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Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.
Chad Gable Reportedly Garnering Interest from WWE, AEW
As the expiration of Chad Gable’s WWE contract nears, he is reportedly becoming a hot commodity ahead of potential free agency.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestle Features), WWE has made Gable an “excellent” contract offer, but AEW is also interested, and some in AEW have suggested to AEW president Tony Khan that he should pursue Gable.
However, AEW can not technically make an official offer to Gable until his WWE contract is up.
Earlier this week, Fightful Select (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News) reported that. Gable’s WWE contract was set to expire June 7.
Despite that, he appeared in a key segment on this week’s Raw and was granted an Intercontinental Championship match against Sami Zayn at Clash at the Castle, which is on June 15.
That could either mean Gable signed a short-term extension to fulfill his final obligations, or he has already signed a new, long-term deal with WWE.
Regardless of what has happened on that front, WWE putting Gable in such a big spot suggests that the company is relatively confident that it will be able to keep him in the fold.
Gable was not on the WrestleMania 40 card, but he coached up Zayn leading up to the show, helping Zayn knock off Gunther and end his 666-day IC title reign.
In the weeks that followed, Gable turned heel by attack Zayn and making life miserable for his Alpha Academy pupils.
WWE has presented Gable as one of its top villains recently, and there is little doubt the company will go to great lengths in an effort to keep him.
Ripley Reportedly Not Expected Back By SummerSlam
Rhea Ripley has been on the shelf since April due to a shoulder injury, and it doesn’t appear as though her hiatus will end any time soon.
According to Meltzer (h/t Wrestle Features), Ripley opted for rehab over surgery to heal her shoulder, but surgery remains possible if rehab ultimately isn’t enough.
Meltzer also reported that Ripley is not expected to be back in time for SummerSlam in August, although it is possible if she heals more quickly than anticipated or “if the storyline changes to where they need her for an appearance.”
Ripley beat Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 40 to retain the Women’s World Championship, but she suffered a shoulder injury during a backstage brawl segment with Liv Morgan on an episode of Raw.
That forced Ripley to vacate the title, ending her remarkable reign at 379 days.
Lynch won the title in a battle royal, but she dropped it to Morgan at King and Queen of the Ring when Ripley’s on-screen love interest, Dominik Mysterio, got involved.
Mysterio interfered once again in a rematch between Morgan and Lynch inside a steel cage, and after Liv won, she kissed Dom.
The stage appears to be set for Ripley to come back with a vengeance as a babyface to get revenge on Morgan and possibly dump Dominik as well.
It was widely thought that SummerSlam could be a target for Ripley vs. Morgan, but if that isn’t possible, it would be a huge match WWE can keep in its back pocket for the fall.
Logan Paul vs. LA Knight Reportedly Planned for Clash at the Castle
In the wake of some recent interactions between them, United States champion Logan Paul and LA Knight reportedly may be on the verge of facing each other in a match.
According to Meltzer (h/t Wrestle Features), the expectation is that Paul and Knight meet in a one-on-one bout for the first time at Clash at the Castle on June 15.
In recent weeks, Knight and Paul have taken some verbal jabs at each other, and Knight has expressed his desire to take the U.S. title from Paul.
No match between them has been announced as of yet, but that could happen as soon as this Friday’s episode of SmackDown.
Paul is coming off one of the biggest matches of his career, as he faced Cody Rhodes in a WWE Championship match at King and Queen of the Ring last month.
Although Paul came up short in his attempt to pry the WWE title away from Rhodes, he turned in yet another spectacular performance and further established himself as one of WWE’s top stars.
Meanwhile, Knight remains hugely over with the WWE fanbase, and it is long past due to reward him with a championship.
Knight had WWE Championship opportunities in the past that he was unable to cash in on, but beating Paul for the U.S. title would be a nice consolation, as he could help elevate a midcard championship.
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