Starting off tonight is, naturally, the pre-show.
Pre-Show: Zack Ryder vs. Kane
More competitive match than I expected it to be, but sadly, Ryder was fed to Kane anyway. Hopefully this is the end of the feud between these two and Ryder can move on as well as Kane to bigger and better things.
WINNER: Kane via pinfall.
Still liking the preshow concept.
Jack Swagger on the pre-show is awesome, stating a bunch of total nonsense. Hopefully with the main event tonight, John Cena's wife doesn't cost him the match (I know that's awful but I had to).
The pay-per-view started with the battle royal already starting. The winner will face Santino or Cody for their title respectively.
#1 Contendership Battle Royal
I see McGillicutty, Reks, Kidd, Hawkins, Young, O'Neil, McIntyre, Riley, Slater, Khali, the Usos, Ezekiel, Christian, Regal, and I'm not sure who else. Otunga, JTG, and Miz are in this as well as Jinder. Tatsu is out and looks possibly injured. One of the Usos is out as well as JTG and McGillicutty if I'm correct. McIntyre gets eliminated by Reks and Hawkins, who both get eliminated by Khali. Khali eliminates Jinder Mahal as well.Khali gets dumped out by Young, Titus, and Miz. Others get eliminated and we're down to Darren Young, Alex Riley, Miz, Tyson Kidd, David Otunga, and Christian. Riley eliminates Darren Young. Miz eliminates Riley. Kidd is eliminated by Otunga. Now there's Christian, Otunga, and the Miz left. Christian eliminates Otunga. Christian then eliminates Miz.
WINNER: Christian via...you know how.
Interesting way to start off the pay-per-view.
Commercial for People Power.
Tag Team Championship: Kofi Kingston & R-Truth (c) vs. Jack Swagger & Dolph Ziggler
Even match, hoping that we have new tag team champions myself. Vickie gets a little distraction out there, helping Swagger get the upper hand on R-Truth. Ziggler's got the show off stuff going on, Swagger's got his ridiculous hair cut. Ziggler escapes an SOS but Kofi hits a splash from the top rope instead.Kofi hits the Trouble in Paradise.
WINNERS: Kofi Kingston and R-Truth via pinfall.
Not bad, not great.
Backstage, Hawkins and Reks are talking to Eve. They're supposed to confiscate signs in the audience that are anti-Laurinaitis.
Divas Championship: Layla (c) vs. Beth Phoenix
Beth looks like she's lost some weight or something (looks good). Layla naturally looks good as well, doesn't seem like she's got any leg problems or anything.Layla does some kind of move where she bounces off the ropes while Beth just watches her. That was awkward. Crowd is kind of dead for this, especially seeing as how Beth has Layla locked in a single leg Boston Crab and isn't doing much else. It's quite slow. Beth picks Layla up in a military press but Layla reverses into a DDT. Layla reverses the Glam Slam into a roll-up, but Beth reverses that as well, even though it's a two-count. Layla hits her neckbreaker and wins.
WINNER: Layla via pinfall.
Bland and uninteresting. Shame. This could have been decent.
Backstage, Orton is interviewed by Striker about how he thinks he's going to win, blah blah blah. Jericho comes out to boast, Orton says if he gets in his way he'll be the best in the world at getting RKO'ed.
World Heavyweight Championship [Fatal 4-Way]: Sheamus (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Chris Jericho
Sheamus gets the least active reaction and even looks pissed off when he holds his belt up. Sign of a title change, perhaps? You know how these matches go, double-teams and someone sitting outside the ring for a while and so forth. Most of this match seems to be the three men other than Sheamus. Naturally, as I type that, Sheamus gets back into the ring. Orton gets ready to hit the RKO on Sheamus, but Del Rio locks in the armbreaker on Orton. Jericho breaks it up. Del Rio gets his legs up when Jericho tries the Lionsault.Now we're in finisher mode with everyone reversing and escaping and such.Orton hits the DDT off the ropes on both Del Rio and Ricardo at the same time. Jericho hits a Codebreaker on Orton but Orton rolls out of the ring. Del Rio goes for the armbreaker on Jericho. Jericho reverses into the Walls of Jericho.Sheamus misses a Brogue Kick and Jericho hits a Codebreaker on him. Two-count. Jericho gets the Walls of Jericho on Sheamus as well. Orton hits an RKO on Jericho but Del Rio breaks it up. Now it's crazy, everyone is in the ring being thrown around and such. Sheamus hits the White Noise on Jericho and retains.
WINNER: Sheamus via pinfall.
Good match. The best part was the ending. It took a little long to get started really, and that was a little frustrating, but overall it was good.
Backstage, Cody Rhodes is talking to Eve. He asks how Laurinaitis is doing. Eve says he's brave and an inspiration. Cody says Christian can legitimize the US title just like Cody did to the IC title. He says he'd have embarrassed Christian if he chose him. Christian comes up and says he's changed his mind and he's facing Cody instead.
The Miz comes out to talk to the crowd. Miz says Brodus Clay is what's wrong with WWE. Ugh, it seems like Miz is going to dance. I hate dance segments, especially on a pay-per-view. Miz dances like a douchebag and is interrupted by Brodus Clay's theme.
The Miz vs. Brodus Clay
Clay dominates, of course. Miz mostly gets some reversal kicks and such. Clay hits the Sheeplex from the top rope on Miz and finishes it with his splash.
WINNER: Brodus Clay via pinfall.
Clay's entertaining but Miz deserves more than this, etc.
Reks and Hawkins are taking signs now. They take one off Sign Guy as well.
Intercontinental Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Christian
So does Cody get disqualified or does Christian win? Cody's looking good, but Christian's putting up a fight as well. This could be a feud that lasts quite a while and does good for Cody. Nice steps/Beautiful Disaster kick. Nice moonsault as well. Christian hits the Killswitch and wins the title.
WINNER (and new IC champion): Christian via pinfall.
Good enough that I want to see this feud continue.
Backstage, Punk is interviewed by Mathews. AJ comes over and wishes Punk good luck.
WWE Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Daniel Bryan
Sign Guy has a sign that says "I made AJ say yes, yes, yes". 10 points to you, sir. Bryan's looking weird in this match....like he's just watching Punk. Punk switches the surfboard up and just kicks Bryan instead, ouch. Lots of reversals. This isn't really heating up the way I thought it was going to. It's disappointing so far. Bryan starts what looks like a surfboard of his own but he starts pulling Punk's mouth back instead. Now we're on the surfboard. Bryan then pulls Punk's head backward, then even more and locks his neck under his arm like a headlock. Ow, fuck. Two-count for Punk using a Perfect Plex. Daniel Bryan hits a headbutt from the top rope. Bryan's sticking to the yes-kicks. Punk puts Bryan in a Figure Four. Series of rollup two-counts and such ends with a solid kick to the head from Bryan, getting another 2. Bryan gets crotched on the ropes and hit with a springboard clothesline. Bryan reverses a GTS attempt into a two-count pin. Punk reverses a potential Yes Lock attempt into a catapult, but Bryan catches himself. Punk follows it up with a kick to the head and Bryan gets out of the pin by getting his foot on the ropes. Punk hits the elbow drop but holds his ribs afterward instead of going for a pin. Too long of a wait, another two-count. "Randy Savage" chant going on now. Bryan reverses the bulldog into the Yes Lock. Punk rolls over and pins Bryan just as he starts tapping out.
WINNER: CM Punk via pinfall.
Not as good as I was hoping, but decent.
Backstage, Otunga and Eve are talking to each other. Teddy Long is smiling and standing like an idiot. They say he's mistaken if he thinks he'd get his job back. He says instead, he would go for the two of those being in charge, or terminated.
Hunico is coming out, bike and all.
Camacho vs. Ryback
Ryback wins, right? Dominating, of course. Even Hunico kicking him in the back while the ref isn't looking did nothing. Here comes the finisher.
WINNER: Ryback via pinfall.
Squash.
Post-match, Ryback just kicks the bike.
John Cena vs. John Laurinaitis
Laurinaitis comes out wearing a track suit, kind of. Cena laughs. Ace starts the match off by trying to run out of the ringside area. Cena lifts up Johnny's shirt and gives him some slaps. Cena spins Laurinaitis around instead of giving him the Attitude Adjustment. He then brings the ring bell out to ring it right near his head. Cena puts a headset on Laurinaitis and himself and starts doing impressions. Laurinaitis says "five time" when he does his Booker impression. Cena gets a mic and says he's going to put Johnny in the STF, reminding him if he taps out, he's fired, but he'll let go if he can last ten seconds. Johnny lasts the ten seconds. He does it again and lasts another ten seconds. Cena dumps a bottle of water on Laurinaitis. Two bottles. Three bottles (though the third one was poured in his pants instead). Out comes the fire extinguisher. Cena dumps a trash can onto Laurinaitis (complete with popcorn and such). Ace goes to leave and Cena grabs him, but Laurinaitis hurts Cena's arm and is now in control. He pushes Cena into the steps and starts hitting him with a chair. Cena gets back in charge. Laurinaitis retorts with a low blow, then leaves the area while Cena stands in the ring. Big Show comes out with Laurinaitis, dragging him by the ear and throwing him back into the ringside area. He throws him back into the ring. How long before Big Show punches Cena? There you go, Show throws Laurinaitis to Cena, but punches Cena in the face when he picks him up for the AA. Laurinaitis pins Cena and wins.
WINNER: John Laurinaitis via pinfall.
Funny. Even funnier was the reaction the one guy in the front row has to this heel turn.
HIGH SPOTS
1. Battle royal with the IC title situation; interesting
2. WHC match
3. WWE title match
LOW BLOWS
1. Divas title match
2. Miz having nothing much to do but job to Brodus
3. Predictable outcome to the main event
CRITIQUE RATING SCALE: 2-COUNT NEAR-FALL (Meh)
Reasoning: Some interesting things, but overall it could have been much better.
WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE PPV?
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