SummerSlam 2012: Lesnar Rebuilds His Aura and Punk Keeps Sliding Darker

Chris Jericho and Dolph Ziggler open the pay-per-view with a sharp singles match built around Ziggler questioning whether Jericho can still win important matches. Jericho works through a rib injury and repeatedly has to choose between protecting himself and pressing an advantage, while Ziggler uses speed and opportunism to punish every hesitation. The match builds naturally through counters rather than relying on outside interference. Ziggler survives a Codebreaker after the momentum carries Jericho to the floor and later lands the Zig-Zag for a convincing near-fall. Jericho keeps fighting, creates one final opening and traps Ziggler in the Walls of Jericho. Ziggler submits, giving Jericho the clean statement victory the storyline has spent weeks telling him he needs.

Daniel Bryan and Kane turn a strange anger-management rivalry into a compact match that matters more for what it starts than for the wrestling itself. Bryan tries to frustrate Kane with movement and quick strikes, while Kane repeatedly threatens to end the match through size and power. A slap from Bryan pushes Kane into a more reckless rhythm and gives the smaller wrestler the opening he needs. Kane eventually catches Bryan coming down from a diving headbutt and lands a Chokeslam. Instead of covering, Kane goes for a Tombstone Piledriver. Bryan reverses the attempt into a small package and steals the pin before sprinting away. The finish is clever, and the rivalry becomes historically important because it soon produces Team Hell No.

The Miz and Rey Mysterio give the Intercontinental Championship a clean, competitive defense that fits comfortably into the middle of the card. Mysterio's speed forces Miz to defend from unfamiliar angles, while the champion repeatedly tries to slow the pace and keep the challenger grounded. The match gets enough time for Mysterio to create several believable comeback sequences without turning into a long epic. He finally lands the 619 and appears ready to complete the title change. Mysterio misses Droppin' Da Dime, giving Miz the opening he needs. The champion immediately hits the Skull-Crushing Finale and scores the pin. The clean finish protects the title reign and gives Mysterio a credible challenge without unnecessary interference.

Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio continue their long World Heavyweight Championship rivalry with another solid match that is hurt by a disputed finish. Del Rio spends much of the match trying to create openings around the arm, while Sheamus counters with power and keeps the pace moving whenever the challenger gains control. The wrestling is steady, but the rivalry already feels familiar after multiple prior meetings. Ricardo Rodriguez eventually throws a shoe toward Del Rio, only for Sheamus to catch it and use it himself. Sheamus follows with the Irish Curse and scores the pin. Del Rio's foot is visibly on the bottom rope, but the referee misses it. The champion retains, yet the controversy ensures the feud still does not receive a clean endpoint.

Kofi Kingston and R-Truth defend the WWE Tag Team Championship against The Prime Time Players in a short match that functions more as division maintenance than a major title attraction. Darren Young and Titus O'Neil use size and quick tags to control the early stretches, while Kingston supplies the fastest offense whenever the champions create separation. The Prime Time Players are competitive enough to look like legitimate challengers, but the seven-minute runtime prevents the match from developing much complexity. Kingston eventually wipes out O'Neil with a flying body press to the floor. Inside the ring, R-Truth catches Young with the Lie Detector and scores the pin. The champions retain cleanly, but the division still feels secondary compared with the singles programs around it.

CM Punk's WWE Championship defense against Big Show and John Cena is built around Punk's growing frustration that the champion remains secondary to Cena in WWE's presentation. Big Show dominates the physical portions and forces Punk and Cena into temporary cooperation just to neutralize him. The central controversy comes when Punk traps Show in a Koji Clutch while Cena simultaneously applies the STF, causing Show to submit with no clear winner. AJ Lee restarts the match rather than awarding the title. Cena soon lands an Attitude Adjustment on Show and appears ready to take the victory. Punk throws Cena out of the ring, covers Show and retains. The finish is opportunistic and effectively advances Punk's increasingly resentful heel direction.

Brock Lesnar and Triple H close SummerSlam with a physical No Disqualification match built around the arm Lesnar had already injured in the buildup. Lesnar repeatedly attacks the limb and uses the Kimura Lock as the constant finishing threat, while Triple H tries to redirect the match toward Lesnar's vulnerable midsection. The pacing is slower than the card's best athletic matches, but the violence feels deliberate and appropriately heavy. Triple H survives an F-5 and later lands another Pedigree, creating a believable final comeback. Lesnar immediately counters the pinning attempt into the Kimura Lock. Triple H has nowhere to go and submits. The decisive finish gives Lesnar a needed major victory after losing to Cena at Extreme Rules and restores his aura.