WWE Rumors: Examining Latest Buzz Around Rusev, Lince Dorado and More

The road to Extreme Rules is winding to an end and the Raw brand is prepping for its most significant pay-per-view event since WrestleMania 33, yet it is a SmackDown Live star and his search for the WWE Championship that dominates the rumor mill this week.

Rusev has sent several videos to Shane McMahon and the blue brand demanding a championship opportunity. He has yet to return to television, though, prompting questions as to what The Bulgarian Brute is up to.

Thanks to some online ramblings, there is a better indication as to what is going on with the former United States champion and his quest for the title he has yet to even receive a shot at, let alone hold.

He is not the only Superstar in the news.

Lince Dorado, one of the cruiserweights woefully mismanaged by WWE Creative, made news Memorial Day following an appearance at the Main Event tapings.

Then there is Emma, who pops up on the rumor mill for different reasons every so often. This time, her injury status and timetable for her return to the squared circle were at the heart of the discussion.

The Curious Case of Rusev's SmackDown Disappearance

According to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Cageside Seats), the decision by management to put the WWE Championship on Jinder Mahal at Backlash has derailed Rusev's return angle. Furthermore, there is no story ready for The Bulgarian Brute.

This is somewhat of a shocking revelation given how substantial a role it appeared Rusev was going to play in the future of the SmackDown Live brand. He demanded a title shot from Shane McMahon. He was serious, intense and unabashed in his arrogance. His performance in the cell phone-recorded videos was representative of the Rusev that fans have begged for since his initial run as the badass bruiser.

To have that taken away because of Mahal's win suggests SmackDown Live's plans for the future may not be as well thought-out as previously thought. More importantly, it goes to the heart of a major creative issue within WWE: the company's unwillingness to promote a second heel who could potentially wrest heat and fan interest away from The Maharaja.

That is not necessarily a bad thing, but at the same time, it pulls the rug out from underneath a talented performer whose threats will now fall on deaf ears since he failed to follow up on his warnings to the SmackDown commissioner.

It is rare that WWE finds a wrestler capable of performing at such a high level between the ropes, hold his own on the microphone and still be the valued foreign heel the way Rusev has been since arriving in 2014. Allowing him to become another face in a sea of them is one of WWE Creative's most disappointing mistakes.

Lince Dorado Injured

WrestlingInc.com is reporting Lince Dorado may have injured his knee during Monday's WWE Main Event tapings.

"Dorado landed bad [sic] on his knee after a tilt-a-whirl and looked to be hurt," the report indicates.

Dorado is one of those immensely talented performers WWE tapped to be part of its cruiserweight division but has not done anything with. He has been relegated to losing matches on 205 Live when he actually makes the show and working bouts on Main Event, a D-level show at best.

Now that he finally made television, he suffered a potential injury that could sideline him. The inability to build momentum and the inconsistency with which he has been booked has helped Dorado emerge as one of the more disappointing stars of the cruiserweight division, through very little fault of his own.

If any.

Emma Injury Update

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Squared Circle Sirens) reports Emma is due to be cleared to return to action by mid-June.

Injured during a recent overseas tour, Emma has had a string of unfortunate events prevent her from returning to prominence in the Raw women's division. First, there was the unsuccessful launch of her babyface character she fine-tuned in NXT.

Then there was the back injury that put her out of action for a lengthy period and the failure of the Emmalina character.

Returning to her more suitable villainous personality, she was preparing for a rivalry with Dana Brooke when she was unfortunately dealt a shoulder injury.

Now faced with another return to action, Emma is likely to see her growth stunted by management, who undoubtedly sees her as a risk. Why should they invest time and energy in her when a potential injury is right around the corner? Why push her significantly when there is no prior history of success?

It is a troublesome scenario to find herself in, but hard work, determination and continued strong performances between the ropes should help her to win back trust.