WWE Over The Limit had it all. From tremendous pro wrestling to tremendous spectacle, this show delivered in all areas, extending WWE’s streak of terrific pay-per-views. In the two featured bouts, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan had the potential match of the year for the WWE Championship and in the main event, John Laurinaitis retained power by overcoming the odds to best John Cena.
Five title matches were featured at Over the Limit, which emanated from RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C., but those were trumped by the no disqualification match between John Cena and John Laurinaitis.
Cena having his way with Laurinaitis in the early going. He hits an airplane spin that sees Laurinaitis fall out of the ring. Then Cena grabs the bell and rings it several times in Laurinaitis’ ear. He runs him into the announce table and then puts a headset on him. Cena and Laurinaitis proceed to do commentary for a few seconds as Cena impersonates Michael Cole and Laurinaitis, so out of it, says “five time” mimicking Booker T.
Laurinaitis gets in the ring and offers his hand to Cena, but he declines. Cena beats him down and then grabs a mic and says if Laurinaitis can last 10 seconds in the STF, he’ll let go. Laurinaitis does, but Cena says it’s good news, bad news. He survived, yes, but he’s just going to do it again. Laurinaitis survives again. Now Cena says he needs a drink and grabs some water. He says Laurinaitis needs some, too. He dumps two bottles of water on his head and one down his pants.
He goes under the ring and grabs a fire extinguisher. He fakes using it a few times before finally unloading it on Laurinaitis. Now Cena grabs a garbage can full of trash and dumps it over Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis tries to escape through the crowd but Cena grabs him. But Laurinaitis grabs Cena’s arm and slams it on the dasher. He comes back and slams it on the announce table and then throws him into the steel steps.
Laurinaitis with two chair shots that get him a two count. He goes for another chair shot, but Cena blocks it, takes the chair and hits him in the leg. He follows with the Five-Knuckle Shuffle with the chair. Laurinaitis, though, low blows Cena. Laurinaitis again tries to leave through the crowd and is well on his way. He’s gone and Cena is left in the ring. Then, the camera cuts back and the Big Show has Laurinaitis by the throat and is bringing him back to the ring. He tosses him into the ring.
Laurinaitis now between Cena and Show. Laurinaitis runs right into a choke grip. He pleads with Show, so Show throws him to Cena, who lifts him for the Attitude Adjustment only to have Big Show hit the KO punch on Cena. Laurinaitis slowly goes over and flips Cena over for the cover. Here it is, 1, 2, 3.
Mr. Excitement is still the general manager of Raw and Smackdown.
The next WWE pay-per-view is No Way Out on June 17.
A cold open to the show, which begins in progress with the People Power Battle Royal where the winner gets a shot at either the United States or Intercontinental championship.
People Power Battle Royal: The Great Khali vs. The Miz vs. JTG vs. Ezekiel Jackson vs. Curt Hawkins vs. Tyler Reks vs. Michael McGillicutty vs. Yoshi Tatsu vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Jimmy Uso vs. Jey Uso vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Heath Slater vs. Titus O’Neil vs. Darren Young vs. Alex Riley vs. David Otunga vs. William Regal vs. Christian
This one came down to The Miz, Tyson Kidd, David Otunga and Christian.
Otunga runs Christian into the ring post. Kidd goes after Miz and hits some kicks. Everyone trying to get Kidd out, but he comes in from the apron and hits a double dropkick on Miz and Otunga. Miz tries to throw Kidd out but he hangs on and tries to head scissor Miz out, but Otunga comes and makes the save to kick Kidd out.
Now Otunga and Miz form an alliance against Christian. Christian tries to fight them off but the numbers quickly catch up and they double team him. Miz goes for the corner clothesline but Christian moves. Otunga tries to slam Christian but he slips out and tosses Otunga. Down to two. Miz and Christian trade reversals. Miz throws Christian over but he hangs on the apron. Miz putting all his weight on Christian but Christian kicks him off. He grabs Miz by the head and runs him to the other side and throws him to the apron and knocks him off to win.
Winner: Christian
He seemingly choses to face Santino Marella for the United States Championship later tonight.
Following a video package, Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and Booker T welcome us to tonight’s show, a nine-match affair from RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C.
Match #2 – WWE Tag Team Championship – (c) Kofi Kingston (Ghana, West Africa) & R-Truth (Charlotte, NC) vs. Dolph Ziggler (Hollywood, Fla.) & Jack Swagger (Perry, Okla.)
Truth gets rolling on Swagger but Vickie Guerrero jumps on the apron and that, along with a Ziggler distraction, allow Swagger to come back and hit a Vader Bomb for two. This allows Swagger and Ziggler to take over, keeping Truth isolated and working frequent tags to wear Truth down.
Truth starts to fire up out of the corner, but Ziggler and Swagger double team him with an X Factor for two. Ziggler with a headlock (including a head stand) but Truth works to a vertical base and small packages Ziggler out of nowhere for a two count. Ziggler, though, jumps right back on Truth. Swagger in now but Truth hits him with a tornado DDT out of the corner and finally gets the tag to Kingston.
Kingston comes flying in here against Ziggler. Kingston on fire and hits the Boom Drop. He calls for Trouble in Paradise but Ziggler ducks. Kingston goes for the SOS, but Ziggler pushes him off, but Kingston springboards out of the corner with a crossbody. Swagger breaks up the fall but Kingston takes him out.
Ziggler with a Fameasser, but Truth breaks up the pin attempt and then takes Swagger out of the ring. Kingston in the corner and Ziggler comes charging in, but Kingston explodes out and catches a jumping Ziggler with Trouble in Paradise and that does it.
Winners via pinfall and STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: Kofi Kingston & R-Truth
Match Rating: 7/10
Match #3 – WWE Divas Championship – (c) Layla (Miami, Fla.) vs. Beth Phoenix (Buffalo, NY)
Phoenix goes to work on Layla’s surgically repaired knee, working it over from pillar to post. Layla is able to knock Phoenix off the apron and to the floor, but Phoenix comes back in and presses Layla above her head, only to have Layla catch her on the way down with a DDT. Layla is slow to make the cover, though, and Phoenix kicks out at two.
Layla with a swinging small package for two. Phoenix, though, drives her into the corner. Layla tries to work her way out but ends up in position for the Glam Slam. Layla rolls through and they trade cradle reversals for two. Moments later, Layla hits a neckbreaker out of nowhere and that is enough.
Winner via pinfall: Layla
Match Rating: 5/10
Match #4 – Fatal Four Way for the World Heavyweight Championship – (c) Sheamus (Dublin, Ireland) vs. Alberto Del Rio (San Luis Potosi, Mexico) vs. Chris Jericho (Winnipeg, Manitoba) vs. Randy Orton (St. Louis, Mo.)
Del Rio and Jericho team up to run Sheamus into the announce table, working on his injured shoulder. That alliance doesn’t last long, though, as Jericho breaks up a Del Rio pin attempt.
Orton goes for a superplex on Jericho but Del Rio stops it. They tease a tower of doom spot but Sheamus breaks it up and then goes to the top and hits a flying shoulder block on Del Rio. Sheamus hits a plunge and starts calling for the Brogue Kick, but Ricardo Rodriguez jumps on the apron, allowing Del Rio to hit a kick. Del Rio’s momentum doesn’t last long, though, as Sheamus comes back and starts going to work. He hits the clubbing rope blows but Jericho breaks it up.
Sheamus and Del Rio get knocked to the outside. Orton and Jericho go at it in the ring now. Orton gets the best of it and goes for the RKO, but as he’s down on the mat pounding for it, Del Rio flies in and grabs his arm and locks in the cross-armbreaker until Jericho breaks it up.
Sheamus and Orton hit backbreakers on Jericho and Del Rio respectively and then trade finisher attempts that ends with Sheamus trying a roll up for two. Orton throws Sheamus out of the ring and hits the draping DDT on both Del Rio and Rodriguez. Jericho comes in and turns an RKO attempt into the Codebreaker, but Del Rio locks in the cross-ambreaker, only to have Jericho counter into the Walls of Jericho.
Sheamus comes flying in and tries to Brogue Kick Jericho, but he ducks it and hits Sheamus with the Codebreaker but Sheamus kicks out at two. Now Jericho locks in the Walls on Sheamus. He has Sheamus in a bad place until Orton comes in to deliver RKOs to both Jericho and Del Rio. Sheamus drills Orton with the Brogue Kick but can’t follow up. Orton and Del Rio end up out of the ring (this is coming fast and furious) and Sheamus hits Jericho with the White Noise and gets the pin.
Winner via pinfall and STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Sheamus
Match Rating: 9/10
Match #5 – The Miz (Cleveland, Ohio) vs. Brodus Clay (Planet Funk)
Clay on a roll until Miz takes over. He hits the corner clothesline and then a chin lock, but Clay powers out. He hits a head butt. Miz with a kick and goes to the top, but Clay crotches him and goes up and hits a top-rope T-bone suplex. He follows with the splash and that does it.
Winner via pinfall: Brodus Clay
Match Rating: 4/10
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Christian is the new Intercontinental champion.
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Match #6 – WWE Intercontinental Championship – (c) Cody Rhodes (Marietta, Ga.) vs. Christian (Toronto, Ontario)
Rhodes and Christian go tumbling over the top and back in the ring, Rhodes maintains his control. Rhodes comes off the middle rope, though, and runs into a right hand and then a pendulum kick. Christian follows with a missile dropkick.
Rhodes takes back over and props Christian onto the top rope. Christian goes for the tornado DDT but Rhodes shoves him off. Rhodes goes to the top and hits a moonsault for two. Rhodes goes to shove Christian into the corner, but Christian counter and sends Rhodes shoulder-first into the buckle and then catches him on the way out with the Killswitch and that does it.
Winner via pinfall and NEW WWE Intercontinental Champion: Christian
Match Rating: 6/10
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Daniel Bryan and CM Punk put on a wrestling clinic.
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Match #7 – WWE Championship – (c) CM Punk (Chicago, Ill.) vs. Daniel Bryan (Aberdeen, Wash.)
Bryan doing work on Punk early on, landing kick after kick after kick on the champion. That is until Punk hangs onto the ropes and avoids a dropkick. Punk hits a knee breaker and tosses Bryan to the floor. He goes for a baseball slide but Bryan ducks down and buries Punk into the dasher board. Then he drops Punk ribs-first onto the dasher. He throws Punk into the ring and follows with a missile dropkick for two.
Bryan with a knee drop for two. Punk, who has been working submissions all match long, goes for a Figure Four, but Bryan turns it into a small package for two. Now Bryan locks in a surfboard which he turns into a choke hold with Punk’s body still entangled. Punk comes back at him with elbows to break the hold and now Punk lays in some elbows right to the forehead.
Bryan goes for repeated knee drops, but Punk avoids the third one and then grabs Bryan and hits a Perfect Plex for two. Bryan gets the best of a striking exchanges and then goes to the top and hits a flying headbutt for two. Bryan stretches Punk with a chin lock but Punk works his way to a vertical base only to hit each other with a dual cross body.
Punk with a series of standing elbows and then a neckbreaker. Bryan, though lands a big boot but Punk counters with a power slam. Bryan charges Punk but Punk flips him over the top to the floor and follows with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Bryan counters Punk and then lands a series of body kicks but Punk hits a dragon screw leg whip and follows with the Figure Four to a series of “Wooo’s!” in North Carolina. They start slapping each other as Bryan tries to sit up from the hold. Bryan makes it to the ropes.
Punk with a drop toe hold and then an O’Connor Roll for two. He tries again but Bryan responds with a huge kick to the head but Punk kicks out at two. Now Bryan rolls down his knee pad and sets Punk up in the corner, landing knees to the ribs with the exposed knee. He loads Punk up on the top rope but Punk shoves him onto the top rope crotching him. Punk follows with a springboard clothesline that turns Bryan inside-out off the rope for two.
They trade strikes now in the centre of the ring. Each man misses a high kick. Punk lifts Bryan for GTS but Bryan counters. He struggles for the Yes Lock but can’t get it. Punk slingshots Bryan over the top rope but Bryan hangs on and pulls himself back in only to run right into a head kick. Punk with the cover but Bryan gets his foot on the bottom rope. Punk hooks the leg but Bryan kicks out at two.
Punk with a slam and he goes to the top rope. He comes down with the flying elbow but can’t follow up because of his ribs. Punk slow to cover and Bryan kicks out. Bryan lands a knee to the gut and follows with a series of knees right to the ribs. Punk is hurting bad. Punk pulls himself up in the corner and Bryan charges but Punk moves. Punk comes flying across with the flying knee. He goes for the bulldog but Bryan turns it into the Yes Lock right in the middle of the ring.
Punk is fighting it but Bryan is really cranking it. Punk rolls it over and the referee counts Bryan’s shoulders down and right after, Punk taps.
Winner via pinfall and STILL WWE Champion: CM Punk
Match Rating: 10/10
Match #8 – Camacho (Mexico) vs. Ryback (Sin City)
Ryback killed the poor man.
Winner via pinfall: Ryback
Match Rating: NR
Match #9 – John Laurinaitis (Stamford, Conn.) vs. John Cena (West Newbury, Mass.)
Winner via pinfall and STILL employed: John Laurinaitis
Match Rating: 7/10
Event Rating: 9/10