WWE In NY and Chicago, Kane in action, top stars not on RAW or SmackDown

- Despite subjecting us to nearly 40 seconds of The Big Show in his underwear for the New Year’s RAW promo, WWE has scheduled The Big Show to appear on the John Cena vs Randy Orton leg of the WWE Holiday Tour, which goes head to head with WWE RAW this Monday. Also scheduled are Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio, The Real Americans vs. The Rhodes Brothers in a steel cage and Booker T refereeing the Cena-Orton main event.

- The Cena-Orton leg of the WWE Holiday tour kicks off this Thursday at Madison Square Garden in New York, followed by events on: Friday at the XL Center in Hartford, CT, Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, and Sunday at the GIANT Center in Hershey, PA.

- The other leg of the tour, which kicks off this Thursday at Allstate Arena in Chicago, is headlined by CM Punk facing The Shield in a handicap match, and Daniel Bryan battling Bray Wyatt in a steel cage. It is followed by events on: Friday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN, Saturday at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI and Sunday’s SmackDown taping at Verizon Center in Washington DC.

- It’s interesting to note that the Cena-Orton shows not only go head to head with RAW this Monday, but also the SmackDown taping this Sunday. Unless plans change, that would mean that Cena, Orton, Big Show, Kane, Alberto Del Rio, Ryback, Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara, amongst others, won’t appear on either RAW or SmackDown next week.