Rumor Roundup: Drew McIntyre, CM Punk, AEW Rankings, TNA plans, 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:

• Checking in on Drew McIntyre’s contract situation, a PW Insider Elite report says he hasn’t signed a new deal with WWE. Unless that changes, McIntyre will be “free & clear to sign anywhere right after WrestleMania 40.”
• When the AEW Rankings went away last year, it was CM Punk who talked Tony Khan into getting rid of the. At least that’s what Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez was told.
• WWE had discussions with Tama Tonga when his NJPW contract was up last year and remains interested in signing him now, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.
• In their report on Kazuchika Okada’s impending free agency, Fightful Select notes that there’s no ill will between Okada and New Japan. The door will “likely always remained open” for him to return.
• Shawn Spears was among talent visiting backstage at last weekend’s TNA taping in Orlando, per Fightful Select. Spears lives in the area and was visiting friends, but was also seen “with Scott D’Amore for about 20 minutes at Gorilla position”.
• Mace & Mansoor were also at TNA’s most recent taping, as was indie wrestler Alex Zayne. Fightful says all three were scheduled for meetings with company officials.
• On Busted Open Radio, Santino Marella said TNA is “working on” a deal with “a big television network”. Once that happens and they’re on “a channel that everyone can see”, then the promotion will “change gears and blow up to the next level”.

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.