Rumor Roundup (May 11, 2023): New AEW deal, Rampage, Goldberg & Sting, Bron Breakker, more!

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:

• While there was a lot of talk online yesterday that AEW’s new deal with Warner Bros Discovery will be for $1 billion over five years, both Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez and Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp said they couldn’t get confirmation on those or any other figures.
• In fact, Sapp’s sources indicated there may not even be a new “all-encompassing deal” covering all AEW progamming at this point, saying “the planned upcoming announcement” is just for the new Saturday show, Collision.
• Regarding Collision, Fightful says with its arrival Rampage “will become more resembling what WWF Heat once was.” With AEW’s Friday night show focusing on the mid and undercard, “many indie talent will be more likely to get opportunities on Ring of Honor programming.”
• While appearing on the Haus of Wrestling podcast, promoter, trainer & agent Rick Bassman said he’s had discussions about a show in Jerusalem this September “that would involve potentially both Goldberg and Sting.” That could be a retirement show for one or both of the legends, but Bassman added, “I would not be surprised to see Bill end up back at WWE for something massive.”
• Bassman also said he was backstage at WWE Backlash last weekend. Vince McMahon was not there, and “it was far and away the most relaxed I’ve ever seen that company backstage.”
• Though there were “tentative plans” for Bron Breakker to be brought to the main roster in the WWE Draft, WRKD Wrestling tweeted that company officials have been so impressed with his heel work they wanted to keep him in NXT so he could “better cultivate his character.” Those “tentative plans” now have him being promoted after SummerSlam.

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.