Extreme Rules 2012 results

United States Champion Santino Marella def. The MizThe Miz's quest to reclaim championship gold fell short yet again when he challenged Santino Marella for the United States Championship in the live WWE.com Pre-Show for Extreme Rules 2012. (PHOTOS) The Awesome One has made it a point to claw his way back to the top of the WWE ladder, and his chance to claim The Italian Stallion's championship has been his biggest opportunity since proving himself the hero of Team Johnny at WrestleMania XXVIII. 

Miz said as much to the assembled throngs of the WWE Universe at the sold-out Allstate Arena in Chicago. As viewers tuned into the exclusive stream on WWE.com, WWE's Facebook page, and YouTube.com/WWE, the challenger stalked to the ring and declared himself more worthy of a main event bout than either John Cena or Brock Lesnar.

"I singlehandedly gave John Laurinaitis his powerful vision," snarled The Miz as the WWE Universe rained boos around him. “I don’t care where you put me," he said, claiming that he would be the most talked-about Superstar on the roster the next day.

"Understand this if you understand anything: I am winning the United States Title."

Alas, The Miz's ascent will have to wait, as The Milan Miracle withstood the high-octane offense of his foe to incapacitate The Awesome One and set himself up for the win. Santino, who was the captain of Team Teddy at WrestleMania, ultimately avenged his squad's loss at The Show of Shows by striking The Awesome One with the Cobra to retain his stars-and-stripes festooned championship. The blow was enough to send The Miz stewing back to the locker room, waiting and scheming for when his next opportunity comes.

Randy Orton def. Kane (Falls Count Anywhere Match)

In an all-out brawl that went all over the sold-out Allstate Arena, Randy Orton gained a measure of retribution over Kane in a Falls Count Anywhere Match, vanquishing The Big Red Monster with a vicious RKO onto a steel chair.

The rules of this contest were designed to be simple, yet brutal. Pinfalls and submissions could be counted anywhere inside the arena, leaving both Superstars to their devices. Orton had vowed to show Kane how sick and twisted he could get and did just that.

It didn’t take long for things to get extreme, as Kane grabbed a lead pipe, setting off a brawl that saw the Superstars batter each other with all sorts of objects as they went out into the WWE Universe and backstage.

The match at Extreme Rules seemed to be the only way to settle things between the two. After Kane’s victory over The Viper at WrestleMania XXVIII, matters between the two Superstars intensified. Orton survived a vicious steel chair attack by Kane, defeating him in a No Disqualification Match on SmackDown. That same chair served as the tool to seal Kane’s end on pay-per-view.

The Big Red Monster took things to an extremely personal level soon after, attacking the father of The Viper, WWE Hall of Famer Cowboy Bob Orton, with a lead pipe on SuperSmackDown Live.  

WWE’s Apex Predator tried to retaliate several weeks later on Raw SuperShow by locking Kane’s father, Paul Bearer, in a freezer. The Big Red Monster, however, could not have cared less, as he removed Bearer from the chilly enclosure for a spell, then putting him back on ice. The coldest blow, however, would come at Extreme Rules.

The end of this cruel contest brings the rivalry between Orton and Kane full-circle. During a Street Fight last summer on SmackDown, it was also a chair-assisted RKO that felled the giant. On that evening, Kane shook the hand of The Viper, a rare show of respect that sent The Devil’s Favorite Demon on a journey to shed himself of any humanity. Since returning to SmackDown, Kane has set his sights on Orton, aiming to exercise any trace of decency left in his demonic body.

In his continuing effort to make hatred the prevailing emotion in WWE, Kane targeted Orton, trying to bring out the real Viper and make him an instrument of destruction. The Big Red Monster may have succeeded, but unfortunately, Orton set out to destroy Kane.

At Extreme Rules, there was neither respect nor humanity between the two Superstars, just animosity. When all was said and done, it was Randy Orton who walked away from the carnage.

Brodus Clay def. Dolph Ziggler:

It seems The Funksaurus won’t be facing extinction anytime soon. Despite a Herculean effort by Dolph Ziggler, The Funky One rolled through his opponent to keep The Show-Off in check at Extreme Rules at Chicago's sold-out Allstate Arena. 

This unlikely rivalry between Ziggler and Brodus Clay first unspooled the night after WrestleMania XXVIII, when Ziggler attempted to charge U.S. Champion Santino Marella on the entrance ramp and Clay ran interference. Since then, The Show-Off has clashed with The Funkasaurus over several weeks, but on this night, the two took their issues to the pay-per-view stage. The contest was appropriately high-volume, with Ziggler relying on his technical prowess and Clay staying grounded in his signature power game.

Brawn ultimately prevailed in the end, when The Funkasaurus shook off a Ziggler sleeper hold (and Jack Swagger interference) and Clay administered his signature headbutt-splash combo to pin The Show-Off’s shoulders against the mat. When it was all said and done, Ziggler was left to retreat to the locker room area, while Hornswoggle and The Funkadactyls swarmed the ring and celebrated the only way they knew how: a dance party.  

And funk is still on a roll.

Cody Rhodes def. Intercontinental Champion Big Show (Tables Match):

Less than one month after he put his best foot forward at WrestleMania, Big Show took one errant step that ultimately cost him his championship gold.

The title reign of The World’s Largest Athlete came to an abrupt end at Allstate Arena in Chicago on Sunday night as Cody Rhodes came away victorious from their Tables Match at WWE Extreme Rules to become the Intercontinental Champion for the second time. Big Show appeared in total control from the bout’s outset, but a timely dropkick by Rhodes caught the champion off-guard and sent the sizable Superstar reeling as his leg crashed through a ringside table for a shocking result.

Both competitors showed no difficulty in reigniting their heated rivalry despite being unaware of the Tables Match stipulation until the WWE Extreme Rules Pre-Show on WWE.com. John Laurinaitis, the General Manager of Raw and SmackDown, ordered that a spin of the wheel during the Pre-Show would determine how Big Show and Rhodes would contest the rematch from their Intercontinental Championship clash at WrestleMania XXVIII.

Though neither Superstar has competed in a Tables Match in recent memory, the stipulation initially appeared to favor The World’s Largest Athlete by virtue of his size advantage. For the technically-proficient Rhodes to win, he would somehow need to overcome his 441-pound opponent’s size advantage and put him through a wooden table.

World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus def. Daniel Bryan (2-out-of-3 Falls Match):With Chicago’s Allstate Arena filled to the rafters for Extreme Rules, World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus successfully defended his title against Daniel Bryan in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. 

In the end, it wasn’t a match as much as an Extreme war, in which two Superstars would leave absolutely everything they had on the canvas.









Ryback def. two local athletes:

When Ryback marches into an arena, there’s only one certainty for his opponents – destruction. It was no different for the two Chicago-based competitors who took on the machine-like Superstar at Extreme Rules.

The two competitors thought they had a mathematic advantage prior to the opening bell. Showing their work to the WWE Universe, the pair explained that two was, in fact, greater than one, which would give them a clear path to victory.

Ryback, however, showed he doesn’t care much for numbers. As Santino Marella and The Great Khali watched from backstage, the near-300-pounder systematically picked apart his opponents in short order. The two Chicago locals had no way of defending the offensive onslaught of Ryback.

After a rapid-fire series of vicious strikes and slams, Ryback put his opposition out of their misery. The Milan Miracle and The Punjabi Nightmare, like the WWE Universe, watched in amazement as one of WWE’s newest Superstars continued along his path of destruction.

While Ryback is a man of very few words, what he has said following his dominating victories has left no questions as to his desire. 

“Feed me more!”

WWE Champion CM Punk def. Chris Jericho (Chicago Street Fight)

 For weeks upon exhausting weeks, Chris Jericho attempted to publicly humiliate WWE Champion CM Punk and damage his family's reputation with wild accusations.

At Extreme Rules, in front of a sold-out crowd that included his sister and other family members at ringside, Punk finally got an opportunity to destroy his most hated adversary once and for all. Fittingly, the two Superstars battled in WWE's second-ever Chicago Street Fight, a grueling contest where the only way to win was by pinfall or submission – with no count-outs and no disqualifications.

The last time Punk fought on a pay-per-view in his hometown of Chicago, he pulled off a remarkable upset over John Cena to capture his first WWE Championship. With that stunning win at Money in the Bank still fresh in the Chicagoans' minds, Punk was showered with deafening cheers at the Allstate Arena as he made his way down the entrance ramp to take on Jericho.

Layla def. Divas Champion Nikki Bella:

The win came via a vicious neckbreaker from Layla to Brie, who entered the fray when the twins switched places in the match. Despite past successes with such tactics, this time, Twin Magic failed.

Although Beth Phoenix was originally scheduled to compete against Nikki, she was not medically cleared to compete, as first reported earlier in the day on WWE’s Breaking News Alert service. “As soon as I’m medically cleared, this (the Divas Title) is coming home with me,” the unfazed Glamazon said regarding the news.

Before the match, Eve announced a mystery opponent would take The Glamazon’s place. However, no one could have expected it would be the British-born beauty, Layla!

The win marks the second Divas Championship for Layla. However, her first reign came amidst controversy when she and Michelle McCool were self-professed co-champions in 2010.

As part of her championship resume, Layla is also recognized as the final holder of WWE Women's Championship when the title was retired in 2010. She won the coveted prize with McCool at her side in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match against Phoenix on the May 14, 2010 edition of SmackDown.

Layla’s surprise appearance at Extreme Rules 2012 was her first in the ring since the May 13, 2011 edition of SmackDown, when Kharma brutally assaulted her. The attack aggravated an already injured knee Layla sustained in an emotionally-charged Loser Leaves WWE Match at Extreme Rules 2011 when she beat Michelle McCool.

With Layla back and better than ever, who will be the first to challenge her? Tune in to Monday’s Raw SuperShow at 9/8 CT on USA Network.

John Cena def. Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules Match):

The pain came, was felt and was conquered by John Cena at Extreme Rules, where the dogged warrior reacquainted himself with ruthless aggression against a reborn threat in Brock Lesnar. In a grisly, torturous and barbaric Extreme Rules Match, the Cenation leader stood blow-for-blow with a veritable fighting machine, hell-bent on reshaping WWE in his chiseled likeness.

Lesnar, the man who dismissed the moniker of “Superstar” and vowed to “legitimize” WWE, had very specific plans for his emerald green-teed opponent, who’s long represented the idealistic mores of hustle, loyalty and respect. Under such extreme conditions where literally no rule was more tantamount than to maul, batter and disable your opponent by any means necessary, the hard-hitting beast named Brock aimed to deconstruct John Cena and make him know pain. 

A human wrecking ball was on the downswing and swooping toward Cena with just enough velocity to demolish a near decade-long legacy as WWE’s most brilliant star. And if The Cenation Commander-in-Chief couldn’t withstand its force, that ball’s trajectory would pummel WWE and require a landscape-wide reimagining – the age of Brock. 

But this brave, new world, it would seem, was not meant to be at Extreme Rules.

John Cena injured against Brock Lesnar at Extreme Rules:

 John Cena's victory over Brock Lesnar came with a steep price, as WWE.com has learned the Cenation leader suffered an injured left arm in his Extreme Rules Match against the wrecking machine at Extreme Rules in Chicago.

Lesnar made it a point to punish Cena's arm in their hotly anticipated bout in Chicago's sold-out Allstate Arena, trapping his arm in a Kimura Lock halfway through their show-stopping clash. And while Cena – who also took an elbow in the opening moments of the match that split his head open – beat Lesnar by a narrow margin with an Attitude Adjustment on the steel steps, it appears he has ended up the worse for wear despite the victory.

"The most obvious injury was the laceration to his head, which caused a substantial amount of bleeding," said WWE locker room physician Dr. Chris Amann. "He also has suffered a shoulder injury. Initial testing in the training room leads me to believe there may be torn muscles, possibly a torn rotator cuff or a biceps muscle."

Unfortunately, there are no specifics available as to the extent of Cena’s condition, although he is still scheduled to appear on tomorrow's Raw SuperShow. Dr. Amann told WWE.com reporters that doctors would be conducting additional tests in the morning to determine the full scope of Cena’s injuries.

Check back with WWE.com for more details as the story progresses.

Extreme Rules 2012 Pre-Show to stream live on YouTube

The WWE Universe is invited to watch the Extreme Rules 2012 Pre-Show, streamed live this Sunday on WWE.com, YouTube.com/WWE and Facebook, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. The free, 30-minute stream will feature United States Champion Santino Marella compete in a one-on-one joust against The Miz. 

Tune in prior to the highly anticipated pay-per-view event - which includes Brock Lesnar's return to action in WWE against John Cena under Extreme Rules - to see if The Italian Stallion can overcome the challenge of The Awesome One in Chicago's Allstate Arena. 

Raw Super Show Results 23rd April

Edge returned to Raw, gave an emotional pep talk to John Cena:Former SmackDown General Manager Teddy Long kicked off Raw SuperShow by introducing John Cena for the much-anticipated contract signing with Brock Lesnar. General Manager of Raw and SmackDown John Laurinaitis came out next to announce that Lesnar hadn't arrived yet at Joe Louis Arena, so the contract signing would take place on Brock's terms – not Cena's. Much to the GM's surprise, WWE Hall of Famer Edge made his electric return to Raw SuperShow with something important to say to John Cena. 

The Rated-R Superstar talked about the kind of man he knows Cena really is – the man who brutally beat him in a TLC Match and also chucked him into the Long Island Sound. Edge said that while he's never seen eye-to-eye with Cena, they can agree on their never-ending love for WWE, something that The Ultimate Opportunist claimed Brock doesn't have. Edge continued his emotional pep talk by telling the Cenation leader that he must win at Extreme Rules because he can't let someone who doesn't care about WWE somehow become the "face of WWE," stating that it would be a slap in the face of WWE Legends like Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and even Edge himself. 

Chris Jericho def. Kofi Kingston:

This time, Chris Jericho let his fists do some talking. Jericho notched a big victory in the ring one week after further verbally berating CM Punk on Raw SuperShow. Kofi Kingston had the crowd behind him and nailed multiple daring maneuvers from his arsenal, but Jericho capitalized on the high-flyer's overconfidence and nailed him with a Codebreaker before making him tap to the Walls of Jericho.

Afterwards, Jericho ridiculed Punk's family and claimed he would expose the WWE Champion as a fraud in Punk's own hometown of Chicago. Jericho said that Punk will need something to help him cope with failure, and that's why he decided to buy him a generous "gift" tonight. 

Lord Tensai def. R-Truth:The dominant warrior from Japan continued to unleash his wrath, this time against his highest-profile opponent yet. Lord Tensai crushed R-Truth with a massive sit-down powerbomb before driving him into the canvas with a powerful claw full of green mist. Before his convincing win, the WWE Universe heard Tensai speak in a video message that was in half-English and half-Japanese.

Randy Orton kidnapped Paul Bearer, then assaulted Kane:

Kane told the Detroit crowd that he discovered Randy Orton's weakness when he hit The Viper's father in the back of the head with a lead pipe. Orton returned the favor on Raw SuperShow by kidnapping Kane's father, Paul Bearer, and locking him in a freezer backstage. The Big Red Monster laughed off Orton's attempt to rattle him, saying that he had no intention of saving Bearer because he's always considered the devil to be his one true father. 

The two rivals then gave the WWE Universe a preview of what's in store for their Falls Count Anywhere Match, as Orton blasted Kane over the barricade with a lead pipe. Kane then retreated into the crowd as a fired-up Orton took to the ring to revel in the adrenaline rush.

 Intercontinental Champion Big Show and The Great Khali def. Cody Rhodes and Alberto Del Rio:
The duo of Cody Rhodes and Alberto Del Rio went to work on Big Show, doing everything in their power to keep The World's Largest Athlete from getting to his feet. Rhodes even remarkably secured a figure-four leg lock on Big Show, but Del Rio wanted no part of the battle when Big Show rallied his way back. Big Show then drilled Rhodes with a towering chokeslam for the victory as Del Rio bailed on his tag team partner.

*Alex Riley told Chris Jericho that he saw CM Punk drinking liquor in the locker room-__-
________________________________________________________________________

Brock Lesnar assaulted commentator Josh Mathews:
Trying to get an interview with Brock Lesnar had drastic consequences for Josh Mathews. After Brock rebuffed Mathews' line of questioning about his Extreme Rules Match against John Cena, Brock choked the commentator against the wall, and then sent him flying into a steel grate. Mathews was taken to the hospital for further evaluation following Lesnar's attack.

Nikki Bella def. Beth Phoenix to become the new Divas Champion:Beth Phoenix attempted to fight through a painful ankle injury and paid dearly for it. Nikki Bella shocked the WWE Universe in a Lumberjill Match by defeating The Glamazon and ended her 200-plus-day reign as Divas Champion. 

CM Punk passed a public field sobriety test, attacked Chris Jericho:

With Teddy Long and Chris Jericho looking on, CM Punk took a public field sobriety test administered by two Detroit police officers. First, Punk was asked to recite the alphabet backwards but failed to do so, as the WWE Champion claimed that nobody knows how to do that even when they're sober. Next, Punk was asked to walk a straight line in the ring, but failed to do that successfully as well. After the officers ruled that Punk failed the sobriety test, Long requested that Punk hand over his WWE Championship.

However, The Straight Edge Superstar was granted one more chance by Long to pass the public sobriety test, and proceeded to walk a straight line across the ring several times while reciting the alphabet backwards at the same time. Right after he reached "A" in the alphabet, the WWEChampion surprised Jericho with an attack that sprawled quickly to the arena floor. 

Mark Henry def. World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus in a Non-Title Match:

Special guest referee Daniel Bryan provoked World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus to hit him during the match, knowing he would be fired from WWE if he put his hands on another referee, per GM John Laurinaitis. Mark Henry took advantage of the distracted Sheamus and plowed him over as Bryan followed with the quick three-count. 

After Bryan rejoiced in his dastardly deed and threw his referee shirt at Sheamus, The Great White tried to attack his Extreme Rules opponent before Bryan locked him in the "Yes!" Lock. In a post-match interview, Sheamus warned that he would make Bryan pay in their 2-out-of-3 Falls showdown.

United States Champion Santino Marella and Zack Ryder def. WWE Tag Team Champions Primo and Epico in a Non-Title Match:
The Detroit crowd was firmly behind the team of Santino Marella and Zack Ryder as they took on Primo and Epico in a Non-Title Match. One week after losing to Big Show and The Great Khali, the WWE Tag Team Champions suffered another disappointing loss when Santino struck with The Cobra. After the defeat, A.W. offered the arguing champs his services backstage and left them his business card. 

Brodus Clay and Hornswoggle def. Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger

Brodus Clay and his little "brother," Hornswoggle, got their tag team groove on against Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger until Vickie Guerrero interfered and slapped The Funkasaurus across the face. Fortunately for Clay, his Funkadactyls were there to watch his back, and Vickie's best effort to make amends with a Brodus-style dance wasn't fooling anyone. Guerrero was then humiliated by Hornswoggle, who sent her running with a bite on the rear end.

Brock Lesnar listed his demands in the Extreme Rules Match contract signing:

Brock Lesnar came out for the Extreme Rules Match contract signing, but John Cena was nowhere to be found at first. Brock proceeded to give General Manager John Laurinaitis a list of changes he wants made to his contract, otherwise he would refuse to fight Cena at Extreme Rules. Saying he's not the "naïve farm boy" he used to be the first time around, Brock demanded to have access to Vince McMahon's private jet, the preference to show up on Raw SuperShow only when he wants, no fines of any kind for his actions, and finally, if he wins on Sunday, Raw has to be named to "Monday Night Raw: Starring Brock Lesnar."

After Laurinaitis agreed to Brock's demands, Cena walked out to the ring with his Thuganomics-era lock and chain around his neck and had a heated staredown with his Extreme Rules Match opponent. Following some verbal barbs from Lesnar, the Cenation leader signed the contract and didn't say a word, never taking his eyes off Brock as the show came to a close. 

News About The Miz:Counting Down the Days Until He Is Probably Drafted to WWE SmackDown

It was just one short year ago where the Miz appeared to be on the precipice of immortality.  During his now-forgettable run as WWE champion, the only WWE superstar whose exposure to the outside media was comparable to that of Mike "The Miz" Mizanin was John Cena. 

With his background/stigma as a reality TV star now well behind him, and in many ways assisting him on his relentless godwill tours for the WWE, the Miz was set to be cemented as a top superstar as he prepared to face John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania XXVII. 

Unfortunately, Miz's career may have peaked with what should have been a career-making victory over the WWE's at-times infallible hero. 

Maybe it was the Rock casting too large of a shadow.  Maybe it was the WWE's quick-trigger booking as they once again abandoned a new champion in progress.  Whatever it was, to say that the Miz has fallen precipitously from the ranks of a contender would be an understatement.

The WWE cemented Miz's unenviable status as world champion-turned mid carder by making a storyline out of his drastic fall from grace.  There, Miz would cut promos that carried a sharp tone of frustration with possibly facing the biggest year-to-year dropoff in WrestleMania history. 

Miz was able to sneak into the WrestleMania picture at the beginning of the month, even picking up a victory for Team Johnny over fellow flame-out Zack Ryder.

Once upon a time, Miz was on top of the world as the WWE Champion.

Little has been done with the Miz since scoring an otherwise encouraging pinfall.  The former world champion will figure to be on the outside looking in for Extreme Rules, which should present an inflated pay-per-view bonus as Brock Lesnar is set to compete in the WWE for the first time since 2004.      

To make matters worse, Miz currently finds himself on a RAW roster crowded with stars who need to get theirs before the WWE even thinks about letting Miz have his.  Once upon a time, seeing Miz in a new, exorbitant suit was somewhat of a staple on RAW. 

Now, Miz is only called upon for brief, filler matches that lead to nothing.  Any talking on his part is done quickly before his matches.  Such an unceremonious occasion hardly requires a shiny, Armani three-piece.

After going from must-see to hardly seen, Miz leads a generous crop of talent who need a change of scenery in order to revitalize their careers. 

With the WWE opting to bring in stars from the past while debuting a host of new names, the Miz has been lost in the shuffle for now.  Things will only get worse the more he is left off television. 

The WWE Draft has been rendered meaningless for a host of reasons.  Yet this event could be the Miz's saving grace should he be shipped off to the blue brand.

Having a new home on SmackDown will give Miz a new lease on life, and if paired with the right talent he could reemerge as a player in the WWE landscape. 

WWE Smack Down 20th April Results:

Daniel Bryan told AJ that he wished she was never born:

Emerging in a sea of “YES!” chants by the London members of the WWE Universe, Daniel Bryan wasted no time pointing out the numerous ways in which Sheamus had “taking the cowardly way out.” He cited his adversary's actions in their World Title Match at WrestleMania as well as the $500,000 fine, the largest in WWE history, that The Celtic Warrior's got for Brogue Kicking referee Chad Patton – even eluding to his "permanent probation" status that will get The Great White fired if he so much as touches another official

The former World Heavyweight Champion claimed, in no uncertain terms, that he would again shock the world by winning the World Title from The Celtic Warrior in a 2-out-of-3 falls showdown at Extreme Rules in Chicago. 


However, as he began to restart the “YES!” chants, the lovely AJ interrupted. The submission specialist would have no part of her pleading to talk over their problems. Instead, he once again belittled her in the crassest fashion possible – leaving her visibly crushed as he informed her that he wished she was never born and that he would never take her back.


But, as the UK crowd was about to learn, a Diva scorned can lead to extremely volatile results. 

Natalya def. AJ by Disqualification:
Consumed by the mental anguish that had just been thrown upon her by her ex-boyfriend Daniel Bryan, the normally kind-hearted AJ became completely unhinged. 


Prior to her match with Natalya, the noticeably destroyed Diva stood somewhat motionless in the ring. When her third-generation opponent let her guard down long enough to see if she was all right, AJ suddenly slapped her. She then unleashed an emotionally-charged assault on her unfortunate foe. When she wouldn’t back off, the referee had no choice but to call for the bell.

Brodus Clay def. Hunico:
With Hunico and Camacho waiting in the ring, Brodus Clay stopped his rhythmic entrance to introduce Hornswoggle as his “little brother.” The pint-sized Superstar emerged, dressed head-to-toe as a mini-Funkasaurus! Then, together with his big “brother,” he proceeded to bring the London house down with his own funky moves.


In the culmination of the match that followed, Brodus sent Camacho flying off the ring apron before delivering the splash to Hunico for the win. Moments later, ‘Swoggle climbed the ropes, hitting a post-match tadpole splash on the fallen Superstar.
Titus O’Neil & Darren Young def. The Usos:
After it became apparent that he had signed Titus O’Neil & Darren Young to become SmackDown Superstars, Permanent SmackDown and Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis ordered Theodore Long to wear an English Queen’s Guard Hat and, in that fashion, not talk at all.


Later that night, the new Friday grapplers competed in their first tag team match against The Usos at SmackDown competitors. After Titus dropped the ropes down and sent Jey Uso crashing to the ringside area, he caught a charging Jimmy Uso and lifted him off his feet. With his venerable prey stuck in the wrong part of town, Young hit him with powerful clothesline from the top ropes, setting up his partner to make the cover and give the newcomers their first SmackDown victory. 

Alberto Del Rio def. Big Show:Just when it looked like Big Show was going to overcome Alberto Del Rio with the chokeslam, Ricardo Rodriguez jumped up on the ring apron and distracted the referee. This opened the door for the emerging Cody Rhodes, who hit The World’s Largest Athlete with the Disaster Kick under the radar, setting up a huge win for The Mexican Aristocrat in his first match since rejoining the Friday night roster. 

Though Rhodes attacked him again after the bell, the fuming Show quickly recovered. This realization sent his crafty adversary running into the crowd to avoid a giant problem. 

Ryback def. local athlete:Once again, the outrageously fierce Ryback laid waste to another unfortunate opponent, with Drew McIntyre and Heath Slater laughing at the onslaught from the safety of the monitor in the back.  

Sheamus, Randy Orton & Big Show def. Daniel Bryan, Mark Henry & Cody Rhodes:
As The Great Khali was climbing up on the apron to join Randy Orton and World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus in their six-man tag team main event, Cody Rhodes suddenly took out his leg from nowhere, sending the gigantic Superstar plummeting to the ringside floor.

This left The Punjabi Nightmare unable to compete and made it seem for a moment that the situation would evolve into a Handicap Match. That notion was laid to rest, however, when Intercontinental Champion Big Show volunteered himself to take Khali’s place in his second match of the night.

In the main event that followed, Rhodes was taken down by Show’s WMD outside the ring. Then, Daniel Bryan swiftly put distance between himself and his upcoming Extreme Rules opponent Sheamus by tagging out to Henry. This ultimately led The World’s Strongest Man down a slippery slope to suffering a trifecta of earth-shattering finishers for the loss – The Great White’s Brogue Kick, the giant’s WMD and finally Orton’s RKO.

WWE Draft 2012: Counting Down the 20 Most Incredible Surprises in Draft History

Pro-wrestling fans rejoice! It is mid-April and just when you thought your WrestleMania hangover was over, the excitement of the 2012 WWE Draft now looms in the air.

Love it or hate it, the past nine editions of the WWE Draft has provided fans with some shocking moments.

What follows is a countdown of the 20 most incredible surprises in the draft's history:

20. Alberto Del Rio Drafted to Raw (2011):

At No. 20 on this list is Alberto Del Rio's trade from SmackDown to Raw—a move few expected.

After winning the Royal Rumble in January 2011, the Mexican aristocrat had been involved in a series of SmackDown feuds for the brand's World Heavyweight Championship. 

However, this move to Raw would eventually prove to be a smart one, as the former luchador would go on to win the WWE Championship twice.

Kelly Kelly is the First To Pick (2010)

Once again proving that good looks and a pretty smile can get a person far in life, Kelly Kelly was the 2010 WWE Draft's No. 1 pick. 

Granted, this move is a little less surprising than others—if we had the opportunity we would probably pick Kelly Kelly to be on our team too.

18. Dolph Ziggler Loses to Hornswoggle (2010):

The victor in a Dolph Ziggler versus Hornswoggle match should be easy to predict—ideally. 

But during the 2010 WWE Draft, in a match set to determine which brand (SmackDown or Raw) would get a draft pick, a bit of Irish luck helped Hornswoggle defeat Ziggler. 

The surprising upset would lead to the drafting of Chris Jericho from SmackDown to Raw (and the further burial of Ziggler).

17. Jim Ross Goes to SmackDown (2008 )

Good God almighty!

Known as the voice of Raw, good ol' Jim Ross had called many exciting matches during his tenure with the red brand, where he had been a dominant figure for much of the show's running history.

Many were surprised to see the Sooners fan move to SmackDown in 2008. His vacant spot on Raw would then go on to be filled by...

16. Michael Cole Gets Drafted to Raw (2008)

Michael Cole!

After Jim Ross was drafted to SmackDown, Micheal Cole was drafted to Raw to fill Ross' commentator role.

Since this 2008 WWE Draft, Cole has remained the red brand's primary commentator.

Who's Next to Come Back to the WWE?

Who is next?

In the past four months, the WWE has trotted out veterans who have been away from the ring for extended periods of time to compete and draw ratings.

While The Rock, Chris Jericho, Brock Lesnar and now Lord Tensai (Albert) have been a vital part of programming where superstars of today (CM Punk and John Cena) have been involved in various angles, other wrestlers who have been given a push and summarily had the rug pulled out from underneath them (Dolph Ziggler, Cody Rhodes, R-Truth and The Miz) are still waiting to climb back toward the top of the mountain.

But who is next? Who else is on the list of superstars from the past that the WWE will be bringing in to get a rise out of the fans and at the gate? Who will be the one who will do the one thing this company needs more than anything—get ratings?

Here is a look at some former superstars who could make their way back to the WWE and make a huge impact.