Chicago Sun-Times: Stone Cold set to return to WWE

We told you last week that Vince McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin had a meeting at Raw 2 weeks ago and both seemed pleased with the results.

The two discussed a return to the WWE for Austin, but not on a full-time basis. Much like the way Mick Foley has been used over the last few years, Austin will make his return to the WWE for a two- to three-week run, possibly leading up to a role as guest referee or special enforcer for a main-event match.

Frankly, there just isn't too much the WWE can do with Austin on a long-term basis. Any long-lasting, meaningful feud needs to end in some sort of final match between the combatants. Given Austin's health, that is just not going to happen.

The creative team can't come up with 52 weeks worth of story lines for a Stone Cold character to be general manager or sheriff that doesn't end flat in the end. So this sounds like the best solution.

Austin will get to work in the WWE on a reduced basis, the WWE gets Austin's star value and attraction for a few short (but high- profile) runs each year and the fans get Stone Cold back from time to time.

HEARD AROUND THE RING: Next week will be the final NWA weekly pay- per-view event. The company will make its move more toward the weekly syndicated show and infrequent PPV events. ... Jeff Hardy finally gets his one-on-one shot against Jeff Jarrett for the NWA world championship in the finale, with Harley Race, Larry Zbyszko and Terry Funk making up the championship committee. ... Sounds like the WWE picked the wrong week to show the Eddie Guerrero/Kurt Angle match. Almost 30 percent of the country had SmackDown pre-empted by the final night of the Republican National Convention. ... The next WWE Fanatic series PPV will be titled, My Name is Eugene." ... Sabu, who was being pushed hard by the NWA, needs time off to rest his injured back.