Rumor Roundup (May 22, 2025)

Internal schedules at USA Network still have SmackDown as a three-hour show in early June, according to a PW Insider Elite report. The site notes that the schedules may be outdated, but shared them as there’s been talk the show’s planned move back to two hours would happen next month.

Roman Reigns is in talks to play Akuma in the Street Fighter movie, says Fightful Select. Akuma is a boss-level demon character introduced in the 1994 video game, Super Street Fighter II Turbo.

Zoey Stark’s injury changed the second half of her match with Rhea Ripley and Kairi Sane on Raw. That from a discussion between Bryan Alvarez & Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. WWE did not want Sane pinned in her first match back, but didn’t see any alternatives given the situation.

Sportsbooks like BetOnline have John Cena, Seth Rollins & Bron Breakker, and Jey Uso as heavy favorites at Saturday Night’s Main Event, with odds giving each a better than 90% likelihood of winning. In the steel cage match, Damian Priest is favored but not as heavily.

A feud between Sheamus & Rusev that will build on their shared history has been pitched in WWE creative, reports PW Insider Elite.

NXT’s May 27 show at Tampa’s Yuengling Center was cancelled due to low ticket sales and concern about how that would look on television, according to PW Insider Elite.

Per Fightful Select, AEW is not expecting Darby Allin back by Double or Nothing.

There will be no NXT PLE attached to SummerSlam, according to WrestleVotes on a WrestleBinge Q&A. NXT is planning a standalone event at the end of August, but Votes hadn’t heard an exact date or location.