WWE Rumors: Reviewing Top Buzz Following WrestleMania 38

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WWE hit a proverbial home run with Wrestlemania 38. Both nights delivered action, entertainment and storyline impact, and it's hard to argue that it wasn't one of the best events WWE had produced in years.

From celebrity matches that didn't disappoint and surprising returns—Cody Rhodes, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Vince McMahon were all back in the ring—to memorable matches and big-time title changes, this year's Wrestlemania truly had a little something for every wrestling fan.

Here, we'll dive into some of the latest rumors surrounding how Wrestlemania 38 unfolded and what's ahead for WWE heading into Monday Night Raw.

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While not the most impressive match of Wrestlemania weekend, Saturday night's finale between "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Kevin Owens was one of its most memorable.

Austin hadn't competed in a sanctioned match in 19 years, and he and Owens put on a thrilling physical fight—in the ring, through the crowd and up the entranceway. However, the streetfight that unfolded was not guaranteed to happen.

The WWE advertised Austin's return as a segment on the Kevin Owens Show. The WWE legend did spend some time chatting with Owens in the ring, but he couldn't refuse Owens' challenge of a no-holds-barred match to cap the evening.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Bleacher Report's Tyler Conway), WWE kept plans for the match secret, even backstage, in case Austin didn't feel comfortable working a full-on match. Owens was reportedly informed of the plan back in January, but a final decision wasn't made until just before Wrestlemania.

This feels credible for a few reasons. For one, Austin is 57 years old and hasn't wrestled an entire match in nearly two decades. He likely had no interest in a subpar performance. Secondly, if WWE knew months in advance that Austin would perform, the company probably would have promoted the heck out of it.

Surprises and swerves are part of the business, but Austin remains one of the biggest stars in WWE's history. His return to in-ring competition was a massive deal.

Austin's appearance on Sunday also suggests that WWE had a Plan B in place. His confrontation with McMahon and Pat McAfee was memorable in its own right, and appearing on back-to-back nights would have generated plenty of buzz even without an official match.

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While Austin's return to action was legitimately shocking, Cody Rhodes' return was less of a surprise. It wasn't officially confirmed until he showed up to face Seth Rollins on Saturday, but his WWE return has been a topic of speculation ever since his departure from AEW in February.

Rhodes returning with the "American Nightmare" persona that he popularized NJPW and AEW was a bit of a twist.

Rollins and Rhodes had a tremendous match that got a significant response from the AT&T Stadium crowd. The good news for fans is that it wasn't a one-off performance for Rhodes.

The second-generation wrestling star touted an appearance on Monday Night Raw on Sunday.

"Looking forward to having a live WWE mic in my hand for the first time in over 6 years tomorrow," Rhodes wrote on Instagram.

According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Rhodes will be a fixture on the Raw roster and will be a babyface for the brand.

Given the chemistry we saw between Rhodes and Rollins on Saturday, a feud between the two would be a welcome development. With both on the Raw brand, it could happen. Regardless of where Rhodes' storyline goes from here, though, fans should expect a significant push following his Wrestlemania victory.

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Though perhaps not as memorable as the returns of Austin and Rhodes, Edge's battle with AJ Styles was a terrific match, ended somewhat abruptly by the appearance of Damien Priest.

With Styles preparing to deliver a Phenomenal Forearm, Priest appeared at ringside. The momentary distraction was enough to allow Edge the chance to catch Styles off-guard. He also caught him mid-air with a spear, which led to a clean pin and the victory.

Afterward, Edge and Priest stood together in the ring, arms raised victoriously. It became clear that the two had formed some sort of partnership, but Priest might not be the only one joining the Rated-R Superstar.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Thomas Hall of Wrestling Rumors), WWE has been "strongly" considering giving Edge a heel stable that could come together "imminently."

This rumor is notable because it came out before Wrestlemania. According to Fightful Select, Priest was the first name considered for the stable. Given how things unfolded on Sunday—and Edge's dark pre-match entrance—something big could be in the works.

Whether that involves only Edge and Priest or is indeed the start of a new faction remains to be seen. Hopefully, fans will get a little insight on Monday night.