WWE Night of Champions was a major shakeup for the company, with Sami Zayn defeating Cody Rhodes and Gunther to become Undisputed WWE Champion for the first time.
In our latest WWE rumor roundup, we have news on his win and what comes next. There's also news on plans for Brock Lesnar—and his possible retirement—heading into SummerSlam this August, along with updates on Mike Santana, Zilla Fatu, and more.
Check out these latest WWE rumors below, but be warned that potential spoilers follow from this point on...
- Sami Zayn's WWE Championship victory reportedly had the entire company celebrating. @WrestleVotes says the backstage reaction to Zayn's title win was overwhelmingly positive, with everyone from WWE Superstars to members of the parking staff said to be thrilled by the result.
- Unfortunately, his reign as WWE Champion may not be a lengthy one. @WRKDWrestling recently told fans not to "get too attached," and Dave Meltzer echoed that sentiment on Wrestling Observer Radio. Meltzer said he doesn't see Zayn holding the title for long, adding, "I don't think that he's the guy in their plans," while comparing the situation to Darby Allin's AEW World Championship run.
- Multiple outlets are reporting that original plans called for Zayn to become WWE Champion at next year's WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia. For whatever reason, his win was moved up.
- Another round of WWE staff cuts reportedly took place last week. According to PW Insider, between two and four employees from the company's digital department were let go, though there may have been additional departures elsewhere within WWE.
- Mike Santana's WWE arrival could be just around the corner. Wrestling Observer Radio reports that the former TNA standout is expected to join WWE following Slammiversary, potentially bringing an end to months of speculation about his future.
- Zilla Fatu's WWE future could be one to watch. Fightful Select reports that the 26-year-old son of former WWE star Umaga was recently spotted at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. While WWE's interest in Fatu has been rumoured for years, this visit "came about fairly recently." Could he join Roman Reigns' Bloodline? That remains to be seen.
- Brock Lesnar's WWE return has reportedly been in the works for quite some time. After returning on this week's episode of RAW in Atlantic City, Lesnar was confirmed for a Hell in a Cell rubber match at SummerSlam with Oba Femi after the pair split their first two encounters. According to the Wrestling Observer, WWE had this program "in place for a long time" and always intended to revisit the rivalry. The expectation is that it will serve as the final match of Lesnar's legendary career.