WWE news and notes: 28th October 2013

Kane is back

• Curtis Axel was pulled from last night’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view after reportedly blowing both hips in his tag team match last week on Monday Night RAW. Right now, the injury is being considered a freak accident, as no one is sure how exactly it happened. The timetable for Axel’s return is unknown, and his future as Interconinental Champion is in question. Big E. Langston, who was his scheduled opponent at HIAC, wound up facing Dean Ambrose for the WWE United States title instead, and is expected to move right into a feud with him.
• Damien Darling, former boyfriend of WWE Hall of Famer Tammy “Sunny” Sytch, is now claiming Sytch has attempted to get him removed from various independent shows he was originally booked for. While this is a rumor for now, given Sytch’s crazed history and known erratic behavior, it’s very likely this is true. Darling has been having issues with Sytch in various ways since the two split up a while back.
• Despite turning on Daniel Bryan at last night’s HIAC event, Shawn Michaels has been telling his peers that this is not an indication he is returning to the ring.
• WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is currently taking independent bookings after being away for a while due to “personal reasons”. He is also apparently living with former WCW enhancement talent “Desperado” Joe Gomez, which would indicate that his most recent relationship is either over or on the rocks.
• After tonight’s RAW, WWE appears to be building up to a feud between the Wyatt Family and CM Punk & Daniel Bryan, which will possibly culminate at Survivor Series. WWE.com posted an in-storyline update on Bryan after the attack by the Wyatt Family backstage, saying he was sent to a local hospital for diagnostic testing.
• Damien Sandow also cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on new World Champion John Cena, losing both the match and his contract in the process. Sandow becomes the second man to fail to cash in (after Cena), and the first man to cash in and lose (Cena won his match via disqualification, thus winning the match but not the title). However, there is a strong possibility we have yet to see the last of Sandow and the case, as rumor has it a storyline may be put into place where Sandow has found a loophole in the contract.
• Also on RAW, Kane had his first match back after being absent for a few months, defeating the Miz. After the match, he got into a confrontation with Stephanie McMahon-Levesque, saying he was sick of the power trip her and her husband are on. He then proceeded to remove his mask and hand it to Stephanie before walking away. Kane followed this up with a tweet to Stephanie later on: “It’s what’s best for business. @StephanieMcMahon #RAW”