Undertaker not dead, out of Fatal 4-Way

In WWE News and a Smackdown/Fatal 4-Way update, The Undertaker was out of action Friday night. In fact the theme of Friday's Smackdown was that the Undertaker had been found in a "vegetative state" by brother Kane, and that an investigation was ongoing into "who or what" perpetrated the attack. Kane made it his mission on the show to confront the prime suspects, the other guys in Fatal 4-Way's World Title match, and of course Rey Mysterio who lost to Taker last week.

According to Wrestling Observer, this is due to the injuries Undertaker suffered while fighting Rey Mysterio in last week's qualifying match on the 5/30 airing of Smackdown. Reportedly, Taker suffered a broken nose, broken orbital bone and a concussion all in that one match. It may have been the result of the seated senton move Mysterio did on him. If you saw the conclusion of the match, you noticed Taker's bloody nose.

When first reported, they were unsure if Taker would still be in the Fatal 4-Way match. We now know as of Smackdown he is unable to go. Kane claimed we won't see Undertaker walk amongst the living any longer, and they made it almost like a funeral. We've seen Undertaker dead, buried and rise again many times though. Kane is planning to put whoever did this into their own living nightmarish hell. Meanwhile, GM Teddy Long had everyone on the roster excluding the divas and guys in the Fatal 4-Way match, compete in a Battle Royal. It came down to Kane vs Rey Mysterio, with Mysterio able to elude the Chokeslam and headscissor toss Kane to the outside. Mysterio now takes Undertaker's place at Fatal 4-Way in the title match with Big Show, CM Punk and defending champ, Jack Swagger.

It's an interesting storyline they're using and I'm wondering how much time they'll give Undertaker off. Who do you believe is behind this? Kane showed some serious acting range, but it's always possible one destructive Brother doublecrossed the other!

Update on Jim Ross' Health

Commentator Jim Ross has been missing as a Smackdown and Pay-Per-View commentator for several weeks now due to health concerns. He initially requested a day off to celebrate his anniversary with his wife. Seven days later on October 20th, JR suffered an unfortunate third attack from his Bell's Palsy. The condition leads to facial nerve paralysis which prevents a person from controlling the muscles on a particular side of their face.

JR added the following to his blog Friday:

Greetings everyone and thanks for stopping by our site. It's another beautiful day and I remain patient and vigilant that the facial nerves on the right side of my face will come to life any time now. Bells palsy has been around for at least 200 years with no known cure or cause. The last thing someone in my position should do is to stress over something that one can't affect. So I don't. No timeline...no new news...no worries.

It's unknown according to JR when he'll be back in action providing his commentary on matches, and he won't be present in the United Kingdom next week according to his blog. Here's the lowdown from JR:

It is with regret that I will be unable to make the trip to Sheffield, England this go around but I will be there in spirit. I talked to The King yesterday and he was making his plans to arrive in England early Monday morning which will then see him fly back to Memphis on Tuesday morning. Jerry is scheduled to be at the Texas Motor Speedway this Saturday to hook up with Kyle Busch and Joey Logano so my former Raw, broadcast partner is going to be plenty busy the next few days.

JR has also put out speculation and commentary on his blog regarding the return of Edge, Brock Lesnar's unfortunate illness and Jeff Hardy's ongoing legal situation. Read his entire blog here at JRsbarbq.com.

Wishing Jim Ross a speedy recovery and good health as we approach the new year!

WWE News: Edge Surgery, Cena & Borat...

WWE Superstar Edge suffered an achilles tendon injury (left ankle) just a week or so ago during a WWE House Show. It happened during a main event bout against Jeff Hardy where Edge landed badly, and then had to stop wrestling, requiring help getting backstage. The injury will supposedly shelf the superstar until early 2010 due to surgery and recovery time. Surgery was done by Dr. James Andrews at Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center at St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham, Ala. WWE.com posted recent photos of the surgery here.

Add another superstar to the injury list. According to the SUN UK, WWE Smackdown star, Matt Hardy is expected to be on the sidelines for about eight to 10 weeks. Matt suffered a torn abdominal muscle 2 weeks ago in the US title Triple Threat versus Kofi Kingston & MVP. More about the injury and surgery at The Sun UK.

THQ has released the official cover for the upcoming WWE game Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 (featuring ECW). The cover features John Cena front and center, flanked by Edge, Undertaker, Orton, and Rey Mysterio. The game will be available November 10, 2009. See the cover and pre-order your copy here.

WWE has landed a legendary rock band to do the theme for Summerslam 2009. Boston rock band Aerosmith will supply "You Gotta Move". It was featured on the band's 2004 album Honkin' on Bobo. There's no word if the group will perform the song live at Summerslam, but with their current tour they'll be 50 miles away in CA on August 23.

JR's BBQ Blog discusses Jim Ross' thoughts on the 7/6 episode of Raw. Ross applauds Million Dollar Man's moves as guest host for the show, discusses splitting up the Colons, and talks up Randy Orton vs. Ted Dibiase as a future Wrestlemania main event. Ross also notes that Matt Hardy had surgery and won't be wrestling for a while due to that. Read more here.

It appears that John Cena and Borat/Bruno are buddies. A recent article "Ten Things You Never Knew About Sacha Baron Cohen" reveals:

7. It may sound like an unlikely friendship, but Cohen is apparently best buddies with WWE wrestler John Cena. Online reports have claimed that the Brüno star is a big fan of the sports entertainment format. Maybe we'll see Borat and co at the next Wrestlemania or Royal Rumble.

**Special reminder, ECW will air on Sci-Fi Thursday night at 7PM EST. It moved from its traditional spot of 10PM EST Tuesday nights due to the 2 hour premiere of "Warehouse 13".**

Edge suffers House Show Injury

News has been reported that Smackdown superstar Edge, suffered a serious injury during a main event match against Jeff Hardy last night. The injury came at a WWE Smackdown!/ECW House show in San Diego, CA Friday night. Apparently about five minutes into the match, Edge planed his foot wrong and landed badly. He immediately was down and required help from EMT's to leave the ring. He apologized to the fans in attendance as he was unable to continue the match. The injury is being reported as a torn Achilles tendon, which will likely require surgery and a good deal of rehab time away from the ring.

As you know, Edge is currently one half of the Unified Tag Team champions along with Chris Jericho, but with this injury the WWE is looking for a way to move the belts to a different duo. It's been speculated that they will try to move the belts to Legacy members Dibiase and Rhodes, and that they are reviewing footage from their taping for next week's Smackdown, already taped in Bakersfield, CA, to try to explain Edge's injury.

(Source: Figure Four Online)

Batista's Hamstring Surgery

The Animal Batista was the recipient of that nasty Punt kick to the head from Randy Orton on Raw two weeks ago, which forced him out of the Race to the Rumble. While Batista had to forefeit that match, he was recovering from the kick and also elected to undergo surgery for a hamstring tear. According to WWE.com, the injury occurred at Summerslam during the same match which saw John Cena suffer a severe neck injury.

Dave Batista traveled to the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama where Dr. Jeffrey Dugas was in charge of the surgical repair of his hamstring tear. According to the doctor and WWE.com, Batista will remain at the center for several days following his surgery, and begin rehab promptly afterwards.

Also according to WWE.com, Batista had a "bone graft in his jaw this past Monday, after having two of his teeth successfully removed due to the punt from Randy Orton". It's hard to say whether or not WWE was leading us into a potential rematch between Cena & Batista now as the news of this injury & surgery comes forth.

No word on how long the Animal will be out of action, but let's wish him a speedy recovery to the wrong, hopefully in time for Wrestlemania 25!

See WWE.com's official story on Batista's surgery

Matt Hardy's Updates on UK Injury

Matt Hardy has updated his blog for today November 17th with details of an injury he sustained during the WWE's tour of the United Kingdom last week. Matt begins by informing us that he is now #1 on the WWE's Power 25 List. Matt's also been quite busy as the reigning ECW champion as he states he's been involved in all sorts of media appearances, autograph shows, wrestling events and interviews. As for his injury, it appears Matt hurt his knee (the one he previously had work done on) during his ECW title defense against Finlay. The incident occurred live at the UK ECW taping, but was during a TV commercial on Sci-Fi.

The following is from Matt Hardy's Myspace blog:

I had a nearly 25 minute match against Finlay for the ECW Title. Check out the closing moments HERE.. I fortunately retained the ECW Championship in a hard-hitting, fantastic match against the veteran Irishman. Unfortunately, something none of you at home witnessed-because it happened during a commercial break period-was me painfully hyper-extending my surgically repaired left knee. I continued that match without acknowledging it to anyone but knew I had hurt it. After the match, I was examined and diagnosed with a slightly torn PCL and stretched ligaments in the back of my knee. I could finished the tour out, but had to do some major treatment, wrapping and bracing of my knee. And by the way, I thought going into this day I had tomorrow off because it was a Smackdown only taping. I find out at the end of the night I'm needed tomorrow for both episodes of Smackdown. I guess that's what you get for being a WORKHORSE, HA! Now I already have the stress of an extremely hard trip plus a knee injury. Welcome to the wrestling business boys and girls.

Hardy goes on to report he was in excruciating pain the next day and did as much as he could to treat his injury so he could wrestle. The good news is that Matt was back in action on Smackdown in a match against United States Champion Shelton Benjamin, and he will also be featured in a tag team match on this week's Smackdown. The bad news is Matt reported on his blog he was in complete agony during the whole time he wrestled Shelton. Last thing Matt needs is to be out with a serious injury by trying to do too much. Let's wish Matt's knee a healthy and speedy recovery so he can continue to carry the ECW title and wrestle!

Read Matt Hardy's Myspace blog here.

Shawn Michaels Injured but Ready?

According to several mobile messages sent out by WWE to subscribers, WWE Superstar Shawn Michaels suffered an elbow injury during the latest Raw show in Missouri. The show was taped Sunday but aired Monday night on USA. The injury occurred during HBK's encounter with Chris Jericho's prodigy Lance Cade, but at the time doesn't seem to jeopardize HBK's status for Unforgiven.

From Prowrestling.net:

WWE sent out a pair of messages to their mobile subscribers regarding the injury that Shawn Michaels suffered at the Raw tapings on Sunday night. Dot Net reader Nathan Rice: "After Raw went off air WWE Mobile sent out a update on HBK and it read: 'After Raw tonight, HBK injured his left elbow thwarting an attack by Lance Cade just six days before Unforgiven. Despite the injury, HBK insists he'll compete.'"

"Ten minutes after (the first message) was sent, they sent out another one that read: 'Update on HBK's condition: Initial examination revealed that Shawn Micheals damaged his left tricep. For more details, check back with WWE.com on Tuesday.'"

If the injury is worse than originally thought, it will definitely be interesting to see what spin is put on the match he signed off on with Jericho. Obviously, Michaels doesn't want to look unable to compete after the story that has been presented, in honor of his wife and legendary WWE career. However, are we possibly creeping closer to that retirement Michaels almost had?

Do you feel Michaels should compete or stay away from the ring at Unforgiven?

Cena Sidelined for Unforgiven 08'

The Championship Scramble for the World Heavyweight title has been "scrambled" due to an unfortunate injury to one of the competitors. During Monday Night Raw, General Manager Mike Adamle delivered the news to fans that John Cena would require surgery due to a herniated disc. The injury was suffered during his match against Batista at Summerslam.

From WWE.com:

Three-time WWE Champion John Cena will be out of action indefinitely with a herniated disk in his neck. Requiring surgery, this injury is the result of several Batista Bombs delivered by The Animal at SummerSlam. According to WWE’s Dr. Chris Amann, who reviewed the MRI results with Cena, the injury sustained by the Chain Gang Commander was considerable with large disk herniation.

Adamle announced Cena's replacement for the Scramble as Rey Mysterio. Fans who've watched Raw in the past few weeks realize that Mysterio has been part of the mysterious story with Kane. Kane revealed he had Rey's mask inside a burlap sack he was carrying around. Kane claims he crushed Mysterio's spirit and soul somehow, prompting him to keep asking "Is he alive or is he dead?" It's be interesting to see how that plays into the title match.

Best wishes to John Cena as well, as he recovers from a devestating setback and surgery.

Retirement for WWE Diva Torrie?

For months now, diva Torrie Wilson has been absent from her regular appearances on the Smackdown show, due to back problems. It now appears that WWE Diva Torrie Wilson may not be seen in the wrestling ring again, unless it's for a promotional appearance or photo shoot. AZ's National Ledger has the following update which Torrie recently posted for the fans.

From National Ledger:

Now, Torrie has posted an updated on her condition. She writes: "My health is doing ok as far as back problems. I must say there are days that I wake up and ask myself why the heck I put my body through what I did the last few years but it's all worth it. I can never trade all of the awesome experiences that I have had in the WWE and of course all of the great lifelong friends that I have made along the way. I have been told by 2 back surgeons that I should never set foot in a wrestling ring again if I want to be moving around in a few years on my own. Pretty depressing if you ask me....I don't even have some awesome memory of what my last match even was or who it was with. Hopefully it was with Victoria and I beat her! (-: I guess everything happens for a reason for sure."

It is expected that World Wrestling Entertainment will still keep Torrie under contract for personal appearances and perhaps even photo shoots with the other divas. Wilson joined WWE in 2001 as part of Vince McMahon's pennies-on-the-dollar purchase of World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and AOL Time Warner. Long time McMahon foe Ted Turner was already out of power, retaining a Vice Chairman position in title only.

Source WWE Diva Torrie Wilson Looks to Retire?

This is unfortunate news for the WWE diva division, as Torrie has been a longtime fan favorite diva appearing in the corners of wrestlers like Jimmy Wang Yang, Ric Flair and Carlito. She's also been part of some great diva contests and feuds, but never held the Women's title which is strange to say. Torrie seemed like a decent candidate for it at least once after the very popular Trish Stratus left WWE.

Hornswoggle's Condition Improves

Following the brutal beatdown Hornswoggle received at the hands of JBL on Monday Night Raw, doctors showed concern that he had a serious injury to his neck or spine. Now Hornswoggle's condition has improved according to WWE.com.

Thursday morning, WWE.com reporters were told that Hornswoggle’s condition has begun to show slight signs of improvement. His mobility has been limited, but doctors say he has been able to wiggle several toes.

At this time, it does not appear that Hornswoggle has incurred any long-term damage, but doctors will continue their assessment throughout the evening and into the weekend. With additional testing, specialists hope to identify a more discernible rrecovery time for Hornswoggle.

WWE.com will be releasing more info on this as it becomes available. I'd expect Hornswoggle to be recovered by Wrestlemania 24, in time for Finlay to face Vince McMahon, JBL or both.

WWE's Top 10 Stories in 2007

For WWE, 2007 was quite the roller coaster ride, with plenty of controversy hitting hard on the pro wrestling industry in general. It's unfortunate and notable that we had several wrestling legends pass way. The Fabolous Moolah, a longtime diva and WWE performer passed away at age 84. There was also Sensational Sherri's death at age 49, and Crush of Demolition fame found dead at age 44. These continued the media discussions of pro wrestling deaths and WWE doing something about it. Despite some of the great suprise moments and matches, it's hard to call this a "good" year for World Wrestling Entertainment, as the top 10 stories almost seem to be dominated by downfall and tragedy. But just as we heard in story #10, "Things are looking up", or so we all hope for 2008...

---

Top 10 stories from WWE in 2007:

10) The Son of Vince Saga - Hornswoggle - A story that came about a bit after the whole Vince limo explosion plot. For weeks there was a mystery in which Vince McMahon had been told one of the wrestlers was his illegitimate son. Vince and his staff (Coach) investigated the possibilities and various "flings" Vince had over the years. Vince chuckled about his romps but the last laugh was on him as it was revealed that his son was the under the ring dwelling leprechaun, Hornswoggle. And it makes sense, both are Irish by descent. In recent weeks Vince has tried to pre-occupy his son with "tough love" matches, and Horney's long time pal, Finlay has come to his rescue. However, many fans believe this may be a temporary story as the true son of Vince will later be revealed as Mr. Kennedy or even HHH, leading up to a major push for title contention.

Also see:
Thoughts on Raw & Vince's Son
Hornswoggle is Vince's Son
Hornswoggle, Cruiserweight Champ

---

9) Wrestlers Return - Plagued by injuries in 2007, the WWE was on its heels, forced to move titles and try to showcase what it had left. Luckily, 2007 was not totally lost as some of the top superstars on Raw and Smackdown returned back to the ring. Triple H and Rey Mysterio both made for a huge Summerslam return and had comeback victories. The Undertaker returned at Unforgiven, from his injury after a short title reign (following WM23). Shawn Michaels came back on Raw during the past several months. Chris Jericho made a huge return to Raw after being fired. They definitely lent star power to a product in need and that could have possibly lost a lot of ground due to controversy. In 2008 we should see more wrestler returns which will strengthen the brand.

Also see:
HBK Returns on Raw 10.08.07
Undertaker's Unforgiven Return
Summerslam Results 2007
Greatness of the Game

---

8) Wrestlemania 23 Rocks Detroit - The "Hair vs. Hair" match was part of the headlining matches at Wrestlemania 23 in Detroit, Michigan. It was a battle of billionaires with Vince McMahon's wrestler Umaga facing Donald Trump's wrestler Bobby Lashley. And special "impartial" guest referee, none other than Vince's long time nemesis, Stone Cold Steve Austin. We all know who won, and we all witnessed a bald Mr. McMahon on Raw trying to hide from his new hairless look. We also saw John Cena successfully defeat HBK in a title contest and the Undertaker extend his win streak to 15-0 at Wrestlemania, as he captured the World Heavyweight title from Batista.

Also see:
Wrestlemania 23 Results
Battle of the Billionaires

---

7) Flair Will Keep Wrestling - Wooooo! Flair showed up on Raw's November 26th show and many anticipated he was going to retire. However Flair has no quit in his wrestling body, even at his current age. An all-time wrestling legend, Flair informed the fans he will die in that wrestling ring. Vince McMahon came to the ring to add the stipulation that Flair can keep wrestling as long as he wins. Once Flair loses, he's done. The year is about over and Flair's still at it with a big match against HHH coming on New Year's Eve. How far will the legacy of Flair extend until?

Also see:
When Will Ric Flair's Legacy End?
Flair Reports He's With WWE
3 Stories for 2008

---

6) Chris Jericho Returns - It took weeks for the signing to be a done deal, and we saw many cryptic commercial ads during Raw, Smackdown and ECW. Finally, Jericho returned in late November. Y2J made his grand entrance by knocking down a marathon torch runner and interupting the "Torch Passing Ceremony" Randy Orton had planned for himself as WWE champ. Y2J vowed to save the WWE from Orton as well and take back the title. And as we all know a talent and personality like Jericho was greatly needed back in the WWE. Most recently, Jericho has entered a feud with JBL, after the commentator interfered in Y2J's title match with Orton.

Also see:
Can Jericho Save Us?
Y2J = 11.19 Raw

---

5) The Vince McMahon Limo Explosion - This story happened this past summer, where Raw's show ended with a "bang" literally. Vince walked through lines of superstars and headed out of the arena to his white limo which was waiting. Vince paused briefly to look back at the arena. As he got into the limo there was a brief pause and then the door shut. An immediate explosion ensued. WWE.com went with the story, publishing video footage of just about everything. A press conference with a "federal investigator" named Daniel Beck. Stories about fans mourning the loss by leaving flowers and gifts at WWE headquarters. And newspaper journalists as well as fans criticized the WWE for such a controversial story. But controversy is nothing new for the WWE. The story was definitely different, and sidelined in lieu of a bigger event which happened not long after.

Also see:
Mr. McMahon's Death Stunt
Is Vince Dead?

---

4)Wrestler Injuries The injury bug hit hard in 2007 - Candice Michelle, Mr. Kennedy, Matt Hardy, Lashley, Edge, Undertaker, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio all were out. This coupled with the #2 story of the year hurt the WWE product quite a bit. It's hard enough if your writers aren't doing well with the great talent roster, but even more difficult when major star after major star is sidelined. It's difficult to find a name on the WWE roster who didn't have some sort of injury in 07'. This led to more media discussion of the safety and wellness of WWE talent. In 2008, several of the current sidelined stars should be back and that will definitely give WWE a boost.

Also see:
WWE's Real Injury Problem
Matt Hardy Injury Update
Candice Michelle Injury Update
Lashley Injury Update

---

3) John Cena's Injury - It could be included with #4 but this one stands out for the simple fact he had to vacate the WWE title, which he had held for over a year. Cena is a fan-favorite (love or hate him). He was one of the longest reigning WWE champs in the history of the belt. The champ was forced to undergo surgery and Vince McMahon appeared on ECW to inform fans the champ would not be back for up to a year. Randy Orton promptly received the title at the next Pay Per View, lost it, then regained it in the same night. WWE isn't the same without Cena, as many tickets were purchased by fans who wanted to see the superstar in action. Cena aims to be back after Wrestlemania next year and is already rehabbing, but without him the WWE is at a loss.

Also see:
John Cena Injured, Title Vacant
Cena Injured During Raw
Cena Speaks About CNN

---

2) WWE Suspensions - A sweeping round of supsensions occurred as WWE knew it was facing a Congressional info request into its Wellness Policy. WWE had to show the world and the media that it was doing all it can to protect its wrestlers and that drug use is not going to be tolerated. So 12 men were suspended within 2 days and the media had a field day with it. The names were never "officially" released, but speculation was made easier by a report of wrestlers linked to the Signature drug company. Also, disappearances and title changes made for further evidence of who was not to be a part of the WWE for a month or so. And the worst happened as Chris Masters and Eugene were among those who were canned from the WWE. King Booker left over his suspension. And speculation continues as the WWE works to clean up its act. Congress is also involved as it made a formal request for WWE records, so that they can examine wrestling policies. Along with story #1, this made times rocky and extremely controversial for WWE in 2007.

Also see:

The 11th WWE Suspension
WWE Suspends 10 Performers
WWE Suspension Info Links
Chris Masters & DH Smith Suspended

---

1) Chris Benoit Tragedy - There's no arguing this one. No story in the professional wrestling world was bigger than this in the past year. It in fact spawned story #2 as controversy over WWE steroid use followed. Media reported on it like crazy, looking for the obvious "attack the WWE" angle. Wrestlers were profiled in interviews. Fingers pointed and names named. The Congress even decided to get involved. But this didn't come about until after the heinous crimes perpetrated by former WWE star, Chris Benoit. The double murder suicide occurred in June 2007 this year and things were far from the same after it. Not only that but it happened around the time of the Vince McMahon death in a Limo explosion story, causing the WWE to briefly sideline the story.

The craziest part of this shocking real story is up until that point everyone knew Benoit as the constant hardworking professional and family man. Described as a nice guy and not very talkative, but always wanting to please the fans. A friend of mine met him several weeks before at a gym and shook Benoit's hand, and said he seemed like a nice guy in person. The incident caused such a range of emotions in all of the WWE fans. First was the surprise of Benoit not showing up for a title match at a Pay Per View. Then the somber Raw memorial show of 3 hours dedicated to Benoit after his death was announced. And then the worst, the announcement that Benoit had committed the horrible acts. Vince McMahon and the WWE erased his wrestling status from their books while fans continued to struggle with it all. And the media took off with the stories and accusations.

So did Benoit have the mentality of an Alzheimer's patient? Did he fly into a crazy rage induced by steroids? The real reasons behind why Benoit snapped may never be known, but this definitely turned the wrestling world upside down and inside out in 2007 as it created more controversy.

Also see:

The Chris Benoit Tragedy - Squidoo page
Benoit Diary Revelations
Benoit is No Hero
WWE Press Release on Benoit
Benoit Autopsy Results
WWE Releases Benoit Update

---

Those are our top 10 stories for the year of 2007 in World Wrestling Entertainment. While not all are pretty and some are very controversial, it is what has shaped the brand from here out. Smackdown and ECW continue their unity, and Raw will be heading towards its 16th year in January! We have former, present and new superstars on their way back as well. Here's looking forward to a 2008 full of amazing things for the WWE and all of its great fans!

Also see recap of Smackdown - WWE's Top 5 Matches of 2007

John Cena & Torrie Wilson Updates

It looks like there could be some good news coming for the WWE and John Cena fans. According to Wrestling Observer, John Cena has been making great progress with his rehab and recovery from injury. There's a good possibility that Cena could return to action as soon as Wrestlemania 24, where he could face Randy Orton in a non-title match, or make an appearance. Other speculation is that JBL will face Jericho at Wrestlemania, and Hulk Hogan will face Great Khali. Let's hope Cena makes a quick recovery and can be a part of the big event!

Also, according to Let's Wrestle Blog's WWE News, Torrie Wilson has been suffering some bad back problems. She hasn't been on Smackdown in several weeks. The WWE Diva reported the following update on her Myspace page:

"On the health front, my back problems don't seem to be getting any better and I am actually starting to feel worse believe it or not! It's gotten to the point that I can barely stand up in the morning. I've never really been hurt before so this is really REALLY annoying to me. I can't stand feeling frail and just want to go back to my active lifestyle. I am looking into another type of treatment right now that looks promising so let's hope this problem goes away soon. Please pray for me! I have actually been out of the action in the wrestling ring for quite some time and am really starting to miss it."

Stay tuned for more info on both John Cena and Torrie Wilson.

Injury Updates: Matt Hardy & John Cena

Matt Hardy's luck took a bad turn this past Tuesday night in Tampa, Florida, as the superstar suffered appendicitis. Hardy had a CT scan done which revealed an enflamed appendix. He immediately received emergency surgery which revealed the appendix had burst. Matt reported feeling like he was dying from the poisonous toxins released in his body. According to Matt:

"I will be here in the hospital until the antibiotics clean the rest of the toxins from my body, and then from there it will be anywhere from 8-10 weeks before I get back into action,” Hardy explained."

Yet another unfortunate situation forcing a superstar out of action, but thanks to WWE trainers and hospital staff Hardy didn't suffer any serious problems. Read the entire story about Matt Hardy's status and operation at WWE.com.

---

WWE.com also has exclusive footage of John Cena's Road to Rehab. In the video, Cena works out under the guidance of Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. James Andrews and others at the medical center. According to Andrews, Cena is past the "intermediate phase" of surgery recovery and now will begin the final stages, which probably will take some time. Cena is apparently ahead of the curve to recover but doesn't want to push things too much. Kevin Wilk, Cena's Physical Therapist, is also in the video and says Cena is about to begin doing bench presses and push ups because he has almost full range of motion in his arm.

View the Full Coverage of Cena's Rehab at WWE.com.

Returns: Edge, Y2J, Cena & Lashley

Here's some updates and speculations regarding the returns for John Cena, Bobby Lashley, Edge and Chris Jericho to the WWE.

Former World Heavyweight Champion, Edge, has been out of WWE action for several months now. Edge is pictured on the Survivor Series posters and is on the recent television ads, shown using a chainsaw. This would seem to indicate Edge is coming back at Survivor Series, and may get involved in a match, perhaps the Michaels vs. Orton match. Orton has the stipulation he can't get intentionally DQ'd. Edge may also decide to interfere in the traditional Survivor Series match which Kane is a participant in, since Kane is considered "responsible" for Edge's injury. This is all speculation at the moment.

Chris Jericho's return to WWE continues to be an enigma and there really hasn't been a date put on it by any wrestling sources. A fan commented that the recent commercials may indicate Jericho will return to the Monday Raw on November 19th, one night after Survivor Series. This could make sense, as Shawn Michaels also made a return to Raw and did so the night following a Pay Per View. Read more about one interpretation of the Y2J ads.

Bobby Lashley has been out for a while now, since hurting his shoulder at the Backlash Pay Per View. He underwent surgery in June of 2006 to repair the shoulder and is now healing up. There hasn't been any recent indication of his return status. On an IGN.com interview in late October, they spoke to Lashley and Torrie Wilson regarding the Smackdown vs. Raw video game. During the interview Lashley said with regards to injury he goes home to his mailbox, gets his check, then rubs it on the injury and "magically all the pain goes away". Watch the IGN interview here.

As for John Cena, he's on the shelf for a bit recovering from a torn pectoral muscle suffered against Mr. Kennedy on Raw. In his recent interview with CNN (the unedited version), Cena says he will most likely take 9-12 months for a full recovery. Cena says for now his workout consists of gripping a golf club just to keep his arm in motion. Cena also said he's not allowed to sweat as the surgery wound is still fresh and needs to heal. Read more about WWE defending Cena's image on CNN here.

Matt Hardy Injury Update

The Wrestling Observer is reporting that at Tuesday night's Smackdown taping in Kansas City (airing Friday night), Matt Hardy suffered a 7 inch gash that required 35 stitches. The injury occurred in his tag match where he teamed with MVP against Finlay and Rey Mysterio. According to reports on the injury, Rey Mysterio's knee brace caught Hardy in the head and he was described as bleeding everywhere - so much so that they had to change the mat because it was covered with so much blood. His status for Cyber Sunday this weekend against MVP is said to be uncertain where fans can vote the two to compete in a wrestling match, boxing match or MMA match. According to some sources, Hardy will compete, which would be a major show of his toughness on the industry.

Candice Michelle Injury Update

WWE.com is reporting that Candice Michelle's injury was in fact real and serious enough to sideline the diva for up to six weeks from WWE action.

WWE.com reports:

"Candice Michelle was injured after falling from the top rope in her match against Women's Champion Beth Phoenix on Raw. She was rushed to a local medical facility where it was determined she suffered a cracked clavicle.

Further tests are currently being conducted to rule out any other possible injuries. Candice will be out of action 4-6 weeks. WWE.com will have more on Candice's condition as it becomes available."

The injury looked similar to a Jeff Hardy slip on the corner ropes months ago. Yet another injury for a WWE star, more information provided as it becomes available.

WWE.com's coverage of the medical attention given to Candice.

The Wild World of Edge

Fans may be wondering what injured WWE superstar Edge has been up to during his off-time. Edge maintains a regular blog on his Myspace page. In the October 3rd entry, Edge recalls his trip to San Fransisco and Santa Cruz, California. During the trip, Edge stopped at Pier 39 and checked out some Sea Lions and later picked up some NFL jerseys.

"Besides that the sea lions were great. I'd never seen one before, and let's face it, I'm easily amused. Add to the fact that I finally found myself in a store that sold the baby blue San Diego Chargers jersey, and Adam was a happy man. I've always dug the Chargers since I was a kid because I watched that classic game with the Dolphins and thought those jerseys rocked. Yes, that's why I became a Chargers fan. And save the comments, I know we're not having a good year..so far. Although with Norv Turner...ahh that's another story."

Edge seems to be enjoying his time away from the ring, but you'd have to believe he's anxious to get back to the WWE too. No word yet on his official return. The blog includes some interesting tales from the former World Heavyweight champ. You can read the entire Edge's Myspace blog here.

The Next WWE Champ?

This past Tuesday marked the end of just over a year long reign as WWE title holder for John Cena. Cena first won the title back against Edge in September of 2006. Since then he survived many opponents including Shawn Michaels, Bobby Lashley, Umaga and The Great Khali. In the past few months he entered into a new feud with Randy Orton.

The "Legend Killer" made it very personal, attacking Cena's father during Cena's homecoming in Boston, Massachussetts. After dragging him out from the crowd, Orton proceeded to deliver a serious boot to Cena's father's head. Cena and his dad got their revenge at Unforgiven when Cena was disqualified in his title match with Orton. Cena then went crazy and put Orton into the STFU outside the ring. Cena's father delivered a solid kick to Orton's face, however Raw GM Johnathan Coachman put Cena's dad into a match with Randy Orton the following night. Orton got revenge and decimated Cena's father in the ring, as the champ John Cena looked on. Orton also made an appearance this past Monday during Cena's match against Mr. Kennedy. Cena had already suffered a torn pectoral muscle, and Orton may have exacerbated things by attacking Cena after the match. The mind games were reaching new heights in this showdown building towards the WWE title match at No Mercy.

The Orton-Cena feud and Cena's reign as the champion are now on hold for at least 6 months, and possibly as much as a year. This leaves the title situation up in the air. Who's the best successor for Cena's title?

The first choice is Randy Orton, based on the fact he was the top contender. You may believe he was destined to defeat Cena this weekend or in the near future. You'd also have to consider the names Mr. Kennedy, Triple H and quite possibly the returning Chris Jericho. Although Kennedy lost, he seems to have the type of character necessary to make for a great heel champ, as does Orton. Triple H has been on the rise, winning match after match since his Summerslam return. However, HHH is also on Mr. McMahon's list. Finally, there is Chris Jericho. Having him show up at No Mercy to become surprise WWE champ would be a very interesting way to make his return.

The smart money is on one of those 4 to leave No Mercy as the new WWE champion. An anonymous fan suggests the title match may very well be Mr. Kennedy vs. Randy Orton, although at this point anything's possible. Best wishes to John Cena for a speedy recovery and return to the WWE ring and could give way to some great new feuds for Y2J.

Be sure to stop by and Vote in the Poll here: Vote for Next WWE Champ

---

Here's more info from WWE.com regarding the John Cena/WWE title situation:

Vince McMahon announces WWE title is vacant

WWE Title Match at No Mercy

Photos of Cena's emergency surgery

Superstars react to Cena's injury

John Cena Injured - WWE Title Vacant

Unfortunate news for many WWE fans as WWE Chairman Vince McMahon announced on Tuesday's ECW that John Cena tore his right pectoral muscle during last night's Raw. The injury occurred during Cena's match with Mr. Kennedy and was further aggravated by Randy Orton attacking him later. According to WWE chairman Mr. McMahon, Cena will be out anywhere from 6 months to 1 full year to recover after having immediate surgery today.

Vince went on to announce that there will be history made this Sunday at No Mercy and the WWE title will be awarded. Best wishes for a speedy and successful recovery go out to John Cena.

Read more about Cena's injury here at WWE.com

Cena Injured During Raw

According to WWE.com, the WWE Champ, John Cena, sustained an injury during Monday Night's show:

"During his match with Mr. Kennedy Monday night at Raw, WWE Champion John Cena was injured. As Randy Orton attacked Cena after the match, Jim Ross commented on The Champ's condition.

"It looked like Cena was injured earlier –- his shoulder – against Mr. Kennedy," Ross said on the air.

If Cena was hurt, the injury was undoubtedly worsened by Orton’s brutal attack, which included two RKOs and an assault with steel ring steps.

The extent of The Champ’s injury is unknown. As a precaution, Cena headed to Birmingham, Ala., Monday night to be evaluated by Dr. James Andrews."

Cena has vowed to be at No Mercy no matter how serious his injury is. However, if the injury is serious, Cena would most likely would be forced to vacate the title at the Pay Per View. It's up to the doctors now. Let's hope for the best and that this is a minor injury.