Jeff Hardy’s current WWE contract expires in three weeks. WWE is trying to persuade him to work SummerSlam but he still intends to leave for an undetermined length of time in order to rest. No word yet on when or even if he may return. John Laurinaitis has booked the August house shows without him, which has left the Smackdown main events as a Battle Royal with the winner facing C.M. Punk for the title.
Meanwhile, a number of people in WWE management expect that Hulk Hogan will return there in 2010. By that point it will have been three years since he was last involved so his presence will feel somewhat fresh again. Hogan has been making some comments about TNA of late, which is a typical tactic of his that means he heads far towards another promotion before backing out for some reason and then waiting on Vince McMahon to call him. He said that TNA “is like the little engine that could. Everybody thought they wouldn’t be around for long, and they’ve been chugging along for seven years. They gain momentum every week. They seem to be real fresh. When a lot of guys go over to that side of the fence, they seem to get a spring in their step… TNA is lacking that one momentum shifting move, that one big name that would even the playing field, the brand (could be) just as powerful as the WWE brand. (TNA) is lacking the big piece of the puzzle. It wouldn’t matter who did what in the past. It will be a totally even playing field. You never know.â€
Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 20th July 2009 (subscribe here)
