As summarized in our latest Rumor Roundup, a report came out from Fightful Select yesterday (Jan. 23) that WWE offered Stone Cold Steve Austin an “enormous” payday to wrestle Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39.
But in the episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that was released early this morning, Dave Meltzer countered that Sean Ross Sapp scoop with this one:
“The match that was pitched was not Roman Reigns. It was Brock Lesnar.”
The appeal of an Austin/Lesnar match is pretty obvious. In addition to being two of the biggest stars to ever wrestle for WWE, there’s a famous “what if” (or maybe it’s a “WHAT if”? … sorry, not sorry) stemming from Stone Cold’s 2002 walkout over being told he was booked to lose to Lesnar on television with little build.
Seems that showdown will remain a hypothetical, though. Meltzer deduces that like many of us did — from what happened when Brock returned on Raw XXX. From there, Dave pieces together what he’s heard with other things we’ve been seeing play out on WWE television to arrive at Reigns’ likely ‘Mania opponent or opponents:
“But as you can tell pretty much from the show tonight [Raw XXX], it’s not happening… It’s not on, something can happen now.
“It’s been talked about probably for months. Because I know that when that Brock Lesnar/Gunther thing came up, I was told immediately that that’s not happening — or that’s not the idea right now. Maybe it’s gonna happen now. But the idea was something that’s a secret. So Austin was that secret.
“The match is not on, and it looks like it’s gonna be Lesnar with Lashley based on the show tonight. I don’t have that confirmed [as a] WrestleMania match. Obviously they will both likely be in the Rumble, and probably feud. Whether that means Montreal and the PPV there [Feb. 18’s Elimination Chamber] or WrestleMania, I don’t know. But it feels like it’s probably something to do with WrestleMania.
“As far as Roman Reigns, I don’t know. But I figure whatever Roman Reigns situation will be, we’ll know on Saturday night based on who wins the Rumble. You’d look at it and go, ‘Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes’ as the top candidates for that. I really don’t see anyone else in that situation right now. You know, if Dwayne [“The Rock” Johnson] wants it, but that seems also to be out.
“But definitely a big, big money offer for Austin, and… that’s the situation.”
At least everyone agrees on the general size of WWE’s offer to the Texas Rattlesnake.
Are these two different ideas that have made their way through WWE’s bureaucracy on the road to WrestleMania 39? Or are one or both of our most prominent scoopsters getting worked? Does it matter if we end up with Reigns vs. Rhodes and/or Zayn on April 1-2 in SoFi Stadium?
Weigh in below, Cagesiders.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login