— 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

– Rey Mysterio’s in-ring return is currently scheduled for the SmackDown live event from Philadelphia on February 6th. Myterio, who has been out with injury, is scheduled to face Wade Barrett on that show.

-Former WWE performer MVP left the company on relatively good terms, but had some heat on him prior to his release due to some racial comments he made. Following Michael Tarver and Darren Young being dropped from Nexus, MVP pointed out to a few people that the African American wrestlersdup how all of the African Americans were kicked out of the group quickly, except David Otunga obviously.

– Alex Riley, protege of WWE Champion The Miz, will be back in court today (Thursday, 1/13) for a hearing on his DUI charges from this past November.

• VIEW HERE: Alex Riley’s DUI MUGSHOT (Direct Link)

(Credit to Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

WWE Champion The Miz and Alex Riley appeared on WWL-TV’s morning show today touting tonight’s Monday Night Raw event at the New Orleans Arena.

He largely remained in-character discussing the audience’s hatred for him and his journey from Real World to WWE Champion.

Notably, the morning show host asked him if the show is real. The Raw Superstar responded, “It hurts. It hurts. My body is aching at all times.”

The interview concluded with The Miz promoting tonight’s Slammy themed Raw, a three-way WWE Championship Match advertised for the event, and his title defense against Randy Orton at Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view.

— People within WWE thought the timing of Alex Riley’s arrest last week for Driving under the influence didn’t do him as favors, but he survived the company’s latest round of talent cuts in spite of many speculating that he would be fired.

Shawn Michaels and his family were involved in a car accident the night after termination papers had been finalized, while Riley’s arrest on a DUI charge took place the day before. Many feel Riley is lucky Michaels nor his family were hurt, because if they were, it is very likely that he would have been let go.

— WWE cleverly edited the episode of SmackDown held in Manchester, England so that it would appear that Alberto Del Rio’s ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez was on hand for the event when he actually wasn’t—due to a cost-cutting measure. A clip of Rodriguez introducing Del Rio was played to the live audience while clips from other television events were shown during the broadcast.

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

— It is said that Alex Riley’s on-air association with The Miz saved him from being let go following his arrest for driving under the influence last Wednesday in Tampa, Florida. He was said to be pretty nervous for several days, however. WWE did not officially announce any punishment and he worked the Survivor Series pay-per-view and Monday’s Raw.

— John Cena is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Power Slam magazine.

— A video of Shad Gaspard participating in mixed martial arts training surfaced online the day after it was announced that he had been released by WWE. A source close to Gaspard says the former Cryme Tyme member has friends in MMA and predicted before the video surfaced that he would attempt to launch a career in the sport.

sources: f4wonline.com, Pro Wrestling Torch

— No immediate disciplinary action was levied against Alex Riley following his arrest for Driving under the influence last Wednesday. The NXT season two contestant partnered with The Miz, Ryan O’Reilly and Trent Baretta in a tag team match at Saturday’s Florida Championship Wrestling live event in Punta Gorda, losing to the quartet of Johnny Curtis, Derrick Bateman, Epico and Hunico. The Raw duo also signed autographs prior to the event.

— It’s expected that WWE will officially announce the King of the Ring tournament for next Monday’s three-hour episode of Raw in Philadelphia.

— Jerry Lawler, Ricky Steamboat and Dennis Knight (a/k/a Mideon) attended Saturday’s Florida Championship Wrestling live event in Punta Gorda. “The King” announced at the event that he will be on hand for FCW’s Dec. 17 show in Fort Myers to wrestle in a mixed tag match with a Diva partner of his choosing.

WWE performer Alex Riley (real name Kevin Kiley) was arrested early Wednesday morning and spent the night in a Tampa, Florida jail.

Kiley, who is currently the sidekick of WWE star The Miz, was arrested this morning in Tampa, Florida and charged with Driving under the Influence.

According to the police report, Riley refused have his blood alcohol level tested.

The arrest took place 1:14 a.m. at Kennedy BL W/MACDILL AV N in Tampa, Florida. He spent the night in jail and was released at 9:33 a.m. on $500 bond.

Here’s the mugshot picture – say cheese!

WWE superstar Alex Riley Arrested on DUI Charges 11/17

Source: TampaBay.com

(source: www.f4wonline.com)

— Many within WWE are predicting Michael McGillicutty or Alex Riley to win NXT Season Two. Meanwhile, it’s said that Husky Harris has unanimously impressed “everyone.”

— No Raw guest hosts are expected to be scheduled until after SummerSlam. Child star Bobb’e J. Thompson — who stars alongside Big Show in the upcoming WWE Studios film Knucklehead — and country music artist Toby Keith have been booked to host episodes of Raw in October.

— Two WWE Superstars celebrate birthdays today as Triple H turns 41 years old while Dolph Ziggler hits 30.

(partial source: www.f4wonline.com)

— NXT Rookie Alex Riley is booked to compete in a match on Tuesday’s episode of NXT, but may be pulled after suffering a wound to the back of his head at Thursday’s Florida Championship Wrestling television taping in Tampa, Florida. The injury is said to not be serious.

— The Undertaker’s former manager, Paul Bearer, recently resurfaced under the guise of his alternate wrestling persona, Percy Pringle III. Promoting his managerial appearance for the National Wrestling Alliance in a video promo, Pringle makes an inside reference to his WWE character being killed off, saying, “And now I’m back. After a long, long absence. Yes, some say I’ve risen from the grave. Oh yes indeed!”

To view his promo, click here.

— No guest host was announced for tomorrow’s Raw, which takes place in Nashville, Tennessee. As of yesterday, the creative team had not fully completed writing the show.

— NXT Rookie Alex Riley suffered a wound to the back of his head while defending his FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship against Kaval at last night’s Florida Championship Wrestling television taping in Tampa, Florida, reports www.pwinsider.com.

Riley suffered the injury after hitting his head on the guardrail, which was in due part to a kick from Kaval. The match was immediately stopped and medical personnel assisted Riley to the back.

Seeing as the match was the final bout of the three-episode taping, FCW President Steve Keirn came out to apologize to the fans, noting it will take place at a different time. He said he had a standby match, which saw Percy Watson upend Big E. Langston.

— WWE developmental wrestler AJ Lee was on the road with the Raw brand this past week, working in the role of hostess at live events. Lee, who has been under contract to WWE since May 2009, was crowned “Queen of FCW” this past February after beating Serena in a match.

— Former WWE performer Gene Snitsky was backstage visiting friends at Tuesday’s SmackDown taping in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

— John Cena served as Co-Grand Marshal along with the “Gillette Fusion ProGlide Believers” at yesterday’s Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 at Pocono Raceway. You can view an image of the WWE Champion chatting with NASCAR driver and past Raw guest host Joey Logano here.

— All eight season two NXT Rookies have opened accounts on Twitter. The links are as follows: Alex Riley | Eli Cottonwood | Husky Harris | Kaval | Michael McGillicutty | Percy Watson | Titus O’Neil