BROCK LESNAR VS. TRIPLE H

The night after Wrestlemania 28 Brock Lesnar returned to WWE. He left after his shambles of a match with Goldberg at Wrestlemania XX and even MR LESNAR wasn't immune to the obligatory John Cena job on his first match back at Extreme Rules at the end of April. He went away for a couple of months before beginning this feud with Triple H, also breaking his arm with the kimura lock after some tense contract negotiations. It took Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley cutting Heyman's balls off for mentioning her children for Heyman to accept the match on Brock's behalf.

Earlier in the night, Matt Striker interviewed Paul Heyman with Brock Lesnar by his side. Triple H told tonight's referee that is should be a fight to the finish and to use his discretion, Lesnar gets some mic time saying Triple H won't win. This was before the Kane vs. Daniel Bryan match (here) Kevin Rudolf (remember that guy?) also played tonight's theme song “Don't Give Up” live for the crowd with the Divas dancing and applauding him. No, there was not a women's match on the event if you're wondering. WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson shows his support for Triple H on Twitter before we get to the video package detailing how this came about, including Shawn Michaels becoming collateral damage for his best friend and getting a broken arm, simply for wanting to be in Triple H's corner. Michael Cole and Jerry “The King” Lawler are on commentary for this match. Brock Lesnar enters with Paul Heyman, as is customary. Triple H is going it alone now Michaels is on the shelf. Michael Cole further proves that WWE has no idea what an anniversary is, calling it the 25^th anniversary of Summerslam, it's actually the 25^th edition. Michaels says whoever goes down in this match, will take the other with them over Twitter before the light dim for SUPER SPECIAL INTRODUCTIONS!!

BROCK LESNAR VS. TRIPLE H

WWE Summerslam 2012 (19^th August 2012)

Brock Lesnar drives Triple H into the corner at the bell, hitting shoulder blocks. Triple H fights back with right hands but Brock shakes them off, he tries a kimura right away but Triple H escapes and mounts Lesnar with rights. Brock Lesnar takes it back to the corner, this time wrapping his legs around Triple H's waist with the kimura locked in. Triple H grabs the rope but it was his decision to take away disqualifications. Triple H fights out of it and clotheslines Lesnar over the top to the floor. Brock looks shocked and charges back into the ring, running through Triple H's attack to send him back into the corner, shoulder blocks, and a clothesline by Lesnar. Triple H cuts him off with a high knee and sends him to the floor again, Heyman tries to calm his client down and Brock takes a walk around ringside before getting back in the ring. He removes his gloves and takes Triple H down, hitting him in the back of the head. This time it's Triple H that takes a walk around ringside.

Brock Lesnar follows him to the announce tables, kicking him in the gut. Triple H tries to fight back with rights but gets cut off with knees and a clubbing blow to the back. Lesnar traps Triple H's arm behind his back before slamming him on the announce table. Triple H eventually follows Lesnar back into the ring, more right hands have no effect as Lesnar slams Triple H onto his bad arm again. Brock goes for a standing kimura before wrapping Triple H's arm around the top rope and pulling on it. I'm sure the referee started counting, even though there's nothing he can do about it. Triple H tries to kick his way out of the corner but is trapped in another kimura. Lesnar sends Triple H's shoulder into the top turnbuckle. Triple H escapes an F5 attempt, Lesnar ducks a clothesline and hits a german suplex. Brock Lesnar stomps the arm of Triple H and stops him sliding out of the ring, but Triple H is able to hotshot Lesnar across the top rope and get a breather. Triple H is back in the ring and they exchange strikes. Triple H hits a DDT but can't capitalize, getting trapped in a kimura. Brock can't get it locked in properly so he slams Triple H onto the arm again.

Triple H tries to fight from his knees but that's quickly cut off, so he escapes to the floor. He tries to sends Lesnar into the ring steps but it gets countered, with Lesnar aiming the left arm at the target again. He sends Triple H into the side of the announce table and pulls it over, just because he can. A sledge shot from the new top of the table leaves Triple H napping on the barricade. Michael Cole shows one of the unfortunate consequences of the PG era saying Lesnar “is not a superstar, he's a butt-kicker” but at least he tried to do it with conviction. Triple H is sent back into the ring, he fights to his feet but Lesnar rolls him up for a small package only getting a one count. Triple H fights back with knees but is sent off the ropes into a clothesline/bodycheck hybrid. Triple H is able to block a suplex and hit one of his own, he side-steps a Lesnar charge in the corner and sets up a Pedigree but Lesnar fights it off, sending Triple H into the corner and over to the floor. Paul Heyman tells Lesnar what happened to Triple H reminding me of a funny Shane McMahon moment from his feud with Big Show.

Triple H sends Brock Lesnar into the announce table gut first, showing he read up on Brock's well-known diverticulitis issues. Triple H now has an equalizer, hitting a pair of stiff shots to Lesnar's stomach. They get back in the ring and Lesnar attempts the kimura, but a series of knee strikes to the gut break the hold. Triple H knocks Lesnar down with a running knee to the gut. Paul Heyman looks on concerned for the first time in the match as Triple H continues spamming the knee as if it's the only move he knows on a fighting arcade game. Paul Heyman screams for him to stop from ringside. Triple H hits a spinebuster and sets up a Pedigree but it's countered, F5 countered and the Pedigree hits! 1, 2, no! Brock Lesnar hits a desperate low blow and Scott Armstrong looks like he wants to call for the bell so Heyman reminds him that Triple H asked for this. Even Lesnar's low blow had power in it, sending Triple H off his feet. He hits the F5 but only gets 2½. Brock Lesnar goes back to the Kimura, dropping to the floor for more leverage, Triple H gets to the ropes out of instinct but has to fight out with shots to the kidneys. Triple H hits the Pedigree but Lesnar says FUCK YOUR FINISHER and locks in another Kimura. Triple H tries to fight out but has to tap out.

WINNER: BROCK LESNAR

This match was really good. Brock seemed to forget about the arm for a while near the end but went back to it, Triple H needed desperate moves and Lesnar's own mistakes in order to get anything going and the right man won the match in my opinion. They used the added stipulation well, not as an excuse for plunder as these guys just held on to moves for longer and the ropes weren't an escape forcing Triple H to literally fight past the pain with Lesnar. Paul Heyman also put on a masterclass in how to be an effective manager that adds to matches, not distracts from them. [stars] /10.

After the match Triple H tries to milk a sympathetic reaction that isn't coming, as the fans simply reminded him that he tapped out. He gets a slight ovation as he apologizes in the ring, but even those applauding don't honestly look like they care. They just want to get home and miss the traffic, so he has to leave the ring at some point. This takes up the last 5 minutes of the show, I'm not kidding. He tells a kid it'll be alright and the kid looks terrified as he turns to who I presume is his father.