The Year in PPV- 2012, Part II

The 2012 continues with some pretty disappointing results...


5. Over the Limit

Over the Limit is definitely a show that has been forgotten in recent memory, but should be remembered for a handful of gems scattered on the card, including matches for the WWE Tag Team Championship match (Kofi Kingston and R-Truth vs. Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger) and the Intercontinental Championship (Cody Rhodes vs. Christian). The Fatal 4-Way for the World Heavyweight Championship (Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Chris Jericho vs. Randy Orton) should also be remembered on this show thanks to its non-stop action and suspense in the near falls.

In many ways, one match was on its way to saving Over the Limit from being an average show: CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship. I remember this match having very little build up, but I didn't think it needed a convoluted storyline. All it needed to be is two great independent wrestlers getting an opportunity to put on a fantastic wrestling match on a mainstream PPV for a prestigious world title, and that's EXACTLY what it was. But, just like how the booking would be, they ruin the moment by having John Cena main event the show against John Laurinaitis. The match is complete garbage with a ridiculous No Disqualification gimmick that really leaves that lasting impression on an overall solid show that should have closed with Punk/Bryan.

Mild Recommendation


6. No Way Out

If there was ever a PPV in 2012 worth skipping over, it's No Way Out. A non-existent PPV since 2009, No Way Out returned with much anticipation for fans of the PPVs from the 2000s like Backlash, Judgment Day, Unforgiven, and many more. Most of this show is filler of the crappiest quality, especially the tuxedo match between Santino Marella and Ricardo Rodriguez. There is a pretty solid gem though in the triple threat for the WWE Championship. CM Punk defended against Daniel Bryan and Kane and they actually had an ok triple threat. Is it the greatest triple threat ever? No, but it is fueled by the storyline of AJ Lee's involvement.

Unfortunately, the show peaks with the opening match of Sheamus vs. Dolph Ziggler for the World Heavyweight Championship. Originally, the plan was for Alberto Del Rio to face Sheamus, but thanks to an injury, Del Rio was replaced by Ziggler at the last minute. Ziggler and Sheamus have great chemistry and I wish they would have developed an actual feud (instead of the one we got with Sheamus and Del Rio). The main event saw John Cena face Big Show in a steel cage match. Mr. McMahon returned to be in Cena's corner, while John Laurinaitis was in Show's corner. And as an added stipulation, Cena would be fired if he lost and Laurinaitis would be fired if Show lost. This isn't a bad match and the stipulation works, but I think they could have had this feud go on a bit longer before it had to conclude at this show.

Skip It


7. Money in the Bank

In the context of this year's Money in the Bank PPV, for every good main event, there is another that feels lackluster. Let's start with the letdowns by discussing the first of 3 World Heavyweight Championship matches in the 4 month long feud between Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio. Admittedly, this match is probably their best encounter, but that's only because the fans weren't sick of it yet. The Money in the Bank ladder match that disappoints on the WWE Championship side of things with a match that only former WWE Champions could enter. Not only does that completely kill any excitement that the match SHOULD have in establishing a future main eventer, but the participants were Chris Jericho, Big Show, Kane, The Miz, and John Cena. All respect towards Jericho (who I desperately wanted to win this match) but really, guess who wins the match. Just take a guess.

There is a ladder match that exceeds expectations however for a contract match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Christian, Cody Rhodes, Sin Cara, Tensai, Dolph Ziggler, Tyson Kidd, Damien Sandow, and Santino Marella all battled for the contract in an exciting match where many superstars deserved to win. The crowd was really behind Rhodes and Ziggler, since the Championship picture was in need of a young heel on the rise. Also, the MVP of the match was Tyson Kidd, who felt like an underdog choice to win but dazzled the crowd with his athleticism. But the match everyone remembers is the No Disqualification match for the WWE Championship. CM Punk and Daniel Bryan's competitive feud continued and brought AJ Lee into the mix to create a very confusing love triangle. What makes the match more interesting was that AJ was named guest referee and that Punk and Bryan are able to have both a hardcore match and a wrestling match.

Mild Recommendation


8. SummerSlam

The 2012 edition of the Biggest Party of the Summer felt like one of the best SummerSlams in a very long time. Not since 2002 had there been a SummerSlam with as much attention focused on the overall wrestling product. But now that I have had 2 years to re-watch and think about it, it's still a fine show but maybe there are some things about it that weren't the greatest. The show kicks off with a modern dream match between Dolph Ziggler and Chris Jericho. Then, Daniel Bryan and Kane had a match that might have at the time looked like filler but it actually laid the ground work toward the formation of one of the strangest tag teams in WWE history. Not to mention there are some well-done championship matches for the Intercontinental (The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio) and WWE Tag Team (Kofi Kingston and R-Truth vs. The Prime Time Players

One of the weaker points in the show is the World Heavyweight Championship match between Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio that was doing fine until the ending that the fans were clearly not in favor of. Next, we had the WWE Championship on the line in a Triple Threat between CM Punk, John Cena, and Big Show. This match works well enough thanks to each superstar having a different wrestling style that allows for a unique dynamic in their ring work. But the night was all about the very intense and personal feud between Triple H and Brock Lesnar. In a No Disqualification match, Brock and Triple H tried to tell a good story by brawling, but I could have done with a nice mixture of technical wrestling and hardcore wrestling. Here it felt way too much like Lesnar was emphasizing his UFC style and I personally prefer the Lesnar that was a monster who could also wrestle a great match like he could back in 2003. Still, it's a dream match fans wanted to see during the Ruthless Aggression Era, so it's worth a look to see if you can find the chemistry between these two combustible elements.

Recommended


Thoughts: This segment of PPVs is full of hit and misses. Many of the misses come from the direction of booking and pushes including the relevance of Santino's character and having way too many squash matches on the shows. But there are just as many goods to counteract the bad, such as the Punk/Bryan feud, the booking of Sheamus as the World Heavyweight Champion, seeing Ziggler get the rub in world title matches and in matches against legends like Jericho, and also a pair of really great Intercontinental Championship matches with Cody Rhodes and Christian. But as the year is coming to an end, would they be able to ride a stronger momentum of quality?

Concluded in Part III...


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