Buying or Selling the Juiciest WWE and AEW Rumors and Buzz

WWE

The onset of July means it's high season for rumors and buzz about both WWE and All Elite Wrestling.

As the summer heat settles, both promotions start to kick characters and storylines into gear as they approach major landmarks. For WWE, it's the start of a journey to huge events like Money in the Bank and SummerSlam. For AEW, there's a live show in New York and All Out.

Only heightening the pace of the gossip is the gradual return of fans to the stands at live shows. That gives off the sense we could soon see major returns and storylines companies have kept bottled up for the better part of a year.

For now, these are the juiciest wrestling rumors out there, with a verdict on each.

Baron Corbin hasn't always been the most popular WWE Superstar. To his credit, that means he's been doing his job well given the role he's played.

But it's interesting to hear a behind-the-scenes tidbit from Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast, who went on F4W Online's We're Live, Pal! show and said Corbin is one of the most beloved people backstage because of the way he works with whatever he's given.

And that's not too hard to see, right? Corbin, heel or not, has long been considered one of the safest workers in a WWE ring, which is why he's been given such varied assignments. He's been all over the place, from King of the Ring to getting ripped off with his Money in the Bank briefcase to getting squashed by John Cena at SummerSlam—and even making something as silly as constable and general manager roles work.

In fact, WWE leaned into Corbin's talents for so long fans started getting bored of seeing him in main events. But with what WWE has and will continue to give him to work with, it's pretty clear how he's viewed in the company.

Verdict: Buying

AEW seems like it could be on the fast track to having "Hangman" Adam Page contend for the promotion's top title by challenging Kenny Omega.

But the calendar might say otherwise.

Dave Meltzer raised a good point on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News): "I like this because you gotta remember the key is they're doing this now to peak in September, not to peak now. So, it's like they have to have a slow storyline before we get to the match."

It's a fair point to consider. All Out in September feels like the big landmark for AEW. The question would be how to hold off the fast-rising Page until then, as Omega not putting his title on the line over the course of the summer would be interesting, to say the least.

Either way, Page has clearly been earmarked for a special, slow-burn role for more than a year. He's a fan favorite, and AEW would be smart to keep it going slow until there can be a passing of the torch at the biggest possible event.

Verdict: Buying

The idea WWE is going to pull out all the stops for the company's return to the road while fans gradually get back in arenas extends to the company's production values too.

In a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter  (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), the hosts revealed new Raw and SmackDown sets will debut in July as the company gets back on the road.

Call it a dash of genius by WWE too. What better way—besides live crowds—to build hype for the return to normalcy and make typical weekly broadcasts feel even more special?

With any luck, WWE has also learned quite a bit from the Thunderdome and its other pandemic-era presentation values that involved fans virtually and will get creative with the new sets. If nothing else, this signaling the return to the road will pop a huge ratings boost for at least one week too, giving WWE a chance to sink its hooks into viewers again.

Verdict: Buying

Fans know the Becky Lynch return is coming.

They just don't know when.

It seemed the return might happen at WrestleMania 37. Lynch even trolled fans on social media with the idea.

Then in May, Ringside News reported Lynch had signed a new deal with the company (h/t Ortman). Fast forward to now, Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Lynch wasn't brought back at 'Mania because WWE wanted her under a new contract first (again h/t Ortman).

That one is a little harder to buy. Lynch took time off to have a baby and, at the end of June, got married to Seth Rollins, making it read-between-the-lines worthy that both she and WWE might not have wanted her back yet for simpler reasons.

As with, say, a Brock Lesnar return, WWE continues to drag its feet on the big-ticket items until fans are back in arenas, preferably without empty seats. Lynch deserves the same treatment—if not more so—and should get it. Her big return has always felt better suited for the summer months as opposed to it getting lost amid the crowd-less era.

Of course, the new contract doesn't hurt things. But this has always felt more strategic on WWE's part for the sake of Lynch and the fans.

Verdict: Selling