WWE Over the Limit 2011

WWE Over the Limit 2011
May 22nd, 2011
KeyArena, Seattle, Washington
Attendance: 6,500*

Tonight's PPV recap/review is dedicated to the memory of the Macho Man Randy Savage. I'd wax all nostalgic here, but there will be plenty of time for that in other places. Before the usual pre-PPV promo begins, we get a graphic of Savage and the "In memory of" bit. The opening video package is actually fairly good, just focusing on the two main title matches of the night. I'm a big Rise Against fan, but hearing "Help is on the Way" doesn't really pump me up for a wrestling match.


Your hosts are Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, Booker T, and Josh Matthews


R-Truth vs. Rey Mysterio

Truth's old "What's Up" music is gone obviously, as now he has no music at all, just a quick soundbite of his new catchphrase. Truth gets some great heat here actually as he cuts a rambling promo about his parking spot and how he's going to take Rey Mysterio's spot for the show tonight. Rey ducks an early clothesline attempt and Truth crashes to the outside floor. Mysterio hits a running headscissors takedown off the apron onto Truth on the floor and then tosses him back into the ring. Truth catches Rey in the tree of woe position and stomps away at the mid-section as the boos continue to reign in for everything Truth does. He tosses Mysterio head-first into the ring post and Rey crumbles to the floor so Truth rolls him back in the ring for a two count. Beautiful sitout gourdbuster from Truth gets him another close two. Both men climb to the top rope and Rey hits a huge bulldog off the top for a near fall of his own. He follows it up with a springboard cross body for another near fall and then just kicks Truth square in the face. Seated senton off the top from Rey, but Truth responds with a twisting elbow as things are starting to pick up here. Truth manages to avoid the 619 and then crotches Rey on the ring apron. Big reverse STO from Truth (I believe he calls it the "Shut Up" now) and Truth gets the clean pin at 8:13. The crowd is shocked and frankly so am I. The only way Truth's heel turn was going to be able to work long-term was if he started with a clean pin tonight, and that's exactly what he got. The match itself was fast-paced and exciting while it lasted and could have easily used a few extra minutes. **¾


After the match Truth grabs a bottle of water for a drink in a nod to his heel turn, and then smashes it over Rey's head.


Backstage The Miz says he has a game plan tonight for John Cena and that once again he's going to silence the doubters by making Cena say "I Quit" tonight.


Cole goes into a severely disturbing tangent about how he shoved his foot into dead fish to make it extra raunchy for the Kiss My Foot match later that night. Cole can be good as a heel sometimes, but he was way too over-the-top here.


WWE Intercontinental Title Match
Wade Barrett © vs. Ezekiel Jackson

The Corre Explodes! Sounds like a cheesy drive-in Sci-Fi movie. Not much of a reaction for either man as this title has been straight up dead since Kofi won it back in January. Big Zeke overpowers Barrett early with a gourdbuster and huge, clubbing forearms. Barrett hits the floor to catch his breath but Zeke continues his offensive onslaught. Barrett gets in a cheap shot behind the ref's back and then...goes for the Macho Elbow? Well, not quite, but he did hit an elbow drop off the top rope and the crowd booed him for it. Barrett slaps on a chinlock and things slow down. Barett tries for the Waste Land but can't deliver it, so he delivers a nice pumphandle slam instead for two. Look at Barrett, he's actually starting to improve in the ring finally. Big Zeke shoulderblocks him and then gives him not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE scoop slams. He lifts Barrett up into the torture rack submission but Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater hit the ring to break it up and the ref DQs Barrett at 7:27. This was actually better than I was expecting as it was like a reversal of your classic big/little man formula, with the big man being the babyface here for once and the little man being the heel. It made for a moderately entertaining match until the lame finish, but I actually wouldn't mind seeing a rematch down the road. **


Backstage Mason Ryan and CM Punk walk into the locker room and see McGillicutty and Otunga laying on the floor, apparently from a beatdown by Kane and Big Show. Punk doesn't seem to think it's too big of a deal and tells Ryan they need to go win the tag team titles and then comes back to tell the fallen McGillicutty and Otunga to "walk it off" in a funny moment.


Sin Cara vs. Chavo Guerrero

Excellent, I was hoping this would make the PPV. Not necessarily a "dream match", but it is the first time these two have ever wrestled each other on TV/PPV (not counting the house show matches they've been having). Both men lock-up to start and go into a basic feeling out process, with Cara dragging Chavo around with an armdrag and a headscissors. Chavo hits the floor and Cara follows him out with a twisting splash over the top! He sends Chavo into the barrier with a headscissors as well and the crowd loves it. Back inside Chavo hits a spinning heel kick and goes to work on him in the corner. Huge moonsault off the top gets Cara a close two count. Cara springboards into a takedown but Chavo nails him in the gut and starts to work on Cara's leg. The action spills to the floor where Cara springboards onto Chavo with a big splash. Springboard cross-body block gets Cara two Chavo responds by putting him into the Gory special. Cara counters into an armdrag. Cara hits him with a hurricanrana and Chavo just face-plants from it, so Cara covers him for the win at 7:23. They fit a lot of high spots into a short amount of time, but there wasn't much of a build to any of them and the finish looked botched. High flying fun for the most part though. **¾


Backstage Todd Grisham is with both Christian and Randy Orton, where he tries to stir some drama up. Christian says he knows tonight he's going to defeat Orton and that Orton knows it deep down as well. Randy responds by telling him if he fights Christian's feel-good story there won't be a "Happily ever after" for Christian.


Alberto Del Rio comes out to cut a promo on the crowd about how miserable their lives are, and how glamorous Del Rio's is. He says he could easily make John Cena or The Miz say "I Quit" with his cross armbar. He tells the fans there's nothing they can do, because destiny cannot be stopped. Before he can finish his promo though the Big Show and Kane come out Kane says he's already angry because the rapture didn't come yesterday, and that Del Rio should exit the ring or end up like McGillicutty and Otunga. Del Rio obliges and we transition right into our next match.


WWE Tag Team Title Match
Big Show/Kane © vs. CM Punk/Mason Ryan

With Punk's contract about to run out, this isn't exactly the kind of booking you'd want to be giving the former world champ. A big "Batista!" chant breaks out as Mason Ryan enters the ring and starts the match with Kane. They slug it out and then Ryan bodyslams Kane. Punk and Show tag in and I have flashbacks to their horrid series of matches last summer as Show clubs Punk around like a child. Ryan tags back in and takes down Show with some big kicks and then tags Punk in so he can try and get the pinfall. Punk tries a headlock but Show holds him up in a bearhug and lets Kane big boot him in the face afterwards. Kane hits the flying clothesline off the top and tries for the chokeslam but Ryan breaks it up and tags back in. Punk and Ryan try to isolate Kane in their corner while Big Show gets the crowd pumped up for the comeback. Ryan gives Kane a running powerslam for a two count. Kane responds with a big suplex and both men are down. Punk goes to the top for an elbow drop and hesitates, pointing to the sky obviously in honor of Randy Savage and he tries for the Macho elbow but Kane moves out of the way and tags Big Show in. Show cleans house. Punk gets tossed out of the ring and then both Show and Kane hit a double-chokeslam on Ryan to retain at 9:05. A whole lot better than you'd think, this just flew by and Punk's antics are always fun. The Macho elbow was a nice tribute too. **


The commentators announce the WWE Capital Punishment PPV name and then run a funny little video with WWE writers asking questions to Obama in a heavily edited faux press conference, complete with dream-like effects.


WWE Diva's Title Match
Brie Bella © vs. Kelly Kelly

I believe this match was added on Smackdown, along with the Sin Cara/Chavo Guerrero match earlier. Kelly immediately goes into her handstand headscissors submission on the apron and then kicks her into the corner and gives her a Rikishi-like stink-face. Well that was certainly random. Brie goes to work on Kelly's arm, stomping on it and applying an armbar. The Twins eventually make the switch behind the ref's back and Nikki gives Kelly a facebuster for the win at 4:02. The usual piss-break nothing match you expect from this division. Where's Kharma when you need her? ½*


World Heavyweight Title Match
Randy Orton © vs. Christian

Orton had crushed the dreams of Christian and his many fans by winning the title off of him a few days after he initially won it, but since then Christian hasn't made any excuses and he believes he can defeat Randy Orton. This match is also important because it should give us an idea of the direction they're going to go with Christian after this. They start off with some basic feeling out stuff, leap-frogging each other. Crowd is split in fan support, chanting for both men. Christian applies a rear chinlock and both men trade dropkicks. Huge superplex off the top gets Randy a two count. Christian responds with a big spinebuster for a two count of his own. Christian nails Orton with a series of forearms and then delivers an inverted DDT for two. This crowd is red hot for everything these guys are doing. Orton counters a senton attempt into a rollup.Christian nails his signature slide-out punch and then hits a diving headbutt off the top for another two count. European uppercut and a backbreaker gets Randy two as well, and Booker seems shocked for some reason. Orton then locks on the Billy Goat's Curse submission! Orton's taking pages out Colt Cabana's book now? He could use some of the personality Colt has. Christian gets the rope break and then rolls Randy into a sunset flip for a close two count that the crowd buys into big time. Orton counters Christian's second rope flip kick with his own signature second rope DDT in a creative sequence, but again Christian kicks out! Orton tries for the RKO but Christian escapes it and he starts chanting spear in honor of his former partner Edge, which the fans pick up on and join him in. Christian goes for the spear but Orton counters with a snap powerslam for yet another close two count. Orton looks to attempt his infamous Punt kick, but he hesitates, thinking about the ramificiations for too long and Christian nails him with the spear! 1-2---NOO! Orton somehow kicks out, and even I bought into that near fall big time. Orton counters the Unprettier twice and then RKO's Christian to retain at 16:51! This blew their Smackdown match out of the water (and that match was great in it's own right). These guys have uncanny chemistry together and this was downright incredible with each man countering each other's signature spots in ways never seen before while the crowd went crazy for every last thing they did. Simply put, a fantastic match. ****¼


After the match Randy tries to shake Christian's hand and Christian initially shoves him away and walks off, but then he returns to the ring to shake hands in a sign of respect, begrudgingly. Oh those teasing bastards, they know they can turn Christian heel at any moment but they seem to be unsure of whether to pull the trigger on that move yet.


Kiss My Foot Match
Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole

Like the faux fungus on Cole's foot this feud has overstayed it's welcome. Cole comes out to the ring to massive heat and gets on the mic he actually has a note from his doctor to excuse him from the match. He says if Lawler kisses his foot he'll suffer from hoof in mouth disease. The ref just tears his note up in front of Cole and calls for the bell. Jerry immediately begins to rip Cole's suit off and then hits him with a nice dropkick. Cole suckers King into the corner and throws him into the steel steps and guard barrier. Cole takes off his shoe now and tries to make King kiss it, but Jerry tosses him into the Cole Mine, destroying the plexiglass structure. King hits the fist drop off the second rope back in the ring to get the pin at 2:59. After the match King calls out Eve, who Cole has made fun of quite a bit. She delivers a moonsault to him and then Jerry takes his boot off but he has some more guests as Jim Ross comes out next! He brings out a bottle of JR's BBQ sauce, which is delicious by the way, and then dumps it all down Cole's throat and face. Cole retreats to the stage with a mic and tries to claim he didn't lose tonight. He says he will never kiss King's foot and suddenly Bret "The Hitman" Hart's music plays! Bret Hart comes out and the crowd explodes for him as he grabs Cole and throws him into the ring and applies the sharpshooter as Lawler sticks his foot into Cole's mouth at the same time. Thank God they finally realized this feud needed to end, and this was quite possibly the most over-the-top blow-off to a feud I've ever seen, but it was all entertaining in a perverse kind of way. The match itself was shit obviously, but hopefully this finally ends the chapter on heel Michael Cole and his feud with The King. ½*


After the match Jim Ross joins the commentary team! Damn right, Vince would you just please put Ross back on TV and stop teasing us man?


Trailer for "That's What I Am". Apparently my comments last time about this movie looking terrible offended some people as I was bombarded with angry comments defending the film. Well guys, I've seen it now. And guess what? It sucks. It's one cliche after another.


WWE Title I Quit Match
John Cena © vs. The Miz

They've got a tough task ahead of them with this match in trying to make the viewer think Cena could lose here, because all signs point to this being a slam-dunk title defense for Cena because of the gimmick. Miz gets on the mic as the match starts and says that because of the rules of this match both he and Alex Riley can do whatever they want to Cena. He offers Cena a chance to say I Quit right now, but Cena says "Hell No" and takes them both on. So this is like a handicap match now basically? Cena tries locking in the STF on Miz but Riley breaks it up. Miz hits a knee strike/neckbreaker combo but Cena counters with the Attitude Adjustment! Riley hops in the ring with his steel briefcase though and batters Cena with it. Miz and Riley continue the beatdown outside the ring, tossing him into the steel barricade. Cena won't quit this early though. They ram some of the table monitors on Cena and then toss him into the steel steps. Miz hits a DDT on the steel steps Miz asks Cena if he wants to quit and when he refuses he instructs Riley to slam him with the steel steps again. Next he grabs a singapore cane and we go through the same routine. "You want to quit?" "No" *THWACK*. They brawl up to the staging area and Miz suplexes Cena on the steel stage. Miz snatches a leather belt off of a camera man and has Riley hold him over the camera crane as he asks him if he quits. Cena tells Miz he "has no nuts" and Miz starts whipping Cena's back. Cena fights out of it eventually though and looks like he may have caught a second wind, but Miz hits him over the back with a steel chair to stop that. Back in the ring the referee gets bumped in all of the ruckus and Cena tries an Attitude Adjustment on Riley, but Miz hits him with an inverted DDT instead. Miz sets up a steel chair between the ring ropes and then gives Cena the Skull Crushing Finale onto the chair! Miz goes to a ringside Cena fan and tells him to beg Cena to quit, but the kid says "no way!". He slams Cena in the face with a steel chair and they pull the Rock/Foley trick of having Cena's pre-recorded voice say "I Quit" over the speakers. The ref initially calls for the bell and awards the title to Miz, but he finds Alex Riley's cell phone at ringside and apparently learns of his plan by pressing a button on the phone. The ref rings the bell again and the match re-starts as Cena gives Riley the Attitude Adjustment through the Spanish announcer's table! Cena pulls out his own leather strap and beats Miz with it all the way up the ramp, where he locks on the STF and forces Miz to say I Quit at 27:08. There were so many problems with this match, it's hard to believe. Making it a handicap match from the start immediately dragged this down as Cena was never given the chance to mount any offense whatsoever and the results were a very boring match in which the Miz and Riley just beat down on Cena for nearly twenty minutes. They threw in a dusty finish as if that was going to keep things interesting, and then when Cena finally did get his hands on Miz, the Miz quit immediately from little punishment. This made The Miz look like total shit. Just totally overbooked nonsense that dragged down what could have been a promising gimmick match and turned it into a total debacle. Still, points for effort from everyone involved. **¼


We close out the show with John Cena celebrating with his title.

Bottom Line: I came into this show with low expectations, but somehow this show still managed to fall well below them. Some matches weren't given enough time while others were given too much, and the main event was overbooked to the point of redundancy and gravely disappointing. The one bright spot on this show was the Randy Orton vs. Christian match, which was absolutely fantastic, but otherwise there's really nothing here you need to go out of your way to see. I've seen much worse shows and I was moderately entertained through out most of the show, but not even that great World Heavyweight title match can make me give this show the recommendation, so we're going with the rare Thumbs Down for the show as a whole.


Score: 5/10

*Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter September 12th, 2011 by Dave Meltzer