Spoilers/ news for 19th to 26th August

[Stephanie McMahon's sidekick!]

Possible SummerSlam Spoiler - Main-Event Outcome
Story By: Matt Boone
August 19, 2002

Thanks to reader Danny Weis for sending along the following:

Hey, I was watching a movie last night on DirecTV and after it was over some commerical came up for RAW two weeks after SummerSlam. It said "come on see HHH, RVD, and your Undisputed champion Brock Lesnar, come on and buy tickets now, there going out fast." Unless he wins the night after SummerSlam he will be the champion but I believe he will be winning the gold at SummerSlam.

Thanks to reader Matt Black for sending along the following:

Radio ads played last week advertising the card for upcoming Sept. House show in St. Louis promoted the attendance of the following RAW wrestlers: HHH, Booker T, The Undertaker, Ric Flair, Chris Jericho, Buh-Buh Dudley, and 'The Next Big Thing' Brock Lesner (no mention of The Rock). Could be a sign of Lesnar being on both rosters after winning the Undisputed title.

[Stephanie McMahon's sidekick!]

Austin/Debra Domestic Update - Court Case Made
Story By: Fred Cook
August 19, 2002

For those of you who follow the legal system, this is what is going on with the current 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin/Debra situation.

First and foremost, the case itself is being brought on by the State of Texas and not Debra. The District Attorney's office has pursued the case and is using the original police report as documented proof of the 'assault'.

Although Debra did not pursue the matter further, she could still be sworn into court by the Texas District Attorney's office.

If the DA's office continues to go forward with this case which it looks like they will, they will continue to use the original police report filed by Steve William's wife, Debra.

Steve Austin will be due back in court, but I do not have the date as of this time.

[Stephanie McMahon's sidekick!]

Lex Luger To WWE, Hulk Hogan Update, Brock Lesnar, more
Story By: Matt Boone
August 20, 2002

Thanks to reader Matthew Edward Hanley for sending along the following:

While sitting at home doing much of nothing, I was listening to my radio, and they had an interview with Lex Luger about his wrestling past. He made the statement that he was talking to WWE officials about returning to the WWE sometime in November or December. That would be great if he did.

Thanks to reader [e-mail] for sending along the following:

I was just watching RAW and they advertised next months ppv Unforgiven, which is at the Staples Center in LA where I live. The promo was all about Brock Lesnar, and saying 'the next big thing has arrived'. Just a little tid bit, maybe he'll win the title on Sunday.

Thanks to reader Ellie for sending along the following:

I don't know if this is new to anyone or not but I got the latest newsletter from SilverVision.co.uk with a new a Hulk Hogan 2 DVD Set. It's called Hulk Still Rules and it'll be out late September (in the UK anyway). They have more info on whats gonna be in it.

[Stephanie McMahon's sidekick!]

Goldberg/WWE, Bret Hart's Return, SummerSlam, & More
Story By: Matt Boone
August 20, 2002

The following news is derived from Dave Meltzer and WrestlingObserver.com:

Bret Hart will be making his first public appearance since his stroke this coming Saturday at Jacques Rougeau's show in Jarry Park in Montreal.

The only match officially added to the SummerSlam card during the match listings on RAW last night was the expected Eddie Guerrero vs. Edge match. The card is most likely complete now and no new additions are expected on the final show before SummerSlam (not counting the pre-show Heat, or Saturday's Confidential/Velocity) which is the SmackDown! tapings tonight.

Bill Goldberg is hinting at having a scheduled meeting with Vince McMahon on his website, as I reported earlier. The interview with Goldberg will be posted later today and there isn't any expected major break through announcements as far as his status with WWE is concerned.

[Stephanie McMahon's sidekick!]

Val Venis To Return Sooner Than Expected
Story By: Will Hengelbrok
August 21, 2002

Val Venis learned something that lifted a big chip from his shoulder. There is apparently no spinal damage to his neck and he may infact return sooner than expected.

"We dodged a bullet there," Val told WWE.com in a phone interview Tuesday.

Venis saw Dr. Lloyd Youngblood in San Antonio, Texas, over the weekend. Tests revealed that Val had suffered muscle contusions -- tears and ligament pulls -- in his neck as a result of a freak accident earlier this month. But there was no sign of skeletal damage.

Dr. Youngblood reportedly said that the injury is very painful but will not require surgery. He performed spinal fusion surgery, requiring one year of recovery time, on Scotty 2 Hotty, Lita, Chris Benoit and Rhyno.

"I'm looking at maybe one or two (weeks) if I can," Val said.

As he exercised on a rowing machine on Aug. 2, the frame in front of him, which held about 300 pounds of weights, tipped over and landed on top of his head.

"I remember opening my eyes and seeing four or five guys trying to pull it off me," Val told WWE.com. "So it put me out for a couple of seconds."

Val was immediately taken to a hospital, where he got three stitches inside his head and 14 more outside. He also said he probably had a mild, undiagnosed concussion. The weights compressed his neck, making him unable to move it.

Although Valbowski avoided surgery, he was still frustrated because he had been looking forward to skydiving and skiing in Australia, and "first and foremost, to competing" at the Global Warning Tour Melbourne on Aug. 10.

In spite of the injury, Val still flew to Australia, and performed as the special referee for the Bra & Panties Match between Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson. The 16-hour flight caused the right side of his face to swell dramatically, but he put ice on it overnight and was OK.

"The cut wasn't that painful," Val said. "It was more of an annoyance. It's the neck that's the painful thing. I'm used to getting cut.

"I didn't know how severe (my neck) was until a few days later."

[Stephanie McMahon's sidekick!]

Backstage News On Austin's Return, Hall & Nash, Angle/Mysterio Match
Story By: Ben Johnson
August 21, 2002

The following news is based on information presented on The LAW:

The general feeling is that despite the bad press Austin has received due to his walkout and his alleged assault of Debra, he can come back to the WWE ring in the future and still be over with the fans. That comeback, however, will likely not be for a while due to the personal problems, let alone problems with WWE, he is going through.

Contrary to some belief, the fact that Hall & Nash are now out of the picture does not confirm an Austin return in the short term. Hall & Nash were in a "wrong place at the wrong time" scenario, and Austin's walkout did not solely have to do with his programs with the two.

There is some thought that the Angle/Mysterio match for Summerslam might be too soon for both men to meet in the squared circle. Although both are good wrestlers and have the trust of WWE to put on a good show, from a storyline perspective this is not likely the right time for the match.

[Stephanie McMahon's sidekick!]

Trish Stratus Injured After Bra & Panties Mud Match
Story By: Ben Johnson
August 22, 2002

The following are excerpts from a WWE.com article concerning Trish being injured during her mud match. The full article is at: www.wwe.com/news/headlines/1167907

The former Women's Champion and the man once known as "Li'l Naitch" [Charles Robinson] had severely irritated eyes after the Stratus vs. Stacy Keibler Bra & Panties Mud Match on RAW. (Robinson was also tossed in the pool of mud.)

"Everyone involved had graininess in our eyeballs," Stratus told WWE.com in a phone interview. "We knew it was just a matter of getting all that sand and mud out."

But Stratus said that so many people approached her after the match to make sure she was OK, that she didn't notice that the towel that someone handed to her had menthol on it. When she wiped her face with it, the menthol only further irritated the problem.

"Suddenly I couldn't open my eyes," Stratus said. "They were like, 'Oh whoa, we need to send you to the hospital.'"

Doctors also encouraged Robinson to visit the medical facility -- "(I went) not because I'm a wimp, but because they told me to," he said.

But they ended up sitting in the emergency room for 90 minutes. By then, the swelling and irritation had subsided.

"I looked at Trish and she looked at me," Robinson said. "And I said, 'I'm feeling better' and she said, 'I'm feeling better.' And we left."

[Stephanie McMahon's sidekick!]

Latest Details On X-Pac's Release From WWE
Story By: Matt Boone
August 24, 2002

Apparently X-Pac was the one who pushed to be released from World Wrestling Entertainment over the past several weeks.

WWE management had planned on paying him while he was inactive as they found something to use him for. X-Pac, who had been upset with how he was used in WWE over the past few months and simply asked to be released.

Where X-Pac goes from here is anyone's guess, but it appears as though he has a clear field of options including working in Japan for large amounts of money and small amounts of dates, random Independants, or even NWA-TNA.