WWE Royal Rumble results: CM Punk defeats Dolph Ziggler despite referee shenanigans

by Sergio Hernandez on Jan 29, 2012 9:45 PM EST in WWE

The proceedings commenced with "Mr. Exciting" John Laurinaitis coming out as the special guest enforcer to ensure that everything is on the up and up. His first act? Booting Vickie Guerrero from ringside!

What can I say about the match itself? It was fantastic. I love these two working together. They're both complete professionals and gel extremely well, each time they step inside the squared circle with each other is a delight.

Highlights from this match is a Doctor Bomb from Punk, a realistic counter to the ZigZag and some great cockiness from the challenger.

The ending came when a referee bump sent the zebra to the outside while The Dynamic Dude tended to him. Punk sunk in the Anaconda Vice and Ziggler tapped. No referee. Ziggler tries to roll the champ up but Punk rolls through and gets the pin. No referee. Punk even scored a GTS but no referee. Eventually Punk got sick of the shenanigans.

"Next GTS is for you, clownshoes!" the champ screamed at the Interim Raw General Manager. Punk set the finisher up but the challenger beautifully countered into a Fame Asser! Billy Gunn, that one's for you! Punk kicked out and managed to hit a second GTS -- sold beautifully by Ziggler as always -- to earn the pinfall from the referee and Laurinaitis who slid in and counted the three count as well.

While Punk celebrated inside the ring post-match, his supposed nemesis cheered him at the top of the entrance ramp.

Catch the ongoing Royal Rumble play by play here for each and every punch, kick and slam.

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Johnny ace only counted to 2. This will be used to continue the storyline. Which leaves a lot to be desired

Greatest lover ever during the day, Trainyard Sleeper at night.

by IRodC on Jan 29, 2012 11:32 PM EST reply actions

This match was an absolute burial for Ziggler

He was beaten 4 times in one match. Instead of losing but still coming out looking strong he looked like he didn’t even belong in the same ring as the champ. Terrible booking on this one.

"I'm a little worried about being a slut"
~ Bobby Hill

by Chris Hines on Jan 29, 2012 11:42 PM EST reply actions

Kinda like when the Rock beat Triple H for the title after kicking out of everything Trips threw at him (including interferences and the pedigree), and then pinning him with a spinebuster and the people’s elbow (that Triple H sold forever before Rock even made the cover). Yeah, that really buried Trips and made him look weak. His career suffered horribly.

https://twitter.com/#!/Sixteen_Shells, http://sixteenshells.blogspot.com/

by FarmerInTheCity on Jan 30, 2012 12:35 AM EST up reply actions

It's actually nothing like that at all

Ziggler didn’t kick out of anything. He was legit beaten 4 times, including tapping out. He then gave his finisher when Punk wasn’t expecting it, which Punk quickly not only recovered from but immediately put him to sleep to win the match.

Also Ziggler isn’t on either the Rock or Trips level at this point. He’s a mid carder trying to establish himself on the main event level for the first time. Having him be beat 4 times, only able to even continuing competing because of Lauranitis makes him look bad.

It was bad booking plain and simple. You could have had Ziggler lose yet still come out looking strong, ready to build towards an eventual title run and place amongst the main event players forever. Instead he has to fight back from this. It won’t ruin his career, he’s too talented for that. However it made him look incredibly weak, as if he was so overmatched Punk could beat him anytime he wanted too. Which he did 4 times in this match alone.

Be purposefully obtuse and condescending all you want, they should’ve have booked him stronger than this. He was a complete afterthought in this match plain and simple.

"I'm a little worried about being a slut"
~ Bobby Hill

by Chris Hines on Jan 30, 2012 12:46 AM EST up reply actions

It’s similar in the Triple H looked incredibly weak in losing to the Rock. Yeah, the details are different, you got me there, but the overbooking is still there. I see too many people complaining about overbooking nowadays without a whisper regarding it during the Attitude era.

https://twitter.com/#!/Sixteen_Shells, http://sixteenshells.blogspot.com/

by FarmerInTheCity on Feb 3, 2012 2:58 AM EST up reply actions