– As we reported earlier, there is a great deal of concern in WWE over the current talent situation, with so many superstars injured (Read More). Two of the top stars in WWE who are injured and will likely require surgery in the coming weeks are CM Punk and The Undertaker.

Punk will be having surgery this week to repair a torn tendon in either his hop or lower back. There is still a good chance that Punk will be healthy in time for WrestleMania, but we’ll have a better idea of his recovery time following surgery. There had been plans for a feud between CM Punk and WWE United States champion Daniel Bryan – which has the potential to be a great program.

As for the Undertaker, he likely needs shoulder surgery .. Of course, the big concern is that he’s healthy in time for WrestleMania.

– WWE will tape this week’s episodes of NXT and Friday Night SmackDown tonight from The Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Confirmed for tonight’s NXT is the wedding of Aksana and Goldust … Will Ted DiBiase and Maryse get involved? Also, a Rookie Diva will also be eliminated on tonight’s show. Naomi Knight has immunity from elimination.

On SmackDown, Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio has been announced as the main event. Advertised locally are Kane, Jack Swagger, Big Show and Rey Mysterio although Rey Mysterio wrestling is highly unlikely due to his ear injuiry.

– For those who have emailed us asking about the segment on RAW where Vince McMahon was said to be in a coma, the official WWE website says the situation stems from the beatdown Vince took from Nexus on RAW months ago.

– Speaking of that strange McMahon/coma/dream segment from RAW, many within WWE think that Vince McMahon talking about his wife’s Senate campaign was their way of making light of the situation in case Linda McMahon gets blown out today on Election Day. Of course Linda’s campaign is hopeful for a surprise win, but she was trailing by almost double digits as of Monday.

– There is a lot of concern within WWE right now due to the lack of talent depth on both the RAW and SmackDown rosters. Between all the superstars getting injured (Undertaker, Triple H, CM Punk), leaving the company (Shawn Michaels, Batista) and the company not elevating new stars until recently, the feeling is that the roster is the weakest it has been in years and the company needs to get its young talent over fast.

(Partial source: f4wonline.com)

— Kevin Nash, who recently became a free agent after he and TNA were unable to reach terms on a new contract, went on Twitter on Monday night and pitched an idea to Vince McMahon for him to return to WWE .. Nash, who was a booker for WCW back in the early 2000’s, seems to have the perfect scenario lined up for his return:

“Vince let me in the Rumble if I win i get taker at mania.If I lose I’ll join the kiss your ass club the next raw…………….DEAL?”

– WWE has announced that Miss USA Rima Fakih will be the guest star of the November 29th episode of WWE’s Monday Night RAW. That 3-hour edition of RAW from Philadelphia, PA will feature the return of the King of the Ring tournament. Fakih will be there to promote the Pink Fund,” which helps breast cancer patients pay for their medical bills.

– The Great Khali is being advertised for several upcoming RAW live events, so it looks like  Khali has been in India for a few months filming a reality TV show.

— Triple H made a brief cameo on Monday’s WWE RAW, but he was only heard – not seen. Triple H spoke to Stephanie while in bed during the Raw segment with Stephanie McMahon’s dream of her father in the hospital, being tended to by his doctor, Freddie Prinze Jr.

— In a dark mach that took place after Monday’s RAW went off the air, WWE Champion Randy Orton defended the title in a triple threat match against Wade Barrett and Sheamus.

Orton started off going after Wade Barrett, but was taken out by Sheamus. The heels beat down Orton for a few minutes, until Orton reversed a double clothesline and took them out. Orton gave Wade Barrett the middle finger and threw him outside of the ring. Orton worked over Sheamus before hitting the RKO on Wade Barrett for the win. A reader who sent in the match report said the crowd popped big for the finish.

• PICTURES of Triple H’s WWE Return Over The Weekend: MUCH Smaller & No Beard

Former WWE Women’s Champion Amy “Lita”Dumas made an appearance on Monday’s episode of WWE RAW in a segment with Pee-Wee Herman, Melina, Mark Henry, Eve Torres and The Bella Twins.

According to a WWE source, Lita’s appearance on RAW was a one-time deal and she has not re-signed with World Wrestling Entertainment.

Lita is known to be a big Pee-Wee Herman fan and was called over the weekend to see if she was interested.

• Pictures of LITA Dressed As A ZOMBIE Eating BRAINS!

WWE issued the following press release on Monday:

STAMFORD, Conn., November 1, 2010 – Not so coincidently after President Obama’s visit to Connecticut this past weekend and on the eve of the midterm elections, WWE is being threatened by the U.S. Department of Justice of the Obama Administration with potential criminal activity for distributing WWE t-shirts near select polling stations tomorrow on Election Day.

“This is clearly heavy-handed bullying from big government and would appear to be desperate political activity in closely contested elections in Connecticut,” said Vince McMahon, Chairman and CEO World Wrestling Entertainment. “This is consistent with some Attorney Generals’ tactics that threaten litigation for political gain.”

Under this ambiguous threat of legal action by the U.S. Department of Justice, WWE has reluctantly decided not to give away WWE merchandise near select polling stations tomorrow.

The controversy began with Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz’s directive stating “if poll workers feel like the wearing of WWE paraphernalia is in any way interfering with the voting process, they can ask the individual to cover it up or come back with something else on.” The directive was ultimately overturned by a Federal Judge last week. Subsequently, to celebrate the victory of restoring voters’ rights, WWE had planned to give away WWE merchandise at select polls to anyone regardless of political affiliation or whether they intended to vote.

WWE star Triple H and his wife Stephanie McMahon-Leveque attended a political rally for Linda McMahon’s Senate campaign in Danbury, Connecticut over the weekend:

According to the Wall Street Journal, the final Quinnipiac University poll prior to Tuesday’s Election Day shows signs of momentum for Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon.

Linda McMahon trails Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has narrowed the gap from last week and is now down just nine percentage points in the race for Connecticut’s open Senate seat. Last week a Quinnipiac found a 12-point lead for Blumenthal.

Check Out: Stephanie & Triple H Campaign For Linda (Video)

Douglas Schwartz, Quinnipiac’s poll director, said McMahon’s surge “may be too little, too late.” McMahon has spent more than $40 million of her personal fortune during the campaign flooded the airwaves with television ads attacking Blumenthal.

Despite the 9-point gap, Schwartz stresses that it’s still too close to count McMahon out. Independent voters have been unpredictable this election season and could swing the race either way.

Update: The final Rasmussen poll before Election Day has Linda McMahon down 46% to 53%. Like the Quinnipiac poll, Linda was trailing by double digits last week.  Linda appeared on FOX & Friends on Monday morning and said that her campaign’s internal polls have them going into tomorrow’s election in a “dead heat.”

WWE and video game publisher THQ sent out the following press release on Monday:

THQ and WWE(R) Announce Integrated Marketing Agreement

THQ Expects to Reach More WWE Fans by Aligning Marketing with WWE’s Full Range of Products and Events Throughout the Year

AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Nov 01, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — THQ Inc. and World Wrestling Entertainment today announced a new, comprehensive marketing agreement. THQ-developed, WWE-branded video games will be integrated into domestic and international events, pay-per-view and television sponsorships, magazines, WWE.com, WWE DVDs, and more. In addition, for the first time, THQ will host interactive gaming kiosks at 40 WWE live events. This significantly expands THQ’s previous marketing efforts concentrated around the launch of individual WWE video games.

“This strategic marketing agreement reflects the benefits of working more closely with WWE to maximize the interactive entertainment experience for fans of this leading sports entertainment brand,” said THQ President and CEO Brian Farrell. “We expect to increase awareness of our games through this new integrated program. Beyond that, we are expanding our WWE video game offerings with social applications and brand extensions to help WWE fans enjoy different interactive experiences throughout the year.”

THQ Marketing Agreement Key Features:

THQ video game kiosks featuring WWE(R) SmackDown(R) vs. Raw(R) 2011 and WWE(R) All Stars(TM) hosted at 40 WWE live events from Tuesday, October 26, 2010 through Saturday, April 16, 2011. High profile sponsorship of WWE pay-per-views and television programming, with greater in-program integration of THQ video games. Significantly increased online presence, including year-round participation on WWE.com. Integration of video game launches with WWE international events. Cross-promotion in 15-20 WWE DVDs.

“We are pleased to move our partnership forward in a broader, more comprehensive way,” said WWE Chie Operating Officer Donna Goldsmith. “Working together, we plan to give our fans more access to all of the great interactive entertainment being created by THQ, as well as develop robust promotions to increase awareness of all WWE platforms.”

In addition to working more closely with WWE from a marketing perspective, THQ is developing an array of products built around the WWE brand. This suite of products includes social media, iPhone and iPad applications, console brand extensions, and a powerful community site. The goal is to enable WWE video game fans to stay connected all year long.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker tells Sherdog.com that he does not believe Gina Carno’s (7-1) loss to Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos (10-1) in August 2009 will be her last time in the cage:

“I know Gina is not going to go out the way that it went down. Her whole thing now is just timing and scheduling. She’s got the movie coming out in April, I believe, and she’s got some more stuff on her plate … I know, just like Cung [Le] or other people that have [been] part of the film business … they’re still a fighter by heart, believe me, and they have that desire to compete. I think Gina will be the same. It’s just a matter of time. I believe she will fight in 2011.”

– Tonight’s episode of WWE’s Monday Night RAW will take place from the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York. Comedian Pee-Wee Herman will be the show’s guest star. As of last week, there were plans to incorporate characters from “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” into the show .. Pee-Wee is the last celebrity on WWE’s schedule of RAW guest stars.

No matches have been announced as of Monday morning, but last week WWE teased Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz  for tonight.

Local advertisements are promoting that WWE Champion Randy Orton will defend against John Cena, Sheamus and Wade Barrett in a fatal fourway match as the dark match main event.

– Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani has endorsed Linda McMahon’s Unites States Senate campaign. At a campaign rally in Windsor, Connecticut last Friday, Giuliani said that McMahon is the right person for the job.

– WWE developmental talent Brodius Clay worked the house shows over the weekend for the Smackdown brand and is expected to be on the road with WWE this week. (Source: pwinsider.com)

– WWE has released new line of “old school” merchandise on the WWE Shop website. There are a bunch of new t-shirts and hats now available that feature classic WWE logos from the 1980’s & 1990’s, including the old WWF block logo, WrestleMania, Survivor Series, RAW is WAR, SummerSlam, WCW and more. You can check those out at WWEShop.com.

– It was announced at Sunday’s WWE live event from the TD Garden in Boston, MA that tickets for the 2011 Royal Rumble will go on sale this coming Saturday.

– As you’ve probably read by now, WWE star Triple H returned to action over the weekend at WWE’s Fan Appreciation event in Connecitcut. Despite the 1-night return, Triple H is not fully healed following his recent biceps surgery and the match with Alberto Del Rio was described as “safe.” The Game wrestled in a t-shirt and jeans and looks like he’s dropped some muscle mass.

• View Here: Triple H Returns At Fan Appreciation Night

– There is talk that WWE will be releasing a “Best of WCW Monday Nitro” DVD set this May, which would be patterned after the “Best of Raw” seasons format. A DVD set on Bill Goldberg is also in the works.

– Michelle McCool, Layla, MVP, Kofi Kingston and Hornswoggle will be appearing at a Toys for Tots event tomorrow at Tommy K Vitamins in Stamford, Connecticut from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Fans are required to donate money or a toy to receive autographs.

Former WWE star Matt Hardy is back with another YouTube video. In Episode 109, Hardy responds to a recent reference by Randy Orton about his fondness of … grapes.

• Related Video: Matt Hardy Posts Wacky Video & Sure Loves Grapes
  

Hardy talks about Randy Orton’s comment and his relationship with Randy Orton, gives an explanation of his “Matt” & “Matthew” personas, rants about the Internet wrestling community and more.

Here’s the video:

E#109 My Thoughts On Randy Orton
“Several people have asked me what I think about Randy Orton after Randy answered a question from one of his Twitter followers.. Well, here’s my thoughts. Enjoy.”

: After suffering a hip injury at the WWE Bragging Rights pay-per-view, RAW superstar CM Punk underwent an MRI last week and it was determined that he will likely require surgery and will be out of action for up to 3 months.

The belief is that Punk could have probably delayed surgery and worked through the injury, but the injury would eventually get worse and surgery is inevitable. Similar to The Undertaker’s injury situation, undergoing surgery now will allow him to return in time for the start of WrestleMania season in January.

Read More: The Latest On Undertaker’s Shoulder Injury & WM27 Opponent

WWE does not want to lose yet another top character, so creative has been told to write storylines for Punk that will keep him on television without him having to wrestle.

(Partial source: PWInsider.com)

WWE Champion Randy Orton is featured on the official promotional poster for WWE’s final pay-per-view of the year, Tables, Ladders & Chairs.

WWE TLC takes place on Sunday, December 19th from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

Pay-per-view provider iNDEMAND has released the officail official promotional poster and synopsis for TNA’s Final Resolution pay-per-view, which takes place on Sunday, December 5th from the iMPACT Zone in Orlando.

Synopsis: “It has been a year of triumphs and tribulations. On December 5th, see all of your favorite stars, including; Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, Rob Van Dam, Abyss, Samoa Joe, Mr. Anderson, Mick Foley, Sting and Hulk Hogan. Don’t miss “TNA: Final Resolution” only on Pay-Per-View!”

Tune into ROH on HDNet on Monday,  November 1^st at 8 & 11pm for another great hour of professional wrestling. This week’s episode will feature:

Main Event – STEEL CAGE MATCH
El Generico & Colt Cabana vs. Kevin Steen & Steve Corino

World TV Title Match
Eddie Edwards (Champion) vs. Rhett Titus (Challenger)

Women of Honor Match
Rachel Summerlyn vs. Sara Del Rey

VIDEO #1

VIDEO #2

UFC newcomer and WEC veteran Urijah Faber (23-4) talks about the news that WEC is being absorbed into the UFC at the end of the year:

One-time Bellator Fighting Championships veteran and former pro boxer Jessica Rakoczy failed a post-fight drug test by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. This is the first time a female MMA fighter has failed a test in Nevada – and her fighting license could be suspended as a result.

Rakoczy tested positive for Oxymorphone and Oxycodone following her October 9th victory over Jennifer Scott on the Xplosion show.

(Source: MMAJunkie.com)

UFC issued the following press release on Friday:

UFC ALSO ANNOUNCES DEAL WITH VERSUS TO AIR FOUR FIGHTS IN 2011

Las Vegas, NV (USA) – In a media conference call today, Ultimate Fighting Championship® President Dana White announced the UFC is adding two new championship divisions at bantamweight (135lbs.) and featherweight (145lbs.), while also announcing a new television deal with the VERSUS Network to air four UFC fights in 2011.

“As the UFC continues to evolve and grow globally, we want to be able to give fans title fights in every weight division,” said White. “This is a big day for the sport and the athletes who will have the opportunity to fight on the biggest stage in the world.”

The two new divisions feature WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo who will now be recognized as the reigning UFC featherweight champion, and WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. White confirmed that the winner of the Dec. 16 lightweight title fight between WEC champion Ben Henderson and top contender Anthony Pettis live on VERSUS will take on the winner of the UFC 125 main event title bout between champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. This upcoming fight will serve as a UFC lightweight title unification bout to be held next year.

White also stated the UFC is expanding its presence on the VERSUS Network in 2011, and will increase its number of UFC events from two to four per year. Versus is scheduled to air the two remaining live WEC events in 2010 on Nov. 11 and Dec. 16. The Nov. 11 event in Las Vegas will feature “The California Kid” Urijah Faber’s debut at bantamweight as he takes on Takeya Mizugaki, while the Dec. 16 event in Glendale, Ariz. will feature Henderson-Pettis and a bantamweight title clash between Dominick Cruz and challenger Scott Jorgensen with the winner becoming the new UFC bantamweight champion.

“We have a great relationship with the VERSUS network, and we look forward to working with them to give UFC fans even more free fights in 2011,” said White.

UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture (19-10) recently spoke to ESPN’s MMA Live about the rumors that he’s strongly considering retiring once and for all. “The Natural” said:

“I don’t think I’m going to make any public announcements because I don’t think anybody’s going to buy it. I did that once and came back. I don’t want to be like Brett [Favre]. I do feel like I’ve had my wars, I’ve had my battles. I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I am competing and training and feel better than I ever felt physically but I don’t see myself making another run at the title, at heavyweight or light-heavyweight, being honest.

“I think at some point, I’ve got to call enough, enough. I’ve had an amazing year. My last few fights in honesty were more novelty fights. Not to take anything away from my opponents, but that’s the truth of the matter. They didn’t really matter in the division, they didn’t really put me any closer to a title, and I have to make a decision at some point. So I think I would entertain another novelty-type fight. I could still compete but I don’t see myself making a run at the title any time soon.”

Couture retired once before following a loss to Chuck Liddell at UFC 57 back 2006. He returned to the UFC a year later and captured the UFC Heavyweight title from Tim Sylvia at UFC 68. Since returning to the UFC in 2006, his record is 4-2, with impressive wins over Silva, Brandon Vera, Mark Coleman and boxing great James Toney.

– TNA Champion Jeff Hardy announced on Twitter this week that he and his girlfriend Beth are the proud parents of a healthy baby girl. This is most likely the reason why he missed the most recent iMPACT! tapings. Congratulations to the new parents!

– The Family Feud television game show sent out the following announcement this week announcing a special TNA edition of the show next week:

“TNA Wrestling Superstars go head to head in a very special edition of “Family Feud” next week. For “TNA Wrestling Week” it’s a battle of beauty vs. brawn as the TNA Knockouts go head to head with the TNA Superstars over some serious bragging rights. Host Steve Harvey will have his hands full with these two teams for the week-long grudge match, airing all next week beginning Monday, November 11. Check your local listings for times and channels where “The Feud” airs near you.”

-Velvet Sky and Chris Sabin’s romantic relationship was mentioned on this week’s TNA iMPACT! Following a brawl that took place among the TNA Knockouts, Sky said she was going to “call Chris” before she got too upset.

Check out this picture of Chris Sabin and Velvet Sky:

– According to a reliable source, there is some frustration in WWE that Vince McMahon’s top priority these days is the “Stand Up For WWE” campaign – and the television product is suffering as a result. WWE employees and superstars have been voluntarily “standing up for WWE” and recording video testimonials about how great the company is, but the overall feeling is that Vince’s time would be much better spent developing better storylines and feuds. People are optimistic that things will get better after Linda McMahon’s Senate campaign ends next week (Election Day is 11/2).

– Earlier in the week, a fan asked Orton if he was going to open a YouTube page. Orton took a shot at Hardy and replied, “And do what? Eat grapes?” .. This is a reference to Matt Hardy, who was eating (and raving about) grapes in one of his recent YouTube videos. Hardy, who is still operating two seperate Twitter accounts (one as “Matt” and one as “Matthew”), wrote the following (As Matthrew) in response to Orton’s remark:

“Make sure to check out the Matt Hardy brand youtube channel because their is going to be an entry on there, a can’t miss entry which is going to be about a current WWE champion, and actually one who might think about eating grapes for breakfast.”

(Partial Source: PWInsider.com)

BUY IT HERE: SmackDown vs. RAW 2010 (Amazon.com)

The hosts of the Monday Night Mayhem Internet radio show sent in the following recap with THQ’s Bryan Williams, a developer of the new Smackdown vs. RAW 2010 video game:

THQ’s Bryan Williams Discusses The Release Of WWE’s SmackDown vs. RAW 2011, The Changes & Improvements From Last Year’s Game (Highlighted By The All-New “WWE Universe” & “Road to WrestleMania” Modes), The Feedback Received From WWE Superstars Thus Far, Which Match Was Focused On The Most (From A Game Designer’s Perspective), Taking The Royal Rumble Online For the First Time Ever, & Which Potential Additions Could Be Made As Part Of The Forthcoming DLC Release Later This Fall

THQ’s Bryan Williams was a featured guest on this week’s live edition (10/25/10) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem. You can feel the “MNM Fall Tour ’10” every Monday night (at 7PM ET/6PM CT).

• Listen Here: THQ’s Bryan Williams/Monday Night Mayhem Interview

Interview highlights courtesy of The Mayhem’s official correspondent, Paterson from New Jersey:

The changes & improvements that THQ made from last year’s game (SmackDown vs. RAW 2010) to this year’s game (SmackDown vs. RAW 2011) & why the Hell in a Cell Match, from a game designer’s perspective, was focused on the most:

“Where do you start? We’ve added so much new content to 2011, which is a major feat, because SmackDown vs. RAW 2010 had a wealth of content as well. We added dynamic physics into the game for the first time and added it to all the objects in the game: tables, chairs, & all the objects that reside under the wrestling ring. It makes all the matches, like TLC or Chairs Match, or any match involving weapons that much more lifelike & representative of what you see on Pay-Per-View or weekly television. We also revamped the Hell in the Cell Match. Fans have been asking us for years to update that experience and for good reason. It was the match that needed the most attention. We enlarged the cell and made it more of the scope of the structure.”

Taking the Royal Rumble Match online for the first time ever:

“We redid the Royal Rumble match in 2010, and this year we brought it online. You could have up to 12 human players in the match, and I gotta tell you, it’s fun as hell. Even if you get eliminated, you’ll still be able to control a Superstar coming in from the 30, so you never have that feeling like you’re just watching the match and waiting to play.”

The feedback THQ has received from SmackDown vs. RAW 2011 thus far from the WWE superstars & which ones in particular will go as far to play the game as themselves:

“Yes, they play as themselves. That’s why they get so upset when their attributes are on the lower side of things. There’s a couple of guys that I know for a fact play the game, Kofi Kingston plays the game a bit, Dolph Ziggler plays the game, Evan Bourne plays it. Those are the guys I know for a fact plays the game, and Kofi is pretty good at it.”

Which potential additions could be made as part of the DLC (downloadable content) for SmackDown vs. RAW 2011, in addition to what’s being released later this fall & which one superstar he would love to see sooner vs. later into the game itself:

“I can’t really say. There has been some talks about maybe doing another one, but a decision hasn’t been made one way or another. I think what we’re gonna do is take a wait & see approach and see how the first couple of packs do, and if there’s success, and we get a lot of people downloading the DLC’s, I think that will definitely help & urge us to do a fourth pack. I would like to do another so we could get Daniel Bryan in the game, but all these decisions are not mine to make. I could only voice my decisions and hope & pray.”

Much more is included in Bryan’s highly-anticipated Mayhem return, including his thoughts on the game’s all-new “WWE Universe” mode, what fans can expect in this year’s “Road to WrestleMania” mode, the creation upgrades from SmackDown vs. RAW 2010, plus much more! Follow The Mayhem right now on Twitter (at www.Twitter.com/FeelTheMayhem), as one lucky Mayhem follower/listener will score a copy of the game for the Nintendo Wii this coming weekend! Eight more giveaway copies are coming your way throughout the rest of the “MNM Fall Tour ’10” leading through our “2010: Year In Review” special on December 27th. Log on to the official website of SmackDown vs. RAW 2011 (located at community.smackdownvsraw.com), and be sure to follow the “SD vs. RAW” franchise on Facebook & on Twitter right now (located respectively at www.Facebook.com/WWEGames & www.Twitter.com/WWEGames).

TNA Turning Point: 11/7 on PPV

Following Thursday’s episode of TNA iMPACT!, below is the updated announced card for TNA’s Turning Point on November 7th:

TNA World Heavyweight Title Match
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Mr. Anderson

TNA X Division Title Match
Jay Lethal (c) vs. Robbie E.

TNA Tag Team Title Match
The Motor City Machine Guns (c) vs.  Team 3D

Fortune vs. EV 2.0
Winners get to fire a ember of the losing team’s stable

TNA Knockouts Match
Mickie James vs. Tara

Also expected on the show, based on what we saw on iMPACT!:

Last Rites Match
Abyss vs. The Pope

Jeff Jarrett vs. Samoa Joe

Rob Van Dam vs. Tommy Dreamer