Rumor Roundup: Cody Rhodes return, WWE talent raid, wrestling Power Slap, more!

Today’s rumors...

Speculating on the rumors surrounding pro wrestling is a favored pastime of many fans, perhaps second only to actually watching the matches. In this daily column, we take a look at the latest rumors being churned out by the pro wrestling rumor mill.

Important reminder: Rumors are just that — rumors. None of this has been confirmed as fact, it’s just circulating around the pro wrestling rumor mill. We track rumor accuracy in a weekly feature called Rumor Look Back you can find here. Remember, take it all with a grain of salt.

Rumors for the Day:

• There’s been at least one pitch for Cody Rhodes to return at Backlash this weekend, according to PW Insider. The site hasn’t “heard 100% that’s the direction”, however.
• Using their signing of Stephanie Vaquer after her Forbidden Door match last year as an example, Wrestling Observer says WWE will be monitoring AEW Grand Slam Mexico with an eye on signing any impressive CMLL talent for AAA.
• That lines up with a report from Superluchas’ Ernesto Ocampo that “the week AEW is going to be in Mexico is going to be seen as a mega tryout for WWE”, and that CMLL has told talent they won’t be signing new, more secure contracts in light of WWE’s acquisition of AAA, even though their existing deals leave CMLL “completely exposed to what WWE intends”.
• John Cena, Becky Lynch, Jacob Fatu, GUNTHER, and Dominik Mysterio are all favored to win at Backlash on Saturday, based on the current lines at betonline. Cena and Fatu have the best odds, and are currently being given a greater than 95% chance to win by the sportsbook.
• Multiple independent wrestlers have been contacted about participating in an upcoming wrestling-themed season of UFC president Dana White’s Power Slap, per Fightful Select. Sinn “Kizarny” Bodhi is recruiting talent, and has signed up names like HollyHood Haley J, Mechawolf, Juicy Finau, and Marty the Moth. The pay is said to be “very good” for some, but there are concerns about missed bookings due to concussions.
• On the Bears, etc. Podcast, Seth Rollins said he’s “got about four or five years left” on his current WWE contract.
• Fightful also says Juice Robinson is close to returning for AEW. He’s been healthy for almost a month and just waiting to be cleared for in-ring action.
• In an interview with Monthly Puroresu, Tetsuya Naito said no one from AEW has contacted him since he announced his New Japan exit.
• Josh Alexander told The Wrestling Classic that TNA said they wanted to re-sign him when they picked up his contract option in February 2024, but never made him an offer when his deal expired earlier this year.
• KENTA is set to work MLW Summer of Beasts this June, says PW Insider.

If you have heard of any interesting rumors that you’d like to add, feel free to post them in the comments section below. Just remember they are rumors and not confirmed as fact, so please take them as such. And check our weekly Rumor Look Back here to keep track of how often rumors turn out to be correct.