My WWE Hell in a Cell 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton defeated Alberto Del Rio in an enjoyable opener to the show. Smart choice to get the event going with with this largely solid match up. As standard Del Rio targeted Orton's left arm for most of the bout, but 'The Viper' managed to battle back and applied an impressive RKO as Del Rio came over the ropes after his signature head kick for the one-two-three. Unfortunately there were a few sloppy moments here and there but on the whole I enjoyed the match.

Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow) won via disqualification versus Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan & Kane) (c) with the WWE Tag Team Titles on the line in a decent tag bout. I was expecting more here to be honest, with the nice build up and talent involved. I'm certainly not saying it was bad by any means, just not outstanding. All four men gave worthy displays throughout. The DQ came when Kane refused to stop beating on Sandow and Rhodes after he lost his temper with his team mate Bryan when he accidentally applied a flying knee to him on the outside. Bit of a poor ending, and the crowd in Atlanta agreed.

Kofi Kingston (c) bested The Miz to retain the Intercontinental Championship in a fair contest, with decent efforts from both men. Kofi was the right choice to win here, loosing the strap that quickly would've set him back big time. Although it wasn't as exciting as their title bout on Main Event it's still worth a watch.

Antonio Cesaro (c) best Justin Gabriel to retain the United States Championship in a passable match up. Unfortunately just like on Raw the fans in attendance seemed to be largely indifferent to the two wrestler's efforts here. I felt this was harsh treatment as Gabriel and especially Cesaro looked solid here, the US strap holder has been on great consistent form lately.

Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara defeated The Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) in a mostly solid tag contest. If I'm honest I wasn't going into this one expecting anything that special, but once it got past the first initial few minutes it was actually quite fun to watch. Sin Cara and Mysterio gave good efforts (Sin Cara has proven to be better suited to a tag team environment for me) while Young and O'Neil were okay, you don't normally get much more than pedestrian displays from them anyway. Pleasant surprise.

Big Show defeated Sheamus (c) to obtain the World Heavyweight Title in a match that started off quite slow but had an edge of your seat ending. Show dominated for the majority of the contest, slowly taking the Irishman out and even hurling him over the announce desk. Of course as any good face does Sheamus managed to battled back, and in the final few minutes both men exchanged their signature finishers for great near falls. But it wasn't to be for 'The Great White' as Big Show applied a nice looking WMD as he came running in for a second Brogue Kick for the winning pinfall. Well this certainly turned out better than I'd predicted, with respective efforts from both men. 

Eve (c) bested Layla and Kaitlyn to retain the WWE Divas Title in a surprisingly okay Triple Threat contest. Compared to most women's bouts we witness in WWE this one was above standard, with some real effort by the competitors to make it feel a bit different. Kaitlyn also gave her best performance to date here (although she still needs work) and pleasantly surprised me with some of her work. Eve grabbed the win after an overhit swanton onto Layla and Kaitlyn. Eve was the top choice to win here as the most interesting female performer in the company right now.

CM Punk (c) defeated Ryback to retain the WWE Championship in a Hell in a Cell match. The bout itself was dramatic and enjoyable at parts, and I'd say successful and memorable on the whole. As expected Ryback used his strength for some nice moments, especially after the match (but we'll get to that soon) and Punk worked hard as usual as he attempted to thwart his dominant foe. For the surprise finish, which certainly got a healthy response from the fans, the referee low blowed Ryback as he attempted a Shell Shock on Punk and then made a very fast three count. 

As CM Punk and the referee attempted to make a quick getaway Ryback managed to recover and began taking out his frustration on the crooked official, which included a very nice military press slam from inside the ring into the outside cage. It looked awesome. The champ almost made it out but Ryback pounced on him too, which led to a chase up to the top of the cell structure. Once at the top Ryback applied a Shell Shock to Punk as rightful retribution. It was an exciting end to the event, and one I won't forget anytime soon. The end of the match also makes sense for their feud (give me a chance) people will still claim that Punk has to prove himself and Ryback will surely receive a rematch of some kind at next month's Survivor Series. 

Overall it was a decent pay-per-view, with most matches above average and providing worthy action, although unfortunately the crowd in attendance were apparently asleep for most of the night. The World Heavyweight Championship contest was pleasantly better than expected, with an exciting and well executed finishing sequence. The HIAC match was also enjoyable enough, with Punk's hard work and playing to Ryback's strengths. Still split on the finish but it at least makes sense for the Ryback/Punk feud to continue. Now on to Raw tomorrow, wooo... 

My WWE Hell in a Cell Predictions

Photo credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton versus Alberto Del Rio:

My prediction for the opening match of the night, and one that should be pretty solid. I can't really see past Orton here, I reckon 'The Viper' has the win in the bag. Considering they're also both booked in a tag match on Main Event next week I can see an attack from Del Rio afterwards to extend their feud. Hopefully it doesn't go on too much longer though, I'm already tiring of Del Rio's same old lame promos on Orton every week.

Winner: Randy Orton

Triple Threat Divas Championship Match - Eve Torres (c) versus Layla versus Kaitlyn:

Not expecting anything that special here. Eve to grab a cheeky win over Kaitlyn somehow I'm guessing.

Winner: Eve

Intercontinental Championship Match - Kofi Kingston (c) versus The Miz:

I'd personally be disappointed to see Kofi's title reign end already, and I can't see that happening tonight. I'm expecting a good match here, hopefully it'll be up to the standard of their very entertaining title bout on Main Event. Kofi to retain cleanly.

Winner: Kofi Kingston

Tag Team Championship Match - Team Hell No (Kane and Daniel Bryan) (c) versus Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes):

In one of the most well built up pay-per-view tag team matches in a long, long time in WWE I'm expecting good things. Both teams have been working well together and I hope stick around for a while to come. With the exceptional roll they're on I expect Team Hell No to retain, with Bryan grabbing the win to shut up his nay sayers. I'm the tag team champions!

Winners: Team Hell No

World Heavyweight Championship Match - Sheamus (c) versus The Big Show

As I said with the Divas contest, I'm not expecting much here to be honest. I have failed to be drawn into their feud at all, and although I don't normally like too many gimmick matches on a card, I feel this would have really benefitted from being another Hell in a Cell match to gain some much needed interest. While I've been quite split on who I think will win, I'm going with Sheamus to retain with a Brogue Kick after bringing the giant to his knees. I originally also thought that Dolph Ziggler would cash in here, but after clearly announcing it on more than one occasion I predict that he'll attempt to but somehow fail. Which would be a shame because the World Heavyweight Championship scene really needs a shake up at the moment. I think a WrestleMania cash in would be a nice move for 'The Show Off'.

Winner: Sheamus

WWE Championship Hell in a Cell Match - CM Punk (c) VS Ryback

And finally the main event of the evening. And what a lot of interest this bout has been building up, eh? More evidence that the Cena character has grown stale, since Extreme Rules when has one of his PPV matches built up intrigue like this? I've seen a lot of fans split on the possible result here, but personally I can only see CM Punk retaining his title. I actually think this will be an entertaining HIAC contest, remember they'll be very carefully planning it out considering Ryback's limitations (I'm not having a dig at him, it's true). I also believe we're going to see someone come to Punk's aid and help take out the always-hungry Ryback. And I wouldn't rule out Lesnar being that very man. How exciting would that be? Either way I'm looking forward to this.

Winner: CM Punk 

My WWE SmackDown, 26th October 2012 Recap

Randy Orton started off the show by explaining that he hasn't got a problem with Alberto Del Rio because he attacked him, but rather because he tried to make an example out of him. Del Rio himself soon came out and once again gave the same speech he's been giving for weeks that he's the new "apex predator." In response Orton accused Del Rio of being a coward and only talking big when he's at a safe distance. Del Rio decided then he'd had enough abuse and left. But just after Wade Barrett then ran in and clobbered 'The Viper', then quickly made a move. Because of this Booker T booked Orton and Barrett in a bout for later on.
Kane defeated Cody Rhodes in a decent enough match up. The action was solid for the most part, although it wasn't necessarily the most exciting bout ever. The most entertaining part was actually the great commentary with Damien Sandow and Daniel Bryan joining Matthews and JBL. Both Bryan and Sandow are always on form on the mic, and now behind the commentary desk too.
The Miz beat Yoshi Tatsu in a bit of a pedestrian bout. For the most part Miz controlled Tatsu, which he needed to after loosing three times in a row over the last week and a half. Miz looked good here, there was just nothing that special or memorable about the match. 
In Booker T's office Teddy long, Kaitlyn and Layla confronted him about Eve's mysterious text to Aksana asking her to take out Kaitlyn at Night of Champions. An unsure Booker decided to (finally) settle things by booking a Triple threat at Hell in a Cell for the Divas Title between Eve, Layla and Kaitlyn. Hopefully this will be the end of the storyline. 
Wade Barrett bested Randy Orton in a solid outing. Both men put on worthy displays here as they battled back and fourth. Good stuff. Barrett managed to catch Orton with his Souvenir finisher for the one-two-three (which I've become a fan of, a bit different to most finishers) after Del Rio distracted 'The Viper' at ringside. Although Del Rio distracted Orton this was still a big win for Barrett and a good sign for the fellow Englishmen, JBL rightfully emphasised this afterwards. 
Eve and Aksana beat Kaitlyn and Layla in a mediocre tag bout. It was just quite pedestrian for the most part to be honest, I lost interest quickly into it and nothing got it back. Why the untalented Aksana is still around I don't know, there are good-looking and talented female wresters available out there for WWE to bring in.
Backstage Kane warned Bryan that he better win his match against Sandow after he was victorious against Rhodes earlier, or he'd be proven to be the weak link of the team. As Bryan went to leave Kane gave him a cheeky slap on the bum for good luck, so Bryan hilariously turned and said "No!" I will be watching that moment for many, many years to come I'm sure.
Damien Sandow defeated Daniel Bryan in an enjoyable match up. Sandow did decent here, and Bryan was on his standard solid form as they went back and fourth. Sandow managed to catch Bryan out for the win after Cody threw Bryan into the ringpost when the referee was distracted by Kane approaching Sandow at ringside. Although Bryan's mounted up quite a few losses recently, he seems to be invulnerable to loosing momentum and reaction from the fans. He's bulletproof. 
Big Show bragged at his face to face with Sheamus (mind you there were a whole line of security separating the two) that his WMD punch is stronger than any other finishing maneuver ever. He also called Sheamus "delusional" if he thinks he can use the Brogue Kick against him. 'The Great White' then admitted that he couldn't wait to face Show at HIAC due to what a huge challenge he presented. He then claimed that "the time for fighting is now!" and forced his way to Show as they began brawling. Unfortunately for Sheamus, Big Show managed to escape the ring before he could hit the Brogue Kick. It was a decent enough segment to end the show on, and probably the best between these two since their largely drab rivalry has begun. I'm not expecting much from their match at HIAC to be honest, so hopefully I'll be surprised come Sunday. 
I'll see you later this week with my predictions for Hell in a Cell. Have a good weekend!

My WWE Raw, 22nd October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

Team Rhodes Scholars defeated Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara to earn a tag team title shot at Hell in a Cell. The match was enjoyable for the most part, with a few sloppy moments here and there but not enough to spoil it. The finish was very nicely executed too, with Mysterio almost grabbing the winning pin after a top rope body splash onto Rhodes. Throughout the crowd seemed split with their loyalty for both teams. 

Afterwards Daniel Bryan and Kane congratulated Sandow and Rhodes, but also warned them that they had no chance in beating them this Sunday. As far as their usual promos go, this was sub par for the charismatic duo.

Kofi Kingston beat Michael McGillicutty in a fair bout. It's a nice change seeing McGillicutty on Raw, I really think he has more to offer if given the chance. The action throughout was hard to fault to be honest, unfortunately you could only see one outcome so the excitement was drained a bit.

John Cena came out and once again promoted the number one contender to the WWE Championship Ryback in a attempt to help win him over with the fans. As he went on to claim that at HIAC the face of the WWE will change, CM Punk joined Cena. The champ claimed that Cena's speech was predictable, and named him the personal cheerleader for Ryback. Cena responded by announcing that he was now medically cleared and challenged Punk to a fight, so he came to the ring, but as any typical heel does he soon turned around and left. Cena's dancing around the ring and fake shadow boxing looked embarrassing. It wasn't the best segment considering the roll CM Punk's been on recently.

Justin Gabriel bested Antonio Cesaro in a worthy enough effort from both men. The action was passable as it played before an indifferent crowd, where some of the minority chanted "Boring" and "We want Ryder" which I felt was unfair treatment for these two and the bout. The ending was the only big downfall as they had to sloppily recover the ending sequence from the top rope. Michael Cole rightfully rammed down out ears how important a win this was for Gabriel, which it was.

Vince McMahon accompanied Raw GM AJ Lee out to the ring, where she announced that due to allegations of her fraternising with a certain talent she was forced to resign as General Manager. The fans in New York weren't happy with the decision. She went on to give an emotional speech on how she grew up with hard beginnings, and managed to become the boss of Raw, and thanked the fans for accepting her.

Paul Heyman then joined her and Vince, and suggested to the Chairman of the Board that he be the new General Manager. The fans liked the offer, and so did I, but unfortunately McMahon turned him down and named Vickie Guerrero the new  managing supervisor of Raw, not the permanent GM. Heyman attempted to persuade Vickie to reverse the decision McMahon made last week when he chose CM Punk's opponent for HIAC, but she wasn't having any of it and waved him off. She then went on to book Sheamus versus CM Punk in the main event. Heyman threw a hissy fit and left. 

Guerrero then turned her attention to AJ, and explained why she is superior to her. She also then claimed that AJ had an affair with an unnamed talent according to the allegation from the Board of Directors. In response AJ attacked Vickie in an awful looking brawl that went on for too long. It wasn't a bad segment, Heyman was the clear highlight on the mic, which is hardly a surprise.

Ryback defeated The Miz in an average contest. It was just pretty unmemorable and sub par as Ryback dominated Miz for the most part, who certainly didn't look like a former WrestleMania main eventer here. 

Backstage Kaitlyn confronted Eve regarding a mysterious email she had on her iPad that's linked to her attack from behind at Night of Champions. Eve retorted with a slap to Kaitlyn's face and the two began brawling until Layla forced Kaitlyn away, only to be pushed by Eve so she began also attack the Divas Champion. I'm just hoping they get this storyline over soon, it's dragging now.

Dolph Ziggler defeated Daniel Bryan in the brilliant match of the night. Both men put in terrific displays as they battled back and fourth, with exciting and crisp action. I was expecting an enjoyable bout here, but it was better than I'd predicted. During the contest Kane came down to support his tag partner by getting some "Yes!" chants going, but this annoyed Bryan who as then caught out with a Zig Zag by Ziggler from the second rope for the winning pinfall. On his way out Bryan also received the biggest ovation of the show.

Afterwards the Tag Team Champions argued, until Matt Stryker joined them and announced on behalf of Vickie Guerrero that both men will compete in a therapeutic game show against Team Rhodes Scholars. Unfortunately Rhodes and Sandow refused to compete in something so beneath them, and left. Amusingly Daniel Bryan happily celebrated a win via forfeit. A smug Stryker then left the ring, and once within a safe distance claimed that he hopes Team Hell No loose on Sunday. But Big Show didn't care, and tossed Stryker across the stage with ease on the way to his match with Kane. Bryan and Kane were once again on good form here during the segment. 

Big Show beat Kane in a rather pedestrian bout. It was just fairly drab and unmemorable really. During the match Sandow and Rhodes came out, distracting Kane and costing him the match as Big Show WMD'd him, they then took out Bryan and stood tall in the ring. While the match was quit slow paced and run of the mill as far the wrestling went, it at least elevated Show and the Team Hell No and Rhodes Scholars feud, so it was a success as far as that goes I guess.    

As Cena said goodbye to AJ Lee, she admitted to him that he was the man she was accused of having an affair with. She also accused Guerrero of being the one to fabricate the story. 

Alberto Del Rio bested Zack Ryder in a standard outing. Del Rio made fairly quick work of Ryder as he forced him to tap to the arm breaker. It wasn't anything special, and like the previous match you could skip it and not miss much. 

As Cena stormed into Vickie Guerreo's office to confront her she reminded him that he publicly asked AJ out on Raw and claimed that they'd been on a date, therefore costing her the role of GM.

CM Punk defeated Sheamus in a solid main event Lumberjack match. The intense contest kept me engaged from start to finish, with a nice pace and worthy displays from both men. In the superior bout to their one on Main Event a few weeks ago (which was a decent watch) 'The Great White' was thrown into the heels at ringside on a few occasions, and as any good face he fought back to take on the WWE Champion. But in the end it wasn't to be for the Irishman as he was Chokeslammed at ringside by Big Show and pinned by Punk.

As the WWE Champion celebrated Ryback made his way out and attacked him each time he was thrown back into his clutches by the lumberjacks. This included a very impressive and effective looking powerbomb, and a throw onto all the heel lumberjacks. 

Overall it was a mixed bag of a show. The main event, Team Hell No game show segment and especially Ziggler versus Bryan were the highlights. I'm hoping Ziggler and Guerreros separation is permanent, Dolph will go further without her in my opinion. CM Punk and Ryback's feud progressed well enough, although it still seems a little daft to me having Cena promoting the number one contender rather than the man himself. But I guess Ryback needs the extra support. Other than that there wasn't an awful lot that was memorable to take away from Raw. 

My WWE SmackDown, 19th October 2012 Recap

'Miz TV' opened the show, with The Miz informing Kofi Kingston that he will be invoking his rematch clause for the Intercontinental Title (that he lost on this weeks Main Event in a gripping match that's worth checking out) at Hell in a Cell. He then went on to introduce his guests Team Hell No, and accused them of being "egomaniacs" after having separate entrances. He also accused Daniel Bryan of being the probable reason they'll loose the Tag Team straps, due to his attitude with Kane. Kane defended his team by claiming that if Bryan is the problem, than he's the solution.

Bryan retorted by calling himself the real backbone of the team and the "World's toughest vegan!" Yet another golden catchphrase, love it. Big Show then also joined in the show, and warned Bryan to shut up about bragging about the time he cashed in on him last year at TLC or he'll force him to. Bryan amusingly shifted behind his tag partner, who told Show that they didn't have to wait until next weeks Raw to face off. Dolph Ziggler then also came out and claimed that he plans to cash in his MITB contract against either Show or Sheamus after their HIAC match. So by stating that you can bet that we won't see Ziggler cash in next Sunday.

As everyone began arguing, GM Booker T halted them and booked Ziggler and Big Show against Team Hell No, and The Miz against Randy Orton. It was an enjoyable start to the show, with Team Hell No once again proving why they're one of the most entertaining acts in pro wrestling today.

Randy Orton defeated The Miz in a decent match up. Both men put in a worthy effort, and Orton showed a little more character than normal which was nice to see. During the match we also witnessed Alberto Del Rio watching on from a luxury box, and unfortunately had to hear one of his trademark dull promos on how Orton's scared of him. 

Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow beat Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel in an exciting tag team contest. The fast pace kept up throughout as all four men gave a good display.  This is probably the best performance I've seen from both teams since they've been together.

Team Hell No bested Dolph Ziggler and Big Show in a largely decent tag bout. For the most part the action was solid here, but unfortunately when Big Show was in the ring it just seemed to drag and was pretty drab. Afterwards as Bryan and Kane were arguing Rhodes Scholars attacked them both from behind. I'm looking forward to their probable match up at HIAC.

Antonio Cesaro beat Ted DiBiase in a rather enjoyable outing. Cesaro just can't seem to provide a bad match at the moment, and he's definitely the right man to bring relevance back to the US Title (after the bookers dropped the ball with Ryder's run). DiBiase also gave a solid performance here, and deserves a better spot on the roster in my opinion.

Heath Slater defeated Brodus Clay in a passable match up. Either someone backstage is loving 3MB or Clay really annoyed someone because this was an important win for Slater. Like I've said before there's something about the trio of McIntyre, Mahal and Slater as 3MB that I enjoy, they're definitely a lot more relevant and interesting now.

Layla beat Natalya in an average and pretty unmemorable contest. There was just nothing engaging or that special about it really, and both women are good talents.

Sheamus defeated Wade Barrett in a fair main event Lumberjack Match. The action was okay, I can't fault their efforts I just never really got that into it. I still also think they should've saved Sheamus versus Barrett for a World Title feud. Inevitably all the lumberjacks began brawling as they also do, with Kane and Daniel Bryan also joining in and chasing off Rhodes Scholars into the crowd, which was a nice touch. As Ziggler applied a Zig Zag to Sheamus and was about to cash in his MITB contract, Big Show KO'd him with a WMD and warned 'The Great White' that he has the same fate awaiting him at HIAC.

Overall it felt like a pretty pedestrian show, with nothing that memorable that I'll be taking away from it really. The opening segment with Team Hell No was decent enough, and most matches were enjoyable to be fair. It's just a bit of a let down when you're failing to get into the main feud on the show over the World Championship though.

My WWE Raw, 15th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

Big Show started off the show by accusing SmackDown GM Booker T and Sheamus of making him look like a fool with the World Championship debate a couple of weeks ago. He also bragged about halting Sheamus' Brogue Kick and beating him in a scientific challenge on last weeks SmackDown. He then challenged Bryan to a match after being continuously mocked about his forty-five second loss to him last year. A reluctant Daniel Bryan backstage was then forced into the bout by GM AJ Lee.

Big Show defeated Daniel Bryan in a fair match up. As with past meetings, both men managed to work well together and provided a decent start to the show. As usual Bryan also managed to get a very healthy response from the fans. Afterwards Show threatened to apply a WMD to Bryan, until his Team Hell No partner Kane came out and warned off the giant.

Paul Heyman introduced his associate the WWE Champion CM Punk, who in response to his altercation with a fan in the crowd (you must have seen it by now, right?) claimed that he will put down anyone at all who disrespects him. He went on to then brag about beating down Vince McMahon last week and compared his two possible opponents for Hell in a Cell, Ryback and John Cena. One who he barely knows, and one he knows all too well. As he was about to reveal who he'd picked to face, he decided to put it off as he felt disrespected by all the fans in attendance.

Vince McMahon then made his way out and told Punk that he "blew it" and that now he himself would instead make the decision of who he faces at HIAC later on at a contract signing.

Alberto Del Rio beat Brodus Clay in a passable bout. It wasn't anything that special or memorable but it was better than I expected as they both put in fair efforts. Del Rio in his trademark style broke down Clay's arm and forced him to tap to the Arm Breaker.

Titus O'Neil and Darren Young bested Zack Ryder and Santino Marella in an average and pretty forgettable tag contest. I'll give Ryder credit for his efforts but that was about the only stand out thing from this. Afterwards Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal took out Santino and announced themselves as the "3MB" (three man band, just in case you weren't sure) complete with new outfits to suit this latest gimmick of theirs. I actually quite like it, I'm not sure why, but I like it.

Dolph Ziggler complained about Ryback being picked ahead of him to have a shot at the WWE title, even though he's been through far more to get where he is. He also added that he wants to go on to defeated Punk at HIAC for the championship and then cash in on the World Heavyweight strap. Well that'd certainly be memorable, and I for one think the two World titles should be combined now. David Otunga then joined him and agreed with what he'd said about Ryback, but claimed that he should be ahead of Ziggler for a title opportunity. AJ Lee decided to settle things by booking a handicap match between Ziggler and Otunga versus Ryback.

Ryback beat David Otunga and Dolph Ziggler in a brief Handicap match. During the bout Ziggler decided he'd had enough and left Ryback to finish off his partner. While it was a pretty nothing match up, at least the crowd were firmly behind Ryback. 

Backstage Matt Stryker asked AJ if he could get an apology for Kane and Daniel Bryan's attack on him on last weeks SmackDown. So she agreed to give him one, but right after he faces Kane in a match.

Antonio Cesaro defeated Justin Gabriel in an enjoyable enough match up. Gabriel put in a display above his usual standard and looked good, Cesaro also gave another solid outing.

As their match begun, Matt Stryker pleaded with Kane to just let their issues go. Kane agreed and gave him a hug, which then turned into a Choke Slam for the one-two-three. Kane went on to briefly interview a KO'd Stryker afterwards.

The Miz hosted his talk show 'Miz TV' where he had special guest Kofi Kingston. Miz questioned what Kofi had done during his time in WWE and what little he'll actually be remembered for, calling him a "B player." Kofi retorted by claiming that once he wins the Intercontinental Championship from Miz on Main Event this week, that'll be a new memorable moment to his career, and then challenged Miz to a match that night which he accepted.

Miz went on to tell his future opponent that while little kids and such cheer for him, no one really cares and that he's just a "novelty act." Kingston responded with a flurry of punches, sending Miz away in a hurry. I actually really liked this segment, both men did a good job on the mic and Miz's trash talk was believable.  

Sheamus won via disqualification versus Wade Barrett in a decent bout. Although I preferred their outing last week this was still a worthy display from both men as they battled back and fourth. The DQ came after Big Show pulled down the top rope, causing 'The Great White' to spill from the ring. As Barrett tried to capitalise by attacking the champ, Sheamus made a comeback like all good faces and took out the Englishmen and then clotheslined Show out of the ring.  

Eve (c) beat Layla to retain the WWE Divas Championship in a largely average and quite drab contest. It was never bad action in-between the ropes but it just never really engaged me at any time. Layla managed to get her foot on the ropes during Eve's winning pin but the referee missed it, does anyone else find it a bit hard to believe when officials fail to see foots on the rope in this day and age? It's a little tired now surely. 

In a strange segment we witnessed 3MB being chucked out of a bar after attempting to get on stage and perform. Like I said earlier, these three have something about them that entertains me.

The Rhodes Scholars bested Epico and Primo in a decent and competitive tag match. This was far superior and entertaining to the earlier tag team bout. All four men looked good, although no one exactly excelled it was still fun to watch. Sandow and Rhodes are looking like a rather solid unit, although I don't see them toppling Team Hell No at HIAC.

Kofi Kingston defeated The Miz in a contest that ranged from quite pedestrian to a worthy effort. Despite their good work earlier I just failed to really get engaged by the match, I think it was maybe a bit foolish to present it just before they face each other for the title. It waters down the anticipation for the title clash.

As Vince McMahon presented the contract signing between CM Punk, John Cena and Ryback, the WWE Champion interrupted him and signed the contract, stating that it doesn't matter which man he faces because he'll "break them." In a twist Cena then endorsed Ryback as the choice to face Punk at HIAC, claiming that Punk will have him on his mind all the way up until the event. After the speech Ryback signed the contract and took out the champ with a Shell Shocked. Call me crazy, but I actually think him and CM Punk could have a very entertaining Hell in a Cell match in two weeks.

Overall Raw was a step down in quality and excitement from last weeks broadcast. There were a few decent match ups but no outstanding ones. I'm still also failing to get interested in the Big Show Sheamus feud, and I don't expect their HIAC match to be that great. Fortunately the CM Punk promo earlier in the show was enjoyable enough and the contract signing was a fairly strong end, plus Miz and Kofi surprised me with a decent 'Miz TV' segment.  

My WWE SmackDown, 12th October 2012 Recap

Booker T hosted a contest between Sheamus and Big Show to determine which was more powerful between the Brogue Kick and the WMD. Their respective finishers were counted on an arcade like machine, being measured in force per square inch. Sheamus stepped up first and got a score of 1322. Big Show was at first reluctant, thinking he'd be made a fool of, but after 'The Great White' once again made fun of his forty-five second World title reign of last year he punched the machine and scored 1809. As Sheamus was left to reflect the score, Tensai attacked him from behind, causing Booker to make a match between them.

Sheamus defeated Tensai in an passable, if a bit drab of a match up. There wasn't really anything that special about it to be honest, like most of Tensai's outings.

Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal all revealed that they'd teamed up to form a band, since their solo careers were "out of tune" (yes, they really used that line) and began performing air guitar in the ring. I was hoping these three were going to take a more serious route together and revive their status a bit, but I guess not.  

Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal beat Zack Ryder and Santino Marella in a pretty pedestrian tag bout. The only really engaging part for myself was when Ryder was on the offense, but that was about it. I've grown tired of Santino's comedy routine to be honest.

Kane won via disqualification versus Dolph Ziggler in a fair outing. The action was decent enough, and it was a worthy effort by both men but it just felt like it was lacking that little excitement. The DQ came after Ziggler struck Kane with his Money in the Bank briefcase. As Kane managed to turn things around and chase off Dolph, his tag partner Daniel Bryan ran out and claimed that he saved him.

The obnoxious Matt Stryker then asked what Bryan thought to claims that he was the weak link in Team Hell No, so Bryan responded by locking on the No Lock on the commentator. Kane soon stopped Bryan, only so he could then Choke Slam Stryker himself. It's always fun seeing the annoying Stryker taken out, and the crowd were once again loving a Team Hell No segment, same here.

Big Show bested Kofi Kingston in a brief and rather pedestrian contest. Kingston managed to have a little bit of offense going, but was no real threat to the giant who landed a WMD for the winning pin. Kofi seemed like a daft pick to loose here considering he's going into a Intercontinental title match next week, speaking of which The Miz himself (who'd provided guest commentary) rubbed in Kingston's loss in the ring and bragged that he will defend his title successfully on WWE Main Event. I'm hoping he does too, Kofi hasn't ever exactly set the World alight as US or IC champion in the past, he has the talent in the ring but is just missing that extra depth to his persona.  

Sin Cara defeated Damien Sandow in a bout that ranged from passable to average. No man really excelled to be honest, it was a run of the mill display from both.

Alberto Del Rio beat Daniel Bryan in an entertaining main event, with a good showing from both participants. As expected both men attempted various submissions, with Del Rio managing to logically weaken down Bryan's shoulder on the outside barricade, ring ropes and ringpost to eventually force him to tap to his signature arm breaker.

Afterwards Del Rio gave one of his mediocre promos where he bragged about taking out Orton two weeks ago and claimed that he didn't have the guts to turn up on the show, because if he did then he'd "give you a piece of your own medicine." Of course Randy Orton then turned up and gave a beating to Del Rio, who eventually managed to escape. But Ricardo Rodriguez was still there, so 'The Viper' decided to make do and RKO'd him through the commentator's table.    

Overall it was a pretty mediocre SmackDown for me, especially after a brilliant Raw, with mostly average matches and no major progression in any storylines that have me really interested for more. Considering Sheamus and Big Show are heading into a Hell in a Cell match together I expected more for their build up. Fortunately the main event managed to save a largely pedestrian show. 

My WWE Raw, 8th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

The still-injured John Cena kicked off the show by cracking a few jokes about certain members of the roster after sitting back and watching Raw properly last week, including Antonio Cesaro and his unusually large nipples (which is strangely true). He then switched to a more serious tone and ordered CM Punk to be "a man" and accept his challenge at Hell in a Cell. It was a decent enough promo to start the show. 

Ryback defeated Epico and Primo in an average Handicap match. The action just felt a little mediocre and messy at places. Although one plus is the crowd were firmly behind Ryback, especially as he lifted both his opponents and applied his Shell Shocked finisher for the one-two-three.

Before their match up R-Truth warned Brodus Clay that 'Little Jimmy' was going through puberty right now and just wanted to dance with Clay's cheerleaders Naomi and Cameron rather than see him wrestle. Fortunately the dancing was cut short as Vince McMahon appeared on the big screen and asked them to leave as he was about to make his address regarding the state of the WWE.

McMahon soon made his way out and stated that there was enough time in WWE for all kinds of performers, but especially top champions taking on all comers, which cued the WWE Champion himself CM Punk to come out and once again talk about the disrespect that he receives from the Chairman and the fans every week. Punk went on to truthfully tell Vince that he is the best thing the company has right now and that he should be a "CM Punk guy."

The champ also threatened to leave the WWE if he doesn't get the treatment he deserves like he did last year, and see what kind of state that would leave the company. In truth it woud make Raw a far, far less interesting show to watch. Vince retorted by stating that Punk was now where near the talent of some of the all-time greats like Michaels, Andre, Bret, Austin, etc. CM Punk then took a jibe at Vince by claiming that Austin only ever made it to the top by taking on an "inept" and "clueless millionaire." 

After claiming that Vince has been slapping him in the face for years, Punk then actually slapped the Chairman in the face. A flustered McMahon in retaliation challenged Punk to a match that night, which the WWE Champion accepted. It was a terrific segment which I thoroughly enjoyed, I'll be shocked if you see a better promo than both men gave for the rest of this week. Vince and Punk together just equals quality moments. 

Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara bested Darren Young and Titus O'Neil in a passable to sub par tag bout that advanced them to the tag team tournament final. Most of the action was okay, but there were too many average moments and slip ups that marred it.

Sheamus won via disqualification versus Wade Barrett in an enjoyable contest. In Barrett's best performance since returning both men went back and fourth in an intense and highly competitive bout. I was hoping they would save Barrett versus Sheamus for a World title match on PPV but with the finish (Tensai ran in and attacked 'The Great White' after he struck him on last weeks SmackDown) I could still see it happening. 

After Sheamus managed to fight his way back and eliminate Barrett and Tensai from the ring, he attempted to Brogue Kick Big Show who'd been at ringside, but failed as a smug giant caught his leg and threw him out of the ring. The World Champion looked rattled.

Antonio Cesaro beat Tyson Kidd in a solid display from both men. With two talents like this a good match wasn't unexpected, but it was actually better than I predicted. Nice stuff. And I think Cesaro has definitely benefitted from dumping the untalented Aksana, she was unnecessary.

Team Hell No defeated Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio in an entertaining tag bout. As usual Bryan and Kane were tagging themselves in and arguing from time to time, but it still works for them. All four men put in worthy efforts to provide a pleasing match up.

On a special Raw edition of 'Larry King Live', Larry King and his wife brought out The Miz as their first guest, but soon had enough of the bragging Intercontinental Champion and replaced him with Kofi Kingston. Miz soon interrupted the interview and  called both men amateurs compared to him, and demanded that King leave his stage. King's wife had enough and tipped her drink at Miz, then Kofi decided to take out the champ and sent him reeling. It wasn't a bad segment actually, maybe felt a little out of place but Miz was on good form.

The Rhodes Scholars bested Santino Marella and Zack Ryder in a fair tag team contest. It wasn't anything that special or even that memorable, but it wasn't a bad performance from all involved. Afterwards Drew McIntyre, Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal attacked Santino. I hope this group get some more air time soon, I'd like to see a more prominent spot for the trio. 

Eve (c) beat Kaitlyn to retain the WWE Divas Championship. It was a largely pedestrian Divas bout, with Eve logically targeting Kaitlyn's previously injured leg and eventually forcing her to tap for the victory. After the bell rang Eve still held onto the submission hold until Layla (who'd provided guest commentary) ran into help her friend. Eve feigned guilt for what she'd done. I'm not sure why they're still having Eve pretend to be a face, they should've revealed that it was her that attacked Kaitlyn at Night of Champions by now.

In an entertaining backstage segment, Daniel Bryan compared Larry King being told he looks like an owl to him being called 'Goat Face' with King and his wife, calling himself an extremely attractive man. Kane then turned up and as the two bickered King and his missus managed to sneak off. When Kane was told it was Larry King, he was surprised and admitted he thought he was "Skeletor." This is possibly the most entertaining Kane ever.

CM Punk versus Vince McMahon ended in a no contest. Before the match had even begun Punk attacked McMahon from behind and controlled the start of the fight. But Vince soon came back with the help of a kendo stick and held Punk's title hostage in the ring. The champ also found a kendo stick and evened the score as he struck the chairman and low blowed him, but as he set him up for a GTS Ryback ran in and chased him off.

Cena also then appeared and with one arm (which looked quite daft) threw Punk back into the ring to be clotheslined by Ryback. But once again the champ found a way out and raced into the crowd, clutching his title belt close to his chest. McMahon then gave CM Punk the choice of either Cena or Ryback to face at Hell in a Cell, which will be decided next week. It was an electric main event and the fans were really into it, but the big story to come from the night was yet to happen...

As Vince was making his announcement, Punk got into an altercation with a fan in the crowd and clearly struck him on camera. According to early reports (don't take my word for it) there were a couple of fans pushing Punk in the back and then his head, causing him to swing his arm around at them. The fan that was struck has since come out and claimed he did not touch CM Punk and posted pictures of minor bruising and his broken glasses online. He's apparently pressing charges. Not too sure how Punk will be dealt with by WWE if it goes through.

Overall it was a mostly enjoyable Raw, with a few very solid matches, a brilliant McMahon CM Punk segment and an entertaining main event. Certainly a step up from last weeks show and hopefully a sign that the low ratings last week have urged them to mix things up a bit. 

My WWE Raw, 1st October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

WWE Champion CM Punk came out with associate Paul Heyman and claimed that he attacked Mick Foley backstage last week because he supposedly murmured something about him and shot a dirty look his way. He also said that although Foley may be "scuzzy" in his words, some of his (superb) speech got through to him last week, and that his match at Hell in a Cell with Cena was still off. Heyman then stated that as part of General Manager AJ Lee's contract she cannot put her hands on any members of the roster or staff, so after her slap to Heyman last week he implored that she be fired, and he take over the position (how awesome would that be?).

This cued Vickie Guerrero and her client Dolph Ziggler to join them, where she staked her claim for the GM spot. The GM herself AJ Lee then skipped out and revealed that the WWE Board of Directors had given her an executive coach to help with her anger issues. Speaking of anger issues, Daniel Bryan arrived to apologise for dumping AJ months ago and causing her mental breakdown. The constantly entertaining Bryan was as usual on top form. Soon his tag partner Kane also joined them and after some more bickering, AJ settled things by booking Team Hell No against Ziggler and Punk in the main event. It was a solid enough start to the show.

Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara defeated Epico and Primo in an mostly enjoyable tag bout to advance in the number one contenders tournament for the Tag Team titles. The action as expected came at a fast pace, and although not everything was smooth it was a worthy effort by all four men. Sin Cara and Mysterio's new half and half attires are also a nice touch if you haven't seen them already. During the match the Prime Time Players sat on the stage to watch the action.

Antonio Cesaro bested Brodus Clay in a brief and rather unmemorable contest. It's good to see the talented Cesaro moving up the ranks, surprised Clay lost this fast though.

The Miz beat Zack Ryder in a fair match up. It was a decent display for both mens standards, nothing outstanding mind you.

During the World Championship Debate Big Show in his opening statement confidentially claimed that he'll walk out of HIAC with Sheamus' World title, 'The Great White' retorted by also predicting his own victory. After some back and fourth bickering, with Sheamus making a few jokes about Show's odour and the fact he lost the World Championship in forty-five seconds to Bryan last year, the two finally fronted each other up. But Show decided to save the fighting for HIAC and left. It wasn't a great segment to be honest, with host Booker T making a few minor mistakes and Show's crappy podium collapsing on him, plus it didn't get me excited about their upcoming match which was the whole point. 

Ryback defeated Tensai in a sub par bout, with too many sloppy moments that spoilt it. Ryback is not ready for that main event level yet, but he clearly has the potential.

Eve defeated Beth Phoenix in a passable Divas match, nothing outstanding but watchable.

Santino Marella won via disqualification versus Heath Slater in a comedy bout. The DQ came after Slater's new associates Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal ran in and clobbered Marella. Afterwards they took out Santino and reminded everyone of their respective nicknames. I'm hoping they don't drop the ball with this new unit, could be interesting.

Sheamus defeated Damien Sandow in a largely solid contest. It started off quite average but managed to pick up in quality and ended strongly, with Sandow (in his top performance to date) having the majority of offense. For the finish Sandow's tag partner Cody Rhodes was thrown into the ring by the World Champion as he applied a Brogue Kick to both members of the Rhodes Scholars. 

As Jim Ross and Michael Cole kicked off JR's Appreciation Night, CM Punk shortly interrupted them and admitted his admiration and respect for what JR has done and asked the hall of famer to tell everyone that he is the "best in the World." But JR refused, claiming that Punk had made a fool of himself lately. The champ reminded JR that no one was around anymore to back him up and save him if he attacked the commentator.

Ross said that if Punk were to accept Cena's challenge of a HIAC match and beat him then he would be first in line to call him the best in the World. CM Punk responded by threatening to take JR out and prevent him from ever commentating in WWE again and instructed him to walk away down the ramp. As Ross walked away Ryback made his way down and caused the champ to walk away. The fans responded well to Ryback. It was another stellar promo between Punk and WWE Hall of Famer.

Alberto Del Rio beat Kofi Kingston in a decent effort by both men, with some nice aerial action of Kofi to compliment Del Rio's more grounded style, who applied his signature arm breaker for the victory. The only downside was the lack of interest in the match up, with both men being pretty bland characters at the moment.

Team Hell No bested CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler in an enjoyable main event. The action throughout was solid and with these four wrestlers it's hard not to be engaged by it. Once again Kane and Daniel Bryan struggled to get along as they would tag themselves in and argue, but it didn't matter as Ziggler abandoned his partner after Vickie Guerrero was sent to the back by guest referee AJ (who announced her position just before the bout) leaving CM Punk alone to be Chokeslammed and pinned by Kane. 

Overall it was a mixed bag of a show, with the segments and main event involving CM Punk solid stuff and worth a watch, but quite a few average matches that as usual let the red brand down a bit. Not a bad show though, but a step down from last weeks broadcast. 

My WWE SmackDown, 28th September 2012 Recap

Big Show came out and expressed how frustrated he was when he only held the World title for around forty-seconds last year and then had to witness the man who'd won it from him, Daniel Bryan, loose it in eighteen-seconds at WrestleMania XXVIII. As Show went on to explain how he'd defeat the current champ Sheamus, Randy Orton joined him and claimed that the giant will not stand in his way of winning his tenth World title at Hell in a Cell (their match later on was a World Heavyweight Championship number one contendership one).    

Alberto Del Rio also arrived and once again complained that he'd somehow been screwed out of the World title, and told both men that he deserves the next shot ahead of them. This was met with a swift RKO from Orton, who then left the ring. Quite a pedestrian segment to start the show, especially compared to Daniel Bryan, Kane and Edge's brilliant one from last week. 

Antonio Cesaro defeated Santino Marella in a fair match up. In their strongest outing to date both men put in worthy efforts, even Santino who seemed to add some new moves to his repotur. I'm hoping this is the end of their contests, it's become quite tiresome now. Cesaro needs to move on to better competition to advance up the ranks.

Beth Phoenix beat Natalya in a decent bout, and the best Divas match I've seen for a long, long while. Both women went back and fourth in a heated contest, with Phoenix grabbing the one-two-three with a quick roll up pin. Seeing this standard of women's match makes it even more frustrating knowing that Beth is on her way out of the company, although I don't blame her. Afterwards Eve announced that Beth was "indefinitely suspended" as she was a suspect in the mysterious attack on Kaitlyn at Night of Champions. It's a daft storyline.

Backstage Booker T reversed Eve's decision and reinstated Phoenix. Eve then tried to put the blame on Teddy Long, claiming that he told her to do it. A confused Booker asked both of them to leave to let him think things over. 

Wade Barrett defeated Zack Ryder in a passable contest, with a few enjoyable moments here and there. Unfortunately the match wasn't given much time so it couldn't produce anything of any real substance. I'm really not sure where the writers are going with Barrett right now, and maybe they aren't either.   

World Champion Sheamus joined The Miz on his talk show 'Miz TV', and ended up taking over and asking the host all the questions instead, claiming that it was so all the fans did't have to just listen to the Intercontinental Champion. Sheamus also mocked Miz for his loss to Ryback on Raw, so Miz retorted by claiming that for him to excel at anything people have to pay, it's not for free. He also stated how surprised he was that Sheamus was in a jokey mood considering he'll be facing Big Show or Orton at HIAC and most likely loose his title. 'The Great White' reminded Miz of how hard he trains and how seriously he takes the World title,  and what a privilege it is to hold. 

MITB contract holder Dolph Ziggler then joined them and warned Sheamus that the man he should worry about is him, since he plans on cashing in after the Hell in a Cell match. So by announcing that we can all asume that Ziggler will not have a successful cash in at HIAC. In retaliation Sheamus then took out both Miz and 'The Show Off', chucking them both out of the ring and standing tall. 

The Rhodes Scholars defeated The Usos in the first round of the WWE Tag Team number one contenders tournament. It was a decent enough contest with the action condensed due to the time allocated, which actually helped keep the interest up throughout. It was a worthy display from all wrestlers involved. 

Ryback beat Tensai in a standard powerhouse vs powerhouse match up, with both big men going toe to toe with their powerful maneuvers. It was okay, you wouldn't miss much by passing on it. 

Before the main event Del Rio took out Orton with an attack from behind, taking him out. He then came out to Orton's music and announced himself to be taking Orton's spot in the match, but 'The Viper' made a return and struck Del Rio from behind.

Big Show defeated Randy Orton to become number one contender to the World Heavyweight title in a match that ranged from rather drab to enjoyable. The first half wasn't much to shout about, with slow methodical offense from Show on the injured Orton. Fortunately it managed to pick up and grab your attention once Orton started to make his comeback, even applying an RKO for a very nice near fall. But it wasn't to be for 'The Viper' as Show delivered two Choke Slams for the victory.

Afterwards he also KO'd Orton with a WMD punch and warned Sheamus that he'll be seeing him at Hell in a Cell. I'm not expecting much from that match, but hopefully I'll be proven wrong and they smartly work to both mens strengths and carefully plan it out. At least this also means the end of Del Rio challenging once again, his feud with Sheamus had grown pretty tiresome.  

Overall it felt like the show had taken a big step back after last weeks very entertaining broadcast. The matches were okay and the segments weren't anything outstanding, so it's back to normal on the blue brand I guess. They really need to include the Tag Team Champions on the show next week, even just a couple of segments or a match will add some needed interest and excitement. 

My WWE Raw, 24th September 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

Paul Heyman, on behalf of WWE Champion CM Punk (who was also in the ring) demanded that referee Brad Maddox (what kind of fake name is that?) come out and apologise for making the wrong call last after missing Punk's leg on the ropes and counting his shoulders down for the three count. Brad sure enough came out and apologised for making the error, but refused to resign. A furious CM Punk finally leapt out of his chair and berated the official for making the wrong call. Soon GM AJ Lee then also joined them and said that Maddox could leave.   

AJ asked Heyman and Punk who they thought they were after holding the show hostage until they get their way. CM Punk claimed that the reason AJ was so hostile towards him was because he turned down her proposal of marriage two months ago. He went on to threaten to reveal all the text messages and voicemails that AJ had left him "that are not fit to air here on the USA Network" and how "intimate we were behind closed doors." Mocking the GM even further, Heyman went down on one knee and proposed to her. AJ answered back with a simple slap to the face. It was a solid segment to start the show, with good mic work all round.

Backstage a deranged AJ warned Maddox that if he screws up again, she will personally see to it that he never works in the business again after embarrassing her. 

After taunting the imaginary 'Little Jimmy', Vickie Guerrero accidentally had some drink poured on her by R-Truth. As the argument escalated the referee banned both from ringside for the following bout.

Dolph Ziggler defeated Kofi Kingston in a decent match up. Both men put in fair efforts, and made up for an average first half (a few sloppy moments marred it a bit) with a solid and exciting second. Ziggler was the only choice to win here, but he still needs bigger victories to make him a believable contender to the World title, which I can see him cashing in on at Hell in a Cell.

In another priceless segment involving the Tag Team Champions, Kane posed in a diner as a waiter named 'Gerald' and had to take Daniel Bryan's order as part of an exercise by Doctor Shelby to help them both bond. Bryan taunted his partner, and Kane in turn threatened Bryan by claiming that he would throw his 'Goat face' into the deep fat fryer and serve the remains of his beard on all the food he served, which understandably disturbed the customers. I just can't get enough of these two, it's like they can do no wrong. 

Titus O'Neil and Darren Young beat Santino Marella and Zack Ryder in an average and quite forgettable tab contest. The period between Young and Ryder was okay, Marella just performed his usual routine. To be honest they didn't have enough time to really produce anything of any worth here.

Special guest Mick Foley questioned what change CM Punk had really brought since his classic June 27th promo of last year. Punk soon joined Foley and mocked him for possible trying to flog another book and called the 'Hardcore Legend' no longer relevant. Foley reminded the champ of the fact that he text him back last year after he memorably won the World title at Money in the Bank, even though he probably received tons of congratulatory messages, so he must mean something to him.

He continued to warn Punk that as one of the best talkers the business has ever seen, he doesn't need Paul Heyman as a talking mouth piece to steer him in the wrong direction. After claiming that he should face Cena in a HIAC match, Punk told Foley that it was all just the same speech that he's heard recently from Bret Hart and Cena himself, and said that he won't attack Foley because he is "beneath me." Foley retorted that stating that in years gone by fans don't remember statistics such as how long Punk's been champion, but moments like when he fell off the Hell in a Cell fourteen years ago (I know, it was that long ago). On behalf of the GM he also informed CM Punk that he would have the choice if he wanted to face Cena at HIAC for the title. It was a highly engaging segment, with both men on tremendous form and one of he best promos I've seen from Foley in a long time.

Ryback defeated The Miz in a largely mediocre bout. The action was okay, but never gripped you at any point. Unfortunately the most interesting part came when some idiot fan came running into the ring, which caused a lot of the crowd to turn and check that out rather than the match itself.

In a replication of the famous cafe scene from When Harry Met Sally, Daniel Bryan and Kane excitedly spoke about their destruction of other tag teams on last weeks SmackDown, with Hall of Famer Mae Young asking to "have what they're having."

In a rather big mood swing from earlier, AJ informed the referees in her office that they all make mistakes and to have a great show. She also told Alberto Del Rio, Otunga and Ricardo Rodriguez that they'll be in a Six-Man Tag match that night. Ricardo's positive attitude to this news was brilliant, he really is an underrated talent for me.  

Wade Barrett defeated Tyson Kidd in a surprisingly fair match up. I wasn't really expecting much here, but thanks to Kidd being allowed a decent amount of offense it turned out to be a rather enjoyable outing and a good display from both men.

Live via satellite Jerry Lawler received an expectantly warm reception from the fans in attendance. Lawler recalled the events just before and after the heart attack he suffered two weeks ago, and thanked all the people who'd sent him well wishes since. When asked when he might be returning 'The King' said it was up to his doctors. You can bet he'll receive an even bigger ovation when he does.

Sin Cara, Rey Mysterio and Sheamus defeated Ricardo Rodriguez, Alberto Del Rio and David Otunga in a match that ranged from solid to sub par. The periods involving Mysterio were the high point, with a very good display from him. However some parts just felt too busy for me and spoilt it a bit, that and Otunga and Sin Cara's average contributions. Ricardo performed his comedy part well enough and was predictably the fall guy for his team. Given the choice I'd rather have just seen Sheamus and Mysterio versis Ricardo and Del Rio to be honest.   

Back at the diner, Doctor Shelby asked both Bryan and Kane to taste each other's dishes to experience what it's like to be the other one. After trying Bryan's salad Kane burped at Shelby, whilst after trying Kane's meatballs (not a euphemism, grow up!) Bryan threw up on the doctor. 'The Big Red Monster' ended the segment by asking for the cheque. 

Via a poll on Twitter, it was revealed that Bryan and Kane's tag team name would be 'Team Hell No'. After hearing this Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes jumped the champions from behind and revealed that they had formed an alliance known as 'Rhodes Scholars'. This is a very smart move, as entertaining as Kane and Bryan are they still need real competition to keep them interesting in the ring and on pay-per-views in title defences. Rhodes Scholars could be an interesting duo.

Eve and Beth Phoenix beat Alicia Fox and Layla in a drab match, you won't miss much by skipping it. Afterwards the injured Kaitlyn revealed that she was attacked at Night of Champions by a masked woman with blonde hair. After believing it to be Phoenix, Eve took out 'The Glamazon'. Boy she must be glad she's leaving this sinking ship of a Divas division. My guess is either it was Kelly Kelly who's turned heel (which could actually work) or most likely Eve was wearing a blonde wig.

Brodus Clay versus Tensai was fortunately ended early as Big Show made his return to a fair reception and KO'd both big men with his WMD punch. Jim Ross' (who'd been providing guest commentary for the night) feigned awe at Big Show's first punch was pretty terrible.

John Cena came out and first thanked all the WWE fans for their overwhelming support for the Cure charity he's been highlighting on his latest attire. Unfortunately there was still some unnecessary booing from scattered fans at Cena. Really? Even when he's promoting a worthwhile charity cause? Anyway, he went on to also state that whatever happens, despite his arm injury he will be walking into Hell in a Cell to challenge CM Punk for the title.

The WWE Champion himself, along with Heyman, then joined Cena and claimed that he's not only refusing to face Cena at HIAC because he receives a far too generous amount of title shots over deserving talent in the back (which I completely agree with) but also because Cena won't be medically cleared anyway. Punk also called into question Cena's intelligence for threatening the most "dangerous man" in the company and gave him till the count of five to leave his ring while his back was turned. As Punk turned around he discovered Cena had been concealing a led pipe, which he used to strike the champ in the stomach with, causing CM Punk to leave.      

Backstage a frustrated Punk kicked Foley in the gut, taking him out. As he then turned around he had a look of fear on his face, and as the camera panned around it was revealed to be Ryback causing the fear. Could Ryback be next in line to challenge Punk if Cena's not fit for HIAC? I personally feel there are other far more suitable choices, but at least WWE seem to be building up an up and coming talent. I'm also suspecting that Foley could well be a special guest referee for the WWE Championship match. We shall see.

Overall I enjoyed the majority of the show, with all of CM Punk's and the Tag Team Champion's segments being highly enjoyable, especially Foley and Punk's. Unfortunately the action in the ring was yet again just too inconsistent on the red brand, with no particularly outstanding matches to speak of.