* Warning: The following contains a spoiler for Friday’s SmackDown:

At Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown tapings (Spoilers), it was announced that World Heavyweight champion Edge has been banned from using his spear finishing move during his title defense against Dolph Ziggler.

If Edge spears Ziggler, he’ll be automatically disqualified and stripped of the belt.

The ruling came from Vickie Guerrero, who is in charge of SmackDown now that Teddy Long is out of action.

KEEP READING: Lots Of Royal Rumble News Headed Into Sunday

WWE newcomer Mason Ryan (real name Barry Griffiths) was born in Gwynedd, Wales, however WWE bill him as being from Cardiff, Wales. According to the UK’s Daily Post newspaper, Ryan’s hometown isn’t happy about being snubbed by WWE.

The chairman of Porthmadog Town Council calls WWE’s decision to not acknowledge them as a great disappointment. “We are very proud of him and all he has achieved in his profession, so it is a great disappointment that he is not being promoted as from this area.”

• Pre-WWE Pictures of MASON RYAN

Ryan’s father Malcom also expressed disappointment, but understands why WWE decided to bill him from Cardiff.

His dad Malcolm Griffiths said the geography blip was a shame. He said: “It is disappointing because I am sure he would have liked to have been promoting his home village.

“It is a shame but there are not that many people in America who even know Wales, and of those most will only know Cardiff. I suppose this is why they’ve done that. He was born and bred in North Wales but spent 18 months in college in Cardiff.

What do you guys think – would you be offended if your hometown hero changed the city he was billed from?

At least it’s not as bad as Kofi Kingston, who is from Ghana, claiming to be Jamaican! Or Santino Marella, who is Canadian, being billed from Italty. Or the late Yokozuna, who was Samoan, being billed as a Japanese sumo wrestler.

WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat spoke with ESPN.com this week to promote the new WWE All Stars video game. Here are some highlights of what Steamboat said about:

Did He Instantly Know That His Matches With Flair & Savage Were Classics, Or Did It Take Time For That To Sink In?

“I like to listen to the crowd, I really do. The crowd helps give me that extra boost of adrenaline. When I take a moment and listen to the wrestling fans and they’re shouting, “C’mon Ricky, you can do it!” It helps me in my heart to know that there are people out there who paid good money to watch guys like us go out there and perform. The fans have always played a major role for me and have helped me do what I need to do in the ring. Ultimately, when you dig down deep, if you did it to a silent movie, I know I wouldn’t have the same response as when I have thousands of people cheering. The fans can bring a better match by getting more involved. So when a match is over, they might be talking about how good the match was, but little do they know, that great match was elevated because of them. They’re helping me out. Look at Wrestlemania III. You had 93,000 fans screaming. That’s probably a major reason why that match turned out so good.”

His WWE Return Last Year & His Great Match With Chris Jericho:

“I’ll be 58-years-old next month, approaching that big 6-0. We’ve had a lot of guys who wrestled when I wrestled and made appearances — Jimmy Snuka, Roddy Piper — and you watch them in the ring and remember how they were. I would watch and go, “Oh man, that’s not the same kind of guy.” I didn’t want that to come across with me so I really trained hard. I had been out of the ring for about 14 years at that point, hitting the ropes so to speak, but never having a match. Then we had the match at Wrestlemania and everyone was so surprised to see me, but the fans were singing, “You still got it! You still got it!” Next thing you know, Vince McMahon came up to me and told me he was going to put me in a match against Jericho one-on-one. That’s when I really picked up my training. I was happy just being able to pull it off at my age. The bones still hung together. It was a great moment and it really felt good.”

Why He Never Got A WWE Title Shot Against Hulk Hogan

“Timing. A lot of times when you find out you’re going to get a shot at the World Championship, it has to do with the situation of the company and you need to be there at the right time for it. I think my time would have come up, but then I went to the other company that we don’t want to mention. Then I came back, but it was just wrong place, wrong time. I’ve had fans ask me that a lot, “How come you were never WWE Champion?” It was just bad timing.”

In his first interview since losing the UFC Heavyweight Championship to Cain Velasquez last October, Brock Lesnar dispelled the long-standing rumor that he had been interested in participating in this year’s WrestleMania event.

“That thing just took on a life of its own,” Lesnar told Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports. “I’m a fighter. There wasn’t anything there. I never pursued anything, no.”

Lesnar added that he doesn’t spend much time online and wasn’t initially aware of the abundant rumors.

While Iole made note of his encounter with WWE Superstar The Undertaker at UFC 121 in the article, Lesnar apparently didn’t comment on the matter during the interview.

To read the story, click here.

— “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan is scheduled for an autograph signing this Sunday in Boston, the site of WWE’s annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view. While the WWE Legend says he hasn’t been asked to participate in the match, he tells Fanhouse.com that he is ready and willing if he gets the call.

“You never know. I will be in Boston — the show is in Boston — I’ll be up there doing some other events not associated with the WWE so I might stop in but I always bring my gear,” he said. “You know, an old-timer you always bring your boots and trunks. You never know when they might throw you in.”

— Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Nunzio worked tonight’s WWE television tapings in Cincinnati, Ohio, refereeing a dark match between Percy Watson and Chavo Guerrero. The “ECW Original” also reffed a dark match at Raw.

On the same day two weeks ago (January 12) that UFC President Dana White shot down online rumors of Brock Lesnar appearing at WrestleMania XXVII in Atlanta, Georgia, he met with Vince McMahon in New York City. It was largely assumed that McMahon would make a proposition for Lesnar to appear at WrestleMania XXVII. It is said that while their encounter was cordial, nothing changed regarding the former WWE Champion appearing at the annual pay-per-view spectacular.

Of those talked to regarding the matter, no one within WWE believes Lesnar will be allowed to appear at the event.

“I don’t think he thought it was as hard as it turned out to be,” one company source stated regarding McMahon’s attempt to land Lesnar for WrestleMania XXVII.

It was not the first time McMahon and White have met. White said in a June 2008 interview that he had breakfast with the wrestling kingpin weeks prior to the interview. White has always been publicly respectful of McMahon, and one source feels that the UFC President notices similarities between himself and the WWE Chairman as promoters.

source: Pro Wrestling Torch

— The January 25 episode of Monday Night Raw scored a 3.29 cable rating, a slight improvement from last week’s 3.28.

The program averaged 4.90 million viewers over the course of two hours, down from 5.02 million viewers last week. The first hour averaged 4.94 million viewers, then dropped to 4.86 million viewers in the second hour.

— The main event for tonight’s episode of NXT on WWE.com is a Fatal Four Way Match between the remaining NXT Rookies: Brodus Clay, Byron Saxton, Derrick Bateman and Johnny Curtis. The winner of the match will have the option of switching their Pro with a fellow Rookie’s Pro.

— Percy Watson beat Chavo Guerrero in a dark match prior to tonight’s WWE television tapings in Cincinnati, Ohio.

— WWE debuted the trailer for The Chaperone starring Triple H at tonight’s television tapings.

sources: Pro Wrestling Torch, prowrestling.net

In celebration of her 31st birthday today, Michelle McCool took part in an interview with MichelleMcCool.net. The four-time champion gives her thoughts on possibly moving to Raw via WWE’s annual Draft, her previous role as a sultry school teacher, auditioning for the 2004 Diva Search, whether she’s worked sick, her goals for 2011, and much more.

• VIEW HERE: Candid Pictures From Michelle McCool’s Twitter Page

Numerous colleagues have praised Michelle for being one of the hardest working women on the roster and often working through injuries. The SmackDown Diva feels bumps and bruises comes with the territory, but notes that she was hampered by bulging discs in her neck in October.

“Other than the normal, I did have two bulging disc in my neck (between C5 & C6). I’m not sure exactly when it occurred or if it just happened as a result of constant wear and tear, but boy did it hurt! It was probably the worst, pain wise, at Hell in a Cell. I remember barely being able to move my neck at all. It was so bad that day (& about 4-5 days after) that I couldn’t even bend my head down far enough to scratch my forehead. I was diagnosed the following Tuesday after HIAC when I had an MRI. I took it easy in the ring for a few weeks after. Right now, I’ve had a sprained pinky finger for 3 weeks. I know that sounds silly, but it’s aggravating.”

On the topic of “gimmick” matches, McCool admits she’s not a fan of Bra and Panties bouts. She says she enjoyed her Extreme Makeover Match with Beth Phoenix at Backlash, but feels nothing will top the Divas Tag Team Tables Match at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.

“It’s funny…it seems that no matter what the diva’s do, there will be a million people loving it and another million hating it! I’ve never been a fan of the bra and panties matches… The extreme makeover match was pretty fun, but nothing will top the rush I had during the TLC match. I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did! I felt it for several days after, but I loved every bit of it!

“I hope they continue to give the divas more opportunities like that. It was so refreshing to do something so extreme. The crowd loved it too, which is always nice! I actually thought they were ribbing us when they told us that our match would be a table match as well! It took asking about 5 people before I actually believed it.”

McCool also gives her take on her short-lived role as the manager of K.C. James and Idol Stevens, collectively known as “The Teacher’s Pets.” She says that while they got along, there wasn’t much chemistry between them.

“I attribute a lot of that to just being new. Sometimes at the beginning of your career, you’re just afraid to go for it (for lack of better terms). I think I always held back in fear of screwing something up, versus just going for it and having them have to reel me back in (which is what Layla and I tend to do now)! They were both great guys that I hope are doing well!”

The entire interview can be read here. Also posted are never-before-seen photos of Michelle growing up, a “speed drawing,” videos, and more.

— Triple H discussed his new behind the scenes role with World Wrestling Entertainment (Senior Advisor to Vince McMahon) during a recent interview with www.rxmuscle.com.

He stressed that while he has run select television events in recent months, nowadays he has almost nothing to do with the organization’s creative process. The multi-time champion added he does not attend creative meetings since he’s in the office most of the time learning other aspects of WWE’s business operations.

He noted that he is now a “special attraction” wrestler rather than a full time performer. He did say, however, that he is able to resume a full-time wrestler’s schedule if needed.

— Michelle McCool celebrates her birthday today as she turns 31 years old.

— SmackDown Superstar Paul Bearer is currently accepting select independent bookings via his official website. Click here for details.

source: PWInsider.com

— WWE.com has added Mason Ryan to their Raw Superstars page. CM Punk officially introduced Ryan as the newest member of The Nexus last night on Raw.

— The Star-Ledger has a story on Sheamus’ prior employment as the bodyguard of U2 front man Bono. The U2 bandmates would frequent the Lily’s Bordello pub in Dublin, Ireland, where the future WWE star worked.

“He came in all the time. It was his favorite spot when he got off tour because he wouldn’t get hassled,” Sheamus recalls. “He was a really cool guy, and took time to say hello to everybody.”

— “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan appears this Sunday at Causeway Tickets (located at 239 Causeway St. Boston, MA) from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. He is giving free autographs.

— This one has to be seen to be believed .. Check out this video of John Cena squatting 545 pounds 3 times prior to WWE RAW a few weeks ago ..

– As of this past weekend, WWE’s creative team reportedly did not have the finish booked for Sunday’s Royal Rumble match.

– Nexus member Mason Ryan and SmackDown stars Jack Swagger and Drew McIntyre confirmed as participants for Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view last night on RAW. This brings the total number of announced participants to 28 (19 from RAW and 9 from SmackDown), with 12 spots remaining open.

Expect several more names to be announced on Friday’s SmackDown, but WWE will almost certainly leave a few “mystery” spots open to get people talking about possible surprise entrants.

– Former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas speculated on the Right After Wrestling podcast that WWE including 40 men in this year’s Rumble match could be a sign that roster cuts are on the way.

WWE sometimes features a battle royal at WrestleMania as a way of giving as many wrestlers as possible an extra pay-per-view payday, so that payday may be coming early for some before they are let go. The company usually does “spring cleaning” after WrestleMAnia and the company’s recent disappointing earnings estimates and declining stock price are a gloomy sign for many in the company.

– Husky Harris & Michael McGillicutty will be getting another shot at the WWE tag team champions very soon, either at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view or the next night on RAW.

(Partial source: f4wonline.com)

– On Monday’s RAW, we saw the first face-to-face confrontation between CM Punk’s Nexus and Wade Barrett’s Corre group. Following the main event of RAW, members from both groups will be part of Sunday’s Royal Rumble match. According to a WWE source, WWE’s current plans are for the two groups to feud well beyond WrestleMania.

– Former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas said on the Right After Wrestling podcast that WWE recently sent out their annual Wellness Policy letter to former talents offering to pay for drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment, if anybody feels they need the help.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross wrote on Twitter that he would be doing some ring announcing for the upcoming WWE live event in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on Sunday, 3/13.

Ross also mentioned that he is taping interviews related to Ted DiBiase Sr. and Gorgeous George this week.

– Dustin “Screech” Diamond of Saved by the Bell fame (and Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling) will be appearing for the AAW indy promotion on 2/15 from Merrionette Park, Illinios. Screech has issued an open challenge to the AAW roster.

(Partial source: f4wonline.com)

– Prior to Monday’s RAW from the Joe Louis arena in Detroit, former NXT star Percy Watson defeated William Regal. Former ECW original Nunzio was the referee for the match.

This is Nunzio’s second time refereeing a WWE event in the past month and a sign that WWE might be considering hiring him full time. Nunzio refereed a few matches at last month’s Madison Square Garden live event after the snowstorm prevented most of the other referees from making the show.

— After Monday’s RAW went off the air, Nexus member David Otuga was the last man left in the ring with the RAW and SmackDown babyface stars. They all took turns beating up Otunga hitting him with their finishers.

After Otunga fled, the Big Show grabbed him, took him back into the ring and gave him one more chokeslam to end the show and send the fans home happy.

– Also following Monday’s RAW, WWE Divas Champion Natalya went on Twitter and responded to comments made about her by Michael Cole during the show. She wrote:

“He can call me “hefty” all he wants- but this diva is built in the front, stacked in the back and proud of every inch!!!”

WWE will tape tonight’s NXT and this week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown from Cincinnati, Ohio.

As of Tuesday morning, no matches have been announced for NXT.

It’s been announced that the main event for Friday’s SmackDown will be feature World Heavyweight champion Edge teaming with Randy Orton to take on WWE Champion The Miz and Dolph Ziggler. Edge and Randy Orton were a tag team several years ago on the RAW brand, wrestling as “Rated RKO.”

Wade Barrett vs. Big Show has also been booked for tonight’s SmackDown tapings, so expect to see that on Friday night as well.

These will be the last tapings before WWE’s Royal Rumble, so expect more Rumble participants and likely another match or two to be announced.

COMMENT BELOW: Tell us what you thought about Monday’s episode of WWE RAW.

 
Tonight’s WWE RAW opens with Michael Cole welcoming us to the show from Detroit, Michigan. We get hype for Natalya vs. Melina and The Miz vs. Edge later tonight. We go to the ring and out comes the World Heavyweight Champion Edge.

– Edge talks about not liking to wait and won’t wait for The Miz tonight. Edge calls out The Miz but is interrupted by the RAW General Manager’s e-mail alert. He has arranged a special exhibition right now. Whichever Superstar throws him over the top rope, they earn the #40 spot in the Royal Rumble. Out first comes Jack Swagger. Edge spears him. Drew McIntyre runs in next and Tyson Kidd. Edge fights them all off and throws Kidd over the top. Drew kicks him in the head with a big boot and tries to eliminate him. Swagger runs over and gets eliminated by Edge. Drew tries for the elimination now but Edge dumps him. Edge outlasts all three. Edge takes the mic and thanks the GM for getting his juices flowing. Edge says he’s going to the back but wants to do something first. Edge talks about destroying the GM’s laptop and teases it.

– Edge goes for the laptop but Michael Cole steps in front of him. The Nexus music hits and out comes CM Punk, David Otunga, Michael McGillicutty, Husky Harris and Mason Ryan. Punk talks about the 40-man Royal Rumble match. Punk says he adapts to change. Punk talks about Mason Ryan and says he handpicked him to be in Nexus. Punk introduces Ryan and the crowd boo’s him.

Ryan says he has only one thing to say… faith. Punk repeats the word. Punk says the members of Nexus are bonded by faith and unlike John Cena and the “poor man’s Nexus on SmackDown”, their faith will be rewarded at the Royal Rumble he says. Punk says they will unite for one common good, to see him be the winner of the Royal Rumble. Punk says he will go on to main event WrestleMania and the new Nexus will be the most powerful group WWE has ever seen. The Corre’s music hits and out comes Wade Barrett, Ezekiel Jackson, Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel.

Barrett says they are nothing like Nexus, they are equals. Jackson says they will unite at the Rumble to make sure Punk is eliminated. Ryan stands in between Punk and Jackson. The e-mail alert goes off. The GM says if he is going to invite SmackDown stars to RAW, they must obey the rules. It’s announced that Wade Barrett will take on CM Punk tonight. Whoever loses will be out of the Royal Rumble match, as will their whole team. The special referee for Barrett vs. Punk tonight will be John Cena. The crowd pops at this. RAW goes to commercial with The Corre and Nexus arguing.

John Morrison and Mark Henry vs. Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio

Back from the break and out comes John Morrison followed by his partner Mark Henry. Out next comes Sheamus. Ricardo Rodriguez begins speaking next from ringside and introduces Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio comes driving into the arena.

Del Rio and Morrison start the match off, going to the corner with Del Rio in control. Del Rio works Morrison over and tags in Sheamus. Sheamus goes to slam Morrison in the corner but gets countered. Morrison with a headscissors and a dropkick for a 2 count. Del Rio comes in and Morrison unloads on him as well. Sheamus and Del Rio retreat to the floor as Henry and Morrison look on from the ring. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and Del Rio has control over Morrison. Del Rio stomps away on Morrison’s back and covers for 2. Morrison goes for a tag but Del Rio stops him and tags in Sheamus. We see Michael Tarver watching the match backstage on a monitor. Sheamus clotheslines Morrison and shows off for the crowd. Sheamus continues to work over Morrison and gets another 2 count. Sheamus goes for the big kick but Morrison ducks it. Morrison drops Sheamus with a kick to the jaw.

Henry and Del Rio get tagged in at the same time. Henry lays Del Rio out with headbutts and a big splash. 2 count by Henry as Sheamus breaks up the pin. Henry drops Sheamus with a headbutt. Henry clotheslines Del Rio but Sheamus attacks. Morrison comes in and takes Sheamus out of the ring. Del Rio comes back in and locks on the armbar for the win on Henry.

Winners: Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus

WWE Divas Title Match: Melina vs. Natalya

Back from the break and out comes Melina to the ring first. Her opponent WWE Divas Champion Natalya is out next. The bell rings and they lock up, going into the ropes. Melina charges Natalya and knocks her out of the ring. Melina brings it back in the ring and goes to work, slamming Natalya’s face into the mat. Melina with a 2 count.

Melina applies a pretzel like move on Natalya’s back. Natalya powers up to her feet and rams Melina back into the corner. They go at it until Natalya locks on the Sharpshooter. Melina won’t tap so Natalya pulls way back on the hold and makes her tap for the win.

Winner: Natalya

– After the match, Layla and Michelle McCool come out. They run down Natalya. LayCool announce that they’re bringing the Divas title back at the Royal Rumble. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and we get highlights from Punk vs. Cena last week where Mason Ryan made his debut. We go backstage with Punk and Nexus. Punk talks about everyone deserving to be in Nexus. Punk says he sacrificed himself last week. Punk says Ryan will sacrifice himself this Sunday at the Rumble and although Husky gave up his chance for the Rumble, he can still ensure that Punk wins. Husky doesn’t look happy. Husky questions what happens if Punk comes out #1 and someone else from Nexus comes out #20. Ryan interrupts him and says Punk won’t be eliminated. McGillicutty asks what about John Cena. Punk tells them to just have faith. Punk tells them to take a knee. They all hold their fists up to end the segment.

– Josh Matthews is backstage with John Cena. Matthews asks him about being the special referee in tonight’s main event. Cena says if Punk wins tonight, he will eliminate all of Nexus from the Rumble. If Barrett wins, he will take out The Corre. Alex Riley and The Miz walk up, interrupting Cena. Miz says winning the Rumble match might be the worst thing for Cena because he has to face Miz. Miz threatens Cena. Cena lays out a scenario where Miz doesn’t make it to WrestleMania and says they both smell like sewage and walks off. Miz dismisses Matthews now. Miz asks the fans if they think Randy Orton will win at the Rumble and they do. Riley plays footage of Miz and himself attacking Orton on last week’s RAW.

– We go ringside and Michael Cole is ranting about how everyone needs to respect The Miz.

The Miz vs. Edge

We go to the ring and out comes the WWE Champion with Alex Riley right behind him. Out next comes the World Heavyweight Champion Edge to a big pop. Before the bell, Dolph Ziggler’s music hits and out he comes with Vickie Guerrero.

Ziggler joins commentary as we get ready to go. The bell rings and Edge takes control early on, working Miz over in the corner. Miz fires back and they return to locking up. Back and forth action until Edge clotheslines Miz over the ropes and to the floor. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and Edge covers Miz for a 2 count. Miz runs the ropes and drops Edge with a knee to the gut. Miz stomps away on Edge now and kicks him in the head for a 2 count. More back and forth action. Edge goes for a spear but Miz rolls out of the ring. Edge follows and they go at it. Edge counters Miz and tosses him into the fan barrier. Edge brings it back in the ring and goes up top. Miz meets him with right hands. Miz goes for a superplex but Edge fights him. Edge knocks Miz back into the ring and hits a big crossbody for a 2 count.

Edge beats Miz down in the corner. The referee gets involved and Miz makes a comeback. Miz drops Edge’s ribs over the ropes. Edge falls on the apron and Miz looks on as we go to commercial again.

Back from the break and Miz lands a 2 count on Edge. Miz applies a bodyscissors on Edge in the middle of the ring. More back and forth action. Edge makes a comeback and gets a 2 count on Miz. Miz goes for the clothesline in the corner but Edge dodges it. Edge rolls Miz up for a 2 count. Riley interferes and lures Edge out to the floor. Edge comes in and Miz rolls him up for a quick 2 count. Edge ducks a right hand from Miz and knocks Riley from the apron to the barrier. Edge hits the big DDT on Miz. Edge goes for a spear but Dolph Ziggler pulls him by his feet. Dolph comes in the ring and begins to attack but Randy Orton runs down and goes crazy. Orton powerslams Ziggler and chases Miz outside of the ring. Orton catches Miz and unloads with right hands and an uppercut. Back in the ring and Orton hits the RKO on Riley and Ziggler. Miz takes out Orton with a briefcase shot to the leg. Miz retreats to the stage with his belt. Back to commercial.

– Josh Matthews is backstage with Wade Barrett. Matthews asks what’s the difference between Corre and Nexus. Barrett says he became obsessed with the WWE Title and John Cena, causing him to lose Nexus. Barrett says he’s a member of The Corre now and is joined by his friends. He says Corre has no leadership issues. Barrett wishes Teddy Long a speedy recovery. Barrett says Punk won’t make it to the Royal Rumble match and knows that John Cena doesn’t respect him but hopefully one day will. Barrett says he respects Cena.

The Bella Twins and Daniel Bryan vs. Ted DiBiase, Maryse and Alicia Fox

We go to the ring where The Bella Twins are with WWE United States Champion Daniel Bryan. Out next come their opponents Ted DiBiase, Maryse and Alicia Fox. Ted and Bryan start things out. Bryan takes Ted down first after some back and forth action. Maryse slaps Ted’s back and tags herself in. Brie comes in and goes at it with Maryse. Nikki is kissing Bryan on the apron, which distracts Brie. This allows Maryse to roll her up for the win.

Winners: Ted DiBiase, Maryse and Alicia Fox

– After the match, the Bellas argue at ringside as Daniel Bryan tries to come in between them. Maryse runs her mouth to Michael Cole and we get ready for another commercial break.

– Back from the break and we see the Bellas arguing backstage. Michael Tarver sees them, laughs and walks off. They open up Daniel Bryan’s dressing room to find him on the couch making out with Gail Kim. Bryan introduces her as his girlfriend and says they’ve been dating for the past 6 months, keeping it quiet. Gail says Bryan has been hanging out with the Bellas because he felt bad for them. They get into it and Gail slaps Brie. The Bellas and Gail go at it. Referees come in and take away the Bellas.

Michael McGillicutty and Husky Harris vs. Vladimir Kozlov and Santino Marella

Nexus comes out before the break. Back from commercial and out come the WWE Tag Team Champions for the next match. Santino and Michael start the match off. McGillicutty takes control early on and tags in Husky, who stomps away on Santino.

Husky continues beating on Santino, getting a 2 count. Husky breaks a submission of his own and clotheslines Kozlov off the apron. Santino tries to make a comeback and sidesteps Husky in the corner. Santino mounts an offense and calls for the Cobra. Santino chases McGillicutty off the apron and turns around to a big shot from Husky. Husky lays Santino out with his finisher for the pinfall and the win in this non-title match.

Winners: Husky Harris and Michael McGillicutty

– After the match, Nexus gets in the ring and Otunga takes the mic. Otunga puts over Nexus and the Royal Rumble then introduces their leader CM Punk. We see John Cena backstage heading out to special referee as we go to commercial.

– After the match, Nexus gets in the ring and Otunga takes the mic. Otunga puts over Nexus and the Royal Rumble then introduces their leader CM Punk. We see John Cena backstage heading out to special referee as we go to commercial.

CM Punk vs. Wade Barrett

Back from the break and CM Punk waits in the ring with Nexus as Wade Barrett and The Corre make their way out. The two groups face off as John Cena’s music hits and out he comes to special referee. Before the match starts, Cena orders the members of Nexus to go backstage. Punk protests but Cena isn’t hearing it. Nexus leaves while The Corre is allowed to stay, or so it seems. Cena acts like he’s about to start the match but orders Corre members away from ringside.

The bell finally rings. Cena shoves Punk back into the corner first thing. Cena then slaps Barrett and dares them to hit him. Punk attacks Barrett and here we go. Punk beats Barrett down in the corner. Punk tosses Barrett out to the floor and argues with Cena. Punk turns his back and Cena tosses him over. Punk comes back in and argues with Cena. Barrett comes in and attacks Punk from behind and goes to work on him. Barrett goes for a pin attempt but Cena goes outside to sign autographs for fans. Cena comes back in and Barrett argues. Punk attacks from behind and they go at it. Cena calls for the bell and goes to ringside to explain the decision. Both are disqualified for excessive use of profanity because this is a PG show. It’s announced as a double DQ and both The Corre and Nexus are out of the Royal Rumble match.

Cena celebrates at ringside and heads to the back as Punk and Barrett protest in the ring. The e-mail alert goes off in the arena. The GM calls what we just saw a blatant abuse of power but he can’t change the referee’s decision but he can change the consequences. It’s announced that Punk, Barrett and both of their teams will compete in the Rumble. In addition, if Cena doesn’t go in the ring and apologize to both of them right now, Cena will be out of the Rumble.

Cena heads to the ring and gets in between Punk and Barrett. Cena attacks Barrett and Punk. The Corre and Nexus run down to the ring but Cena is already outside ready to fight. Nexus attacks when Big Show’s music hits. Show runs down with the entire WWE roster. The ring fills up quick with Superstars as everyone goes at it. RAW goes off the air with chaos in the ring.

— Michelle McCool and Layla said tonight on Raw that they never got their Divas Championship rematch against Natalya and therefore are using it at Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view. WWE.com has specified that the match will be a 2-on-1 Handicap Match.

— Former WWE talent Tammy Sytch (a/k/a Sunny) is denying online reports claiming she will be inducted into this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class in Atlanta, Georgia. She will be in the area WrestleMania weekend, but for scheduled appearances for Ring of Honor.

She wrote on her Facebook account: “FOR THE RECORD: (yes, websites may copy this): I HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED BY ANYONE IN THE WWE ABOUT ANY UPCOMING APPEARANCES FOR WRESTLEMANIA WEEKEND.. I AM BOOKED TO APPEAR ON THE ROH SHOWS IN ATLANTA, AND THAT IS ALL. Please do ont fill my facebook wall with rumors….thanks.”

— The Raw live event on Feb. 24 has been moved to the Voltaire Paladines Polo Coliseum in Guayaquil, Ecuador. It was originally scheduled to take place at the Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile.

source: PWInsider.com

— Abdullah the Butcher and “Bullet” Bob Armstrong are under consideration for induction into the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania XXVII weekend.

Abdullah’s unpredictable, ultra-violent style served as inspiration for numerous wrestlers and he still continues to compete on the independent circuit in a career that has now spanned seven decades. Armstrong is the patriarch of the Armstrong wrestling family; he has four sons (Scott, Brad, Steve and Brian), all of whom became wrestlers.

— Former WWE Champion “Sycho Sid” Eudy, who was arrested Friday night in Memphis, Tennessee for marijuana possession, driving without a license and driving without a seatbelt, was scheduled for court this morning according to the official website of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

— Former WWE stars Carlito and Paul London are scheduled to appear at Big Time Wrestling’s event in Newark, California on March 11, 2011.

Video game developer THQ has released the following images for the upcoming WWE All Stars game, set to be released on March 29, 2011:

— CBS Detroit features an article on CM Punk promoting tonight’s Raw and it’s noted that he’ll face John Cena at the event. It has not been disclosed whether the match will occur during the television broadcast.

— Some SmackDown talent are backstage at tonight’s Raw taping in Detroit, Michigan. The show was rewritten this morning.

— Recent Raw live events have featured WWE Champion The Miz defeating Randy Orton. Orton then gets his heat back by quickly defeating Alex Riley in a match ordered by the Raw General Manager.

source: f4wonline.com

— Last Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown scored a 2.1 cable rating, setting a record for the series on Syfy. The show garnered 3.3 million viewers overall.

It was the third consecutive week SmackDown set a new viewership record, surpassing the previous week’s number of 2.9 million.

— Jim Ross noted on Twitter that he’s taping a sports show for KSBI TV 52 tonight in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

— WWE officials are hopeful that Skip Sheffield will be healthy enough to return to action by the post-WrestleMania television tapings. He has been sidelined since August due to a compound fracture of his ankle.

sources: Pro Wrestling Torch, PWInsider.com

— WWE.com has announced that Natalya will defend the Divas Championship against Melina tonight on Raw.

Melina became the No. 1 contender to the Divas Title on Dec. 20 by defeating Eve and Alicia Fox in a Triple Threat Match. She then slapped Natalya, effectively turning heel.

— Michael Tarver, who resurfaced on Friday’s SmackDown in a backstage segment, is scheduled to work the brand going forward.

— Former WWE star Ricky Ortiz, now known as Ricky Young, is advertised for this Saturday’s I Believe in Wrestling event at the Downtown Rec Complex in Orlando, Florida. Also scheduled is Sean and Phil Davis vs. Ray Beez and Milo Beasley, CHIKARA wrestler Lince Dorado, Alex Porteau, Larry Zbyszko and Scott Hall in a non-wrestling appearance.

source: www.f4wonline.com

WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart was interviewed over the weekend by The Score in Canada. The topics Bret spoke about include:

– Being a spokesperson for the March of Dimes as a stroke survivor

– Whether he would induct Shawn Michaels into the Hall of Fame

– Seeing something special in The miz

– John Morrison using his gimmick of giving away his sunglasses to a kid at ringside

– The 1994 Royal Rumble finish with he and Lex Luger touching the floor at the same time

– Whether he would return to WWE on camera or as an agent/producer behind the scenes

Check out the interview here:

Final Bell Radio Recap with Shad Gaspard
Host: Agahzi Giorgis
Available at www.finalbellradio.com

What caused heat between Cryme Tyme and the team of Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch: “Well, I mean, anybody who knows Lance Cade God rest the guy’s soul. Lance was a great guy personally. Great father to his kids, great guy to hang out with and chill with. Lance Cade the person and Lance Cade the wrestler are two totally different people. Lance Cade the person is a guy that I would fight for in a bar. Lance Cade the wrestler is a guy that would stab me in the back, stab me in the gut, and who has stabbed several of his friends to keep his career going. That’s what he was taught to do, so that’s what he did.”

Related News:

• Lance Cade’s Death Ruled As ‘Mixed Drug Intoxication’
• Lance Cade’s Father Says Linda McMahon Disrespected His Family

His pay-per-view match with JTG and how it affected his push: “The outcome at the pay per view match kinda got messed up because we weren’t given information that was vital to our match. It’s one of those things where certain people don’t give you information for good reason in their opinion. And the good reason is, the pay-per-view match would have put me over big and would have set off a chain of events that would have led to me being number one contender for the WWE title eventually but certain people decided not to chime in and tell me what was going to happen in the match.”

Whether he’s talked to TNA: “I’ve talked to several wrestlers that work for TNA about me coming over. I was actually supposed to go to TNA show a couple of times with a friends of mine but I was still with the company(WWE) so I didn’t want to have a Highlander moment… I like TNA but I’d want to do something different if I came to TNA. I would want to make a boom rather than be like everybody else.”

Name association:

Shawn Michaels: “Ha (chuckles)….that’s about it.”

John Cena: “Ha (chuckles).”

Chris Jericho: “My mentor and my brother.”

Vince McMahon: “Workhorse.”

Other topics include the house show incident with Cade and Murdoch that got Cryme Tyme released, deciding to audition for Tough Enough, Cryme Tyme’s participation in Lita’s sendoff, who came up with the Cryme Tyme gimmick, whether he was really pulled from a Royal Rumble match, and how he figured out that he and JTG wouldn’t be getting the tag team titles.

– Tonight’s episode of WWE RAW from the Joe Louis arena in Detroit, Michigan will feature a blockbuster Champion vs. Champion main event. WWE Champion The Miz will take on  World Heavyweight Champion Edge.

– Cody Rhodes wore a nose guard at this weekend’s SmackDown live event to sell the angle with Rey Mysterio from Friday’s SmackDown. Before his match with Percy Watson, Cody brought a WWE doctor to the ring and said his nose was broken from SmackDown. Their match ended when The Corre ran down and attacked Percy while Cody ran off.

– Even though he’s featured on the cover art of the upcoming WWE All Stars video game, there had been some rumors that Hulk Hogan had been removed from the game. After checking with a source, we’ve heard that Hogan will remain in the game because his deal with TNA allows for him to do outside licensing deals. Ric Flair, however, will not be appearing in the game.

– Chris Jericho noted on Twitter that he’s been working on a new Fozzy album. He wrote:

“Been writing lyrics over the last few months for the new Fozzy record. Got some REALLY cool stuff! Bunch of diff subjects and another epic!”

– Bret Hart dropped the puck at this weekend’s Toronto Marlies hockey game in Canada. After the game, Bret also signed autographs for fans.

– WWE Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston will be appearing today at KMart on Beechmont Avenue in Cincinnati, Ohio from 6pm. There is a wristband policy in effect for the first 300 customers. WWE did a signing with The Miz at KMart in Youngstown, Ohio this weekend where the wristbands were sold out well ahead of time.

— Shares of WWE stock continued to slide today after World Wrestling Entertainment announced Friday they expect lower-than-expected earnings when the organization releases fourth-quarter financial results on Feb. 10. WWE stock traded as low as $11.50 this morning, reaching a 52-week-low and exactly two dollars down from Friday’s close. It has since bounced back up to $12.24 as of this post.

— The pre-sale password for WWE’s Axxess event during Wrestlemania weekend is AXXESS. The pre-sale is ongoing via Ticketmaster.com.

— The Associated Press has acknowledged the story of former WWE Champion “Sycho Sid” Eudy being arrested Friday night in Memphis, Tennessee for marijuana possession, driving without a license and driving without a seatbelt.

• Check Out: Sid’s MUGSHOT Picture Following Weekend Arrest