Bret Hart is in Montreal for a WWE/F event for the first time in 15 years. What else do you need to know? The crowd’s energy was amazing. Hart is a Canadian icon on the level of any legendary NHLer.
But as with any other appearance, Bret begins to drum up stories about the Screwjob and that’s where CM Punk stepped in.
Amongst a chorus of boo’s (because that’s what you do to heels), Punk trash-talked the Hitman for an overhyped and overrated career.
It may be a rather blatant path, but Punk is the technical heel they seem to be making him, but that’s how he made his band in the first place. Just instead of criticizing the front office, he’s going after everyone else.
You don’t like it? Well, show some respect.
Matches:
WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth vs. Intercontinental Champion The Miz and United States Champion Antonio Cesaro w/ Aksana: The match stood as an advertisement for Night of Champions this weekend, as every championship will be defended. The match was quick and well executed. Both the Miz and Cesaro have worked great in tag teams, so they easily kept up with the quick moving champions.
Winners: Kofi & Truth
WWE Divas Champion Layla,Eve,Kaitlyn vs. Beth Phoenix, Natalya Niedhart and Alicia Fox: Isn’t Eve a heel? What? Logic doesn’t factor into Divas’ matches and storylines? Oh, how silly of me to assume such things.
Actually, Eve would blind tag Layla and greedily pick up the 1-2-3 for herself, which does seem rather heelish. Kaitlyn still seems to be the brightest star in the Divas division. She is obviously quite green, but even more obvious is that she truly looks to be trying her best (as opposed to the hideous displays from Alicia Fox night in and night out).
CM Punk vs. Randy Orton: Leave it to perhaps the two best workers in the company to put on a legitimate wrestling match. There were holds-Punk spent a good minute or so transitioning between various headlocks).
There were strike, but not the punch slugfests most matches are these days. Punk played the cowardly heel wonderfully, rolling out of the ring and trying to leave after almost getting caught with an RKO early. After a wonderful back and forth, the match (which held no real storyline worth) was interrupted as Ziggler attacked Orton (they face each-other this Sunday).
Jerry Lawler would also leave the commentary position to attack Punk, once the match was thrown out, leading AJ to make an on the spot tag match between Punk/Ziggler and Orton/Lawler.
Teddy Long would be proud.
Well, the majority of this match consisted of Ziggler beating on Lawler and Punk looking disinterested. Luckily, Paul Heyman came to ringside to consult Punk as the match continued in the background.
Heath Slater vs. Ryback: Nothing surprising happened here, so here’s a fun fact. Ryan Reeves had a gimmick in FCW as “The Silverback.” Creative decided to make him into the Terminator-esque character he is now. His name…Ryback RYan+SilverBACK=Ryback. Oh, and he beat Slater and he’s hungry.
Prime Time Players vs. Kane and Daniel Bryan: Kane and Bryan must coexist as a team to further progress in anger management-has Dr. Shelby been watching tapes? Kane is at his best with a diminutive tag-partner (X-pac, Hurricane, RVD). Best of all, this is a #1 Contenders match for the tag titles. Bryan and Kane faired incredibly well against the PTP, who keep growing by leaps and bounds as a team. Bryan tagged himself in at the lady minute, incensing Kane enough to chokeslams his (legal) partner-on top of Darren Young.
Del Rio vs. Tyson Kidd: This match was for those fans unaware if Del Rio’s past life as a luchador. Del Rio kept up with the speedy Kidd step-for-step, even surviving a deeply locked in Sharpshooter from the Canadian superstar. Del Rio locked in an armband (along with his terrific standing transition) to pick up the victory
After the match, it was announced that Jerry Lawler had collapsed at the commentary table & taken to the back. Not a work, folks.
David Otunga vs. World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus: David Otunga needs to grow his facial hair back ASAP, because he looks like a teenager on steroids without it. The match stood to get Sheamus’ cloverleaf submission over, as the Brogue is still (kayfabe) banned as a finisher…which didn’t stop him from kicking Otunga after the match.
Rey Mysterio vs. Rhodes: Cody Rhodes is M-O-N-E-Y in the ring and it’s sad these he’s being wasted on a silly feud over Sin Cara & Mysterio’s masks. Mysterio seems to be getting back in rhythm, which worked great as Rhodes was able to play the powerhouse. After the match, Miz interfered (as Mysterio was really the last feud he had) but was cut off by Rhodes, who held up the IC Title after beating down Miz. One wishes Cody would ascend to the main event level, but another IC run wouldn’t be bad.
Bret Hart and John Cena closed the show. They make all kinds of allusions to the Screw job, Punk, HBK and various other things that really need not be talked about at this time. Punk interrupted the two of them to “defend [his] good name.” He says that they were both surpassed by greater performers- though he is still “BETTER” than HBK, Stone Cold and the Rock.
Cena then began his own monologue on how Punk is nothing but a kid with an identity crisis. While Punk can speak and sound off-the-cuff, Cena still sounds like he’s trying to deliver the final speech in a B-grade action movie…but it all changed when the street tough persona came back and the company’s golden boy called Punk a son of a bitch.
The angry Cena and the snarky Punk are what will make the company money-but a shot from Bret Hart? That’s just pandering to an audience that has already bought in to the product.
In all reality, the final card needed to be scrapped and a solid ending match booked. I understand that this is the go-home show before NOC, but the circumstances of Jerry Lawler’s health cast somewhat of a shadow over the last hour of the show.
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