Backstage WWE Rumors: Latest on Andrade, The New Day and More

The 2020 WWE draft had major implications for some former champions, especially for "El Idolo" Andrade.

The former United States Champion did not hear his name drafted during the proceedings and now finds his future murkier than he could have imagined. What are the plans for the former NXT Champion, and might a return to the black-and-yellow brand be in the works?

The New Day also faces uncertainty following a heartbreaking split on night one of the draft. Why did WWE opt to split up one of its most successful acts of the last decade?

The answers to those questions and more await with this look at the week in rumor.

Braun Strowman vs. WHO in a Year?!

Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that the current plan is to run Braun Strowman vs. Lars Sullivan sometime in the next year.

And the crowd goes mild.

Vinnie Mac appears hellbent on pushing Sullivan at this point, against all better judgment. Lars has proved problematic for more than one reason off-screen, and the general apathy expressed across social media upon his recent return suggests he may not be worth the trouble.

But at the end of the day, the man with all of the power sees dollar signs in Sullivan, much to the chagrin of the people who are expected to hand over said dollars.

The idea of a hoss fight between him and Strowman is not all that appealing, especially since there are bigger and better workers than Sullivan that The Monster Among Men could easily have those brawls with. Factor in how often Braun has been beaten down and devalued over the last year, even during his stint as Universal Champion, and it is difficult to see a scenario where this benefits anyone.

Reasoning for The New Day's Split

Meltzer also reported that the reason WWE split the New Day is to better focus on Big E's single run.

Of course, that mentality is ass backward given that Kofi Kingston went on a six-month run as WWE Champion in 2019 and did so while remaining one-third of The New Day and it did not at all hurt his ability to succeed in that role.

It is further evidence of the inconsistent workings of the WWE Creative team.

By his own admission, Big E did not find success until finding his personality as one-third of The New Day. The creative freedom and the opportunity to open up and be himself was a direct result of the comradery and fun he had with Kingston and Xavier Woods in the trio they built from the ground up.

WWE stripping that away and forcing Big E to go it alone, without the men who helped him blossom into a star in the first place, seems counterproductive.

However, there will be those who argue this will force Big E to step out of his comfort zone and be more if he wants to be a main event star in WWE.

Once management found success with Steve Austin and The Rock, did it force them to be anything more than the enormous personalities that connected with fans? No. Ditto Mankind, whose wacky humor is exactly the added element he needed to achieve what he did.

This feels like a forced move rather than one that was born organically, and it may prove problematic as the company moves forward with Big E's much-deserved push.

Andrade's Status After Going Undrafted

On Wednesday, Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc reported: "Andrade hasn't been drafted because he is undergoing a minor elective procedure. He is expected to be out of action for about a month. According to a source familiar with a situation, he is expected to receive a push when he returns."

The former NXT and United States Champion was conspicuous in his absence from the draft proceedings and raised more than a few eyebrows with a tweet teasing a return to NXT.

That the procedure is "minor" and "elective" is a good thing, but the most promising part of the report is an expected push for El Idolo upon his return.

One of the more underrated performers on the current roster, he has long been a great dance partner for more prominent stars, but he has never really gotten the full push reflective of his in-ring abilities. Whether it is on Raw, SmackDown or as part of the teased return to NXT, look for Andrade to make the most of any opportunity presented to him.

At least between the ropes.

Could Aalyah Mysterio Be a Full-Time Performer?

Paul Davis of WrestlingNews.co reported Vince McMahon is incredibly high on Aalyah Mysterio, and a full-time contract is not out of the question.

"Aalyah was only supposed to be part of storylines for a short time to support her brother Dominik, but the Mysterio family segments have done great in the ratings the credit is being given to Aalyah because her YouTube numbers are doing above-average numbers."

The 19-year-old has seen her role increase in recent weeks, to the point that she now figures to be featured prominently on network television beginning as soon as this Friday night as WWE Creative continues to tell the story of Murphy's split from the "SmackDown Savior" Seth Rollins.

To her credit, she has succeeded with whatever material has been given to her to this point, and though there are still hints of timidness and shyness when in front of the camera, Aalyah's is a role she can grow into with more screen time.

Few could have imagined that the WWE product would turn into a family affair when the feud with Rollins began earlier in the year, but now that it has, the company may have unintentionally struck gold in the form of the youngest Mysterio.