The world of WWE never stops spinning, and neither does the rumor mill. Every week, the wrestling landscape shifts behind the scenes before anything hits TV, keeping things unpredictable and never dull. From surprise returns to backstage drama, contract news, and creative shakeups, some rumors catch fire while others fizzle out. But each one offers a glimpse behind the curtain.
That's where this rumor roundup comes in.
Every week, we’ll break down the latest rumors and behind-the-scenes happenings in WWE. From what’s making noise to why it matters, we’ll help make sense of the chaos, starting with the following:
Will Evolution 2 happen? If so, when?
While the return of the Evolution premium live event has long been speculated, there finally seems to be some clarity. According to Mike Johnson of PW Insider, WWE is considering the weekend of July 12 to bring back its all-women's PLE. It's worth noting that Saturday Night's Main Event and AEW All In are also planned for the same weekend.
Evolution originally debuted in 2018 as WWE’s first-ever all-women’s PLE. Despite positive feedback from fans, it never returned for a sequel. The first show featured Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella for the Raw Women's Championship, Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match for the SmackDown Women's Championship, and the finals of the 2018 Mae Young Classic between Toni Storm and Io Shirai (now Iyo Sky).
With WWE’s women’s roster deeper and stronger than ever, now marks an inflection point for them to receive their own spotlight. The division has more talent, more titles, and more stars ready to shine. An event like Evolution could even serve as a proving ground for those who haven’t yet had the chance to break out.
Despite potentially running the same weekend as All In, there's no downside to WWE bringing Evolution back. Perhaps it means the all-women's show becomes a staple moving forward, especially with all the talent that deserves airtime in a crowded space.
John Cena's retirement match location, confirmed
The last time is now for John Cena, who's on a very public retirement tour from WWE before heading to Hollywood full time. His run will end in December, and it seems details of his where he'll wrap his in-ring career have been revealed.
In a segment discussing Cena's retirement tour, WCVB-TV announced that Cena's final match will take place at TD Garden in Boston in December. WWE has yet to confirm plans for the 17-time world champion's last in-ring performance.
Boston makes perfect sense as the setting for Cena’s final match. He’s from the area, so the hometown vibe and supportive crowd are guaranteed, though any crowd would likely cheer him in his last-ever WWE contest.
Now it’s a matter of how WWE chooses to present the show. Will it be a Saturday Night’s Main Event special on NBC? Could it be its own PLE? The former seems more likely, as it would appeal to a broader audience and spotlight a mainstream Hollywood star, something WWE has been aggressively pursuing under TKO.
Gunther to retire Goldberg?
According to Fightful Select, Bill Goldberg returning for a match against Gunther "has absolutely been discussed for this year and is on the table." WWE teased something happening between the two at Bad Blood in 2024, when "The Ring General" mocked the former WCW star, who was ringside for the show.
Goldberg has publicly campaigned for one final match for years. He hasn’t wrestled since losing a WWE Universal Championship bout to Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber 2022, and as he approaches 60 years old, the clock is ticking to get that last match in while he’s still in decent physical shape.
For fans eyeing a potential date for this match, WWE set Night of Champions for June 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Goldberg has long been a staple of these international shows, so if there's a setting for his potential bout with Gunther, it's Kingdom Arena. Plus, the leader of Imperium is set to face the winner of Jey Uso vs. Logan Paul for the World Heavyweight Championship on June 9. That could open the door for Goldberg to show up and cost Gunther the match, setting up a clash at Night of Champions or, if Gunther wins, Goldberg could challenge him.
WWE Draft to return soon?
According to Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Radio, the WWE Draft will likely return by the end of May during WWE's weekend takeover of Tampa, Florida, which will host Saturday Night's Main Event on May 24.
While this may feel a bit soon to have without much build, the WWE Draft doesn’t require a long runway. There aren’t many promos or talking segments involved, just some teases, since the draft itself serves as a catalyst to create fresh feuds.
However, the roster split only lasts for so long. WWE usually lightly merges the rosters for major PLEs like Money in the Bank and SummerSlam, just to throw it out the window for WrestleMania season. That reduces screen time for an already crowded roster fighting for opportunities, so we’ll see if WWE actually sticks to the draft this time around.