Update on Eric EsCober, Katie Lee

Eric Escobar’s WWE release didn’t come as a surprise to most within the company last week. Escobar had a reputation for being a “major headcase” during his time with WWE developmental in Florida. A lot of people were even surprised he got called up to the main roster.

Katie Lea Burchill is now an official member of the RAW roster after competing in a Divas Title tournament match last week. While her profile has been added to the RAW roster, Paul Burchill’s still hasn’t. Paul has been working RAW live events over the past few weeks

Big show's film pushed back due to Cena

Big Show's Knucklehead was tentatively scheduled for the theatrical release date of Friday, April 23, 2010, but is now been pushed back to the fall in favor of the John Cena drama film Brother's Keeper. Filming for Brother's Keeper wrapped us just last week in New Orleans while Knucklehead finished in November. Current plans call for Brother's Keeper to be released theatrically this summer, thus pushing Big Show's comedy movie to the fall. WWE Studios recently reached an agreement with Samuel Goldwyn Films to oversee it's theatrical releases, and Vivendi Entertainment to handle the home video releases. As part of the agreement, World Wrestling Entertainment has agreed to produce nine movies through 2012. Future releases include Big Red starring Randy Orton, a thriller written for Batista, and the comedy Midnight Run with John Cena.

News on tonights Raw

 Tonight’s RAW will take place from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. No matches have been announced for tonight’s Royal Rumble go-home show but the special guests will be Dule Hill & James Roday from USA Network’s Psych. Sheamus vs. John Cena is being advertised locally.

Kelly Kelly talks about her ex-boyfriend

WWE Diva Kelly Kelly spoke to the UK's Daily Star this week about the untimely death of her ex-boyfriend, former WWE & TNA star Andrew "Test" Martin.

"Not a day goes by when I don’t think about Andrew. ... He was a big part of my life, we were together for two-and-a-half years. When I first started, Andrew looked after me. We were there together, we had some good times and some hard times – he wanted more than anything to be healthy,"

Andrew Martin, who Kelly calls the "love of her life," died back in March 2009 prescription pill overdose after a long battle with addiction.

Kelly is dedicating the remainder of her wrestling career to Andrew MArtin and vows to become a respected in-ring worker. She explains that even though women wrestlers aren't having "25 minute matches" like the men, the Divas are still on the road upto 300 days a year and live the same hectic lifestyle.

“We’re on the road for the same amount of time as the guys, I know we don’t have to wrestle 25-minute matches like the guys but we travel 200 to 300 miles a night exactly the same as them. But this is my life – I've been doing it since I was 18 so by now I’m used to it! I’m young and I have no plans to settle down!"

HBK talks on his DVD , Retirement and Probable Disbandation of DX

It would appear that the latest D-Generation X run is coming to an end as Shawn Michaels said during an interview with the KISS-FM radio station out of San Antonio this past week that DX will "probably disband" following the Royal Rumble so they can focus on their respective matches at WrestleMania. When asked if he had any plans on retiring, Michaels said: "Well, that's always the million dollar question. I'd like to go on record as saying I have been trying to retire for the last three years... [WWE] makes it very difficult, you know, Vince McMahon is nuts. I try to walk away then WrestleMania comes up, they put me in a match, I do well, and [Vince] doesn't make it very easy." Also it would appear that he had zero input in selecting matches for WWE's upcoming DVD release on him, Shawn Michaels: My Journey. He responded with the following: "They found my 25 greatest matches?" It had been rumored that Michaels would handpick his favorite twenty-five matches of his career for the DVD release

Rock's Tooth Fairy crashes on the 1st week

Tooth Fairy starring former WWE performer Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson earned an estimated $14.5 million for fourth place at the box office this weekend. By comparison, The Game Plan opened with $22.9 million in its opening weekend while Race to Witch Mountain started with $24.4 million. Hence, Tooth Fairy marks as the worst opening weekend performance of Johnson's career in the family genre. The film opened in 3,344 theaters and was the second highest-grossing new release of the weekend, behind Legion, which opened with $18.2 million. Tooth Fairy reportedly cost $48 million to make.

Hart returning to Raw this monday?

The Wrestling Observer is reporting that Hart is likely to return to the show this coming Monday. To add to this report, when I spoke to a source close to the situation last week, I was told that Bret WILL be returning to Raw this Monday night.

Miz says he sets a new major goal

The Southeast Missourian has a new article online featuring quotes from The Miz. Below are the highlights: "I've always loved the talkers, ever since I was a kid. Guys like the Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin; if you remember anything about them, it's not their matches... You remember, 'Can you smell what the Rock is cookin'?' and catch phrases like that, and I always enjoyed the storied characters in WWE." "I've brought that into what I want to do. I want to parlay my character to the world, so when they see me, they think, 'I know a guy exactly like that, and I love/hate him.' I feel like a lot of wrestlers do the same stuff, so the better the people know me, the better I am set apart," he told the publication. "As far as the wrestling is concerned, I think now I'm at a point where people are really getting to know me, and I need to prove myself in the ring. I like having longer matches now to show that I am an athlete and not just a big mouth." "I set a new major goal every new year," Miz said. "So far, I've been able to reach those goals, even if they seem a little lofty, and my goal for 2010 is to be a main event, so that's what I am striving for now

McIntyre injured and update on Tyler Recks & more

Drew McIntyre appeared fine at last night's SmackDown/ECW live event in Hammond, Indiana after reportedly suffering a dislocated patella during his match at last Tuesday's SmackDown taping.

It was announced this past Friday on SmackDown that McIntyre will be defending his Intercontinental Championship against John Morrison in a No Disqualification Match on this week's show. 

It would appear that Tyler Reks' embarrassing plane incident two weeks ago in Green Bay is now water under the bridge considering that he garnered a victory over Goldust at last night's SmackDown/ECW live event. The sparingly seen ECW star has been trying out his new found heel persona at non-televised events in recent weeks and is simply waiting to be reintroduced to the masses. 

Developmental wrestler Johnny Curtis is once again on the road this week with WWE. He came up short last night in a match against Chris Masters

Before James Roday and Dulé Hill guest host Raw, ask them and John Cena (who guest stars on Wednesday's season premiere of Psych) questions for an online chat tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. EST on WWE.com

Jack "The Snake" Roberts retired

The following is a new blog from the official MySpace page of WWE legend Jake "The Snake" Roberts:

2010 Tour Blog
First of all, I want to say, thanks for all the support and love that have been given to me over the years. I appreciate every fan, well I said that, but I lied...:) there are some that I don't call fans. Having said that I want you all to know I have come to a decision that I will hold to regardless of other opinions. Bottom line, it's time. There comes a moment and I regret that it has happened, but I simply am unable physically to perform at the level that I find acceptable. I cannot do what I did 30 years ago, and my God, am I glad that I can't. But my love for what I've done in the last 35 years deserves more than I am capable of doing. I cherish every moment that I've had, good or bad, bottom line is I never had a bad moment in the ring. Any moment was something to treasure, and I can only do so by stepping away. Although the cheers and support are still there from you, the fans, I would be a liar to say that it is not only painful physically, mentally, but worst of all, deep in my heart.

It would be unfair to me not to have one more go around the horn. I will do a retirement tour that will last no more than to the end of next year. I honestly feel that it won't last that long, and I hope I am wrong. Regardless of the offers to continue I respect that lady in the ring enough to say "goodbye". I would really love to continue to contribute as a adviser, booker, teacher, etc., and perhaps that opportunity may present itself to me somewhere in the future. For those of you in our business, feel free to contact me for appearances for 2010. The open dates are limited.

Thanks to all, here's to a safe and happy 2010.
Jake

possible return of EDGE at Royal Rumble

The Wrestling Observer is reporting that Edge's Achilles heel injury is healing ahead of schedule, and there is a possibility that he might be ready to return to the ring in time for The Royal Rumble. If he does not return then, the feeling is that he will most likely return shortly after the PPV. Either way, it seems that he will be returning prior to WrestleMania which would allow him to wrestle at the big PPV. We exclusively reported last week that WWE definitely wants to book Edge vs Chris Jericho for Mania, playing off the angle set up between the two of them when Jericho replaced Edge with Big Show as his tag team partner