WWE Rumors: Examining Latest Buzz Around Chris Jericho, NXT and More - Bleacher Report

As 2016 comes to a close, news and rumors are running rampant regarding the status of WWE's top Superstars and brands, not to mention the exciting new talent on its way to the grand stage.

Chris Jericho positioned himself at the top of the list...of this week's top newsworthy rumors, thanks to an appearance on a popular internet wrestling talk show.

Julie Real, a model-turned-MMA hopeful, revealed that her journey to WWE has officially begun.

Finally, NXT spent 2016 as WWE's hottest brand. What big changes could be coming for the show that produced Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt and Finn Balor?

                 

Chris Jericho Is Hitting The Road...But Not For WWE

Chris Jericho and the band Fozzy have announced numerous festival tours beginning in April 2017, suggesting Y2J's latest acclaimed run in WWE will come to an end just after WrestleMania 33.

It would bring an end to a run that never was supposed to happen, at least according to the man himself.

While speaking with The LAW (h/t Wrestling Inc), an internet wrestling talk show, he admitted that his current run in WWE was only supposed to last a specific period of time:

Both of us would like to sit back and think we were the be all, end all wise oracles that predicted this. I will tell you this, my original plan when I came back last January was to stay until WrestleMania, four months. Then, it started going so good, I re-signed I think until July and then I re-signed until October and then I re-signed until November.

What about the build to WrestleMania?

"Now it's basically a month-by-month thing," Jericho said. "I've got a certain time frame in mind, but I can't even say that, because what was supposed to be four has already been 10, because I am smart enough to know this."

Sticking around as long as he is needed is nice, but it must create a bit of uncertainty in the minds of WWE Creative, which is already focused on telling stories from week-to-week rather than over the long term.

No matter; Jericho's run to this point has been responsible for some of the most interesting and compelling television of 2016. From his rivalry with AJ Styles to his friendship with Kevin Owens, Jericho is one of the brightest stars in WWE, even at the age of 47.

                

WWE Signs Julie Real

Julie Real, a model and MMA trainee, announced on her official Instagramaccount that she has signed with WWE, realizing her dreams.

"So everyone wonders why I'm always MIA. Well, this is why... I've been working towards dreams and proud to say I am now officially signed with WWE!" she exclaimed on the popular social media platform.

One can only imagine whether or not her dream really was to one day make it to Vince McMahon's company, but her background in MMA should help set her apart from more classically trained wrestlers like Sasha Banks, Charlotte and Bayley.

She follows in the footsteps of Daria Berenato, a trained MMA competitor who has found a new career for herself under the WWE banner with NXT. 

             

NXT To Go Live on WWE Network?

One of the best elements of WWE's NXT brand is its taped nature. Rather than booking from week to week to satisfy the live television demands, Triple H and his lead writers can game-plan months in advance, telling stories over a period of time rather over a one-month span.

According to Dave Meltzer and Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Wrestling Inc), the brand could be abandoning the taping schedule for a live one in 2017.

Not only would that alter the brand creatively, but it would change the business model. Rather than going live-to-tape, the live streaming costs alone would eat away at the budget.

Realistically speaking, how many new subscribers would these live episodes of NXT bring to the WWE Network, as opposed to the taped ones? Fans of ShinsukeNakamura or Samoa Joe are going to watch the product regardless, and new viewers, unfamiliar with the storylines or somehow seeing them as a lesser show undeserving of their attention, will not change their minds because WWE slaps a "live" banner across a few advertisements.

The TakeOver specials have the aura and mystique they do because of the live atmosphere. Take that away by making it the norm, and it hurts the special feeling of those two-hour presentations.

SUMBER

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