Week in Photos, May 26, 2012
Christian's shocking return kicks off WWE Over the Limit as Captain Charisma eyes his competition in the 20-Man "People Power" Battle Royal!
Tyson Kidd has a great showing in the Battle Royal, and here he kills two birds with one stone thanks to a wicked dropkick off the ropes!
Christian eliminates David Otunga ...
... And then sends The Miz packing.
As per Executive Administrator Eve, as victor of the Battle Royal, Christian can decide to challenge for the US Championship or the Intercontinental Championship!
Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston & R-Truth take on Jack Swagger & Dolph Ziggler with the titles on the line at WWE Over the Limit.
Kofi connects and sends Ziggler flying!
Boom Drop!
The Tag Champs walk in and walk out with their titles intact!
Divas Champion Layla has an uphill battle against Beth Phoenix at WWE Over the Limit.
Layla brings Beth down with a crossbody off the top rope.
In the end, Layla prevails!
World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, Chris Jericho and Randy Orton compete in an epic Fatal 4-Way Title Match at WWE Over the Limit!
Sheamus is locked in The Walls of Jericho!
Del Rio breaks up the cover attempt.
The Great White connects with a flying shoulder off the top rope!
The Celtic Warrior overcomes the odds and emerges from the Fatal 4-Way victorious.
In advance of his match against Brodus Clay, The Miz shows the WWE Universe how to bust a move.
Brodus isn't impressed with The Awesome One's dancing abilities, and The Funkasaurus takes it out on him in the ring.
Brodus dances last in this battle at WWE Over the Limit.
After his Battle Royal win, Christian throws a bit of a curveball and chooses to take on Cody Rhodes for his Intercontinental Title.
Cody connects on the outside!
Championship gold caps off an incredible return for Captain Charisma!
WWE Champion CM Punk enters PNC Arena and the WWE Universe is ready for a classic confrontation between The Second City Saint and Daniel Bryan.
The men of a thousand holds: Here, Bryan locks Punk in.
Punk drives home an elbow off the ropes and into the heart of Bryan.
A classic moment in an instant-classic match at WWE Over the Limit.
Punk secures his title with a monumental victory over the submission specialist.
Ryback's frightening strength is on display as he decimates Camacho.
The bout ends with another impressive and one-sided victory by Ryback.
In the night's main event, John Cena clashes with Raw and SmackDown GM John Laurinaitis.
Cena pays back the GM for months of unfair leadership.
"You can't see me!"
Cena may have dominated the bout, but thanks to a surprising return, Laurinaitis goes home with the victory.
Big Show raises Big Johnny's hand ...
... A move that leaves the WWE Universe speechless.
John Cena kicks off Raw in a bad, bad mood as he addresses the Big Show situation.
Mr. Laurinaitis arrives driving his "People Power" scooter because of the injuries he sustained in his bout against Cena at WWE Over the Limit.
After Laurinaitis announced that Cena will face the rehired Big Show at No Way Out on June 17, The World’s Largest Athlete says he "did what he had to do" at Over the Limit.
The Cenation leader takes out his frustrations on David Otunga during their match.
Otunga taps out to the STF ...
... But Cena gets an unfriendly surprise as pro-Laurinaitis Superstars flood the ring!
World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus comes to Cena's aid!
Cena and Sheamus may have taken care of the immediate threat, but thanks to The Celtic Warrior's helping hand, Laurinaitis orders he and Cena to team up in Raw's first-ever 2-on-3 Handicap Lumberjack Match later in the night!
United States Champion Santino Marella gets into a verbal spat with Alberto Del Rio’s personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez as the two duel over who can roll their "R"s better.
Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio lock up in the center of the ring, and The Mexican Aristocrat targets The Viper's shoulder.
When The Viper appears to have things in hand, Chris Jericho appears out of nowhere and hits three consecutive Codebreakers on Orton!
With CM Punk on commentary, Kane and Daniel Bryan go head-to-head in the ring.
With a little help from Punk at ringside, Kane decimates Bryan.
Punk adds insult to injury by locking Bryan in an excruciating Anaconda Vise!
New Intercontinental Champion Christian takes on Jinder Mahal.
Christian connects with a frog splash off the top rope to put Mahal away.
Coming off her WWE Over the Limit loss to Layla, Beth Phoenix takes out some aggression on Kelly Kelly.
Beth hits the Glam Slam ...
... And this match is over.
In Raw's first-ever 2-on-3 Handicap Lumberjack Match, John Cena & Sheamus face off against Tensai, Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger.
The battle rages inside the ring as Laurinaitis' hand-picked lumberjacks await outside.
When the lumberjacks storm the ring, chaos ensues!
Derrick Bateman and Jinder Mahal kick off WWE NXT with an exciting bout!
Bateman connects with a massive dropkick!
Percy Watson takes on "The One Man Southern Rock Band" Heath Slater on WWE NXT.
Maxine gets a chance to redeem herself after last week’s loss against Kaitlyn, as she faces her former mentor, Alicia Fox, on WWE NXT!
The Great Khali & Ezekiel Jackson take on Johnny Curtis & Drew McIntyre in tag team action on WWE NXT.
WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston & R-Truth take on JTG & Michael McGillicutty on "WWE Superstars."
Zack Ryder takes on Heath Slater in singles action on "WWE Superstars."
Tyson Kidd battles Antonio Cesaro in an impressive battle on "WWE Superstars."
WWE’s Executive Administrator kicks off SmackDown by telling the WWE Universe that, due to an international WWE business trip, John Laurinaitis is not here, but he’s left Eve in charge.
The Mexican Aristocrat arrives to tell Eve that "There’s no one better than Alberto Del Rio" to be the No. 1 contender to Sheamus' World Heavyweight Championship ...
... But Randy Orton disagrees.
So, too, does Kane. The Devil's Favorite Demon reminds Eve that tonight's show episode No. 666 of SmackDown!
Eve schedules a Triple Threat No. 1 Contender's Match for later in the night to determine who will face Sheamus at No Way Out!
Hello again, Peeps! New Intercontinental Champion Christian takes on Hunico.
Captain Charisma has looked great since his return from injury ...
... And not even a distraction from Camacho on the outside can stop the new champion from mounting an impressive offensive attack.
Christian hits the Killswitch then goes up top for a huge frogsplash to score the pinfall victory!
After the match, former titleholder Cody Rhodes comes out to say that he made the title mean something again and tells Christian that in one night, Christian ruined all that.
After engaging in some jaw jacking backstage earlier in the night, The Usos take on Titus O’Neil & Darren Young in tag team action!
While both young teams look impressive in the bout, O’Neil and Young prevail.
Monstrous newcomer Ryback is pitted in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match against two opponents — at the same time!
Ryback finishes off both opponents with an incredible display of strength.
In the night’s unlikeliest bout, United States Champion Santino Marella takes on Ricardo Rodriguez!
Santino toys with Alberto Del Rio’s personal ring announcer, but after both men competitors lose their balance, things get weird.
Santino hits the Cobra and it’s all over!
Earlier, Eve demanded that World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus apologize for bumping into Big Johnny on Raw while en route to the ring to help John Cena. Sheamus’ apology? "I would like to apologize ... for John Laurinaitis being a massive arse!"
Vickie Guerrero comes out to interrupt The Great White, telling Sheamus that, by order of Eve, he has a match right now against Jack Swagger!
Sheamus may have tweaked his ankle during the bout, but as he’s done in the past, The Celtic Warrior intensely fights through the pain and refuses to quit!
Swagger goes for a Gut-Wrench Powerbomb but Sheamus counters and connects with a Brogue Kick from out of nowhere to score a resounding victory.
After he was brutalized by Damien Sandow last week on SmackDown, Yoshi Tatsu looks to settle the score.
The self-proclaimed "Intellectual Savior" once again lays a verbal SmackDown on Tatsu, then takes the fight to him in an officially sanctioned match.
Sandow makes quick work of Tatsu in his first official match on SmackDown.
Sitting on a stool in the center of the ring, Big Show explains his WWE Over the Limit actions, saying he felt "betrayed" by each and every member of the WWE Universe after he was fired.
The World’s Largest Athlete says he no longer cares about the WWE Universe.
When Kane arrives for the Triple Threat No. 1 Contender's Match against Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio, Daniel Bryan shows up and pummels the monster with a black steel chair!
Bryan reigns down a multitude of chair blasts to The Big Red Monster.
A clearly wounded monster still manages to put up a fight in the battle.
Fighting for a championship match against Sheamus at No Way Out, Orton takes it to Del Rio!
Kane chokeslams Del Rio ...
... But Bryan shows up again to distract Kane ...
... And Orton hits the RKO on the monster.
The Viper goes for the pin, but Del Rio breaks the cover, sneaks in and pins Kane to win the bout and No. 1 contendership!
As Del Rio celebrates with Ricardo on the ramp, Sheamus attacks with a clear message: "I can’t wait to kick your head off at No Way Out!"
