Unlabelled This Week In WWE Biz: Brock Lesnar Concern, John Cena Vs. Rey Mysterio?, AJ Styles To Raw, More

This Week In WWE Biz: Brock Lesnar Concern, John Cena Vs. Rey Mysterio?, AJ Styles To Raw, More

By Maret 03, 2018

WWE Concerned About Brock Lesnar Vs. Roman Reigns, Keeping Options Open For Braun Strowman

WWE may have a very big Brock Lesnar problem.

According to the Wrestling Observer (h/t SEScoops), there is internal concern within WWE about its WrestleMania 34 main event of Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns due to a wide variety of factors, including recent steroid allegations against Reigns and Lesnar's possible unhappiness:

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio recently confirmed that there is indeed some concern backstage about the accusations [against Reigns] and how it could affect their plans for WrestleMania. If the claims against Reigns are serious then WWE would need a backup plan for the main event against Lesnar...There could also be some serious concern with Lesnar. Nobody knows why he was a no-show for RAW last night after being advertised for the show for the past several months...WWE is currently keeping Braun Strowman’s WrestleMania schedule open in case any changes need to be made to the main event.

WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?

Fightful.com reported last week that Lesnar informed WWE he would not be with the company for SummerSlam, indicating that he either plans on leaving when his contract expires after WrestleMania 34 or is simply saying that as a negotiating tactic to leverage a better deal.

There are a lot of questions floating around right now regarding Lesnar's status and future with WWE after last minute changes on Raw that took "The Beast" off the show completely, and it's even been reported that WWE has used all of his contractually obligated dates. Speculation is that Lesnar may have walked out of Raw in hopes of landing a better contract, that last second rewrites simply changed plans or that he may have been taken off the show due to his meeting with UFC president Dana White last weekend.

WWE reportedly wants the Lesnar/Reigns feud to feel "as real as possible," however, so the simplest and most logical explanation is that Reigns' shoot style promo on Raw was a way to add a sense of realism to this storyline and that there are actually no issues behind the scenes. Then again, White doubled down on his belief that Lesnar will fight for UFC again this year, and with Lesnar indicating a year ago that he planned on leaving the company, it certainly looks like he could be on his way out after WrestleMania.

That would explain the storyline portrayal of Lesnar as someone who doesn't care about WWE, even though his WrestleMania opponent Reigns could soon find himself in hot water as well. Filmmaker Jon Bravo continues to claim that there is ample evidence that Reigns has been a client of an illegal steroid distribution ring, and any sort of information released on Reigns' possible involvement could put his WrestleMania match with Lesnar in jeopardy, especially if Reigns is found to have violated WWE's Talent Wellness Program for the second time.

With shaky circumstances surrounding both Reigns and Lesnar, WWE has decided to leave WrestleMania 34 plans for Braun Strowman up in the air, with the idea being that he could fill in for either star if something happens. The bad news for "The Monster Among Men," however, is that if Reigns vs. Lesnar goes on as planned, he could be left without a substantial match at WWE's flagship pay-per-view.

CHECK THIS OUT

John Cena Vs. Rey Mysterio Possibly Happening At WrestleMania 34

Credit: WWE.com

Credit: WWE.com

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

On Monday's Raw, John Cena said that a match with The Undertaker "is not possible," and though it's still unclear if that is true or not, WWE appears to have a backup plan in place.

According to a report from Sports Illustrated (h/t WrestlingInc), Cena could instead face a returning Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 34:

Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reports that Mysterio was also backstage for tonight's SmackDown TV tapings in Los Angeles to finalize details for the deal that will see him work WrestleMania in New Orleans. Barrasso added that Rey's rumored opponent is Cena.

WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?

Although it looked like contract negotiations between WWE and Mysterio broke down late last year, Mysterio made a shocking return in the Royal Rumble match that left fans speculating if he'd be back for good.

There seemed to be a lot of interest in Mysterio's return, which did huge numbers that dwarfed those of Ronda Rousey's WWE debut, so perhaps that got the ball rolling on WWE wanting to bring him back, even though conflicting reports suggest he may not have been at SmackDown, after all. Cena and Mysterio do have a history with one another as Cena defeated Mysterio to win the WWE Championship on an episode of Raw in 2011, but this match still seems unlikely given that recent reports indicated that The Undertaker vs. Cena was still planned for WrestleMania 34.

Of course, it's always possible that plans changed and that The Undertaker will not wrestle at WrestleMania (if ever again), but every indication, including Cena's promo on this past week's Raw, points at the match still being penciled in for the grandest stage of them all. In fact, WrestleVotes (h/t Cageside Seats) reports that "the John Cena vs. Undertaker feud will take place on SmackDown Live leading up to WrestleMania 34," presumably because Raw will have enough major feuds and Cena/Taker is seen as a rivalry that could boost TV viewership and ticket sales for TV tapings.

Although either match would be huge for Cena, there are issues with both bouts. You could argue that WWE waited too long to do Cena vs. Undertaker, which will therefore minimize its impact, while Mysterio might be a better fit for a different opponent at WrestleMania, perhaps someone like Finn Balor or a star in the Cruiserweight division. No matter what WWE's plans for Cena are, though, we should get a solid indication of where he's headed after Fastlane, where he's likely to lose in the six-pack challenge for the WWE Championship.

That will continue the bizarre booking of Cena, whose been in a mid-life crisis of sorts, one that seemingly sets the stage for him to try to prove himself against The Undertaker. However, it's worth noting that Sports Illustrated also reports that "Cena requested to work a ‘Mania match with either Samoa Joe, who is currently injured, or Mysterio, who left more of a buzz at the Royal Rumble with his appearance than any other wrestler," which indicates that Undertaker could indeed stay retired and not return for a match against Cena.

However, we may want to pump the brakes on any Cena/Mysterio talk as another report says Mysterio hasn't officially signed with WWE while the Observer's Bryan Alvarez (h/t Ringside News) says that Undertaker vs. Cena is still planned for the grandest stage of them all.

CHECK THIS OUT

Are AJ Styles And Seth Rollins Switching Shows?

Credit: WWE.com

Credit: WWE.com

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

We could see two drastic changes at the top of the card in the near future.

According to Cageside Seats, "Along with rumors of AJ Styles moving to Raw after WrestleMania, it seems Seth Rollins is a top candidate to head to SmackDown in a potential draft."

WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?

To go along with the return to dual-brand PPVs, WWE reportedly could hold another draft or "Superstar Shakeup" at Backlash in May as a way to reset the rosters.

Both Raw and SmackDown desperately need to make some major changes, especially in the main event and upper midcard, and AJ Styles and Seth Rollins are two prime candidates to be moved. Styles has been the face of SmackDown for almost two years and is a big reason why the show's ratings increased by 5% over the course of the last year, which would certainly explain why WWE wants to get him on Raw, its flagship show.

Vince McMahon is reportedly a big fan of Styles, and after all the great work Styles has done on the blue brand, a move to Monday nights would open up a wide variety of fresh feud and storyline possibilities. Likewise, Rollins could benefit tremendously from a move to SmackDown because he has spent his entire singles career on Raw and badly needs a change of pace. WWE obviously has big plans for Rollins after his record-setting performance in that unforgettable gauntlet match on Raw, and it's more likely that he'd be firmly cemented as a top guy on SmackDown.

A Rollins-for-Styles swap is about as even of a trade as WWE could do because Google Shopping search data (h/t Fightful) indicates that both stars are elite merchandise movers, which is a telltale sign of a superstar's popularity. Although the loss of Styles would be a big blow to SmackDown, Rollins is, along with Reigns, perhaps the only Raw star who could make the jump to the blue brand and adequately fill in for him in terms of star power and overall performance.

There is no shortage of WWE stars who would benefit from moving one show to the other, but of all the possible moves, Styles trading places with Rollins is perhaps the easiest decision.

CHECK THIS OUT

Who Will Reigns Feud With After WrestleMania 34?

Credit: WWE.com

Credit: WWE.com

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

Reigns is widely expected to win the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 34, so who will he feud with after the pay-per-view?

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Ringside News), there are three likely options for Reigns' first feud as Universal Champion:

Dave Meltzer mentioned in the latest issue of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman and Samoa Joe would be possible contenders for the Universal Championship that will be held by Roman Reigns after WrestleMania this year.

WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?

Ultimately, there will only be a few realistic possible contenders for Reigns' Universal Championship because WWE hasn't really built up a ton of stars to be on his level.

Reigns has already feuded with Strowman, Rollins and Joe, but he does have great chemistry with all three stars, who have been positioned as his most believable rivals. With Reigns likely to have a lengthy title reign, however, the debate is whether WWE would want to have Reigns feud with any of these three just to beat them. Strowman clearly established himself as a top draw last year, but booking him to continuously lose during his quest to become Universal Champion will do him no favors. Rollins, meanwhile, could be slated for a move to SmackDown (as mentioned previously), and Joe is currently injured and not advertised for any live events through the month of May.

Although Rollins, Joe and Strowman all make sense as possibly rivals for Reigns, the possibility of another draft or "Superstar Shakeup" could change the rosters so much that someone currently on SmackDown or not even with WWE steps up to be Reigns' first challenger. Either way, it will be interesting to see how Raw viewership fares with Reigns as Universal Champion, which will mark the first time in more than a year that WWE had a Universal Champion who appears every week.

It's also worth noting that the move to dual-brand PPVs could play a big role in determining Reigns' opponents, with the logic being that WWE will want to load up those shows with as many big matches as possible. That likely means that, in an effort to improve the WWE Network subscriber count, Reigns will always feud with a major star on the level of guys like Rollins and Strowman in hopes of keeping fans interested.

CHECK THIS OUT

WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

Blake Oestriecher is an elementary school teacher by day and a sports writer by night. He’s a contributor to the Forbes @SportsMoneyBlog, where he primarily covers WWE. You can follow him on Twitter @BOestriecher.

">WWE Concerned About Brock Lesnar Vs. Roman Reigns, Keeping Options Open For Braun Strowman

WWE may have a very big Brock Lesnar problem.

According to the Wrestling Observer (h/t SEScoops), there is internal concern within WWE about its WrestleMania 34 main event of Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns due to a wide variety of factors, including recent steroid allegations against Reigns and Lesnar's possible unhappiness:

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio recently confirmed that there is indeed some concern backstage about the accusations [against Reigns] and how it could affect their plans for WrestleMania. If the claims against Reigns are serious then WWE would need a backup plan for the main event against Lesnar...There could also be some serious concern with Lesnar. Nobody knows why he was a no-show for RAW last night after being advertised for the show for the past several months...WWE is currently keeping Braun Strowman’s WrestleMania schedule open in case any changes need to be made to the main event.

WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?

Fightful.com reported last week that Lesnar informed WWE he would not be with the company for SummerSlam, indicating that he either plans on leaving when his contract expires after WrestleMania 34 or is simply saying that as a negotiating tactic to leverage a better deal.

There are a lot of questions floating around right now regarding Lesnar's status and future with WWE after last minute changes on Raw that took "The Beast" off the show completely, and it's even been reported that WWE has used all of his contractually obligated dates. Speculation is that Lesnar may have walked out of Raw in hopes of landing a better contract, that last second rewrites simply changed plans or that he may have been taken off the show due to his meeting with UFC president Dana White last weekend.

WWE reportedly wants the Lesnar/Reigns feud to feel "as real as possible," however, so the simplest and most logical explanation is that Reigns' shoot style promo on Raw was a way to add a sense of realism to this storyline and that there are actually no issues behind the scenes. Then again, White doubled down on his belief that Lesnar will fight for UFC again this year, and with Lesnar indicating a year ago that he planned on leaving the company, it certainly looks like he could be on his way out after WrestleMania.

That would explain the storyline portrayal of Lesnar as someone who doesn't care about WWE, even though his WrestleMania opponent Reigns could soon find himself in hot water as well. Filmmaker Jon Bravo continues to claim that there is ample evidence that Reigns has been a client of an illegal steroid distribution ring, and any sort of information released on Reigns' possible involvement could put his WrestleMania match with Lesnar in jeopardy, especially if Reigns is found to have violated WWE's Talent Wellness Program for the second time.

With shaky circumstances surrounding both Reigns and Lesnar, WWE has decided to leave WrestleMania 34 plans for Braun Strowman up in the air, with the idea being that he could fill in for either star if something happens. The bad news for "The Monster Among Men," however, is that if Reigns vs. Lesnar goes on as planned, he could be left without a substantial match at WWE's flagship pay-per-view.

CHECK THIS OUT

John Cena Vs. Rey Mysterio Possibly Happening At WrestleMania 34

Credit: WWE.com

Credit: WWE.com

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

On Monday's Raw, John Cena said that a match with The Undertaker "is not possible," and though it's still unclear if that is true or not, WWE appears to have a backup plan in place.

According to a report from Sports Illustrated (h/t WrestlingInc), Cena could instead face a returning Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 34:

Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reports that Mysterio was also backstage for tonight's SmackDown TV tapings in Los Angeles to finalize details for the deal that will see him work WrestleMania in New Orleans. Barrasso added that Rey's rumored opponent is Cena.

WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?

Although it looked like contract negotiations between WWE and Mysterio broke down late last year, Mysterio made a shocking return in the Royal Rumble match that left fans speculating if he'd be back for good.

There seemed to be a lot of interest in Mysterio's return, which did huge numbers that dwarfed those of Ronda Rousey's WWE debut, so perhaps that got the ball rolling on WWE wanting to bring him back, even though conflicting reports suggest he may not have been at SmackDown, after all. Cena and Mysterio do have a history with one another as Cena defeated Mysterio to win the WWE Championship on an episode of Raw in 2011, but this match still seems unlikely given that recent reports indicated that The Undertaker vs. Cena was still planned for WrestleMania 34.

Of course, it's always possible that plans changed and that The Undertaker will not wrestle at WrestleMania (if ever again), but every indication, including Cena's promo on this past week's Raw, points at the match still being penciled in for the grandest stage of them all. In fact, WrestleVotes (h/t Cageside Seats) reports that "the John Cena vs. Undertaker feud will take place on SmackDown Live leading up to WrestleMania 34," presumably because Raw will have enough major feuds and Cena/Taker is seen as a rivalry that could boost TV viewership and ticket sales for TV tapings.

Although either match would be huge for Cena, there are issues with both bouts. You could argue that WWE waited too long to do Cena vs. Undertaker, which will therefore minimize its impact, while Mysterio might be a better fit for a different opponent at WrestleMania, perhaps someone like Finn Balor or a star in the Cruiserweight division. No matter what WWE's plans for Cena are, though, we should get a solid indication of where he's headed after Fastlane, where he's likely to lose in the six-pack challenge for the WWE Championship.

That will continue the bizarre booking of Cena, whose been in a mid-life crisis of sorts, one that seemingly sets the stage for him to try to prove himself against The Undertaker. However, it's worth noting that Sports Illustrated also reports that "Cena requested to work a ‘Mania match with either Samoa Joe, who is currently injured, or Mysterio, who left more of a buzz at the Royal Rumble with his appearance than any other wrestler," which indicates that Undertaker could indeed stay retired and not return for a match against Cena.

However, we may want to pump the brakes on any Cena/Mysterio talk as another report says Mysterio hasn't officially signed with WWE while the Observer's Bryan Alvarez (h/t Ringside News) says that Undertaker vs. Cena is still planned for the grandest stage of them all.

CHECK THIS OUT

Are AJ Styles And Seth Rollins Switching Shows?

Credit: WWE.com

Credit: WWE.com

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

We could see two drastic changes at the top of the card in the near future.

According to Cageside Seats, "Along with rumors of AJ Styles moving to Raw after WrestleMania, it seems Seth Rollins is a top candidate to head to SmackDown in a potential draft."

WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?

To go along with the return to dual-brand PPVs, WWE reportedly could hold another draft or "Superstar Shakeup" at Backlash in May as a way to reset the rosters.

Both Raw and SmackDown desperately need to make some major changes, especially in the main event and upper midcard, and AJ Styles and Seth Rollins are two prime candidates to be moved. Styles has been the face of SmackDown for almost two years and is a big reason why the show's ratings increased by 5% over the course of the last year, which would certainly explain why WWE wants to get him on Raw, its flagship show.

Vince McMahon is reportedly a big fan of Styles, and after all the great work Styles has done on the blue brand, a move to Monday nights would open up a wide variety of fresh feud and storyline possibilities. Likewise, Rollins could benefit tremendously from a move to SmackDown because he has spent his entire singles career on Raw and badly needs a change of pace. WWE obviously has big plans for Rollins after his record-setting performance in that unforgettable gauntlet match on Raw, and it's more likely that he'd be firmly cemented as a top guy on SmackDown.

A Rollins-for-Styles swap is about as even of a trade as WWE could do because Google Shopping search data (h/t Fightful) indicates that both stars are elite merchandise movers, which is a telltale sign of a superstar's popularity. Although the loss of Styles would be a big blow to SmackDown, Rollins is, along with Reigns, perhaps the only Raw star who could make the jump to the blue brand and adequately fill in for him in terms of star power and overall performance.

There is no shortage of WWE stars who would benefit from moving one show to the other, but of all the possible moves, Styles trading places with Rollins is perhaps the easiest decision.

CHECK THIS OUT

Who Will Reigns Feud With After WrestleMania 34?

Credit: WWE.com

Credit: WWE.com

WHAT'S THE DEAL?

Reigns is widely expected to win the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 34, so who will he feud with after the pay-per-view?

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Ringside News), there are three likely options for Reigns' first feud as Universal Champion:

Dave Meltzer mentioned in the latest issue of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman and Samoa Joe would be possible contenders for the Universal Championship that will be held by Roman Reigns after WrestleMania this year.

WHAT'S IT MEAN FOR WWE?

Ultimately, there will only be a few realistic possible contenders for Reigns' Universal Championship because WWE hasn't really built up a ton of stars to be on his level.

Reigns has already feuded with Strowman, Rollins and Joe, but he does have great chemistry with all three stars, who have been positioned as his most believable rivals. With Reigns likely to have a lengthy title reign, however, the debate is whether WWE would want to have Reigns feud with any of these three just to beat them. Strowman clearly established himself as a top draw last year, but booking him to continuously lose during his quest to become Universal Champion will do him no favors. Rollins, meanwhile, could be slated for a move to SmackDown (as mentioned previously), and Joe is currently injured and not advertised for any live events through the month of May.

Although Rollins, Joe and Strowman all make sense as possibly rivals for Reigns, the possibility of another draft or "Superstar Shakeup" could change the rosters so much that someone currently on SmackDown or not even with WWE steps up to be Reigns' first challenger. Either way, it will be interesting to see how Raw viewership fares with Reigns as Universal Champion, which will mark the first time in more than a year that WWE had a Universal Champion who appears every week.

It's also worth noting that the move to dual-brand PPVs could play a big role in determining Reigns' opponents, with the logic being that WWE will want to load up those shows with as many big matches as possible. That likely means that, in an effort to improve the WWE Network subscriber count, Reigns will always feud with a major star on the level of guys like Rollins and Strowman in hopes of keeping fans interested.

CHECK THIS OUT

WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

Blake Oestriecher is an elementary school teacher by day and a sports writer by night. He’s a contributor to the Forbes @SportsMoneyBlog, where he primarily covers WWE. You can follow him on Twitter @BOestriecher.

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