Khali update, new WWE signing gets buzz, more on TNA pay issues, Impact preview, more AE content on WWE Network, Taz at odds with TNA, TNA announcing update, surgery for HoFer, Paige update, Interview with Rollins, Uso has surgery, Raw audience, UK fans invade the ring, and Questions on AJ's retirement, Springer on the Network, Axelmania, Ziggler as WWE Champion, and WWE/Connor

There has been no talk of The Great Khali returning to WWE. That's not too surprising. It's better for his health to not be actively wrestling.

The former Uhaa Nation being signed by WWE was picked up by a number of news outlets. Some fans are already speculating he's a future WWE Champion. He's got to make it through NXT first. Let's wait to see how he does there.

TNA talents have received some of the checks they've been late in receiving. The company hopes to get them some checks earlier than schedule to make up for the delays. I'm glad some action is being taken. The last year for TNA has been rough, to say the least.

This week's edition of Impact Wrestling will feature the tag team tournament to declare new champions. How I'd book that would depend on how long Eddie Edwards is supposed to be out. I like the idea of James Storm trying to manipulate Magnus into using his tag team title briefcase on The Hardys.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.



WWE has added (formerly) dark segments from the Attitude Era to the Raws they just put up. That's pretty cool!

Taz refused to fly in to do commentary work for the next few weeks of Impact Wrestling, and removed all references to TNA from his social media accounts. He's also had problems with being behind on pay from the company. More on this in tomorrow's news post.

Josh Matthews did commentary alone for this week's episode of Impact Wrestling, but it's possible TNA adds someone else's voice before sending it off to air. Al Snow has been given a tryout as an announcer, so that could be the direction they go in. If he's not too busy with his other duties, I think he'd be a great choice. Jeremy Borash also seems like a natural candidate given his tenure with the company. I don't suspect they'll put Mike Tenay back into the role.

Bobby Heenan underwent an important surgery recently. He's had problems off-and-on this past number of years.

Paige's injury angle is likely to write her off while she films a WWE movie with The Miz. One of the sad realities of the "we want to be Disney" era of WWE is reality shows and movies get priority over any wrestling-related plans.

Seth Rollins discussed John Stewart, Sami Zayn, and more:
-   I still think that WM ending was genius. It saved Brock from taking the loss and Reigns was protected.

-  The Rollins/Stewart thing was pretty cool. It's great Stewart is knowledgeable about the product and was game for getting involved.

- Rollins vs. Zayn would be AMAZING. There are a number of talented people in NXT I'd like to see Rollins face. Rollins vs. Lesnar one-on-one would be awesome, too.

Jey Uso is expected to be out for six months or more following rotator cuff surgery. That's a big setback for the former tag team champions. I'm not sure what Jimmy can really do in the meantime. My instinct would be to pair him with someone else who isn't doing anything of note, like Erick Rowan. They could do the whole "odd couple"/big guy-little guy team. Or maybe he just needs to BOLIEVE?

Raw dropped to 3.67 million viewers this week. People blaming the loss of viewers exclusively or primarily on guys like Orton and Big Show are delusional. It was a taped show. There was going to be a notable drop.

Six fans ran into the ring before the main event at London's Smackdown taping. The first served as a distraction so the other five could get involved and have a mock wrestling match. That's one of the craziest things I've ever heard! On one level, that's pretty funny. I can't condone it, though. Hopefully the security team got a good lecturing on it.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I think AJ's character had done pretty much everything she could do short of have a match with someone like Mickie, Trish, or Stephanie McMahon. She had already been a part of several Manias. That's kind of the nature of the beast when there's so much TV to fill every week. But as was alluded to, there was a lot more at play than her character being out of things to do.

2. His show still draws an audience, and he's pretty close to WWE Studios, so it's not farfetched at all for them to work together. WWE wants to get those fans seeking the edgier content. As for Jericho's podcast or something similar, I doubt the two sides would work something out. Jericho likes to interview people who work for other wrestling companies. I can't see WWE allowing that on their Network.

3. I think it will eventually run its course and he'll be back in Limbo. Honestly, it's not like he's someone who could be a focal point of the company. He's a really good athlete, but that's about it.

4. I could see him challenging for the title at B PPVs. I definitely don't see him being the centerpiece of the company given his outspokenness.

5. That's pretty much the gist of it. I think he had some valid points about WWE spinning things for PR gains, putting HHH and Stephanie in the spotlight.

More wrestling tomorrow.