Paxis had multiple sources (as did Making Star Wars) - the fact that leaks happened (leaks always happen, they’ve been happening on big movies for about 20 years now) regarding the plot of TROS doesn’t somehow lend veracity to this “leak” which has one single source and is very, very specific about a lot of details, and as such is very specific on how it contradicts itself.
This work of fan-fiction even makes sure to answer why those leaks were happening, and the answer it gave (it was studio-approved sabotage) is also ridiculous.
The Rise of Skywalker leaked because Bad Robot productions apparently are pretty leaky (you can look back and see this to be the case) and it leaked through at least 5 or 6 people, if not more. This is all coming from one person, unverified, who is telling a story so wild and contradictory and specific that it’s almost impossible to take seriously. It has an answer for everything, and those answers only make sense in a vacuum, because once you start looking at them as a whole nothing holds together. The story’s coherence depends on its reader being propelled by the feeling they get from “seeing through the lies of the Jedi” if you will.
Ironically - the story is constructed like a JJ Abrams movie. You’re so distracted by the latest example of “WTF now THIS is happening” that you don’t stop to look at the greater whole and realize that none of these stories really connect with each other at all.
Not to mention that Directors have a lot of protections and autonomy on their films. Sure, they can always be fired so the studio can hold that over their heads, but a studio can’t just take over a film like that says they did. A big studio like Disney would not want to anger the director’s guild to that extent (as it would limit the directors they could hire in the future). It is basically a run down of the leaks that weren’t in the final cut of the film. And Abrams has always been very positive when talking about the film and the editing process. So has the editor and his co-writer. So I don’t think any of this happened. It reads like a fanboy wish more than reality. Basically Abrams fans who didn’t like how TROS came out who are looking for a reason besides his directorial decisions. All the stuff on the list is stuff Mike Zeroh claimed was going to be in the film. Plus the longer running length.