I don't think the Steve Austin lines in the GM's e-mails are a red herring. That would be a serious "gimmick infringement."

"Austin or a fan of Austin" is who I said the GM would be to a friend when she asked about his identity based on RAW.

Truthfully, my front-runner choices are The Rock and Bryan Daniel, and I could see either one dropping Austin's phrases. The Rock as a tribute to his friend. Daniel as a lack of spare personality of his own.

Kevin, while it's clear Austin won't be the GM, do you think with them using his lingo and such, that at somepoint he might make an appearance and either call out the GM or when the GM does show, we see Austin with an appearance?

I wouldn't be surprised if next week we get some "if you smell what the GM is cooking" and "laying the smackdown" references in the GM's email. I could see them teasing different characters with their catch phrases.

Maybe the Raw GM could end up being HHH though I doubt he will return as a heel.

Also, Lawler said that Ranjin was just trying to motivate Khali into being more a monster in the ring because he had gotten too soft.

Hey Kevin i want throw this name out there Todd Grisham of SmackDown as the Raw Gm he is a computer nerd and always on Twitter and he not a big fan of John Cena . Plus your thoughts on the Undertaker getting married to McCool.

WWE is getting retarded . with the knotheads from nxt to some fool suppose to be the general manager but suppose to be undercover .. please someone save pro wrestling . Its getting stupid

Next week, the GM will borrow catch phrases from The Rock...if you smelllaa what the GM is cookin'.

1. The gm is probably Abraham Washington even though the wwe universe probably wanted a bigger heel

2.On Smackdown they were advertising Alberto Del Rio who i h0pe they made boring on purpose because he was really boring

3. I wonder if there is a way that Ezekiel Jackson is linked to the nexus even though it doesnt make sense wwe can make some wierd way of explaining it

If you only started to watch wrestling post- Wrestlemania... you would think that the company's top heels are... Sheamus and The Miz. What do you think K.E.?

The whole 3:16 catchphrase quotes are meant to swerve the whole deal. It's too obvious! Even the crowd didn't seem to believe it

Like I said before, keeping the GM unknown will almost always be more exciting than an actual person, at least for a while. It wouldn't surprise me if the GM next week layeths the smackdown.

The Miz's cheap shot on R-Truth kinda made R-Truth look foolish, especially when he did a similar thing to Orton recently.

The match with Edge and Jericho versus Orton and Bourne went down the way that it always seems to: Edge escapes in one piece, Bourne hits his finisher, Jericho jobs, and Orton's music plays. I still enjoyed it, formula works I guess.

"Alicia Fox handled herself well on the microphone during her brief backstage interview with Josh Matthews. She does a good job playing her character. …"
Fox is the worst Divas Champion I can recall in a long time.

I think A.A. did an AWESOME job w/ his promo w/ Sheamus.

I'm betting next week, they will use a line from the Rock, then another week a line from someone else just to keep everyone guessing on the GM.

What is your prediction for the Cena handicap match next week? Something has got to happen since Cena has the cage match the following sunday. NO WAY he takes a beating there so close to the PPV.

Darren Young could easily pass as John Cena's half-brother. For two guys of different ethnicities, they look too much alike.

No way the new GM is Stone Cold! You can't type an e-mail that fast while holding a beer in one hand!

First off, I'm glad they didn't have a celebrity guest general manager for the past couple of weeks as I felt it was cheapening the product. The wwe should just drop the word wrestling from their name and just be called "world wide entertainment". I mean, they have countlessly said they are not in the wrestling business and that they're in the "entertainment" business.

Secondly, I am quickly starting to become a Miz fan. At first I didn't know what people saw in him but after so long I actually look forward to seeing this guy on t.v.

The only thing interesting about the John Morrison vs. T.D. Jr match was Maryse. That was the only thing that kept me from changing the channel to espn.

I think the new GM will be Eugene - he likes to steal catch-phrases

Since the Ultimate Warrior is still being shown on the opening segments of RAW each Monday, could he be the Anonymous GM? As far as July 31st at the Green Room goes, I got 3 words for ya...Dinner for Schmucks!!

Being a GM in hiding does not fit with Stone Cold's character at all. I expect next week for the GM to use some other wrestler's catchphrases.

"...if you smell... what the GM... is... cooking!"

It's HHH people he is playing the GAME. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we see him after Shameful wins the cage match.

its STFU not STF

RESPONSE FROM KE: Well, it used to be STFU, but not in the PG era.

J.R. is gm.

If I'm not mistaken, weren't Italy and Russia on opposite sides during WW II :) ? Italy tag teamed with Nazi Germany while Russia allied with UK and USA.
Not that I expect WWE writers to pay attention to detail or anything....:)

RESPONSE FROM KE: Michael Cole pointed that out.

Kevin,
I agree with the general consensus that the Stone Cold angle is just a gimmick. Next week it will be the Rock and the week after someone else new. I wonder if they are just waiting to see who stirs up the best reaction.

In response to your comment: "For the second time in three weeks there was no celebrity host. According to reports, the guest host format isn’t dead, but it will likely be something done on occasion, perhaps every other week."

I will be at the July 12 show in Lexington and they have already advertised Florence Henderson as the Guest Host (promoting what?--NO CLUE).

Question for you: Do you think that the Nexus group will continue to grow as more 'contestants' are eliminated from NXT? What about a face group emerging from the new season of NXT to challenge the Nexus?

Florence Henderson (Mrs. Brady) is next weeks guest host

William Regal's last singles win was 11/3/2009 against Goldust on ECW.
He won a tag match 2/25/2010 with Jack Swagger vs Santino and Chris Masters on Superstars...so yeah he's not exactly getting a push anytime soon

It's Michael Cole! Why is he the one that reads the emails? And look at his expression on face when he read those emails close to the end of the show.

Why is no one mentioning Jim Ross as GM?

Heres how this will play out:

1. Nexus will cause Cena to lose to Sheamus at MITB, giving Cena a reason to leave the title picture for a while while that feud continues.
2. Cena will try to take out Nexus one member at a time, a la Stone Cold when he feuded with the Hart Foundation. The feud will ultimately culminate at Survivor Series with a huge WWE vs Nexus match.
3. In the meantime, HHH returns to feud with Sheamus and wins the title at Summer Slam. Afterwards, he unites in Cena's quest against Nexus.
4. In the Survivor Series main event Nexus will be fighting for their survival and the match will come down to Cena/HHH vs Barrett.
5. HHH turns on Cena, revealing himself as the RAW GM and the leader of the Nexus.

The big pitcute (storyline wise) therefore will have something to do with HHH using his influence and Nexus to launch some sort of WWE takeover. After a while, Barrett will ultimately turn on HHH, setting up his PPV title match.

The real big picture success of the angle, however, could be a rebirth of Cena's character (hopefully last night was an indication of that), a major HHH heel turn, and eventually the emergence of Wade Barrett as a premiere main eventer.

You're welcome.

All I have to say is that I HOPE the WWE keeps playing the fake catchphrase angle. You can't tease Stone Cold and deliver someone less the next week. Only people that could (arguably) top him; Rock, Shane, Vince. And it's probably none of them.

I like a good, all-encompassing storyline, and the Nexus story is shaping up to be a good one. But I really, REALLY hope that John Cena doesn't win next week. If he's able to beat all 7 Nexusers in a match, even if it's a fluke, their credibility will go down the drain.

Santino should go back to history class. Russia and Italy (not to mention Germany) weren't on the same side in WWII....

In response to everyone's comments about Italy and Russia not being on the same side in World War 2, the answer is they were on the same side. If anyone knows their history, Russia sided with the Axis Powers at the beginning of the war but joined the Allies when Hitler invaded Russia. Me and my brother were just talking about WWE forming a stable of foriegners the other day. Maybe Yoshi Tatsu and Primo will be next

Although I agree with what everyone else has said about the "Stone Cold" red herring, I thought according to rumor, the WWE was going for more "realistic" storylines? Somehow, they have to tie up a BIG loose end on how a new anonymous GM hires Nexus full-time, but yet they beat down the McMahon character, and yet at some point, McMahon wouldn't just come right back and fire everybody involved and end it? Whether or not it gets solved by the next PPV, it'll be a letdown, or a letdown with still open plotholes, sorry to say.

Maryse has a great look and great presence, but she is awful on the mic. And Morrison needs to turn heel again. He plays the arrogant jerk too well not to utilize it. His persona just doesn't lend itself to a long-term babyface push.

the GM is shark boy.

With all the negative comments about how WWE doesn't know history due to the Italy/Russia comments, I just have one thing to say.

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?! Hell no! And it ain't over now!"

No one would accuse Bluto of being a genius just like they shouldn't think Santino is one.. You know, when the obvious jokes have to be explained like this, it not only takes the humor away, but makes the complainers seem even more ignorant than the idiot characters.

If the GM is impersonating Stone Cold Steve Austin, then the best payoff would be...(drum roll please)...
Shark Boy!
He had a good run impersonating Stone Cold, and was pretty amusing at times. The question would be whether he would continue using his Shark Boy gimmick or would go with his earlier Dean Baldwin character, the least known of the Baldwin brothers.

By the way, I hear that WWE has added knife-edge hand chops to its list of no-no's, joining chair shots and choke outs as moves that will get you fired. My guess is that WWE will soon be totally non-contact...and non-entertaining.

Here is an idea. Seems to me that the person who ever is this secret GM has it out for Cena. Who is the only person that would shock everyone and be the main GM for Raw and is against Cena... MY thoughts are Batista...He isn't doing to well on the outside of WWE anything is possible.

After the Allies defeated Mussolini, many Italians began fighting along side the Allies for the remainder of the war and even formally declared war on Japan.

Let's see if McMahon has the nerve to let the GM throw in a woooooo or a brother in the next few weeks. It would be a natural extension of the story line if we do indeed get a can you smell what the GM is cooking next week but I doubt they would want to refer to anyone at TNA.

Your ring post readers might not understand what Santino meant by "without the nazis." With regard to Italy and Russia during WWII they didnt start out against each other. Just like everything else there is history that most people didnt read. With Hitler's rise to power (1933), Moscow and Rome sought ways to contain the threat of a resurgent Germany. Through extensive cooperation, both began to support the status quo to block German expansion, especially in the Balkans. Russia's nonaggression pact with Italy (1933) marked a significant step in its Collective Security policy directed against Germany. Italy's successful defense of Austria (1934) - the one successful example of Collective Security before World War II - seemed to vindicate Soviet policy.

Good relations, despite Moscow's extraordinary efforts at appeasement, collapsed during the Italo-Ethiopian War (1935 - 1936) and the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939). Afterward the Italo-Soviet economic agreements (February 1939) began a rapprochement and presaged the Nazi-Soviet Pact of August. Even after World War II began, Moscow continued to hope to split the Italo-German alliance and to use Italy to block German penetration into the Balkans: for example, by encouraging Italy's plan for a bloc of Balkan neutrals in the Fall and Winter of 1939. These plans came to naught when Germany and then Italy attacked Russia in June 1941. The Italian expeditionary army on the Eastern Front met horrific disaster in 1943.

Great column Kevin, I never miss it.

Has everyone forgot about Mick Foley?..

He left TNA not that long back.

It is obvious tht its stone cold, because after the email when he asked john cena and wade barret to shake hands, he ended the email with: 'and that's the bottom line because the gm said so'. Also at the the cutting edge it was: 'if u wanna see edge and chris jericho vs. randy orton and evan bourne, give me a hell yeah''

it would be awesome if daniel bryan came back and helped cena take down nexus. he could say they were supposed to be a family but they turned their backs on him and now theyll see why that was a huge mistake. let bourne alighn with the heels and jericho and edge align with nexus and you have a year long fued. also throw in orton as a wild card face. he eventually stays on the face side after the returning HHH turns on cena and crew and it could be the most compelling storyline since well since anything

"July 5th RAW Question

Is there a tag match in pro-wrestling history where a higher percentage of the over all talent and work rate resided in just one individual, as the Santino & Koslov vs. Regal & Kahli match tonight on RAW?

Lance Evers"

Speaking of Jim Ross as the GM, the live chat on the WWE website is trying to make it look like JR could be the GM. On Monday, JR was not in the chat, until after the opening segment, then he joined, and said he was doing other things . . .

Im guessing on nxt wks Raw the GM will use phrases like "Know your Role and Shut your Mouth" or "If u Smell what The GM is Cooking"

steal a catchphrase?... the new GM is Charlie Haas!!

C'mon Kevin admit it, you love Khali's theme song!

I think the reason The Great Kahli and Singh get some airtime each week is because they are huge in their native India... and probably draw big ratings over there on TV.

WWE is getting retarded . with the knotheads from nxt to some fool suppose to be the general manager but suppose to be undercover .. please someone save pro wrestling . Its getting stupid

I recommend ROH for anybody who's fed up with WWE and/or TNA's bouts of idiocy.

I would venture to guess that the next few weeks will be the anonymous GM using catch phrases from former wrestlers; however, I would bet that the catch phrases will come from wrestlers from the "attitude era." The reason is that I believe the GM is Vince Russo who was in part the architect of the attitude era. I seem to remember that Vince Russo has taken credit for the success of Steve Austin and The Rock before, correct me if I am wrong.

It makes sense to me that Vince Russo would use those phrases. I believe he will come out and trash the older wrestlers saying they are "keeping the young guys down" making a veiled swipe at Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair as well as making a less-than-veiled swipe at wrestlers like HHH, John Cena, and others who are consistently on the main event stage week after week.

If this turns out to be Russo, this is not new for him. Remember "New Blood" that failed miserably in WCW toward the end of the company? It never really took off because the Hogan's and Savage's refused to step aside. This is an old idea from Russo; however, if played correctly this time, it will work well. I'm definitely interested anyway.

Am I the only one who thinks that even WWE does not know what they are doing with Nexus and still don't know who their GM is? General comments implying nobody knows their agenda yet smells an awful lot like Dixie Carter's world turning announcements.

"Santino should go back to history class. Russia and Italy (not to mention Germany) weren't on the same side in WWII...."

Actually they were until the Nazis double crossed the Soviets after they both invaded Poland together.

Alicia Fox scares me in the ring. If I'm not afraid she'll break her neck doing a northern star suplex, I worry she's going to break a leg on a scissor kick.

Honestly, I can't stand Michael Cole. The man is a horrible commentator and is really, really bad on on the mic. If he becomes the new GM, I won't watch RAW until he's gone.

Alicia Fox is one of the worst characters on television right now, and a really bad wrestler. The girl brings nothing to the ring, only the "pretty" factor. I can't believe the WWE doesn't want to get quality women wrestlers in there to help expand the women's roster. It is annoying to see this and it gives girls who want to pursue a job in the WWE that "[T and A]" are the only things McMahon and Co. are looking for, not skill.

On another note, I like Maryse and think she is a talent in the ring. She's one of my favorites and I do enjoy her managing DiBiase, as I do find her current storyline entertaining.

While I don't really like this whole "Nexus angle," I did think the Barrett/Cena ending to RAW was perfect and was more enjoyable than I ever thought a "Nexus" storyline would ever be.

i think the undertaker might be the gm becaus he is mistiriously hurt on smackdown but to be brought back to life as raw gm but i know you skeptics are going to think no he is smackdown not raw remember superstars change brands alot though i think the hell yeah was a red harring to fuart detection he would try to stay under the radar by not saying nexus will rest in peace. i think becaus like stone cold undertaker is no comp. nerd he does that to reman secritive as undertaker does alot

J.R. and Stone Cold are boys. I can see why jim ross seems a likely option. But would jim ross make those types of descisions? Would he rule against cena so frequently? I don't think so. I don't think the gm will show himself. He will be fired and someone else will be nominated because this gm is a filler. Just fake emails to help the story line without making an enemy out of a gm for radical descisions unpopular with fans

Here's a thought as to who the mystery GM might be; JR.

Makes a lot of sense. We know JR was (is?) a very good friend of Stone Cold, and we know he's Internet savvy, so sending emails and twitters would not be out of character.

no one mentioned HBK

GM guilty of "Austin infringement"? Then it's gotta be Bill Goldberg. Also,Michael Cole is a million times better at being the GM's mouthpiece than he is at announcing and repeating. I really like the "and I quote."

I think the new GM is going to be Michael Cole, which I see I'm not alone. Just seems like that's the vibe I get, and it makes sense with him being the NXT announcer.

I think it will be Jericho. He is too busy lately to be training all the time and is siding with Nexus. GM would fit perfectly for him.

The Vince Russo angle as GM seems plausible. With his partner Ed Ferrara not being involved with TNA anymore, Russo may want to leave as well, and McMahon may have scooped him up. Russo more than likely has a no-compete clause, and the "anonymous GM" angle can work until he's free to go to WWE. And if I also recall, didn't he do something similar to this ("The Powers That Be") when he went to WCW back in the day?

I think it is not Stone Cold. I think is one of the DX guys. On July 26, the GM said that the SummerSlam battle between the Raw Superstars and The Nexus would now be a 7-on-7 Elimination Match, The Nexus would put their unity to the test in the night’s main event in which they face select members of the Raw roster in just such a bout and Cena and Jericho would test their cohesion in a tag team match against two Raw Superstars. When he announced that Jericho and Cena would be in a tag team match he said: "And if you're not down with that I got two words for ya"

What do you guys think?

Triple H is due to make his return soon. The anonymous Raw General manager and the true leader of Nexus could be Vince McMahon’s son-in-law.

Target—John Cena

Triple H could be jealous about John Cena being the company’s face. That is why he had Nexus attacked John

Cena with a brutal beat down seemingly for no reason. Nexus also cost Cena the WWE championship at Fatal Four Way.

Target—Sheamus

The fact that Sheamus won the WWE championship when Nexus interfered wasn’t meant to happen, as they intended to due harm to him as well.

Triple H was feuding with Sheamus prior to his injury. The fact that he is the WWE champion gives Triple H the power and opportunity to give himself the shot at the strap.

Target—Mr. McMahon

Triple H would be obviously upset with his father-in-law for giving the spot light to Cena . That is why he had Nexus destroy him on Raw following the Sheamus & Cena match.

Target—The Undertaker

The Undertaker was left in a vegetative state. Most of the WWE Universe would find it hard to believe that one man could accomplish such a feat. The Nexus group could be responsible for the attack on The Undertaker. Kane has yet to investigate the possibility into their involvement.

Triple H would want to eliminate The Undertaker for what he did to Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania . The Nexus attack on John Cena happened around the time that The Undertaker was attacked. Since then, Nexus has attacked several stars.

I think the GM is one of the D-Generation X members. because also at the end of a lot of the emails he keeps ending them with Ive got two words for yea. and thats a sign of A DX membe since they always said ive got two words for yea. SUCK IT!!!!

what was said last monday kind of gives me an idea of who it might be. he said something along the lines of not liking bret hart, i thought it would be shawn michaels

I agree wit hanna triple h or hbk culd b dha gm

its jbl remember when he had the basham bros n orlando jordon its that all ova

come on fools. it has gotta b either Shane or Stephanie McMahon

would you like to know ulitimate warrior as the raW gm