The Case
World Wrestling Entertainment tends to introduce new pay-per-views from time
to time. One of this year's new events was Over the Limit, which featured
an "I Quit" match between John Cena and Batista, as well as a S.E.S.
Pledge vs. Hair match between CM Punk and Rey Mysterio. Here's the complete
lineup:
• Drew McIntyre vs. Kofi Kingston in an Intercontinental
Championship Match
Kingston and McIntyre go head to head for the gold in
this opener, and both athletes put on a solid show. Kingston especially is
always fun to watch, and he's engaging in just the right amount of spectacular
maneuvers to fire up the crowd. McIntyre makes a good opponent, and both guys
use their flexibility and speed to deliver an overall well coordinated title
match that enables each guy to built momentum and keep the wrestling action from
start to finish. So far, so good.
• R-Truth vs. Ted DiBiase
Unfortunately, the excitement
doesn't last very long. R-Truth's matchup against Ted DiBiase fails to
entertain, and while it's not a disastrous battle, it lacks the quality of a
decent pay-per-view fight. It's a shame, really, because both wrestlers are
capable of combining strong punches and risky moves for an amusing matchup. We
do get to see one or two impressive maneuvers here and there, but all in all,
this one lacks energy. This one could've been easily kicked off the card.
• CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio in a S.E.S. Pledge vs. Hair Match
CM Punk and Rey Mysterio are back for yet another one of those silly hair
matches. If CM Punk loses, he needs to shave his head, but if he wins, Mysterio
has to join his S.E.S. group. Silly story line aside, this match totally works.
Punk and Mysterio bring a lot of energy to this battle, and their actions and
reactions are sharp and powerful. We get to see a big selection of solid stunts
and maneuvers with strong impacts. Even though the ending of the match is a tad
predictable, this fight easily qualifies as the event's best match so far.
• Hart Dynasty vs. Chris Jericho & The Miz in a Unified Tag
Team Championship Match
Another excellent match. Both teams approach this
title match with a lot of aggression and determination, and the result is
surprisingly positive. The Hart boys deliver some awesome team moves; Jericho
and The Miz each contribute several impressive moves as well. Clocking in at 10
minutes, this fast-paced tag team battle is by all means incredibly amusing.
• Randy Orton vs. Edge
The fun doesn't seem to last very
long, because the matchup between Edge and Randy Orton is a rather disappointing
one. For a pay-per-view, battle, this one is way too slow, lacking big, bold
moves, or even the usual energy and effort we are used two from these two WWE
superstars. Alas, the outcome of the match disappoints as well, and that's all
there is to say about this one.
• Jack Swagger vs. Big Show in a World Heavyweight Championship
Match
I don't know what the show writers were thinking when they planned
this one, but the title match between Big Show and Swagger is one big disaster.
Not only is it boring, but it also ends in the most unoriginal way you can
imagine. No need to dig any deeper. Time to move on.
• Eve vs. Maryse in a Divas Championship Match
Even though
I wouldn't call the divas title match memorable, it certainly beats its
predecessor. Eve and Maryse deliver some cool moves here and there, but the
fight ends quick without a bang. Again, Over the Limit would've done fine
without this one on the card.
• John Cena vs. Batista in an "I Quit" Match for the
WWE Championship
The main event is by no means the highlight of this PPV,
but it certainly qualifies as one of the better matches. Considering this is an
"I Quit" match, we're in for a lot of submission maneuvers. While
these moves slow down the action, Cena and Batista keep the match alive and
fast-paced throughout. Technically, both athletes handle the job pretty well,
but once they take the action out of the ring and around the arena, their
coordination starts to lose some of its precision. That said, the two wrestlers
deliver an overall passable showdown.
The show is presented in full frame on the DVD, and as usual, picture
quality and audio transfer are satisfactory. The bonus section on the disc
includes some ridiculous backstage footage of CM Punk, a handful of some bad RAW
commercials, as well as a rather lame extra match between Bret Hart and The
Miz.
In brief, WWE: Over the Limit 2010 fails to impress. WWE has been
delivering a bunch of acceptable PPVs recently, but this is definitely one of
this year's weakest. Three solid matches just don't cut it, and I can only hope
things will improve from here.
