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PWINSIDER Q&A: WWE PERFORMERS IN ONE HOUR MATCHES, LASHLEY'S RETURN TO THE RING & MORE

While watching Smackdown replay the hour-long April 23 match where HBK beat Cena in England (on Cena's birthday, no less), I started thinking about Ironman matches. I know HBK's had several and Triple H has also been in one, but what other current wrestlers have been in ironman and/or hour-long matches, and who else in WWE do you think could put on an entertaining hour? I'd like to see what Finlay and Shelton could do.

Ric Flair, obviously, has had tons of one hour matches during the course of his career. CM Punk has done a number of one hour matches in Ring of Honor and the independent scene.  In fact, he once wrestled Chris Hero in a 93 minute bout for Ian Rotten's IWA Mid-South and did several one hour draws with Samoa Joe in ROH. I believe Steve Austin (if you count him as a current member of the roster) may have had 45-60 minute matches in WCW teaming with Brian Pillman against Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas. Beyond Michaels and Triple H, those are probably the only ones currently.  To answer your second question, I believe Punk, Finlay, William Regal and Matt Hardy could put together one hour matches if they needed to. I believe that if WWE asked him to, Flair would be more than willing to go an hour as well.  I'm not sure on Shelton Benjamin - I'm sure he has the conditioning to do it, but I don't believe he's ever been in a match longer than 20 minutes, so I'm not sure how he would fare in such a long bout.

Um, what happened to Little Runt (aka Spike Dudley) on TNA?  Did he get released?  Does creative have "nothing for him"?  What?  Last I saw, he was a staggering drunk on TNA mucking up Team 3-D's business.  then poof.  He was gone. Did TNA (storyline-wise) ever explain where he went?  Thanks.

Runt (Matt Hyson) was among a number of performers let go by the company earlier in the year, although I'm not sure he was ever under a full fledged TNA deal.  TNA never explained his departure, probably because they assume that they can just have him pop up down the line like nothing ever happened.  Hyson is living in Rhode Island, still wrestles on the independent scene and is training wrestlers as well.