Rumor Roundup (May 16, 2026): Jacy Jayne’s big push, AEW TV trouble, CM Punk change, more!

The pro wrestling rumor mill always has something juicy to sink your teeth into, even on the weekend. Let’s see what today’s rumors are all about!

Top Rumor of the Day: Jacy Jayne’s big push

Jacy Jayne and Fatal Influence haven’t been on the SmackDown roster for a full month, but WWE has quickly taken notice of how loudly they are booed by the live fans each week. It sounds like whatever direction WWE originally had in mind for the group may have changed as a result.

According to WrestleVotes Radio, there has already been a “shift” in creative plans for Fatal Influence, and it’s directly related to the impressive negative response they receive from the crowd as heels. People who are involved in creative say that WWE has decided to “feature Jacy Jayne more prominently after the group’s strong performances.”

That might help explain why she picked up the first win of her WWE career against a top star like Charlotte Flair.

Fatal Influence didn’t do much on last night’s episode of SmackDown, but it sounds like that’s an outlier, and there will be a bigger focus on pushing Jayne on the blue brand going forward.

The rest of the rumors!

• The Wrestling Observer Newsletter was told that WWE is expanding their house show schedule this summer because “with more younger wrestlers on the roster than before, they felt it was good for them to get more experience away from television.” It also sounds like there will “almost surely be a nice profit margin” from running the summer tour.
• One WWE person told The Observer that WWE has “definitely spread word in the company among some if not many that AEW won’t be on Paramount” after David Ellison’s purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery is finalized. However, another WWE person admits that “nobody even knows when the merger is going through nor who will even be making the decisions regarding AEW if and when it does.”
• Some fans have been speculating about what is going on with CM Punk after WWE removed him from its advertising for the upcoming European tour. WON heard there is “nothing more to this than a schedule change.”
• Fightful Select asked people in AEW about rumors that “Jungle” Jack Perry’s contract is set to expire soon. Those people in AEW didn’t seem to know anything about it.
• NXT call-up Blake Monroe told Marca that she will be in Spain with WWE when they travel there for a SmackDown event on May 29. This was before she wrestled against Jordynne Grace in a dark match at last night’s SmackDown taping.
• Former WWE star Reggie (aka Sidney Akeem, Scrypts, Soleil, and Reginald The Sommelier) told Rewind Recap Relive that “I am in the midst of getting a deal done with AEW…Ring of Honor.”

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