WWE rumors, news ahead of May 16 episode of Monday Night Raw

It’s a new week for the WWE as the company inches closer to the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view in June. As always, the rumor mill was churning over the weekend with a few noteworthy tidbits ahead of tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw from Norfolk, VA.

Let’s dive into the mill.

• It doesn’t appear that undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will be stepping into the ring at Hell in a Cell. According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, the “Tribal Chief” is not scheduled to wrestle at the ppv. It was reported last week that Reigns had signed a new deal with the company similar to the deals Brock Lesnar has signed, effectively shortening the number of dates and house shows he’d have to work. He worked the main event of the Wrestlemania Backlash ppv last Sunday, one where his Bloodline stable defeated RK-Bro and Drew McIntyre.
• Those same WON reports have also indicated that Reigns will next defend his belt(s) at Money in the Bank in July. Given that the WWE is about to embark on doing three stadium shows over the summer, his exclusion from Hell in a Cell may be him simply getting a break before hitting the ground running for a busy stretch. Notably, the poster for September’s Clash at the Castle ppv in September was revealed last week and both he and Drew McIntyre are the prominent figures in the promotion. It seems clear that those two are on a collision course for a main event showdown in Wales.
• Madcap Moss was “Pillmanize’d” by Happy Corbin on Smackdown last Friday, effectively taking him off television for at least the next few weeks. Wrestlingnews.co reported on Sunday that Moss may be getting a repackage upon his return, with new ring gear and new music. It makes sense considering that the Corbin-Moss gimmick is over and it’s just about time for both wrestlers to move onto something new. If he were to return within the next few weeks with the new look, one would think he’d most likely be included in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match in July.
• As many picked up from last Friday’s episode of Smackdown, the name of the women’s championship might be undergoing a change. During her first promo after winning the Smackdown Women’s Championship, Ronda Rousey declared that everyone can call her the “Smackdown Champion” and was referred to as such by Pat McAfee on commentary shortly afterwards. Roman Reigns is still being referred to as the clunky “WWE Undisputed Universal Champion”, so the company may still be troubleshooting name ideas for its top title holders.