Ratings/Analysis:
Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston (IC Title): Nice energy from Kofi to start, showing off that great leaping ability. Lawler with the fat jokes on Vickie. More back-and-forth action as Cole brings up Ziggler's amateur wrestling career. Ziggler did a German suplex with a bridge...reminds me of Benoit. Ziggler goes for the sleeper but Kofi counters. Kingston with a crossbody to the lower back of Ziggler...interesting. Boomdrop from Kofi. Trouble in Paradise misses...Ziggler goes for some type of overhead slam, countered into S.O.S. for two. Crowd into it more now. A few more rollups for two. Zigzag countered, Kingston jumps on Ziggler's chest. Kofi caught at the top. Kingston battles back, HUGE crossbody on Ziggler for two. Nice match going here. S.O.S. countered into sleeper! Kofi counters again. Trouble in Paradise dodged, Zigzag countered. Vickie interferes behind the ref's back. Ugly transition into sleeper. Ziggler uses the ropes to get Kofi back to the center. Kofi is out, ref calls for the bell. A little confusion there on whether the ref should have broken the submission, but perhaps that's part of the storyline? Great stuff. ***1/4
Alex Riley vs. The Miz: I really like how the storyline started. Trash-talking from Miz to start. Miz takes control early on. Slow beatdown of A-Ry now. I'm amused at how Cole is calling Miz a veteran when he's only been in the WWE full-time as a wrestler for a few years...what does that make guys like Mark Henry and Big Show? Boring offense continues...mainly rest holds from Miz. Miz with his clothesline in the corner. Top-rope offense from Miz gets two. Miz baseball slide in the corner, Riley moves and Miz's nuts hit the post (at least that's what we're supposed to believe). A-Ry offense time. Spinebuster from A-Ry gets two. A-Ry thrown to outside, but A-Ry battles back and gets another two-count. Fighting outside now. Miz thrown into barricade and announce table. Cole berates A-Ry, so A-Ry grabs Cole and throws him to the floor for some nice pops. Miz takes over. Miz grabs the briefcase. Ref takes the briefcase away, Impaler DDT from A-Ry for three! Cole is pouting on the outside. Boring at the start but at least it was entertaining at the end. *1/2
Alberto Del Rio vs. The Big Show: Show ambushes ADR as he comes to the ring. Mark Henry takes out Big Show. Damn, Henry picks up Big Show like a child and delivers the World's Strongest Slam. Henry then works on Big Show's kayfabe-injured knee. After some time, ref starts the count. Big Show struggles, but gets in the ring. Guess we have a match. Bell rings. Show is mad and gets some offense on ADR. ADR comes back and works on Show's injured knee. Chokeslam from Show, but Show collapses as well because of the knee. ADR to outside. ADR to top rope, gets caught. ADR kicks Show's knee and tries for his cross-armbreaker, but Show counters into a unique-looking back suplex. Wow, a cross-legbreaker from ADR! Show trying to hold on...and he makes it to the ropes after about 45 seconds in it. Show tries to get up and does, then falls back down. Show gets up again and falls down again. Ref finally stops it. It was OK for what it was, but it was more about Show selling the injury (to get ADR a win) and Mark Henry's interference. *
Ezekiel Jackson vs. Wade Barrett (IC Title): No Corre for Barrett because Gabriel and Slater left him a couple weeks earlier. "USA!" chants from the crowd, but why? Isn't Big Zeke from Guyana? Zeke goes for Torture Rack early but Barrett gets out of it. Side slam from Barrett gets two. More rest holds, punches, and kicks from Wade. Zeke goes for those slams, Barrett goes out and hits Wasteland...for two?! Wow. Now the dead crowd comes to life. Now the multiple slams from Zeke. Torture rack, and we have a new champ. Lawler comes in the ring to interview Zeke. Zeke cuts a short face promo. Horrible match overall. 1/2*
CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio: Match sounds good on paper. Punk with red, white, and blue tights. Quick pinfall attempts from Punk early on. Rey goes for the 619, Punk gets away. Baseball slide from Rey. Punk battles back. More back-and-forth action. Body scissors from Punk. Abdominal stretch time. Punk wearing down Rey's body, probably so Rey won't be able to bounce all over the place. Rey tries to battle back and heads to the top, but Punk counters again and gets another two-count. Rey finally gets a kick in and sends Punk to the outside. Rey hits an Asai moonsault onto Punk. Flying headbutt to Punk gets two. Rey springboard crossbody, but roll-through by Punk for two. Huge temple kick from Rey gets two again. Rey to top rope again, Punk catches him. Super-back suplex from the top by Punk gets another long two. Punk favoring the right elbow. Punk running high knee in the corner. Punk tries again and goes shoulder-first into the post. 619 from Rey knocks Punk to the outside. Rey tries for his splash but Punk gets the knees up and covers for another two. Punk frustrated now. Punk signals for GTS. Rey counters into a hurricanrana and a pin for two! Wow that was close. Punk misses one big kick, but hits it the second time...and gets only two?! Wow. GTS try again, Rey counters, goes for 619, but Punk beautifully counters that back into a GTS for three. That finish looked awesome. ***3/4
Randy Orton vs. Christian (World Heavyweight Title): Orton was cleared to compete after passing the Impact test (for concussions). Main event intros, ref checks for any foreign objects, and here we go. Orton gains control early. Christian battles back with right hands. Orton with a Thesz press and he's back on the offensive for a bit. Orton tries to pump the crowd up as they battle on the outside. Christian sends Orton into the steps head-first and Cole brings up the concussion. More pedestrian offense from Christian gets a couple of two-counts. Rest hold now. Orton headbutts Christian...yeah that was smart. Orton nice rollup for two. Spinebuster from Christian gets two. Orton looks dazed, but counters and whips Christian into the corner. Orton collapses to the ground probably because he's woozy. Orton still on the offense with hard chest shots. Christian counters and tries for his reverse DDT, but Orton counters and battles back again. Belly-to-belly from Orton gets two. Christian comes back again with slaps and punches to the head. Orton headbutts again (why?!) and superplexes Christian back in the ring for two. RKO countered, Killswitch countered. Orton hits what looks like a version of a gutwrench suplex for two. Killswitch countered. Christian avoids the RKO and exits the ring, Orton follows. Back in the ring now. Christian goes for the sunset flip in the corner but Orton counters. Hangman DDT from Orton. Orton signals for RKO. Christian counters into reverse DDT for a two! Christian calls for the spear. Orton leapfrogs, RKO countered again, spear from Christian! One, two, near fall! Awesome stuff. Dropkick from Orton. Pendulum kick from Christian in the corner. RKO! Three count! Christian's foot under the bottom rope that the ref did not see. Obviously Christian will use this as ammo to say it's a conspiracy and that he deserves another title shot. Christian complains to the ref, so Orton lays Christian out with the belt. ****
Evan Bourne vs. Jack Swagger: OK, I guess we need a filler match now. Good amateur wrestling from Swagger. Swagger slaps Bourne in the back of the head. Nice moves from Bourne to come back, but Swagger gets Bourne with a gutbuster. Swagger with a bunch of offense now on Bourne and the crowd is dead. Pace real slow now. Swagger goes for that running corner Vader Bomb splash but Bourne gets the legs up. Kicks from Bourne but Swagger takes over again. Bourne gets a nice DDT on Swagger for two. Bourne goes for Air Bourne, Swagger gets out of the way. Bourne landed on his feet but Swagger tries for gutwrench powerbomb. Bourne counters into a pin for three. *1/4
I skipped over the Booker T and fake Obama segment because I could. Money in the Bank PPV is July 17.
John Cena vs. R-Truth (WWE Title): Main event intros. Major crowd reaction for and against Cena. Truth gets in offense early and ducks away when Cena tries to fight back. Cena goes for AA but Truth counters and gets a two. Truth with more offense and another two. Rest hold from Truth but Cena won't stay down long for that. Lie Detector from Truth gets two...guess that won't be a finisher anymore, thankfully. Truth sandwiches Cena in the corner with a Superman punch and gets two from that. Cena tries to get back in it but eats a clothesline. More beatdown offense from Truth which is boring me to hell. Hiptoss on Cena for two, then back to body scissors. God, stick a fork in this PPV. Cena tries for STF but Truth gets out and regains control. Suplex from Truth for another two. Cena finally back with his usual comeback moves. Cena goes for AA, countered by Truth into a stunner-like move for two. Cena gets Truth in STF, but Truth gets to the ropes. Truth nails the scissors kick for two. Truth comes off the top, Cena rolls through into an AA, but Truth gets out of that and hits that jumping flatliner move. Yup, that also gets two because Cena is superhuman. Truth takes a kid's hat and takes a swig of the kid's water. Truth gives the water back, and then the kid tosses the water in Truth's face. Cena grabs Truth, tosses him in the ring, hits the AA, gets three. **
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Final Thoughts:
Red, white, and blue ropes for this PPV. Red ringposts. Gotta keep with the patriotic theme, after all.
It was a decent PPV overall. I counted three good matches, with Orton/Christian taking PPV honors. However, I've always believed the last 1-2 matches of a PPV should be the best, not the middle matches. Capitol Punishment felt like it ended with a whimper instead of a bang. In any event, this PPV had its moments. No divas matches? No problem for me. **3/4
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