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We're looking for reports on both Thursday night's TNA house show in Clovis, NM and Friday night's show in Rio Rancho, NM.

Tonight has ECW & Smackdown tapings in Providence with Batista vs. Matt Hardy, plus another set of Impact tapings in Orlando.

They also have a Showtime special at 9:30 p.m. tonight building up the Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers match.

With the full story on Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff going to TNA, including more on what the deal entails, what the deal is regarding television deals and a look at the biggest names in wrestling not with WWE and where they say they stand regarding the new TNA is our lead story of a double-issue coming out Monday.

The issue also includes a lengthy life and times piece on Lou Albano. The issue is available right now to web site members and can be ordered via weekly mail deliver with details below.

We talk about the Australia tours, Vince Russo, a new booker name that has surfaced, as well as a look at new talent and where they stand at press time.

We also look at Brock Lesnar pulling out of UFC 106, including when Dana White got the word, details on the illness and his training camp, as well as UFC plans from January of next year. We look at new matches coming up that will be main events, what top name is not interested in fighting right, and why new main events haven't been announced yet. We also look at the mega-match they were trying to build for the spring, where and why, and how Lesnar's pulling out of UFC affects the timing of that plan. We also update the situation with the Quinton Jackson vs. Rashad Evans match.

We've got notes on the folding of a promotion that was once in the running for a long-term deal with Steve Austin, and had Bill Goldberg under contract after WCW.

We have a major look at the life and times of Captain Lou Albano. We look at his active career as a wrestler, how he became a manager, his first program as a manager and how it went including records set, we've got a list of all the men he managed to championships over his long career as well as awards.

We look at the cause of his death, comments from friends, family, people from his city and fellow wrestlers. We look at the Ivan Koloff title win over Bruno Sammartino and background of it, the emergence of the Grand Wizard and Fred Blassie as WWWF managers, violent fans, terrorizing Vince McMahon, the story behind the Cyndi Lauper angle and his importance in the rise of WWF.

We look at the WWF national expansion, the story behind "The Brawl to Settle it All" and "The War to Settle the Score," why there were no more MTV specials after that point, interesting notes about the Moolah vs. Richter match, the rise of Hulk Hogan as a celebrity outside the wrestling audience, the beginnings of Saturday Night's Main Event, the glory period of pro wrestling at Madison Square Garden, Albano's frequent firings, acting, his parents, his days as a real athlete, his breaking into pro wrestling, the gimmick that got him run out of town at a time when wrestling was on fire in Chicago, the real story behind his winning the tag team title in 1967, his record as a wrestler and manager in MSG, what all his matches were like, his role in major turns, the change of the business in the 80s, Albano as the media go-to-guy, and his falling out with Bruno Sammartino in real-life.

We also have more on the surprise resignation of Shane McMahon, including what happened, and why it appeared to happen, with thoughts from many in the company on his strengths and weaknesses and the Shane vs. Stephanie dynamic. We look at his attempts to run various companies and how they fell through, the plans for international expansion and his role that fell through, as well as what recent happening showed just how much power he had lost.

We've got full coverage of WWE building Survivor Series, thoughts on Bragging Rights both as a first show and doing forward, the Iron man match and what it told about Randy Orton and John Cena, a well as match-by-match coverage, business notes, star ratings and poll results on the show.

We also have a look at the Machida vs. Rua decision, how the three judges voted, how the public reacted, reaction from Machida, judges and why Machida won, how it was as a live show, match-by-match coverage including how much the fighters earned, business notes and poll results on the show.

We also have an update on the condition of Jim Ross, notes on the WWE announcing changes, notes about who attended WrestleMania this past year, notes on two WWE movies, notes on 2010 PPV shows, wrestler looking at a new career, plans to combat UFC, more on the Cena movie 12 Rounds, why the Smackdown team changed at Bragging Rights, a new angle idea, new WWE signing, Shad Gaspard talks about missing Smackdown, Bret Hart talks about his book, former WWE Diva rips on the company, notes on new giant that was signed, story behind Hornswoggle role on recent TV show, and house show notes.

We've also got notes on the total unknown who was chosen to headline the biggest show of the year, and why that is now in danger, as well as coverage of both the K-1 World Max tournament final and the most recent Dream show.

We also have a look at the ratings for all the major pro wrestling and MMA shows on television over the past week.

We also have our usual weekly features such as the results of the biggest matches of the week and rundown of the major television shows.

The Wrestling Observer ranges from 25,000 to 40,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA all over the world.

Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sites and has the most complete look at the business as a whole anywhere.

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-- As noted last night on Observer Radio, Brock Lesnar still isn't over whatever he's got. Kevin Iole posted today that if he's not better sometime soon then the January date with Shane Carwin is also off. None of this sounds good at all.

-- Raw did a 3.45 off hours of 3.5 and 3.4 (second hour drop) with 5 million viewers.

-- Regarding Chris Masters on Raw, Timothy writes: Actually, live thought might be better. In regards to the Chris Masters performance, EVERYONE in the crowd loved it. People were laughing, cheering. They could not have cared about the Evan Bourne/Miz match or the Sheamus match, but the moment Masters started flexing his pecs, the building came unglued. I was glad I was there live for it, because I watched it back on TV this morning and it did not come across at all.

-- MTV on Ozzy. They liked the talent show.

-- The very latest on Hulk Hogan and TNA is up in the new issue of Figure Four Weekly which has been available for subscribers since late last night. If you're signed up you can access it by clicking on the Figure Four icon on the right side of the page. You can also order hardcopy issues using the link underneath. Members not only get all the new issues the day they are finished, but also our full Observer and Figure Four Archives which currently include over 700 issues (nearly every Figure Four Weekly since 2000, every Observer since June 2008, plus a ton of Observers from 1991 and 1992 with new ones added each week). Click here to sign up, or if you'd like to know what else you get as a subscriber (including all the new and archived radio shows dating back to 2005), click here.

-- Hogan's latest story is that he almost quit wrestling to play with Metallica. It's been picked up all over the place, to a ridiculous degree, really. This guy is incredible.

-- Here's the one where he talks about how he taught Vince McMahon about the wrestling business and how to lift weights.

-- Hogan is at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, WA at 5:00 PM today if anyone wants to stop by and have him sign their copy of Death of WCW.

-- By the way, for those who ordered the book of late, we got a new shipment in last night so they will all be shipped out tomorrow. We have extra signed copies available here. It is, in fact, more truthful than Hogan's book.

-- Lance Storm will be on Figure Four Daily Thursday talking all the news in wrestling and MMA plus what really happened with the tombstone that supposed screwed up Hulk Hogan's neck for life.

-- BxB Hulk vs. Brian Kendrick was announced as a first round match for Dragon Gate USA's November 28th tourney in Philly.

-- The October 27th Arena Mexico show drew 425 fans. Not making that up.

-- DirecTV is now offering HDNet programming on demand, including the ROH show every week.

-- An AMAZING article by the BBC. Kayfabe is not dead after all.

-- There is an exclusive video interview with Edge up here. Thanks to Terri Bey.

-- Big update from Jim Ross up here with lots of thoughts on Raw and Fedor's fight this coming weekend.

-- Interview with Colt Cabana

-- Paul Daley announced today that he's fighting on the January 2nd UFC show but can't announce an opponent yet.

-- There is a review of Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 up here. They call it a game for smart people.

-- There is an article here about the homoerotic appeal of mixed martial arts, which includes Bob Arum's brilliant quote from a month or so back about how MMA was "guys rolling around like homosexuals on the ground".

-- Dave has an article on Jason Mayhem Miller up here

-- Shad Gaspard on his Twitter this week said that his claim last week that he was recovering from Swine flu was just a joke and that he never had it in the first place. This, of course, comes shortly after he couldn't do a job on Smackdown because he was so sick. These guys need to just stop tweeting for their own good.

-- Steve writes: Former WWE wrestler Kurgen is shown in the commercials for the film Sherlock Holmes. I think he plays a large scary man. Apparently he accidentally punched Robert Downey Jr. in the face during filming and almost knocked him out.

-- Barry writes: Just wanted to drop a note to say that the Madison, WI CBS affiliate is postponing their broadcast of the Fedor/Rogers Strikeforce event on Saturday until 1AM local time (technically Sunday morning) in order to show the University of Wisconsin college hockey team play their biggest rival, Minnesota. I believe that Madison is only the 85th largest market in the nation but I'm still surprised that something CBS has plugged so heavily is being bumped for college hockey.

-- David writes: The 80 page "Biggest Big Book Ever" ad for Toys R Us did in fact have a WWE advert in it. On the back back they list the Punjabi Prison Match playset. You get the Punjabi Prison, the ring and two figures (Batista and Khali) all for 40 bucks.

-- Regarding that set, Gerald adds: My son has it and played with it once in 3 months. It is shit.

-- The Original Big Time Wrestling of the 60s and 70s headed by the Farhat Brothers is making a big return on local TV in Detroit on WHPR Channel 33 starting November 28th. The program will air Saturday nights at 8pm and Monday nights at 9pm. The show will also air online here at 8pm EST Saturday and 9pm EST Monday Nights. Yes, WWE is getting competition on Monday nights from Big Time Wrestling. Fans can get free tickets to the monthly tapings by watching TV33 for exclusive contests and by attending the TV33 studios on November 14th for tickets on a first come first served basis for a start time of 6pm with doors opening at 5pm.

-- Keith writes: I just wanted to pass the word along that Ken Kennedy or now he's known as "Kamikazi Anderson" along with Brutus Beefcake are both going to be at a ACW wrestling show in Green Bay, Wisconsin on December 4th and both are advertised to be wrestling that night.

-- Who wrote the best pro wrestling autobiography?
Mick Foley 41.4%
Bret Hart 31.2%
Chris Jericho 14.7%
Ric Flair 4.0%
Terry Funk 1.6%
Gary Hart 1.5%
J.J. Dillon 1.4%
Eddie Guerrero 1.0%
Lita 1.0%
Ole Anderson 1.0%
Edge 0.9%
Superstar Billy Graham 0.5%

Who do you expect to win this match?
Fedor Emelianenko 82.3%
Brett Rogers 17.7%

What do you expect the rating to be for the CBS fights on Saturday night?
1.6 or less 16.0%
1.7 to 2.0 18.2%
2.1 to 2.4 25.8%
2.5 to 2.8 15.1%
2.9 to 3.2 11.1%
3.3 or better 13.8%

-- Ken "Slick" Johnson returns to IHWE Sat 11/21 in Ft worth to Captain a team of 5 vs Team Lance Romance in an IHWE All Star Challenge. Commerating Slick's involvement in the 1st Survivor Series main event in 1987.

-- Larry Matysik is on this week's Drunkcast here

-- Tri-State Wrestling Alliance (TWA) 2009 Toys for Tots Holiday Show, December 5, 2009 (Doors Open 6:30 PM; Bell Time 7:30 PM), Saint Matthew's Baptist Church, Route 322 - Glassboro Road, Williamstown, NJ 08094