My WWE Raw, 19th August 2013 Recap

The new champion and his supporters. Photo credit: WWE.com

John Cena started things off by admitting that Bryan was the better man at SummerSlam in their title clash and announced how disgusted he was with Triple H's actions the previous night when he Pedigreed the WWE Champion Bryan which allowed Orton to easily cash in his MITB contract and obtain the strap. Before introducing Daniel Bryan Cena also informed everyone that due to his elbow injury he was going to be out for 4-6 months. 

Before Bryan could even utter a word Stephanie McMahon joined him and explained that her husband's actions were "best for business" and that Bryan simply didn't have the right image to represent the company. An upset Bryan claimed that he wouldn't have been surprised if it'd been her or Vince that had screwed him and also added that  "When you lye down with trash, sooner or later you start to stink." 

As Stephanie tried to calm down Bryan he warned her that he didn't care if he was fired and would do something to Triple H or Orton to at least earn his termination. Finally Stephanie had security come out to escort the former champ out of the building. It was a strong segment to start the show.

Cody Rhodes pinned Damien Sandow in a decent outing. Much like the night before both men delivered fine efforts, with Cody especially on good form. Cody grabbed the one-two-three with a quick roll up from the corner. Afterwards the victor told JBL that he should have a shot at the World Title. That's a match I definitely wouldn't mind seeing. 

Raw GM Brad Maddox booked Dolph Ziggler in a three on one match with The Shield later on that night, saying that it wasn't due to his remarks online claiming that he never trusted Triple H, but rather because he's the 'Show Off' and should be given the chance to prove it.

Paul Heyman came out and first conceded that CM Punk gave Brock Lesnar all he could handle at SummerSlam in their superb match up. He also went on to forgive Punk for his actions and asked him to join him again, where together they'll regain the WWE Title and go on to main event WrestleMania. 

The Funkadactyls (Naomi and Cameron) bested Layla and AJ Lee in a fair, but pretty unremarkable tag bout. There weren't any poor performances, in fact Cameron didn't even enter the ring (which is probably for the best) but you wouldn't miss much by skipping this.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) beat Dolph Ziggler in a Handicap Match. It was a solid affair from the get go, with Ziggler managing to hold his own and even come close to outdoing the trio until Reigns struck with an awesome spear for the win. Afterwards the victors triple powerbombed Ziggler for good measure. 

Alberto Del Rio won via referee stoppage versus Sin Cara. The stoppage occurred when Sin Cara injured (for real) his wrist after he went flying with a suicide dive. Afterwards the World Champion once again called himself a hero to the Latino community, someone for them to look up to since they have no one else.

Del Rio's former announcer Ricardo Rodriguez then made his return after his beating from the champ and informed him that he was now representing Rob Van Dam instead. RVD and Del Rio soon tangled in the ring, with Van Dam almost going for the Five Star Frog Splash before Del Rio made his getaway.

The Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) defeated The Real Americans (Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger) in a passable tag match. While the wrestling was always decent it was fairly drab for the most part, although the finish after Young came in from a hot tag was fast paced and fun. Credit to Cesaro and Young for the best displays here. Young was clearly very up for it after all his support from fans and colleagues for bravely coming out last week. 

Backstage Ryback had one of his signature segments where he bullies some spineless goon into doing whatever he tells them. This time he ordered a guy to open up his bag in the showers and fill it up with water. These scenes are just annoying, as if by that point you would still just be standing there and taking it? Even if Ryback is that large everyone has a limit.

The Shield beat Big Show in an enjoyable Handicap Match. Much like Ziggler earlier, Show was booked against the trio after making unflattering comments about Triple H. The giant was in control for the majority, but sure enough the 'Hounds of Justice' made their comeback and finally speared and triple powerbombed Show for the hard victory.  

CM Punk hobbled out and before responding to Heyman's comments earlier dared a tubbier member of the crowd who decided to boo him to enter the ring and take him on, warning him that he'll make him "toothless." Punk then asked Heyman to come out (which he did, along with Curtis Axel) and said that he was sorry that he hadn't exacted more retribution and dealt more damage on him the night before. Punk also dared Heyman to enter the ring with him.

Heyman responded by asking his client Axel to tape up and finish off what Lesnar had started the night before, warning Punk that he'd pushed him too far. So the IC Champion made his way out again and began brawling with Punk, with the latter viciously attacking him around the ring, including some strikes with the ring bell.

Axel managed to target Punk's hurt leg and had the upper hand for a while until Punk avoided a top rope attack and finally GTS'd Heyman's client onto some steel steps. It was an engaging segment, with stellar mic work and an intense fight. I can only presume that Punk and Axel will have a stipulation match over the Intercontinental Title at Night of Champions to keep the feud going.

Bray Wyatt pinned R-Truth in a brief encounter which the winner dominated for the most part. There wasn't anything that remarkable to see here really, both wrestlers did fine.

We witnessed a VT for a brand new tag team of matadors simply called Los Matadores, of course. I'm not sure about everyone else but I'm looking forward to seeing them, look like fun. 

The Usos bested 3MB (Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal) in a lively tag match once it got going. Technically it wasn't great but you could switch off a bit and just enjoy it.

The Miz won via disqualification versus Wade Barrett after Fandango hit him with a flying leg drop as retribution for punching him at SummerSlam. The bout itself had been reasonable enough, much like a lot of these men's contests you get the impression you'll probably have forgotten about it come next month.  

Vince McMahon congratulated Triple H on ensuring that Orton won the WWE Title at SummerSlam, declaring that he would be a champion everyone could be proud of. Triple H then took to the mic and said that he took action for all the fans and everyone in the company so that the WWE will still exist long into the future, explaining that Bryan wasn't the face for the company. 

'The Game' the introduced the brand new WWE Champion for his coronation, Randy Orton, who shook hands with Vince and Triple H and even hugged Stephanie. Orton thanked Triple H for all he had done for him. The COO then asked Bryan to come out and vent his frustrations, asking no one to touch him. This was of course all a ruse as Bryan was attacked by The Shield on the way to the ring and then RKO'd by the champion after Triple H casually asked the trio to stop their assault.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole segment, it had an old school feel to it with a strong face in Bryan trying to overcome the odds of the McMahons. It's also a much needed revitalisation for Orton too. 

Overall it was an entertaining show for the most part, with the red hot Bryan's screw job getting more and more interesting. Plus Triple H and Orton turning adds that bit more intrigue as to what's going to happen next. This is already looking to be one of the best pro wrestling storylines of the year I reckon. My highlights were the opening, CM Punk, Heyman and Axel's portion, both of The Shield's handicap contests and of course the ending. A memorable show that has me wanting more, keep it coming! 

My WWE SummerSlam 2013 Recap

Rob Van Dam won via disqualification versus Dean Ambrose (c), thereby Ambrose retained the United States Title. It was a stellar pre-show contest, with both talents delivering more than worthy displays. The quality found here was hardly a surprise, but the added factor of Big Show and Mark Henry coming out and supporting RVD with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns also at ringside added some more interest. The DQ occurred after Van Dam hit the most likely match-winning Five Star Frog Splash and Reigns struck with a spear as the challenger was about to cover Ambrose. Show and Henry were too late into the ring and The Shield made their getaway.   

Bray Wyatt defeated Kane in a Ring of Fire Match. It was an entertaining outing for myself, the spectacle of it alone engaged me, I can't imagine how great that must've been for the fans in attendance. Technically it wasn't anything much to look at, but I still had fun watching it and both men did their jobs well. For the finish the 'Wyatt Family' Luke Harper and Erick Rowan managed to cover part of the fire with a protective blanket and make their way into the ring to help Bray after receiving a few ChokeSlams to eventually apply a Sister Abigail on Kane for the one-two-three. Afterwards the victor had his 'brothers' drag the 'Big Red Monster' onto some steel steps and crack some more steps on his head.

Before their following match up, Damien Sandow compared Team Rhodes Scholars to some of the all-time famous duos, claiming that much like in all of them there was the inferior "lackey" in the pairing, that being Cody Rhodes. He also stated that he would send Cody back to his 'carnie' family.

Cody Rhodes pinned Damien Sandow and had the last laugh in a decent affair. I'll admit I was expecting something fair here but nothing much, and it certainly exceeded that. Cody especially did well, and I'm relieved to see him back on the right track with his recent wins and elevated status. 

Alberto Del Rio (c) forced Christian to submit in order to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in a gripping back and fourth bout. In their greatest match yet both wrestlers were technically tremendous, crafting some superb sequences with effective near falls. Del Rio managed to latch on his trademark arm breaker for the victory after Christian hit a spear using the shoulder he'd injured earlier in the title clash, it was a logical end and it was refreshing to see an injury being sold so well. 

Natalya beat Brie Bella in a largely uninspiring match. To be fair Brie looked better than normal, although that still isn't saying much. Cameron and Naomi  began inevitably tangling with Eva Marie and Nikki Bella at ringside to spur on more of the fake feud started in the Total Divas 'reality' show. Fans soon lost interest and began chanting such things as the commentators names and "We want tables!" to entertain themselves. Natalya caught Brie with a Sharpshooter for the win. 

Brock Lesnar bested CM Punk in a No Disqualification Match. I believe awesome is probably the most suitable word to describe this special outing. Much like any Lesnar bout since his return you were hooked from the start (at least for me anyway) with both men battling (and I mean battling) with edge of your seat submission attempts and near falls, the drama truly never let up as both wrestlers travelled in and around the ring. Of course Paul Heyman played his part brilliantly too, halting Punk's oh so close efforts to win and finally leading his former associate and best friend into the winning F5 from 'The Beast'. 

Punk has once again been involved in one of the match of the year contenders (the other one was against a certain 'Dead Man') and I cannot urge you enough to watch this enthralling fight, although if you're reading this I doubt I even have to right?

Dolph Ziggler and Kaitlyn defeated Big E Langston and AJ Lee in an enjoyable mixed tag bout. The match wasn't too long but I felt that only benefited it really, Kaitlyn and AJ did well with their time and Big E is probably better suited to short and powerful bursts in the ring. Plus if it'd been allocated more time it might've gotten fairly tiresome. In the end Kaitlyn took out AJ with a spear on the outside and Ziggler managed to escape a Big Ending and strike with a Zig Zag for the win.

Backstage the SummerSlam host The Miz was interrupted by Fandango and his dancing partner Summer Rae, as he had been all night. So a frustrated Miz simply clocked Fandango with a swift punch to finally stop him.

Daniel Bryan pinned John Cena (c) to obtain the WWE Championship with Triple H as special guest referee in an exciting and highly memorable main event. The fans were electric, there were plenty of suspenseful moments and you will remember this and the events afterwards for a long time, all that adds up to a great main event. Granted it wasn't perfect or the match of the night, there were a few slight mistakes here and there but that's probably just me being a bit picky. Both men were battered and exhausted as the final few minutes rolled in, with Bryan attacking with a vicious knee to Cena's head for the most important three count of his career so far. But the night wasn't over yet.

Randy Orton then made his way casually down the ramp, with Bryan daring him to cash in his Money in the Bank contract, but 'The Viper' instead walked away. That was until Triple H suddenly Pedigreed Bryan and Orton cashed in, winning the WWE Title. It was a shocking way to end a successful event, and one that will have plenty of fans wanting answers the next night on Raw. So a smart finale then.

Overall it was a strong show, with the push of up and coming talent and most matches being decent and three being exceptional. And for me any event with at least three strong bouts is a triumphant one. My highlights were Christian versus Del Rio, CM Punk versus Lesnar, the cash in and the main event. I was very much looking forward to SummerSlam and it didn't disappoint. 

My WWE Raw, 12th August 2013 Recap

Cena and Bryan get intense in a great segment. Photo credit: WWE.com

Wade Barrett pinned Daniel Bryan in a pretty enjoyable opener. Bryan was on good form while Barrett did well enough. It was fun for the most part but there were a few slightly sloppy moments (Wade didn't receive some of Bryan's moves so well). Barrett gained the one-two-three with a schoolboy as special referee Brad Maddox made a dubiously fast count. Bryan was about to exact some revenge after but the Raw GM managed to escape the ring first.

Randy Orton beat Damien Sandow in a fair outing. The first half was fairly drab to be honest, but things picked up towards the end and it became a decent watch. Orton RKO'd his fellow Money in the Bank holder for the win after Cody Rhodes (who'd provided guest commentary) distracted Sandow at ringside by trying to take his briefcase which was handcuffed to a ring post.  

Natalya and The Great Khali bested AJ Lee and Big E Langston in a strange mixed tag bout. The wrestling itself wasn't anything remarkable, and we only got to see AJ and Natalya tangle during the actual mach up. Natalya scored the win by forcing AJ to tap to the sharpshooter not once, but twice. The first time apparently didn't count so they carried on and Natalya just applied the submission hold again.

Afterwards Big E attempted to attack Khali but failed miserably and was instead chopped down by the giant. Why have the two wrestlers going into the bigger match at SummerSlam treated in this fashion? I've always been indifferent to the Total Divas show, but when it starts to affect the product as negatively as it has then it begins to get on my nerves (Natalya later challenged Brie Bella to a bout this Sunday as a continuation of their feud from the 'reality' show).  

Vince McMahon brought out Brad Maddox and questioned him over his fast count in the earlier Bryan versus Barrett match. Maddox claimed that he was maybe a little overexcited and admitted to making a mistake.

The GM then requested that he make amends by refereeing the WWE Title match at SummerSlam, so as McMahon was about to officially announce this his son in law Triple H joined them and agreed that they should allocate a special referee to take order this Sunday, but that it should be him instead. To really make Vince livid 'The Game' then pedigreed Maddox. 

Kane pinned Titus O'Neil in a short squash match. Bray Wyatt and his 'family' Luke Harper and Erick Rowan then attempted to perform their trademark attack after turning out the lights, but Kane had the upper hand this time as he'd already made his way down the ramp.

Alberto Del Rio forced Kofi Kingston to submit in a passable encounter. There were some solid parts and effective near falls, but on the whole it wasn't a very memorable bout. Kofi's return has been quite disappointing too, they could've really freshened his persona up a bit or even turn him heel with his latest comeback. It's a shame really.

The Usos defeated The Ream Americans (Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger) in a decent tag match. It wasn't anything amazing but still lively for the most part so you were never bored.

The Miz introduced his guests for the latest instalment of 'Miz TV' John Cena and Daniel Bryan, who both agreed with Triple H as the referee for their title clash. As things got a bit more heated Bryan stated that it was because of people like Cena, who are more "style than substance" and just in it for the fame that he doesn't watch TV.

Cena retorted by claiming that he doesn't wrestle to impress him, but for the fans that remain loyal to him. That included a young child from Make a Wish that he visited that afternoon, which rightfully received a standing ovation form the fans. He also spoke about receiving the same criticisms for years, and that he hopes Bryan underestimates and treats him as a parody come Sunday. It was strong promo from the champ, one of the strongest he's ever delivered for me.

Bryan then explained a Japanese custom where a wrestler would slap another wrestler to get them fired up, but he didn't believe that Cena deserved it as he wasn't a real wrestler. An aggravated champ slapped his future challenger in the face, but Bryan failed to take the bait and refused to slap him back. Triple H then hurried out and managed to settle things just before Orton also walked out calmly and held up his MITB briefcase as a clear message to champion and challenger. It was a great segment, in fact the best since their feud begun, with terrific mic work from both men.

Fandango and R-Truth had a brief dance off, although that may be the wrong word for what they did. Things soon turned uglier however as Fandango clobbered Truth from behind, only to have him turn things around quickly and send the ballroom dancer out of the ring. It was a nothing segment.

Rob Van Dam won a Battle Royal to earn a United States Championship shot at SummerSlam. Once the match dwindled down it became an entertaining watch, with Kofi Kingston, Mark Henry and RVD being my standout performers. Speaking of the last two, they delivered an exciting end to the contest as the final two men.

Henry congratulated the victor after, and then stood by him as The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) made their way out. As the trio were about to enter the ring, Big Show made his return and helped scare them off. I was starting to wonder if they were going to save Show's comeback for after SummerSlam. So it would seem that him and Henry will team up to face Rollins and Reigns for the tag title, which could be interesting. 

Before their match up Paul Heyman claimed that Punk's need for the fans adoration instead of his since their split was going to be his downfall, and that he planned to take that away from him with a trap he'd set up with the man he next introduced, Brock Lesnar. The trap was simple, either Punk comes out as the hero and faces both Heyman and Lesnar, or he leaves the arena and lets all the fans down.

But CM Punk had a plan of his own and snuck in from behind and cracked Brock a few times with a camera he stole from a cameraman at ringside and hit a suicide dive. He then gave chase to Heyman, but Curtis Axel slowed him down enough for him to escape. Punk took Axel down with a few chair shots and applied a GTS to end the show, and a solid way it was to end it too.

Overall it was an entertaining show for the most part, with only a few unmemorable or mediocre bouts and a dance off letting it down. My highlights were the final segment, the Battle Royal, Bryan versus Barrett and the tremendous 'Miz TV' segment. It was a strong way to go into SummerSlam I felt, with stellar build ups for the high profile match ups, just the way it should be.  

My WWE Raw, 29th July 2013 Recap

Bryan proving his popularity with the fans. Photo credit: WWE.com

Vince McMahon, accompanied by Raw GM Brad Maddox, kicked off the show by admitting that Maddox might've been onto something last week when he referred to Bryan as a "troll." Daniel Bryan himself then came out and accused Maddox of simply following orders from McMahon and repeating his own words. The COO retorted by claiming that Cena only chose to face Bryan at SummerSlam because he saw him as an easy challenger to the WWE Title, and that he'd manipulated him and all the fans.

McMahon went on to state that there was no way he could dethrone Cena and that it would be an embarrassment to the company if he did, but he'd also had enough of the champ who he felt walked around like he owned the place. Bryan responded by using McMahon's own words and telling him that it didn't matter what he thought but instead what the fans thought, who he received a resounding "Yes!" chant from when he asked if they wanted to see a new WWE Champion. It was an entertaining segment to open Raw.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) defeated The Usos and Mark Henry in an enjoyable enough six-man tag contest. Like the majority of Shield matches it was worth a watch (although far from their best) with fair displays from all involved. Afterwards Henry continued to assault his new foes and threw the trio out of the ring.

We witnessed footage from earlier in the day where Ryback began picking on an unknown member of staff as they were grabbing some food, claiming that they looked like they were about to say something and slapping some food into their face. Ryback eventually put them through a table, hyping up his Tables Match with Cena later on. 

Rob Van Dam won via count out versus Fandango in a fun outing. RVD was on good form once again, and Fandango hit a few nicely executed moves himself too. The count out occurred after Fandango had enough and decided the match wasn't worth it and walked off with Summer Rae. 

Kaitlyn pinned AJ Lee in a pretty average bout that went on a bit longer than necessary. Most of the match was fine, if unremarkable, but unfortunately the final third of it began to drag, with the fans pretty indifferent to the whole thing. Kaitlyn gained the one-two-three after applying an uncharacteristically clumsy spear. Dolph Ziggler then joined them, congratulating AJ on her loss and challenging Big E Langston to a match right there and then.

Dolph Ziggler won via disqualification versus Big E Langston in a rather forgettable affair. Both men looked all right, nothing special to be fair. Unfortunately the match up just never engaged me. The DQ happened when AJ ran into the ring and began viciously clawing at her ex Ziggler. 

Christian bested Alberto Del Rio in a stellar contest for the most part. There were a few slight hiccups that let it down a bit but not enough to really spoil it for me. These two talents as usual delivered worthy displays in-between the ropes, with Christian finally catching the World Champion out with a quick roll up for the winning pinfall. 

Cody Rhodes beat Wade Barrett in a largely lacklustre outing. Neither wrestler gave a bad performance, but the match up never gave us much excitement until the final few minutes when Cody struck with a moonsault and nicely reversed a pumphandle slam attempt into a Cross Rhodes for the victory. 

Damien Sandow then stormed out and berated Rhodes for chucking his Money in the Bank briefcase into the Gulf of Mexico on last week's SmackDown, and went on to call his former tag partner's family a bunch of clowns, saying that "carnie folk are beneath my constitution."

Daniel Bryan defeated Kane in a decent back and fourth effort. It's worth a watch, just don't expect anything too incredible here. Bryan managed to reverse a Chokeslam to catch Kane in the winning small package. A furious Kane Chokeslammed Bryan after, and was shortly joined by Bray Wyatt and his 'family' Luke Harper and Erick Rowan who once again took him out.

Brie Bella pinned Natalya in a mediocre and unmemorable bout. Natalya did quite well considering what she had to work with. During the match Nikki Bella came out and distracted Natalya by making duck noises (backstage earlier they'd referred to her as an "ugly duckling") which of course cost her the match as Brie managed to grab the win with a roll up.

Curtis Axel versus R-Truth ended in a no contest after CM Punk came racing down and began attacking the IC Champion. Punk then turned his attention to his real target Paul Heyman, who managed to make a getaway after his client held off Punk long enough. The match itself was short, but was enjoyable enough while it lasted.

John Cena beat Ryback in a Tables Match. It was an entertaining main event. As standard when these two meet it was fun, just don't expect anything technically amazing. Cena managed to AA Ryback through a table propped up in the corner for the win. Bryan then came down and was about to hand over the WWE Title belt but instead teased him with it until an angry Cena snatched it back. There was a nice intense moment between the two, and I'm still just as excited about their title match next month. 

Overall it was a pretty average Raw, with most matches failing to be anything more than fair. The opening segment, RVD versus Fandango, Christian versus Del Rio, Bryan versus Kane and the main event were my highlights. Unfortunately there were also no more matches announced for SummerSlam, I can only presume that McMahon and Triple will have some kind of match (or representatives) with their positions on the line or something like that. 

My WWE Raw, 22nd July 2013 Recap

The red hot Bryan strikes with a mean kick. Photo credit: WWE.com

The Raw GM Brad Maddox opened the show by bringing out John Cena for his WWE Championship match contract signing for SummerSlam. Maddox questioned Cena's choice and asked him why he chose Bryan out of all the possible wrestlers to challenge for his strap. Before the champ could answer Daniel Bryan joined them, to a very healthy response from the fans.

Cena then mocked Maddox and claimed that the size of a wrestler doesn't determine their worth, but their talent and heart. Cena even called some of the people in the back idiots for sometimes not seeing the level of talent in front of them. I really struggled to buy into any of this speech, Cena has had the power and influence in the company for years to put over many up and coming pro wrestlers (most smaller than him) but has rarely ever done so. But Cena also went on to warn Bryan that while he's great, that won't be enough to beat him.

As Bryan was about to respond after signing the contract, Maddox interrupted him, so an angry Bryan warned him that he'd been waiting a long time for this moment and he wouldn't let him ruin it. The GM retorted by booking the number one contender against some unknown opponents to prove his worth later that night.

Alberto Del Rio pinned Sheamus in a fair outing. I can't really fault either man's performance here, but it still felt like the match was lacking in excitement. Del Rio managed to hook up Sheamus' still injured leg from Money in the Bank for the winning pinfall.

Christian defeated Titus O'Neil in a decent contest. Both men delivered worthy efforts, with Christian as usual on solid form. O'Neil once again proved he's got character here, especially when he began amusingly blowing a whistle as he kicked Christian in the corner.

Mark Henry came to the ring and stated that he was proud of his efforts against Cena at MITB, and also announced that he was ready to deliver a "whoopin'" to The Shield after their beat down of him last week. So sure enough The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) came down and began clobbering on Henry, that was until The Usos raced out and helped him chase off the trio. 

Dolph Ziggler bested Darren Young in a passable encounter. It wasn't anything that remarkable, but there were some nice moments of wrestling here and there. Afterwards Big E Langston, accompanied by AJ Lee, entered the ring and attempted to attack Ziggler but was outmanoeuvred by 'The Show Off' who managed a quick getaway. 

The Miz announced himself as the upcoming host of SummerSlam and introduced all the main Divas appearing in the new reality show (although I'm certain it'll be largely scripted) Total Divas, including two new faces in Eva Marie and Jo-Jo. Miz asked Jerry Lawler to join him in the ring, so after 'King' introduced himself to the two new Divas, Marie claimed she wanted to make an impression and slapped Lawler, sending him back to his seat. I can't say any of this got me interested in the upcoming show.  

Cody Rhodes pinned Fandango in a pretty forgettable bout. I just failed to find the interest here to be honest, not to say either wrestler looked bad on any level but they didn't deliver great displays either. For the finish Damien Sandow (who'd provided guest commentary) distracted Cody, but was then charged off of the apron when Rhodes managed to dodge an attack from Fandango and apply a Disaster Kick to them both, then hitting a Cross Rhodes for the one-two-three.

CM Punk admitted that last week Brock Lesnar man handled him, claiming that his biggest weapon has always been "fear," but he was not afraid of Heyman's monster and he was still able to stand after Lesnar's brutal attack last week. Punk also went on to warn Heyman once again that he will make him pay for his double cross, and challenged his client to a match at SummerSlam. Paul Heyman then appeared on the big screen and reminded Punk of how beat up he still was and how foolish the challenge was, but nonetheless accepted on Brock's behalf. As usual a segment involving these two was one of the highlights of the broadcast.

Rob Van Dam beat Wade Barrett in an entertaining affair. Much like his previous few match ups since returning to the company, RVD looked to be on fine form and is still receiving terrific responses from the fans. I know he's facing Del Rio on SmackDown this week but I was personally hoping he'd have a shot at the World Title at SummerSlam to add a bit more interest to the strap.

Daniel Bryan forced Jack Swagger to submit in an enjoyable first match in the series. Given more time they could've made even more of it, but it was fun as it was. 

Next up Bryan pinned Antonio Cesaro in a tremendous back and fourth contest. From the very start you were hooked here, with such high quality wrestling from two top talents in probably Cesaro's finest outing in WWE to date. Bryan finally caught Cesaro with an impressive small package as the Swiss attempted a European uppercut in the air. A great end to a great bout.

Finally Daniel Bryan won via disqualification versus Ryback in a satisfying match up for the most part. Granted it was always going to be tricky for them to outdo that previous outing, but they both did decent jobs and had a solid final third to the match after a little bit of a drab period of Ryback dominating. The DQ came after Ryback powerbombed Bryan through a table he'd pulled out from under the ring earlier on. Cena then came racing out to chase off Ryback and challenged him to a Tables Match next week, which Ryback agreed to.

Backstage Vince McMahon then convinced Maddox to book Bryan against his former tag partner Kane for next Monday's Raw, as part of his ruse to take out Bryan as he doesn't deem him the right type to be WWE Champion.

Overall it was a pretty fair Raw for the majority, with the CM Punk/Heyman segment, RVD versus Barrett and Bryan's three match ups (especially the superb one against Cesaro) being my highlights. I agree with JR's recent assessment that with his talent Bryan would've shone in any era of the business. Outside of those the show wasn't anything that remarkable, although to be fair we had some more advancements on feuds leading into SummerSlam at least. And what happened to the return of Big Show? Guess that's been moved on.  

My WWE Raw, 15th July 2013 Recap

Bryan a little happy at Cena's decision. Photo credit: WWE.com

Raw GM Brad Maddox kicked off the show by boasting that the Brooklyn fans will one day be able to tell their grandkids that they were there to witness the start of the "Brad Maddox era." WWE Champion John Cena soon interrupted him and admitted that he deserved a chance to prove himself as GM before he judged him. Maddox then informed Cena that he will get to pick his own opponent to defend the title against at SummerSlam.

Money in the Bank winner Randy Orton decided to join them both and warned Cena that when he cashes in he won't squander the opportunity like the champ did last year. If I hadn't watched the product in a while I would've sworn that Orton was a heel the way he put down Cena. Fandango then made his way out to a terrific reaction and claimed that the challenger the fans would like to see Cena face was himself. It was a hilariously delivered promo. Things soon turned physical however when Orton and Fandango began brawling in the ring, so Maddox booked them both in a match there and then. It was an entertaining start to the show.

Randy Orton pinned Fandango in a decent outing. There were worthy efforts provided by both men here, with this probably being Fandango's finest singles match to date. It may have started fairly slow but things soon picked up. Like many fans I'll admit that Orton's persona has grown a bit stale, but he's still one of the most consistent performers in the company for me and it's rare he doesn't deliver in the ring. 

Backstage Dolph Ziggler told AJ Lee that he was ending things between them. AJ was understandably distraught, but we'll get to more of that later...

Mark Henry came to the ring and admitted that Cena was the better man the previous night in their title clash, and asked that he gave him one more chance at SummerSlam for the strap. The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) then walked out and after being repelled by the beastly Henry, managed to wear down the 'World's Strongest Man' and triple powerbomb him. So it looks like Henry's turning face, which could work.

Alberto Del Rio defeated Dolph Ziggler in an intense back and fourth affair. Once again these two delivered a terrific match up, with engaging action throughout and top displays from each of them. The finish came after the upset AJ Lee rang the ringside bell, causing Ziggler to become distracted and Del Rio to hit a swift kick to the head and gain the one-two-three.

As the former couple argued in the ring, Big E Langston snuck in and ran Ziggler over with a mean clothesline and applied a Big Ending. Guess we know who 'The Show Off' is facing at SummerSlam. 

Before their match could begin, Bray Wyatt's 'family' took out a surprised R-Truth. Wyatt then gave a cryptic promo on how heroes no longer existed and that people can no longer trust even their own flesh and blood, but he was still trustworthy. Truth then entered the ring again with a steel chair in hand, but was soon caught out and beaten up by Bray and his associates. Well Wyatt is certainly one of the freshest and most interesting acts in the company right now.

The Usos bested The Real Americans in a fair tag bout. The match was fun while it lasted, it's just a shame they weren't allocated a bit more time to really excel, especially after The Usos's solid Tag Team Title match the night before. 

Christian pinned Damien Sandow in an enjoyable enough encounter. Much like the previous match they weren't given too much time, but they made the most of it. Christian catching MITB victor Sandow with a pinfall win seemed like odd booking though, but this failed to phase him as he still announced himself as the "Intellectual Saviour of Money in the Bank" afterwards.

An enraged Cody Rhodes then began clobbering his former tag partner who stabbed him in the bank the night before, with Sandow managing a quick escape after some security held Rhodes back.  

Naomi beat Brie Bella in an unremarkable affair. To be fair it was okay compared to the usual standard of match they deliver, but it still wasn't anything to shout about. Naomi gained the winning pin after applying a cross body from the top rope.

A stern CM Punk demanded that Heyman and Lesnar, who he was aware were in the building, enter the ring with him. So Paul Heyman made his way out, claiming that he now fails to exist in his eyes and was no longer the best in the World since dumping him as his associate, which was also the reason that he double crossed him by manipulating him and at Money in the Bank when he slammed a ladder into him multiple times. He also added that his children made it all clear when they asked why Punk didn't follow his orders like Lesnar did, who he also stated Punk could not beat.

Punk retorted by warning Heyman that he will gain retribution on everyone associated with the double cross, leaving him for last so he can witness it all. A confident Heyman then brought out his client Brock Lesnar who began brawling with Punk. While Punk managed brief comeback strikes, he was overpowered by Brock at every turn and eventually F5'd onto the announce desk. It was an enthralling segment from start to finish, with tremendous mic work from Heyman and an entertaining scrap.

Rob Van Dam defeated Chris Jericho in an engaging contest. They've certainly had superior match ups in the past, but that's not to take away from this one which had a few slightly sloppy moments but was enjoyable on the whole and well received by the fans in Brooklyn. 

After asking for the crowds opinion on who he should face at SummerSlam for the championship, John Cena finally announced the hottest wrestler in the company today as his challenger, Daniel Bryan. The fans gave a very healthy response to that pick, and it should be an interesting match next month.

Overall it was a solid show, with some good storyline developments and most match ups and promos worth checking out. My highlights were RVD versus Jericho, Del Rio versus Ziggler and the Punk, Heyman and Lesnar segment. Good start to the road to SummerSlam, let's hope they keep up the momentum.  

My WWE Money in the Bank 2013 Recap

All six men go tumbling off of the ladders, crazy! Photo credit: WWE.com

The Shield (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) (c) defeated Jimmy and Jey Uso to retain the WWE Tag Team Title in a solid pre-show bout. Surpassing my prediction of a decent tag match, this was a really fun watch with innovative action (which I would like to see more of from the WWE tag division) and a fast pace to keep you engaged. All four men deserve credit.

Damien Sandow bested Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett, Fandango, Dean Ambrose, Antonio Cesaro and Jack Swagger in the World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Ladder Match. In this exciting and highly entertaining opener every man gave us a memorable moment, whether it was Ambrose flipping from under a ladder to on top of it and then being chucked out of the ring by Cesaro and Swagger who were holding it, to Cody muscle busting Cesaro onto a ladder in the corner. I was expecting good things here but it definitely exceeded my expectations.

For the finish Ambrose was thrown from the top of the ladder onto everyone outside the ring by Rhodes (including his Shield teammates who had run down to help him but were soon attacked by the Usos and most of the other participants) but unfortunately for Cody as he climbed the ladder he was thrown off by his tag partner and 'best friend' Sandow, who had been hiding on the outside of the ring awaiting his chance to pounce and indeed did here as he managed to unhook the briefcase.

It was a surprising win which I did envisage happening in this MITB match, and a very nice set up into a Rhodes and Sandow feud. Cody had been a force towards the end of the match and had the fans behind him, acting every bit the face. I still don't think Sandow is quite ready to be World Champion but hopefully by the time he cashes in he will have improved in the ring.

The brand new Raw GM Brad Maddox came to the ring and first thanked Vince McMahon for appointing him as the General Manager and then Vickie Guerrero (who was up with the rest of the MITB panel in a box) for everything she'd done during her time in the WWE and presented a highlight package of her time there, which mainly included her falling over, screaming and generally embarrassing herself. It was a bit of a strange segment, but fortunately Maddoxs' charisma managed to save it.

Curtis Axel (c) pinned The Miz to retain the Intercontinental Championship in a largely stellar encounter. Both men were on good form here as they went back and fourth, providing well executed sequences and effective near falls and submission attempts, namely a Figure Four Leg Lock that was turned over a couple of times towards the end. Miz also managed to get Paul Heyman evicted from ringside early in the bout after falsely accusing him of striking him outside the ring to the referee. The fans in Philly were not amused by that.

AJ Lee (c) forced Kaitlyn to submit to retain the Divas Championship in a passable contest. Much like their title clash last month this was decent at parts but it was still lacking a bit for me. My favourite part was actually the nice selling of a shoulder injury from Kaitlyn, which was logically used  when she failed to reach the champ for a pin attempt after hitting a spear and in order for her to have to tap out once AJ latched on her Black Widow submission hold.

Ryback beat Chris Jericho in a decent enough affair. Both men gave fine displays, and while it will admittedly never go down as one of either's greatest matches it was enjoyable enough. Ryback caught Jericho after a Lionsault attempt with a quick roll up for the one-two-three.  

Alberto Del Rio (c) won via disqualification versus Dolph Ziggler, thereby retaining the World Heavyweight Championship. What a tremendous title match this was, and for me the finest bout these two have ever had. Both men were on top form as they went back and fourth, with smooth wrestling and edge of your seat action as the near falls kept on coming.

The DQ occurred when Ziggler's partner AJ came down to the ring and ignored his cries to go to the back and ended up racing into the ring and cracking Del Rio with her title belt as he was preparing for a Zig Zag. An understandably frustrated Dolph had to leave her after a heated argument.

John Cena (c) defeated Mark Henry to retain the WWE Championship in a match that took a while to get interesting but finished nicely. Henry dominated for the most part, with the majority of fans firmly behind him as he manhandled the champ. Of course Cena made his comeback as any good title holder does and he managed to finally catch Henry in an STF for the submission victory. While the match had satisfying parts, I can't say a rematch would have me all that excited unless it was under the right stipulations.

Randy Orton bested Rob Van Dam, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, Christian and CM Punk to obtain the WWE Championship Money in the Bank contract in an enthralling main event Ladder Match. This one had my firm attention from start to finish, with sterling performances from all involved. As with any previous MITB Ladder Match there were more than your fair share of impressive spots, although not as mental as the one earlier in the night.

We also had another betrayal much like the earlier MITB contest when Paul Heyman smashed a ladder into Punk's back multiple times as he was clear to grab the briefcase. This happened after Axel had run down and taken out Bryan as he was close to winning, but an unhappy Punk GTS'd the IC Champion for interfering, with Heyman also acting angry at his client. Many fans (and myself) were hoping that this was going to instigate an appearance from Lesnar, but that wasn't to be. This left things open for Orton to unhook the case and walk away with a guaranteed WWE Title match at any time he pleases. Hopefully this could be the start of the long rumoured heel turn for 'The Viper', we shall see.

Overall it was a solid and very fun event, with some memorable match ups and nice developments to take away from it. Heyman and Sandows' betrayals make things interesting going forward into SummerSlam next month, and a face turn for Rhodes can only be a good thing for him at this point really. Looking at the actual matches on the card I can't say there were any bad ones at all, and we had three high quality bouts in the two MITB Ladder Matches and the World Heavyweight Title contest, so I'd definitely put this PPV down as a big success and one of the best of the year so far. Just a shame there was no Bray Wyatt, but we only have to wait until tonight... 

My WWE Money in the Bank 2013 predictions

Photo credit: WWE.com

WWE Championship Match - John Cena (c) versus Mark Henry:

While this feud started off strongly, with Henry delivering the promo of his career, I've started to loose interest fairly quickly since. I feel like we've received the same old template speeches from both men in the two weeks leading up to this. But putting that all aside I'm expecting a passable title contest, nothing that spectacular but fun enough. I also see Cena retaining, I just can't imagine Henry taking the belt from him tonight.

Winner: John Cena

WWE Championship Money in the Bank Ladder Match - CM Punk versus Rob Van Dam versus Daniel Bryan versus Sheamus versus Randy Orton versus Christian versus ?:

My prediction for match of the night, and looking at the solid line up potentially one of the finest MITB match ups we've ever seen (although it'll take some to outdo my personal favourite at WrestleMania XXIV). As for the man to unhook the coveted briefcase, I have to go with the wrestler with the most momentum and that's Bryan. With his significant wins as of late and terrific reactions from the fans, it all seems to be building to him obtaining the contract and cashing in on Cena in the near future, well that's what I reckon anyway. And plus we also have that mystery guest spot. Some have mentioned Bray Wyatt taking it, but I'm not so sure, it's intriguing though...

Winner: Daniel Bryan

World Heavyweight Championship Match - Alberto Del Rio (c) versus Dolph Ziggler:

While the action should be stellar here, I'm just really tired of this feud now and hope it nears its end tonight, mainly due to my lack of interest in Del Rio and his rather drab persona. I'm still torn between who I see coming away with the strap, so I'm just going with Ziggler for now as he's the wrestler I feel has a much more potentially interesting reign ahead.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Ladder Match - Wade Barrett versus Damien Sandow versus Antonio Cesaro versus Cody Rhodes versus Jack Swagger versus Dean Ambrose versus Fandango:

While the line up here is a bit of a mixed bag, this should still be an exciting match with the younger wrestlers itching to leave an impression in this environment. This is also a tricky one to call. While you can almost rule out Rhodes and Sandow winning here, you never know if WWE fancy surprising the fans with a shock victory. Who can forget Bryan grabbing the briefcase a couple of years back at this event? Now who honestly expected that? But I'm going with who seems the most likely and logical, and that's Ambrose. He's been on very good form and clearly impressing the right people in the back, plus it would be the next step up for The Shield. I mean where do they go from their current position? But as I said there could well be a shock win so I could be way off.

Winner: Dean Ambrose

Chris Jericho versus Ryback:

This could potentially be a very enjoyable outing, although with Ryback it can be tricky to tell. Jericho's been on solid form since returning at the Royal Rumble and I'm sure we'll get a fine performance from him, but while Ryback's been involved in some very entertaining encounters (his series with Cena, the tremendous TLC match versus Shield with Team Hell No) he's not consistent. Considering Y2J will be leaving on tour fairly soon it would seem foolish to have him victorious here, and Ryback really needs a significant PPV win.

Winner: Ryback 

Intercontinental Championship Match - Curtis Axel (c) versus The Miz:

I'm not anticipating anything extraordinary with this contest, but it should be decent enough and Axel has looked very good in-between the ropes lately, plus Miz almost always gives a worthy effort. Although Axel lost to Y2J on SmackDown this week (loosing his temper afterwards) I imagine he'll retain the belt here, I wouldn't see the point of him dropping it just yet to Miz.

Winner: Curtis Axel

Divas Championship Match - AJ Lee (c) versus Kaitlyn:

The contract signing segment on SmackDown got me interested in this feud again a bit, but I'm going to be realistic and admit that this will most likely be another fair and unremarkable bout between the two. It's a relief to see WWE investing time and actually building a relevant feud in the Divas division, but they really still need to invest in some female talent with experience and that are much more capable and exciting in the ring. Oh, and AJ to retain, seems most likely.

Winner: AJ Lee

Pre-Show WWE Tag Team Championships Match - The Shield (c) (Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins) versus Jimmy and Jey Uso:

Good choice to have in the pre-show slot, should be a lively affair to get the Philly crowd going, plus with the titles on the line it adds that bit more significance. While Usos have been on a fair push as of late, I struggle to see them outdoing Shield tonight.

Winners: The Shield

My WWE Raw, 8th July 2013 Recap

The Wyatt family have arrived on Raw. Photo credit: WWE.com

Vickie Guerrero, accompanied by assistant Brad Maddox, climbed up a ladder placed in the ring with a Money in the Bank briefcase above it, talking about how it represented her proverbial climb up the ladder each year she's been in the company. 

Jerry Lawler then interrupted the Managing Supervisor and revealed that there would be an online poll for the fans to determine whether she's passed or failed in her role, with the McMahons job evaluation of Vickie later on that night. After then sucking up to the fans, Vickie announced the matches that night involving all the participants in the All-Star MITB match this Sunday. It was a pretty drab start to the show. 

Daniel Bryan pinned Sheamus in an enjoyable back and fourth contest. Both men gave worthy efforts, with effective near falls, submission attempts and exciting action for the most part. Bryan grabbed the one-two-three with a quick roll up on the Irishman.

The Shield (Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) beat Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay and Tensai) in a largely average and unmemorable tag bout. The match was given too much time and began to drag for me, with uninspiring wrestling for the most part. But fortunately there was a strong finish as Rollins applied a nice enzuigiri to Tensai, then tagged in Reigns before performing a diving flip to the outside onto Clay, allowing his tag partner to spear Tensai for the win.

WWE Champion John Cena came out and was soon joined by his MITB opponent Mark Henry, who explained just how desperate he was to take the strap from him, even willing to sell out his own family as he did a few weeks back when he feigned his retirement. Cena retorted be claiming that if Henry looses on Sunday then he'll loose the respect of the fans and it would've been "seventeen years for nothing" for him. Does Henry's World Title reign not count for anything then?

After a few more exchanged words Cena challenged Henry to cross the line, but he refused, that was until Cena went to grab his belt and he clobbered him with a clothesline. Cena made a brief comeback as he attempted an AA, but Henry's weight was too much and he fell on top of him and then applied a World's Strongest Slam to the champ. It was a pretty poor segment to be honest, neither man was great on the mic and the action was quite awkward (which doesn't bode well for their title clash). It's a shame really considering how strong the feud started.  

Chris Jericho defeated Curtis Axel in a solid outing. Each wrestler looked good here as they provided fine displays. It may not have been as exciting as the earlier Bryan versus Sheamus encounter but it's worth checking out. Jericho grabbed the victory with a Codebreaker after Miz (who'd provided guest commentary) had distracted Axel at ringside.

Alberto Del Rio versus Sin Cara ended in a no contest after Dolph Ziggler (who'd come down to mock the World Champion during the match up) and him began brawling until Sin Cara applied a flying cross body from the top rope onto Del Rio. The bout itself had been fair, nothing that special about it. 

Vickie Guerrero pleaded her case to Triple H, Stephanie and Vince McMahon as to why she deserves to keep her spot on Raw. Unfortunately for her while Vince supported her work, Triple H did not, with 'The Game' stating that the fans deserved better. So the final decision fell to Stephanie, who decided to make things fair by deciding Vickie's fate with the online fans poll, who voted seventy five percent in favour of Vickie failing as the Managing Supervisor, so Stephanie fired her.

A furious Vickie threw a temper tantrum in the ring, while Vince consoled her and announced Brad Maddox as the new GM of Raw. As Maddox thanked Vince backstage, an upset Vickie began attacking him. I'm definitely in favour of this, Maddox has shown plenty of charisma and personality on commentary and in various segments, more than most regulars in WWE today.

Kane pinned Christian in a decent effort. As usual the two professionals gave stellar showings, although the match was lacking a little excitement. But the big story from the match came afterwards when Bray Wyatt and his 'family' finally made their Raw debut and beat down Kane. The eery entrance was particularly nice as Bray slowly walked down the ramp in darkness as his two associates followed behind him in goat masks with only Wyatt's lantern lighting the way. 

Kaitlyn and Layla versus Alicia Fox and AJ Lee ended in a no contest after Kaitlyn as the illegal participant refused to stop attacking AJ, with Fox and Layla having to separate them. But Kaitlyn wasn't done as she then speared AJ on the outside. The bout itself had been a uninspiring one, with average action. The Bella twins boated on commentary how dull the match was and how the ratings had gone up since they returned. Yes, the same Bellas who have been dire for the most part since returning and added nothing to the struggling Divas division. 

CM Punk defeated Randy Orton in an entertaining main event. The wrestling was well executed throughout, with nice sequences and a good pace. Punk gained the winning pinfall after applying a GTS to Orton. Afterwards Bryan then ran down and took out both men, charging into 'The Viper' with a ladder from under the ring and then climbing up it to unhook the Money in the Bank briefcase. Could we be seeing that same scene on Sunday? I wouldn't be surprised with his current form.

Overall it was a fair show, with more than a few unremarkable segments and matches. My highlights were Bryan versus Sheamus, Jericho versus Axel, Vickie's job evaluation (mainly due to Maddox stepping into the GM position), the Wyatt family's debut and the main event. For myself it was a disappointing way to head into the PPV, but despite that most of the card looks promising and it should be a fun show. 

My WWE Raw, 1st July 2013 recap

The all-star lineup for the WWE Title Money in the Bank match. Bar RVD of course. Photo credit: WWE.com

Daniel Bryan came to the ring and spoke about finally proving people wrong by forcing Orton to submit on last Monday's show, and said that he planned on carrying that momentum on into Money in the Bank where he intends to earn a place with the greats such as Austin and Sammartino and win the WWE Championship contract and the strap itself. Sheamus and Randy Orton then joined him and each spoke about how desperate they were to be a champion again after a long absence without a title belt around their waist.

Kane also came out and began bickering with Bryan over who was going to win the MITB match after he reminded him that partners didn't exist in the aforementioned match and it was anyone for themselves. Christian and CM Punk also entered the proceedings and reminded everyone of their impressive records when it came to Ladder matches.

As Punk was then talking about the strengths of each man in the ring (and RVD) Bryan interrupted him and threatened to make him tap faster than Orton. This ticked off 'The Viper' who RKO'd Kane as he went to protect his former Team Hell No tag partner, causing everyone to disband from the gathering. It was an entertaining segment to start the show, with Punk, Bryan and Christian especially on good form on the mic.

The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) defeated Christian and The Usos in a solid six-man tag bout. The length was just right and the action was kept at a fast pace throughout, with solid displays all round.  

Dolph Ziggler pinned Jinder Mahal in a passable contest. Unfortunately it was too brief to really make a lasting impression, although both men looked decent enough. Afterwards the rest of 3MB, Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre, attempted to attack Ziggler but failed as 'The Show Off' managed to thwart them and take them both out. 

Kane pinned Randy Orton after a restart by special guest referee Daniel Bryan. Bryan restarted the match after initially disqualifying Orton for pushing him, but changed his mind after Kane and Orton argued with him.

The winning pin after a big boot from Kane was also very quickly counted, causing the upset victor to grab Bryan by the throat, but instead decide to walk away. However Orton wasn't quite so calm and RKO'd Bryan for screwing him over. The match itself had been fair, nothing particularly special and not as entertaining as their encounter on SmackDown last week.

Sheamus won via count out versus Fandango in a forgettable outing. Both men gave competent displays and never looked bad by any means, but it lacked excitement and I just failed to find the interest. The count out occurred after Fandango had enough of Sheamus' beating and decided to leave. 

The Miz beat Ryback after Ryback informed the referee that he couldn't continue due to a leg injury. The match itself had been pretty average, which was hardly a shock. Jericho (who'd provided okay guest commentary) crept in afterwards and Codebreakered Ryback, which seemed a bit heelish to me.

Mark Henry gave a speech that started fairly drab when he spoke about paying his dues for years and "doing the right thing for the business" which got him nowhere but earned him the right to be World Champion. But it picked up a bit when Henry claimed that he'd been held back by jealous wrestlers in the back and finally warned Cena that at Money in the Bank he was "gonna beat your ass!"

Curtis Axel and CM Punk bested the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) in an enjoyable tag team affair. I'll admit that it won't blow you away on any level but it was a fun watch mainly due to the friction between Axel and Punk after Heyman's client tagged himself in at the start and refused to tag Punk back in, and then tagged himself back in at the end again to gain the winning pinfall after Punk had applied the GTS to Young. Paul Heyman tried to convince Punk to celebrate with them afterwards but instead he justifiably stormed off.

Kaitlyn pinned Alicia Fox in an unremarkable outing. The wrestling was competent enough, but failed to hold the crowds attention who quickly lost interest and began to entertain themselves. AJ Lee then came out and once again called her rival "trash" and presented a bizarre image of an obese Kaitlyn. Much like last Monday's segment involving AJ it just failed to entertain me at all, it wasn't amusing and it felt like a lot of recycled material on her part. This feud had quickly lost steam since Payback. 

Backstage Stephanie McMahon reminded Vickie that she'd warned her to stop AJ's antics, and after sympathising with her tough spot having to choose between Triple H and Vince McMahon's directions for the show Stephanie informed the Managing Supervisor that next week she'll have a public job evaluation. I've personally grown a little tired of this storyline, and struggling to see the actual point of it all? It's not exactly riveting to watch Vickie being told what to do.

Before Cesaro's following match, Zeb Colter introduced the returning Jack Swagger after drivelling on about the state of the US again. I'm going to be down on the product again here but I'm looking forward to seing the back of Colter, he doesn't add anything of value to the shows or his accomplices for me.

Antonio Cesaro defeated Cody Rhodes in a good effort by both wrestlers. My only issue was the time allocated, if this bout had been given a bit more we could've had a far better match up that would've given both men more of a chance to show what they can do. Damien Sandow looked completely confused by the loss, could this be the beginning of the end of Rhodes Scholars? Cody's become the WWE's punching bag over the last few months so I wouldn't mind seeing him turn face in the near future, I could see him pulling it off.

John Cena beat Alberto Del Rio in a mixed bag of a main event. There were periods of stellar action (largely thanks to the work of del Rio) and effective near falls and submission attempts, but unfortunately the start was a bit slow and there were a few sloppy moments which spoilt it a bit. Throughout the night we'd seen highlights of various World Heavyweight and WWF/E Champions leading up to the match, which was a nice touch I felt and added something extra to it, it's just a shame the contest didn't live up to the build up.  

During the match up Henry walked out and stood by the ring, distracting Cena while he had Del Rio in an STF. Ziggler also made an appearance later on and distracted Del Rio from the top rope, allowing the WWE Champion to apply an AA for the one-two-three. Afterwards Henry then strolled into the ring afterwards with the WWE Title, chucking the belt over to the champ and taunting him before walking away.

Overall it was a fair show, nothing that special or memorable to take away from it. My highlights were the opening segment, The Shield versus Christian and The Usos, Punk and Axel versus the Prime Time Players and most of the main event.