WWE Rumors Roundup for Week of June 13 Ahead of Money in the Bank 2018
It feels like it's been awhile since WWE held a pay-per view; the last one was WWE Backlash on May 6. But in hindsight, fans needed this month-and-a-half break. WrestleMania, The Greatest Royal Rumble (which was actually a glorified house show) and Backlash all took place within a one-month time frame.
Those events were bunched too closely together to build a storyline, let alone make that storyline compelling. Hopefully, when WWE Money in the Bank broadcasts live on the WWE Network this Sunday, June 17 at 7 p.m ET, the five-week gap between PPVs will give the in-ring storytelling some pent-up energy.
Here are the latest, most interesting rumors for the week of June 13.
New Ronda Rousey Contract Rumor Kills Old Rousey Contract Rumor
1 of 5
There's been some interesting drama over the status of Ronda Rousey's WWE contract. When WWE announced her signing after the Royal Rumble (2018), the company claimed to ESPN that she would be a full-time performer.
And aside from some pre-scheduled public appearances and prior film commitments, Rousey appears to be taking her WWE career seriously. Since her debut at WrestleMania, she has wrestled additional tag matches in Europe, and although she hasn't wrestled an official singles match on Raw, she's performed in multiple in-ring segments.
"This is my life now. First priority on my timeline for the next several years. This is not a smash-and-grab; this is not a publicity stunt," Rousey said to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
The implication was that Rousey signed a multi-year contract. But then, Ric Flair cast doubt during a "Legends of the Ring" in Hollywood, Florida, when he answered a question about Charlotte Flair and Rousey headlining WrestleMania (h/t Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc.).
I'm not involved obviously in any of the thinking, but if they're ever going to put the women where they belong, this is the year," said Flair. "Because I think Ronda has only signed a one-year deal and then she wants to get out of there. She wants to have kids and all that."
In a subsequent post by Giri, Wrestling Inc. independently confirmed that Rousey is signed to a multi-year deal, via its sources.
Perhaps Flair got confused; Rousey has spoken to Yahoo! Sports about wanting kids "soon." But of course, "soon" is a relative concept. We won't know for sure about Rousey's contract status unless her camp or WWE's officially announce it.
Ronda Rousey vs. Nia Jax Might Main Event Money in the Bank?
2 of 5
Nia Jax and Ronda Rousey had an in-ring confrontation on the June 11 episode of Raw. Rousey is getting noticeably better on the mic--she's learning to control the volume of her voice and emphasize key words--and she closed the segment with a slick looking reversal into an arm bar on Jax. According to Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats, there is some talk of making Jax vs. Rousey the main event for the PPV.
And although Rousey has mainstream bankability, WWE should not do this. Her entire WWE persona is that of a humble learner, who wants to be treated no differently than anyone else in the locker room. Fans love her now, but they will turn on her quickly if they sense that she's getting too many opportunities too quickly.
This entire Jax vs. Rousey title fight should have never happened; Jax is a anti-bullying babyface, not a bonafide villain. There's no good outcome. If Jax wins, it kills Rousey's push. If Rousey wins, the notoriously tough Chicago crowd might turn on her for winning the belt so early. If they put this match on last, WWE will call attention to what a bad idea this entire angle is.
Noam Dar Returning Soon from Injury?
3 of 5
According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Noam Dar will be returning to the active WWE roster soon. He suffered a meniscus tear during a Raw Fatal 4-Way back in November 2017.
Dar returns to a Cruiserweight division that is leagues apart from the one he left. He was formerly a member of Enzo Amore's stable; Amore has since been fired under disgrace. The Cruiserweights are barely mentioned on Raw and no longer compete on the main show; they are limited to 205 Live, and currently, they don't have a scheduled match at Money in the Bank.
Hopefully, Dar will perform well once he returns. Because with the way things are headed, he needs to stand out more than ever.
The Dead Man and the Champ at SummerSlam?
4 of 5
Both The Undertaker and John Cena are on the downward slopes of their career trajectories. The company delayed the inevitable for as long as they could. But finally, the company has moved on without its two biggest Superstars. Both men will probably make appearances at major shows. But the days of working the road and attending every house show are done.
WWE must strike a balance between stoking the fans' nostalgia, and moving on from past glories. According to Ortman, neither the Undertaker nor Cena are set in stone for SummerSlam (2018), but Undertaker is more likely than Cena to wrestle.
It's interesting to see the Undertaker come full circle. He began his WWE career by doing 10-minute squash matches. Now, due to his age and recurring injuries, he's back to doing the same squashes, this time by necessity.
Hopefully, he stays within this comfort zone; it'll prevent another disaster like his lengthy match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 33.
Is James Ellsworth Returning to WWE or Not?
5 of 5
Mike Johnson of PWInsider recently reported that WWE wants to bring James Ellsworth back into the fold. Johnson went on to "confirm" that Ellsworth would be making an appearance at Money in the Bank.
An Ellsworth tweet, however, appears to dispute that. He is scheduled for an Intergender Championship Fatal 4-Way in Harbin, China, on the same day of the WWE PPV.
Thus unless this is a massive work, it appears that Ellsworth will not in Chicago. But if he is getting regularly pitched by the creative staff, don't be surprised if he pops up sometime after Sunday's PPV.
