WWE Over the Limit 2012 preview

World Heavyweight Championship Fatal 4-Way Match

World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus has said time and time again that he loves to fight. Well, at WWE Over the Limit, The Great White will get that opportunity – times three – when he battles challengers Alberto Del Rio, Chris Jericho and Randy Orton in a Fatal 4-Way Match for the World Title.
Originally slated as a one-on-one title encounter against Del Rio, the pay-per-view showdown picked up two contenders on the May 7 edition of Raw SuperShow. This happened when John Laurinaitis, the General Manager of both Raw and SmackDown, announced that it would be a Fatal 4-Way Match aftter the competitors erupted in a brawl after an intense tag team battle on Raw.
Sheamus has been on an absolute tear since capturing the World Heavyweight Title from Daniel Bryan in a history-making 18 seconds at WrestleMania (PHOTOS), including hard-fought victories over the former champion in a 2-out-of-3 Falls rematch at Extreme Rules (PHOTOS) and a tremendous win over The World’s Strongest Man Mark Henry on SmackDown. (WATCH | PHOTOS) More than ever before, the Irish Superstar has been running on all cylinders, demonstrating the heart of a true World Champion. (MORE ON SHEAMUS)
Despite his recent success, however, the odds of The Great White walking out of Over the Limit with the coveted title around his waist are strongly against him. In a Fatal 4-Way Match, any of the four competitors can win the title by scoring a pinfall or submission on any of the other three. In short, Sheamus doesn’t technically have to be beaten to lose his championship.
In addition to the numbers game, the elite Superstars that The Great White will face are both successful and dangerous even on their worst days – with talents particularly well-suited to this type of match.
Chris Jericho is a four-time World Champion and one of the most highly decorated Superstars in the history of WWE. Translation: the first-ever Undisputed WWE Champion has always, and will always, know how to win. He’s skilled, adaptable and completely merciless in any and all conditions. Therefore, his fourth World Title could be but a Codebreaker away. (MORE ON JERICHO)
Randy Orton is a nine-time World Champion, capable of waging war on any battlefield. Besides being an unpredictable and cunning grappler, The Viper’s ability to strike quickly in a number of ways gives him a decisive advantage in this type of contest. The crown jewel of his arsenal in particular – the RKO – is the perfect device to emerge triumphant in the fast-paced chaos of a Fatal 4-Way. (MORE ON ORTON)
Del Rio is a two-time World Champion, who’s as confident as he is ruthless. Rising out of the luchador tradition of Mexico, the aristocrat Superstar is no stranger to the tornado-like atmosphere he will encounter at Over the Limit. In fact, he’s already reached the pinnacle of squared circle greatness in a similar environment, having won his second title in a Triple Threat Hell in a Cell WWE Championship Match in 2011.  (MORE ON DEL RIO)
At WWE Over the Limit, find out who will emerge from the mayhem of the Fatal 4-Way with the World Heavyweight Championship in his grasp, Sunday May 20 at 8 / 5 PT, only on pay-per-view.

WWE Extreme Rules 2012 preview

Randy Orton vs. Kane (Falls Count Anywhere Match)

 

At Extreme Rules, Randy Orton will face The Big Red Monster Kane in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. How extreme will The Viper go to finally put an end to his monstrous foe once and for all? (HOW TO WATCH)
A WrestleMania rematch of epic proportions, the diabolic match stipulation will provide the perfect grounds for Orton and Kane to exorcise their inner demons (WRESTLEMANIA PHOTOS). No strangers to brutal, dangerous bouts, it’s safe to assume that WWE's Apex Predator and resident monster will take each other to the edge on Sunday, April 29, to determine who will put the exclamation point on what has been a year’s worth of dissension.  
The roots of this intense rivalry date back to July of last year, when Orton and Kane battled in an unforgettable Street Fight on SmackDown. In an effort to purge his humanity, Kane repeatedly struck Orton with a steel chair, an object that he brandished often over the course of the bout. (WATCH)
After the Street Fight ended, Kane, limping and battered, staggered over to the victorious Orton — who was also limping from multiple, horrific chair blasts — and, in an unexpected moment, extended his hand to WWE's Apex Predator in the ultimate sign of respect. Orton took Kane’s hand and the two shook as men.
After battling John Cena for months on end, The Big Red Monster returned to Friday nights to find closure with The Viper — with a profound desire to expunge himself of all traces of humanity.
Stalking The Viper for weeks on end, Kane would soon face Orton at WrestleMania in a bout that ended with a victory for The Devil's Favorite Demon, courtesy of a ring-shaking chokeslam off the top rope (PHOTOS). Then, just five nights later on SmackDown, Orton defeated Kane in a vicious No Disqualification Match. The Viper got some redemption after his loss on The Grandest Stage of Them All, overcoming a ruthless steel chair assault to plant Kane with a resounding RKO. Instead of putting an end to this rivalry, however, Orton’s victory only worked to raise the ire of the monster. (WATCH)
On SuperSmackDown LIVE: Blast from the Past on April 10, Orton’s world went red during his match against Mark Henry when Kane’s pyrotechnics interrupted the bout. Kane then appeared on the TitanTron to reveal that he had attacked Randy’s father and WWE Hall of Famer "Cowboy" Bob Orton, who lay motionless at the monster’s feet. The Viper rushed backstage to help his dad, but Kane was waiting in the shadows with a pipe. (WATCH)
The assault on two generations of Ortons brought WWE’s Apex Predator past his breaking point. On the April 20 episode of SmackDown, Orton emphatically stated his intentions for their Falls Count Anywhere Match at Extreme Rules, saying, "Kane’s going to find out how sick and twisted I can be."
When they faced each other a year ago in a Street Fight on SmackDown, there was a mutual respect between Orton and Kane. This time around, that once-held respect is replaced by pure, simple hatred. The Street Fight ended with an RKO that drove the monster’s skull down onto a steel chair. But now that Kane has fully exorcised his humanity, will their rematch at Extreme Rules have a different result? Or will WWE’s Apex Predator finally get retribution on The Big Red Monster?
Find out when the two Superstars clash at Extreme Rules, Sunday, April 29 at 8/5 PT, only on pay-per-view!

 

Randy Orton vs. Kane preview

One of the fiercest rivalries in WWE is set to explode on The Grandest Stage of Them All and engulf the squared-circle in flames. At WrestleMania on April 1 in Miami, the WWE Universe will witness an epic showdown when ice-cold Randy Orton battles the fiery Kane.
The fuse to this volatile showdown was lit weeks ago on the Mar. 2 edition of SmackDown. Although Randy Orton returned from injury to face Daniel Bryan, his retribution was interrupted by The Big Red Monster. After causing Orton to lose the match by count-out, Kane brawled ringside with WWE’s Apex Predator. The melee culminated when Kane delivered a devastating chokeslam and the eerie words, “Welcome back, Randy.” The disturbed and enigmatic monster left both Orton and the WWE Universe confused as to the motivation behind the assault.
Several days later on the Mar. 5 edition of Raw SuperShow, Kane’s victory celebration over R-Truth was fleeting as a vengeful Viper came to the ring and hit his antagonist with a searing RKO. Orton also had a verbal rebuttal for The Devil’s Favorite Demon: “It’s good to be back.”
Four days later on SmackDown, amidst the conflict between General Managers Theodore Long and John Laurinaitis, Orton and Kane again clashed, brawling as the show went off the air.
When The Viper demanded an explanation from his adversary one week later, Kane surprisingly obliged and revealed footage of a Street Fight between the two brutal Superstars from SmackDown last summer. After losing the match, Kane offered a handshake – a rare show of humanity from The Big Red Monster. Still haunted by memories of this weakness, Kane vowed vengeance on Orton and promised to decimate him on The Grandest Stage of Them All at WrestleMania XXVIII.
Two of the most uncontrollable forces in WWE are on collision course. Will Kane exorcise his demons or will Randy Orton extinguish The Big Red Monster’s flames? Or will this explosive match guarantee mutually assured destruction? The answers lie in Miami on April 1 when Randy Orton meets Kane at The Showcase of the Immortals.

Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos vs. Divas Champion Beth Phoenix and Eve

Maria Menounos is stepping back into the squared circle again, and this time it'll be on The Grandest Stage of Them All. The host of NBC's Extra will team up with Kelly Kelly to take on Divas Champion Beth Phoenix and Eve at WrestleMania XXVIII on April 1.
It's a match two years in the making, as Beth and Eve have been caught in a bitter rivalry since late 2009. Menounos, who scored a shocking pinfall over Phoenix in an Eight-Diva Tag Team Match at WWE Tribute to the Troops in December, may face her toughest challenge yet in Miami, as both Beth and Eve want to teach a stern lesson to the versatile entertainer and competitor on Dancing with the Stars.
Menounos had invited some WWE Divas to chat with her on Extra, but Beth and Eve were nowhere to be found on the guest list. Instead, first it was Alicia Fox and The Bella Twins, and most recently Kelly Kelly, who got the call. The Glamazon seemed especially angered by Menounos' choice in Divas, claiming that "she doesn't respect the WWE Divas Champion."
A master intimidator, Phoenix took extreme measures to make sure Menounos couldn't simply shrug off The Glamazon's complaint. Beth and Eve flew out to L.A., crashed the set of Extra during a Kelly Kelly interview and got physical with Menounos before being pulled off by security. But Maria would not be rattled by the heated scuffle, and accepted Beth's challenge for WrestleMania without hesitation.
Beth has long taken exception with the fact that Kelly Kelly is the Diva most embraced by the media while The Glamazon has impressively held the coveted title for over five months and counting. Eve, on the other hand, feels entitled to fame, power and everything else she desires, and hasn't been afraid to break Superstars' hearts as she high-heel steps her way to the top. The determined vixen hasn't cared about losing friends, either. She continually shrugs off Kelly Kelly's harsh criticism on Twitter and it remains to be seen if the two will ever be able to mend their fractured relationship.
Menounos has performed quite admirably in WWE action, as she also was on the winning side of a Six-Diva Tag Team Match on the Oct. 12, 2009 edition of Raw. Menounos, a guest star that night, didn't back down from The Glamazon in that contest as well, giving Phoenix a slap in the face that was never forgotten. However, Beth and Eve have looked more dangerous than ever lately and ready to show why they're the cream of the crop in the Divas division – and why the entertainment show anchor doesn't belong in a WWE ring, let alone at The Show of Shows.
Will Menounos be able to prove the dominant duo wrong? Can Kelly Kelly humble Eve with physical punishment rather than tweets? Expect both scores to be settled at WrestleMania XXVIII.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2012 preview

At WWE Elimination Chamber, World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan will defend his title against five other Superstars in the SmackDown Elimination Chamber Match. With a chance to headline WrestleMania at stake, Bryan will be challenged inside the massive structure by Randy Orton, Wade Barrett, Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes, Big Show and The Great Khali.

The World Heavyweight Champion will truly have the odds stacked against him once again when he steps into the Elimination Chamber on Feb. 19. Each Superstar participating will draw a number from one to six. The competitors who pick one and two will start off the match, while the other combatants will be locked in individual pods, waiting to enter the melee at regularly scheduled intervals. Superstars will be eliminated if they are pinned or submit. The last competitor standing will walk into WrestleMania the World Heavyweight Champion.

Bryan has never been inside the Elimination Chamber. However, the champion has managed to escape every predicament he’s found himself in in recent months. At the Royal Rumble, Bryan was trapped inside a steel cage with Big Show and Mark Henry. The World Heavyweight Champion wriggled free from the grip of The World’s Largest Athlete and escaped, still in possession of the title. Unfortunately for him, there is no escaping the Elimination Chamber. Can the crafty champion still find a way to retain his title?

Randy Orton is the most experienced Superstar in this match, having already been a part of four Elimination Chamber Matches. The Viper has yet to win one, but is extra hungry for gold after returning from injury and settling his score with Wade Barrett, who will also be locked in the Chamber.

The Barrett Barrage is tailor made for this type of showdown. Barrett holds the ideal combination of ruthless nature, English tenacity and unbridled ambition. Having never won a World Title, the Elimination Chamber could be the perfect opportunity for him to finally rise above.

SmackDown’s Elimination Chamber Match features not one, but two giants. The presence of Big Show and The Great Khali will make winning a tall task for anyone in their path. The World’s Largest Athlete will be looking to get his hands on Bryan, who ended his most recent World Title reign in a mere 90 seconds and has not let him forget it since. Khali, a replacement for the suspended Mark Henry, has his eyes set on becoming a two-time World Heavyweight Champion and will try to demolish anyone brave enough to attempt stopping him.

Cody Rhodes may have the most to gain in this match. The Intercontinental Champion has made it known that he intends on simultaneously adding the World Heavyweight Championship to his trophy case. This may be his best chance to accomplish that goal, though he is also competing in his first Elimination Chamber Match.

With the World Heavyweight Championship hanging in the balance, these WWE Superstars are sure to put it all on the line in this career-altering bout. The Road to WrestleMania runs through Elimination Chamber, live on pay-per-view, Feb. 19 at 8/7 CT.

WWE TLC 2011 preview

Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett (Tables Match)

Viper is defined as any snake belonging to the family Viperidae, characterized by protruding venom-conducting fangs.

Most men would steer clear of such a malevolent creature but Wade Barrett has proven himself to be bolder than most men. Since winning WWE NXT’s inaugural season, Barrett has managed to work his way up WWE’s food chain, first as the leader of The Nexus, then as founder of The Corre and now as the one man “Barrett Barrage.” The former bare-knuckled fighting champion is looking to knock off Randy Orton as WWE’s “Apex Predator.”

In Liverpool, England, on SmackDown, Barrett managed to escape the RKO and used a thumb to Orton’s eye to steal a victory. If that weren’t enough, Team Barrett outlasted Team Orton at Survivor Series when Barrett pinned The Viper with the help of his fellow survivor, Intercontinental Champion, Cody Rhodes. (PHOTOS)

Since then, the British grappler has been stalking Orton and has made it clear that he feels beating the youngest World Heavyweight Champion once and for all will clear his path to holding that same prize.

On the Dec. 9 edition of SmackDown, Randy Orton defeated Dolph Ziggler faster than Wade Barrett, and as a result of that Beat The Clock challenge, won the right to choose the stipulation for their match at TLC. Without a word being spoken, Barrett “suggested” a Tables Match and Orton “agreed” at the expense of Ziggler. (WATCH)

Will it be Orton or Barrett looking over a broken table and possibly also the broken body and spirit of their opponent? We’ll find out on Dec. 18 at TLC.

WWE Vengeance 2011 preview

Randy Orton vs. Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes

A long standing rivalry born in a “Legacy” of hate is now all about Vengeance. At this Sunday’s explosive pay-per-view, Randy Orton will lock horns with Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes.

Many things have changed for Rhodes since he stood side-by-side with The Viper as part of The Legacy. The accidental facial injury Rhodes sustained at the hands of Rey Mysterio in January transformed him into a resentful force of brutal aggression. His dark path eventually catapulted the tortured grappler all the way to the Intercontinental Championship. Considering his vow that he will “return the title to its former glory,” a triumph over the Nine-time World Champion and former cohort would be a huge step in the right direction.

Despite Rhodes’ success, however, victory is far from being “in the bag." Time and time again,Randy Orton has proven himself as dangerous as he is accomplished, largely because of the volatile combination of his incredible skill set and innate ability to use his anger issues to his advantage. Together, these two attributes spelled agony for Rhodes on the Sept. 23 edition of SmackDown. After The Viper smashed him with the timekeeper’s bell – an injury that left nine-staples in his Rhodes’ head – Orton treated him to an RKO onto the announce table. (WATCH)

Although the Intercontinental Champion suffered one of the worst assaults of his career, he refused to be overshadowed by the serpentine Superstar. In addition to costing Orton the World Heavyweight Championship on the Oct. 14 edition of SmackDown (WATCH), Rhodes’ greatest blow may have been to The Viper’s ego four days earlier. Following an attack on WWE’s Apex Predator during his match against Mark Henry on the Raw Supershow, Rhodes placed one of his paper bags on his head in the ultimate act of humiliation. (WATCH)

Find out who will get his payback at Vengeance, this Sunday at 8/7 CT, only on pay-per-view.

WWE Hell in a Cell 2011 preview

World Heavyweight Championship Hell in a Cell Match

The good news for Randy Orton is that his World Heavyweight Title rematch against Mark Henry is only two weeks away. The bad news is that it will be contested inside Hell in a Cell.
The chain-link structure that will attempt to contain this World Heavyweight Championship rematch has been referred to as Satan’s Playground. However, one has to wonder if Satan himself could do more harm than the monster he created in Mark Henry. The World Heavyweight Champion will enter Hell in a Cell for the first time and attempt to turn it into his own personal “Hall of Pain,” aiming to induct The Viper.
After 15 years in WWE, The World’s Strongest Man is now the World’s Strongest Champion. At Night of Champions, Henry silenced his critics as well as former champion, Randy Orton with the World’s Strongest Slam. After, Henry went on record saying he would crush all comers-anytime, anyplace, in any setting, even hell. (PHOTOS)
Can WWE's Apex Predator find a way to take back the World Heavyweight Championship from The World’s Strongest Man? Order WWE Hell in a Cell, exclusively on pay-per-view on Sunday, Oct. 2 to find out.

Divas Champion Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix

Furious following two consecutive pay-per-view defeats at the hands of Divas Champion Kelly Kelly, Beth Phoenix will once again challenge the blonde bombshell for the butterfly-emblazoned title at WWE Hell in a Cell this Sunday.
Ever since defeating Brie Bella for the Divas Championship in June, Kelly Kelly has been a woman on a mission, out to prove to her detractors that her in-ring abilities are just as awe-inspiring as her physical beauty. However, Kelly Kelly’s first-ever Divas Title triumph only raised the ire of Beth Phoenix & Natalya, two powerful female competitors out to vanquish the “Cinderellas” of the sports-entertainment world. Beth & Natalya have intimidated the Divas division for months now, all the while keeping Kelly Kelly and the Divas Championship in their sights.
After Kelly Kelly pulled out an incredible upset victory over The Glamazon at SummerSlam, many members of the WWE Universe assumed that a fired-up Beth Phoenix would utterly destroy the gorgeous reigning titleholder at Night of Champions, held in her hometown of Buffalo, N.Y. Yet, despite Beth’s formidable offense and a strongly pro-Phoenix crowd – which included Beth’s parents – Kelly Kelly was triumphant. (PHOTOS | RESULTS)
Will Beth Phoenix ascend to the apex of WWE’s Divas division at WWE Hell in Cell? Or will Kelly Kelly’s determination pay off once again? To find out, tune in this Sunday, only on pay-per-view.