WWE Summerslam 2012 took place on Sunday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, headlined by Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H.
Here's how Summerslam played out...
YouTube pre-show match - United States Championship - Santino Marella (C) vs. Antonio Cesaro
Story of the match was that Cesaro took the Cobra and threw it away. Santino had a back up, but this one was seduced by Aksana. Cesaro hit the Neutralizer and got the win. New US Champion: Antonio Cesaro.
Summerslam 2012:
- Chris Jericho vs. Dolph Ziggler
The LA crowd were really in to Jericho. Very good match with both guys working hard and Ziggler bumping like crazy. Some near falls towards the end of the match which the crowd ate up. Vicki Guerrero tried to get involved but Jericho picked up the win after throwing Dolph in to the ring post and then locking in the Walls of Jericho. Winner: Chris Jericho.
Don't be surprised if Ziggler cashes in his Money in the Bank title shot later on.
- Backstage interview with Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar. Heyman said Triple H will tap out tonight.
- Kane vs. Daniel Bryan
Tons of 'Yes' chants throughout the match. Bryan dominated most of the match. He went for a diving headbutt off the top rope but got caught and took ate a chokeslam. Kane went for a tombstone but Bryan countered it and rolled him up for the pin. Fairly short and average match but the crowd were in to it. Winner: Daniel Bryan.
Backstage, Kane went looking for Bryan and took out his frustrations on Josh Matthews.
- Intercontinental Championship - The Miz (C) vs. Rey Mysterio
Crowd were in to Mysterio which was no surprise but until they started going for near falls, there wasn't a ton of heat. Finish came when Miz dropped Mysterio face first on the turnbuckle then hit him with the skull crushing finale. Disappointing match overall. Winner via pinfall: The Miz.
- World Heavyweight Championship - Sheamus (C) vs. Alberto Del Rio
Not a bad match. Del Rio dominated early on and tried to win with Sheamus' Brogue Kick but ran in to a clothesline. Del Rio locked in the armbreaker which got a big pop but Sheamus powered out. Ricardo Rodriquez tried to get an assist by throwing his shoe to Del Rio, but Sheamus caught it and levelled Del Rio. He then hit the Irish Curse and made the cover. Del Rio had his foot on the ropes well before 2, but the referee counted for three and they ended the match there. Winner and still champion: Sheamus.
WWE Tag Team Championship - Kofi Kingston & R-Truth (C) vs. The Prime Time Players
Nothing to write home about. The crowd were in to Kofi but that was about it. Titus O'Neil and Darren Young spent most of the match working over Kofi. He eventually made the hot tag to R-Truth to very little reaction. Kofi took out Titus on the outside, allowing Truth to get the pinfall over Young. Crowd popped for the finish but this was a nothing match. Winners: Kingston/Truth.
WWE Championship - CM Punk (C) vs. John Cena vs. Big Show
Fun match and the crowd loved it. Cena went for an AA on Big Show early on. Lots of spots involving two guys and the third breaking up the pinfall. Cena tried to win with the STF on Show but he powered out. Punk hit Show with a flying clothesline and three high-running knees, but was thrown away when he went for the bulldog. Cena then hit Show with a legdrop from the top rope and both he and Punk locked in submission holds on Show. Show tapped, and both Punk and Cena celebrated.
With Punk and Cena arguing over who should win, AJ came skipping down to the ring. She stalled, then ordered the match to be restarted, with Show hitting both with chokeslams. Cena hit the AA on Show, but Punk then tossed Cena to the outside and stole the pinfall. Good match. Winner and still WWE champion: CM Punk.
- They showed some celebrities at ringside, including Piers Morgan and David Arquette (complete with WCW title), then killed some time by having Kevin Rudolf sing the Summerslam theme song.
- Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H
Triple H had earlier in the night asked the referee to make sure the fight doesn't end on a DQ or via countout. They had a good match, but it was at quite a slow pace, resulting in it playing out in front of a crowd that didn't really seem to care until the finish, with the story being that Lesnar was trying to break HHH's arm. Lesnar was bleeding from the nose a little quite early in the match after being caught by a punch.
Triple H caught Lesnar with a load of shots to the stomach and they played up on his stomach issues in the UFC in the past. He must have hit about thirty knees to the stomach before hitting a spinebuster. Lesnar blocked the pedigree and went for the F5, but HHH countered and hit it, only for Lesnar to kick out on two and then hit HHH with a low blow.
Lesnar then hit the F5 only for Triple H to kick out. HHH hit a second pedigree but as he went for the cover, Lesnar reacted and locked in the Kimura, leading to HHH tapping out. Winner via submission: Brock Lesnar.
The show ended with Lesnar making his way to the back, and Triple H eventually getting up to his feet and slowly leaving the ring, selling the arm as small chants of 'You Tapped Out' could be heard as he mouthed that he was sorry.
