Welcome to the July 4th edition of the WWE Rumor Roundup, and happy Independence Day to anyone who is reading this from the United States of America. As always, we bring you the latest scoops from the world of the sports entertainment juggernaut.
Today’s edition is especially juicy, with news of a retired star’s full-time return to RAW, a report of a current RAW star’s potential retirement, the news of a major signing of a 28-year-old star, as well as backstage reports on whether CM Punk was pressured to apologize in Saudi Arabia.
Let’s get right into it:
#4. A huge backstage push for Corey Graves following his return to RAW
Corey Graves has had a tumultuous year in WWE, but ever since the acclaimed Worlds Collide event in June, things have taken a turn for the better. Due to Pat McAfee’s absence (a result of burnout from his intense schedule)
On the latest episode of WrestleVotes Radio on WrestleBinge, JoeyVotes and TC reported that there is a big backstage push for the 41-year-old figure to return to commentary on RAW full-time.
When looking through the comments on X/Twitter, there seemed to be a unanimously positive response to Corey Graves’ return to the booth on RAW. While he never insinuated that his move back to NXT was a downgrade, he previously expressed deep frustration in a couple of (now deleted) tweets back in January.
With McAfee having to handle his own company, his multi-million dollar ESPN gig, his RAW commentary job, and most importantly, his family, many have questioned whether it’s good for him to be on commentary as frequently as he has been. However, his name value is undeniably a plus for WWE.
#3. Huge news on the future of AJ Styles in WWE
It’s unbelievable to think that, come January 2026, AJ Styles will have been with WWE for a whopping ten years. To put that into perspective, that’s only two years shy of his legendary TNA tenure. That is, if he hasn’t already retired by then.
Although his peak in the sports entertainment juggernaut happened for almost three full calendar years between early 2016 and late 2018, he has spent the remaining time collecting Championships and is officially a Grand Slam Champion. Many forget this, but he also technically headlined WrestleMania when he faced The Undertaker in the highly-acclaimed “Boneyard” match in 2020.
It’s no secret that he is closing in on retirement, and according to a report from Fightful Select, those close to AJ Styles have been told that he signed a one-year contract extension. Styles stated in 2019 that after he got an incredible deal from WWE (thanks to AEW also wanting to sign him), it would be his last, and he would retire after that.
However, while it isn’t known when the contract extension was signed, it likely means that he’s going to retire by 2026 at the latest.
#2. WWE set to make a massive signing from AAA?
It seems to be an increasing reality that the acquisition of AAA was meant to be, first and foremost, a means of funneling talent into the sports entertainment juggernaut. The next name expected to sign is the 28-year-old La Hiedra, who is one-half of the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Champions, alongside the instant sensation, Mr. Iguana.
According to a report from Fightful Select, La Hiedra has informed her fellow-AAA wrestlers and friends that she is set to sign with WWE. It should be noted that as of this writing, there’s no word on whether a contract has been signed. However, considering the major acquisition of AAA, there have been various reports linking the sports entertainment giant to a few major names from the Mexican promotion.
Mr. Iguana is one of the names linked, as well as the 25-year veteran Psycho Clown. It was reported recently on WrestleVotes Radio that Psycho Clown is a name that the company has “significant interest” in signing, thanks to his unique look and persona.
#1. Backstage news on whether CM Punk was forced to apologize for his comments
It was very interesting for fans to observe CM Punk’s arrival in Saudi Arabia, and it was for one reason. It had to do with a tweet directed at The Miz several years ago, where his language directed towards the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was less than flattering. It was later reported that upon his return, Punk made amends with The Miz.
But that doesn’t mean the regular fans in Saudi Arabia would forget what he said, and as you likely know by now, one specific fan addressed it, and CM Punk took an apologetic stance, fully addressing the tweet and taking accountability for it.
On Fightful Select’s Weekly Q&A Podcast, it was stated by Sean Ross Sapp that while he wasn’t fully sure, he knew that CM Punk expected that he would have to address that tweet. As a result, there likely wasn’t too much pressure from WWE’s side, as they were aware that Punk would take an apologetic approach.
Triple H later praised CM Punk and said he was “incredibly proud” of him for stepping up and apologizing for his comments.
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