Summer Slam 2012

The build is here.

Summer Slam 2012 – Los Angeles

(Dark: Pac d. Black

Kidd d. Mistico)

Joey/JR is the announce.  Foley joins them during the IC Tournament matches.

1.       Dos Caras, Jr. (w/Ricardo and Vicki) d. HHH-M (w/Stephanie)

This is a definitive submission win; playing off Stephanie allows Vicki to emerge more fully into her real world gimmick in the build (I essentially like Vicki, she draws heat and I like her as part of this act) Ricardo takes a bump in every Dos Caras match. This should feel like an ending, both of the Dos Caras “my family is better than your family” gimmick and on Hunter’s career, as the booking sheet always goes a year in advance, and he is currently not on it. It’s not an official retirement, ‘cause you never know, but he and the Princess leave the ring arm in arm postmatch and the sense should be you might not see them again in this capacity. 

Intercontinental Tournament

Prior to the first match is a taped piece from the pre-event press conference; Foley and 7 of the 8 competitors (Jericho no-shows) getting photographed, a videotape from the Rock, from his Hollywood Hills home, saying he'll proudly return at the Rumble to meet the winner, that kind of thing. A reporter asks Foley the question that has come up multiple times in the build – if his allowing the Rock to leave for so many months with the IC belt is due to their pre-existing relationship.  Foley says he’ll stake his Commissionership on the tournament, that once the Rumble is over, if it hasn’t been worth it, he’ll be the first one to admit it. That doesn't end the chatter about the wisdom of not just stripping the Rock, but it becomes the conclusion of each of those discussions - we'll evaluate when the Rumble is over.  

2.       The Miz d. Santino

3.       John Cena d. Titus O’ Neil (w/Young)

Two fairly quick matches to open the IC Tournament; Miz continues his turn by doing something no one ever does with Santino, he attacks him while he is still on the ramp, still in his super timid persona. So, you're allowed to either see Miz as he sees himself (smart, so smart, look how smart) or as a smarmy guy attacking someone super weak.  Miz finishes Santino off pretty readily; Cena similarly has little trouble with O’Neil (eventually, I see Santino joining TPPTPPP for the house show comedy).  Both men will return when their next round opponents win.

Before those next two IC matches, a very special episode of the Heyman Hustle.

Paul says he has no guest tonight, that his only guest is the 5800 dollars he has in his wallet and the fraction 5/8.  There is 5/8 of the card remaining tonight and Paul wants to make a very serious offer to those who brought children to the event, or to pregnant women, or anyone with a sensitive stomach – for those who want to leave right now, Paul will personally provide a pro-rated refund, 5/8 of the face value of their ticket up to a total of 5800 dollars. They need to leave right now, just get up and head to the box office, and no one will think less of them for it.  It's not the brave choice, but discretion is the better part of valor.

Why?

Because tonight a terrible, terrible beating will be inflicted upon CM Punk – by Brock Lesnar. A beating unseen by most in attendance tonight, a beating they are not prepared for in a normal night of family friendly fun.  

Paul does another 20 seconds or so describing that beating when he’s interrupted by Ricky Steamboat, who emerges on the ramp (he stays there).

Steamboat says CM Punk has won the WWF Title more often than Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley, and Ricky Steamboat – and a man like that doesn’t just lay down and roll over, even for Brock Lesnar, and there are 18,000 fans here tonight who are all waiting to see Punk give everything he has (note, he doesn’t say Punk’s going to win)

Paul responds – Rick, tell Danielson that Brock Lesnar is still going to knock on his door; that tonight is just an appetizer.

That brings out Regal (also stays on the ramp). Regal says when Sheamus wins the WWF Title tonight, bringing it back Underground, Brock Lesnar won’t need to knock, Sheamus will be knocking – 

Underground doesn’t cower in fear, Underground is who knocks in the WWF.

And then, without music, Jericho stumbles down the ramp.  His suit is in tatters, he stumbles to one side of the aisle, puts his back into the crowd and mumbles “come on baby.” More than 15 years ago now I had an email exchange with Jericho where I said his entrance looked like an invitation for the fans to rub his nipples.  He thought that was funny.  

4.       Claudio Castagnoli (w/Steamboat) d. Chris Jericho

This wraps this version of Jericho, by the end of the match, his suit is entirely torn from his body, strewn in tatters throughout the ring. He stumbles into all of his old spots, which he hits for the last time (at least for the foreseeable future) it’s Jericho greatest hits by a homeless man. 

Claudio is dancing, giant swinging, happy warrior Euro Claudio, hitting his uppercuts from multiple angles, demonstrating the varied moveset and finishing Jericho off with the Ricola Bomb.  If Jericho could turn into a pile of dust and disappear, that’s the feeling that should be left. It's as good a match as they can have given those parameters and a decided, thorough, whipping by Claudio.  

Cena enters following the match, he and Claudio will be matched up at Survivor Series and they go nose to nose. 

5.       Nick Nemeth (w/Regal) d.  Rey Mysterio

This is a screwjob; Regal interferes, even during the finish, and at some point during the match Tyson Kidd runs in for an unseen highspot.  The announce notes that Underground might similarly be able to steal the WWF Title later tonight. Rey gets most of the match; Nemeth/Rey have essentially been portrayed as 50/50 in each of their matches, in this one it's more 75/25 Mysterio with the outside interference portrayed as allowing Nemeth to steal one.  

The Miz enters postmatch and they replicate the spot we saw following the prior match.

6.       WWF Tag Titles: Young Money d. DMW

The rules, recall, are relaxed in all Young Money matches, allowing Kingston to do one ridiculous dive and Killings to use foreign objects.  This becomes a tornado match and ends with Kingston pinning Kane.

PAUL, recall, who had been upset with his current station as part of the build, aids Kane in getting off the mat, and then punches him right on the chin, dropping him cold to the canvas. PAUL walks away, disgusted, angry, breathing fire.  

7.       No Disqualification: Brock Lesnar (w/Heyman) d. CM Punk (w/Steamboat)

Here’s why you bought the show; it’s Brock’s post UFC return to a WWF ring. Heyman, very deliberately, folds his arms and leans against the announce table - throughout the match he never moves - doesn't express concern, just stares, arms folded, smiling the entire time at Punk.

The template for this match is real world Brock/Cena – it’s a stiff sprint, super physical, dominated by Lesnar, but the finish is Brock getting an armhold on Punk, the one that just broke Hero’s arm, and when, after just one beat, Punk doesn’t submit, Steamboat throws in the towel.

You didn’t think the towel had just been sitting there all year just for hell of it.  I thought about calling this a Chekov’s Gun Match.

The announce quickly signs off on Steamboat’s decision – Punk had taken a pretty good beating but he is exactly the guy who might just let Brock break his arm before submitting, Steamboat was protecting his guy.

Do you think Punk will feel similarly?

The rest of GDI hits the ring fast to aid Punk, who is incapacitated, Steamboat breaks away from the group to vigorously talk to Foley at ringside – the result of that conversation, as we’ll see prior to the start of the main event, is that Regal is banned from ringside for the title match.

Paul and Brock soak in whatever the postmatch reaction is - the announce puts Brock over hard, just as they've been doing since his return - without beign said, the feeling about Brock should be the feeling the public had when he first made his real world return - he won a legit fighting title, he's a shoot badass; and when he breaks Hero's arm and then beats Punk nearly to death - it further demonstrates that; he is an unstoppable beast.  And he belongs to Paul Heyman.  

8.       WWF Title: Bryan Danielson d. Sheamus

As mentioned, Regal is removed (and Steamboat doesn’t return, he’s with Punk)– and so when the run in spot, presumably planned, is attempted, it’s a cluster.  Douchebags (led by Sandow) hit the ramp at the same time as Gabriel/Kidd.  Cole attempts to mediate – he is managing both groups; Kidd stands decidedly with Gabriel, before they can organize we get the Mania spot replicated – Pac coming off the top of the video wall to crash into the group.  No one interferes in the match; it’s long, the best match they can have, Danielson overcoming the size disparity and getting the pinfall to keep his belt.

Danielson stands alone in the ring, holding his belt aloft, as the show ends.  No GDI, they left with Punk, no Underground, they got wiped out by Pac - not even Steamboat - just Bryan Danielson holding the WWF Championship in the air as the show ends.

The build for Survivor Series (main event spoiler alert - Danielson v. Rey) is in September; the next TNA show (tick....tick....tick...) is October, and then Survivor Series, obviously, in November.  See you then.  

The build.