During an interview with Fighting Spirit Magazine, WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler said that his longtime friend Jim Ross will indeed return to WWE television in the near future.

“JR and I had some tremendous chemistry,” Lawler said, “But I don’t think you’ve seen the last of that. I think JR will be back on the air in some capacity. He’s too good not to utilise.

A lot of people don’t realise what the situation is with him. He had a couple — I guess three now — real serious bouts of Bell’s Palsy, which is very similar in effects to a stroke. They don’t really know, but they think the attacks are brought on by stress. Nobody takes their job more seriously than good old JR.”

“The reason Vince has kept him off TV all this time is because he’s concerned with his health. He’s worried that if he puts him back out there regularly, he’ll have another Bell’s Palsy attack.”

Lawler also spoke about never wrestling at WrestleMania despite 17 years with the company – and why he may finally get his chance to wrestle on the biggest stage of them all.

“I’ve been with WWE for 17 years and that’s something I’ve never achieved,” he said. “I remember in 2007, when Vince came to me and said they were going to induct me into the Hall of Fame, I said that I didn’t want to. He said: ‘What do you mean, you don’t want to?’ I replied: ‘Most people feel like your career is over when you go into the Hall of Fame, like in baseball or football or something. Also, I’ve never done that much here, Vince. I’ve never won a title, I’ve never even wrestled on a WrestleMania.’ He said: ‘What? You’ve never wrestled on a Wrestlemania in all the years you’ve been here? That’s a tragedy. We’ve got to fix that next year. “That was his mindset then, but things get put on the backburner. First 2008 came and I didn’t get a match, then 2009 came and I didn’t get a match, then 2010.

“But I must say that there’s never really been a point in time in those years when I’ve been involved as much as I have been as of late. So if there ever was a time for it to happen, I think this would be the most advantageous. “And would I love to have a WrestleMania match? Oh boy, yes. Other than getting inducted into the Hall of Fame, that would maybe be the highlight of my career to finally get to perform there.”

We’ve got a major update on what WWE’s got planned for WrestleMania 27, which is now just over 5 weeks away:

Money In The Bank: There’s still no decisive word on whether WWE will be holding a Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania. While the company’s new Money In The Bank pay-per-view that was introduced last year seems to be a reason not to hold the match at WrestleMania, the match is still seen as an effective way of including lots of mid-cart talent (guys like Kofi Kingston, John Morrison, Drew McIntyre and Christian) on the WrestleMania card.

If WWE does not have Money in the Bank at WrestleMania, expect to see another multi-man match (such as a 10-man tag match) on the card.

WM27 Ticket Sales: WWE has already sold over 50,000 tickets for the Georgia Dome and company officials are confident they’ll sell the remainder of seats in time for the show.

Undertaker & Triple H: Triple H and The Undertaker have been given creative freedom with their WrestleMania program, with WWE’s writing team having very little input.

Original plans called for the Undertaker to face Wade Barrett and Triple H to wrestle Sheamus, but Triple H and the Undertaker decided that a “dream match” between the two of them would be most marketable scenario.

HBK’s Involement: Shawn Michaels is still expected to be introduced into the Undertaker vs. Triple H storyline, possibly as a referee or ringside enforcer. The idea behind HBK’s involvement would be that Triple H is going to try to end Undertaker’s stream as payback for ending his best friend’s career.

Michael Cole & Jerry Lawler: Vince McMahon is loving this current storyline and has been feeding Michael Cole much of his on-air insults towards Lawler. It’s said that Vince is using Jerry Lawler’s feud with comedian Andy Kaufman and his inspiration for this angle.

Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus: WWE officials are building towards a feud between Sheamus and United States Champion Daniel Bryan. They are expected to have a match for the title at WrestleMania 27.

Announcing Team: With WWE announcers Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole involved in a heated feud that will likely culminate at WrestleMania, it seems unlikely that the two of them will work side by side calling the show. There’s been talk that Jim Ross will be brought in to call the show, which would certainly give the show a “big time” feel.

(Credit to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter for the information used in this report)

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com.

Here are some highlights of what JR said about:

Ending The PG Era: “Can we stop with the TV14 questions? For some reason, folks think that because Rock and then John Cena got edgy with their in ring promos in recent RAWS that perhaps WWE is going back to a more risque presentation ala a TV14 format. I don’t speak for WWE but going all the way back to TV14 would shock me. I’m not a guy who lives or dies by a TV rating but rather judges a wrestling, TV show by what I see in the ring headlined by high quality, physical wrestling action and not by the use of edgy language even though I do enjoy that too when effectively utilized. I will admit that in the past two weeks that I have been pleasantly surprised by some of the verbiage on MNR. I have grandkids and I would have had no issues with them watching Raw with me. “

Undertaker & Triple H’s Confrontation: “It’s been years since I witnessed a more effective TV segment on any wrestling program where not a word was said as I experienced Monday night between the Undertaker and HHH. Amazing stuff for this old schooler as the two, future WWE Hall of Fame icons sold tickets and PPV’s with their eyes and well earned reputations. This segment was so good that I went back and watched it again and then had to show the ‘moment’ to my wife when she arrived home. ”

Michael Cole’s Comments About Jerry Lawler’s Mother: “Did Michael Cole step over the line Monday night when he spoke of Jerry Lawler’s recently deceased mother? Many of you think that he did. I was very uncomfortable with the remark but my wife gasped when she heard it. It would seem to me that specific subject matter will likely not be revisited in upcoming weeks but if it is it won’t be without controversy. Very touchy subject matter, without question.”

– At Sunday’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, WWE champion The Miz successfully defended the WWE Championship against Jerry Lawler. According to a WWE source, there was actually talk in creative meetings of Jerry Lawler winning the title from the Miz and then dropping it back to him on RAW tonight.

The main reason WWE decided against putting the title on Lawler for one day is because the company feels The Miz is still being established as a formidable champion and losing the title already would be damaging to his momentum.

WWE has a track record of giving young superstars the WWE title or the World Heavyweight title for a short run (Randy Orton, Sheamus, CM Punk) and apparently they’ve realized a short title run can be damaging to their characters.

– Speaking of Lawler’s WWE title match, Jim Ross wrote the following on Twitter regarding the King’s valiant effort against the Miz, despite coming up short:

“Just talked to King & he’s disappointed in outcome of his bout w/ Miz. Felt as if he let his late Mom & friends down. Makes Raw compelling.”

– Elimination Chamber, Trish Stratus, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole, LayCool, Drew McIntyre, Alex Riley and … Fruity Pebbles were among the WWE-related topics that were trending worldwide on Twitter on Sunday night.

(Partial Source: f4wonline.com)

He’s been a guest on ClubWWI.com twice before and now, as he embarks on the biggest match of his WWE career Sunday against The Miz at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, Jerry “The King” Lawler returns for an all new interview with James Guttman to address many topics he hasn’t yet had the chance to.

The King covers a ton of subjects including his upcoming Legends Reunion tag match with son Brian Christopher against Bill and Jamie Dundee on March 2nd in Evansville, Indiana as well as his big PPV bout and moments he missed on Monday’s Raw.

As many fans know, Jerry was absent for Raw this past Monday due to the death of his mother Hazel. James Guttman asks the King about his mom and the tremendous outpouring of support from WWE and the wrestling community as a whole during this tough time. Lawler speaks out on it:

“It has been an extremely tough week and I want to thank – if any of your listeners were some of the thousands, literally thousands, – I was amazed at the emails, texts, facebook friends and that sort of response from so many people with their condolences and sympathies and that sort of stuff. It meant a tremendous amount to me.”

James mentions how many thought WWE’s handling of the situation was classy and Jerry agrees. He speaks about the support they showed. Guttman brings up how even Michael Cole and The Miz were respectful in their mentions on Monday and didn’t use the sad event to “get heat” as some in wrestling do. The King again agrees, but points out to ClubWWI.com listeners that the reigning WWE Champion wasn’t thinking straight when he issued a warning to how the King handles his grief.

“(Miz) didn’t want me to use the passing of my mother as an excuse to lose at The Elimination Chamber. In reality, if the young man were in his right mind, he’d know I would not use that as an excuse but as motivation to make my mom proud of me.”

Guttman points out how the match against Miz on Sunday has an extra level of intrigue surrounding it. With the long running knowledge that Jerry “The King” Lawler has yet to wrestle in a match at WrestleMania, despite his near 20 year run with the company, the chances that he could do so as the incoming WWE Champion is the stuff legends are made of. Could he enter the show with the belt and what would that mean to him? As the ClubWWI.com interview continues, Lawler gives his thoughts.

“It couldn’t unfold any better. If that were the case, if I were to win Sunday and be in WrestleMania as the WWE Champion, it’s like a dream come true. To me, that would be better than a Rocky movie. It would be absolutely amazing. We’ll have to see how that unfolds. That’s what I have the opportunity to do and – gosh – you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity.”

Jerry goes on to discuss his respect for the Miz as a performer and how’s grown since his debut. Of course, he still has to beat him up on Sunday. The same can be said for Michael Cole. Since becoming WWE’s resident evil announcer, Cole has gotten under the skin of countless fans. James brings up a possible Cole-Lawler match down the line and asks the King what he thinks about it. Turns out that ClubWWI.com members aren’t the only ones wondering about it. Everyone is:

“I’ll I can tell you is that the majority of comments and emails and communications with all the fans, that seems to be the one thing that everybody wants. Michael Cole has got everybody just completely ticked off. They want to see him get his and it seems they want me to be the one to do it. It’s amazing because almost every correspondence I got about my mom from wrestling fans, they’d say something like, ‘Dear Jerry, we’re really sorry and send our condolences on the loss of your mom and hope everything works out and please, by the way, punch Michael Cole in the mouth.’ Who knows? I think that might be an interesting match.”

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what Jim Ross spoke about:

Jerry Lawler’s WWE Title Shot on Sunday: “Jerry is genuinely excited about being in the main event of a WWE PPV which will be this Sunday in Oakland at the Elimination Chamber vs. the Miz for the WWE Title. Personally, I feel that Jerry needs to get away his recent heartaches and get back on the road that he is so comfortable with and, more importantly, get back in the ring which is like a second home for him. King is much more refined and skilled than is the younger, less experienced albeit talented Miz which may bode well for the #1 challenger for the WWE title come Sunday. I would not miss this PPV for the world because I believe that shocks and surprises from WWE will abound over the next few weeks leading into WM27 and no one can argue that Jerry Lawler upsetting Miz to win the WWE title wouldn’t be a HUGE shocker.”

The Rock’s WWE Plans After WM27: “I have no idea what Rock’s plans are as they relate to WWE after WM27. I haven’t given it much thought but many fans are seemingly obsessed in knowing what the Rock’s plans are for the future. I don’t see Rock emotionally ever leaving the WWE Universe but I also don’t see him appearing as a ‘regular’ on WWE programming in the future either which is why this Wrestlemania event is so intriguing and is such a must see pay per view. We are attending the event AND buying and taping the PPV.”

WWE All Stars: “The new, THQ produced WWE All Star Video game is getting more and more play as the anticipation builds to it’s release the Tuesday of WM27 week. There will be a tie in with JR’s Family BBQ on this exciting new game so please watch for details. ”

* New WWE ALL STARS Screenshots: Eddie Guerrero, Jake Roberts, Ultimate Warrior & MORE

— The January 31 episode of Monday Night Raw scored a 3.3 cable rating, down from the 3.5 the program posted the week before.

Raw averaged 4.93 million viewers over the course of two hours. The first hour averaged 4.89 million viewers while the second hour drew 4.97 million.

— WWE United States Champion Daniel Bryan commented on tagging with Jerry “The King” Lawler last night on Raw, writing on Twitter: “Did I just team with Jerry Lawler on Monday Night Raw or was that a dream? My life is surreal.”

— Big Show celebrates his 39th birthday today. Also celebrating a birthday is Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, who turns 56 years old. Today would have also marked as WWE Hall of Famer Sherri Martel’s 53rd birthday.

source: PWInsider.com

– As TMZ.com has been reporting as of late, former WWE star MVP is set to begin wrestling in Japan in the coming weeks for New Japan Pro Wrestling. There had been some speculation as to whether MVP would be able to use his WWE gimmick in Japan – he Tweeted this week that he will in fact be using the same gimmick.

• More On MVP Wrestling In Japan

– John Cena wrote the following on Twitter regarding Elimination Chamber and Jerry Lawler:

“CeNation. Very happy for king. I figured Sheamus and I will settle any differences in the chamber. I hate the chamber.even more than sheamus.”

– THQ revealed this week during their quarterly investor meeting that SmackDown vs. RAW 2011 shipped 2.7 million units during the holiday quarter, which is a strong number but down from previous years.

– Former WWE Diva Maria Kenellis has been teasing on Twitter that she’s working on a new project. The new project is an organic perfume line called Signature Creme. It will be available later this month. She did a photo shoot for the line yesterday.

• Recent Modeling Pictures of MARIA (So Hot)

— Awesome Kong was backstage at last night’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view event in Boston, but was not used. She is set to debut imminently. She is backstage at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence for tonight’s Raw.

— WWE Superstars Superstars Darren Young, David Hart Smith and Primo were advertised on WWE.com for last night’s 40-Man Royal Rumble Match but ultimately excluded. All three were not backstage at the Rumble as they were informed last week that they had been taken off the show. Smith, however, is in Providence for tonight’s Raw.

— Gail Kim took to Twitter to comment on speculation she performed as a heel at Saturday’s live event due to her partnership with Maryse in a tag team match. She wrote, “People I was forced to be Maryse’s tag partner by the GM! She left me high and dry so don’t think I wanted to be her partner.I had no choice.”

— There was much criticism amongst WWE officials regarding the quality of the commentary by Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and Matt Striker during last night’s Royal Rumble broadcast.

— “Rowdy” Roddy Piper suffered a black eye at the hands of Terry Funk during a battle royal at WrestleReunion 5 in Los Angeles.

source: f4wonline.com

— Like Booker T, Kevin Nash was also scheduled to appear at this weekend’s New Orleans Comic Con, but pulled out. A convention attendee noted that personnel announced: “Kevin Nash never made it to the building. Sorry, guys.” Many in the estimated crowd of 100 fans were said to be very disappointed.

— WWE Champion Edge, who is in Los Angeles this weekend to film retakes for his upcoming WWE Studios film, stayed at the hotel WrestleReunion convention attendees stayed at. He was spotted at yesterday’s Ring of Honor event and notably paid attention to the Kings of Wrestling vs. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin match.

— WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler wrestled longtime rival Bill Dundee tonight at TNA Wrestling’s original stomping grounds, the Nashville Fairgrounds. Dutch Mantel was the special guest referee.

sources: prowrestling.net, f4wonline.com

— Beth Phoenix revealed to SLAM! Wrestling that she wants another Royal Rumble opportunity. “The Glamazon” took part in last year’s showcase, kissing and then eliminating The Great Khali.

“There’s 10 more spots, and that means 10 more chances to go an compete in the Royal Rumble, and go and compete, to wrestle for the World heavyweight championship at WrestleMania,” she said. “I think that the odds are a little bit better this year to get another opportunity, but like all the superstars, we don’t find out until the very last minute. So, there’s always a chance. That’s the great thing about watching it on pay-per-view is that you never know what you’re going to see.”

To read the article, here.

— WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart said last week on The Bubba the Love Sponge Show that Wrestlicious is close to securing a television deal with MTV2.

— WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler vs. Matt Riviera headlines New Millennium Wrestling’s Feb. 26 event at the Balch Springs Recreation Center in Balch Springs, Texas.

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about:

Shwan Michaels Joining WWE’s Hall of Fame:

“HBK is SO deserving and is arguably the greatest in ring performer of all time and let me tell you folks that statement covers a lot of ground.”

“HBK was a ‘natural’ for the wrestling biz. He was a life long fan. He was a very good athlete. He had a natural swagger and loads of confidence, some critics would likely say too much confidence, once he stepped inside the ring. HBK knew that he was going to be great because he was willing to put in the work and study to get there.”

“Congratulations Shawn. You are special in so many ways. The man you have grown to become is admirable. I am so proud of you for a multitude of reasons but nothing as much as you becoming the wonderful husband and father that you are.”

Jerry Lawler’s Recent Push On RAW:

“Outside of John Cena, Orton, and John Morrison, perhaps, Jerry Lawler is on as nice a protagonist roll as any one on Raw. Good for Jerry and perhaps this will necessitate the King finally getting his long awaited, highly desired wrestling match at WM27.”

CM Punk As The Leader Of Nexus:

“CM Punk is ultra talented and in the span of a couple of episodes he has given me reasons to reinvest in Nexus again as I am curious as to how the Punk leading Nexus business plays out over time. More importantly, I’m curious as to what young athletes will ‘breakout of the group in time as individual stars.”

As always, visit JRsBarBQ.com to check out JR’s great line of BBQ products!

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with another blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about:

Rumors Of Brock Lesnar Leaving UFC: “Lots of crazy rumors floating around the MMA message boards about Brock Lesnar these days. Some fans feel that Lesnar is looking to leave UFC and return to WWE. That decision would floor me. It doesn’t seem to make sense at this time for Lesnar to leave UFC as there is too much Octagon money on the table for Brock to walk away at this time. I just can’t see the athletic freak going back on the WWE road for any significant length of time especially with young children at home and Brock being most comfortable when he is in the Minnesota woods enjoying family life and hunting. Don’t get me wrong, as a fan I would embrace a Lesnar return to WWE and it ‘might’ happen on a sporadic basis some day but not any time soon.”

CM Punk Joining Nexus: “The CM Punk/Nexus affiliation is intriguing. More questions than answers which is good. There is strength in numbers and it certainly puts the ‘hero,’ John Cena, in an uphill struggle. Punk is excellent both in the ring and on the mic and I look forward to seeing how the Cena-Punk scenario plays out over time. If they don’t get it on until the Royal Rumble match, I wouldn’t be offended. Sounds like Cena-Punk could theoretically be a solid WM27 attraction. Time will tell.”

Jeff Hardy Pleading Guilty To Drug Charges: “An emailer asked me what I thought about former WWE star Jeff Hardy’s ‘plea agreement’ to a variety of charges filed against him in North Carolina. I know only what I occasionally read on line about this unfortunate matter but if a plea agreement can bring this issue to an end and Jeff can move on with his life then it might be a good idea. Those types of decisions are better made by lawyers and the individuals involved and not by folks, like me, who are on the outside looking in.”

WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler made The Hollywood Reporter’s “80 Greatest Moments in TV History,” chart ranking at No. 30.

“30. Andy Kaufman vs. Jerry Lawler on Late Night with David Letterman: Performance art at its finest. You could pick just about any Kaufman ‘hoax’ and appreciate its bracing nerve.”

On the July 28, 1982 edition of Late Night with David Letterman, Lawler slapped Kaufman, prompting the comedian to throw coffee on the Memphis wrestling legend. The incident is considered one of the most memorable moments in the show’s history.

To read The Hollywood Reporter’s “80 Greatest Moments in TV History” list, click here.

— The planned conclusion for the Intercontinental Championship Match at last night’s WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view was for Dolph Ziggler to catch the belt when it slipped from the grasp of Kofi Kingston and Jack Swagger. Instead, Ziggler picked the belt up after it had fallen to the mat.

— Last night’s WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view will be released on DVD on Jan. 18.

— WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler partnered with WWE developmental women’s wrestler Sonia at Friday’s Florida Championship Wrestling’s Christmas Supershow in Fort Myers, Florida, a talent who previously performed for his Memphis Wrestling promotion. They defeated the pairing of Trent Baretta and Rosa Mendes in a tag team bout.

source: f4wonline.com

— WWE officials have discussed modifying the announce team for pay-per-view events, which could begin as soon as TLC.

Internally, Todd Grisham is not getting high marks for his work, which is why Michael Cole was moved to SmackDown. Meanwhile, both Cole and Jerry Lawler reportedly dislike working with Matt Striker. Cole took off his headset during the Survivor Series broadcast to yell at Striker for talking too much.

Punk may end up with the spot for pay-per-view events, but the team would therefore solely consist of Raw announcers and the company doesn’t want SmackDown to come off as a secondary brand.

— NXT season four contestant Conor O’Brian can be reached on Twitter via twitter.com/ConorOBrian.

— A pre-sale is being held tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. for the SmackDown matinee event taking place on Sunday Feb. 6, 2011 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA via www.comcasttix.com. The passcode is EDGEPHILA.

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

— It’s said to be no secret that Jim Ross wants to return to the announce booth. His appearance on Raw two weeks ago resulted in overwhelming sentiment that he should return, but his fate lies in the hands of Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn, who prefer youth—though Jerry Lawler is three years older than Ross.

Furthermore, Lawler and Cole have pushed for Ross to replace Matt Striker as the third man for pay-per-view broadcasts, whom they dislike. McMahon, however, feels the pay-per-view broadcast team should be limited to those who work television.

— WWE officials were said to be very happy and surprised at the amount of mainstream media attention The Miz’ WWE Championship victory last week on Raw received. His win was covered by TMZ, Access Hollywood, ESPN.com, Entertainment Tonight and MTV, among others.

— WWE returns to the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on Feb. 12, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale Dec. 18, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. (Thanks to Devin Cutting)

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about:

Lawler’s TLC Match vs. The Miz: “Loved the Miz-Lawler show closer in the impromptu TLC bout for the WWE Title. I thought a really solid story was told, that the pacing of the match was at a level that could be easily processed and, equally as important, retained, and the closing moments had ample twists and turns that made a somewhat predictable conclusion appear to be up for grabs.”

Lawler Video Package On RAW: “BTW…the Lawler video package was money. Great job of editing and presentation. This established method of building up a match or a performer is just as effective today as its ever been. It was great stuff that as a viewer that I would love to see more of in the future. It certainly made some of the younger viewers aware of who the King is/was other than just being a long time announcing fixture on Raw and a WWE Hall of Fame broadcaster. Lawler’s body of work inside the ring is what he’s most proud of and deservedly so.”

The Miz As WWE Champion: WWE Champion Miz’ persona as a resourceful, athletic, brash, self confident, young man who is beatable on most given nights was illustrated perfectly on Raw IMO. Personally, I like those attributes in an antagonist champion. Miz’s verbal skills are getting better and better and he has the opportunity to become one of the biz’s best all time talkers before all is said and done if he keeps improving.

— Cody Rhodes revealed in an interview with WWE Magazine that the contents of his brother Goldust’s forthcoming book, Cross Rhodes, were surprising to him.

“I’ve heard my dad’s stories, I saw his DVD, and I’ve heard some of Goldust’s stories. But even as his brother, there was so much that I hadn’t heard,” Rhodes said. “He was very open in the writing of this book and talked very honestly about his career and his choices and how the things that have happened to him have affected it. I honestly think it’s going to shock readers.”

When asked to dish out some of the dirt in the book, Rhodes says Goldust openly discusses working and traveling with Marlena.

“Cross Rhodes is one of those ‘dirty secret’ books, and anyone who’s a Goldust fan is going to find something interesting,” he added.

— Jerry “The King” Lawler celebrates his birthday today as he turns 61 years old. “Mean” Gene Okerlund also turns 68 years old, while former WWE Champion John “Bradshaw” Layfield is 44.

— Percy Pringle (a/k/a Paul Bearer) noted in a blog post that his father was involved in an accident yesterday as his car popped out of gear and ran over his foot. After being evaluated in an emergency room, it was discovered that he had not broken a single bone.

— 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.

— Jim Ross noted on his Twitter account last night that Jerry “The King” Lawler will be on hand for tonight’s “Old School” episode of Raw. A knee injury forced him to miss last week’s show.

— WWE.com has added a new section to its website previewing upcoming movies, entitled “WWE Viewing Room.” Currently featured on the site is Faster, starring former WWE talent Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The action thriller drama hits theaters Nov. 26.

— WWE is offering discounted tickets for the Dec. 13 Raw taping in New Orleans, LA at the New Orleans Arena. With the password 440WWE, four tickets to the event can be ordered for $40, plus Ticketmaster charges.

— WWE officials are planning Monday’s “Old School” themed Raw on the assumption that Jerry Lawler will not be available.

— Matches advertised to take place on tonight’s episode of SmackDown are Big Show vs. Kane, David Otunga vs. Edge, and Dolph Ziggler defending the Intercontinental Championship against MVP. The show will also feature Kofi Kingston vs. Alberto Del Rio and Natalya vs. Layla.

— WWE’s production staff has ceased production on additional “Stand Up For WWE” promotional videos.

sources: PWInsider.com, F4WOnline.com

— The latest report on Jerry Lawler’s health is that his left leg is swollen from the knee down to the foot. The cause of the matter is not known, but those close to him believe he has incurred a staph infection. The WWE Hall of Famer’s doctor advised him not to attend Raw since it would have been a ten hour flight to England and the change in air pressure could have possibly cause blood clots.

— Former WWE announcer Jim Ross announced the second quarter broadcast of the Boston Celtics vs. Oklahoma City Thunder NBA game Sunday night in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for the Boston Celtics Radio Network. Sean Grande, the radio voice of the Celtics, is a huge wrestling fan and asked who Ross would put on his ‘Mount Rushmore’ of wrestling. He said Lou Thesz, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and Bruno Sammartino. Grande seemed surprised he didn’t mention Ric Flair, and Ross said that he figured as Mount Rushmore he had to limit it to four.

— The WWE SmackDown taping on Jan. 25, 2011 will be held at the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tickets go on sale Dec. 11, 2010.

sources: PWInsider.com, F4WOnline.com

Michael Cole noted over commentary during Monday’s Raw that his broadcast partner, Jerry Lawler, is recovering from a knee injury.

Lawler’s former announcing partner, Jim Ross, said on Twitter that the WWE Hall of Famer has a severe infection, resulting from the injury. It prevented him from flying to the U.K. for the show.

Ross added that Lawler is on IV antibiotics and will be okay.

— Word amongst those in WWE is that Jerry Lawler was unable to appear in Manchester, England for today’s Monday Night Raw taping due to an injury that prevented him from making the trip overseas.

A company source believes the WWE Hall of Famer suffered a knee injury.

Michael Cole and Josh Matthews called the show that will air tonight.

— Two matches were taped today in Manchester, England for this Thursday’s episode of WWE Superstars: Ezekiel Jackson vs. Primo (with AJ), and Yoshi Tatsu vs. Zack Ryder.

— The Nov. 5 episode of WWE SmackDown drew a 1.82 cable rating, with 2,772,000 viewers. It is the second highest rating for the program since moving to Syfy.

— According to WWEDVDNews.com, WWE has plans to release a multi-disc DVD set on Hall of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase next year. The title is currently in production.

— Today is Raw Superstar Ted DiBiase’s birthday. He turns 28 years old.

source: PWInsider.com