John Cena's return to the WWE is not a swerve, despite talk he would not be back until the Royal Rumble, and will compete against Alberto Del Rio at the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view (PPV) for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Cena had been cleared to compete by doctors weeks ago and has been held back to give him the opportunity to compete at as healthy as possible. The Cena-Del Rio bout which will be a traditional match and not a Hell In A Cell cage match. Cena appeared on ABC's Good Morning America to promote the company's involvement with the Susan G. Koman group for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, showing off his scar and swollen elbow while putting over his upcoming PPV match.
Rob Van Dam will be taking some time from ring action due to the way his contract is structured. Van Dam and Triple H came to an agreement during contract negotiations that RVD could take time off if he worked 90 days, according to WrestleZone.com. Van Dam will work on other non-WWE projects and is allowed to compete for other wrestling organizations but cannot appear on television shows or DVDs. Van Dam is expected to return in time for the Royal Rumble PPV.
WWE.com is reporting that WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee will be out for a while with a concussion injury. The champion got hurt during her Battleground title defense against Brie Bella. "She struck her head against the turnbuckle and was having headaches and some difficulty remembering her match," said WWE physician Dr. Chris Amann. "We examined her and noted that she had some problems with balance and memory recall. She was, therefore, diagnosed with a concussion, instructed to rest and not do anything either physically or psychologically strenuous."
Vince McMahon is expected to be back on WWE TV soon, challenging The Authority's power on the show, by supporting The Big Show's revenge against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. The Big Show defied The Authority's orders at Battleground - knocking out the officials, Daniel Bryan, and Randy Orton in the main event, and getting fired in the last episode of Monday Night Raw.
Shawn Michaels is rumored to be returning to ring action in time for Wrestlemania 30. Michaels was recently voted by WWE fans the special guest referee for the Hell In A Cell cage match main event, leading to speculation of a possible return to compete in the ring.
WWE is also looking into the possibility of bringing back Goldberg for a match against Ryback at Wrestlemania 30. While no deal is imminent, both sides are open to the idea, with the relationship being friendly, especially with the WWE recently releasing the Goldberg - The Ultimate Collection DVDs.
Former creative WWE writer Court Bauer reported on The Bauer & Pollock podcast earlier that WWE senior road agent Michael Hayes has been suspended by the WWE. Hayes was reported to have taken time off for personal reasons but Bauer revealed that he was being punished for offering alcohol to recovering diva Rosa Mendes. Mendes was sent home during the WWE's European tour earlier this year and checked into rehabilitation. Hayes was rumored to have been seen having a drink with Mendes despite knowing about her struggles.
Mark Henry, who is recovering from a hamstring injury, was recently on the Jay Mohr Podcast and confirmed he has re-signed with the WWE for three years.
WWE's Saturday morning kid-friendly program Saturday Morning Slam is no longer listed on the CW Vortex Web site, according to Wrestlingobserver.com. WWE and CW executives could not come to terms with the G-rated show's format, with the television network preferring an NBA Inside Stuff style of news show instead of taped matches.