WWE No Way Out - 6/17/2012

WWE No Way Out - June 17th, 2012

Match 1:  Sheamus (c) vs Dolph Ziggler, World Heavyweight Championship

Winner: Sheamus via pinfall

WHC opens yet another pay per view show.  This does no justice to remind anyone of why they should care about this title or any other.  A tease of the Wrestlemania 28 finish, but Ziggler rolls away from a blind side Brough Kick.  Sheamus takes the early control with a couple of headlock take overs, and this apparently surprises Jerry Lawler, even though they’re a mainstay of Sheamus early on in matches.  More brilliant commentary to set the tone of the night.  Ziggler goes for an early Sleeper attempt, but Sheamus sits him on the top rope, prompting Ziggler to slap him, which leads to Sheamus shoving him over the top to the floor for a nasty bump.  Sheamus takes advantage and throws Ziggler back in to keep the attack up.  Ziggler tries to use his speed advantage, but Sheamus’ power game lets him keep up an onslaught in the early goings of the match.  Both men are on the apron, each on either side of a ringpost and Ziggler shows great ring awareness; he runs Sheamus’ arm into the post and back in the ring, hits a jumping DDT for two.  Ziggler stays aggressive and chokes Sheamus in the ropes.  The challenger continues to keep Sheamus grounded and does his headstand chinlock, which the crowd loves.  

Sheamus begins to fight his way back to his feet and lifts Ziggler into a fireman’s carry for his signature rolling slam, but Ziggler swings it out into  a spike DDT to counter for a VERY close two.  Blows are traded and Ziggler lands a dropkick for one, followed by a chinlock with a body scissors.  Sheamus fights to his feet again and Ziggler goes for an okana roll but ends up in a cradle, using the ropes for leverage, which the ref catches at two.  Sheamus tries a school boy for two and Ziggler lands a neckbreaker for another near fall.  Ziggler pounces and settles into another body scissors and chinlock.  Sheamus fights up to his feet yet again but takes a kick in the face; Sheamus answers with axe handles and his knee lift, which Ziggler dodges, able to lock in the Sleeper.  Sheamus dumps Dolph over the top to counter; Ziggler flies from the top and gets caught awkwardly for the Irish Curse which is awkwardly transitioned to White Noise, which Ziggler squirms out of, landing a fameasser for a believable two.  Vickie loses it at ringside and Ziggler lays in with boots in the corner.  Sheamus kicks Dolph’s knee out from under him and flips from the seated corner to the top.  Ziggler gives chase and lands a top rope X-Factor for another close two.  Ziggler is selling the knee on the mat while Sheamus begins to stir.  Ziggler distances himself, ready to continue the attack.  Ziggler jumps for the Sleeper, but Sheamus spins it around for a big time Irish Curse backbreaker.  Sheamus catches Dolph on the apron and delivers the forearms to the chest, then drags Ziggler in.  Ziggler lands another kick off the ropes and tries the Sleeper one more time; Sheamus swings him out and lands White Noise.  Sheamus heads to the corner to ready himself for the Brough Kick and connects.  It’s good for the win after a 20 minute battle.

Great way to open the PPV, even though the World Title should be higher on the card.  If the title wasn't given to Ziggler here or soon, it's got to be either him or Cody Rhodes who nabs the Money in the Bank 

briefcase this year, since that's apparently the only sign of elevating stars in WWE at this point.

Match 2:  Santino Marella (US Champion) vs Ricardo Rodriguez, Tuxedo Match

Winner:  Santino Marella

Santino in a powder blue tux.  Santino offers a handshake and the men show off their tuxes to the crowd.  As expected, the crowd boos Ricardo and cheers Santino.  A shoving match ensues and Ricardo tears a hole in Santino’s tux,and Santino returns the favor.  Santino slaps Ricardo after a couple more tears.  Ricardo whiffs a haymaker and takes an atomic drop, then an inverted one.  Santino plays matador with Ricardo’s jacket.  On the third try, Ricardo ends up diving out to the floor.  Santino hits a drop toe hold and removes a shoe; repeat for the other side.  Santino takes Ricardo for a head bump to each corner as the crowd chants “Boring”.  Ricardo is down to just pants, and hits a jawbuster, but Santino answers with a hiptoss and then puts on the Cobra.   

Ricardo rakes the eyes and tosses the Cobra out and Ricardo gets the shoes and pants off of Santino.  Under Santino’s right sock is another Cobra and Santino does a kip up then hits Ricardo with a foot Cobra and gets his pants off.  Santino wins.  ADR is on Ricardo’s skivvies.   

 

Crowd was not happy with this one, which is bad considering the average crowd loves Santino.  To be fair, considering all the quality comedy wrestling that Santino and Ricardo typically produce, this was sub par.  The United States Champion should really have something better to concern himself with, but on a show where the World Heavyweight Title opens it, nothing more can really be expected.

Striker interviews Punk on the title match and his relationship with AJ.  Punk says there isn’t a relationship and tonight is about the WWE title, not AJ.  Punk is focused, facing a technician and a monster, but he’s happy to try to beat the odds.  AJ shows up to wish Punk luck; Punk says luck is for losers.  AJ scares Striker off.

Match 3:  Cody Rhodes vs Christian (c), Intercontinental Championship
Winner: Christian via pinfall

Christian comes out to a pretty lukewarm reaction; either the crowd isn’t too hot tonight or Santino/Ricardo sucked all the interest right out of them.  Rhodes signals to the crowd he aims to become a 3 time IC champ tonight.  Rhodes opens strong with strikes but Christian shoulders him down thrice to show a neutral reset.  Rhodes shoves Christian and Christian slaps him down.  Rhodes ends up on the apron and Christian drops him face first on it.  Christian baseball slides Rhodes and on the follow up, Rhodes drops Christian face first down onto the apron to take control.  Rhodes drops Christian’s arm across the top rope and begins the systematic arm attack, including a Daniel Bryan-like stomp to the elbow.  Christian whips Rhodes to the corner and slides past him to the outside to trip him.  Christian teases splitting the up rights on the ring post, but Rhodes pulls Christian face first into the post.  Rhodes keeps the aggression up, literally keeping Christian on the ropes.  Rhodes gives Christian an arm wringer and locks the arm, then lifts Christian to the top rope.  Christian fights out and tries for a tornado DDT, but Rhodes shoves him from the top to the outside.  Christian turns Rhodes around and throws him to the steel steps.  Christian runs over the steps and drops Rhodes with a jumping tornado DDT, leaving both men on the floor up to an 8 count.  Back to the ring, Christian starts on a comeback.   

Christian rallies the crowd beinnd him and calls for the Killswitch; Rhodes dodges but gets a drop toe hold onto the ropes for his trouble.  Rhodes dodges Christian’s leaping-outside-slap, but ends up taking a cross body block, which Rhodes rolls through.  Christian tries the springboard sunset flip (which Booker T calls a victory roll), but Rhodes pulls his legs out from under him, dropping him face first.  Rhodes hits the middle rope but takes too long, allowing Christian to run up and hit a frankensteiner for two.  Both men fight to their feet, but Rhodes drops Christian for a near fall.  Christian tries the Killswitch, but Rhodes turns it around and hits the old Bob Holly combo of the boot to the gut while Christian is hung on the ropes and the Alabama Slam for a very close two.  Rhodes tries the Killswitch himself, but Christian drops him with the diving reverse DDT, then calls for the spear, but Rhodes bails out.  Back in the ring, Christian lands a Killswitch, but Rhodes kicks out, prompting an audible “YES” chant from the crowd.  Christian heads to the top, but Rhodes meets him up there.  Christian tosses him to the mat and tries a Frog Splash, but Rhodes gets the knees up.  Rhodes tries for the Beautiful Disaster, which Christian dodges; Rhodes tries again and Christian dodges again, then drops Rhodes with a Spear for the well-earned three.  Rhodes may not have gotten the better of him, but a damn close match and a great showing from both guys.   

Matches like this are why someone as young as Rhodes is obviously a future World or WWE champion; the “audible male” crowd loves to cheer for him and the average fans love to boo him.  Christian and the IC title can be used to start working some of these new stars and stars in the making upward; Rhodes should begin to move onto bigger and better things as soon as possible, maybe starting with MITB.


Match 4: Primo and Epico vs Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd vs Prime Time Players vs The Usos, Fatal Four Way tag team match
Winner: Prime Time Players via pinfall

A showing of AW giving the Colons a pep talk earlier tonight; at least these guys didn’t just disappear.  Thrilled to see Gabriel and Kidd on a PPV – both guys are top notch.  Young and O’Neil have grown on me with each passing week.  The crowds always seem to love the Usos; they have a fire and an energy that’s hard to ignore.

O’Neil and an Uso start out, with a quick tag to Young and then to the other Uso.  An early near fall to set the pace as the Usos tag back and forth again to keep Young cornered.  Young stumbles into a corner and Epico tags himself in.  The Usos keep up the quick tags and hit their double team elbow drop, followed by a sitout full nelson buster.  Gabriel tags Epico and gets in.  Uso does the worm and Gabriel does a cartwheel to get back into position.  A headlock takeover to slow things down a bit and a blind tag leads to the double team Samoan drop by the Usos, staying in control.  The Usos take the Colons off the apron and O’Neil tags himself in to take on Gabriel.  

O’Neil powers Gabriel down then tags in Young and gives him a gourdbuster onto Gabriel for two.  Young shows his power and tosses Gabriel overhead onto the ropes, then settles into a chinlock.  Gabriel tries to fight out and flips over Young, following with a big spin kick.  Epico tags Young and lays boots to Gabriel.  Primo tags his cousin and a different team takes over.  A double team dropkick leads to a nearfall and another chinlock on Gabriel.  Gabriel tries to fight out and Epico hits a triple belly to back suplex (that’s new) for a near fall.  Primo tags back in and sweeps the leg out from under Gabriel then hits a leg drop.  A snapmare and face rake precede a kick to the back and a scoop slam.  Primo tries a springboard senton but Gabriel dodges, then dives for the tag to Kidd.  Kidd hits a springboard drop kick on Primo and lands a flurry of kicks for a one count.  Kidd lands a flying leg drop over the top and a top rope blockbuster for two before it’s broken up.  Kidd tries for a springboard elbow drop but the knees are up and after a backstabber, Kidd gets an Uso assisted save.  The Usos, the Prime Time Playerss and Gabriel all end up on the floor after a double dive from the Usos.  In the ring, Darren Young blind tags himself in on Kidd, making he and Primo the legal men.  Kidd gives Primo a frankensteiner to the floor, taking out the entirety of the group; everyone is on the floor and the crowd congratulates them with a “holy shit” chant.  

Young is the first to roll into the ring and AW picks Primo up and rolls him in.  Young hits his fireman’s carry gutbuster and gets the win.  AW slides in and congratulates the Prime Time Players; he has apparently abandoned the Colons.  The Colons get in his face about it and AW tries to settle them.  Epico pops him in the jaw and the Prime Time Players attack from behind.  AW gets up and joins them in laying boots to the Colons.  In the replay, we can see that AW actually stopped Epico from saving Primo from being pinned; definitely a premeditated plan.

It's nice to see any growth or storyline in the tag team division.  It seems that Kidd/Gabriel have settled into being a team, which is great - Both guys deserve more time on TV.
 Money in the Bank will be Sunday July 15th; with the way things are between Raw and Smackdown, we'll see if there are one or two of the ladder matches this year.

A video package of what transpired with HHH and Brock Lesnar, including Paul Heyman’s appearance.  This all leads to HHH heading to the ring for his advertised mid-PPV promo.  HHH says he’s spent half his life in the ring; it’s all he ever wanted to do, and didn’t want a real job.  Now he has a real job.  Haha.  Since Heyman put forth two lawsuits, HHH has had to deal with legal stuff, which he hates, since he’s not really a “corporate” type – he’s a fighter and an ass kicker.  HHH has an idea.  Brock Lesnar wants to fight – he’s a fighter and an ass kicker too.  HHH’s arm is apparently all healed at this point; convenient.  HHH says he’ll be in fighting shape quite soon, right in the middle of summer.  Get rid of the lawyers, the lawsuits and all the legal junk.  Get rid of the fat, balding manager.  Let’s do what we do, Brock:  Let’s fight.  HHH wants to fight Lesnar bad.  HHH vs Lesnar, one on one at Summerslam.  Or Lesnar can be happy with being a quitter; either way.  Exactly what everyone expected:  HHH inserts himself into one of the four major shows of the year, into what will likely be the main event, with no titles involved and ultimately no benefit to any young talent.  Lesnar vs Cena didn’t boost buys; the walking ego that is HHH thinks he can do better.  Sadly, at this point it'd be worse if he DIDN'T pull this stunt; the Lesnar situation needs to be forwarded one way or another and since WWE doesn't seem keen on Lesnar tearing through the roster, this is the best we can hope for.

AJ finds Bryan in the back.  Bryan doesn’t want to hear it from her, but she asks for a moment of his time.  After all they’ve been through, there’s a part of her that hasn’t gotten over Bryan.  She wishes Bryan luck and gives him a kiss on the cheek, the same as Punk.  She seems to be manipulating all three men.

Match 5:  Beth Phoenix vs Layla (c), Diva's Championship
Winner: Layla via pinfall
 

A couple quick go behind reversals before Phoenix blindsides Layla and takes her down.  Beth talks trash, and Layla gives her a boot to the gut and a dropkick to the thigh.  Layla takes Phoenix’s head piece and begins to mock her.  She dances and then runs out of the ring, followed by Phoenix.  Back in, Layla slams her face first.  Layla starts toward a low dropkick on a seated Phoenix, but Phoenix covers up.  Layla stops then feints another, finally landing it on the third.  Layla takes control and then climbs the ropes to attack from the apron.  Phoenix hits the ropes and knocks Layla off, taking control in the process, throwing the champion into the barrier.  She rolls Layla back in for two and settles into a double chickenwing.  Layla stands up and fights out.  Phoenix shoves her to mat and then chokes her in the ropes.  Layla dodges Beth and rolls her up for two.  Phoenix comes back with a pendulum backbreaker and stretches her across her knee.   

Layla fights out and finds herself held for the Glamslam.  Layla kicks off the turnbuckle to counter and rolls Phoenix up, followed by kicks and a springboard crossbody for two.  Layla walks into a powerslam for a close two.  Phoenix lifts Layla into a fireman’s carry and lifts her into a gorilla press, but Layla fights down into a smooth DDT for a very close two count.  Phoenix drives Layla into the corner and drives her shoulder into the midsection.  Layla slips under and hits the Layout neckbreaker for a clean, decisive win.   

The girls got about 7 minutes on the show, and aside from a bit of fun at the beginning were all business.  It’s a shame that Layla will end up following this by wrestling Alicia Fox or someone of that ‘caliber’.  If anything, maybe we'll get Kharma back in soon to beat up the beloved face and set Phoenix on a title chase.  

AJ is in the back, and finds Kane in the stacks.  Kane is pensive to say the least.  AJ can’t explain, but wants to wish Kane good luck; she gives him the cheek kiss.  He holds onto her elbow and kisses her, then walks away.  AJ doesn't seem to know what to make of it.

Match 6:  Hunico vs Sin Cara
Winner:  Sin Cara via pinfall
 

Sin Cara gets the tiniest reaction that could possibly be considered a reaction.  Hunico comes out strong, putting boots to Sin Cara.  Hunico slides under the handspring elbow and keeps control.  Sin Cara lands an elevated snapmare but dives into a leg from Hunico on the outside.  Hunico lands a tope back into the ring and gets a one count.  Hunico puts Cara into the corner and fires off a loud chop.  Back to the corner and another chop.  Hunico vaults from the apron and dropkicks a seated Cara in the corner.  Still only good for a one, so Hunico settles into a chinlock.  Sin Cara begins to fight out, but Hunico keeps him down.  Hunico locks Sin Cara into a Gory Special, but Sin Cara fights out into an arm drag.  He rushes Hunico, but takes a tilt a whirl backbreaker and back into the chinlock.  Hunico gives Sin Cara a schoolboy, then deadlifts him into a sideways powerbomb for a close two and another chinlock; great move.  A “We Want Ryder – Woo Woo Woo” chant breaks out as Hunico tries repeated lateral presses to wear out Sin Cara.  

Sin Cara tries for a hurricanrana, but Hunico sits out into a powerbomb for another nearfall.  Sin Cara lands a headscissors off another whip for a bit of a reset.  Sin Cara hits an enzuigiri from the apron and a springboard hurricanrana and repeated dropkicks.  Sin Cara ducks a clothesline attempt and lands La Mistica for the three.  

Great freaking match – For a moment I actually thought Hunico would get a clean win over Sin Cara on a PPV.  Silly me.  Hunico is just behind Kidd for one of the most under/mis utilized talents on this shallow roster right now.  Everything he does is just incredibly crisp.  A bit of repackaging would do him a world of good.

Video package dating back to Punk vs Bryan for the WWE title at Over the Limit.  Quite a bit of the package focuses on AJ.  Between that and the vignettes/backstage meetings tonight, there’s no way she doesn’t figure into the outcome of this match somehow.  Of note, AJ isn’t in a CM Punk shirt tonight.

Match 7:  Kane vs Daniel Bryan vs CM Punk (c), WWE Championship Triple Threat
Winner: CM Punk via pinfall
 

Kane enters to a tepid reaction, followed by Bryan to a considerably louder one.  One group up in the stands has handed out sheets of paper to the whole section that say “Yes!”; it’s a shame you can’t really make this out on TV.  Punk makes his entrance to the loudest reaction of the night so far.  Punk is in the new “I dig crazy chicks” t-shirt; be odd for them to have printed these and to sell them if AJ ends up with one of the others after this.  AJ hasn’t entered with any of the combatants.  Quote of the night so far from Booker T:   “I’ve got three words for you – Let’s get it on tonight.”  I don’t even.

Kane attacks Punk right away and tosses Bryan off.  Bryan tries leg kicks, but Kane isn’t having it.  He grabs both men and they counter with dueling kicks to Kane – “Yes” from Bryan and “No” from Punk.  They double team dropkick Kane and fight over the cover.  Bryan chops Punk and the champ answers in kind.  Punk keeps the attack up and backdrops Bryan to the outside.  Punk hits the ropes for a dive, but Kane clotheslines the champion for two then lays boots to him.  Bryan jumps from behind with a knee and knocks Kane to the outside.  Bryan hits Kane with a suicide dive, freeing Punk to springboard to the outside with a crossbody on both men.  Punk throws Bryan back to the ring and covers for two.  Punk gives Bryan a backbreaker and again tries for a pin, getting two.  Punk locks in a chinlock and yells “Come on, goatface!”.  Punk is sent to the ropes and Kane pulls him out, slamming him into the barricade.  Bryan lands a baseball slide and tries his apron running knee but Kane uppercuts him out of midair.  Kane drives Punk back first into the ringpost twice then puts him on the apron and pulls Punk into the post for a bow and arrow stretch.  Kane gets in the ring and gives Punk a low dropkick into the post one more time.  Kane covers the champion and he kicks out at two.  Kane lays into Punk in the corner repeatedly.  A snapmare from Kane is followed by a low dropkick for a nearfall.  Kane uses a bodyscissors on Punk and chickenwings his arm back.  Punk elbows out, but Kane stays on the assault.  Punk gets a boot up in the corner and Bryan flies in with a leg lariat on Punk, but runs into a side slam from Kane for two.  Bryan back flips over Kane and hits a forearm, but Kane doesn’t go down.  Bryan gives Kane a drop toe hold into the middle turnbuckle and follows by kicking the rope into Kane’s face and dropkicking him to the floor.  Bryan takes control on a recovering CM Punk and drops repeated knees to the face.  Bryan snaps Punk over with a head and arm suplex, then ascends the top rope.  Punk springs up and stops Bryan on top and sets up for a superplex.  Kane tosses Punk down and uppercuts Bryan.  Kane meets Bryan up top and gets pulled down by Punk – they’re fighting over who gets to suplex Bryan off the top.  Punk and Kane go at it in the middle of the ring and Bryan hits a missile dropkick on both men.  Bryan kicks both men in the chest as they get to their knees.  Bryan continues with an execution kick to the head of Kane; Punk ducks his and rolls the challenger up with a school boy.  Punk hits jumping knees in the corner on both men.  Kane sends Punk out and he clotheslines Bryan, followed by a neckbreaker on Kane.  Bryan fights, but walks into a powerslam from Punk for another nearfall in this match.

Punk heads up top this time, but Bryan stop him.  Bryan is now trying for a superplex.  Kane puts Bryan in the electric chair and backs away from the corner.  Punk springboards for a doomsday device and clotheslines  Kane out of the ring, pinning Bryan for a close two count.  Punk scoop slams Bryan and climbs up top again – Punk flies and lands the Macho Elbow, but Bryan kicks out.  Punk calls for the GTS and Kane interrupts with a boot to the face.  Kane drives Punk into the corner and whips him to the opposite with strong attacks after each.  Punk lands a kick to Kane’s head from the apron and tries another flying elbow, but Kane dodges.  Now it’s Bryan’s turn up top and he lands a diving headbutt on Punk for a nearfall.  Kane rushes Bryan, but he pulls the top rope down then forearms Kane to the floor.  Punk rolls Bryan up, but Bryan gets to his feet and kicks Punk in the head, followed by the Yes!lock.  Bryan wrenches back very hard, leading into the same spot as last time with Punk getting a nearfall before Bryan lets go.  Punk hits a GTS, but Kane pulls Bryan out to the floor to stop any chance of Punk winning.  Kane’s turn on the top and he flies with a diving lariat to Punk.  Kane signals for the Chokeslam and stalks the champion.  Kane grabs him by the throat, but Punk counters into a DDT for two.  Punk heads up top again and lands the elbow this time, but it’s only good for two.  Punk says “Three times, I don’t care!” before he flies.  Punk want s a GTS on Kane but he can’t get him up and runs into a big boot from Kane.  A Chokeslam on Punk from Kane, but he kicks out just in time.  Kane is flabbergasted and stalks the ref.  Kane is beside himself with anger and signals for the Tombstone.  He scoops Punk, but Punk fights down.  AJ hops up on the apron from out of nowhere and Kane is shoved into her.  She hits the ground hard.  Punk lifts Kane and hits him with the GTS.  Punk wins.  Punk celebrates in the ring and Kane is on the floor, standing over AJ.  The replay shows that Kane was cognizant of what happened.  

 Kane seems distraught as he looks down at AJ on the floor and like earlier in the week, he scoops her off the floor and begins to take her to the back.  She looks to the ring with a sick little grin on her face – happy to be scooped up and away by Kane?  Or perhaps happy that she was able to be a distraction and help out CM Punk?  In any event, this seems to at least eliminate Bryan from the option list, for what that’s worth.  Punk asks an official if she’s ok after seeing the replay on the Titantron and after getting a nod, continues to celebrate.  That was, without a doubt, the best possible match that could have been had between these three men.  AJ was only a factor in the closing seconds and everything went off completely without a hitch.  Punk sees a replay of AJ’s reaction to being carried out and gives a smirk to the Titantron.  Seeing that match, it makes me feel that somebody watched TNA’s Slammiversary a week ago and went “Uh, guys…we need to get serious.”  Could this mean some real competition like the good old days?  No more status quo?  Doubtful.


Match 8: Dan Delaney and Rob Grymes vs Ryback
Winner:  Ryback via pinfall


So it’s become the standard for a surprise Ryback and Sin Cara match on every PPV?  Not good.  Doesn’t show any value in these guys.  In one smooth motion, Ryback gives the highest back body drop ever and a brutal lariat to two men.  Ryback presses Guy1 and drops him into a powerslam.  Guy2 is lifted and dropped face first.  Ryback hops to the middle rope and just falls into a splash on Guy2.  Ryback calls for the end and says “Feed me three” with both men on his shoulders.  I guess that’s what we’ll get for the next month or so.  If he somehow gets three goofs up for that Samoan Fisherman Buster Drop, they’ve got something else in this monster.  If we’re going to get squash matches on the regular, this is what they should be – at the very least, seeing how high he can toss human beings is sincerely entertaining.  That thing I said a second ago about "not good" for surprise Ryback?  Scratch that.

That music we all know at this point plays as the lights flash – The cage is being lowered to cover the ring in a ton of steel for our main event between John Cena and Big Show.  For Big Johnny’s job.  And not a title.  I should be upset, but the WWE title match was incredible and Ryback basically just ate two human beings.  Let’s just get this last bit of business over with.  For some reason, the menu music from WWE’12 is used in the video package for this match; we’ve all spent way too much time listening to this loop of music as the game and community servers failed to load anything.  That doesn’t have any bearing on this PPV, but consider it a mild call out to Cory Ledesma ;)

Match 9: John Cena vs Big Show, if John Cena wins then John Lauranaitis is fired

Winner:  John Cena via cage escape

Ace comes out in a very Vince McMahon-like suit.  It couldn’t possibly be a brighter hue of red without causing him some kind of cancer.  He will sit ringside with Vince, and when and if Show loses, Vince will fire him on the spot.  Big Show enters following Big Johnny, and he’s followed by Mr. McMahon strutting his way to ringside as only he can.  Vince feints a handshake for Lauranaitis.  A brief pause to silence the crowd so that they can react for Cena.  And they do.  

Big Show starts aggressive and shows his power advantage over Cena.  Cena gets tossed head first into the cage early.  Cena sells the two shots he took so far more than Punk sold a Chokeslam before he takes another bounce off the cage.  Show steps on and over Cena’s sternum.  Show tries the WMD with Cena between the ropes and cage, but Cena dodges and Show punches the cage.  Cena tries to clamber up and over but Show pulls him back in.  Show stays in control and lays into Cena.  Show with a frying pan chop to Cena.  Show chokes Cena in the corner with his boot; not a quick pace to his one.  Cena escapes the corner and dropkicks Show, but the giant stays on him.  Show uses his body as a weapon to the lower back of Cena.  Show jaws at the crowd and continues to beat on Cena, tossing him to the cage again.  Show steps on and over Cena again and aggressively attacks the midsection in the corner.  Show tells Cena the crowd doesn’t care about him.  Cena crawls for the cage door, but Show stands on the back of his head.  Show whips Cena to a corner but runs into a boot.  Cena hops to the second rope and jumps with a bulldog for one.  Cena tries to climb the opposite cage wall, but Big Show intercepts.  Cena reaches the top and swings a leg over, but Show pulls him in.  Show ends up crotched on the top rope and Cena hits a jumping shoulder block on Show while he’s stuck.  Cena hits the mat, as he’s taken a ten minute beating.  Cena tries to climb again, but is winded.  Show grabs Cena in a powerbomb and runs him back first into the cage then tosses him overhead in a fallaway bomb (one of Show’s old finishers), followed by a Vader bomb for two.  Show climbs to the top and lifts Cena up to match by the neck.  Show then tosses Cena to the mat.  Big Show looks down at Cena from the top and walks across the ropes, even with Cena.  Show tries for an enormous elbow drop and Cena rolls out of the way.  

Show climbs for the door after his miscalculation, but Cena grabs the leg to stop him.  Big Show gets halfway out, but Cena reels him back in.  Show gets his hands to the floor, but Cena won’t let him tumble out.  Show holds onto the corner of the steel steps, but loses his grip and gets dragged back into the ring.  Cena tries to get out the door this time and counters a chokeslam attempt, throwing Big Show into the cage, followed by a jumping shoulder block.  Cena gets two.  Lauranaitis tosses a ref out of the way and closes the cage door; Vince stops this and Ace shoves him from behind, knocking the cage door into Cena’s head, and he stumbles into a Showstopper chokeslam for a very close two.  Show readies the WMD but Cena ducks and the ref takes the shot.  Cena tries the Attitude Adjustment, but gets a WMD for his troubles.  Show paces around the cage:  Nobody is there to make the count in the ring and Big Johnny took the outside ref out, so technically there’s nobody present to witness Show stepping out of the ring.  

Brodus Clay guards the cage door with a chair; he’s not happy about what the Big Show did to him a couple weeks ago.  Clay motions and A-Ry and Santino hit the cage wall to stop Show from climbing out.  Show shakes them off.  Ryder hits the cage wall next and Big Show punches him off through the cage.  Big Show starts climbing.  Kofi jumps up and meets him at the top.  Kofi with repeated kicks and Big Show falls to the mat.  Brodus Clay leads a “Cena” chant and Cena begins to pull himself toward the cage door to escape and win.  Show comes to and grabs Cena’s foot.  Cena gives Show the Attitude Adjustment; we’ve seen it before but it’s impressive every damn time.  Cena covers Big show, but there’s no ref to make a count.  Lauranaitis is distraught at ringside and the Funkasaurus still guards the cage door.  Cena climbs to the top of the cage and Clay backs Ace off.  He pins the arms of Ace back, inviting Cena to hit him and Cena falls to the floor to win.  All that rigamaroll about the refs being knocked out, but somebody rang the bell anyway as soon as Cena touched the floor; these are the things that make WWE look silly.

  

Cena tells Clay to let Ace go.  Big Johnny swings his crutch at Cena and he ducks, lifting him onto his shoulders.  Vince fires Ace while he’s suspended in midair and Cena gives Lauranaitis the Attitude Adjustment through the announce table.  Vince heads on to the back and Cena takes a lap around the floor to celebrate.  

All in all, a bit better than what WWE has served up to us in recent PPV showings, but nowhere near as solid a show as Slammiversary just one week ago.  The attendance at the show was reportedly low; many a section at the top of the arena tarped off.  Punk and Bryan need to continue this feud, preferably with a bit less Kane.  AJ continues to have the most interesting character on the show and seems to be willing to sacrifice herself to help out Punk; we'll how that continues on Raw and beyond.  The smart money says that Big Johnny is back on TV within two weeks in some silly capacity. Rhodes and Ziggler continue to shine as performers, despite being handed losses and the participants in the four way tag match all deserve kudos - These are the young guys that need to be made stars and need some backing from WWE for more than a month at a time.  We're a month out from Money in the Bank and if Ziggler or Rhodes don't take home a briefcase, I don't know where WWE is going.