WWE Rumors: Buzz on Road to WWE Royal Rumble 2017 for Week of Dec. 22

It's been a while since this weekly WWE rumor roundup has been able to discuss company boss Vince McMahon in some detail, but that's the case this week in one of the final editions of 2016.

Some of the finishes at Roadblock: End of the Line last Sunday were confusing, to say the least. Interestingly, rumors have surfaced online this week detailing how McMahon was at the heart of one of them.

And with the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania season just around the corner, there's plenty of hot gossip online about plans for those shows, as well as who may turn up from the injured list.

All of that and a fairly significant update on the health of Finn Balor are featured this week.

Finn Balor at the Royal Rumble?

One of 2016's brightest moments was when Finn Balor emerged as the first-ever winner of the WWE Universal Championship. Conversely, one of the year's lowest points was when Balor, still only in the infancy of his reign, was sidelined with a major injury.

Speculation has rumbled on for months about when Balor would make a triumphant return to the ring. The Royal Rumble had been mooted by some, as had WrestleMania 33 next year.

But it seems like we won't see Balor at the Rumble. Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats reported that it's unlikely WWE fans will see Balor at the pay-per-view next month.

If he had been fit to show up—or if he is subsequently cleared in the coming weeks—it's fairly likely the plans for the marquee 30-man match would have revolved around Balor coming close to winning the whole thing.

Now, it looks like those plans are going to have to go on ice for at least another year. Will The Demon King be fit in time for WrestleMania 33? That looks like the obvious question concerning Balor's health right now.

Bayley to Win the Title at WrestleMania 33?

With Charlotte Flair's victory against Sasha Banks at Roadblock: End of the Line, the door has opened for a new challenger to contend for the Raw Women's Championship. And judging by what happened on Raw this past Monday, it looks like, as expected, Bayley is going to step up and face the champion.

That's not a bad thing. Bayley's main-roster run has, thus far, failed to truly sparkle. A prolonged period of time in the championship picture should help her out, and if reports this week are to be believed, the plan is for the big win to come at the biggest show of the year. 

Ortman reported that, despite her entering a Raw Women's Championship feud now, the plan is still for Bayley to win her first title on the main roster at WrestleMania 33 next year.

And although that's only a few months away, there's a whole heap of action to go through between now and then, particularly with brand-exclusive pay-per-views upping the number of big shows.

Does this mean Bayley will consistently come up short against Flair for three months? Or will she step away temporarily before going on the hunt again as WrestleMania approaches?

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. The success of Bayley's first year on the main roster may hinge on it. 

Vince McMahon's Idea for the Finish to Banks vs. Flair

Perhaps the biggest talking point of Roadblock: End of the Line last Sunday was the controversial way the Raw Women's Championship match between Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair came to an end.

It seemed inevitable that, with Banks leading by a fall, she would hang on in the dying seconds and retain her title, but The Boss tapped out and sent it to overtime.

From there, Flair scored the decisive fall and emerged victorious. It left a fairly sour taste in the mouth, as it made little sense having Banks spend so much time in the hold, only to tap with two seconds left on the clock.

But speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer (h/t Marc Middleton of LordsofPain.net) reported that was not the reaction Vince McMahon had for the finish. In fact, according to Meltzer, McMahon thought it was a "great idea."

Interestingly, there was backlash from some backstage, according to the report, but not the "key people" in question.

All in all, it's fair to say this is a move that didn't work out as planned from those in charge.