April 2012

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After Rhodes fails to take Big Show down as the match starts, Show gets a lengthy shine segment. Chopping Cody's chest, throwing him around the ring like a sack of shit and even giving him a stinkface. Cody takes control by going after the big guy's legs. After dazing Show with a Beautiful Disaster kick, Cody tries his luck and goes to hit him with another, only to be cut off with a nasty spear right to the groin. Shows gets a win and finally gets his Wrestlemania moment. This was a lot more enjoyable that you would think. They play up to the size differences, it's wrapped up in just over five minutes and it has a feel-good ending to boot. ★★¾

This is the match where Bryan loses the World Heavyweight title in under 30 seconds. I remember watching Bryan's entrance live and feeling so proud for him. A ROH guy finally in a World title match at Wrestlemania. If only I knew what was about to happen. Bryan kisses AJ, Sheamus lands a Brogue Kick, it's all over. This shock win pops the crowd, but it's not long before they start they start booing and cheering Bryan's name throughout most of the event. There's a part of me that wants to put on my tinfoil hat and say that WWE knew they would get strong backlash from this and it was all intentional as a way to get Bryan over at a main event level, but I'm probably gi…

Jerry Lawler is still in perv mode, despite us being 5 years into the PG era at this point. I always remember Eve Torres as the workhorse of the PG Diva's era. She wouldn't get much to work with, but she always put in the effort to get something decent of any situation. Beth Phoenix and her are calling the match, which is good as their opponents are a non-wrestler in Maria Menounos and Kelly Kelly. To Kelly's credit, she didn't do anything to harm this match. She hit her flying hearscissors and even a somersault seated senton from the top rope. This wasn't a good match, but it was too short to be anything too offensive. Menounos had cracked ribs here and still wanted to d…

Both Orton and Kane are two wrestlers who can be good when they want to be, but can also be incredibly drab and dull when they aren't full motivated. Sadly, this was the latter. There's not much to say about the first five minutes. Kane throwing some nice throat thrusts is the only thing that comes to mind. It's all quite colorless and fans who are still annoyed by the treatment of Daniel Bryan aren't having this and you can a smattering of 'boring' and 'Daniel Bryan' chants. Thankfully, the crowd wake up and the action gets going once Orton hits one of his signature moves after countering a sidewalk slam attempt. Orton eats a chokeslam after missing his punt. He kicks ou…

If this looks like a match that they threw together just to get everyone on the card to you, then you would be right. The 'Taker/Trips HIAC match had drained the crowd and they spend most of the match sitting on their hands. Mark Henry feels wasted being here as he had just come off his incredible Hall of Pain run. He doesn't get much time to shine, but seeing him throw trash talk at a downed opponent is always entertaining. Santino will forever be a gullibility pleasure of mine. Anyone who can get something as dumb as the Cobra over is more than okay in my book. Things pick up when everyone gets a chance to throw a few of their signature spots in. The match ends in betra…

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The Rainmaker pose is starting to get more and more over. Short throwaway Korakuen Hall main event with Okada throwing some stiff kicks to the face and a super nasty tombstone at poor Captain New Japan. The Captain gets in his big moves, which was a little surprising (the crowd dug it), and gets credit for taking a good bump off the Rainmaker.

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WWE Champion CM Punk vs Chris Jericho - Extreme Rules 2012 Street Fight Overshadowed because it is on the same card as instant classics John Cena vs Brock Lesnar & Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus. In fact, Extreme Rules 2012 is in the running for the greatest card WWE has ever put out. This is a great street fight. It is not as great as other two are, but few matches are. This match is still a killer match. Another thing that hurts this match is the build is kinda lame. Jericho is going after Punk's family for their substance abuse issue and that eventually Punk will succumb to his genetics. My issue with these angles is not that they are tasteless but rather I just dont…

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