Thursday, 1 December 2011
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
WWE RAW Supershow Results 11/28/11
Tonight's WWE RAW Supershow opens up with Michael Cole welcoming us to Columbia, South Carolina. Cole is joined by Jerry Lawler. We see clips from CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio at Survivor Series as Lawler hypes the rematch tonight.
- We go to the ring and out comes Hall of Famer Roddy Piper for Piper's Pit. Piper wonders how a guy who never won the WWE Title, one who wasn't ever the biggest or strongest, has became a Hall of Famer and one of the biggest icons. The answer: energy. Piper talks about how when the crowd cheered him, he did good things, and when they boo'd him, he did rotten things. Piper goes on and brings out John Cena.
Cena comes out and says he has no idea what Piper is talking about when he says energy isn't important to Cena. Piper wants to play name association. He says Steve Austin and the crowd pops big. Bret Hart and they pop again. The Rock and they pop big time again. He says Cena's name next and it gets a very mixed reaction. Cena says he sees what Piper is trying to do. Piper says he's trying to help Cena. Piper talks about how the fans wanted The Rock to Rock Bottom Cena at Survivor Series and when he did, they came unglued. A "Boots To Asses" chant starts up. Cena says he has been dealing with this his whole career. Cena talks about the Cenation knows what he stands for and he is extremely loyal to them. Cena says you can't please everyone and says the fans can do what they want.
Piper says Cena is the face of WWE, he is the man, but the booing is getting louder. Piper says Cena is losing it and if he doesn't suck it up and tell the fans what he really thinks, Cena will be the loser at the biggest WrestleMania in history. Cena says Piper is going overboard. Cena talks about various moments in his career where he's been boo'd or cheered. Piper tries to cut him off but Cena keeps going. Cena says The Rock had one great night, that's it. Cena points out two kids in the front row and says they're having the time of their lives. He talks about three Make-A-Wish families he met earlier and the National Guardsmen in the crowd. Cena goes on and says he knows he can beat The Rock. Piper says he is proud of Cena and goes on about how Cena is here for WWE every day. Piper puts his Hall of Fame ring in Cena's hand and says if he doesn't get it right with the fans, he's going to be in denial and ruin his chances against The Rock. Cena appreciates it but doesn't want to take the ring. Piper slaps Cena and tells him to feel the energy. Cena gets pissed, gives Piper his ring back and walks off as we go to the announcers.
- We see a replay from last week of The Miz turning on R-Truth.
- We see Alex Riley and John Morrison backstage talking as we go to commercial. Miz vs. Morrison is up next.
Falls Count Anywhere Match: The Miz vs. John Morrison
Back from the break and out comes John Morrison. As he's on the stage, The Miz attacks from behind and takes him out. Miz wails away on Morrison's knee and walks to the ring as trainers check on Morrison. Morrison hobbles down to the ring where Miz looks on. The bell rings and Miz goes for the leg. Morrison dodges it and unloads with right hands. Miz kicks Morrison's leg out and goes to work on it.
Miz uses the ring post on Morrison's leg and brings a kendo stick out. Miz hits Morrison in the leg with it. Morrison ducks another kendo shot and clotheslines Miz. Morrison grabs the stick and attacks. Miz flees to the floor but Morrison follows with the kendo stick. Morrison with a 2 count on the floor. Miz crawls up the ramp and Morrison follows with the stick. Miz grabs Morrison and throws him head first into the big W. Miz lays Morrison out with a Skull Crushing Finale on the stage. Miz goes for the pin but the referee won't let him and calls for the bell because Morrison is knocked out.
Winner: The Miz
- After celebrating, Miz takes a mic and heads to the ring as they load Morrison up on a stretcher. John Laurinaitis comes out, looks Morrison over and walks back to the back. Miz says last week it was R-Truth, this week it's John Morrison. Next week, we'll see. Miz says there's only one Superstar that can make this kind of impact, this kind of statement. That person is him, The Miz. He says he can do it because he's awesome. RAW goes to commercial.
The Bella Twins vs. Alicia Fox and Kelly Kelly
Back from the break and all four Divas are in the ring. Kelly starts things off for her team. Beth Phoenix and Natalya come running down around the ring in workout gear. They jog around the ring and right back up to the back as Kelly and one of the Bellas go at it. It comes down to Alicia and one of the Bellas. Alicia hits her leg drop finisher for the win.
Winners: Kelly Kelly and Alicia Fox
- More hype for Punk vs. Del Rio tonight before we go back to commercial.
- Back from the break and we get a vignette for Sheamus.
- John Laurinaitis and David Otunga are backstage talking about Brodus Clay. Laurinaitis says the longer he holds off on his debut, the more anger he has pent up. Laurinaitis says he is doing Brodus a favor. Alberto Del Rio walks up. He says what happened at Survivor Series was a setback and he will walk out tonight as WWE Champion. CM Punk walks in and mocks Otunga, Laurinaitis and Del Rio for what he found about them when Googling their names. Punk says the WWE Title isn't going anywhere. Otunga says that sounded like a threat and implies Punk will get himself intentionally DQ'd tonight to retain the title. Laurinaitis says if Punk gets himself DQ'd, he will lose the title.
- We see Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton heading to the ring as we go back to commercial.
- Back from the break and Wade Barrett comes out for commentary.
Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler
Out next comes Randy Orton to a big pop from the crowd. Out next comes the United States Champion Dolph Ziggler with Vickie Guerrero. They lock up and go at it. Orton takes Dolph down first with a headlock. Orton floors Ziggler with a clothesline. Ziggler counters next and rolls Orton up for 2. They go to lock up again but Dolph strikes. Orton turns it around and sends Dolph out to the floor after a big clothesline. Dolph comes back in and Orton controls, getting another 2 count.
More back and forth action. Orton tries to come in from the outside but Dolph dropkicks him on the apron. Orton falls back to the floor as Barrett smirks at him. Dolph brings the fight to the floor and works Orton over before rolling him back in for a 2 count. Dolph stomps away in the corner but Orton turns it around. Orton with big uppercuts. Dolph counters with a neckbreaker and another 2 count. Dolph keeps control and goes to the top. Orton meets him with a right hand. Orto climbs up and brings Dolph back to the ring with a big superplex. Orton with a 2 count as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Orton trades shots with Ziggler in the middle of the ring. Orton rocks Ziggler to the ropes and kicks him in the chest. Orton with a pair of clotheslines and a scoop slam. Orton hits the second rope draping DDT. Orton readies for the RKO but Ziggler rolls out of the ring and goes to leave. Barrett gets on the apron and Orton dropkicks him. Ziggler runs in from behind and lays Orton out for the win.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
- After the match, Vickie announces Dolph as the winner while he shows off and does a headstand.
- More hype for tonight's WWE Title Match as we go to commercial.
- Back from the break and Michael Cole is in the ring with Daniel Bryan. Bryan wonders if maybe he has just some of Cole's respect now and mentions winning the four-way. Cole keeps calling Bryan a hypocrite for trying to cash in on Mark Henry when he couldn't compete. Cole shows us what happened on SmackDown with Big Show laying Henry out and then Bryan cashing in, only to have the match overturned by Teddy Long. Cole talks about how funny it was when Bryan's dreams were shattered. Cole thinks Bryan should have been stripped of his briefcase and suspended. Cole says Bryan disgusts him and he's nothing but a hypocrite. Cole hopes Henry tears Bryan apart tomorrow night on SmackDown. Bryan says he planned to cash in at WrestleMania but those plans changed when Henry tried to end his career. Bryan says the briefcase doesn't guarantee him anything. He saw an opportunity and took it. Bryan goes on about the World Title when Henry's music hits. Henry comes to the stage and says Bryan should be ashamed of himself for trying to take advantage of him. Henry says Teddy Long should be ashamed for booking him in the match also when he's half injured. Henry says it's ok because he's the World's Strongest Man and he will defend his World Title in the steel cage. Bryan leaves the ring and starts walking up the ramp. Henry says Bryan can't beat him. Bryan walks up the ramp and kicks Henry's foot that's in a boot. Bryan says we will see tomorrow night and walks to the back.
- Even more hype for tonight's WWE Title match. Back to commercial.
Zack Ryder vs. Jack Swagger
They lock up and Swagger slams Ryder to the mat and shows off. They lock up again and go to the corner. Ryder fights out with right hands. They run the ropes and Ryder takes Swagger down with a forearm. Swagger hits a belly to belly suplex for a 2 count. Swagger hits a bunch of right hands as the ref backs him off. Swagger slams Ryder and drops a big leg drop for 2. Swagger keeps control until Ryder hits a neckbreaker for 2. Ryder counters a gutwrench and hits an elbow in the corner.
Ryder comes off the top but Swagger catches him and drops him over his knee. Swagger runs to the corner for the Swagger Bomb but Ryder tries to trip him or something. Swagger tries again and Ryder puts his feet up. Ryder hits the Ruff Ryder for the win.
Winner: Zack Ryder
- Back from the break and we get a replay of Piper's Pit from earlier.
- Mick Foley comes out dressed as Santa Claus to promote tomorrow night's SmackDown special. Not much to it at all.
- CM Punk is stopped by Josh Matthews backstage. Matthews asks about the stipulation that Laurinaitis added to the match. Punk says Laurinaitis can kiss his ass. Punk walks off to the ring as we go to commercial.
WWE Title Match: Alberto Del Rio vs. CM Punk
Back from the break and Ricardo Rodriguez introduces Alberto Del Rio. Out next comes WWE Champion CM Punk to a nice reaction from the crowd.
They lock up and trade holds. Del Rio goes to work on Punk's arm early. Punk takes Del Rio to the corner and tosses him right back out. Punk works on Del Rio's arm now. Del Rio turns it around and takes him down with a headlock. Del Rio with a 2 count and more focus on Punk's arm. Punk makes a comeback and clotheslines Del Rio to the floor. Punk suicide dives through the ropes and takes Del Rio out on the floor as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Del Rio lands a 2 count on Punk. Del Rio goes back to working on Punk's arm and takes him to the mat. Punk gets a boot up in the corner but comes off the rope and Del Rio moves. Del Rio with another kick and a 2 count. Del Rio with right hands on the mat now. Punk fights Del Rio off but gets caught in a big backbreaker for another 2 count. Del Rio with more focus on Punk's arm.
Punk makes a comeback for a 2 count. They trade punches and kicks now. Punk with a series of kicks. Del Rio comes back with rights. Punk with a heel kick and a neckbreaker for a 2 count. More back and forth with pin attempts. Del Rio blocks GTS but can't get the pin. Del Rio with a big kick to the back. Del Rio unties the turnbuckle pad. The referee turns his back to fix it. Del Rio throws Punk a chair, trying to get him disqualified. Punk throws it back to Del Rio and drops to the mat so it looks like Del Rio hit him. The ref goes to DQ Del Rio. Punk rolls Del Rio up for a 2 count but Del Rio kicks out. Punk also kicks out at a close 2. Ricardo gets on the apron and argues with the referee. Del Rio goes to throw Punk into the exposed turnbuckle. Punk counters and drops him onto the turnbuckle with a GTS for the win.
Winner: CM Punk
- After the match, Punk celebrates and hits Ricardo with a GTS. RAW goes off the air with the WWE Champion celebrating.
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Friday, 25 November 2011
The Undertaker’s Health & Return, WWE Officials Pressured by Iron
It’s said that independent wrestler Gregory Iron, who has cerebral palsy, has some people unhappy in WWE after his recent Twitter campaign to get him a spot in the 2012 Royal Rumble. Because of Iron’s petition, some in the company feel pressured to not anger the fans who sign his petition, since WWE is so serious about Twitter these days, and they don’t want to come off as cruel to someone with a disability.
- The Undertaker has had another hip and shoulder operation since he’s been away from the ring. Last year around this time there was doubt in Taker’s health for WrestleMania but the latest word is that he’s recovered well and is ready for Miami.
We don’t know yet who Taker’s opponent is for WrestleMania 28 but word is that it has already been decided on. WWE officials have reportedly decided on the top three WrestleMania matches, including John Cena vs. The Rock, and Taker’s match will be the #2 top match on the card.
- The Undertaker has had another hip and shoulder operation since he’s been away from the ring. Last year around this time there was doubt in Taker’s health for WrestleMania but the latest word is that he’s recovered well and is ready for Miami.
We don’t know yet who Taker’s opponent is for WrestleMania 28 but word is that it has already been decided on. WWE officials have reportedly decided on the top three WrestleMania matches, including John Cena vs. The Rock, and Taker’s match will be the #2 top match on the card.
Truth’s Return
It’s being reported that Truth and Bourne were tested on the same day, the day after a social function where they and others were smoking “spice” or fake marijuana. Truth and Bourne’s suspensions are a controversial topic within WWE this week.
Truth will be a babyface upon returning. Apparently Vince McMahon is high on the idea of marketing Little Jimmy merchandise.
Thursday, 24 November 2011
wwe smackdown 25-11-11 results
WWE Smackdown (Airing Friday)
The crowd came alive for Booker T, maybe since they don’t have to listen to him. Michael Cole entered to no music and monster heat. The “We Want Ryder” chants started. Josh Mathews came out and it was like nobody noticed.
A Mark Henry promo started the show. He said the people are happy to see him in pain and we should give him more respect for being champing. He said he’s hurt but not broken. He said it was actually Big Show’s fault that he kicked him below the belt at Survivor Series. Big Show comes out and explained why Henry kicked him. Henry said Big Show is the world’s largest loser, which set up Big Show knocking him out.
Daniel Bryan ran out and cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and pinned Henry. The place went nuts. However, Teddy Long came out and said that Mark Henry could not compete, so the title change does not stand.
Long gave Bryan his briefcase back and told him that he’s in the main event with Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett, and Randy Orton in a four-way match to determine the No. 1 contender for the live Smackdown next week. He said the winner of that match would face Big Show, but he didn’t say when (presumably TLC).
Hunico defeated Justin Gabriel. The crowd could not have cared less about this match.
Beth Phoenix and Natalya beat A.J. and Kaitlyn. Alicia Fox was out for commentary. There were more We Want Ryder chants. Natalya won in a minute with Sharpshooter and Beth didn’t even tag in. Natalya kept AJ in a Sharpshooter but bridged down (awesome). Alicia Fox entered the ring, and Beth and Natalya just left without incident.
The Kane video from Raw aired.
Backstage, Zack Ryder and Sheamus went over their match. Ryder did the “Woo Woo Woo” and Sheamus said the “you know it” line.
Teddy Long and Aksana are backstage. Mark Henry confronts Long about having to defend his title next week. In spite of that, Long makes next week’s title match a steel cage match.
Zack Ryder & Sheamus defeated Jack Swagger & Dolph Ziggler
Daniel Bryan & AJ are backstage. They both talk about how they’ve had bad luck tonight before Bryan is interrupted by Wade Barrett, who says that he’ll win the fatal four-way match tonight. Barrett walks off and Bryan and AJ end the segment by kissing.
Ted DiBiase defeated Heath Slater. Jinder Mahal appears on the tron and says that DiBiase is disrespecting his heritage by holding his DiBiase Posse Parties with common WWE fans.
Matt Striker interviewed Cody Rhodes backstage. Rhodes said that he threw water in Booker T’s face on Raw because he looked at Rhodes the wrong way. He said he’ll win the fatal four-way match tonight, and he says that he “can dig that, sucka!”
Daniel Bryan defeated Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, & Wade Barrett to become the #1 Contender. Bryan will now face Mark Henry next week in a steel cage match for the World Heavyweight Championship. After the match, Rhodes ambushed Bryan and started beating him down. Orton stopped Rhodes with an RKO to end the show.
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Monday, 21 November 2011
WWE 12 preview
“Bigger, Badder, Better”. While you can easily compare that motto to Mark Henry, though I don’t think he will be better anymore, THQ had this motto in mind when introducing WWE 12. They wanted to take a brand new approach and try to redefine the wrestling game genre like The Rock redefined sports entertainment in the Attitude Era. With a new logo, new name, bad ass cover boy in Randy Orton; things seem to be in motion for the new WWE experience. I have been hyping this game for months due to my time with the game prior to release and now that I have had the time to dissect this game from the inside-out, I am here to give you our review. Does this game deserve a ballot in the Hall of Fame, or does it need to be covered with a paper bag? Let’s find out.
Gameplay has seen a nice change and one that will almost remind fans of the good old No Mercy days. THQ has gotten rid of the analog grapple scheme and moved it back to the face buttons. What’s nice about the face buttons is the ease of use for newcomers while still being in-depth for veteran players. The A button handles your grapples, B handles the irish whip, X is your strikes, signatures and finishers are done with the Y button, and reversals are done with RT. Now reversal windows are different depending on the characters attributes but I did find myself at times being unable to reverse a handful of moves in a match even when I’m timing everything right (as if they went Super Cena). Another problem I found is how soon you have to reverse running grapples. While you can easily just press A and grab them into a move, sometimes the CPU will perform a running grapple on you from just a foot away and can be impossible to react to.
The new “Breaking Point” submission system is a nice and welcomed change from what we’ve had the past few years and can make things pretty frantic if your wrestlers limbs are pretty damaged. It is well balanced with my only complaint being other wrestlers having the ability to do a cross-arm breaker (or Alberto’s finisher) even though it isn’t a finisher for them. The same can be said about the Lebell Lock but luckily I haven’t found anyone other than Daniel Bryan doing it. Speaking of limbs, the new “Limb Targeting System” does what it’s supposed to, I just wish there were different moves they could perform other then the same quick elbow to the head or arm twist followed by an elbow. More diversity in the moves would have been nice. Difficulty has seen a spike of sorts and if you’re accustomed to playing the game on Legendary in SvR11, well that’s your normal difficulty in WWE 12. Once you bump it up to hard or legendary the real drama and action truly begin. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible on normal though, just more of a challenge this time around.
Even with the few minor complaints, I can’t help but continue playing. This is the best the gameplay has been in a long time and the most entertaining. Reversals seem about right even if at times you feel like you just can’t do a thing; But that’s wrestling right? You will literally write a story in the ring and at times in the most epic ways. Win or lose you’ll feel like you put on a great match only to pick other characters and do it over again and again. Add on that every match type ever made is available at your fingertips, and you’ll literally create an epic in-ring story almost every day.
Road to Wrestlemania has received a much needed change from the multiple different paths you can play through in years past. Normally the goal of RTWM is to play through some of the stories with the conclusion hitting at Wrestlemania. But the developers at THQ thought it would be better if you went through the months it takes to get to the biggest stage in wrestling and more. Now on your path to fulfill your destiny(s) in RTWM you will encounter plenty of twists and turns using the likes of Shaemus, Triple H, and a user created character. These stories may be the best thing you’ll see compared to some of the recent storylines in WWE.
While only one main story of the three ends up being the most unique and entertaining, the thing that takes away from RTWM is the lack of control you’ll have when playing. Most of the matches just consists of you wearing down an opponent whether in the ring, backstage, or on the stage and having to press the Y button to go into a cut scene. Even in matches that you feel you must win will make you feel like you wasted your time when the end result for the story is you losing. There is no sense of surprise since you know something is going to happen once the Y icon appears over the opponents head and it truly takes away from the mode. It even feels forceful every once in a while that the match has to take a specific route in order for you to continue. Knowing how well the gameplay is in WWE 12, RTWM doesn’t seem to let you fully enjoy it and at times can get really frustrating.
The one mode you will sink most of your time into, whether by yourself or with friends, is WWE Universe mode. You pretty much have complete control of both RAW and Smackdown (including WWE Superstars) to do what you wish. You can create your own matches, tag team stables, or even PPV’s. You can even remove WWE RAW altogether and re-create WCW Monday Nitro. Heck if you want, you can get rid of the WWE period. WWE Universe mode is your mode and it never ends. What makes it more unique are the different scenes that randomly happen while you’re playing. Thankfully there are more cutscenes that come up other than a character buying a ticket to the show. You’ll see random surprise attacks, rivals joining the announcers table to watch your match, or you’ll see someone get carted out of the ring due to injury. What’s even better is when they decide to come back and beat the person that injured them in the first place. Interfering in matches has also been included so if you want to take out John Cena in almost every match he is in, go for it. Just be careful because if you’re trying to stay babyface, attacking Cena will more than likely turn you into a heel…a really cool heel.
The most I can take out of Universe mode is how much it’s been improved upon. With more cutscenes, the ability to make title matches whenever you want, and just the power to do anything. THQ has even helped by letting you go from match to match without ever going to the menu but that does mean you will be fighting matches that are randomly put together by the CPU. If you want to change all the matches, you have to do it one at a time and either simulate the match or play through it only to return to the menu and do it over again. They did make everything easier but I would have liked to change the match cards of say the entire show instead of doing everything one at a time.
Online multiplayer has been improved and I was able to fit in a few matches. Games were actually running very well and with multiple opponents. The Royal Rumble certainly takes some time to get through but it was fun when playing with an enthusiastic group of friends. It should be noted though that compared to how many people will be hitting the servers on release day, I want to take some more time to truly test out the online servers before I make a complete conclusion. For now, it’s getting a thumbs up with a Mick Foley smile.
Presentation wise you’ll think you are watching a real WWE program. The presentation is just top notch. The predator technology certainly gets another nod due to the graphical enhancement as it brings the characters to life but this is truly the prettiest WWE game ever made. Randy Orton looks like Randy Orton (play-off beard or no beard), David Otunga and his giant manboobs are present and accounted for, The Undertaker’s entrance is still dark and creepy (even if it still takes forever for him to get to the ring), and John Cena still does his salute before sprinting to the ring even though I would have liked to hear more boo’s from the fans.
There are over 60+ characters to choose from, not including DLC, and every one of them look spot on. However you must be aware that THQ can only do so much for a franchise that changes things at the most random moments. A good example of this is Cody Rhodes. They have both the “Dashing” and Richard Jefferson mask wearing Cody in WWE 12 but as seen in last night’s Survivor Series, his entrance music has changed and so has his look. Not every character will look or have the same entrances as they do on the show now but give it to THQ for trying.
Before playing through PPV’s the introduction of the PPV is shown followed by a fireworks show which really gives it the WWE look and the announcing team of Cole and King do their job even if they do tend to repeat themselves after a while. It’s even nice to hear that Cole still kisses Miz’s ass or calls different moves “vintage”. Hopefully next year we can add Booker T to the broadcast booth because I can’t wait to hear “Here we go” or “What the hell” during my matches. Did I mention bigger belts? No? Well yes, the belts finally look the way they should around the waste of the wrestlers and the names are even engraved on every belt. Even better, there are more than 10 belts to choose from in this game including current belts, classic belts, and a few you won’t see coming.
I did find some slowdown issues within the crowd during introductions but it’s nothing compared to some of the graphical hiccups I ran into while playing the game. Floating superstars, running through the Elimination Chamber and into the crowd, some warping still occurs, and the referee does get stuck once in a while in a glitchy state where he seems to not know if he wants to go left or right. While the game looks great there are issues that will probably be patched on day one or very soon but it’s nothing that takes away from the experience. The ring ropes do have life to them as they move whenever a move is done in the ring but only when you play the Royal Rumble will you see the physics of the ropes be pretty funky at times.
WWE 12 is a great wrestling game. One of the most entertaining, and beautiful, WWE games I have played in a very long time. Road to Wrestlemania does take some points off as it was the most disappointing mode of the game and there are still a few issues here and there you may run into but the creative depth, the outstanding presentation, and the amount of fun I have had just playing this game makes it worth the $60 price tag. For any WWE fan, this game is a must buy. I give WWE 12 a 9 out of 10 (or 5 Little Jimmy’s out of 5) and that’s the bottom line cause this guy said so!
WWE RAW Results 21/11/2011
- Justin Roberts introduces the new WWE Champion CM Punk and out he comes to a big pop. Punk talks about wanting to be a professional wrestler since he was a kid. He points out he didn't say sports entertainer, he said professional wrestler. Punk says it was a huge deal for him to walk out of MSG as WWE Champion. Punk says he did it on his own terms.
Punk says the game of hot potato is over - the title is where it belongs. It sits on the shoulder of the best in the world and it's going to stay there. Punk takes a seat in the ring. Punk wants to change Interim GM John Laurinaitis to Former GM Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis comes out and interrupts to boos from the crowd. Laurinaitis says they both want the same thing - what's best for the WWE Universe. They go back and forth on each other. Laurinaitis gives Alberto Del Rio his WWE Title rematch for next week's RAW. Punk proposes that they have the match right now. Laurinaitis has other plans for Punk tonight - a match against United States Champion Dolph Ziggler. Punk says that's not creative, that's just stupid. Punk says Laurinaitis doesn't listen to the fans. They don't want to see Ziggler vs. Punk. The crowd starts chanting for Zack Ryder. Laurinaitis announces Ryder vs. Del Rio for tonight. Laurinaitis says Ryder can't beat Ziggler and neither can Punk. Punk leaves the ring and walks up the ramp to Laurinaitis. He says he will beat Ziggler tonight, Del Rio next week and then someday, someone will beat some sense into Laurinaitis.
- We see footage of The Rock talking about Ryder after the Survivor Series last night.
Zack Ryder vs. Alberto Del Rio
Zack Ryder makes his way to the ring for tonight's first match as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Alberto Del Rio comes driving a 2009 Bentley in as Ricardo Rodriguez begins the introduction in the ring. Before he can finish, Ryder snatches the mic and throws a "woo, woo, woo." Del Rio comes to the ring and we're ready for the bell.
They go at it and Del Rio takes control early on with an armbreaker and a pin attempt. Del Rio focuses on Ryder's arm. Ryder fights out of a hold but Del Rio beats him back to the mat and works on the arm. Ryder finally makes a comeback with clothesline and drops Del Rio on his face. Ryder hits the running boot in the corner. Del Rio takes it back and locks on the armbar out of nowhere for the win.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
- We see Sheamus walking backstage before going back to commercial.
Sheamus vs. Jack Swagger
Back from commercial and out comes Sheamus followed by his opponent Jack Swagger, with Vickie Guerrero.
They lock up and Swagger slams Sheamus and wails away with forearm shots. Sheamus throws Swagger in the corner and beats him down with forearms. Sheamus knocks Swagger out of the ring with knee drops. Swagger comes back in and takes control. Swagger slams Sheamus but misses a big leg drop as Sheamus moves. Sheamus slams Swagger and hits a knee to the face for a 2 count. Swagger turns things around and works on Sheamus' shoulder.
Sheamus fights out of another hold and takes Swagger with with clotheslines. Sheamus beats Swagger down with more forearms and clotheslines him in the corner. Sheamus slams Swagger for another 2 count. They go back and forth. Swagger applies the ankle lock. Sheamus counters and shoves Swagger off. Swagger runs into a Brogue Kick for the pin.
Winner: Sheamus
- The announcers hype Ziggler vs. Punk for tonight before we see Kevin Nash walking around backstage. Back to commercial.
- Back from the break and out comes Kevin Nash to the stage. Nash talks about The Kliq and even name drops Scott Hall. Nash goes on about Triple H and says he is gone because he broke his neck. Nash says he is the sole survivor of that group and walks off.
- Up next, John Cena will speak about Survivor Series. Back to commercial.
- WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes is in the ring. He talks about shame and brings up Randy Orton. Cody says the restraints have been removed. He's like a rabid dog without his muzzle. He's unmasked, uninhabited and unbeatable. Cody says he's completely unrepentant and starts laughing until Santino Marella comes out.
Santino Marella vs. Cody Rhodes
They lock up and go to the ropes. Santino goes for Cody's leg and gets dropped with right hands. Cody starts stomping away on Santino. Cody goes for a leg sweep but Cody blocks it. Cody blocks the Cobra and hits Cross Rhodes for the quick win.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
- After the match, Cody goes to the announcer's table and argues with Booker T. Cody throws water in his face and walks off as Booker stands his ground.
- Josh Matthews is backstage with Vickie Guerrero and Dolph Ziggler. They talk about Dolph competing in two matches at Survivor Series. Vickie says since Dolph was on Team Barrett, technically he won that one too. Ziggler says he is the new face of WWE, not CM Punk. We go to commercial.
CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler
Back from the break and out comes United States Champion Dolph Ziggler with Vickie Guerrero. The new WWE Champion CM Punk is out next and the crowd starts chanting his name before the bell. They lock up and Punk goes behind. They trade holds and Punk takes Ziggler to the mat with a headlock.
They go back and forth running the ropes and Ziggler escapes to the floor to regroup. Ziggler comes back in and Punk attacks with kicks. Takedown and 2 count for Punk. Ziggler hits a neckbreaker and a 1 count. Ziggler starts stomping and takes control of the match. Punk fights back but Ziggler drops him with a knee to the gut for another 2 count. Punk tries to make another comeback but Ziggler keeps control for another pin attempt. Ziggler applies a crossface as Vickie cheers him on. Vickie tries to throw distraction but Punk doesn't fall for it. Punk goes for the high knee in the corner but Ziggler moves and Punk lands hard on the floor. Ziggler hand stands up to his feet and shows off for the crowd as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Ziggler has Punk in a headlock. Punk fihts out with rights and they trade shots in the middle of the ring. Punk takes over with kicks and connects with a leg lariat. Punk makes a comeback and nails a neckbreaker for a close 2 count. Punk goes for the GTS but Ziggler turns it into a sleeper hold. They trade pin attempts and go back and forth. Ziggler pins Punk with his feet on the ropes and the referee sees it. Ziggler argues with the ref as Punk rolls him up from behind for a 2 count. Ziggler charges and Punk misses a kick. Ziggler goes for the sleeper again but Punk shakes him off. Punk hits the high knee and then the bulldog for another 2 count. Punk's mouth is busted open as he goes up top for the big elbow drop. Ziggler rolls out of the way. Punk comes to the mat and Ziggler hits a huge dropkick to the face for a 2 count. Punk turns it around again and goes back to the top. Punk nails the elbow drop but Ziggler kicks out at 2. Punk goes for GTS but Ziggler slides out and drops Punk on his head for another pin attempt. Ziggler goes for the leg drop but Punk turns it into a powerbomb. Punk nails GTS for the win.
Winner: CM Punk
- Still to come, John Cena will speak. Back to commercial.
- We get a disturbing vignette for Kane's return that shows his mask burning.
- Big Show comes out to the stage and talks about his match with MArk Henry at Survivor Series. Big Show says he proved giants could fly. Show says Henry took the easy way out and kicked him in the groin. Show is waiting for Henry.
- Kelly Kelly and Alicia Fox are backstage when Beth Phoenix and Natalya walk up and talk trash to them.
- More hype for John Cena as we go back to commercial.
Kofi Kingston vs. Wade Barrett
Back from the break and out comes Wade Barrett followed by one-half of the WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston. Barrett takes control early yon and beats Kofi up in the corner. Barrett with a suplex for a 2 count. Kofi comes back with kicks and a pair of dropkicks. Barrett catches him for a sideslam but Kofi turns it into a 2 count. Barrett responds with a huge clothesline. Barrett goes for Wasteland but Randy Orton's music hits and he walks out to the stage. Kofi breaks out of Wasteland and unloads on Barrett. Barrett rolls out to the floor as Orton walks down to ringside. Orton stares Barrett down as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Barrett has Kofi in a chinlock as Orton watches from ringside. During the break, Barrett dropped Kofi on the apron to take control. Kofi fights back with kicks now but Barrett hits him with a huge sideslam for a 2 count. Barrett connects with a big boot to the face for another 2 count. Barrett continues the assault on Kofi as Orton stares on. Barrett stomps away on Kofi and mounts him with right hands. Another 2 count for Barrett. Kofi keeps trying to fight back but Barrett keeps him down. Barrett charges and Kofi pulls the ropes, sending Barrett to the floor. Kofi runs the ropes and dives out onto Barrett and the floor. Kofi brings it back in for a 2 count and goes back to the top. Barrett meets him with a right hand. Barrett goes for Wasteland off the top but Kofi knocks him to the mat. Kofi hits a crossbody from the top but Barrett kicks out at 2.
Kofi with a kick to the face and the Boom Drop. Kofi calls for a splash in the corner but Barrett moves. Kofi with a kick to the head. Barrett cuts Kofi off and slams him with Wasteland after staring at Orton. Barrett, still staring at Orton, covers Kofi for the win.
Winner: Wade Barrett
- After the match, Barrett takes the mic and taunts Orton. Orton teases getting in the ring but doesn't.
- We see John Cena walking backstage as we go back to commercial.
- Back from the break and out comes John Cena. He starts to speak and gets boo'd like crazy. Cena says it's been an interesting 24 hours and history was made in Madison Square Garden. Cena plugs Zack Ryder's Twitter and talks about CM Punk winning the WWE Title. He then talks about the match with The Rock against The Miz and R-Truth. Cena says The Rock's ovation was like none he had heard before. Cena says for him, it was business as usual in regards to how the fans feel about him. Cena says he loves it. It's emotion and honestly like that that makes the moments unique.
Cena then talks about getting hit with the Rock Bottom. Cena starts talking about WrestleMania 28 when he's interrupted by The Miz and R-Truth. Miz says Cena's ego won't let him admit Rock got the best of him last night. Miz says Cena failed to mention that 17,000 people were chanting "don't tag Cena." The crowd starts chanting it. Miz says last night, no one wanted to see Cena. Truth talks about how Rock is going to put his boot to Cena's ass all over Miami. Cena say she will knock the makeup off Miz's face and shove the veneers down his throat if he tests him again. Cena rips into Truth next. Cena says nobody cares about Awesome Truth, at all. Cena says they tried to convince everyone they're a threat. Cena says Miz thinks Truth is just riding his coattails and Truth thinks Miz is just as worse. Cena leaves the ring and tells Miz and Truth they should be booing themselves. Cena's music hits as he heads up the ramp. Miz and Truth stop and stare at each other in the ring. They start to argue and the crowd chants Little Jimmy. Miz says everyone is here to see him. They drop the mics. Miz shoves Truth. Truth drops him with a big right hand and backs him into the corner. Miz tells Truth to calm down and pleads with him. Miz says Cena is playing them and blames it on Cena. They take off to find Cena. Miz grabs Truth at the top of the stage and drops him with a Skull Crushing Finale. Miz stares at Truth as he walks off to the back and we go to replays. RAW goes off the air with officials checking on Truth.
wwe survivor series 2011 Results
- WWE’s 2011 Survivor Series pay-per-view opens up with a video focusing on tonight’s main event with WrestleMania 28 opponents The Rock and John Cena teaming up.
- We’re live from a sold out Madison Square Garden in New York City as the pyro goes off and Michael Cole welcomes us to the 25th annual Survivor Series pay-per-view. Cole is joined byBooker T and Jerry Lawler.
- John Laurinaitis comes out and introduces himself to us. Laurinaitis tells us that tonight is also his 10th anniversary of being in WWE. Laurinaitis tells us to enjoy the show and walks off.
WWE United States Title Match: John Morrison vs. Dolph Ziggler
We go to the ring for tonight’s opener and out comes John Morrison to a nice reaction. Out next comes the WWE United States Champion Dolph Ziggler with Vickie Guerrero at his side.
The bell rings and they go at it. Dolph takes Morrison down and taunts him. A “We Want Ryder” chant breaks out from the crowd and Cole talks about Zack Ryder’s petition. They lock up again and Morrison goes behind to tie Ziggler up. Morrison takes Ziggler to the mat by his arm as the Ryder chants continue. Ziggler takes Morrison to the corner and works him over as a “boring” chant starts up. Ziggler dropkicks Morrison and shows off.
Ziggler takes him back down as the Ryder chants begin again. They go back and forth. Ziggler goes for a dropkick but Morrison catches him and catapults him into the corner. Morrison knocks Ziggler out to the floor, runs the ropes and corkscrews over and takes him out. Morrison throws Ziggler in the ring but Vickie comes over to yell at him. Morrison enters the ring but Ziggler drops him with a neckbreaker for a 2 count. Ziggler keeps control and drops a big elbow before showing off some more and running his mouth to the crowd. Another 2 count for Ziggler. Ziggler keeps Morrison grounded to the mat as the referee checks on him. “We Want Ryder” starts up again as Morrison breaks out of the hold.
Morrison tries to make a comeback but Ziggler slams him to the mat by his hair. Ziggler pushes and kicks Morrison around as Vickie laughs from ringside. Ziggler slaps Morrison. Morrison pushes him back into the corner and beats him down until the referee pulls him off. Morrison charges but Ziggler catches him with a slam for 2. Ziggler goes for the sleeper but Morrison pushes him off. Morrison makes a comeback now with clotheslines and a neckbreaker for a 2 count. Ziggler takes advantage of the referee and rolls Morrison up for 2. Morrison counters a hold and hits a springboard kick to the head for a close 2 count. They go back and forth until Dolph locks the sleeper. Morrison breaks it but Dolph locks it again. Morrison rolls out and hits a tornado DDT on Ziggler. Another 2 count as Vickie put Dolph’s foot on the bottom rope.
The referee orders Vickie to the back and she screams the entire way. Ziggler counters suplexes from Morrison for a roll up. They trade several pin attempts. Morrison misses another springboard kick and Ziggler hits the big leg drop for another close 2 count. More back and forth. Morrison goes for Starship Pain but Ziggler puts his knees up. Ziggler hits the Zig Zag for the win.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
– After the match, Vickie Guerrero comes back out to the ring to celebrate with Ziggler. Vickie takes the mic and asks everyone to excuse her so Dolph can speak. Ziggler takes the mic and talks about how people think he’s just showing off. Ziggler says he backs it up every night as the Ryder chants begin. Ziggler says Ryder isn’t here tonight. Ziggler says it’s not showing off if you’re really, really good at what you do. Ryder’s music interrupts his and out comes Ryder running to the ring. Ziggler beats Ryder down as he enters the ring and the crowd boos. Ryder fights back and they go crazy. Ryder hits the Ruff Ryder, sending Ziggler fleeing from the ring. Ryder gets the crowd to fist pump with him before heading to the back.
Lumberjill Match for the WWE Divas Title: Eve Torres vs. Beth Phoenix
We go to the ring and out comes the entire Divas roster to surround the ring. Eve Torres comes out next. Divas Champion Beth Phoenix is out next, accompanied by Natalya. Beth gets a big pop from the New York crowd.
Eve strikes first but Beth grabs her for a slam. Beth just drops Eve to the mat. Eve takes Beth off her feet and pops her butt in her face. Beth leaves the ring but the Divas roll her back in. Eve hits a neckbreaker and a standing moonsault for a 2 count. They go at it and Eve ends up on the apron. Natalya grabs her foot. Eve comes back in distracted and Beth lays her out. Beth uses the bottom rope to choke Eve as the heel Divas laugh in her face. 2 count for Beth.
Eve fights out of a chinlock and makes a comeback. Eve tosses Beth face first into the turnbuckles and hits a dropkick. Eve with back elbows and kicks, then a clothesline. Eve goes for a back splash but Beth puts her knees up and takes back control. Beth goes for the Glam Slam but Eve fights her off. Eve applies her triangle submission. Beth breaks free from the hold and gets the ropes. Natalya and The Bellas distract Eve allowing Beth to roll her up for 2. Eve also gets a roll up for 2. Beth runs into an elbow and Eve kicks her in the side of the head. Eve goes to the top for the moonsault but Beth stops her on the turnbuckle. Beth climbs up with Eve and hits a Glam Slam from the top rope for the pin and the win.
Winner: Beth Phoenix
- We go backstage with CM Punk. David Otunga walks in and they want Punk to apologize to Michael Cole tonight. Punk says he will think about it, after he beats Alberto Del Rio to become the new WWE Champion.
- We see The Rock backstage, dressed to wrestle and holding a microphone. The crowd starts chanting his name. Rock gets the MSG fans hyped and talks about being a boy watching his grandfather in MSG and hanging out with Andre the Giant as his dad Rocky Johnson performed in MSG. Rock talks about in 1996 at MSG when he debuted at Survivor Series. He says he had a heinous haircut and one of the worse outfits. Rock gets the people to chant his name again. Rock says that night started an epic odyssey that will go down in WWE history. Rock briefly runs down his WWE career and finally, he has come back. Finally, The People’s Era begins tonight. Because finally, The Rock has come back to New York City and the crowd loves it. They chant his name again. Rock has one message for The Miz and R-Truth – Boots To Asses. Rock addresses John Cena next and the crowd boos big time at the mention of his name. Rock goes on and is ready to put boots to asses.
Team Orton vs. Team BarrettWe go to the ring and out comes Jack Swagger, Hunico, Cody Rhodes, Wade Barrett and Dolph Ziggler. Out next comes Sheamus, Sin Cara, Kofi Kingston, Mason Ryan and Randy Orton to a big pop. Kofi and Ziggler start things out. They go back and forth. Ziggler keeps in control until Orton tags in. Orton hits a RKO on Ziggler and eliminates him. Ziggler is eliminated.
Team Barrett huddles at ringside but Orton breaks it up. The teams brawl. Cara and Kofi lap out of the ring and take out Swagger and Hunico. Cara looks hurt as Hunico kicks him. The two teams have words again. Sin Cara is injured and is eliminated. We’re still stalling here as officials tend to Cara. Cody and Orton start the match back up. Orton tags in Ryan and he continues the assault on Cody.
Ryan sends Cody out to the floor to regroup. Cody tags in Hunico. Ryan overpowers Hunico and tags in Kofi. The match has had trouble getting some momentum going. Hunico counters Kofi and drops him on his face in the corner. 2 count for Hunico. More back and forth and Ryan ends up in there with Hunico. Ryan locks on the full nelson but Cody comes in and breaks it with a kick. Cody hits CrossRhodes on Ryan and eliminates him.
Sheamus comes in and goes at it with Cody. Sheamus hits him with chops to the chest and a suplex. Sheamus ends up on the apron and knocks Barrett off. Cody knocks Sheamus to the floor. Barrett takes advantage and clotheslines Sheamus on the floor, then rams him back in the apron. Barrett brings Sheamus in and mounts him with right hands. Barrett stomps away on Sheamus. Hunico comes in over the top rope with a dropkick as Barrett holds Sheamus. Hunico works over Sheamus. Barrett and Kofi come back in. Kofi dropkicks Barrett and continues the offense. Kofi hits the Boom Drop on Barrett. Kofi rolls Barrett up for 2. More back and forth. Barrett hits the Wasteland on Kofi is eliminated.
Orton comes in and goes at it with Barrett. Hunico gets the tag and dives through the ropes to Orton on the floor, taking him out. Hunico brings Oton in for a 2 count and tags Swagger in. Swagger works Orton over on the mat before tagging Rhodes back in. Rhodes with more of the same and a pin attempt on Orton. Orton finally tags and in comes Sheamus to beat down Swagger. Sheamus comes off the top rope with a shoulder and then sends Hunico to the floor. Sheamus with the Irish Curse on Swagger. Sheamus knocks Cody off the apron and he’s on a roll. Sheamus with the Celtic Cross on Swagger but he slides out. Barrett comes in and hits Sheamus but gets sent right back to the floor. Sheamus goes back to work on Swagger dropping knees to the head. Sheamus won’t stop dropping knees so he gets disqualified. Sheamus is eliminated and argues with the referee.
It’s down to Barrett, Swagger, Rhodes and Hunico with Orton by himself. Sheamus hits a Brogue Kick on Swagger before leaving the ring. Orton comes in, pins Swagger and eliminates him. Hunico, Barrett and Rhodes corner Orton. Rhodes attacks while the referee backs the others off. Rhodes stomps away on Orton in the corner. Cody goes back with more stomps, and more, as the referee has to pull him off. Cody mocks Orton. Orton comes back with clotheslines and a big slam. Orton takes Cody to the second rope and hits the draping DDT. Barrett gets on the apron and distracts Orton. Hunico springboards into the ring but Orton turns around and RKO’s him in mid-air. Hunico is eliminated.
Barrett charges but Orton catches him with a backbreaker. Orton hits an RKO on Rhodes. Barrett grabs Orton and hits Wasteland for the pin and the win.
Sole Survivors: Wade Barrett and Cody Rhodes
– We go backstage with Alberto Del Rio talking to The Bella Twins. John Laurinaitis walks up and talks about tonight’s WWE Title match and if he’s taking it seriously. Del Rio says he’s got Mexico and the city behind him tonight and there’s no way he’s losing his title tonight to someone that should be sleeping on the sidewalk on Wall Street. Laurinaitis starts texting as Del Rio walks off.
- Cole hypes tonight’s World Heavyweight Title match. Officials are re-enforcing the ring and Cole talks about them adding more beams to it so it can’t collapse this time. They show the replay from Vengeance of Mark Henry and Big Show breaking the ring.
World Heavyweight Title Match: Big Show vs. Mark Henry
Big Show is out first followed by the World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry. We get formal ring introductions before they lock up. Show shoves Henry right to the mat. Henry gets shoved down again. Big Show tries to get on top of him but Henry goes to the floor.
Henry stalls and they lock up again. Show goes behind and slams Henry on his face. Henry charges and Show arm drags him out of the ring. Henry comes back in but goes to the corner. Show attacks and the referee tells him to back off. Henry continues to stall in the corner while Show waits to fight. The crowd boos as Henry continues to stall. Show attacks Henry with body blows. They run the ropes and Henry takes Show’s knee out. Henry locks a scissors on Show’s leg now.
The crowd starts a big “boring” chant. Show turns things around and drops Henry for a 2 count. Show comes back and clotheslines Henry and then splashes him in the corner. Show knocks Henry down again with a shoulder and calls for the chokeslam. Henry blocks the chokeslam and hits a World’s Strongest Slam on Show but he kicks out at 2. Henry drops a big splash on Show for another 2 count. Henry bounces off the rope and drops a big elbow drop but Show kicks out again.
This time an “Undertaker” chant breaks out. They take the fight to the floor and Henry rams Show into the ring post. Henry runs and tackles Show through the fan barrier as the crowd chants “holy shit.” Henry comes back in the ring as the referee begins to count Show out. Show makes it back in at 9 and Henry puts the boots to him. Henry looks to be going for another superplex but Show fights him off. Show comes back in and superkicks Henry to the mat. Show climbs to the top rope, although it takes him a minute. Show barely stands on the top rope and delivers a huge elbow drop to Henry across the ring. Show covers but Henry kicks out at 2.
A “Randy Savage” chant breaks out after Show’s big elbow. Show goes for the WMD punch but Henry dodges it. Henry kicks Show below the belt and is disqualified, retaining the World Heavyweight Title.
Winner by DQ: Big Show
– After the match, Henry goes to the floor and brings a chair in the ring to attack Show with. Henry puts the chair around Show’s leg and goes to splash it but Show is able to move. Show gets up and knocks Henry down with the WMD. The crowd chants for Daniel Bryan now. Show grabs the chair this time and puts it around Henry’s ankle. Show hits a big leg drop on Henry’s leg and the chair. Henry tosses in pain as officials come down to check on him. Show makes his exit to cheers from the crowd as we go to replays. Officials tend to Henry who is still in pain.
– We go backstage with Wade Barrett talking to Matt Striker about winning earlier. The Miz and R-Truth walk up and ask, really? Barrett gets some words in and walks off. Truth rants about John Cena and The Rock getting all the attention. Miz calls Rock and Cena a load of crap. Truth says crap is crap and tonight, crap gone get got before they walk off.
- Justin Roberts gives a shout-out to the National Guardsmen in the crowd, which gets a big USA chant from the crowd.
- We go to a video package for tonight’s WWE Title match.
WWE Title Match: CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio
We go to the ring and out comes WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio driving into the arena as Ricardo Rodriguez begins his introduction. The crowd starts chanting for CM Punk before Del Rio’s music even stops. Roberts introduces Punk’s personal ring announcer and out comes WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel to a big pop. The Fink at MSG in 2011 is a big deal as the crowd chants his name when he comes out. Fink introduces CM Punk and out he comes to a big pop from New York City.
We go to the ring and out comes WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio driving into the arena as Ricardo Rodriguez begins his introduction. The crowd starts chanting for CM Punk before Del Rio’s music even stops. Roberts introduces Punk’s personal ring announcer and out comes WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel to a big pop. The Fink at MSG in 2011 is a big deal as the crowd chants his name when he comes out. Fink introduces CM Punk and out he comes to a big pop from New York City.
Punk enters the ring and the crowd chants his name. The bell rings and here we go. A “we want ice cream” chant breaks out. They lock up and go to the ropes. They break and the Punk chants start up again. Punk goes for a quick pin attempt on Del Rio. They lock up again and Del Rio with a headlock takedown. Del Rio knocks Punk down with a shoulder. Punk leap drogs and arm drags Del Rio into an armbar on the mat. More back and forth, and another quick pin attempt by Punk. Del Rio escapes to the floor to talk with Ricardo. Del Rio takes Punk back to the corner before having to back off. Del Rio charges and Punk moves. Punk stomps Del Rio down in the corner. Punk whips Del Rio across the ring and hip tosses him. Punk with a dropkick and Del Rio goes back to the floor.
Punk runs and suicide dives through the ropes, taking out Del Rio. Punk brings him back in the ring and climbs to the top. Punk hits a crossbody from the top for a 2 count. Del Rio counters and throws Punk into the ropes. Del Rio unloads with right hands. Ricardo smacks Punk while the referee isn’t looking. This angers Punk. Punk chases Ricardo around the ring. Del Rio dropkicks Punk through the ropes as he chases Ricardo. Del works Punk over on the floor and slams his arm into the steel steps. Del Rio brings it back in the ring and goes to the top. He comes off the top with a double ax handle for 2. More back and forth. Punk goes for the GTS but Del Rio slides out and drops Punk by his arm. 2 count for Del Rio. Del Rio drops knees and stomps away on Punk’s arm before covering for another 2 count.
Del Rio continues the assault on Punk’s arm and climbs to the top. Del Rio comes back down with another big blow for another 2 count. Del Rio with a big kick. Del Rio runs the ropes but Punk moves and Del Rio lands outside of the ring. Punk comes back in and when Del Rio charges, Punk drops him with a kick. They get to their feet and trade right hands in the middle of the ring. Punk gets the upperhand and drops Del Rio with a kick to the face. More offense from Punk and a neckbreaker for 2. Punk keeps control and hits the bulldog for another close 2 count. Punk goes for GTS again but Del Rio counters and drops Punk over his knees for a 2 count. Punk rolls Del Rio up for 2. Punk goes for the knee in the corner but Del Rio counters with a kick to the head for yet another near fall.
Del Rio drops Punk again but can’t get the pin. Del Rio takes Punk to the top for a superplex but Punk fights him off. Punk headbutts Del Rio to the mat and goes for the big elbow drop but Del Rio knocks him down. Del Rio with a big kick to Punk’s hurt arm. Del Rio charges in the corner but Punk moves and he hits the ring post. Punk climbs back up and comes crashing down with the big elbow drop. Del Rio kicks out at 2 and another “Randy Savage” chant starts up. Punk calls for GTS but Del Rio fights out of it again. Punk blocks the armbreaker but Del Rio ducks a kick. Del Rio locks the cross armbreaker on as the referee checks on Punk and the crowd chants his name.
Punk makes it to the ropes with his feet and breaks the hold. Del Rio charges but Punk goes for GTS. Del Rio slides out and shoves Punk into Ricardo on the apron. Punk blocks again and rolls Del Rio up for a close 2 count. Punk kicks Del Rio in the head and lays him out but he still kicks out at 2. Punk locks the Anaconda Vice as the crowd goes nuts. Del Rio claws at Punk’s eye but he won’t break the hold. Del Rio taps out to end the match.
Winner and New WWE Champion: CM Punk
- Punk takes his WWE Title into the crowd to celebrate as Cult of Personality plays. Punk runs to the other side of the ring and leaps into the crowd as they celebrate with him. Punk takes his celebration back to the ring for a minute before heading to the back.
- We get hype for Steve Austin’s new DVD and a nice video package looking at The Rock’s WWE career and his return to the ring tonight.
– We get hype for Steve Austin’s new DVD and a nice video package looking at The Rock’s WWE career and his return to the ring tonight.
The Miz and R-Truth vs. The Rock and John Cena
We go to the ring and out comes The Miz and R-Truth rapping. A “Cena sucks” chant starts right before Cena’s music hits and out he comes to mostly boo’s from the crowd. Cena salutes and runs to the ring. The crowd starts chanting for The Rock next as his music hits. Rock comes out to a massive pop from Madison Square Garden.
The bell rings and it’s going to be Rock starting out with Miz. They stare each other down as the crowd eats it up. They lock up and Rock applies a side headlock. Rock drops Miz with a shoulder and runs the ropes. Rock with a big arm drag. Truth comes in and Rock takes them both out with arm drags. Rock tosses Truth to the floor and rolls Miz up for a 2 count. Miz rolls out to the floor to regroup with Truth as the crowd pops for Rock.
A “you still got it” chant breaks out. Miz comes back in the ring but Truth says he wants Rock. They lock up and Rock applies a side headlock. Rock goes behind Truth and ties him up. Rock out wrestles Truth and sends him to the corner. Truth shows off but Rock ducks the heel kick. Rock drops Miz and suplexes Truth. Rock holds the pin on Truth but the ref doesn’t see it because Cena is in the ring going after Miz. Rock and Cena have words now. Truth tags in Miz. Miz stalls and has words with Rock. Miz wants Cena tagged in. The crowd boos as Rock tags Cena. Cena just smirks and takes his time getting in the ring. Lots of boos for Cena as he comes in all smiles.
The crowd chants “you can’t wrestle.” Cena locks up with Miz and takes him tot he corner. Cena with some moves and a dropkick, trying to show up Rock. Now a “you still suck” chant breaks out. NYC hates John Cena tonight. Cena and Truth go at it now. Cena with shoulders and the back drop. The crowd boos with each move. Cena calls for the Five Knuckle Shuffle on Truth but instead, does the hand gesture to Rock and calls him in the ring. Cena and Rock stare each other down. Cena turns around to a big clothesline from Truth. Miz and Truth get Cena in their corner now and double team him. Miz comes back in and stomps away on Cena. Miz with a running kick to Cena’s head for a 2 count. Truth comes back in and they double team him again for another 2 count. Truth with a chinlock now.
Truth tosses Cena into the corner and he lands out on the floor. Truth comes out and works Cena over on the floor, slamming him into the apron before bringing it back in the ring. 2 count for Truth. Truth with a scissors on Cena’s neck now. A “we want Rocky” chant starts up as Cena fights out of Truth’s hold. Truth kicks Cena back out of the ring. Back in the ring and Truth gets another 2 count before tagging in Miz. Cena goes for the Attitude Adjustment but Miz blocks it and DDT’s him for a 2 count. Miz taunts The Rock as he waits on Cena to get up. A “Miz is awesome” chant starts. Miz with the flying clothesline in the corner. Truth gets a cheap right hand in on Cena. Miz covers for another 2 count. Truth comes back in on a tag and they double suplex Cena. Truth with a pin attempt. Rock still hasn’t came in to break one of the pins up.
Truth keeps Cena grounded with a headlock. Cena reaches to tag The Rock but Truth drags Cena back to the corner and beats him down. More double teaming from Miz and Truth. Miz is tagged back in and they keep control of Cena. Miz drops Cena with a big clothesline but he kicks out at 2. Another tag to Truth. He drops an elbow on Cena for a pin attempt. Truth nails a crossbody from the top but Cena rolls through and lifts Truth up. Truth slides out and drops Cena on his face for another 2 count. Miz comes back in as Rock looks on. Miz with a kick to Cena’s face. Miz taunts Rock before kicking Cena in the face again. Cena ducks the next kick and locks the STF on Miz. Truth and Rock come in but the referee stops Rock, allowing Truth to break the hold. Cena nails the Attitude Adjustment on Truth as Miz goes to the floor. Miz tags in and knocks Rock off the apron, stopping Cena from tagging. Truth attacks Rock on the floor and drops his neck over the fan barrier while Miz has Cena grounded on the mat. Rock enters the ring but the referee stops him and they argue while Cena gets double teamed. Truth is the legal man now and he gets another 2 count on Cena.
Cena finally tags in Rock. Rock unloads on Truth and nails the Rock Bottom. Rock drops Miz with a right hand and applies the Sharpshooter. Truth breaks the hold but gets speared by Cena to the floor. Miz gets up and works Rock over until he responds with a big spinebuster. Rock gets a pop and hits The People’s Elbow on Miz for the win.
Winners: The Rock and John Cena
– After the match, The Rock hits the corners to pose for the fans as Cena applauds from the entrance way. Rock and Cena mouth words to each other as Cena slowly heads to the back. Rock has his music stopped and invites Cena into the ring. Cena heads back to the ring and throws out a pose to boos from the fans. Rock tells Cena to watch this as he hits the turnbuckles and the crowd applauds him and chants his name. Cena poses again and is met with mostly boos. Rock just shakes his head at Cena. The crowd chants “boots to asses.” Rock motions that he’s going to pose one more time and Cena needs to leave. Rock poses for the fans and they cheer again as his music hits. Rock looks back and stares at Cena. Rock hops down and meets Cena in the middle of the ring. They have no mics so we can’t hear what they’re saying. Cena turns around to leave. Rock grabs him from behind and nails a Rock Bottom, sending Cena rolling out of the ring. The Rock poses some more for the fans before saying thank you. Survivor Series goes off the air with The Rock with his fist in the air.
Friday, 18 November 2011
WWE '12 Review
Every decade or so, a new era dawns in the wrestling industry. From the Hulk Hogan-driven "Rock and Roll" era to the reign of Stone Cold Steve Austin, the business of fighting in a squared circle reinvents itself constantly. With WWE '12, THQ effectively hits the reset button on its core sports entertainment franchise, attempting to introduce a new era for the simulation series. These changes work. WWE '12 not only manages to still bottle the core essence and style of the wrestling industry, it does it in a way that doesn't sacrifice gameplay design and balance. If anything, the game's faults consist of attributes that ironically duplicate the WWE's own creative struggles.
Previous wrestling games, much like their source material, seemed to focus on presentation and flash rather than substance. The Smackdown vs. Raw series never sat well with me from a mechanical perspective. While all the moves, entrances and wrestlers were technically there, playing through matches was a chore compared to the pacing and addictive gameplay offered by WWF No Mercy a decade ago. There was no tension, there was no drama and ultimately, there was no fun. The experience was more like batting around action figures than recreating something that felt like the captivating product that has repeatedly hooked me for over a decade. Wrestling isn't about any one move or moment in time. It's about a story, one that is woven in a ring over 20 minutes, escalating in intensity until a victor is revealed. If a game can't find a way to bring that theatricality to players, it might as well not be made.
WWE '12 Video Review
WWE '12 finds that pacing. The changes start with the controls, allowing players to grapple and chain into light moves and execute more powerful attacks as opponents get weaker. More dynamic systems for submissions and pins escalate in tension, creating narrow windows of opportunity to escape while visually highlighting that struggle on the screen. The animated transitions between offense and defense are more fluid, eliminating many of the jarring, awkward moments that previous games so repeatedly featured. Occasionally wrestlers revert to a stunned state a bit too easily, and the animation and hit detection for objects like ladders and chairs feels a little off, but the impact of these inconsistencies is minimal.
The game's designers have clearly spent a lot of time making sure matches have a natural progression, one that subtly incorporates all of the above ideas into something that simply feels right. It tells the story of wrestling in a brilliant way while never losing itself in the process. Remarkably, the developers WWE '12 seem to understand wrestling better than the writers creating the television product do. As revered as WWE No Mercy is, that game never managed to naturally tell an in-ring story like this game can.
A wrestling story is only as good as the wrestlers involved, and WWE '12 offers a spectacular roster. The game contains well over 60 superstars, featuring a healthy mix of icons past and present. From The Rock to the Undertaker to Bryan Danielson, the range of talent is impressive, and that's to say nothing of the DLC, which will eventually add legends like Mick Foley.
How these wrestlers operate within the ring is also of great importance. The game's AI ranges from borderline incompetent to extremely dangerous. On easier levels, your opponents might grab you and not execute a move for several seconds. Ratchet that difficulty up several notches and you'll have a challenge on your hands. The AI does have a tendency to rely heavily on cheap reversals to boost its potency. If you find that as annoying and unfair as I do, you can easily turn that frequency down in the options menu, forcing your digital opponent to play fair.
Avoiding matches against the computer will still result in the best experience with WWE '12. Though the AI works reasonably well, the unpredictability and natural competitive environment that emerges against other human players is far superior. The user interface of the online menus isn't as streamlined or intuitive as the rest of the game, and an odd post-match design choice to kick me back to a lobby and not follow my opponent into a new round seems a bit ridiculous. Some of my earliest attempts to play online occasionally featured enough latency issues to make time-based actions like kicking out of a pin virtually impossible. However, more recent sessions were absolutely lag-free, which bodes well for launch.Of course, even with its core gameplay in place, WWE '12 still needs to recreate the spirit and atmosphere of its brand. The Undertaker is a brilliant performer in the ring, but he'd be significantly less of a legend without his captivating entrance or signature look. The way the "Dead Man" slowly approaches the ring in cloak and hat, enveloped in darkness, outlined only by the glow of torches is at once surreal and otherworldly. That outlandish presentation sets a proper tone for the world of wrestling in a way that feels like comic books have come to life. In this sense, WWE '12 is superb. Many of these characters, particularly their entrances, are so spectacularly captured you'd almost swear you were watching a live episode of RAW or Smackdown.
The teams at THQ and Yukes have even gone to great lengths to try and get the latest entrance themes and animations. Despite only debuting a new look just a few months back, CM Punk will stroll to the ring with his new opening video and clothing, "Cult of Personality" blaring in the background. Some attention could be paid to various stage effects like smoke and fireworks, though they get the point across. Likewise rope physics, which are new this year, manage to simultaneously impress and detract from the overall experience. All too frequently the cables surrounding the ring wriggle as if they're made of string and not tense steel bound by tape.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin Takes On CM Punk
For each story told in the ring, a larger narrative takes place, weaving the fights between various personalities into feuds that, when done right, stand the test of time. All wrestling fans know of the iconic rivalries formed in episodic format through RAW and Smackdown, and THQ has re-imagined its Road to Wrestlemania mode to bring that notion to life. The single-player experience in WWE '12 is no longer about simply getting to WWE's biggest show of the year, but playing through months and months of programming as three (and only three) key superstars - Sheamus, Triple H and a player-created selection.
Not just because of its restrictive character focus, Road to Wrestlemania is certainly the weakest element of WWE '12. Attempting to tell the larger episodic format by not simply forcing players into match after match, the designers put a heavy emphasis on promos, backstage segments and even elaborately scripted events in the middle of matches. The interest in telling more complex stories is admirable, and it does work to a certain extent. Yet it manages to overstay its welcome.
Wrestling is at its weakest when it forgets the best story is told in the ring without interruptions. Any time something pauses the action, there is a large risk the drama and tension will evaporate. The same holds true in video game form. The constant attention away from what WWE '12 does best, which is simulate great in-ring combat, drastically reduces the appeal of Road to Wrestlemania. It doesn't help that the actual storytelling, due in part to the voice acting and due in part to the awkward character animations, isn't up to the task. As I often say during an episode of RAW or Smackdown, I'm here to watch wrestling, not watch wrestlers attempt to act.
WWE '12 has few faults in its highly-customizable Universe mode, which is intricately tied to the wide, wide variety of creative suites available to players. Universe takes a more straightforward, story-less view of the WWE, laying out programming in calendar form, allowing players to simulate various shows at a macro or micro level. It's here that the ability to create new content can truly come into play, as entire shows and brands can be completely revised, right down to the name. If you want to completely convert the WWE into WCW, you can do that.
The dedication to customization doesn't just end with the simulation of a WWE schedule. That's just one facet of the wide range of tools available. Creating arenas, logos, new finishing moves, entrance sequences and, of course, wrestlers are all here. The versatility and power of these modes are almost overwhelming, yet they themselves are built intuitively, with a focus on balancing simplicity and ease-of-use with depth. It works very well. I was able to create The Great Muta with relative ease, and my one-of-a-kind leopard print was crafted in mere minutes. Those wishing to rapidly create more comedic concepts will find exactly what they're looking for. Likewise those who relish the thought of painstakingly recreating Tatanka should have no problem. Players can even adjust existing wrestlers' moves, looks and attributes. Suddenly the notion of Zack Ryder being the strongest wrestler in the WWE isn't so far-fetched.
Previous wrestling games, much like their source material, seemed to focus on presentation and flash rather than substance. The Smackdown vs. Raw series never sat well with me from a mechanical perspective. While all the moves, entrances and wrestlers were technically there, playing through matches was a chore compared to the pacing and addictive gameplay offered by WWF No Mercy a decade ago. There was no tension, there was no drama and ultimately, there was no fun. The experience was more like batting around action figures than recreating something that felt like the captivating product that has repeatedly hooked me for over a decade. Wrestling isn't about any one move or moment in time. It's about a story, one that is woven in a ring over 20 minutes, escalating in intensity until a victor is revealed. If a game can't find a way to bring that theatricality to players, it might as well not be made.
WWE '12 finds that pacing. The changes start with the controls, allowing players to grapple and chain into light moves and execute more powerful attacks as opponents get weaker. More dynamic systems for submissions and pins escalate in tension, creating narrow windows of opportunity to escape while visually highlighting that struggle on the screen. The animated transitions between offense and defense are more fluid, eliminating many of the jarring, awkward moments that previous games so repeatedly featured. Occasionally wrestlers revert to a stunned state a bit too easily, and the animation and hit detection for objects like ladders and chairs feels a little off, but the impact of these inconsistencies is minimal.
The game's designers have clearly spent a lot of time making sure matches have a natural progression, one that subtly incorporates all of the above ideas into something that simply feels right. It tells the story of wrestling in a brilliant way while never losing itself in the process. Remarkably, the developers WWE '12 seem to understand wrestling better than the writers creating the television product do. As revered as WWE No Mercy is, that game never managed to naturally tell an in-ring story like this game can.
A wrestling story is only as good as the wrestlers involved, and WWE '12 offers a spectacular roster. The game contains well over 60 superstars, featuring a healthy mix of icons past and present. From The Rock to the Undertaker to Bryan Danielson, the range of talent is impressive, and that's to say nothing of the DLC, which will eventually add legends like Mick Foley.
How these wrestlers operate within the ring is also of great importance. The game's AI ranges from borderline incompetent to extremely dangerous. On easier levels, your opponents might grab you and not execute a move for several seconds. Ratchet that difficulty up several notches and you'll have a challenge on your hands. The AI does have a tendency to rely heavily on cheap reversals to boost its potency. If you find that as annoying and unfair as I do, you can easily turn that frequency down in the options menu, forcing your digital opponent to play fair.
Avoiding matches against the computer will still result in the best experience with WWE '12. Though the AI works reasonably well, the unpredictability and natural competitive environment that emerges against other human players is far superior. The user interface of the online menus isn't as streamlined or intuitive as the rest of the game, and an odd post-match design choice to kick me back to a lobby and not follow my opponent into a new round seems a bit ridiculous. Some of my earliest attempts to play online occasionally featured enough latency issues to make time-based actions like kicking out of a pin virtually impossible. However, more recent sessions were absolutely lag-free, which bodes well for launch.
The teams at THQ and Yukes have even gone to great lengths to try and get the latest entrance themes and animations. Despite only debuting a new look just a few months back, CM Punk will stroll to the ring with his new opening video and clothing, "Cult of Personality" blaring in the background. Some attention could be paid to various stage effects like smoke and fireworks, though they get the point across. Likewise rope physics, which are new this year, manage to simultaneously impress and detract from the overall experience. All too frequently the cables surrounding the ring wriggle as if they're made of string and not tense steel bound by tape.
For each story told in the ring, a larger narrative takes place, weaving the fights between various personalities into feuds that, when done right, stand the test of time. All wrestling fans know of the iconic rivalries formed in episodic format through RAW and Smackdown, and THQ has re-imagined its Road to Wrestlemania mode to bring that notion to life. The single-player experience in WWE '12 is no longer about simply getting to WWE's biggest show of the year, but playing through months and months of programming as three (and only three) key superstars - Sheamus, Triple H and a player-created selection.
Not just because of its restrictive character focus, Road to Wrestlemania is certainly the weakest element of WWE '12. Attempting to tell the larger episodic format by not simply forcing players into match after match, the designers put a heavy emphasis on promos, backstage segments and even elaborately scripted events in the middle of matches. The interest in telling more complex stories is admirable, and it does work to a certain extent. Yet it manages to overstay its welcome.
Wrestling is at its weakest when it forgets the best story is told in the ring without interruptions. Any time something pauses the action, there is a large risk the drama and tension will evaporate. The same holds true in video game form. The constant attention away from what WWE '12 does best, which is simulate great in-ring combat, drastically reduces the appeal of Road to Wrestlemania. It doesn't help that the actual storytelling, due in part to the voice acting and due in part to the awkward character animations, isn't up to the task. As I often say during an episode of RAW or Smackdown, I'm here to watch wrestling, not watch wrestlers attempt to act.
There's a little too much of this in the Road to Wrestlemania.
WWE '12 has few faults in its highly-customizable Universe mode, which is intricately tied to the wide, wide variety of creative suites available to players. Universe takes a more straightforward, story-less view of the WWE, laying out programming in calendar form, allowing players to simulate various shows at a macro or micro level. It's here that the ability to create new content can truly come into play, as entire shows and brands can be completely revised, right down to the name. If you want to completely convert the WWE into WCW, you can do that.
The dedication to customization doesn't just end with the simulation of a WWE schedule. That's just one facet of the wide range of tools available. Creating arenas, logos, new finishing moves, entrance sequences and, of course, wrestlers are all here. The versatility and power of these modes are almost overwhelming, yet they themselves are built intuitively, with a focus on balancing simplicity and ease-of-use with depth. It works very well. I was able to create The Great Muta with relative ease, and my one-of-a-kind leopard print was crafted in mere minutes. Those wishing to rapidly create more comedic concepts will find exactly what they're looking for. Likewise those who relish the thought of painstakingly recreating Tatanka should have no problem. Players can even adjust existing wrestlers' moves, looks and attributes. Suddenly the notion of Zack Ryder being the strongest wrestler in the WWE isn't so far-fetched.
| Rating | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| out of 10 | Click here for ratings guide | |
| 9.0 | Presentation Some incredible work here, recreating the WWE experience in a dramatic, almost lifelike way. The story needs some work. | |
| 8.5 | Graphics On the ramp and in the ring, the graphics are great. When it comes to acting, the results are about as good as you might expect. | |
| 7.5 | Sound All the music you want is here, and so are the wrestlers' voices, but the wrestlers have more passion on TV. | |
| 8.5 | Gameplay The core mechanics are excellent, but the single-player story doesn't want to let you use them. | |
| 9.5 | Lasting Appeal There are almost too many options. Online is great but the interface is a bit awkward. | |
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