WWE Rumors: Buying or Selling Latest Buzz After Extreme Rules

WWE's march to SummerSlam is officially on in earnest in the aftermath of Extreme Rules on Sunday. 

And with the second-biggest event on the WWE calendar on the horizon, the rumor mill heats up in a way it doesn't normally. With the fate of certain titles—and even potential free agents—still an unknown, the headline items stand as one of the year's biggest. 

With both Raw and SmackDown broadcasts starting to flesh out the storylines and card for the August 23 event, here's a look at the biggest items making the rounds. 

Asuka's Next Opponent?

Plenty of questions remain as to what WWE wants to do with the Raw women's title scene. 

Technically speaking, Asuka lost the belt through nefarious means at Extreme Rules, but there will be a resolution there against the Bayley-Sasha Banks tandem in short order. 

Perhaps more notably, on the July 20 edition of Raw, Shayna Baszler resurfaced and had an eye on Kairi Sane, Asuka's partner. As Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio noted, Sane is on track to leave WWE and that the company likes a Baszler-Asuka matchup at SummerSlam.

And how could it not?

Baszler against Asuka would be one of the must-see matches of the year. Two of the most dominant female forces in NXT history have merely brushed shoulders at best on the main roster so far in events like the Royal Rumble. 

A full-fledged war between the two with a title at stake is something powerful enough to close out a pay-per-view at this point. It's refreshing without involving names like Charlotte Flair and would help build up a foe like Baszler. 

Granted, WWE likes to often make last-minute changes. But the Banks-Bayley tag dynamic is special enough to feature on a big card without singles titles, and Asuka deserves a worthy spotlight against the next wave. 

Verdict: Buy

Rey Mysterio's Future

Rey Mysterio has been a question mark for a while now when it comes to WWE programming. 

A recent report from Meltzer (h/t Robert Gunier of Wrestling Inc) had said Mysterio was outright working without a deal in place. And now PW Insider Elite (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats) has reported the Superstar and WWE made "major developments" in talks and that Mysterio still seeks a raise in those negotiations. 

Mysterio has been showcased as of late despite the unknowns surrounding his status. He's been in a major feud with Seth Rollins that has even looped in his son. Most recently, he "lost" his eye in the Eye for an Eye match against Rollins. 

At this point, it's clear WWE will keep rolling Mysterio out in a prominent spot, and the company has a built-in ongoing angle for him if it elects to play up the consequences of that Extreme Rules match. 

Anything less than the same role and long-term deal for Mysterio would be a shock considering WWE misses so many top talents like Roman Reigns during the audience-less era. 

Verdict: Buy

Drew McIntyre-Randy Orton Soon?

It seems obvious Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton remain headed on course for an inevitable collision. 

WWE needs a powerful card-topper for a massive event like SummerSlam and it doesn't get much bigger than McIntyre and Orton right now. 

According to Meltzer (h/t Ortman), said setup for such a feud will happen soon. 

For now, both McIntyre and Orton remain in a holding pattern of sorts. But the current top champ doesn't figure to be wrapped up in a feud with Dolph Ziggler much longer, no matter how impressive their stipulation-riddled match at Extreme Rules was. 

This is partially because Orton doesn't have a ton going on right now with Edge out. He's still bullying Superstars like Big Show in holdover feuds, but the next obvious move is giving him a title shot. 

Right now, there isn't a better heel in the business than Orton, whose sadistic ways during the Edge feud (which is on hold while Edge comes back from an injury) were both believable and some of the best work he has done in a long time. 

Besides the surefire superb character work, storyline and in-ring developments between the two, another big bonus of this matchup would be the fact there isn't a clear winner. It wouldn't be hard to see WWE giving the nod to Orton given the quality of his current work; that would put McIntyre back in chase mode and perhaps giving him his big moment he missed at Mania should crowds return later this year. 

No matter the result, it's not hard to see why the two figure to be linking up soon given the massive potential of such a feud right now. 

Verdict: Buy