Backstage WWE and AEW Rumors: Latest on WrestleMania Title Match, Asuka, More

The Intercontinental Championship is one of the most storied in wrestling, but what does WWE have in store for it ahead of WrestleMania 41?

The answer to that question headlines this collection of insider reports and rumors, which also includes the latest on Asuka's comeback and a potential free agent from All Elite Wrestling.

Over the last few months, fans have seen any number of Superstars in and around the Intercontinental Championship picture, with Bron Breakker fending off challenges from Sheamus and AJ Styles to The Judgment Day and Penta.

According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, we now know what form the match for the IC title will take at WrestleMania 41.

"The working plan as of the Balor/Breakker IC title match was to actually feature a four-way at WrestleMania, with Bron Breakker vs. Penta vs. Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio," he wrote.

While Sapp noted that creative plans can change, that would appear to be the direction based on the conclusion of Monday's Raw, where all four competitors were involved in the closing moments of Breakker's defense against Penta.

We have seen cracks gradually forming in The Judgment Day, so it makes sense that Balor and Mysterio would be involved and potentially further that storyline. Penta is red hot and should be involved in something significant, as should Breakker, who has been extraordinary since making the jump to the main roster.

While some will argue a multi-man match of this type is lazy booking, and they may not be completely wrong, it is a match that has enough going for it that it should keep fans involved while putting some emphasis on one of the more meaningful titles in WWE.

Despite expectations that Asuka might be back for WrestleMania 41 on April 19-20 or shortly after, Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reported that he has heard nothing concrete about her return from injury.

That is somewhat disappointing for fans looking for clarity as to when they can see the future Hall of Famer back in the squared circle.

The important thing to remember, though, is that it does not rule her out of potentially appearing at the event or on the Raw or SmackDown after it.

Asuka has been out of action since last May, when she and Kairi Sane lost the women's tag titles to Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill.

Whether The Empress of Tomorrow is expected to return in a tag team setting or re-establish herself as a singles competitor remains to be seen. But with the division as talented and brimming with stars as it has been in a long time, her presence is certainly missed.

Mariah May has spent the last 12 months becoming one of the breakout stars in AEW, starring alongside "Timeless" Toni Storm in one of the company's greatest stories.

She has captured the women's title from Storm, culminating in a bloody Hollywood Ending match at Revolution.

According to a new report from Sapp, May could be in the middle of a contract year:

"Fightful Select has learned that a number of staff, wrestlers and higher ups believe that former AEW World Champion Mariah May is in a contract year. Specifically, those that we’ve spoken to in AEW believe that her deal is up in the Summer. We’ve not learned if there are any option years attached to it, but one source in the company said they would be shocked if there weren’t as a deal this short is uncharacteristic for the push May got."

May was all over AEW television in a high-profile storyline with Storm, and she established herself as one of the faces of the AEW women's division.

It would be stunning to find out the 26-year-old was this close to the end of her deal without something being in place to retain her services or keep her from leaving the company as soon as this summer.

May has already performed at the highest level and with the top talent on the women's roster, but there is plenty of undiscovered creative territory for her to explore.

The question now, apparently, is whether AEW has an option in place to keep her around for the longer term or if it will have to fend off competition for her services in the coming weeks and months.