Chicago Sun-Times: Return to WWF likely for Kevin Nash

HHH is not the only man coming back to the WWF this month. It looks as if former WWF champion Kevin Nash is returning to the company that made his a big star in the 1990s. Nash, formerly known as Diesel in the WWF, became a free agent last week as his contract with AOL Time Warner expired. He has been in on-and-off contact with Vince McMahon ever since. Reportedly, the major sticking point was not the money but the number of dates Nash would have to work. It appears the two sides have reached an agreement and a television return is expected in the coming weeks. It is not totally out of the question Nash could be on Raw on Monday from Madison Square Garden, but I would not expect the WWF to do anything to overshadow the return of HHH.

What better way to end Raw this week than to have the lights go down and the N.W.O. theme hit just as the show goes off the air. That way, the WWF could bring back Nash without overshadowing Helmsley, and set themselves up for a huge SmackDown viewership.

HEARD AROUND THE RING: The Rock will face Chris Jericho for the undisputed title at the Royal Rumble. I expect The Rock to win the belts and be in the main event at Wrestlemania 18. ... Ric Flair and HHH have been working together backstage, leading many to wonder if the two will have a match in the coming weeks. ... It looks as if the Hardy Boys have been punished and will be off WWF TV for the next six weeks. The WWF was not impressed with the short-lived feud between Matt and Jeff and think the group (including Lita) could use some time off. ... The Big Boss man is a nice addition to the McMahon vs. Austin feud, but could use some work on the punches. His shots on The Rock, and the microphone bashes on Austin on Thursday were not too convincing. ... Internet reports indicate that Test and Stacy Kiebler have become an item backstage. ... Tazz continues to earn huge pops from the fans at WWF events and could be in line for some federation gold. No question Tazz could be a big time contributor if given the chance. ... Rob Van Dam is featured on the poster for the February No Way Out pay-per-view and obviously will be a major player in the show. I would now rule out the possibility of RVD winning the Rumble match and having to defend the No. 1 contender spot at the show.

HOTLINE: BLACKJACK reveals the five WWF superstars who have been approached to join the new N.W.O. That and much more on the hotline: (900) 454-SLAM ($2 per minute).