Backstage WWE and AEW Rumors: Latest on Brock Lesnar, Nia Jax and More

The Beast is back and Brock Lesnar's entry into the 2020 Royal Rumble match sparked reports and speculation about his role in the bout, as well as plans for his WrestleMania 36 opponent.

The update, provided by an industry insider, headlines this week's WWE and AEW backstage rumors but is far from the only topic of discussion.

Which former women's champion is on her way back to the squared circle and what does it mean for the roster in which she will compete on?

Who is the New Japan Pro-Wrestling star WWE has its eyes on as it looks to continue accumulating talent, and which second-generation competitor just signed on the dotted line with All Elite Wrestling?

Find out now with this recap of the week that was in wrestling rumor and innuendo.

Reason for Brock Lesnar Entering the 2020 Royal Rumble Revealed

WrestleVotes reported Brock Lesnar was added to this year's Royal Rumble match to set up his WrestleMania program. The Twitter account added, "Which could signal its [sic] against someone from SD or NXT as [Paul] Heyman mentioned a few times last night."

A match against a SmackDown or NXT star would almost be a necessity unless the plan is to elevate a fresh face to square off with The Beast Incarnate from the Raw side of things.

Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe have had their opportunities against Lesnar, making neither of those bouts a particularly glamorous option for the biggest show of the year.

Seth Rollins has battled The Beast on two separate occasions, and he no longer fits the list of potential suitors in his current heel role.

That leaves someone like Ricochet or Drew McIntyre, both of whom could go on a significant run in time to challenge Lesnar. While either match would likely be fun, they still don't feel like WrestleMania material.

Lesnar against someone from NXT or SmackDown would at least create a fresh match at a time when the product could most use it. Perhaps, he comes face-to-face with Keith Lee, necessitating a heavyweight battle between them on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Nia Jax Return Update

Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats reported, "Nia Jax is filming for either a documentary or vignettes related to her return, another sign she should be back on television very soon."

Jax has been out of action since WrestleMania 35, where she teamed with Tamina in the Fatal 4-Way match for the Women's Tag Team Championships. 

Jax returns to a women's division that could use her. Becky Lynch is currently amid a rivalry with Asuka, but once that program runs its course, she is without a fresh challenger. Given the history between The Man and Jax, theirs is a potentially big-money match.

It was Jax who punched Lynch square in the face, breaking her nose and starting the meteoric rise The Man experienced heading into her WrestleMania title victory last April. 

A showdown between them—either at WrestleMania or shortly thereafter—would make for one of the more compelling stories WWE Creative could tell. Furthermore, it would instantly establish Jax as one of the greatest threats to the Raw women's title.

Given the lack of depth on that side of the red brand's roster, she would be a welcome addition.

Interest in New Japan's "Switchblade" Jay White?

Tom Colohue of Sportskeeda reported WWE has shown interest in New Japan Pro-Wrestling's "Switchblade" Jay White stating, "The McMahons don’t watch WrestleKingdom, just some Jay White matches they’ve been shown."

It is not difficult to see why management would be enamored with the former IWGP heavyweight and intercontinental champion.

The New Zealand native has the look of a star, is a fantastic in-ring worker and has international appeal. Beyond that, he has a style that matches what the company prefers, meaning the acclimation process would be quicker than most.

The question is whether White could be lured to WWE.

The 27-year-old had been outspoken about his lack of interest in the company before, particularly on an episode of Chris Jericho's Talk is Jericho podcast.

WWE money has a tendency to change opinions, though, and it is unlikely White would be any different. He may listen to an offer, even mull it over, but it remains to be seen if he would actually accept a contract when he is already a high-profile, main event competitor in New Japan.

Given the overwhelming number of competitors already under contract with WWE, he may opt to remain a big fish under the bright lights of NJPW rather than joining the crowded ponds of NXT or the main roster.

And one could hardly blame him. It was in Japan that he developed his skill set and evolved into the worker he has become. That cannot be forgotten or discounted when taking his decision into consideration.

AEW Signs 2nd-Generation Star

Jeremy Lambert of Fightful.com reported AEW has signed second-generation competitor Austin Gunn.

Gunn teamed with his father, WWE Hall of Famer Billy, Wednesday after Dynamite went off the air in a win over "The Chairman" Shawn Spears and "The Librarian" Peter Avalon. The Gunn Club, as they are known, picked up the win.

The signing of Gunn is of no real surprise in that his father is one of the backstage "coaches" for AEW, and the duo teamed up in an unseen dark match last week in Jacksonville, Florida, that doubled as a tryout for the young star.

Gunn is another addition to a roster already packed with young stars AEW is looking to develop as the future of the industry. A talented athlete like his father, Gunn has the potential to be the singles star Billy never could be.

Of course, much of that depends on whether AEW resists the urge to lazily book him in a tag team with his father, making it even more difficult for him to escape the shadow cast by his Attitude Era-great parent.