– There is a tremendous amount of respect for Ric Flair within the TNA locker room. At the last set of iMPACT tapings, Flair was very outgoing, getting to know some of the young wrestlers and was telling people he loved being there since he felt he was being used right by managing the World Champion AJ Styles. He was shown a ton of respect backstage with the wrestlers and agents “in awe” of him. Flair’s interviews have also received ave reviews.

– TNA management is said to be “putting up with” Scott Hall and Sean Waltman, but are trying to make the most of them while they’re part of a big storyline. Most people figured that Hall wouldn’t work out but there’s a lot of disappointment in Waltman as some figured that he would have shown up in better shape considering it’s probably his last shot with a major US promotion.

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Props to TMZ.com ..

A TMZ camera guy caught up with Randy Orton at an airport this week and aske him his thoughts about fellow WWE stars Chris Jericho and Gregory Helms getting arrested on Wednesday morning for public intoxication. Orton could not believe the news, saying “No, no, no, not Chris.”

When asked if pro wrestlers are living a rock and roll party lifestyle, Orton said wrestlers don’t get in trouble and they represent WWE “in a very positive manner.”

— Apparently in response to the negative publicity Gregory Helms’ arrest Wednesday morning for public intoxication is receiving, the WWE website pulled his “Superstar of the Day” photo this afternoon, replacing The Hurricane with Cody Rhodes.

In another note, WWE forgot to remove the hyperlink beneath the photo leading to The Hurricane’s bio.

— This week’s episode of ECW scored a 0.9 cable rating, the same number as last week. (source: PWInsider.com)

– As reported earlier, RAW superstar John Cena has been injured for weeks now, working through what’s believed to be a bulging disc in his back. To update, Cena underwent an MRI on January 24th to determine the extent of the damage. Cena’s in-ring time has been scaled back in recent weeks WWE, with him wrestling much shorter matches than usual. He’s still been on the road appearing at live events, but he was taken out of the main event of the Royal Rumble due to the injury, which is why Randy Orton is fighting Sheamus on Sunday.

– WWE’s creative team has been told that there is no chance of The Rock vs. John Cena at WrestleMania and right now are back to working on Cena vs. Batista for the big event. Aside from the fact that The Rock won’t be returning to WWE until after WrestleMania due to his movie shooting schedule, he also stated in an interview earlier this week that he has no interest in ever working with John Cena.

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

WWE superstars Chris Jericho and Gregory Helms were arrested in Kentucky early Wednesday morning when police were called to a gas station and found the wrestlers “extremely intoxicated” and fighting.

Local newspaper The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the two were arrested at a Shell gas station around 5:45 a.m. on Wednesday and charged with public alcohol intoxication. TAfter spending about an hour in jail, they were released after each paying $120 fines.

The two had been in nearby Cincinnati, Ohio the previous night for this week’s SmackDown taping.

Jericho posted the following message on Twitter hours before the arrest: “Listening to zakk Wylde and having a GG contest with Hurricane. It’s the woods vs the praries. Praires are winning…”

It’s pure speculation, but some are guessing “GG” stands for Grey Goose (vodka).

UPDATE: Gregory Helms Allegedly Struck A Woman Before His Arrest

Little has been said regarding Jeff Hardy’s status with TNA Wrestling since his return to the promotion during the first live Monday edition of iMPACT! on Jan. 4. TNA did not bother to mention him on subsequent television broadcasts not to mention that the company website has yet to add a bio on him to its roster page.

In an update on the matter, it would appear that Hardy’s appearance three weeks ago on iMPACT! was not a one-time deal and that he will be making further appearances for the promotion in the near future.

Apparently revealing the name of his partnership with Shannon Moore, Hardy tweeted the following on Monday:

“HeavensDemons…airhedge&itchweeed ready to hitTNA with some shockfactor..you dig thy name…HeavensDemons?”

For those unaware, Hardy refers to himself as “itchweed” and Moore as “airhedge.”

The tweet has since been deleted, but it be should be noted that it is legit as Max of Generation Y retweeted his post, calling it a “great name.”

— On his Facebook account (which is where the “bizarre hair” photos initially surfaced), Sid Vicious put up a link to a petition for fans to sign concerning “the hiring of Sid Eudy/Sid Vicious to add to the overall benefit of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.”

Regarding the petition, Vicious wrote: “Petitions don’t work…but Sign it anyway just to show them where the Power lies. Spread the Word! Somebody made this Petition as a Labor of love so I Understand how that feels..We all know how it is. you gotta get in there and get your hands dirty and do whatever you got…ta do to get your boys back on TV where they belong…it’s sad but thats the way it is now! it’s all in the fans hands now!”

You can check out the petition at the following link.

— D’Angelo Dinero took ill early in TNA’s European tour and was forced to stay behind in Glasgow, Scotland as result. He is also nursing a hand injury. Fortunately, his health has since gotten better as he returned to the tour last night in Bournemouth.

“Pope is so sick Dr’s would not let him wrestle in Glasgow. He has to stay behind until better,” TNA president Dixie Carter wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

— You can follow TNA newcomer Jeremy of Generation Me (a/k/a Nick Jackson) on Twitter at the following link.