— Though some are not pleased with Jeff Hardy’s decision to embark on a hiatus while the SmackDown! roster is short on main event talent, his recent performances have earned him lockerroom praise. WWE has been particularly impressed with Hardy’s work ethic on the road, noting he has been doing a great job of putting CM Punk over.
Hardy’s exit is still described as “imminent,” which is why WWE is hard at work getting talent like John Morrison and Dolph Ziggler over, although some close to Hardy believe he will work Summerslam.
— Edge still does not have a set return timeframe, although the internal hope is that he can recover in time to run a high-profile angle with Chris Jericho for WrestleMania.
— Contrary to speculation, Beth Phoenix, who has not had much of a presence on RAW in recent weeks, is neither hurt nor in hot water with management. Her absence is simply due to a shortage of opportunity–she is not in the title picture, and WWE has opted to devote its other “Diva time” to those who fit the bikini model profile (women like Kelly Kelly and Alicia Fox).
Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
