Backstage WWE Rumors on Roman Reigns, Sol Ruca and More
In the wake of a strong WWE SummerSlam premium live event and with AEW All Out rapidly approaching, the pro wrestling rumor mill continues to heat up.
Find out the latest on Roman Reigns and plans for his World Heavyweight Championship defense in Mexico City on the September 14 episode of WWE Raw, as well as updates on Sol Ruca and a current champion unhappy with his creative direction.
Who Might Challenge Roman Reigns in Mexico City?
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AAA general manager Rey Mysterio announced on social media that WWE will hold a historic tournament featuring luchadores from Raw, SmackDown and AAA, with the winner earning a shot at Roman Reigns' World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of the September 14 episode of Raw in Mexico City.
Bryan Alvarez reported on Wrestling Observer Live that the current plan is for El Grande Americano to win the tournament and challenge The Tribal Chief for the title.
If so, the match would come on the heels of TripleMania, where Americano is scheduled to challenge Dominik Mysterio for the AAA Mega Championship.
Assuming the plan is not for Americano to defeat Reigns, it is an unwise booking decision.
AAA is among the hottest brands in wrestling right now. That is, in part, due to the incredible popularity of Americano. He has developed into a cultural icon in the country, and his Mask vs. Mask match against the Original El Grande Americano is the front-runner for WWE's Match of the Year.
Having him win a tournament, then AAA's most prestigious title, only to lose to Reigns in Mexico City, feels like a creative misstep that could hurt all of the great fan sentiment the company has built this year.
Penta, who is one of the most popular wrestlers in WWE and would be unfazed by a loss to The Tribal Chief, feels like a better option.
That is, unless the plan is to shoot a major angle on the show that will jump-start the build to Survivor Series, centered around Americano.
Sol Ruca Update
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Ibou of Self Made Pro reported that some within WWE have not been impressed by Sol Ruca's work since her main roster call-up the night after WrestleMania 42.
Ruca had momentum on her side at one point and defeated Becky Lynch for the Women's Intercontinental Championship at Clash in Italy. However, she defended the title just twice on TV before losing it to Raquel Rodriguez on the July 27 episode of Raw.
While Ruca bounced back with a win over Roxanne Perez on Monday's show, she immediately took a backseat to the returning Lynch and Stephanie Vaquer.
It is entirely plausible that Ruca joins The Man and La Primera for a three-on-three match with Rodriguez, Perez, and women's world champion Liv Morgan, but it is apparent that the former NXT star's work has not been as crisp and clean as it was with the black-and-silver brand.
The 26-year-old is still relatively inexperienced compared to the women she is sharing the ring with, so the more she gets the opportunity to feel things out in front of a different audience each week, the better off she will be.
Dominik Mysterio Frustrated?
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Ibou also reported that reigning AAA Mega champion Dominik Mysterio is frustrated with his current creative direction and does not understand why his presentation in the Mexico-based brand is not carried over onto WWE TV.
It's a valid question.
As 2026 ended, Mysterio was as hot as any Superstar on the WWE roster. He had just defeated John Cena and was one of the most despised villains on the roster, yet somehow also endearing to the audience.
Then came the Judgment Day split from Finn Balor and a mostly one-sided (and appropriate) loss to his former teammate's Demon persona at WrestleMania 42. Since then, though, he has been a background player.
Sure, he had a SummerSlam match against one of the highest-profile competitors on the roster in Danhausen, but that feud and what was asked of him during it is a far cry from having an actual story to sink his teeth into, which he has in AAA.
He may have even subtly hinted at the frustration on social media, posting a GIF of Marshawn Lynch at Super Bowl Media Day, telling reporters, "I'm only here so I don't get fined."
Time will tell if there are any long-term creative plans for the second-generation luchador or if he is the latest victim of the stop-start booking that has hampered other Superstars, including Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov.
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