— WWE Champion Jeff Hardy no-showed Sunday night’s Smackdown-brand house show in Alexandria, Louisiana. A local newspaper outlet, the Town Talk, reports that “fans were told that wrestler Jeff Hardy couldn’t attend but were surprised when they found out Undertaker and Big Show would wrestle in a steel-cage match.”
— In the main event of next week’s ECW on Sci-Fi, ECW champion Matt Hardy will defend against #1 contender Jack Swagger.
— The UFC is one step closer to getting mixed martial arts sanctioned in New York. This afternoon, New York Governor David Patterson will be in Albany to begin formal hearings on Bill No.S02858, which would allow the New York State Athletic Commission to regulate the sport. UFC President Dana White is already sketching plans for a show in Madison Square Garden in the fall. “I’m very confident we’re going to be in New York in 2009,” White said. “It’s going to be fun when we roll into New York.” For more on this developing story, visit ESPN.com.
* Early WRESTLEMANIA Plans, Update on CHRISTIAN CAGE’s WWE Return [>]