Here’s some of the latest WWE rumors this week, which touch on Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, and Roman Reigns.
Lesnar should improve striking in UFC
There’s been rumors that Brock Lesnar wants to come back to the UFC.
Currently, Lesnar is reportedly under contract for $5 million per year working only part time. Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio has reported Lesnar is leaning toward coming back the UFC once his WWE contract runs out in April after Wrestlemania 31.
UFC boss Dana White has also been open to the idea, and he should be since Lesnar was the top draw when he was fighting for the promotion.
But should he return, ex-UFC heavyweight champ and MMA legend Bas Rutten--known for his devastating kicks (especially to the liver)--said Lesnar needs to patch up a few holes in his game.
“Brock is a very strong individual but if I would’ve been his coach I would’ve sent him to Holland all the way in the beginning of his career and I would’ve said, ‘you know how to wrestle, go train with the best Tai boxers in the plant.’ That’s what he needs to do, his weakness is striking. Nowadays you can’t do MMA with one style anymore,” he said, via WrestlingInc.
Reigns talks ‘dream match’
Roman Reigns, who is currently sitting out with injury, talked about his “dream match” in the WWE.
“I think just considering the family I come from, there'd be no way better to celebrate it than having a match with Rocky at Wrestlemania,” he said, via WrestleZone, referring to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Reigns, born Joe Anoa'i, is a cousin of Johnson, and also related to wrestlers Yokozuna, Rikishi Fatu, Umaga, and the Usos.
He also talked about his status.
“Based on the fact that we don’t have an offseason, it’s great for me personally and mentally to be able to collect myself, kind of gather the troops, re-game plan and just attack this thing another way. I don’t see it as I’m chasing that big pop,” he added.
“ I’m not chasing one big pop. I’m chasing a collection of humongous, out-of-this world, never-been-heard-before pops. I just don’t want one of them, I want to hear them every single night and every single time I go in. So that’s the game plan for me. It would be nice to hear that energy be created again on the very first night that I come back but it’s gonna take a lot more than just one night. It’s gonna take day in and day out of just hard work, just completely dedicating myself to the product and just hoping for the best.”
CM Punk finally opens up
It’s been nearly a year since CM Punk quit the WWE, but he recently talked about it this week, confirming that the promotion let him go.
In a lengthy interview, Punk said he was fired on his wedding day, and he claims that it was not a coincidence and set up by WWE officials.
Punk mainly cites injury and health concerns as his reason for quitting.
“I remember when I was supposed to go back to Birmingham and get cleared before I came back to wrestle from my elbow,” Punk said on Colt Cabana’s podcast.
He added: “Then [WWE head of road agents/producers] Michael Hayes comes up to me and goes, ‘All right, you’re working so and so,’ and I was like, ‘No, I’m not.’ … And he goes, ‘No, I just checked and they said you’re cleared.’
“I was like, ‘I haven’t even gone to Birmingham to see Dr. [James] Andrews yet, what do you mean I’m cleared?’ I talked to Dr. [Chris] Amann and Dr. Amann was like, ‘I called him [Dr. Andrews] and I told him how you were and he said okay and he cleared you.’ I was like what kind of witch doctory bull … is that?”
He also derided the WWE’s policy towards concussions.
“WWE doesn’t do anything to protect the wrestlers, they do things to protect themselves. … They don’t let everybody know that they’re doing all these fantastic things for concussions for ’the boys,' ” Punk added. “They do it so it looks good on them in the public.”
Nikki Bella talks about her reaction
After defeating AJ Lee this weekend for the Divas title, Nikki Bella said there’s no bad blood between her and Lee.
“We all are professionals here and AJ and I have been working with each other for a while. And when you start to work with certain girls, you get excited for them when they win. She and I wanted to have this long old match [at Survivor Series] and it’s still gonna be a lot of fun with her. I enjoy working with her in the ring and this just put another layer into our story. We’re gonna keep coming up with magic,” she told E! Online.
Bella noted that “I think everyone’s in shock” after her win.
“They were waiting outside when I came out and gave me hugs and kisses, and Nattie wrote me a nice, super long text. They’ve all been waiting for a change and they’ve seen how hard I’ve been working and I think they are very happy for me; they felt it was very deserving,” she said.
There have been speculation and rumors that Lee was forced from being the champ due to her husband CM Punk quitting the WWE.
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