Wrestling

A match between universal champion Roman Reigns and WWE champion Big E is reportedly slated to headline the Survivor Series pay-per-view in November.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported (via Felix Upton of Ringside News) that the current plans call for Reigns to face Big E, who captured the WWE title Monday night on Raw when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Bobby Lashley, after taking on Finn Balor at Extreme Rules next Sunday and Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel on Oct. 21.

It's possible the direction of Big E's title reign will change, but if he's still holding the belt heading into Survivor Series, he'll face off with the Head of the Table, per Meltzer.

The seeds for a long-term storyline featuring Reigns and Big E were already being planted Friday night on SmackDown when Reigns and The Usos, collectively known as the Bloodline, clashed with the new WWE champ.

WWE announced the Bloodline would appear on Monday's Raw for a match against Big E and his New Day brethren, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods.

It's been four years since The New Day faced other with Reigns' former stable, The Shield with Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, at Survivor Series in 2017. The Shield won that match.

Big E has deserved a significant singles push for quite some time, so hopefully he's able to keep the WWE championship for a while, at least through the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania during the early months of 2022.

A champion vs. champion match with Reigns at Survivor Series on Nov. 21 would have Match of the Year potential, especially since the crowd will be heavily in favor of Big E, allowing the Tribal Chief to maximize heel tactics throughout the battle.

Much like Reigns has thrived in a mostly singles role since The Shield, Big E has the potential to do the same in the coming years after finally capturing a main event title.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Roman Reigns will wrestle on Raw for the first time in more than two years Monday night.

WWE announced the universal champion will team with The Usos in a six-man tag team match against The New Day.

THIS MONDAY on #WWERaw! 😮@WWEBigE @TrueKofi @AustinCreedWins @WWERomanReigns @WWEUsos @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/rfSF7Y1SBq

— WWE (@WWE) September 18, 2021

The Big Dog was SmackDown's first pick in the first round of the 2019 draft. Since then, he has ascended to the top of the show, holding the universal title for 383 days and counting.

In addition to Reigns' return, Monday's edition of Raw will see The New Day compete together for the first time since last fall. The 2020 draft saw Big E stay on SmackDown, with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods going to Raw.

Big E figures to be a more regular presence on WWE's flagship show, however, after cashing in his Money in the Bank contract and beating Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship.

Monday's tag match is something worthy of Survivor Series, when the biggest stars from Raw and SmackDown traditionally cross paths for one of the few times all year.

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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Big E Discusses Overcoming Mental Health Struggles

Big E produced one of the most memorable moments in recent wrestling history Monday night when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to capture the WWE Championship with a win over Bobby Lashley.

The longtime member of The New Day has deserved a serious singles push for a while and the fact it has finally arrived led to a massive pop from the WWE Universe on Raw.

Yet, the 35-year-old Florida native explained on WWE's The Jump (via Brie Coder of Wrestling Inc.) it wasn't an easy road to the top of the card amid a long-term battle with depression:

I can't say enough. I'm so incredibly humbled and appreciative. On our podcast, we had an episode about mental health. That was important for us to have that conversation, especially after the passing of [former WCW and TNA wrestler] Daffney. You know, I talked too about the fact that I'm someone who struggled with my mental health and with depression for a long time. And not seeing much value in myself to go from thinking about the juxtaposition of being 20 years old and really struggling and trying to find my way in the world, to now, where people around the world know who I am [and] find value in my work, and find joy in my work. It's a blessing. I'm grateful to have found purpose and passion.

Big E earned a lot of fan support during his journey through the WWE ranks, including stops in FCW and NXT, before making his debut on the main roster and eventually linking up with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods to create one of the most successful tag-team groups in history.

Now he's one of the company's top champions and it wouldn't be a surprise if he receives an extended run at the main-event level heading toward next year's Royal Rumble, and potentially even beyond.

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John Cena Says He Won't Wrestle Outside WWE

Cena recently returned to WWE for a brief run leading up to a SummerSlam match for the Universal Championship against Roman Reigns, which he lost.

The 13-time WWE champion, who now spends most of his time working as an actor, hinted toward another return to the squared circle in a goodbye message:

Words cannot describe how appreciative I am that the @WWEUniverse allowed me the opportunity to return and perform. Thank you staff, superstars, and most of all FANS for giving me an unforgettable summer at “home” with my “family”. The journey takes me away now but I’ll C U soon.

— John Cena (@JohnCena) August 23, 2021

While it's always been assumed Cena will only wrestle in WWE, the recent trend of high-profile wrestlers departing the company and landing in AEW raised the intriguing possibly of the longtime face of WWE ending up in the rival promotion.

The 44-year-old Massachusetts shot down that idea during a Q&A session at the Florida SuperCon convention, per Brandon Ewing of E-Wrestling News.

"There's a whole like 'never say never' philosophy and I'm also that way in life because you never know what life will bring you. But, I can with certainty say no," Cena said about the potential of signing with another wrestling company.

It's not a surprise given his loyalty to WWE. Vince McMahon and Co. figure to bring him back for any key events that fit in his schedule in the years ahead.

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Paul Wight Lauds AEW For Creative Freedom

Wight, best known as Big Show during his time in WWE, has a unique perspective after two decades in WWE and now serving in both an in-ring and broadcasting role for AEW.

He explained during an interview on the Adam's Apple YouTube channel (via Robert Gunier of Wrestling Inc.) he doesn't hold any ill will toward WWE and thinks "both products are amazing" despite their differences.

Wight noted the one thing working to AEW's advantage is the willingness to let performers have a little more creative freedom to build their gimmick:

If you have a promo, you have a promo, and if you have a match, you have a match. There's not as much upper-level handling on what they want during the match and what they're trying to present for the extra property they own. Even for me, I'm doing Paul Wight but I've never had as much freedom as I do now in AEW doing this. Before, when I was in WWE as Big Show, it was a committee to get anything done.

That's even more important now that AEW has become a destination for wrestlers seeking more of that individuality they became accustomed to on the independent scene, whether it's CM Punk, Bryan Danielson or Adam Cole.

AEW has attracted a lot of attention with its marquee signings and now comes the tough part: retaining that viewership for the long haul. Letting wrestlers push boundaries and use their own vision in terms of character development should be helpful, especially in keeping the diehard wrestling fans.

While beating out WWE was difficult from the start, the UFC was apparently never in the ballpark to sign Minnesota star wrestler Gable Steveson.

The national champion heavyweight announced Sept. 9 he signed a deal with WWE, calling it a "childhood dream accomplished." During an appearance on The MMA Hour, he indicated the UFC may have been a player if the company made the effort:

I was hoping that [UFC president Dana White] would have come a lot stronger. I was hoping that he would push the pace a little more. I would love to fight. I’m not scared of fighting. I’m not scared of getting punched. I’m not scared of going out there and losing in front of a big crowd or winning in front of a big crowd. It doesn’t matter to me. I go out there to entertain people and for me, myself, to do something I love. I mean I love fighting and I love WWE. I love both.

Steveson conceded WWE chairman Vince McMahon "had the upper hand" in a head-to-head negotiating battle with the UFC, so the odds probably weren't great to begin with.  

Some will argue professional wrestling offers the 21-year-old the fastest path to stardom and will be a more lucrative path early on anyway. Retired UFC star Daniel Cormier is among that group:

DC could see Gable Steveson on the path taken by Brock Lesnar 🤼‍♂️

(via @dc_mma, @GableSteveson) pic.twitter.com/79pum41Llh

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 12, 2021

Given his experience as a freestyle wrestler, a move to mixed martial arts might be inevitable for Steveson, and he has plenty of time to properly train for that career. Brock Lesnar was 29 when he made his MMA debut and had turned 30 by the time he fought Frank Mir in his first UFC bout.

By pledging his allegiance to WWE once he's done at Minnesota, though, Steveson pushed the UFC to the back burner for at least the next few years.

Don't expect John Cena to be Hulk Hogan.

During an appearance at Florida Supercon, the 16-time world champion signaled he doesn't expect to ever wrestle for another promotion.

"There's a whole like 'never say never' philosophy and I'm also that way in life because you never know what life will bring you," he said, per Wrestling Inc's Marc Middleton. "But, I can with certainty say no."

CM Punk and Bryan Danielson recently signed with All Elite Wrestling, giving WWE what appears to be its first serious competition domestically in years.

If AEW wanted to follow the path WCW set in the mid-1990s when it took on WWE, then Cena would be the proverbial white whale. The "Monday Night Wars" don't happen without Hogan going to WCW, and Cena is the most obvious parallel available to AEW today.

One could question the long-term value in signing Cena, though. The 44-year-old returned to WWE for a brief run this summer, but his days as an active wrestler on a more regular basis are seemingly over. 

Hogan wrestled a limited schedule for WCW, but the company could count on him to show up regularly on Nitro and for most of its pay-per-views. Cena, on the other hand, has had two televised bouts since 2019.

As with that long-sought-after heel turn fans desperately wanted, the time for the future Hall of Famer to jump ship to a rival promotion has almost certainly passed.

Once he's through with The Demon, The Beast Incarnate will be waiting for Roman Reigns.

WWE announced Thursday that Reigns will grapple with Brock Lesnar at Crown Jewel on Oct. 21. The match will be for the Universal Championship if Reigns successfully defends the title against Finn Balor at Extreme Rules.

While many expected Reigns and Lesnar to cross paths eventually, the timing of the announcement is somewhat puzzling.

Laying this out now undercuts the Extreme Rules title match and might telegraph the outcome since plenty of fans will expect something this big to have gold on the line.

WWE may have removed one source of drama from its upcoming two-night draft as well. Unless both Reigns and Lesnar move together to Raw, it certainly looks like they'll be sticking around on SmackDown.

Those concerns aside, this promises to be one of the biggest battles of the year.

The general excitement around this feud shows how much context matters.

Three years ago, these two stars met in a WrestleMania main event that fell totally flat. Perhaps showing his disgust from the crowd reaction, Lesnar famously threw the Universal Championship at Vince McMahon as he walked through the curtain.

At the time, Reigns was an unloved top babyface continuing to draw a mixed reaction from fans. On the other side, the WWE Universe was growing tired of seeing the same storylines and matches for Lesnar.

Now, Reigns is the biggest heel in the company and one of the most engaging in-ring performers in the world. Lesnar, meanwhile, is a good guy by extension, the first time he has been in this position since perhaps his WrestleMania 33 match with Goldberg in 2017.

Stuck between them is Paul Heyman, adding another layer of drama. Heyman's loyalty seemingly lies with Reigns, but there's the tiny seed of doubt that could cause the unraveling of The Bloodline.

Reigns has overcome plenty of challengers during his 381-day title reign, a list that includes John Cena at SummerSlam. But Lesnar may be The Big Dog's stiffest test to date.

Paul Heyman doesn't envision WWE Superstar Brock Lesnar making another return to UFC in the future.

In an interview with Josh Martinez of Z100 in New York (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Scott Mitchell), Heyman said: "He has nothing left to prove in MMA. He can make a lot more money in the WWE."

At SummerSlam last month, Lesnar made his WWE return after more than a year away. Lesnar confronted Universal champion Roman Reigns and Heyman, who previously served as Lesnar's advocate.

Lesnar challenged Reigns to a title match this past week on SmackDown and nearly hit Heyman with an F-5 before Reigns made the save.

While Lesnar is best known for being an eight-time world champion in WWE, he enjoyed a great deal of success in the world of MMA as well.

After ending his first stint with WWE in 2004, Lesnar transitioned to MMA. The former amateur wrestling national champion at the University of Minnesota made his UFC debut in 2008.

While he lost to Frank Mir in his first UFC fight, Lesnar went on a four-fight winning streak after that and beat Randy Couture for the UFC heavyweight title.

Lesnar dropped it to Cain Velasquez in 2010 and was knocked out by Alistair Overeem in the first round of his next fight while battling diverticulitis. That led to Lesnar making his long-awaited WWE return in 2012.

Since coming back to WWE, Lesnar has undoubtedly made big money, he has been presented as a top star and he has been given a favorable part-time schedule.

Despite that, Lesnar made a brief return to UFC in 2016, facing Mark Hunt at UFC 200. He originally won the fight by unanimous decision, but it was overturned to a no contest after Lesnar tested positive for the banned substance clomiphene.

Lesnar has not gone back to UFC since then and has instead focused on WWE, which Heyman believes will continue to be the case.

When asked to expand on why he doesn't see Lesnar back in UFC ever again, Heyman said:

"Been there, done that. If you were to tell me that Brock Lesnar would have a shootout in soccer with Messi, that I believe. But he has already done the MMA schtick.

"He knocked out Randy Couture, took a beating from Shane Carwin. He's a conqueror. What more can he do in the UFC that he hasn't done? When Brock Lesnar went out for the Minnesota Vikings in 2004, he was 295 lbs., just suffered a motorcycle accident, and he had a torn groin, broken pelvis, a wired-shut jaw, and he still ran his 100-yard dash in Olympic qualifying time."

Lesnar has already seen and done it all in WWE as well, but his current rivalry with Reigns is compelling given that Heyman is stuck in the middle.

Additionally, Lesnar seems to have more flexibility with his scheduling in WWE, plus Heyman alluded to the fact that he is well compensated.

Any combat sports promotion could benefit from the star power and presence Lesnar brings to the table, but as of now, it looks like WWE has no competition for his services.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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WWE Morale Up After Big E's Title Win

Those within WWE are reportedly thrilled after the decision was made to put the WWE Championship on Big E on Monday's episode of Raw.

According to PWInsider (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), there was a "huge uptick" in morale among WWE wrestlers after Big E successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Bobby Lashley.

PWInsider noted that Big E is "beloved" backstage and the other wrestlers felt him winning the WWE title was a "huge deal."

It was clear based on the reaction on social media after Big E's win that he is universally beloved in the world of wrestling both within and outside WWE.

Wrestlers from WWE, AEW, Impact Wrestling and other companies tweeted celebratory and congratulatory messages after watching the New Day member finally ascend to the top of the mountain.

Big E's win was historic, as he became only the fourth Black man to hold the WWE Championship, joining The Rock, Kofi Kingston and Lashley.

After Big E's triumph, he was joined by New Day stablemates Kingston and Xavier Woods in the ring for an emotional and memorable celebration.

Big E has long had the potential to be a top star and world champion in WWE, and it seemed like a matter of time before it ultimately happened.

Putting the WWE Championship on Big E could be the shot in the arm Raw has so desperately needed over the past several months, provided WWE books him to be a strong and successful champ moving forward.

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Dunne Reportedly Signs 3-Year Deal with WWE

WWE has reportedly locked in one of its top NXT stars to a multiyear contract extension.

According to Fightful Select (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marc Middleton), Pete Dunne signed a three-year deal to remain with WWE through the summer of 2024.

Fightful noted that the contract was personally offered to Dunne by NXT founder Triple H before Triple H took some time off to undergo a heart procedure.

Despite the fact that he is just 27 years of age, Dunne is already a 14-year veteran of professional wrestling.

He made his WWE debut in 2016 as part of the UK Championship tournament, and although he lost to Tyler Bate in the final, he beat Bate for the title shortly thereafter.

Dunne went on to hold the UK title for 685 days before dropping it to WALTER in a classic match at NXT TakeOver: New York in 2019.

In addition to the UK title, Dunne held the NXT Tag Team Championships as one half of The BroserWeights with Riddle.

Dunne has also vied for the NXT Championship and North American Championship on various occasions but has yet to win either of them.

On the debut episode of NXT 2.0 on Tuesday, Dunne took part in a Fatal 4-Way for the vacant NXT Championship against Tommaso Ciampa, L.A. Knight and Von Wagner.

Ciampa won the match and the title, but with Dunne having the massive Ridge Holland on his side, it wouldn't be surprising to see him win it in the near future.

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NXT Talent Reportedly Concerned About Where They Stand After Relaunch

Some of the established NXT talents in WWE are reportedly concerned about where they stand following the launch of NXT 2.0.

NXT 2.0 debuted Tuesday night, and it had a decidedly different feel than the old NXT, as several young, unknown wrestlers debuted and mingled with some of the brand's veterans.

According to PWInsider (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), there was "trepidation" among some NXT veterans entering Tuesday's show and concern that they are on "thin ice" due to NXT's youth movement.

The reported belief among some talent is that they could be released at any time even if they do "everything they were supposed to."

Several NXT veterans were released a couple of months ago, including Bobby Fish, Bronson Reed and Mercedes Martinez. There have also been sweeping cuts on the main roster since WrestleMania in April.

While NXT 2.0 saw the debut of several new faces, it also suggested there is hope for the veterans to stick around and play a pivotal role.

Ciampa won the NXT Championship on Tuesday despite being a 36-year-old veteran of the independent scene, and he was confronted at the end of the show by Bron Breakker, who won his debut match over Knight at the start of the show.

There is no telling precisely how NXT will continue to evolve or what it will mean for the veterans, but a mix of new and established talent could be the best recipe for success moving forward.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Tommaso Ciampa won a Fatal 4-Way on Tuesday night's edition of NXT to win the NXT Championship vacated by Samoa Joe.

We love a fairytale ending. ♥️

@NXTCiampa defeats @PeteDunneYxB @LAKnightWWE & @WWEVonWagner to win the vacated #NXTChampionship on #WWENXT 2.0! #AndNew pic.twitter.com/9sv9xWPRGZ

— WWE (@WWE) September 15, 2021

GOLDIE IS COMING HOME. #WWENXT #NXTChampionship #AndNew @NXTCiampa pic.twitter.com/p4IZHQAqpE

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) September 15, 2021

Ciampa beat LA Knight, Von Wagner and Pete Dunne in the match, which was originally slated to determine the No. 1 contender for Joe and the NXT title.

The Blackheart won after catching Wagner with the Fairytale Ending for the pin and win. Wagner took the place of Kyle O'Reilly, who did not participate after Dunne and Ridge Holland attacked him in the locker room on Tuesday.

The original intent of Tuesday's match changed Sunday night when Joe announced an injury would keep him out for a brief amount of time. As a result, Joe noted that he would relinquish the NXT Championship:

pic.twitter.com/a1ERDGyRfH

— Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe) September 12, 2021

In his first match in well over a year, Joe beat Karrion Kross at NXT TakeOver 36 last month to become the new NXT champion. It also marked Joe's third NXT title reign, which is the most all-time.

Joe vacating the title after just 20 days created a massive opportunity for the four men who were originally slated to compete in Tuesday's match. Dunne, O'Reilly and Knight were all in search of their first NXT Championship reigns, while Ciampa was looking to win it back for the first time since vacating it due to injury in March 2019.

Tuesday also marked the launch of "NXT 2.0," which is essentially the new era of the brand, complete with an updated logo and a revamped set.

It remains to be seen precisely how else NXT 2.0 will differ from the prior iterations, but the bulk of the speculation has focused on WWE gravitating more toward bigger, younger performers with a background in athletics rather than independent wrestling.

Dunne is 27, as is Wagner (formerly known as Cal Bloom). The remaining three members from the original Fatal 4-Way match lineup are at least 34 years old. Outside Wagner, they all have experience on the indie wrestling scene as well.

That suggests WWE still plans to utilize existing members of the NXT roster and put them in big spots even if they don't 100 percent fit the mold the company is looking for going forward.

Ciampa, Dunne, Wagner and Knight proved their value Tuesday by putting on a highly entertaining match with huge stakes hanging in the balance.

Ciampa has been trying to scratch and claw his way back to the top of NXT for well over two years, and the 36-year-old veteran finally made it there Tuesday.

Many consider Ciampa to be the greatest NXT champion of all time, and he will now have the opportunity to solidify that distinction if his latest title run is anywhere close to his first one.

Few Superstars are more synonymous with NXT than Ciampa, and now that NXT is embarking on a new era, it is fitting that someone who has had such a large influence on the brand is at the top once again.

           

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

 

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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Original Reported Plans for Big E Winning WWE Title

Big E was the talk of the pro wrestling world Monday night, as he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Bobby Lashley and became the new WWE champion on Raw.

Earlier in the day, Big E took to Twitter and made it clear that he intended to cash in after the WWE Championship match between Lashley and Randy Orton. WWE then made Big E a central focus of Raw throughout the show.

After Big E's successful cash-in and historic title win, Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling Podcast provided some insight into WWE's original plans for Big E's cash-in.

Zarian noted that Big E was supposed to cash in "during the original draft date for Raw."

WWE announced Monday that the 2021 WWE draft will commence on the Oct. 1 episode of SmackDown and continue Oct. 4 on Raw. It is unclear if Zarian meant the cash-in was supposed to happen on Oct. 4 or on a different date originally thought to be draft night.

Before WWE made the official announcement regarding when the draft will take place, there was speculation and various reports suggesting it would occur in September.

Whatever the case, WWE decided Big E was ready to take the next step to the top, which is something fans have been anticipating for quite some time.

In addition to being WWE champion for the first time, Big E is back alongside his New Day stablemates Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods on Raw, which should add to the entertainment factor.

The biggest key for WWE now is building on the momentum gained from Big E's win and firmly establishing him as a main event player for a long time to come.

A rematch with Lashley could be on the horizon at Extreme Rules on Sept. 26, and if Big E wins that match without the element of a cash-in, he will be well on his way toward becoming one of the faces of the company.

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Reported Plans for Samoa Joe After Relinquishing NXT Title

On the eve of NXT's rebrand into NXT 2.0, Samoa Joe made an announcement that shook NXT to its core.

Joe took to Twitter to reveal that because of injuries, he was stepping away from the ring for a brief amount of time and thus vacating the NXT Championship:

pic.twitter.com/a1ERDGyRfH

— Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe) September 12, 2021

It was later announced by WWE that the Fatal 4-Way between Pete Dunne, Tommaso Ciampa, Kyle O'Reilly and LA Knight originally for the No. 1 contendership on Tuesday's episode of NXT will be for the NXT Championship instead.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News) reported that there is some "vagueness" regarding Joe's status and why WWE had him relinquish the title.

Meltzer also noted that Joe was hired back by WWE to be "more of an administrator" or a "front-office person" by WWE, and the plan is to have him primarily fill those roles moving forward.

Joe did suggest in his promo that he would be back in the ring in the near future, however, meaning he may now be a part-time wrestler used to advance storylines in NXT when needed.

Based on speculation that NXT is going to start getting away from older and independent wrestlers in favor of younger Superstars with backgrounds in other athletic endeavors, it makes sense to change things up now.

Any of the four performers in Wednesday's Fatal 4-Way could make great NXT champions moving forward.

Ciampa has been there before, Dunne is the youngest among them, O'Reilly is on an upward trajectory, and Knight has the most charisma and perhaps fits the WWE model best.

Regardless of who wins, there is no question that Joe vacating the title added even more excitement and intrigue to the launch of NXT 2.0.

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Gargano's WWE Contract Reportedly Expiring Soon

On the heels of Adam Cole leaving WWE for All Elite Wrestling at the conclusion of his contract, another top NXT star's deal is reportedly set to expire.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Upton), Johnny Gargano's WWE contract is set to end Dec. 3. It was noted that while WWE and Gargano have not entered into extension talks, that is expected to happen during the fall.

Gargano is one of the most successful NXT stars of all time, having held the NXT Championship and NXT Tag Team Championships one time each as well as the NXT North American Championship three times.

Johnny Wrestling has thrived as both a babyface and a heel, and he is currently the leader of The Way, which is comprised of himself, Candice LeRae, Austin Theory and Indi Hartwell.

In addition to being perhaps the best in-ring worker in WWE, Gargano has developed into one of the most entertaining personalities as well because of his comedic chops.

Despite all of that, there may be some concern among WWE fans about Gargano either choosing to leave or WWE simply letting him go.

Based on the speculation that WWE wants to go younger and less indie-centric in NXT, it could be argued that Gargano doesn't fit the mold. He's 34 years of age, has an independent wrestling background and isn't particularly big.

With that said, there is value in having performers like Gargano and Ciampa in NXT since they can be key members of the roster while also helping bring along some of the younger talent.

It remains to be seen if Gargano would be open to that type of role, but given how outspoken he has always been about his love for WWE, it seems like a possibility.

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Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).