WWE News & Notes 2014: Hulk Hogan Officially Returns to the WWE, CM Punk at UFC 170 With Dana White

The WRESTLEMANIA return of Hulkamania has turned into a monster already,I'm so grateful to be back home brother HH

— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) February 22, 2014

Hulk Hogan has officially signed and will make his return to the WWE during the February 24th telecast of Monday Night Raw, the night after Elimination Chamber and the WWE Network officially launches. Hogan, who will also host Wrestlemania XXX this year, was scheduled to make an appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where the company made the announcement about the launch of the network, according to PWInsider.com, before the WWE changed their mind, at the last minute. The WWE is still considering inducting the Wrestlemania main event - Hulk Hogan and Mr. T versus "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper - into the Hall of Fame as part of Wrestlemania XXX's. Former WWE manager Jimmy Hart and The Undertaker are also scheduled to appear on Monday to help with the launch of the network.

Meantime, the WWE has yet to lock up Sting to a contract, with The Wrestling Observer reporting that while the WWE has no urgency to sign to the WCW legend and TNA Wrestling Hall of Famer since he will not be used in Wrestlemania XXX, Sting was believed to be interested in participating in this year's Wrestlemania rather than have a build-up that would culminate in next year's Wrestlemania XXXI. A deal with Sting seemed imminent weeks ago with both sides said to be close to deal with merchandising details - including a DVD chronicling his career in WCW in the works - still being worked out.

In CM Punk news, the "Straight Edge Superstar" employment status is still up in the air with Punk not being officially "future endeavor'd" by the WWE and still a few months lefts on his contract. McMahon addressed the CM Punk situation in a conference call with investors by saying that "CM Punk is on a sabbatical. Let's just leave it at that," according to 411mania.com.

Punk was at cage-side with Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White at UFC 170 Saturday for the Ronda Rousey-Sara McMann fight, with White clarifying to TMZ that he and Punk are friends enjoying the fights, never discussing business during the night. "He is a friend and a fan," said White, "We have literally never talked about wrestling or fighting or anything else work related since I've known him."

The injury to E! Total Diva Naomi of the Funkydactlys has caused a change in plans in the WWE Divas's title scene. Naomi will be out four-to-six weeks after suffering an eye injury in match against Askana on the February 3 edition of Monday Night Raw. Naomi did not need surgery for her fractured orbital bone but will be out of action for a while. Naomi was being set up for a title run with the WWE Divas title, possibly at Wrestlemania XXX, but plans have changed, according to F4WOnline.com, while she recovers from her injury.

Former WWE star Jake "The Snake" Roberts has been diagnosed with cancer and will undergo surgery on Tuesday. Roberts told TMZ.com that he went to the doctor after noticing a growth behind his knee, which turned out to be a cancerous tumor. Roberts said he will be at his WWE Hall of Fame induction in New Orleans, prior to Wrestlemania XXX, telling the Web site, "If the devil can't defeat me, cancer doesn't stand a chance in hell. Pray for sick children who face this horrible disease 'cause 'The Snake' will be just fine."

In NXT news, the WWE is interested in bringing in Ring of Honor's (ROH) Kevin Steen and Michael Elgin, according to Rajah.com. Elgin is the 2011 Survival of the Fittest tournament winner who recently received a ROH World title shot at Final Battle 2013 in December, in a Triple Threat match against ROH World Champion Adam Cole and Jay Briscoe. Steen is a former ROH World Champion and former ROH Tag Team Champion with El Generico, known as Sami Zayn in NXT.

Steen, whose contract with ROH expires in August, told Nigel McGuinness on The Kevin Steen Show that he would accept a try-out with the WWE but that he would be willing to re-sign with ROH if the WWE's offer did not satisfy him.