WWE ROYAL RUMBLE 2012

WWE Royal Rumble 2012 would be the 25th anniversary of this PPV. This year we would have 30 year royal rumble, WWE & World Heavyweight Championship would be on the line. Two opponents would fight in a match built on revenge.

The First Match would be a great way to kick of Royal Rumble. It would be the World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat Match, inside a STEEL CAGE. The way to win is Pin Fall, Submission and Escaping the Cage.

This would be Bryan's second world heavyweight title match contested in a steel cage. Mark Henry would compete despite his knee injury he suffered on Smackdown. 

Bryan would get speared by Big Show, taking him out for a while why Show and Mark Battled. Big Show had Mark Henry between the ropes and the Cage and ran into him repeatedly. D-Bry tried to escape, but was body slammed by Big Show. Big Show would dominate throwing D-Bry around. Show punched the cage missing D-Bry with the WMD. Big Show would be countered by D-Bry delivering a running kick to Shows knee. D-Bry turned his attention to Mark, kicking him. D-Bry attempted to escape through the door; Mark would stop him, and assault Bryan with the Cage. Mark turned his attention to the Big Show, but would be kicked to the ground by Show, Show then turned to Bryan throwing him into the cage repeatedly. D-Bry would then be pummelled with clubs by Show and dominated him again. Show and Mark then exchanged strikes, until Mark took control with a clothesline to Show. Mark would then throw D-Bry around and miss a ram to Bry hitting the Cage, and then speared by Big Show D-Bry tried to get a pin on Mark, but Mark kicked out. Show would then throw D-Bry into the cage again. Show tried to chokeslam D-Bry, but D-Bry countered with a tornado DDT. He got a two count, and then locked in the Lebell lock, but Mark broke the hold. Mark then threw D-Bry into the cage, following up with a World's strongest slam, Show would hit Mark before he hit the move with the WMD, Big Show would get a two count, when D-Bry broke the count, he immediately climbed the cage to get away from Show, but Show grabbed him. D-Bry was pulled up the cage, however D-Bry broke the grip of the Big Show and D-Bry retained the title.

What a great match to kick off the rumble. I thought this was an awesome match. Mark Henry did more than I expected in his current condition. Big Show and Bryan were the focus of the match, which was good, as the storyline is making Smackdown a must watch. The end was awesome, Big Show is a tough guy, as he actually lifted Bryan, Bryan did not use the cage to help Show, and he actually lifted him, which was awesome. D-Bry was pretty good, in ring, but the man of the match had to be Big Show.

The next match would be an 8-Divas tag team match. The Bella twin, Natalya & Beth Phoenix vs Kelly Kelly, Eve, Alicia Fox & Tamina.

Tamina would take on Natalya at the get go, Tamina would go for a Samoan drop, but reversed. They would exchange slaps, and Eve would be tagged in, she would hit her moonsault splash. But would be pushed into the opposition corner, where Beth would be tagged in. Beth would take control with a reversal. Beth tagged into a bella who would continue the pressure on eve. The Bella twin, applied a rear chin hold, this built up momentum for Eve to tag into Alicia would build up some offense. The Bella would reverse and take control with an flip arm slam. Alicia would build up some momentum and tag to Kelly, who then would build up some offense. The Divas would begin to brawl outside, which let Kelly hit a diving cross body. Kelly put a Bella twin in the ring, but would be countered with a hot shot; Beth aggressively tagged herself in, and hit the Glam Slam for the win.

This match was a slot filler and that was what it was. There was little rivalry between the divas, apart from Tamina and Natalya. But the ending was good, as I believe Beth is becoming a major Diva again, hopefully reprising the Diva Division.

Backstage, Zack Ryder would wheeled around with a brace on. Lauranaitis would talk to Zack, Eve however gave Lauranaitis a piece of her mind, saying she hopes he is fired on RAW.

The next match would be between Kane and John Cena. "Kane stated that Cena would embrace the hatred by the Rumble. John refusing to do this has caused his friends around him to suffer" to quote Michael Cole.

Cena started swinging fists, but Kane quickly took control with a back elbow. Kane would then land numerous strikes, Cena battled back, clotheslining Kane outside, Kane landed on his feet. Kane dragged Cena through the ropes and tried to Irish whip him into the stairs, Cena would counter and send Kane in. Kane would get back in the ring, where Cena would attempt to deliver an AA to Kane, but would fall forward, giving Kane an opening. Kane would continue his assault on Cena with strikes and holds trying to wear Cena down. Cena tried to battle back, but Kane would regain control with an upper-cut. Kane would try to get the win with a suplex, but got a two count, Kane quickly applied another hold to wear down Cena.  Cena broke the hold and tried to build up some offense, but Kane again delivered a Right hand to gain control. Kane would then put some assault on Cena in the corner, Cena countered and attempted to land a bulldog, Kane threw Cena off him. Cena would create an opening with a hot shot to Kane, but Kane would hit a clothesline, then attempting to hit the suffocation hold on Cena, he locked it and brought Cena to his knees. Cena reversed with a cross face, Kane would escape and hit a side slam. Kane went up top, to hit his flying clothesline, he hit Cena clean with it and then went for his Chokeslam. John would then have a comeback setting Kane up for the 5-knuckle shuffle. Kane however grabbed him by the throat and hit a big boot, after Cena released the throat hold; this resulted in a two count. Kane would build up some offense with strikes in the corner, before lifting Cena on the turnbuckle. Kane tried to suplex Cena but was knocked down. He then went for a top rope 5-Knuckle Shuffle. John the tried to hit an AA, but Kane escaped with an elbow, Cena hit a drop kick to the knee, knocking Kane over, Kane pushed Cena outside and began attacking Cena outside. The match would end in double count out. 

Cena would then take advantage hitting Kane with an object the fight lead backstage, where Kane slammed Cena’s head and hit an upper-cut. Cena would fight back throwing Kane into some trash. Kane would return with a chair to the gut then follow up with 3 chair shots to the back. Kane then went into Zack Ryder's Room where, he hit a suffocation hold on Zack then wheeled him out and to ring, he kicked Ryder around, Eve ran down and begged Kane to stop. Kane took no notice and delivered a tombstone Piledriver to Ryder. Kane turned his attention to Eve, Cena then came down to her aid, however Kane would chokeslam Cena and leave the ring.

The match was very one sided. But I am glad that it ended in a double count out. The post-match was the best part, a great fight backstage and leaving questions that we hope to find out. What will happen with Cena and Kane? My answer is it will be settled at Elimination Chamber. I enjoyed that Kane actually reigned supreme in the post-match, as he completely dominated Cena, it would have been a shame if he was defeated.

Drew McIntyre would take on "Funkasaurus" Brodus Clay. Clay would begin by giggling, McIntyre would deliver numerous strikes to Clay, however this seemed to be pumping up Clay, Clay would counter with a head but, followed by a T-Bone suplex. He hit a running splash in the corner and hit the What the Funk for the win.

I thought that Brodus Clay would actually be a participant, I guess they still want to continue the promotion of Clay, I guess that it is for merchandise. I wonder when Drew will be “Fired” as he has had a final warning about three to four times. I am enjoying the storyline, but want it to turn its course. The match was a jobber match which I am a bit unhappy about.

Next up would be the WWE Championship Match.  This would be contested between CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler. The referee for this match would be John Lauranaitis, who was having an on-going feud with CM Punk. He announced he would intentionally be biased towards Dolph, and the RAW before the rumble, Punk would hit Lauranaitis with the GTS.

Laranaitis announced that he would officiate outside the ring and a WWE official referee would officiate the inside of the ring. Before the match began, Lauranaitis would eject Vickie Guerrero from ring side, as Punk won a match where the stipulation was that Swagger and Vickie were banned from ring side.

The two would lock up, Ziggler went for a knee, Punk dodged and attempted a GTS, Ziggler escaped. The two locked up again, Punk would deliver kicks and build up some speed, however when Punk went for the kick to the back of the head, Ziggler held onto the ropes. Punk and Ziggler would lock  up a third time, where Punk would almost lock in the anaconda vice, but Ziggler escaped. The fourth lock up, Punk would lock in the abdominal stretch and deliver repeated blos to Ziggler. He then hit Ziggler with a hot shot and followed up with a outside dive. Punk would go up top, giving Ziggler an opening where Punk fell of the turnbuckle, banging the back of his neck on the turnbuckle. Dolph would take control, unleashed numerous stomps and strikes, he then knocked Punk into the referee, which knocked the referee outside. Punk would then lock in the Anaconda Vice, Ziggler Tapped out, however the referee didn’t see, Lauranaitis attended to the referee outside. Punk would then argue with the referee, Ziggler tried to get a roll-up, but Punk would reverse getting a four count, however the referee was still down. Lauranaitis would argue again with Punk, Punk would then hit the GTS, as Lauranaitis pushed the referee back into the ring and tried to wake him up, Punk swung Ziggler’s leg into Lauranaitis’s head, knocking him out the ring. Punk would cover, but the referee was still down. Punk would then attempt to hit another GTS, but Ziggler countered into a leg lariat, this was counted but only scored a two count. Punk would then counter Ziggler into a slingshot, Ziggler bounced off the turnbuckle setting up the GTS for Punk to win.

I thought this was the best match of the night, except for the rumble match. Amazing in ring skills by both competitors, a lot of actual wrestling involved, beautiful counters. Amazing match. I was surprised that Lauranaitis didn’t screw Punk, even when he got hit in the back of the head by Ziggler’s foot when Punk set up the first GTS.

The Royal Rumble match would feature numerous participants.

1)     The Miz

2)     Alex Riley

3)     R-Truth

4)     Cody Rhodes

5)     Justin Gabriel

6)     Primo

7)     Mick Foley

8)     Ricardo Rodriguez

9)     Santino Marella

10)Epico

11)Kofi Kingston

12)Jerry Lawler

13)Ezikeil Jackson

14)Jinder Mahal

15)Great Khali

16)Hunico

17)Booker T

18)Dolph Ziggler

19)“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan

20)Michael Cole

21)Kharma

22)Sheamus

23)Road Dogg

24)Jay Uso

25)Jack Swagger

26)Wade Barrett

27)David Otunga

28)Randy Orton

29)Chris Jericho

30)Big Show

Elimination:

1)     Alex Riley

2)     R-Truth

3)     Primo

4)     Justin Gabriel

5)     Ricardo Rodriguez

6)     Epico

7)     Santino Marella

8)     Mick Foley

9)     Jerry Lawler

10)Jinder Mahal

11)Ezikeil Jackson

12)“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan

13)Booker T

14)The Great Khali

15)Michael Cole

16)Hunico

17)Kharma

18)Kofi Kingston

19)Road Dogg

20)Jay Uso

21)Wade Barrett

22)David Otunga

23)Jack Swagger

24)Cody Rhodes

25)The Miz

26)Dolph Ziggler

27)Big Show

28)Randy Orton

29)Chris Jericho

I honestly thought that Jericho would win it, making him a WWE Champion, World Heavyweight Champion, ECW Champion, WCW Champion and a Royal Rumble Winner. Sadly he did not make the win. Sheamus I predicted to win, as he has dominated his way on WWE recently, this will top it off.

My favourite bits from the Rumble is Ricardo’s crap car entrance in the style of Alberto Del Rio, the three announcers each entered the Rumble. Road Dogg’s return, Kharma’s return, Mr Socko vs the Cobra and The Finale between Jericho and Sheamus, back and forth, I was very hesitant to who would win.

This was an awesome PPV. I really enjoyed it and cannot wait until RAW.