WWE Rumors: Possible Championship Feud Spoilers Through ‘SummerSlam’ Get Teased In New Report
While Drew McIntyre’s WWE Championship victory at WrestleMania 36 marked the culmination of a redemption story for a wrestler who was ultimately reduced to jobber status during his first run with the company, the latest rumors suggest that he just might not be anywhere near the title picture at SummerSlam in August.
First citing this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WrestlingNews.co wrote on Friday that Bobby Lashley, who is scheduled to face McIntyre at the Backlash pay-per-view event on June 14, is apparently being groomed for what could be his first WWE Championship reign across two stints with the company. According to the article, Monday Night Raw executive director Paul Heyman reportedly wanted to give Lashley “a mouthpiece for a title run,” which would explain why MVP is managing his fellow in-ring veteran and preparing him for his title match against McIntyre.
Commenting on this rumor, WrestlingNews.co added that it looks like WWE is trying to push Lashley as a “serious wrestler” while also moving on from his romance storyline with Lana. Rumors have long swirled about the possibility of the fictional couple breaking up at some point in the future, given how WWE has seemingly teased friction between the two on multiple occasions over the last two months.
That impressive ???? ?????? is the key to victory for @fightbobby!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/nlACfN72sU
— WWE (@WWE) May 19, 2020
With all that in mind, the new rumors suggest that the WWE Championship might change hands before the summer is over, though the new champion doesn’t specifically need to win the title at Backlash.
According to a source who spoke to WrestlingNews.co‘s Paul Davis, it’s also possible that Lashley’s feud with McIntyre might “continue beyond” this month’s pay-per-view event. Likewise, there might be a chance of the rivalry continuing into SummerSlam, which would give the WWE ample time to make plans for Lashley’s rumored push as Monday Night Raw‘s top champion.
As Lashley had previously commented about wanting to face Brock Lesnar in the ring, another possibility is that both men could get their long-awaited match at SummerSlam. Lesnar hasn’t been seen on television since he lost the WWE Championship to McIntyre at WrestleMania 36. However, WrestlingNews.co hinted that “The Beast Incarnate” is expected to make his televised return in time for SummerSlam.
Lesnar has frequently enjoyed lengthy world championship reigns in WWE, with Forbes describing him last year as a “part-time world champion who is barely around enough to make the title matter.” It’s still unclear, however, whether WWE has plans of having him win Monday Night Raw‘s top title at SummerSlam, thus making Lashley — assuming he wins the belt from McIntyre — a transitional champion.
