My WWE SmackDown, 31st August 2012 Recap

World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus opened the show by giving credit to past WrestleMania opponent Triple H, claiming that whatever he chooses to do next he has his respect. Damien Sandow then interrupted the champ, calling him a disgrace to his Irish heritage and an ignoramos. 'The Great White' simply told Sandow to shut up and challenged him to enter the ring, which he refused. General Manager Booker T then joined them and predictably booked a match between the two. I've become a big fan of Sandow, he's so effortlessly charismatic on the mic.    

Rey Mysterio defeated Cody Rhodes in an enjoyable match up. Both men looked in good form (pretty standard for Rey) as they provided a fun bout to watch. An upset Cody attacked Rey after he'd been pinned with a quick roll up and attempted to take his mask off until his nemesis Sin Cara came to Mysterio's aid and helped take out Rhodes. He then proceeded to put a copy of his mask on Cody as revenge.

Kaitlyn beat Natalya in a passable Divas bout. There wasn't anything particularly outstanding about it but it wasn't bad by any means. Kaitlyn caught Natalya out with a quick roll up pin for the one-two-three. Considering she isn't winning her matches on televised shows very convincingly I doubt Kaitlyn's chances in her Night of Champions match for the Divas title.

In an interview backstage Vickie Guerrero announced that she'd had words with WWE's Board of Directors regarding Raw GM AJ's attack on her on this weeks show, stating that if they don't take action she will. Could AJ be out of the door already? For me she's been a mixed bag in her new role so far, but I think there's still more that could be done with her as GM.

Sheamus won via count out versus Damien Sandow in a contest that ranged from fair to average. The actual wrestling was decent enough, I just felt it dragged a little at times and was a bit drab. To save face Sandow decided to leave up the ramp rather then take any more punishment from Sheamus, accepting the loss. 

Darren Young and Titus O'Neil defeated Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd in a fair tag team match. The most entertaining parts were contributed by the underutilised Kidd, I really think him and Gabriel should be given a push as a team.  

As Josh Matthews brought up Alberto Del Rio's losses against Sheamus in an interview with the number one contender, Del Rio began to threaten to attack him until Kane came out and scared him off. As part of his anger management classes (which were shown partly on Raw, and they were brilliant segments) he apologised to Matthews for attack him at SummerSlam. Teddy Long then booked Kane and Del Rio in a match up.

Alberto Del Rio defeated Kane in a good bout. I honestly wasn't expecting much here but both guys worked well together and put on displays to be proud of. After the bell rung Kane turned back to his destructive side and Choke Slammed Josh Matthews. I'm finding Kane far more interesting now than I have since he returned last year, I'm intrigued to see where they go with this.  

Randy Orton beat Dolph Ziggler in a solid enough main event. While not as exciting or engaging as their previous encounters it was still a fair match, it just didn't feel like a significant main event to end the show with for me. Maybe if Dolph had picked up a surprise win over Orton to give him the boost he needs a lot more than 'The Viper' does it might've been different. 

Once again the blue brand provided passable action in the ring, just nothing that exciting to take away. They need a dose of Daniel Bryan on the show each week I reckon, he's the best thing about the company right now.

My Impact Wrestling, 30th August 2012 Recap

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries came to the ring and demanded that whoever is behind Aces & Eights man up and face him after taking out his right hand on last weeks show. But instead Hulk Hogan and Sting came out to announce that Hogan was back as the General Manager of Impact once again, and asked AA to calm down a little bit. Aces & Eights members then did their usual routine of appearing on the big screen and warning that that they would be appearing on the show that night. It was an okay segment to start the show with, nothing that exceptional.

James Storm defeated Rob Van Dam in a fair Bound For Glory Series match up. The first half was quite drab, with both men just going through the motions. Fortunately it picked up a bit and both wrestlers provided a decent enough bout. 

Much to her dismay Madison Rayne found out that the secret opponent of hers booked by Brooke Hogan was not Tessmacher in a rematch for the Knockouts title but ODB instead. As the Knockouts referee Taryn Terrell turned her back, ODB spat out the contents of her beverage in Rayne's face and picked up the quick win after applying the Bam. ODB's husband Eric Young, and a rather sharp looking EY at that made his return to Impact. But an upset ODB claimed that she no longer recognised her husband, so EY morphed back to his old self and stripped down to his underpants. Not too sure how pleased I am to have him back just yet.

Samoa Joe beat AJ Styles in a BFG Series contest, thereby eliminating Styles from contention of winning the series. It was a predictably solid back and fourth bout, with both professionals putting on trademark terrific displays in the ring. If it were up to me both men would be in the final four of the BFG Series, just swap AJ with RVD.

Gut Check contestant Chris Louie was turned down with two votes of no from Taz and Bruce Pritchard, who went as far to tell Louie that "this business is not for you." That may sound harsh but Louie really didn't look that capable or talented at all in his match last week. Afterwards former GC contestant Joey Ryan once again had a go at the judges with a megaphone in hand, although this time he also threw a drink in Al Snow's face.

Jeff Hardy defeated Kurt Angle in a tremendous BFG Series bout. From start to finish they put in great efforts but the red hot final third of the match alone is worth checking this out for. This also meant the unfortunate elimination of Angle from the BFG Series contest. Again I don't see why RVD is ahead of another superior talent.

As Hogan and members of the roster made their way out, he challenged one of Aces & Eight's men to take on the World Champion Aries in the ring. So they accepted but soon the one on one brawl once again turned into a gang fight between everyone for the second week in a row. Aries was also KO'd by a gang member from behind.

Felt a bit lazy having a very similar ending once again but at least the in ring action managed to save the show. Overall a decent enough Impact this week.   

My WWE Raw, 27th August 2012 Recap:

Jerry Lawler started things off by going over what happened on the previous weeks show when after apologising to CM Punk he was then kicked in the back of the head by the WWE Champion. So this week 'King' wanted an apology. CM Punk joined Lawler, but instead apologised for the commentator's years of poor work behind the desk (which is true) and the fact that his mediocre career is Hall of Fame worthy. Punk warned Lawler that if he wanted a fight after provoking him then it would be very unwise and he would leave embarrassed, so Punk left giving him the choice if he wanted to take him on or not.  

Ryback defeated Jack Swagger in an average match up. In Ryback's biggest one on one match to date against the official jobber of Raw Swagger he didn't look particularly convincing in the ring to me.

Layla beat Natalya in another uninspired bout. I wouldn't blame you if you went ahead and skipped this contest. It wasn't terrible by any means but it also wasn't terrific, as usual for the Divas division lately. To make matters worse we had Vickie Guerrero on ringside asking the two wrestlers to hurry it up so she could make an announcement, yawning and complaining as the match was happening. The Divas need as much help as they can get right now, much more then Vickie needs heat. This was an extremely stupid and damaging move on the bookers part, just like when Michael Cole would berate the Divas during their matches last year. 

Guerrero revealed her pointless announcement, which was that she thought her client Ziggler was treated unfairly by AJ when he had to put his Money in the Bank contract on the line last week. So the General Manager AJ came out and grabbed the mic, but then just mauled Vickie, scaring her off. The whole segment was pointless. 

We were then shown footage from the previous week of Daniel Bryan, who under the GM's orders was attending anger management classes. As Bryan sat there claiming that he was healthy and calm, a child walked in wearing a goat mask and of coure set him off. It was one of the most genuinely funny scenes I've seen in WWE for absolutely ages, Bryan really is the best thing about the company right now for me.   

Jerry Lawler defended his career and what Punk had said about him earlier, stating that only the worthy are inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He probably wasn't including Koko B. Ware and Drew Carey in that sentence. Lawler then announced that he accepted the WWE Champion's challenge of a fight. 

John Cena defeated The Miz in a pretty mediocre contest. Miz looked decent enough, and put on a fair display against Cena who just did his trademark play dead then miraculously comeback to win routine. Cena could even obviously be seen giving verbal instructions to his opponent, which looked very amateur.

We were taken back to Daniel Bryan's anger management class, where he went on a rant about his boss and ex-fiancee AJ. Kane also joined the group therapy. Amusingly everyone shuffled back a bit in their seats when he sat down. 

Santino Marella beat Heath Slater in a forgettable comedy match. The action was quite drab for the most part, which elicited chants of "Boring" form the fans. Cesaro's partner Aksana then came out in an attempt to distract Santino, but this time it didn't work as Marella's sock puppet struck Slater for the win. Just as things were looking up for the 'One Man Band' after his win last week.

Brodus Clay and Sin Cara defeated Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow in a passable tag team contest. All four men looked solid enough, nothing outstanding. I was quite disappointed with the result though, I think Rhodes and Sandow could've made an entertaining team together. And also because I've just grown really  tired of Clay.

Back in the anger management class Kane began to list off all the evil doings of his past from childhood. After the session had wrapped up a fellow member called Harold went to offer Kane a hug, which he refused. Again it was another great segment, and genuinely humorous    

R-Truth won via count out versus Daniel Bryan in a standard match up that was only really there to further Bryan's anger issues storyline. The action was limited and the count out came when Truth began chanting "Yes!" on the outside, causing Bryan to have a meltdown and begin a screaming contest with a fan.

Triple H came out to a great reception and revealed that he never wanted to become one of those pro wrestlers who go on past their sell by date, who just wrestle for the pay cheque and become too beat up and broken down. 'The Game' also gave an honest and heartfelt thank you to the fans for letting him do what he does best in the ring for all these years. It was a touching promo and felt genuine throughout, although I don't believe the 'Cerebral Assassin' has retired just yet.     

Dolph Ziggler copied Chris Jericho's entrance and bragged about causing the termination of Y2J's contract, claiming that was the last time he'll ever be seen in WWE. 

Sheamus and Randy Orton defeated Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio in a satisfactory tag bout. The action and efforts from all four men was solid enough, although the excitement didn't really kick in until Sheamus was tagged in and picked up the pace. I really think Orton has to switch heel soon, maybe they were planning to but didn't want to so close to Punk's turn.   

Zack Ryder beat David Otunga in an passable, if average contest. Afterwards Kane (who'd been on commentary, although he said nothing) went to choke slam Ryder, but instead went for Otunga to take out. Am I the only one confused by what they're doing with Kane? 

Josh Matthews announced that through an online vote on Twitter the fans had chosen for Lawler and CM Punk to face each other in a Steel Cage match next. GM AJ also revealed that at Night of Champions CM Punk will face John Cena for the WWE Championship. Wow, what a shocking announcement! They didn't really have to have her announce it, it was a given and could've just been put up on WWE.com. 

CM Punk defeated Jerry Lawler in the Steel Cage match. It was a fairly decent main event, with Lawler doing a good job for a man of his condition and ring rust (take note that's a rare Jerry Lawler compliment from me). It also did it's job in enhancing Punk's interest and heat with the fans.

After the WWE Champion forced 'King' to tap to the Anaconda Vice he locked the cage door with a chain and padlock and proceeded to demand that his fallen foe call him the "Best in the world." Lawler refused, so he received a further beating from Punk. John Cena then raced out to 'King's' aid and demanded the Cage be lifted. So no one else was bothered enough to elevate the structure and help Lawler until Cena asked them to? How does that make any sense? CM Punk then called himself the best in the world as he left the ring, holding his title proudly as Cena looked on.    

Overall it was a mixed show, with nothing particularly brilliant in-ring wise but a few enjoyable segments here and there, especially the anger management and Triple H's promo.

My WWE SmackDown, 24th August 2012 Recap

Randy Orton kicked off the show by claiming that he deserves the next shot at the World Heavyweight Championship after beating Del Rio on the previous Raw. The World title holder himself Sheamus soon joined 'The Viper' and welcomed the challenge of Orton for his championship. General Manager Booker T also came out and loved the idea.

Unfortunately for them Alberto Del Rio disagreed, as he entered the ring and once again claimed that he was cheated out of the World Championship at SummerSlam. After going on a rant that grew tiresome and went on for far too long, Del Rio was informed by Booker that he was going to receive a title opportunity until he came out and ran off his mouth. Now he would face Orton in a number one contenders match that night.

Ryback defeated Jinder Mahal in a fair match up. It wasn't anything particularly outstanding or memorable but not bad. By the way Ryback decisively won I'd say their feud is now over.

Layla beat Alicia Fox in an average bout. Once again it was a passable match but nothing to shout about. Kaitlyn (the number one contender to Layla's Divas Championship and guest commentator) congratulated the victor, strangely Eve also came out and did the same.

Heath Slater defeated Sin Cara in a largely average contest. For the most part the interest just wan't really there for me. The surprise win came after Cody Rhodes, who'd provided guest commentary, turned Sin Cara's mask around at ringside which allowed Slater to apply his lame finisher. It was actually kind of amusing.   

Sheamus won via disqualification versus Dolph Ziggler in a solid enough match up. Both men as usual put in decent displays and provided enjoyable action. The DQ came after Ziggler had enough and struck his opponent with his Money in the Bank briefcase. After the bell rang 'The Show Off' once again teased cashing in his MITB contract, but decided to leave it for now. I quite like these little taunts of Ziggler's of cashing in, although I hope it's not for a while yet just to make it that bit more exciting.    

The former United States Champion Santino Marella apologised for letting the fans down by loosing the title at SummerSlam to Cesaro, and then in a strange moment made amends with his cobra sock puppet. Antonio Cesaro soon joined Santino and rubbed in the fact that he was now champ, in five different languages no less. Marella quickly had enough and began fighting with Antonio on the ramp, but was once again distracted by Aksana which led to the US Champ gaining the upper hand and taking out the Italian. I think giving the strap to Cesaro was definitely the right way to go, he has a lot of potential with his abilities and look.  

R-Truth and Kofi Kingston defeated Epico and Primo in an enjoyable enough tag contest. While all four men looked good, it's hard to be as engaged when you've seen teams go against each so many times before. I also have to give some credit to Darren Young and Titus O'Neil who were on commentary and brought plenty of charisma and humour with Cole. AW who? Also in an interview with the Tag Team Champions afterwards other teams began to stake their claim for a title shot, which soon became an all out brawl between them all.

Alberto Del Rio beat Randy Orton in a mostly solid main event to become number one contender to the World Heavyweight title. In a superior effort to their match on Monday night Del Rio surprisingly managed to make Orton tap to his signature arm breaker. What a rare sight that is, not only Orton loosing cleanly but tapping. Del Rio must be a big priority to people in the back. Afterwards Ziggler raced out to once again tease cashing in his MITB contract, but Orton had different plans as he RKO'd 'The Show Off' to presumedly set up a bout between the two at Night of Champions. 

Overall SmackDown was an okay show. There wasn't anything that was really that exciting or had you at the edge of your seat. As usual the blue brand provided decent enough matches but predictable storylines.

My Impact Wrestling, 23rd August 2012 Recap

The majority of the TNA locker room came out to the ring, with Sting leading them. 'The Stinger' revealed that he'd asked security to let Aces & Eights right on through so he and the rest of the roster could exact their revenge on the gang. He also called out James Storm after it was revealed last week that he had no affiliation with the group, 'The Cowboy' said that he understood all the suspicions previously aimed at him.

Two members of Aces & Eights then came out to the ring with their hands in the air, but Kurt Angle and Storm didn't care as they beat them down. Sting asked one of them where the rest were, but the beaten doen member just told him that they were all in for a "very painful night." 

TNA Knockouts Champion Brooke Tessmacher thanked Brooke Hogan for righting the wrong from Hardcore Justice where referee Earl Henber's biased officiating caused her to loose the Knockouts title. She then went on challenge her mentor Tara as part of the Open Fight Night to see if she could beat her. Just like last week we also had Taryn Terrell referee the contest.

Tara defeated Brooke Tessmacher in a largely average bout. Fortunately Tara's efforts managed to save the quality of the match a bit, but Brooke made a few sloppy errors early on that as champ she really shouldn't be.

Robbie E defeated Rob Van Dam and AJ Styles in a Bound For Glory Series Triple Threat. It was an enjoyable enough contest, with fair displays from all involved. Although I don't quite understand the point of Robbie winning considering he hasn't got a chance of winning the series now.

Jeff Hardy beat Rob Terry in a passable match up. After interfering in a few of his matches Hardy finally found redemption against Robbie E's bouncer. It wasn't anything that memorable but better than I expected.

AJ Styles came out to find out if the unborn child of Claire Lynch was his or not. But first he apologised for the whole situation to his family and "to my fans who had to put up with this crap," It sounds like he was actually apologising for this whole awful storyline here, which wouldn't surprise me. Kazarian and Christopher Daniels then joined AJ and blamed absentee fathers and reckless men like him for the fall of their countries youth. Daniels also revealed that Claire Lynch wasn't in attendance because due to all the apparent stress caused by Styles she was in a hospital suffering from a placental disruption.

An attorney of Claire's then also joined everyone and read a statement form her client which explained how she, along with Daniels and Kazarian had attempted to blackmail Styles and that she was never in fact pregnant at all. A relieved, but understandably angry AJ then chased off both men that had been conspiring against him. I think I'm as relieved as Styles that this storyline is now finally over!  

Backstage Sting and the returning Hulk Hogan took out another member of Aces & Eights as a few other members of the gang scarpered. The fact that two men that age (and remembering that Hogan has recently had another operation) could take out much younger and stronger guys like that was ridiculous. It's ruining the image of the group. For some reason Hulk was also making some weird snarling noise as he spoke, it just sounded foolish.  

Gunner defeated Gut Check contestant Chris Louie in a terrible contest. Oh boy what to say here...oh yeah, Louie. Was. Awful. He looked slow, sloppy, inexperienced, it was like it was his first ever match in a ring. Just embarrassing. In all the VT's building up to him he was saying how hungry he was for the opportunity and how he needed money for his family, well he didn't show that here. But if TNA were to bring him in (which they won't) then at least he'd make talent like Anderson and Crimson look absolutely amazing. Expect to see it on a Botchamania very soon.

Mr. Anderson beat Bully Ray in a decent BFG Series bout. I wasn't expecting much here but both men put in good efforts and provided an exciting end with effective near falls. During the match up we witnessed more of the roster taking out a few members of Aces & Eights.

Sting once again came to the ring with a group of wrestlers and called out Aces & Eights, who duly joined them. As chaos ensued most of the fight went to the back, which eventually left Aries outnumbered as some of the gang members struck his arm against guard railing in the ring. Bully Ray rushed to his aid and chased them off. As the show finished we saw Aces & Eights leaving on their motorbikes.  

My WWE Raw, 20th August 2012 Recap

Paul Heyman, accompanied by his client Brock Lesnar, opened up the show by bragging about how Lesnar was able to force Triple H, the same man that he had witnessed first hand tear a quadricep years ago and finished the match, tap out to a submission hold the previous night at SummerSlam. He went on to state that 'The Game' by accepting the match and loosing in such a fashion had let all of his friends, fans and family down.

He then called out referee Scott Armstrong who had officiated the bout so Lesnar could congratulate him on a "Good job" after Armstrong had been told by Triple H before the match up to regard it as a No Disqualification and No Count Out contest, thereby allowing Lesnar to destroy 'The Game'. Heyman then went on to announce his client as "The conquerer of the WWE" after defeating the COO, quite a cool title, and it was a solid promo to start the show. 

Sin Cara, Kofi Kingston and R-Truth defeated Cody Rhodes, Darren Young and Titus O'Neil in an average six man tag match. The action was okay, just a bit bland for the most part. Sin Cara and Kofi managed to fortunately liven it up a bit.

Ryback won via disqualification versus two rookies in a routine squash match. The DQ came after Jinder Mahal ran in and began attacking Ryback, but he managed to mount a comeback and scare off Mahal.

Backstage Dolph Ziggler demanded a rematch with Chris Jericho to prove he's the better man. So General Manager AJ granted the rematch, but with the stipulations that if Jericho wins then he obtains Ziggler's Money in the Bank contract, and if Ziggler is victorious then Y2J's contract with WWE will be terminated.

Alberto Del Rio complained about how he should be World Champion after his foot was under the rope when the referee counted Sheamus' winning pin against him the night before in their title match. As he demanded a rematch right there and then, GM AJ informed him that the World title scene was Booker T's deal over on SmackDown, but while he was able to compete on Raw she booked him against Randy Orton.  

Randy Orton beat Alberto Del Rio in a solid contest. Both men put in a good effort and provided a very enjoyable bout as they went back and fourth. Del Rio almost had the win but World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus (who's provided decent guest commentary) alerted the referee to Orton's foot being on the bottom rope. As a furious Del Rio had a go at 'The Great White' he was caught out with an RKO. Well it looks like they're setting up these three for a Triple Threat for the title at Night of Champions, should be a good match up.

Damien Sandow defeated Brodus Clay in a passable to drab match up. Clay dominated for the most part, with Sandow managing to grab the one-two-three with a quick roll up pin.  

When interviewed live via satellite, Shawn Michaels spoke about the possible retirement of Triple H and how there's no way to really prepare for it even when you know it's coming. An emotional Michaels also said how his long-time friend has nothing to be ashamed of, and how he and the fans will always love him and respect what he's accomplished. It was a nice segment and actually quite touching at times, it made a nice change of pace.

Big Show beat David Otunga in a fairly brief squash match. I'm guessing this wasn't the return Otunga was hoping for.

Daniel Bryan and The Miz versus Kane and Zack Ryder ended in a no contest after Bryan and Miz decided to leg it away from the deranged Kane. The actual match itself was solid enough, with the always entertaining Bryan on his usual good form.

Dolph Ziggler defeated Chris Jericho in a match that ranged from exciting to slightly sloppy here and there. But on the whole it was a worthy effort from both wrestlers. As per the stipulations this meant that Jericho was officially fired. A disgruntled Y2J then went to hand over Ziggler's Money in the Bank briefcase as a sign of good sportsmanship, but decided to instead attack the arrogant Ziggler with it and Codebreakered him before leaving.

Kaitlyn won a messy and quite forgettable Divas Battle Royal to earn a title shot against Layla. Looking at some of the talent in there it's hardly surprising that there's barely any attention on the Divas division anymore. Some of the others in the match include Eve, Natalya and Tamina.  

WWE Champion CM Punk came out to officially announce the next number one contender to his title, when he noticed Jerry Lawler at ringside and asked him to apologise for claiming that he had turned his back on the fans on the 1000th Raw when he attacked The Rock. But before Lawler could John Cena came out, so Punk reprimanded him by claiming that he couldn't have waited and just had to hog the spotlight.

CM Punk also brought up the fact that he's always asked by fans why it is that although he's WWE Champion he's not normally in the main event of PPV's. He explained that he hadn't minded because for him it was about respect and  wherever he was on a card that was the real main event anyway. Punk went on to tell Cena that a title match at Night of Champions was his if he can admit that Punk is the "best in the world". Cena retorted by claiming that his relationship with the fans wasn't built on holding a championship, but on respect. Something which Punk is so desperate to attain as the title holder.

Cena went on to inform Punk that he'll not call him the best in the world even if it means loosing out on a title shot, as he believes that each wrestler has to believe that they are the best to succeed. After he left CM Punk called Lawler into the ring to once again apologise, so Lawler did. But the champ wasn't done, as he also asked Jerry to call him the best in the world. Lawler proclaimed that he couldn't do that, and as he went to leave he was met with a kick to the head by Punk. It was an entertaining segment, with solid mic work from all the men involved. The more serious Cena is always much more engaging then the childish, jokey one we normally get.   

My WWE SummerSlam 2012 Recap

Chris Jericho defeated Dolph Ziggler in a decent and enjoyable enough opener. The match up picked up in quality as it went on and the final third had some very effective near falls and sequences. A good choice to start off the show and get the crowd going, with the fans in the arena also split with their support for each man.

Daniel Bryan beat Kane in a solid contest. I wasn't expecting anything special here but it was a good effort from both men and a fun match to watch. Bryan scored the one-two-three with a quick roll up pin which caught Kane out. 

The Miz (c) defeated Rey Mysterio to retain the Intercontinental Championship in a well executed match up. In one of the finest one on one performances I've seen from Miz both men put in a terrific effort and pulled off a very engaging title bout, they honestly didn't go a step wrong and had the crowd interested throughout. As usual Mysterio manages to bring the best out of his opponent. 

Michael Cole also mentioned during the match regarding the champion "That's what you have to do for longevity in WWE, evolve." If only he would pass that on to his commentary partner Lawler. 

Sheamus (c) defeated Alberto Del Rio to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. It was a fair bout, with a confusing finish. Don't get me wrong it wasn't a bad match, just a bit disappointing for me. Considering the build up and the two men involved I was expecting a bit more here, although there were a few exciting near falls and submission attempts here and there.

During the final few minutes Ricardo Rodriguez managed to throw his shoe without the referee seeing into the ring, but unfortunately for him it ended up with the champ who walloped Del Rio in the head with it. As Sheamus then went for the winning pin his opponent managed to get his foot on the rope but the ref didn't see. Could the Irishman who's been very well built up as a babyface for over a year now have had a more heelish finish? It certainly doesn't do any favours for his character in my mind.

R-Truth and Kofi Kingston (c) defeated Darren Young and Titus O'Neil to retain the WWE Tag Team titles. It was a passable contest, not particularly outstanding but not awful.

CM Punk (c) beat Big Show and John Cena in a Triple Threat to retain the WWE Championship. The match itself ranged from quite average to decent. Big Show managed to have most of the offense and dominate both Punk and Cena for the first third of the contest, which shortly grew quite drab. Fortunately the champ and Cena then made comebacks and the match started to liven up a bit, with the two causing a double tap out on Show as they both applied submission holds onto the giant. Raw General Manager AJ joined them and had the match restarted. For the finish Punk threw Cena out of the ring after he'd AA'd Big Show and grabbed the one-two-three.

It was another nice touch to the slightly more heelish mannerisms that CM Punk's adopted as of late since attacking The Rock at the 1000th Raw. I'd prefer it if they just kept him like this, in between face and heel like he was around Money in the Bank last year.

We then had Kevin Rudolf perform the theme song for the pay-per-view 'Don't Give Up'. As with most musical performances on a pro wrestling event they just feel out and place and are often skipped by me. 

Brock Lesnar defeated Triple H in a terrific main event. As expected there was plenty of drama and intensity and these two went back and fourth in a battle that fortunately lived up to the hype. Lesnar and Triple H logically targeted their foes weak points during the match and broke them down, that being Lesnar's stomach and 'The Game's' previously broken arm, and sold it well. And while it wasn't understandably fast paced, it was an exciting and engaging bout. Lesnar won after forcing Triple H to tap to his signature armlock. Afterwards Triple H slowly made his way out of the ring on his own, and acted as if he was saying goodbye to the fans. He'll be back...

Overall SummerSlam was a pretty solid event, with most of the matches being entertaining enough and a only a few that maybe weren't quite up to standard but not bad by any means. The two world title matches didn't quite live up to the hype for me unfortunately, which was fairly disappointing but they're certainly watchable.

My WWE SmackDown, 17th August 2012 Recap

An upset Alberto Del Rio demanded that his World title match with Sheamus be reinstated since General Manager Booker T cancelled it after Del Rio and his hired muscle attacked the World Heavyweight Champion on last week's show. Booker T joined Del Rio and explained that he'd crossed a boundary and had to be punished. Surprisingly Chris Jericho then came out and mocked Del Rio in both English and Spanish amusingly.

Y2J also proposed that after he is victorious against Ziggler at SummerSlam he should take his spot in the World title match. Instead Booker announced that since Sheamus won't be able to compete this Sunday then Jericho and Del Rio will face each other for the first time on the show that night.      

Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara defeated Cody Rhodes and The Miz in an enjoyable enough tag contest. Sin Cara suited the role of the limited tag team partner well, just pulling off a few exciting moves in short bursts now and then. 

Curt Hawkings and Tyler Reks beat a couple of rookies in a squash tag team match. Before the bell rung Hawkings and Reks performed a strip routine down to their new attire which looks like underpants. It was a strange routine but it should get them some attention I guess. 

Before Eve's match she was wished luck from William Regal, who in a funny segment reminisced about the time he was GM of Raw and the power that came with it before he was then ordered to take out the rubbish. He really deserves a more prominent role in WWE.

Eve defeated Kaitlyn to become Booker T's assistant in an average and forgettable bout. They looked capable enough, it was just a pretty skippable match up.

Randy Orton defeated Daniel Bryan in a solid encounter. Although maybe not the most exciting match ever it was a good display from both men and worth a watch. Orton managed to RKO Bryan for the win after Kane had his signature flames light up the ring posts to distract his foe on Sunday.

Antonio Cesaro beat Zack Ryder in a rather brief contest. Ryder managed to get in a bit of offense but not enough to see off the number one contender to the US title. Speaking of which, the US Champion himself Santino Marella provided guest commentary and unfortunately for him also got flung across the announce table by Cesaro after his victory. 

As Jericho was making his way out for the main event he was blindsided by Dolph Ziggler and taken out, then warned him that he is far too good to be overlooked. A very pleased Del Rio had his announcer Ricardo Rodriguez announce him the winner, but it was premature as Jericho's music hit and a battered Y2J came to the ring for his match.  

Alberto Del Rio defeated Chris Jericho in a fair main event bout. The efforts from both participants was up to standard and the action was solid enough too. Ziggler managed to assist Del Rio from ringside as he pulled down the ropes causing Jericho to tumble to the outside, helping Alberto to then grab the one-two-three with a swift kick to the head.

As Del Rio then applied the arm breaker after the match Sheamus made his way out and scared him and Dolph off. A concerned Booker T then asked 'The Great White' why he was already back from injury so soon. Sheamus just demanded that his match with Del Rio be booked once again so he could exact vengeance, and Booker complied and reinstated the World title match for Sunday. 

My Impact Wrestling, 16th August 2012 Recap

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries kicked off the show by stating that he had officially erased all memories of being called a "fluke" champion after he defended his title successfully against Bobby Roode at Hardcore Justice. He went on to claim that Impact was now his show and that Aces & Eights would no longer hold it hostage. Jeff Hardy then joined the champ and congratulated him on the job he's doing as title holder and also called out Aces & Eights.

Bully Ray followed and once again accused James Storm of being involved in the aforementioned gang, but was soon cut short by AA who then turned it on Bully by accusing him of maybe being a part of Aces & Eights with the way things have worked out.  The members of the gang themselves then appeared on the big screen and warned that they would be making their presence known that night. 

Samoa Joe defeated Magnus in a Bound For Glory Series match up, and an enjoyable one at that. Both men put on a solid display as the former tag team partners went counter for counter. Afterwards a frustrated Magnus struck Joe's arm with a steel chair, so he is a heel then, right? I've not been too sure.

The new Knockouts Champion Madison Rayne came out and gushed about her title victory and called out her partner and referee Earl Hebner to celebrate. Knockouts VP Brooke Hogan then joined them and confronted Hebner about his shady officiating as of late involving Rayne. So because of this she was forbidding him from refereeing any more Knockouts matches, and also informed Rayne that she would be facing Brooke Tessmacher for the title later on. An angered Rayne then retorted by claiming that Brooke couldn't do that and correctly said that she was "riding off the Hogan name," which is true.

Rayne also challenged Brooke to join her in the ring and tell her all the changes she was making to her face, so she did which scared off Madison and Hebner. A couple of members of Aces & Eights then confronted Hogan, but made their escape once a few members of the roster came out to her aid. Among them was Sting, who challenged Aces & Eights to make an appearance next week at the Open Fight Night.

Before their following match, AJ Styles and Christopher Daniels agreed backstage that if Styles looses then he'll accept that he's Claire Lynche's unborn baby's father but if he wins then he'll get a paternity test.

AJ Styles beat Christopher Daniels in a great BFG Series contest. These two fail to impress when they're working together, but unfortunately some of the excitement of their matches have evaporated a little over time due to the sheer number of single bouts we've seen them have. Don't get me wrong it was still a terrific display from both wrestlers.

Bobby Roode came to the ring and called Aries a "fluke" once again after claiming that he had rightfully won their match at Hardcore Justice and the wrong call was made after there was a double count out. He also shared more of the blame for his loss onto Aries, Sting and the fans. When he asked himself what was next he stammered for a few moments and then dropped the mic before leaving. I quite enjoyed the promo, and Roode received a healthy heel response from the crowd.   

Brooke Tessmacher defeated Madison Rayne (c) to win the TNA Knockouts Championship, with the TNA debut of Taryn Terrell as the special guest referee. It was a pretty unremarkable and average title bout, which is worrying considering this is supposedly some of the top female talent in the company. I don't believe the inclusion of Terrell is exactly a step in the right direction for the division either, although I'm a fan (for the obvious reasons) she isn't a major female talent in the ring.    

Bully Ray versus Jeff Hardy ended in a disqualification after Aces & Eights attacked both men. The match itself had been decent enough. James Storm (who'd been at ringside to confront Aces & Eights if they turned up) argued with Bully afterwards and went to Superkick him but accidentally struck Hardy instead. As 'The Cowboy' was apologising Aces & Eights began applauding him in the ring, then also took him out. A bit of an odd ending to a fair show. 

My TNA Hardcore Justice 2012 Recap

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez defeated Kid Kash and Gunner in a fair opener to the show. It wasn't anything particularly special but it was enjoyable enough for the most part and seemed to get the crowd going. Having Chavo challenge for the X Division or Tag Team title (with 'Super Mex') would be an interesting next step for him I reckon. Seeing him take on Daniels and Kazarian would be cool.   

Before the following match we were informed that after being taken out by Aces & Eights, D'Angelo Dinero would not be participating in the bout. Shame it wasn't Anderson instead.

Rob Van Dam beat Magnus and Mr. Anderson in a Falls Count Anywhere match in the Bound For Glory Series. The bout ranged from okay to quite enjoyable, just unfortunate a few sloppy and strange moments hindered it a bit. Magnus also showed a fair bit of character here which was nice, he really has come such a long way since his debut. 

Devon (c) defeated Kazarian to retain the TNA Television Championship in a surprisingly decent title contest. Don't get me wrong I think of both men as good performers but I really wasn't expecting anything special here, but it was a fun match up and I'm glad I was proven wrong. The only let down was Taz's commentary, which was even more inane than usual.

Madison Rayne defeated Brooke Tessmacher (c) to win the TNA Knockouts title. It was a passable match up, which was more than what I was expecting from this to be honest. Still not a big fan of the Earl Hebner and Rayne love story, it's just absurd that they would still have him officiating her matches? It makes no sense.

Bully Ray defeated Jeff Hardy, James Storm and Robbie E in a BFG Series Tables match. The match itself was a mixed bag, there were some exciting moments for sure (superplex/powerbomb spot from the top rope involving three of them, Aces & Eights running in and further hinting at Storm's involvement with them, plus of course the near falls through the tables). But there were also some sloppy moments, such as Robbie E showing his inexperience in this kind of environment as he failed to move a table out of the way in time which caused Bully to just crack the corner. All in all it was quite a satisfying contest. Bully grabbed the victory after powerbombing Hardy through a table in the ring.

Zema Ion (c) beat Kenny King to retain the X Division Championship in a blistering contest. Both wrestlers certainly went for it and their efforts paid off as they delivered a very enjoyable match up.

AJ Styles defeated Samoa Joe, Kurt Angle and Christopher Daniels in a BFG Series Ladder match. And let me just say, what a match. One more time, what a match. Considering the exemplary talent involved it's hardly surprising but this is one of the most superb ladder matches I've seen in a long time, and that's including some great ladder matches. The thrilling action was crisp and delivered perfectly, again something you've just come to expect from these four men each and every time they step into a ring. Styles grabbed the 20 points after a quick springboard onto the ladder and snatched the slip from under Joe's nose, it was flawless. Do yourself a favour and just check out this awesome Ladder match, you won't regret it.

Austin Aries (c) defeated Bobby Roode to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a tremendously intense main event. Going into this I wasn't convinced that it could live up to the drama and excitement of their title bout from last month, and although the ending wasn't as understandably thrilling, it wasn't far off of the same standard and both men should be proud that they delivered a true main event calibre contest.

The only thing that hindered it for me was when not one but two referees took bumps, then both counted a double pinfall finish, only to have the match restarted by Earl Hebner. It was completely unnecessary and tainted a bit what had otherwise been a largely enthralling World title match. Again this was a match well worth your time.

On the whole Hardcore Justice was yet again for the most part another highly enjoyable pay-per-view from TNA. The quality and effort from most of the talent involved really paid off. I now wonder how SummerSlam this sunday will compare, hm? And that's coming from someone who normally prefers the WWE product.    

My WWE Raw, 13th August 2012 Recap

CM Punk defeated Big Show via disqualification after an irate Daniel Bryan had ran in and applied the No Lock onto Punk to prove that he deserved to be in the WWE Championship match at SummerSlam. The actual bout itself had been quite fair, with CM Punk putting in a decent effort against the limited Big Show.

As both Show and Bryan carried on attacking the champion John Cena came racing in to his aid and fought off both men with his trademark comically awful offense. Predictably General Manager AJ then booked a tag match between the four men for later on that night. Does it bug anyone else when Cole and Lawler act so over the top excited when obvious announcments like this are made?

Ryback defeated JTG in a squash match.

R-Truth beat Heath Slater in a brief and passable, if unmemorable, bout. Afterwards Darren Young and Titus O'Neil decided to make the most of Kingston's absence and took out Truth. I for one will miss AW's involvement with the team. 

In a WWE.com exclusive SmackDown GM Booker T announced that after Del Rio's attack on Sheamus with his group of hired muscle on last weeks show their World title match at SummerSlam was off.

Sin Cara defeated Lord Tensai in a fair contest. It wasn't anything particularly special, but watchable. Afterwards Tensai once again took out his frustrations on his worshipper Sakumoto.

Chris Jericho was voted as the special guest for Roddy Piper's Piper's Pit by the fans on Twitter. The two reminisced about the last time they were together in a ring at WrestleMania 25, and also spoke about how the fans were now behind Y2J like they had been for Piper when he took on Mr. T many years ago. It just felt like a strange segment and not that entertaining for me to be honest.

Jericho's foe on Sunday Dolph Ziggler then joined them and stated how tired he was of seeing Piper's same old routine over and over. Ziggler also warned Jericho that in many years time he'll be the deranged retired wrestler in Roddy's place, and reiterated his words before that Jericho is past it and can no longer win the big one. Y2J naturally disagreed with his opinion. Intercontinental Champion The Miz also came out and informed everyone that he was taking over the show and ordered Jericho and Piper to leave. This instigated a brawl between everyone, ending with Jericho chucking Ziggler and Miz out of the ring. Over the break AJ announced via Twitter (of course) that they would now be participating in a Triple Threat.

Dolph Ziggler beat Chris Jericho and The Miz in an entertaining Triple Threat match. The action was mostly solid with an exciting finish as Ziggler managed to sneak in a Zig Zag on Jericho as he had the Walls of Jericho applied on Miz for the three count. I'm predicting a Ziggler win on Sunday.

Kaitlyn and Layla defeated Beth Phoenix and Eve in a mediocre tag bout. The action was just lacklustre for the majority, you wouldn't be missing anything by skipping it. Unfortunately after the departures of Kharma and Sofia Cortez this year it doesn't look like the Divas division is heading in any positive directions, which is a shame considering how enjoyable it could be with the right talent and writing.

John Cena and CM Punk beat Daniel Bryan and Big Show in a decent tag team contest. The match was understandably built around the uneasy alliance between Cena and Punk, with each stealing each others signature maneuvers and taunts. Bryan and Big Show also had an unstable affair as they would tag themselves in. For the finish Punk decided he'd had enough and left for the ramp, leaving Cena to almost be caught out with a roll up pin by Bryan but instead managing to getting in an AA for the one-two-three. 

Afterwards the WWE Champion ran in and struck Show with his title belt as he was about to attack Cena. Punk then extended his arm for a handshake, but an unsure Cena refused the offer. Maybe this storyline does have some interest in it, I know it finally has for me now.

Damien Sandow defeated Christian in a surprise result, but surely a big step up on the ladder for Sandow. The bout itself was solid enough with a good showing from both competitors. Brodus Clay also made his return after being injured by Sandow last week, a return that was maybe a bit premature in my mind. I think Christian also needs something new to freshen up his persona, he just isn't getting as much enthusiasm from the fans as he deserves at the moment. 

Paul Heyman and his client Brock Lesnar made their way out for the contract signing, with Heyman explaining how desperate Triple H was for the upcoming match up. How his pride and status within the company will be on the line against 'The War Machine'. He also went on to challenge Shawn Michaels to come out and challenge his opinion that Lesnar will destroy his long time friend on Sunday, so HBK accepted the challenge and joined them, shortly followed by Triple H himself. 'The Game' and Lesnar didn't say anything at all they just signed their contracts, with Lesnar throwing his at Triple H before leaving.

We then saw Shawn in the parking lot as he went to leave the building, with Heyman having blocked him off. Lesnar then appeared and dragged HBK out of his car as the camera stopped picking up a picture after Brock accidentally went into it. A worried Triple H then gave chase as Lesnar dragged Michaels into the ring, applying the same arm lock that he'd used to break Triple H's arm. Heyman warned 'The Game' not to take another step, but Lesnar went ahead and broke the arm of Michael's anyway and made his escape. A nice dramatic finale before their big clash at SummerSlam, just as it should be.

My WWE SmackDown, 10th August 2012 Recap

General Manager Booker T kicked things off by asking World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus to come out and apologise for driving Del Rio's car, so 'The Great White' joined the GM and admitted that as much fun as he had in the Ferrari, he had to do the right thing and apologised. But this wasn't good enough for Alberto Del Rio, who marched out and demanded Sheamus be punished further. So the champ offered Del Rio a World title match that very night as consolation, and the frustrated Del Rio accepted. 

Sin Cara defeated Cody Rhodes in a fair to average match up. Pretty skippable really. I'm hoping Rhode's career begins to pick up again soon.

The always entertaining Daniel Bryan came out to complain about being left out of the WWE title match at SummerSlam and having to face Kane instead. Kane then decided to join his future opponent, shortly followed by the Raw GM AJ, who explained that she was there to warn Bryan and Kane to calm things down. She went on to ask Bryan to shake hands with Kane to prove he was mentally stable and a good sportsman. So Bryan extended his hand only to be attacked and chased off by the 'Big Red Monster' while AJ maniacally laughed. It was a strange segment, and brought AJ over as more of a heel in my opinion.

Jinder Mahal won a Handicap match versus two rookies. It was a very brief squash match, with Mahal forcing one of the opponents to tap to his signature Camel Clutch. Afterwards Ryback came out seeking vengeance, but Mahal quickly made his way out of the ring, so Ryback instead decided to also take out Mahal's two former opponents. At least this is making Mahal more interesting and building him up a bit, I think he already has the ability in the ring.

Chris Jericho prepared to interview Dolph Ziggler on his Highlight Reel, but instead received Vickie Guerrero as his guest on her client's behalf. After some mickey taking Vickie threatened to leave the show, only to be brought back by Jericho. Vickie then went on to reiterate Ziggler's words that Jericho had lost it, and was not the wrestler he used to be. Jericho claimed that maybe she was right, and that he has had to think some things over but now "Y2J" was back. Dolph himself then came running in and after a distraction from his manager Zig Zagged Jericho and struck him with his Money in the Bank briefcase in the head.

With Jericho's contract with WWE running out very soon before his new tour with band Fozzy I'm guessing that he'll put Ziggler over at SummerSlam (Jericho has always come across to me as someone who puts up and coming talent ahead of his own ego, unlike some) and then quietly disappear again. With a possible return around December or at the Royal Rumble perhaps. That's just my guess anyway.   

Titus O'Neil and Darren Young beat Primo and Epico via disqualification to become number one contenders to the Tag Team titles. The match didn't really have enough time to get going or produce anything of any substance. The DQ came when Young and O'Neils manager AW threw water at Kofi Kingston and R-Truth (who'd been on guest commentary) causing the duo to enter the ring and begin attacking AW and his team. Oddly enough Rosa Mendes was absent from this bout, strange.

Christian defeated Antonio Cesaro in a very enjoyable contest. In Cesaro's best match since joining the main roster both men put on solid displays. It may have started off a little slow but once it picked up it was a lot of fun to watch. Afterwards Cesaro continued the assault as he threw Christian from the top rope to the outside and barged him into the barricade. Looks like Antonio's taking a step up on the roster.

Rey Mysterio beat The Miz in a decent match up. As usual the consistent Mysterio managed to bring out the best in his opponent in the ring and provided an exciting bout. Mysterio grabbed the one-two-three with a quick roll up, and hands Miz two losse in one week. I just hope they're not giving him another awful loosing streak storyline, it did absolutely nothing for him before.

Before Sheamus and Del Rio's World title match could begin a group of police officers surrounded the ring and Del Rio cancelled the bout, and it was then revealed that the group of men were in fact hired guns for Del Rio. The group and Del Rio then went on to take out the World Champion, with the show ending with the Mexican standing over his fallen SummerSlam opposition. It was a strong finish to the show and gave this feud some much needed energy and interest. Unfortunately I'm still waiting for that to happen to the WWE title bout.  

My Impact Wrestling, 9th August 2012 Recap

Bully Ray started off the show by once again accusing James Storm of being the man behind the gang Aces & Eights. James Storm naturally came out and defended himself, claiming that he was "sick and tired" of being accused of this. As things began to heat up between the two, Aces & Eights members appeared on the big screen and warned them that they would be appearing on the show that night.

Rob Van Dam defeated Magnus in a passable Bound For Glory Series match up. It wasn't exactly the most memorable affair but not a bad effort by the two.

Kazarian and Christopher Daniels (c) beat Devon and Garett Bischoff to retain the TNA Tag Team Championship. It was an enjoyable contest with all four men putting on decent displays, even Garett. Putting Garett in a permanent tag team would actually be a very smart move, it hides his shortcomings in the ring just having him in short bursts.

Robbie E bragged that not only is he going to win his Fatal Four Way Tables match at Hardcore Justice, but he's going to specifically put Jeff Hardy through it. As Robbie carried on putting down Hardy, the 'Charismatic Enigma' himself joined him and began taking out both Robbie and his bodyguard Rob Terry. But the numbers came back to haunt Hardy as Terry managed to Powerbomb him through a table they'd set up in the ring.  

Kurt Angle defeated AJ Styles in a red hot BFG Series bout. It's hardly surprising how good the match was considering the standard of the talent, but it really was a superb back and fourth contest that's worth checking out.

Brooke Tessmacher beat Gail Kim in a very decent match up. Both women looked solid throughout (as expected with Kim anyway), this might well have been the finest performance I've seen from Tessmacher too. It's just a shame I really can't see her title match on Sunday being anywhere near this enjoyable. Speaking of which, Madison Rayne then joined the champ and snogged love interest Earl Hebner (who will be refereeing their title bout on Sunday) and left. This storyline is just absurd, as if they would have Heber after all this officiate any match involving Rayne? Still, next to the Claire Lynch one this is tolerable.

Sting called out TNA World Champion Austin Aries and Bobby Roode for the contract signing of their title match on Sunday. But Roode had a quarrel with the contract, that being that if he looses he won't receive another title shot as long as Aries is the champion. AA had enough of the whining and offered a verbal deal to Roode that whoever looses on Sunday will not receive a rematch. Roode agreed and everyone shook hands on it, but Roode being Roode decided to also spit water in Aries face before leaving in a hurry. Should be a good match at Hardcore Justice.

Bully Ray defeated James Storm in a solid main event BFG Series bout. It was a surprise win for me, I wasn't expecting Bully to go over against 'The Cowboy', nevertheless it was a good effort by both men and an enjoyable contest. Afterwards Aces & Eights once again appeared on the big screen and warned Bully that they were coming for him this Sunday at the pay-per-view.

Little bit of an anticlimactic ending to an otherwise pretty solid show on the whole.   

My WWE Raw, 6th August 2012 Recap

General Manager AJ kicked off the show by booking Big Show vs Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan vs John Cena. WWE Champion CM Punk then shortly interrupted her and apologised for yelling at the GM on last weeks Raw. AJ accepted the apology. Punk went on to then call the triple threat at SummerSlam for his title a "mistake" and asked her to cancel it, but she refused.  

John Cena then also joined them and reprimanded Punk for coming out and demanding respect when he has to earn it. He also stated that the Triple threat match coming about was his fault when he interfered in his match with Big Show last week. Punk retorted by claiming that he hasn't changed and that he's just stating the facts like he always has. Big Show also predictably came out, but before he could utter a word AJ demanded that everyone preserve their energy and informed Punk that he'll next face an opponent that will be voted for by the fans on Twitter (out of Kane, Mysterio and The Miz).

CM Punk defeated Rey Mysterio in a tremendous back and fourth contest. As expected these two put on a solid match up as they did during the majority of their entertaining feud a few years ago. Good start to the show.

We were shown an intriguing VT with Wade Barrett talking about going back to his roots and attending a kind of underground fight club. It actually got me quite excited for his return.

Alberto Del Rio defeated Christian in a decent match up. When you pit two wrestlers like these who clearly take pride in their craft then you're going to get an enjoyable bout.

Afterwards World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus appeared on the tron and decided to take Del Rio's beautiful Ferrari for a little spin after Ricardo Rodriguez accidentally left the keys in the boot. 

Big Show versus Randy Orton ended in a double count out. The match ranged from fair to quite drab for the majority of it, it's pretty skippable really. The count out occurred after Show had speared Orton on the outside. As the giant dragged him back to the ring 'The Viper' managed to pull out an RKO.    

Ryback beat Curt Hawkings and Tyler Reks in an average Handicap match. Ryback was made to look maybe a little more vulnerable than usual against the tag team but in the end provided his usual finishing sequence. 

Primo and Epico defeated Titus O'Neil and Darren Young in a fair tag team bout. Primo and Epico looked solid enough, they just had to work with unremarkable opposition. Young was pinned by Primo after the Tag Team Champions Truth and Kingston persuaded him to make his was back into the ring as he, along with his partner and manager AW were about to leave. 

Before the bell had even rung for their match, Damien Sandow began attacking Brodus Clay on the ramp, eventually taking out his leg. Sandow received a healthy reception from the fans in attendance.  

Kelly Kelly defeated Eve in a mediocre Divas bout. This is why I didn't miss the lack of Divas action on last weeks Raw, there's just no interest or really decent action in it for me.

Shawn Michaels made his much welcome return to the show and his hometown of San Antonio, and of course began with a thank you to all the fans for their support. But before he could say much more, Brock Lesnar, accompanied by Paul Heyman, interrupted HBK. Heyman admitted that as the all-time greatest wrestling performer he would normally ask Michaels his opinion on Lesnar versus Triple H, but this was different as Lesnar was heading into SummerSlam to "fight" 'The Game, not entertain anyone. 

HBK stated that on most days Lesnar would be the favourite in a fight, but this time he was unsurprisingly going with his long time friend Triple H to be victorious in their clash. He was in fact so confident that he also announced he will be in Triple H's corner for the match. As Lesnar began to threaten Michaels, Triple H made his way out and caused his future opponent to back off. But before Lesnar left he warned HBK that he'll see him before SummerSlam.    

Alex Riley defeated Dolph Ziggler in a passable contest. Most of the entertainment came from Jericho (who was on guest commentary) and Ziggler's interactions, which actually caused the Money in the Bank holder to be distracted and pinned by Riley.    

Kane beat The Miz in an unremarkable match up. It wasn't bad, just rather drab and unmemorable really.

John Cena defeated Daniel Bryan in an enjoyable enough match up, with Bryan benig allowed a surprisingly generous amount of offense. I'm surprised they gave away a first time match like this on a Raw, although a potential feud between the two would probably ruin all the momentum Bryan's on right now. Cena has a reputation of ruining a wrestler's push quite easily by making childish jokes about them and not putting them over in the ring with his Superman-like comebacks. 

Afterwards Big Show decided to take the attack to Cena, with Punk shortly following and taking out both his SummerSlam opponents. He then reiterated his words last week regarding the fact that as WWE Champion he deserves more attention and prominence (which I agree with) and added that he's had enough of acting nice for everyone and paying his dues now. As the champ went back to the ring he was met with a WMD from Big Show, who also then KO'd Cena for good measure.

My WWE SmackDown, 3rd August 2012 Recap

Vince McMahon started off the show by announcing Booker T as the new SmackDown General Manager. As Booker was thanking people, Alberto Del Rio soon interrupted him and congratulated the GM on his new position, but Booker saw past the phoniness. After Del Rio put down his SummerSlam opponent Sheamus, the 'Great White' himself joined the two and first congratulated Booker and then also put down his future opponent.

Booker decided to put the two in competition, but Del Rio reiterated his words from this weeks Raw where he stated that he will not compete until his World title match. The GM then forced his authority and booked Del Rio in a match with Orton and Sheamus against Lord Tensai. I personally think Booker is a great choice as the new GM. He has plenty of charisma and makes a fresh change from most General Manager's in recent years.     

Sheamus defeated Lord Tensai in a very enjoyable start to the show. In one of the best single bouts of Tensai's since his return to WWE this year both men put in solid efforts from start to finish as they went back and fourth. It may have started a little slow but as it picked up pace it became a lot more engaging. 

Antonio Cesaro beat Santino Marella in a passable match up. Although it wasn't anything spectacular, both men did a good job and Cesaro once again pinned the United States Champion. Surely the next time will be for the title? 

Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler and The Miz defeated Chris Jericho, Christian and Kane in a terrific tag contest. From the opening bell the action came thick and fast, with every man looking in good form. I was expecting a lot of quality from this match and I was not disappointed. Good stuff.

Ryback won via disqualification versus Jinder Mahal in a squash match for the majority of it. Once again Ryback had most of the offense but Mahal got in a few attacks and eventually struck his opponent with a microphone at ringside, causing the DQ and then running off. So for a second week in a row Mahal escapes Ryback's wrath. 

Darren Young defeated R-Truth in a match that was a bit too busy for my liking. There were interferences from O'Neil, Kofi Kingston and AW at ringside which just made a rather mediocre bout that bit more tainted in my opinion. 

Randy Orton won via DQ versus Alberto Del Rio in a contest that had been quite fair up until then, nothing outstanding but enjoyable enough. The DQ came after Ricardo Rodriguez ran in and attacked Orton, although 'The Viper' managed to get his own back and dropkicked Del Rio out of the ring. For good measure Sheamus then decided to sling Del Rio back into the ring to receive an RKO from Orton.