My WWE Raw, 29th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

A clearly struggling CM Punk made his way out and called all the fans in attendance "wrong" for incorrectly predicting his loss the previous night at Hell in a Cell. He went on to then list off all of the men he's defeated in the company, and also claimed that he had nothing to do with the referee aiding his win against Ryback after they low blowed him and made a very fast three-count.

Mick Foley then made a surprise appearance to a healthy reception from the crowd and stated that Punk had embarrassed himself at HIAC and tarnished the tradition of the match. In response the WWE Champion suggested a traditional Survivor Series match between Team Foley and his own team to settle things between them. Just after Foley accepted the challenge, an angered Ryback made his way out and scared CM Punk into the crowd. It was a decent start to the show, although nothing on Foley's previous promo with Punk but this was obviously just to set up their SS match up. The crowd in Carolina had already been louder and more responsive than the one in Atlanta the previous night.

Ryback defeated JTG in a mediocre squash match.

Randy Orton beat Wade Barrett in a solid enough bout. Although not as engaging as some of their previous efforts you can't fault the displays of both men.

Team Hell No (Daniel Bryan and Kane) bested the Prime Time Players (Darren Young and Titus O'Neil) in a enjoyable enough tag contest. Although it wasn't anything outstanding it was still fun to watch, with the chemistry between Team Hell No still going strong. For the finish Kane Chokeslammed Young, only to be tagged out by Bryan who locked on the No Lock for the victory via submission. 

Vickie Guerrero brought out John Cena, the man behind the apparent affair scandal with AJ Lee that she brought to the WWE Board of Directors. Vickie presented footage from previous Raws (which proved nothing) of the two and of someone filming them entering an elevator in a hotel. Cena stated that all he did was walk her to her door and that was it, but of course Guerrero wasn't convinced.

Dolph Ziggler then came out and also claimed that the 'affair' was obvious to everyone, so in response Cena grabbed him and warned 'The Show Off' never to mention their names in the same sentence again and left. I really don't believe a feud with Cena will do Dolph any favours at all. If he wasn't allowed to defeat Orton convincingly (as he should have done on PPV) then what chance has he got against Cena? Cena has never enhanced anyone, just buried potential talent. 

Kofi Kingston won via disqualification versus Antonio Cesaro after The Miz attacked him at ringside. The bout itself had been pretty pedestrian, nothing that special. Given more time I'm sure they'd put on something worth a watch. Miz went for Kofi after he'd hurled Cesaro into him at the commentator's desk. As both men attacked the IC Champion R-Truth raced out to his former tag partner's aid and chased them off. 

After refusing to give up her dignity for the sake of getting her job back by admitting anything happened with Cena, Vickie agreed to hire AJ back anyway under the condition that she couldn't lay a finger on her. The acting really wasn't good during the segment.  

In an amusing VT we went behind the scenes with 3MB (Slater, Mahal and McIntyre) as they discussed their band and what they represent, making no sense at all. I'm liking the new group, even Mahal had charisma here.

3MB (Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal) beat Santino Marella and Zack Ryder in a largely average tag bout. The match just felt pretty run of the mill really, no exceptional performances. At least Slater showed some character in the ring.

AJ Lee defeated Beth Phoenix in a brief match where she managed to catch Phoenix out with a quick inside cradle, which the referee oddly counted at a slow pace. Vickie Guerrero announced after that AJ's performance wasn't good enough and demanded that the match be restarted. So Beth Glam Slammed AJ for the one-two-three.

Former World Champ Sheamus came out and admitted that Big Show was the better man in their HIAC match. But he also went on to claim that the war was "far from over" and he couldn't wait for their rematch. Big Show predictably joined 'The Great White' and stated that behind Sheamus' smile he was afraid of the fact that he brought everyone he could against the giant and still couldn't win, and never will. So Sheamus retorted with a White Noise, and left with a smile.

Team Rhodes Scholars (Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes) beat Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara in an enjoyable tag match. The pace was kept nice and fast to keep things interesting, and all four men gave decent efforts. Successful bout.

John Cena, along with a selection of the WWE roster on the stage, revealed a one-million dollar cheque for the Susan G. Komen for the cure breast cancer charity from the WWE. Both representatives for the organisation seemed overwhelmed with the amount. 

Alberto Del Rio defeated Justin Gabriel in a fair outing, if rather unmemorable. I can't fault the displays of either wrestler, they both looked decent but the match was just lacking heat and real interest. Once again Gabriel was also involved in a match that played before an indifferent crowd, I'm surprised he's not getting a reaction with his style in the ring.

Paul Heyman revealed that he'd recruited Team Rhodes Scholars, The Miz and Alberto Del Rio (would've much rather seen Barrett in his place) for CM Punk's Survivor Series team. Punk revealed that it would be a celebration at SS, and a chance to cut Foley's attempt at the spotlight short. Mick of course joined the champ and questioned his manhood as of late, and his tactics in recruiting a crooked referee at HIAC. Foley then went on to announce Orton, Kingston and Team Hell No as part of his SS team.

He also turned things around on Punk as he revealed that  he wasn't actually a part of the team but just managing it, and out came Ryback as the final member. This then instigated a brawl between the teams, with the horrified WWE Champion making a quick getaway. 

Overall it was an average show, and pretty underwhelming. By the end I was hoping for a Ric Flair appearance, that's how much interest I was loosing. Most matches were okay but no outstanding or must-see like you should really have on every show. Other than that the CM Punk material was solid enough as usual, although I was a little disappointed with Foley's contributions compared to his superb promo on his last Raw appearance, but oh well. The first official Survivor Series match should be a good'n anyway I reckon. 

My WWE Hell in a Cell 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My WWE Hell in a Cell Predictions

Photo credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton versus Alberto Del Rio:

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

Winner: Randy Orton

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

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

Winner: Eve

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

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

Winner: Kofi Kingston

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

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

Winners: Team Hell No

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

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

Winner: Sheamus

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

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

Winner: CM Punk 

My WWE SmackDown, 26th October 2012 Recap

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

My Impact Wrestling, 25th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Hulk Hogan gave Jeff Hardy a speech in his office claiming that he'd "raised the bar" after obtaining the World Title at Bound for Glory, didn't he say the same thing to Aries when he won the title at Destination X? It certainly would've been more relevant then. We then heard an inner monologue from Hardy on each of the four possible men he could face for his championship next, it was a little different but I didn't mind it.

Rob Van Dam (c) defeated Zema Ion to retain the X Division Title. It was a fair match up. Ion looked decent and RVD as usual seemed to pull out his standard moves, which was fine. Nothing that special but watchable.

Afterwards Matt Morgan, accompanied by Joey Ryan, took out the champ with a clumsy Carbon Footprint. Morgan then warned Hogan that after wishing for a monster from him, he might just get it. Ryan meanwhile held the X Division strap in Van Dam's face, so I presume he's now next in line for a shot. I'm liking the more serious Morgan just taking out people, although once he steps back into the ring it'll be the same old bland wrestler I imagine. 

Kazarian complained about the unfair treatment him and Christopher Daniels had received from the GM Hogan, claiming that they'd lost the tag team titles "illegally" at BFG. Daniels then accused Dixie Carter of catering to the new title holders Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez to gain a larger latino audience, saying that they were typical looking Mexicans with their tattoos and poncho. He also amusingly suggested calling them "dos steriotypicos." It was a great promo from both members of one of the most solid overall tag teams going today.

Chavo and Hernandez then interrupted a petition Daniels and Kaz attempted to get going to gain them a rematch for the championship. Chavo stated that he and Hernandez would welcome a rematch anytime, anyplace, and they then chased the former title holders out of the ring and signed the petition themselves.

After Mr. Anderson was eliminated from a chance at the World Title by Hogan, Austin Aries was there waiting to berate the 'Asshole'. This of course led to a brief fight between the two, with AA eventually challenging Anderson to a match that night. Embarrassingly we then clearly heard the director shouting "Cut" at the end of the segment. Not particularly professional looking, eh?

We were then shown footage of Devon announcing to his fellow Aces & 8s members that they had to take out a random victim that night during the show. So they randomly picked by throwing a dart at a wall with photos of the roster, but we didn't see who their choice was.

Samoa Joe (c) beat Robbie T to retain the TNA Television Championship in a passable, if pretty average contest. The limited Robbie T did his usual move set, while Joe worked well with what he had, eventually locking on the Coquina Clutch after a few attempts to force Terry to tap. In an Undertaker-like fashion Joe rose up after being taken to the mat by Robbie to latch on the submission hold for a nice finish.

Austin Aries defeated Mr. Anderson in a worthy effort by both men. I wasn't expecting an awful lot here but it was quite enjoyable really, not the greatest match but fun enough to watch. The only thing that marred it was the strange ending. Aries would knock Anderson out with an illegal object, only to have Anderson then fall on top of him for a near count, then apply a submission hold when he was already clearly out. It just came across as a bit unnecessary. 

Tara (c) bested Brooke Tessmacher to retain the Knockouts Title in a passable bout.  The action was standard for the most part, but at least there was some heat to the match. Tara grabbed the win after her boyfriend Jesse caused Tessmacher to tumble from the ring and threw her back in to have a Widows Peak applied. Afterwards Brooke Hogan announced that at Open Fight Night next week ODB would be challenging Jesse. His reaction was pretty funny actually.

Bully Ray demanded that Devon come out and explain the real reason that he's joined up with Aces & 8s. So Devon came out and revealed that he joined the gang because they had his back after Hogan and Dixie Carter released him and never contacted him or made any effort to get him back like they had claimed to. He also warned Bully that Aces & 8s plan to get retribution against all of those in the company that have wronged them. 

Bully went on to reveal that after their retirement match last year, backstage Devon asked him why he was so worried "we're rich anyway" and that was why he'd turned on him. After Devon then backed out of a fight right there and then, Bully announced that next week he'd be taking him on in a fight, and also added that Devon has "no balls." The segment was okay, I was maybe expecting a bit more from their first encounter after Bound for Glory.

Hogan announced Kurt Angle as his pick over James Storm to face Hardy in the main event for the title. 'The Hulkster' also said to Storm that he didn't pick him because he had something else big planned for him. So why was he in the running at all if he had other plans for 'The Cowboy'? Where's the logic there?

Jeff Hardy (c) defeated Kurt Angle to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a tremendous main event match. Were you expecting anything less from it? Both men put in great efforts and didn't put a foot wrong. Solid stuff that's worth checking out. Afterwards Aries struck Hardy from behind with his title belt and announced that he would be invoking his rematch clause at Turning Point for the World Championship.  

We then went backstage to see Aces & 8s members attacking and taking out Angle. 

Overall it was a decent enough Impact, my only let down was the quality of most of the matches compared to recent weeks. Fortunately Aries versus Anderson, the entertaining promos from Kaz and Daniels and the brilliant main event helped save the broadcast. Also disappointed in the Bully Ray and Devon encounter, not that it was bad by any means but I was personally expecting more from it myself. 

The Undertaker not appearing at WrestleMania 29?

Photo credit: WWE.com

Posted by: Ben Kerin of WrestlingNewsSource.com on Oct 24 2012

Source: PWInsider.com

'The Undertaker's "end of an era" match from this year's WrestleMania against Triple H may really have been the end for a big time WrestleMania match featuring The Deadman. PWInsider.com is reporting that The Undertaker is not in good shape and the hip replacement he had a few years ago is badly damaged which has left him back at square one with the possibility of more surgical work down the line. Currently he is seeing specialists in New York but he is so beat up now that WWE has been flying the doctors to his home in Texas instead.

WWE would like to use Taker at January Royal Rumble, as a surprise entrant and perform a few memorable spot before being eliminated but that is far from being set in stone. As it stands there are no plans for Taker to work WrestleMania 29 and he may choose to skip the event however, WWE will make room for him should he wish to wrestle.'

If given the choice I, along with most other fans, would much rather see Taker at WrestleMania than the Royal Rumble. But of course if he's in as bad a shape as their saying then I don't believe it's worth risking his poor condition for either event. But if he is than I'd personally like to see him maybe win the Rumble match and go on to WrestleMania to obtain the World Title and retire there and then.  

New backstage role for William Regal

Source: PWInsider.com

William Regal is being recognized now as one of the most important people in WWE when it comes to evaluating and hiring new talent. He's been visiting different high profile wrestling facilities around the country. His next visit being Harley Race's school in Missouri.

So while we unfortunately won't see so much of Regal on screen, he seems like a smart choice for his new role.

My WWE Raw, 22nd October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My WWE SmackDown, 19th October 2012 Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Impact Wrestling, 18th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Aces & Eights kicked things off by presenting a live video of their masked leader thanking Devon (who'd been revealed as a member of the group by Hogan at Bound for Glory) for his help in them gaining free access to TNA. Devon himself then joined his fellow members in the ring and explained that when no one else was there for him when he was released from TNA, Aces & Eights were. He went on to also state that his attack on Bully Ray was payback for his betrayal last year.

Sting then arrived, along with a handful of the roster and a brawl broke out between the two groups, with Aces & Eights eventually leaving. Hogan also came out and announced that Devon will face Sting that night, and if he refuses then he'll have to leave the building. There were heavy chants for Bully Ray during the booking. It was an exciting start to the show.

Samoa Joe beat Robbie E in a watchable squash match. While it wasn't anything outstanding, it went the way it should with the superior and larger Joe taking out Robbie with ease.

Backstage during a photo shoot Tara and her partner Jesse (from the American Big Brother, apparently) told the photographer to get lost and then bragged about their celebrity lifestyle. Everything about this storyline and these segments just annoys me, so I suppose the couple are doing their job successfully as heels.

ODB defeated Tara in a largely average affair. There were a few comedy spots here and there involving ODB, including shoving Jesse's head into her chest half way through. She was also distracted by a phone call from her absent husband Eric Young throughout the contest. For the finish ODB barged Tara into Jesse (who was standing at ringside supporting his girlfriend) and then applied the Bam for the one-two-three. This didn't really do any favours at all for the new Knockouts Champ Tara, especially with ODB distracted for a lot of the match. Confusing booking here.

Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez bested Kid Kash and Gunner in a decent enough tag bout. Hernandez has always benefitted from more limited time in the ring in a tag team, and that was no exception here as he came across very effectively and gave a good display. There weren't any particularly memorable performances but I can't really fault any one.

Next we had Jeff Hardy's World Title win celebration, where he first thanked all his fans that had stuck with him. Former champ Austin Aries then joined him and congratulated him on his win at BFG, and also presented him with some balloons (that ended up floating away) and a plate of cookies (which Hardy tipped out of his hand). Aries went on to take a took at Hardy's new title belt with a replica of his face on the front, and spat on it before making a quick getaway. As usual AA was on solid form on the mic. 

Kurt Angle defeated Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles in a terrific Triple Threat to move forward for a chance at Hardy's World Title. While the match wasn't as exciting or fast paced as I was hoping, the action was faultless, which is hardly unexpected considering the standard of talent in the ring. Angle grabbed the victory after pushing Daniels inadvertently into Styles on the ropes and Angle Slamming him for the winning pin.

James Storm spoke about his brilliant brawl with Roode at Bound for Glory, and how after gaining revenge on his rival his new aim is to win back the World Championship. Bobby Roode soon joined 'The Cowboy' and admitted that he'd finally gained redemption against himself, and that his win moved him way up the ladder in TNA. But despite the victory, Roode claimed that he would always be "the better man." Storm retorted by Last Call Superkicking Roode in the face. It was a decent segment.

Sting won via disqualification versus Devon in a fair main event. The first half was fairly drab for the most part, but luckily the pace picked up and the match had a strong ending as both men put in solid efforts. To be honest I wasn't expecting much from this match, but it was better then expected and I enjoyed it. The DQ came when Aces & Eights members ran in to help their fellow member and started taking out 'The Stinger'. As expected members of the TNA roster also ran out to even the odds and chased away the gang.

Overall it wasn't a bad Impact, nor was it an outstanding one either. There were a few enjoyable match ups and segments but it just wasn't consistent enough throughout the show. My personal highlight was the triple threat between Styles, Angle and Daniels. 

My WWE Raw, 15th October 2012 Recap

Photo credit: WWE.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My TNA Bound for Glory 2012 Recap

Photo credit: impactwrestling.com

Rob Van Dam defeated Zema Ion (c) to capture the X Division Championship in a decent enough opener to the show. Ion managed to control most of the match with one of his best showings to date in my opinion. But RVD, unsurprisingly the crowd favourite in Phoenix, managed to make a comeback and hit the Five Star Frog Splash for the one-two-three. While I was hoping Ion would win here as he had a lot more to gain, and it coud've really bolstered the status of the title, he at least managed to look competitive against Van Dam which is something. 

Samoa Joe (c) bested Magnus to retain the TNA Television title in a solid back and fourth bout. I wasn't really expecting anything much from this match to be honest, I thought it'd be okay but nothing special, and I'm certainly glad I was wrong. Magnus pulled out the best performance I've ever seen from him here and proved that he could potentially be one of TNA's top players in the years to come. Of course Joe put in his usual worthy effort and both men provided a title match to be proud of.    

James Storm beat Bobby Roode in a terrific Street Fight. In this dramatic encounter both rivals battled it out as they did not hold back at all, with plenty of weapons used (although not too much to make it overkill) and effective near falls. The fans also voiced their approval throughout. King Mo's involvement was kept very minimal, in fact I didn't really see the point of using him here at all bar the publicity for the event. Even then I don't think it was worth it. 

Joey Ryan defeated Al Snow in an average match up, therefore earning himself a TNA contract. The action was never bad at any point, just quite pedestrian, especially up against the previous bout. Ryan grabbed the winning pin after Matt Morgan made his return and applied a Carbon Footprint to Snow. I was hoping the company were done with the sub par Morgan, ah well.

Hernandez and Chavo Guerrero bested Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, AJ Styles and Kurt Angle to win the TNA Tag Team Championship in an awesome contest. The match started off a little slow (not bad, just slow) and built up to a fast pace and a flurry of insane and exciting moves. I was going to point out Styles as the man of the match, but that wouldn't be fair as all six men put in a display worthy of TNA's biggest show of the year. This is certainly one of my favourite pay-per-view matches of the year so far, thrilling stuff that is definitely worth checking out.

Tara beat Brooke Tessmacher (c) to obtain the TNA Knockouts title. The bout ranged from fair to average, and I have to say that Tessmacher actually impressed me here. She may not still be near the top female talent but she's showed signs of working hard and improving in the ring which I admire, and is something I wish we saw more of from a lot of female pro wrestlers who have managed to coast along for years. Considering all the build up with this feud is seemed to be kept quite brief too.

Afterwards Jesse from Big Brother was revealed to be Tara's secret 'Hollywood' boyfriend. Wow, what a coup for TNA (yes, that was sarcasm don't worry). The crowd amusingly (and fittingly) chanted "Who are you" in response to the reveal.

We were then shown a VT of clips from Sting's TNA Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The scale of it compared to WWE's was pretty clear. While it showed fitting speeches, things like Hulk Hogan wearing a Bound for Glory T-Shirt (yes, really. Way to show some respect by dressing up Hogan) made it feel a little cheap. Or maybe I'm being a bit harsh. 

Before the following tag match, Aces and Eights members dragged in the previously kidnapped Joseph Parks as per the agreement. The reaction from the commentators was mild considering he's been held hostage for weeks.

Aces & Eights beat Bully Ray and Sting in a fair, if quite pedestrian at times No DQ tag match. As per the stipulations Aces & Eights members now have free access in TNA. The match had decent moments, and Bully was on good form, along with Sting he managed to get a healthy reaction from the fans. I was personally hoping with the no disqualification stipulation that it'd be a little more exciting and action packed. For the finish Bully was put through a table for the winning pinfall. 

As the gang celebrated, Hulk Hogan came out and along with his ego ridiculously took out the Aces & Eights members, leaving just one. Hogan and 'The Stinger' revealed it to be none other than the previously fired Devon, much to everyones shock. All three men asked him why as he left. I'm actually quite surprised by the outcome, not so much Devon being a member (although I'll give credit, with his release it was a clever move on the writers part) but the fact that Bully didn't turn on Sting. I personally think Ray would've been the perfect front man for the group, and he's been so effective as a heel. Although I can imagine him being a decent face too, we'll see.

Jeff Hardy defeated Austin Aries (c) to obtain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship in a superb main event. In the match of the night both men put on a thrilling display as they fought with everything they had. Pulling out plenty of impressive maneuvers and providing red hot near falls, this was a worthy main event and World title contest. It was a good end to a highly enjoyable show.

The majority of the crowd in Phoenix were behind the defending champ, but as the match went on Hardy's fans were heard too. While like a lot of those fans I was also hoping that AA would retain, I'm interested to see how Hardy's run goes. And to give him credit he's seemed to have sorted himself out over the last year and I hope he keeps it up. 

Overall Bound for Glory was yet another very solid card from TNA, with most matches providing some great viewing and memorable showings from the talent. I was fairly confident the show would live up to the billing, and it exceeded it for me, with my personal highlights being the main event and Tag Team Championship bouts. TNA has for a while now used it's talented roster to it's potential, let's hope it stays that way. 

My WWE SmackDown, 12th October 2012 Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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