Linda McMahon’s Senate 2012 campaign has released its first ad, titled, “Back to Work”

Tonight’s WWE RAW Supershow emanates from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Following last week’s “No Confidence” vote and the walkout that concluded the show, a “solidarity rally” is planned for tonight, with the disgruntled Superstars that will take place in the parking lot of the arena for tonight’s show.

Several WWE superstars tweeted over the weekend that they will be protesting at tonight’s RAW and will not return to work until Triple H is removed from power. The Chesapeake Energy Arena website lists the following preview for tonight’s RAW:

“Triple H vows to absolutely not step down from running Monday Night RAW. Furthermore, Triple H vows that John Cena, CM Punk, Randy Orton, Sheamus and the Big Show will headline Monday night’s event. However, 55 of the WWE Superstars who walked out last week have vowed not to return until Triple H is removed from power.”

The WWE website has been teasing that a brawl will take place at the “solidarity rally” tonight – with Cena, Punk, Orton, Sheamus and Big Show ready to confront the 55 superstars who walked out last week.

And of course, with RAW taking place from WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross’ home state of Oklahoma, don’t be surprised to see JR attacked or embarrassed in some way tonight.

WWE performer Darren Young has broken his silence about his 30-day suspension from WWE following his violation of the company’s Wellness Policy last week. Young wrote the following on Twitter over the weekend:

“To the WWE Universe, I sincerely apologize to my loving family, my supportive friends back up North, my peers who I have an incredible amount of respect for top to bottom and to all my fans that support #DYoung; I hear u loud and clear #WWE.

I take full responsibility for my actions as this will never occur again.

I love the @WWE and the worst thing you can do to me is keep me off that stage where I own it in that ring!

I accept this set back as a normal part of living; making a mental a note of it as a lessoned learned! D Young”

The Reunion, a WWE Studios action film, stars WWE Superstar John Cena, Ethan Embry (Brotherhood, CSI Miami), Michael Rispoli (The Sopranos, Invincible, Mr. 3000), Boyd Holbrook (Milk) and Amy Smart (Road Trip, Starsky & Hutch, Varsity Blues).

The Cleary brothers, Sam (JOHN CENA), Leo (ETHAN EMBRY) and Douglas (BOYD HOLBROOK) take dysfunctional families to a new level. Sam and Leo have grown up hating each other and neither likes their juvenile delinquent kid brother, Douglas, to whom they’ve only recently been introduced. The sons share the same father, a womanizing drunk, but all have different mothers. Their father died a rich man, and when they’re brought together by their sister Nina (AMY SMART) to learn which of them will inherit the old man’s fortune, they are handed an unpleasant surprise.

A requirement of the will is that the three estranged siblings go into business together as bail bondsmen. Their first job is to bring in a parole violator who has left Leo with a $250,000 debt. Their search will take them into the mountains of Mexico where they encounter a drug lord and uncover a kidnapping plot, masterminded by an embittered entrepreneur (MICHAEL RISPOLI) that will endanger them all.

The movie opens in theaters Friday, October 21.

– Chris Jericho answered a series of fan questions Saturday on Twitter and was asked if he plans on returning to WWE. He responded:

“No plans as of right now.”

– Since parting ways with WWE in August, Melina has been posting and favoring messages on Twitter which suggest that her relationship with John Morrison is not picture perfect. She interestingly added the following messages to her Favorites list late last week.

“I’m proud of my heart. It’s been played, stabbed, cheated, burned and broken, but somehow still works.”

“I never get jealous when I see my ex with someone else, because my parents always taught me to give my used toys to the less fortunate.”

– Former WWE star Stevie Richards turns 40 years old today.

Both Chavo and Vickie Guerrero are remembering Eddie Guerrero today, who would have turned 44 years old.

Vickie wrote of her late husband on Twitter, “Happy 44th Birthday Eddie! I love you and you are missed! Thank you to everyone showing your love and respect for Eddie. My daughters and I are humbled and grateful. If Eddie was here today, he would have had a feast of all his fav foods. He always knew how to have fun and celebrate his bday!!!”

Chavo wrote, “Today is Eddie’s birthday. 44yrs old. I miss him very much! I know many of u do too. Let’s celebrate in his honor! Missed but not forgotten!”

“Eddie, As the best who said it…”VIVA LA RAZA!”

“In honor of Eddie’s birthday, I’m gonna frogsplash the 1st person to piss me off today!”

— Brock Lesnar will be announced as a “Legend” for THQ’s WWE ’12 video game later this week.

UFC approved of Lesnar’s inclusion in the game on the condition that he was presented as a wrestler and not a mixed martial artist.

There are no plans for Lesnar to be further involved with WWE.

— The Miz celebrated his 31st birthday Saturday by invading WWE’s Raw brand house show in Loveland, Colorado. He and R-Truth ran through the crowd in street clothes to interfere in the WWE Championship Match between Alberto Del Rio and John Cena, causing a disqualification. They knelt down with their hands behind their heads in surrender, but Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston dove onto them from the top rope.

— Alberto Del Rio is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Inside Wrestling.

source: PWInsider.com

StreetCorner.com.au has a story on CM Punk’s appearance Friday at the Nickelodeon Australian Kids’ Choice Awards. The WWE Superstar stormed the stage after it was announced that Kyle Sandilands beat him out for the ‘Best Baddie’ award and told the crowd, “People in America don’t even know who Kyle Sandipants is. Punk was subsequently doused with the network’s trademark green slime.

During his trip Down Under, Punk participated in an interview with World News Australia and answered a series of WWE related questions. He was notably asked what it takes to be a WWE Superstar.

“Personality, I think, is the first thing,” Punk responds. “I think the second thing is the intangible… this is probably, actually, the first thing. You hear it a lot. People talk about the “it factor,” you know? Certain people have this intangible quality to them. And I can’t explain what it is, I don’t think Vince McMahon would be able to explain what it is, there’s just something about certain people that just reaches out and grabs you.

“And they don’t always have to be the tallest guys, the biggest guys. This goes for the girls, too, but there’s always just something about somebody, like a Jake Roberts or a Randy Orton where there’s just this air about them that kind of separates them from not only, I guess, civilians but other WWE Superstars and makes them the upper echelon. It’s just an intangible quality. Other than that, I think a lot of heart, sacrifice and hard work obviously goes a long way too.”

The video can be accessed here.

WWE.com has published an article looking back at Halloween Havoc, WCW’s annual October pay-per-view event.

Former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Diamond Dallas Page remembers Halloween Havoc as one of WCW’s biggest events, second only to Starrcade.

“All the competitors knew the importance of Halloween Havoc, it was the WCW equivalent to SummerSlam,” he tells WWE.com. “We held the last five Havocs in Las Vegas and the fans were electric. There were celebrities visiting us backstage. It was the closest we got to the feeling of today’s SummerSlam without being at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.”

Page vividly recalls his Havoc confrontations with Eddie Guerrero in 1996, “Macho Man” Randy Savage in 1997 and Bill Goldberg in 1998. He feels his match with Goldberg was especially great.

“I challenge anyone to find a better match than me and Goldberg at Havoc ’98,” he says. “There are few matches that were as physical, exhausting and psychological as that one. I just remember us both hurting and visiting the chiropractor after that.”

Halloween Havoc is often brought up among fans as one of the top events of the 1990s. Page attributes the “high-octane” matches and fan interest as the major factors in making it WCW’s second biggest event of the year.

“It was a great show for everyone involved, fans and competitors alike,” Page feels. “I say WWE should bring it back!”

The full article can be accessed here.

— CM Punk is en route to the United States after attending the Australian version of the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Friday. Therefore, he isn’t scheduled for this weekend’s Raw live event tour.

The former WWE Champion was nominated for the “Best Baddie” award but lost to Australian radio and television personality Kyle Sandilands.

— Todd Grisham’s profile on WWE.com has been transferred from the SmackDown Superstars section to the Alumni section, thus finalizing his departure from the organization.

It was disclosed on the August 23, 2011 episode of NXT that Grisham, who handled play-by-play duties for the program, would be leaving WWE to pursue new interests—a job with ESPN.

— The October 7, 2011 episode of WWE Vintage Collection on Sky Sports featured the following matches: Barbarian vs. Meng (WCW Road Wild 1998), Doom vs. The Fabulous Freebirds (WCW Wrestle War 1991), Ron Simmons vs. Butch Reed (WCW SuperBrawl), Diesel vs. Shawn Michaels (In Your House: Good Friends, Better Enemies).

— Different countries have different artwork for THQ’s upcoming WWE ’12 video game and the original Sin Cara has been chosen for the cover in Mexico.

— Matches have been announced for WWE’s upcoming tour of Japan. November 30, 2011 at Yokohama Arena will feature John Cena vs. Alberto del Rio for the WWE Championship, Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston for the United States Championship, and Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix for the Divas Championship. December 1, 2011 at Yokohama Arena will feature John Cena and CM Punk vs. TBA, Big Show vs. Mason Ryan, and Dolph Ziggler vs. Evan Bourne for the United States Championship.

— Kaitlyn turned twenty-five years old on Friday.

In light of news that WWE Chief Operating Officer Triple H has vowed to not step down from running the Raw Supershow, Christian has spearheaded an effort by various Superstars, Divas, referees, announcers and crew members to travel to Oklahoma City on Monday and stage a “Solidarity Rally” in the backstage parking lot of the Chesapeake Energy Arena prior to the show. The contingent, which consists of those who walked out on Triple H this past Monday night, tell WWE.com that they will not return to the Raw Supershow or step into the venue to perform until Triple H relinquishes control.

Triple H stated earlier in a video interview that John Cena, CM Punk, Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show will headline Monday night’s telecast.

“Beyond that, I might not have referees, I might not have announcers, I might not have cameramans. Quite frankly, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “We’ll see what we come up with on Monday. Hell, they might all show up and I won’t let anyone back in.”

The cast of beloved 1980’s movie The Princess Bride reunited on ABC’s Good Morning America on Friday and told stories about one of the main reasons the movie is such a classic – Andre the Giant.

WWE’s live events website (www.wwelivetour.com) remains offline after nude images were published in the photo gallery on Wednesday.

The website featured an unmoderated section where fans are permitted to upload photos taken at live events. A nude photo of former WWE Diva Tiffany from her Playboy modeling days was uploaded to the website, garnering attention online. More tawdry images were uploaded including a graphic still of Chyna’s s genitalia from her 2004 adult film 1 Night in China, a photo depicting TNA Wrestling broadcasters Mike Tenay and Taz looking on with approval, and a photo of The Miz with lettering reading “I’d fap to that.”

Stephanie McMahon, who oversees the website, called an emergency meeting upon learning of the situation. “Everyone was said to be blaming everyone else,” according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

World News Australia recently conducted a sit-down interview with the breakout star of 2011, CM Punk.

The straight-edge superstar discusses his straightedge lifestyle, playing an antihero, his life on the road, when he thinks he may retire, and more.

One of the more noteworthy quotes – “Vince McMahon has no idea what cool is.”

It’s a great interview – check it out below and then hit up the comments with your thoughts.

Colt Cabana stated during an interview with Pitch.com that he has not heard back from WWE officials since working two tryout matches for the organization in August.

“They won’t return my calls or anything,” he tells Justin Kendall. “It’s pretty weird, man. I don’t get it. Nobody was really receptive. It’s just like they wanted to ignore it. I think it’s because Punk is such a rebel that … they were able re-sign Punk, but I think to kind of stick it to him, they don’t want to talk to his friend.

He is asked whether he had that feeling when he worked the tryout matches.

“Nah,” Cabana responded. “It didn’t seem like. All of the wrestlers and all of the personalities and all of the personnel, they love me. They get it. I think there’s just a group of people who don’t get me or don’t want to get me. Unfortunately, that keeps me away from an opportunity, but at the same time, I think the answer was so obvious to put me on TV and capitalize on it.

“At the same time, I think it’s really nice that my fans are really gathering around me and supporting me and continuing me in wrestling without WWE. A lot of people say that you can only be successful if you’re in WWE, and I’m a great case and point where when it’s all said and done, to be a great wrestler doesn’t mean that you have to be a WWE Champion or WWE superstar.”

The full interview can be accessed here.

— Former WWE superstar John Bradshaw Layfield has posted a new discussion on his Facebook page answering the question he says he’s asked most on Facebook and Twitter – whether he’ll ever return to WWE. To read his full blog update, click here.

Here’s what he said about a WWE return:

“Will I return to WWE? I doubt it, but you never know. I am not looking for a job and they are not asking me to return so it has not come up. I had to retire due to injuries, and yes, the 23 second match with Rey at Wrestlemania was my idea-at that point in my career due to injuries I could not have had any type of real match.

“I was so hurt at that point that I literally couldn’t walk anywhere of distance and didn’t have the ability to work out. I hated being out of shape and realized I was tired of smoke and mirrors to hide my inadequacies-I didn’t want to be one of those old guys who had held on too long and I was in danger of becoming exactly that.

“It’s taken over two full years but I am currently in the best health, and shape, I have been in over a decade.”

JBL said he is currently training for the New York Marathon in November and then plans to climb the tallest volcano in the world (in Ecuador) in February.

He ended the piece by saying, “Bottom line-I am not looking for a job and WWE is not looking to offer me one. I hope this answers the question I am asked most frequently.”

Mr. Long Island Iced Z, Zack Ryder is back with another installment of his Z! True Long Island Story video series. This week’s show includes footage of what happened after Monday’s RAW went off the air – and it doesn’t end well for our favorite broski.

The following is scheduled for tonight’s WWE SmackDown on SyFy broadcast:

* The Big Show returns after several months away to confront the man who took him out of action, World champion Mark Henry

* A continuation of the “No Confidence” walkout segment from RAW

* WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio vs. Sin Cara (Blue & Gold)

* WWE Tag Team Champions Air Boom vs. US Champion Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger

* WWE Divas champion Beth Phoenix vs. Alicia Fox

* Ezekiel Jackson vs. Jinder Mahal

* Randy Orton & Sheamus vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes & Christian

– Sirius XM Radio announced on Thursday that The Miz will host an exclusive fantasy football show heard nationwide on SiriusXM’s 24/7 fantasy sports channel.

First and Awesome will air Wednesdays (6:00-7:00 pm ET) during the NFL season on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio, channel 87 on XM and channel 210 on Sirius Premier (formerly known as “The Best of XM”).

– The WWE website posted a “worked” statement on Thursday announcing what to expect on Monday’s RAW Supershow:

• WWE Chief Operating Officer Triple H vows to “absolutely not step down” from running WWE Raw SuperShow.
• Triple H vows that John Cena, CM Punk, Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show will headline Monday night’s telecast, emanating from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.
• Despite the walkout that took place on RAW, Triple H will continue day-to-day operations.

– Rey Mysterio tweeted on Thursday that he will not be traveling to Mexico next week’s for WWE’s upcoming tour of Mexico, which will include the first-ever RAW television taping from Mexico. Mysterio, who recently underwent two knee surgeries, wrote (translated):

“Recovery is slow but effective, I am sorry that I will not be with you in Mexico for the recording of Raw.”

– Randy Orton, who was one of the WWE superstars who did not take part in the walkout that took place at the end of Monday’s RAW, tweeted the following on Thursday regarding the angle:

“Many of you have asked me where I stand with HHH’s vote of confidence. Undecided, so I will see all of u live from Oklahoma City for RAW…and someone will be on the receiving end of an RKO.”

* Find Out Why Certain Top WWE Stars Skipped The Walkout On RAW

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR wrote about:

Mark Henry vs. Undertaker at WM28? “Yes..Mark Henry has made a definitive impact in WWE and I would be shocked if Henry loses the World Title any time soon. However, I also don’t feel that he’s unbeatable because no one is. Mark Henry has upped his game as much as any one I can name in recent times in WWE. Could the new and improved Mark Henry possibly face the Undertaker at WM28? Any thing is possible.”

WWE Reviving Its Tag Team Division: “Yes I do believe that tag team wrestling has a chance to make a come back in WWE based on what I have seen recently. Time will tell but there are some positive signs that would indicate that WWE is more committed than in recent years to develop more viable tag teams.  However, for any one to think that today’s tag team scene will soon rival previous eras when teams stayed together for years and refined their skills isn’t likely, at least that’s one guy’s opinion.

WWE Hall of Fame Announcer Gorilla Monsoon: “This is the anniversary of his death and there is rarely a day that goes by that I don’t think of him. I can truthfully say that if it had not been for Bob Marella’s friendship and support when I first arrived at WWE in 1993 from the ‘enemy’ WCW that I seriously doubt that I would have had the Hall of Fame career in WWE that I have been blessed to have. Gorilla Monsoon was one of the finest men that I have ever known in any walk of life. His organic, on air chemistry with Bobby Heenan was unmatched. This business that we have chosen for our professional lives is tough in so many ways and, quite honestly, isn’t conducive for cultivating long term, true, friendships. I can look any person in the eye and say that ‘Gino’ as he was called was a great friend and mentor to me who will always hold a fond place in my heart. It’s too bad that the young wrestlers of today never got the chance to get to know Gorilla Monsoon and to sit under his learning tree.”

Brian Pillman: “Another important person in my life died this week many years ago even though it only seems like it was yesterday. Brian Pillman was one of a kind. A classic overachiever with a brilliant mind for the business and the brazen guts of a riverboat gambler.  When Brian sustained a mangled foot in the Humvee accident, I truly believed that his life started to head in the wrong direction. Brian knew that after ankle fusion that he would never be the in ring performer that he longed to be. No one that I have ever known had more of an obsession to be a major, wrestling star that Brian Pillman. As hard as I tried, I could never get Brian to regroup and to focus on being a great, color commentator in wrestling. Every time I travel to St. Louis, I think of where I was when I got the news that Brian had been found dead in a hotel room in the Twin Cities. A little piece of me died that day too. Brian Pillman was a special person and another who left us much too soon. RIP, buddy. ”

WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Zack Ryder have been going back and forth on Twitter over the past few weeks, with Ryder recently promising to send Austin a special package. Austin received the package on Wednesday and wrote the following on Twitter:

“Was starting my workout but realized I forgot to put on my legwarmers and headband…”

“Got my legwarmers and headband on…hang on Earth…gonna try a personal best of 1700lbs on the bench press…not a workout for the weak…”

“If I’m not mistaken, I think I have some mail from @ZackRyder…will find out after the workout….a broski shirt perhaps??”

“Wow what a day….a tshirt and a BLL coaster from @ZackRyder”

“But wait! There’s more! Takin care and spikin my lack of hair…am I serious, bro?”

Check out these pictures of the headband, t-shirt and Bud Light Lime coaster that Zack Ryder sent “Stone Cold” Steve Austin this week:

WWE has announced that Darren Young has been suspended for 30 days due to a violation of the company’s Wellness Policy.

The following statement was posted on the WWE website on Thursday:

“In accordance with its Talent Wellness Program, WWE has suspended Fred Rosser (Darren Young) for 30 days effective Wednesday, Oct. 5, for his first violation of the company’s policy.”

Young has not been featured on WWE television much in recent months but was shown briefly on Monday’s RAW during the talent walkout.

– USA Today has published an interview with Hollywood star Hugh Jackman, whose new movie “Reel Steel” opens Friday.

In preparation for his movie, Jackman has been working with boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard to make his fight scenes look as realistic as possible. Both Jackman and Leonard talked about Jackman’s experience hosting RAW and how his recent boxing training helped him out when he got into a confrontation with Dolph Ziggler. Sugar Ray Leonard said he’s proud of Jackman for landing a punch on Dolph Ziggler, even if Ziggler’s injuries were just “part of the show”.

“He delivered a punch that found its target. That’s all I care about,” Leonard said. “It put a stamp on my job. I’m proud.”

– Carl Dantes sent in this video footage of Shawn Michaels and his son Cameron hunting after a recent taping of Shawn Michaels’ MacMillan River Adventures.