WWE Rumors: Buying or Selling Buzz on Brock Lesnar, Ruby Riott and More

WWE may be ready to wow the wrestling world with its Money in the Bank pay-per-view from Chicago this Sunday night, but three Superstars not involved in the extravaganza, and an absent universal champion, were at the forefront of this week's rumor mill.

What do the reports circling around the potentially returning Jason Jordan, fan-favorite Bayley, the rising Ruby Riott and Brock Lesnar entail?

Jason Jordan's Return

Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats has an update on the impending return of former Raw tag team champion Jason Jordan.

"Jason Jordan is expected back on television after Money in the Bank, and there's been talk of a feud with Baron Corbin."

Corbin recently assumed the role of Raw Constable, in which he will work alongside general manager (and Jordan's on-screen father) Kurt Angle at the behest of Stephanie McMahon.

Buy or Sell?

Buy. Jordan vs. Corbin may not be the marquee match that Angle vs. Corbin would be, but it showcases two of the young stars that can be at the forefront of WWE television for years to come with a more consistent push that showcases their strengths.

Booking them against each other, as representatives of Angle and McMahon, allows them to appear in a high-profile storyline with veteran performers to lean on as they find their feet in that position on the card.

It is a win-win that will help not only the Raw brand but the performers as they establish themselves as major players in WWE's bright future.

Plans for Bayley, Ruby Riott and Their Intersection

Ortman also reported on Bayley's immediate future.

"Bayley is scheduled to work a lengthy program with Riott Squad which will keep her out of the Raw Women's Title picture and possibly away from Sasha Banks for quite some time."

The Slice Wrestling Twitter account reported Riott is in line for a significant push.

Riott defeated Bayley on the June 11 episode of Raw.

Buy or Sell?

Sell the report on Bayley being kept away from Sasha Banks for "quite some time." The two had a budding rivalry built on professional aspirations (and jealousy) suddenly and inexplicably ripped away from them. The Bayley-Banks story was, for the first few months of its existence, one of the best and most compelling stories on WWE television.

The decision to table that feud as if months of television did not happen is a major creative misfire on the part of the Raw writing staff. It renders both women's work since January insignificant and leaves fans who were invested in that program unsatisfied by the conclusion.

Or lack thereof.

Buy the report on Riott, who has been a real standout since arriving on the main roster in 2017.

Not only did she have a strong performance against then-SmackDown women's champion Charlotte Flair at Fastlane this past February, she was the heart of the recent Gauntlet Match to determine the final entrant in the Money in the Bank Ladder match.

Add in her work as the mouthpiece and leader of the Riott Squad trio and you have a performer that has seized the opportunity presented to her and ran with it, even when the supporting creative has not at all been stellar.

Her work should be rewarded.

Brock Lesnar's Return and Future

Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reported on Brock Lesnar's status, both as universal champion and a WWE Superstar.

"According to sources close to WWE, Lesnar is widely expected to drop the belt, at the latest, by SummerSlam. Because Lesnar's new contract pays him by the fight, dropping the belt could signal the end of his time in WWE."

Lesnar has held the Universal Championship since WrestleMania 33, where he defeated Goldberg to end their rivalry.

Buy or Sell?

Buy. Now that Lesnar has surpassed CM Punk as the longest-reigning champion of the modern era, it is time for The Beast Incarnate to drop the title. In many ways, his title reign has held the Raw brand hostage for the better part of the year.

There are no stakes whatsoever for the Superstars of that brand. They wrestle matches that are largely irrelevant or stand around twiddling their thumbs, waiting for Lesnar to grace them with his presence. That is no fault of Lesnar's own, who recognizes his worth and takes advantage of WWE's desire to keep him around.

It is, though, an impairment on the product and one that needs to be eliminated immediately.

As the last six-to-eight weeks of television have proved.