Sources: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, PWInsider.com

– The latest update on John Cena is that he is more likely to return in eight months rather than twelve. They are going off of the time frame of seven to twelve months on television to be able to give the company a large window to bring him back. Cena is said to be in high spirits as he works through the rehabilitation process.

– The Condemned DVD has sold 142,492 units since being released. 100,818 units were of the widescreen version, 36,898 units were the full-screen version, while 4,776 were the blu-ray version.

– WWE Hall of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan recently underwent surgery where doctors replaced his jaw with bone removed from his hip. We certainly wish him the best in his recovery.

Hot New Photos Of Mickie James On The Beach In A Bikini! View HERE >>

Jim Ross is back with another blog at his official website. As always, you can read the full blog over at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some of the highlights:

DH Smith’s Suspension: There is no logical reason why DH Smith should not become a big time star in the WWE over time. Smith seemingly is bred to be a wrestler, without question. The 22 year old will have to make better decisions going forward and I feel very confident that he will. DH is a good kid from what I have seen of him. Everyone can make mistakes, but repeating history isn’t wise.

Ultimate Warrior I know there have been “Warrior imposters” over time, but there is only one “Ultimate Warrior” of which I am aware. I would suggest the mold was broken with the creation of the “Ultimate Warrior.”

Cruiserweight Title Gone:: I have no idea if the WWE Cruiserweight Title will ever be brought back. I enjoy cruiserweight matches, but that’s just me. The cruiserweight division never seemed to be taken too seriously in the past.

Repeat Wellness Violators Wrestlers violating policies is not a good thing, but wrestlers who violate the same policy more than once is downright stupid.

Ric Flair’s Retirement: I have said many times that wrestling fans have not seen the last of Ric Flair. Until “Naitch” tells me he is done, I still see Ric in the ring and still holding his own. Personally, it would be a shame for Ric to not be a part of Wrestlemania 24, but that’s just one man’s opinion.

Nick Hogan’s *MUGSHOT* and PICTURE of NICK in HANDCUFFS!

Source: The Long Island Press

Chris Jericho was interviewed this week by Josh Stewart of The Long Island Press newspaper. Jericho discussed a number of topics, including his book and a return to WWE.

Here’s what Jericho said about a WWE return:

You know, I can honestly say that I don’t know for sure when, but I will tell you as well that even if I did I’m a magician. I keep my secrets and my tricks to myself, and I like that. I think it’s one of the things I’ve always enjoyed about wrestling. And once again, going back to the way I was when I was a fan, I don’t think it’s fair or good for fans to know everything. And as much as it’s great to have technology and it’s cool that people know [more], I think it’s also cool when people don’t know, and that’s something I’ve worked very hard to make sure that…it’s still good to be surprised. And I think that everyone will agree with me that in a day and age where people know things before they happen, I don’t think that anyone is going to know my story until it happens. And I think people in a vacuum would rather have it that way.

CYBER SUNDAY **SPOILERS** FULL RESULTS of WHO & WHAT the FANS VOTED FOR!

Source: PWInsider.com

– Both Ring of Honor and Full Impact Pro have announced that they will be holding live events over WrestleMania 24 weekend in Orlando, Florida. WWE will also hold their annual Hall of Fame ceremony. It is still up in the air as to when TNA will hold their television tapings in regards to the WWE festivities.

– Vladimir Kozlov and Atlas DaBone worked a RAW house show in San Diego over the weekend. Both Kozlov and DaBone are developmental talents working in Ohio Valley Wrestling.

– WWE.com posted an article regarding the recent death threats that JBL’s wife has been receiving. They mention that the CEO of Citigroup will be resigning due to the drop in shares in the company. It is interesting that the company put a ‘Saveus’ video link inside the article.

New Photos Of Trish (SHE’S CHANGED) + Shocking Details Regarding Recent WWE Release >>

Jim Ross has posted yet another blog entry on his official web site. Below are the highlights:

– When we step back and think about what the Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young have done on Monday Night Raw over the past few years, at their age it is extraordinary. Moolah may not have been overly popular with some of her peers because Moolah had the political influences with the promoters, but no one can ever deny Moolah’s ever lasting influence and contributions to the business over 6 decades.

– Freddy Joe Floyd aka Tracey Smothers is still wrestling from what I understand and is hopefully doing well. A tough guy to say the least. By the way, that name came from Jack and Jerry Brisco, if you are keeping score at home. Mr. McMahon is perfect in his role on WWE TV, in my opinion, because the best antagonists in any field are the ones that are the easiest to naturally dislike. Mr. McMahon knows the buttons to push to elicit the desired response out of the audience. Quite honestly, that is an elusive art form.

– The Rock’s “This is Your Life” segment on Raw a few years ago is one of the more memorable segments ever on Monday night. It was an amazing experience as the King and I simply had to stay out of the way and enjoy it like the fans we are. Rock and Mick Foley executed like pros that night without a doubt. Key term… talent execution… which is never a “lay-up”.

– I felt very honored to be asked to write the foreword for Chris Jericho’s book, “A Lion’s Tail, Around the World in Spandex”. I wholeheartedly suggest to any fan to read this one, least of all for my foreword, but I am glad that you liked it. By the way, my wife is reading Batista’s book as we speak and is really enjoying it.

– When I first got into the business the promoter LeRoy McGuirk had me watch Gordon Solie, alone, and do the commentary for the Danny Hodge vs. Hiro Matsuda NWA Junior Heavyweight Title bout from Tampa over and over. I studied Gordon’s psychology, timing, and the choice of words he used to describe a classic wrestling match. So yes, on many occasions when I was starting to find my way as a broadcaster, Gordon Solie provided me with inspiration and motivation. He still does to this very day, as I think I have plenty of room to improve my game and I go to work every Monday with that thought in mind… to be better than I was last week.

– I never dreamed my comments about the recent Diva Halloween Costume Contest would cause such a stir. This might be one of those “much to do’s about nothing” moments. Was it that far off base?

– Indeed Smoky Mountain Wrestling’s Gangstas were very cutting edge and politically incorrect. I don’t know on a global basis if that would play well in today’s marketplace though.

– When King and I travel, he drives and I navigate, but he has first dibs on the radio station. However, we like the same music and usually listen to Classic Rock or a good Oldies station and occasionally some Country, until they start singing those heartbreak songs and then we tag out. I agree that Sting facing Flair anytime soon is not too likely.

– HBK was a challenging individual to be around back in the day and that has made for an interesting journey between he and I. Our relationship today is excellent and I am proud of the man that Shawn Michaels has become. The interview he referenced in his book, which is an excellent read by the way, was when he loaded his shorts with socks or something to annoy me. It was sophomoric, but funny when I look back on it… the interview, not the manhood.

– When I hired talent, I always felt that if an individual was simply looking for a job and not a career that they had less of a chance of succeeding. Passionless paychecks don’t last long. To be a long term star in this business, one must be a fan of the business and a student of it. That’s my story and I will always stick to it.

– Gregory Helms is healing from neck surgery, but is healing nicely as I understand it. I don’t expect him to be medically cleared for a few more months.

– Santino Marella has been a pleasant highlight on Raw in my view. He makes me laugh, which makes it hard for me to dislike the rascal. His remark about J.R. having an orgasm re: Austin arriving on the LA Raw was funny as hell. Mentioning “J.R.” and an “orgasm” in the same sentence is a first for Raw.

Huge Attitude Era Tag Team Returning On SmackDown! Who? Full Details >>

Last night WWE delivered in a big way with their Survivor Series pay-per-view. No matter how good or bad things are going in WWE I think that everyone always looks forward to Survivor Series based on the fact that it is a “big four” pay-per-view. I don’t say this often but I felt like last night’s pay-per-view was worth my time and money (granted I split to PPV cost with Ryan, but I still had $20 at stake) to watch. The return of Edge in the Hell in a Cell made for entertaining television as the show was dominated with some very solid wrestling throughout. There were some things that I could have done without (the Divas match) but there was a lot that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you are a WWE fan this show is a must-see, if you missed it, I would suggest checking out the replay.

I applaud WWE anytime that they open a show with a title match and that is what they did last night. Opening things up with CM Punk vs. The Miz vs. John Morrison was not only a way to get the crowd going early but it was a way to finally get Joey Styles welcome us to a pay-per-view, sometime that I feel like he deserved. The match in itself was nothing spectacular, but it had some very solid spots. Say what you want about Miz and Morrison but Punk can sell moves and sell them well. Everything he did in this match was solid and when a guy like Punk comes out and works this hard to start the event I think it gets everyone in the back fired up. I’m glad WWE didn’t jump and put the title back on Morrison (quite frankly I feel like his gimmick is extremely boring) but I’m also glad that they let Punk pin Miz instead of playing out one of the other scenarios.

The 10 Diva Tag Team match was a disaster just as I expected. I don’t understand the point of this match. If WWE is going to use divas with minimal wrestling ability (Layla, Kelly Kelly) then they need to make it a gimmick match and sell it as sex appeal. If they want to do something as far as wrestling is concerned they need to showcase their premiere talent such as Beth Phoenix and Mickie James. There is no way to go in-between and that is what WWE tried to do with this bout. I felt bad for Melina who slipped on her ring entrance, but the whole split isn’t near as sexy with her new ring attire.

Cody Rhodes is on his way to becoming a successful superstar in WWE. WWE Creative makes a lot of bonehead decisions but the way that they are booking Rhodes is right on point with how I feel it should be. I felt like it was too early to put the World Tag Championships on Rhodes and Holly but I loved how well the match flowed. Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch have proved that they can work and this match was a lot of fun to watch. Rhodes hit an incredible dropkick during this one, he almost reminded me of Randy Orton when he connected.

The backstage promo with Team Triple H was funny. I loved how WWE referenced the past, even bringing up the Katie Vick angle with Kane. I cringed at the thought of the storyline but I thought it was humorous to bring it up. Triple H’s DX type humor made for an interesting segment that I thought was a good lead-in to the bout.

The Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match was good up until the finish that I didn’t understand. There were good spots throughout this one, Rey Mysterio really shined when he used his quickness to oppose Umaga. Mysterio proves every pay-per-view how special of a talent that he is but the way that he was able to work with someone as big as Umaga and make it look believable is remarkable and speaks volumes about him as performer. I enjoyed Triple H’s work against Kennedy but Finlay vs. The Game really stood out. It was mentioned in the bout that it was the first time the two had ever faced off and Finlay proved even at his age that he is one of the better workers in WWE. The finish to this match really made me scratch my head. Team Triple H is immediately the underdog going in a man down but how are they able to “overcome the odds” and not only win the match, but win the match with Jeff Hardy and Triple H both surviving? I was expecting some kind of swerve with Matt Hardy being off of the match but didn’t get it. I guess I expected the match to be dominated by Team Umaga and cleaned out at the end by Triple H, creative surprised me and went with a finish that didn’t make a lot of sense.

Before Hornswoggle vs. The Great Khali, Vince McMahon cut a backstage promo that I found to be very risky. I know McMahon doesn’t care what he says but when he said that he had went up against the US Government before and won and may have to go up against them again, I was stunned. Why would McMahon put more heat on himself than there already is? I know controversy creates cash but that comment was arrogant and not very smart. I feel like the last people that I would want to piss off is the US Government, but what do I know?

Like most of you, I was dreading Hornswoggle vs. The Great Khali. I hate when WWE takes up pay-per-view time for pointless gimmick matches, so I went into this one irritated. It didn’t last long and I liked the fact that they used Finlay even though it didn’t make any sense. I’m not sure where they plan on going with the Horny angle but it’s getting lame. I understand why WWE went to comedy with the angle once Kennedy was suspended but it’s gone on too long. It’s too bad Kennedy got suspended when he did as I felt like this angle could have legitimized him as a major player in WWE. Did anyone else notice the smartass laugh that Michael Cole let off when JBL told him that Hornswoggle was a former Cruiserweight Champion? Was he laughing at WWE creative for putting the title on Horny or was he laughing because Cruiserweights don’t mean anything in WWE?

Randy Orton and Shawn Michaels put on another good match. Orton is a legitimate Champion as far as his work in the ring is concerned. Some of his promos do come off as forced and he isn’t the most charismatic guy around but I really like the way he handles himself in the ring. Orton delivers a dropkick with so much precision it is one of the best if not the best in all of professional wrestling. I liked all of the true wrestling holds that Michaels did in the match and at times though he was actually going to make Orton pass out. I was surprised and a little upset when Michaels hooked Orton in the Crossface as I was even hesitant to type it into the live coverage. I couldn’t help but get some pretty bad thoughts in my head when Michaels locked it but hopefully that is something that will heal in time. I enjoyed Michaels using the Sharpshooter just for the anniversary sake and felt like the match ended the way it should with Orton going over the Heart Break Kid. WWE kept the feud going with HBK hitting Sweet Chin Music on his way out of the ring.

The Hell in a Cell stole the show. Up until this point I felt like the show was solid but not really worth $40, but I knew that Undertaker and Batista would work hard. Batista and Undertaker didn’t disappoint and had a very physical and believable match. I like how there was blood and how Edge showed up to “screw” the finish for a good ending. There were some spots that were so physical and stiff I really thought Undertaker was legitimately hurt, especially those involving the ring steps. Undertaker’s Tombstone on Batista in the ring on the ring steps was incredible and proved he is still one of the elite. If you do not watch the rest of the show make sure you see this match. This match had everything that a wrestling fan desires and is worth going out of your way to see it.

All in all Survivor Series was a good pay-per-view that should satisfy most WWE fans. There were some things that it could have done without as I noted above but the event delivered on so many other aspects it made it very enjoyable. If you are a marginal fan you may not want to fork out the cash for the replay but if you are a WWE fan it is a must-see.

Richard can be contacted at richard [at] grayinternet.com

Richard Gray is a professional wrestling journalist and frequent contributor to Rajah.com. He has been covering the world of professional wrestling since 1999 and has had the opportunity to cover ground breaking stories such as the demise of ECW, the WCW buyout, the Benoit tragedy, and more. For more on Richard check out his web site at WrestlingNewsWorld.com.