit the seven-minute mark…so this injury might explain that a bit.
BS Meter: 1
We're not going to absolve WWE and TKO of all sins when it comes to pathetic balance between actual wrestling match times and the onslaught of advertisements' impact at 'Mania. But in this case, Vaquer's continued absence seems to hint that it played a role. Here's to hoping the SummerSlam estimate for her return is correct.
WrestleMania 44 location?
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The Rumor
While Saudi Arabia gets the next 'Mania, the 2028 locale remains up for grabs. According to WrestleVotes (h/t Knight), WWE and Nashville are "at the finish line" for a deal to make it happen.
Reaction
Nashville is a really fun idea, if not a little unexpected. Back in 2024, WWE signed a partnership that guaranteed the city of Indianapolis a 'Mania, among other events. From the sounds of it, that particular city will need to wait.
BS Meter: 1
At this point, anything that isn't another trip to Las Vegas is a win for fans. And naturally, WWE itself. WWE is so fixated on earning new non-wrestling fans that one would think touring the United States and hotspots like Nashville would've been something they attempted sooner.
