It appears that plans for this weekend’s Royal Rumble and feuds for WrestleMania were reported prematurely.
Earlier this week, Sports Illustrated‘s Justin Barrasso reported that Gunther was tapped to win the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble, not Cody Rhodes. In addition, the article cited “multiple sources close to WWE Head of Creative Paul “Triple H” Levesque” that claimed Cody Rhodes would not main event WrestleMania and “finish the story.”
The report was met with some confusion by fans. It apparently was a surprise to those in the company too. WrestleVotes reported that WWE was not happy with the mention of sources tied to Triple H, and Fightful (via Fightful Select) reported that WWE sources said the SI report was “news to them.”
Now, Barrasso has issued an update and apology, claiming that the initial information he was given was “a deliberate attempt at misinformation” inside the company.
His full statement is below:
The Royal Rumble takes place on Saturday, and speculation over the event has peaked considerable interest. Though the Rumble is traditionally one of wrestling’s most entertaining nights, that is only amplified this year.
As for the winners, I don’t typically post spoilers. This is an instance where I should have followed my own practice.
I reported spoilers for Sports Illustrated yesterday regarding the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 40. I reported what was detailed to me by previously reliable sources. It appears this was a deliberate attempt at misinformation, or misinformation that is being spread through WWE itself.
I apologize for the errors in yesterday’s report. When posting these reports, the entirety of the information needs to accurate.
I am not offering a spoiler, but enthused speculation and analysis are that all signs point to Rhodes winning the Rumble. There is, however, some uncertainty with The Rock involved, as a star of his magnitude wields massive leverage and works off his own terms. If he were to tell WWE President Nick Khan he wants to win the Rumble, then that could change plans. But that is not expected, especially with the new possibility that Reigns-Rock could be extended to a time when it airs globally on Netflix.
All signs also point to Rhodes finishing his story on the second night of WrestleMania. That is a story that has been told in exceptional fashion since Rhodes returned to WWE in 2022, and it is one that would be perfect for the main event of WrestleMania 40.
While there has been speculation that Rhodes has not signed a new contract with WWE, there are multiple people within the company who believe he already has. A great indicator that Rhodes has already signed a new deal is if he wins the Rumble, which will set up a date against Reigns at WrestleMania.
Justin Barrasso
