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3/23 WWE results Lakeland, Fla.: Punk-Ziggler & Cena-Kane main events, interesting Miz vs. Funkasauras match-up, Ryder vs. FCW wrestler

Mar 23, 2012 - 11:26:34 PM
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WWE Raw house show results
March 23, 2012
Lakeland, Fla.
Report by Josh Parry, PWTorch correspondent


The first WWE show in Lakeland in five years was nearly a sell-out with a few patchy spots around the sides of the stage. Estimated 3,000 in attendance.

(1) U.S. champion Santino beat Jack Swagger to retain the U.S. Title. Lots of push-ups, sit-ups, and Cobra histrionics to start things off. Santino hit the Cobra after hulking up to a more than respectable pop.

(2) Zack Ryder beat Leo Kruger. Leo came out to good heat in familiar FCW territory. He actually dominated Ryder for a good while until a military press was countered into the Rough Ryder for the pin.

(3) Eve beat Kelly Kelly. Eve came out and cut a promo that was inaudible over "Hoeski" chants. It was basically the same promo she's been delivering lately about supporting Ryder and she was only joking about setting him up. Better and longer than you would expect from these two.

(4) Ryback beat Alex Riley. Ryback got little reaction until the crowd made the Skip Sheffield connection and started chanting "Skip, Skip, Skip!" He looked a lot like Batista and was very dominant. Basically a squash.

(5) Kofi Kingston & R-Truth beat WWE tag champions Epico & Primo in a non-title match. It was scheduled to be for the Tag Titles, but Big Johnny decreed that based off Kofi and Truth's actions last week, it would no longer be for the titles. Very good, long-form tag match in which Truth scored the pin with his reverse STO.
ClayBrodus_TB180.png

(6) Brodus Clay beat The Miz. Miz cut a promo complaining about not having a match at WrestleMania, but there's no point asking the idiots in Lakeland to affect any change. The match was more competitive than you'd expect. Miz dominated until Clay bounced off the ropes to surprise Miz with his running body block.

(7) John Cena beat Kane in a Last Man Standing match. This didn't last very long. Probably about ten minutes. Two minutes in, Kane nailed Cena with a bell shot and a mic shot to the head, but Cena got up. Cena blocked a chair shot, but Kane managed a chokeslam for a close ten count. He set up a table in the corner and tossed John straight through for another nine count. Kane introduced a second table, but Cena countered Kane's chokeslam attempt into an AA through the table, which was good for a full ten count.

(8) WWE champion C.M. Punk beat Dolph Ziggler to retain the WWE Title. Excellent, excellent main event. Wrestling, facials, and storytelling were all spot on. It went about 20 minutes and was full of pretty believable nearfalls. Punk hit the GTS after being pushed into the ref and had Ziggler down for a "six count" before he went to retrieve the ref. After evading another round of onslaught from Ziggler, Punk's second GTS was good for the pin and win.

Post-match, Punk got on the mic to thank the crowd and brought a little boy into the ring, who was celebrating his 9th birthday. Punk then sang Happy Birthday in a scarily similar fashion to the way he sang to Rey Mysterio's daughter in 2010. Very classy by Punk, though.

Top Pops:

(1) Punk
(2) Cena (80/20)
(3) Santino

Top Heat:

(1) Miz
(2) Ziggler
(3) Swagger

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]


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