Backstage WWE Rumors: Latest on The Usos' Contract Status, Sasha Banks and More

Contracts and injury updates dominated this week's backstage WWE rumor mill.

From The Usos' status within WWE to Sasha Banks' health following a hard-hitting championship clash with Ronda Rousey at Royal Rumble, some of the most talented Superstars in the company were at the forefront of this week's reports.

What did wrestling journalists report on, who was at the forefront of rumor and innuendo and what is going on with Dolph Ziggler as WrestleMania 35 draws near?

Find out with this collection of WWE rumors.

WWE Trying to Re-Sign The Usos

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful reported The Usos have not re-signed with WWE as of yet, despite contracts that run out after WrestleMania in April.

Sapp is adamant the report is not meant to suggest Jimmy and Jey are poised to leave, stating, "phrasing on this is important, as we've not been told there's any intent to leave, just that they haven't re-signed and WWE hopes they will."

The arrival of All Elite Wrestling is going to make every contract negotiation from here on out that much more interesting.

Anytime Superstars have contracts up for renewal, speculation will run rampant over the reason they have not re-signed, and maybe they are contemplating jumping to the competition in search of more money or greater opportunities.

The Usos are five-time tag team champions and have been the faces of a tag team division that has run the gauntlet from underwhelming to extraordinary. They have seen the best and worst of WWE Creative and continue to be one of the best in-ring acts in the company.

While there is always the possibility they could make the jump to AEW and give fans dream matches against The Young Bucks or Pentagon and Fenix, this is likely an attempt to hold out for more money before finally signing on the dotted line before their current deals lapse.

The twins will challenge SmackDown tag team champions Shane McMahon and The Miz at Elimination Chamber on February 17.

Sasha Banks Not Currently Cleared to Compete

At Royal Rumble on January 27, Sasha Banks reminded the world of her in-ring talents with a superb showing against Raw women's champion Ronda Rousey in one of the night's better matches. Since then, though, she has not competed, with good reason.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported The Boss has not been cleared to compete.

The February 4 episode of Raw was slated to feature Banks teaming with Bayley to battle Alicia Fox and Nikki Cross in a match to determine the final red brand team to compete in the Elimination Chamber match to crown the first WWE women's tag team champions.

Instead, the company shot a pre-match angle insinuating Cross and Fox had beaten down the babyfaces before the match, leaving Banks to recover at ringside while Bayley carried the in-ring action and scored the win.

Meltzer mentioned WWE management expects The Boss to be able to compete at Elimination Chamber, where she and Bayley are heavy favorites to make history and become the first champions.

It is somewhat disappointing Banks has been unable to follow up her performance against Rousey because in that match, she reminded fans of her run in 2016, when she headlined the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view against Charlotte Flair and battled the second-generation star in some of the most significant, revolution-altering bouts in women's wrestling history.

Dolph Ziggler's WWE Future

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported Dolph Ziggler's relationship with WWE will continue.

Ziggler returned to WWE television after a massive beatdown at the hands of Drew McIntyre at the Royal Rumble, where he entered the 30-man match at No. 28 and eliminated The Scottish Psychopath.

The Showoff has not appeared on TV since being the third-to-last Superstar eliminated from the match, though, as he continues a standup comedy tour.

During an interview with Chris Van Vliet on YouTube, he summarized his status with the company as "on hiatus."

Ziggler re-signing with WWE is interesting in that, if there was ever a guy who would seem to benefit from the formation of a new company such as All Elite Wrestling in which he could showcase his talents with a more substantial push behind him, it would be the former two-time world champion.

Instead, he opted to return to a company that has long featured him on its programming but has not demonstrated the commitment to him that he has to it.

Hopefully, that changes because few stars are as consistent as Ziggler, regardless of their position on the card.