WWE SummerSlam 2012

Background
After winning Daniel Bryan's International Intercontinental Invitational tournament, the returning Alberto Del Rio eventually conquered the coveted Intercontinental Championship at Aces High, capitalizing on an injured Bryan. However, the Mexican Aristocrat quickly found out that it's much easier being the hunter than it is to be the hunted, as both John Cena and Antonio Cesaro have set their sights on the Intercontinental Championshp. Having lost to Cesaro via pinfall, and to Cena via disqualification, momentum is not on the champion's side heading into LA.

The two newest additions to WWE's divas division, Summer Rae and Kaitlyn, have been at odds with each other since the former's arrival at Powertrip. With Summer holding two victories in 6-Diva Tag Team competition, in addition to getting herself intentionally counted out in their one-on-one encounter on Octane, Kaitlyn looks to prove she can beat her rival decisively, this time with a future shot at the Divas Title on the line.

Daniel Bryan's return to WWE at Powertrip didn't go exactly as planned, as the former Intercontinental Champion was left battered and bruised after a beatdown by Paul Heyman's debuting Juggernaut. Lesnar, Shamrock and Swagger had their sights set on decimating Bryan, but the returns of Chris Jericho and Ryback have evened up the odds. Can Juggernaut be stopped, or will Heyman's three clients put the entire WWE roster on notice?

After losing all at Aces High, the Undertaker was contractually required to disband his Ministry of Darkess as well as give up on his goal of taking over the WWE. However, one month later at Powertrip, the Undertaker seemed to have found his calling to continue his WWE career in the form of his brother Kane. Only, when the Big Red Machine seemingly ignored his brother's appeal, the Deadman once again started to contemplate his retirement. The situation took an unexpected turn when an emerging Bray Wyatt tried to offer a helping hand to the Undertaker, as he looked to get him on his side. This, in turn, would provoke the anger of Kane. When it looked like the Brothers of Destruction had finally reached an agreement, Wyatt's words seemed to have got to the Undertaker's mind, causing the Phenom to turn on his brother, setting up one more battle between the two, at SummerSlam.

Ever since his classic battle with Mick Foley at WrestleMania XXVIII, Cody Rhodes has tried to revive the Hardcore scene that has been gone from the WWE for some time. After a month of seeking a challenger, at Absolute Zero, the self-proclaimed Hardcore Champion was jumped by an unknown man from the audience, who we later came to know as Dean Ambrose. From that point on, Cody Rhodes set his goal on facing Dean Ambrose inside a WWE ring. After dealing with contracts, no-contact clauses, and many more issues, Ambrose finally agreed to face him. However, due to the violent nature of this match, the WWE Board of Directors refused to sanction this match under the WWE brand. Putting his Hardcore Championship on the line, Rhodes and Ambrose will explode in a Non-Sanctioned match with Hardcore rules.

After suffering a career-ending accident at Aces High, Edge was forced to surrender the World Heavywight Championship, leaving the title vacated. Three men would set their sights on the championship, as former world champions The Miz and Drew McIntyre looked to add one more world title reign to their storied careers, while Christian looked to win his first world title in memory of his best friend. One month later, at Powertrip, the WWE Universe made their voices heard as they voted Christian and McIntyre as the two contenders. Due to McIntyre fleeing the area after a previous encounter with Triple H, it was decided that he had forfeited his title shot. The Miz took advantage and claimed the leftover spot. At SummerSlam, a new champion must be crowned. Will the Miz become champion once again, or will Christian finally win the big one, for the first time in his near-18-year career?

At Powertrip, in controversial fashion, the WWE Champion CM Punk attacked the man who sacrificed his career to rid the WWE of Vince McMahon, Stone Cold Steve Austin. This created the question of whether CM Punk turned his back on the WWE Universe or if the WWE Universe turned their backs on him. However, we wouldn't see the last of the Texas Rattlesnake, as Austin was appointed as the new COO by the Board of Directors, the following night on Octane. Stone Cold would immediately turn his attention to the WWE Championship picture, and name Dolph Ziggler the next challenger at SummerSlam, to the delight of the WWE Universe. Despite being the number one contender, Ziggler hasn't had many reasons to smile as of late, after being attacked, put through the announcer's table and even tattooed at the hands of CM Punk's newest ally, the reemerging Tensai. Will Dolph Ziggler be able to overcome the odds and win championship gold again, or will CM Punk be too much for the challenger to handle? We will find out at SummerSlam.

In one of the most personal matches in WWE history, Trish Stratus will defend her Divas Championship as well as her year-plus-long undefeated streak against AJ Lee. After several months of putting each other through hell after twists, turns, assaults, betrayals, scandalous photos, car crashes, fake pregnancies, kidnappings and life threatning situations, what more can these two twisted women do to each other? Trish and AJ will put their sick rivalry to an end, as they face each other one-on-one for the first time since WrestleMania for the Divas Championship, at SummerSlam.

In the main event, the final chapter will be written in the historic rivalry between Triple H and Drew McIntyre, as the two prepare to meet in their fourth encounter, and second year in a row at SummerSlam. This is a rivalry that began over control of the WWE, escalated to a real-life family feud, and has simply boiled down to pure hatred. The Game managed to remove his ex-wife from the equation at SummerSlam, after exposing Stephanie McMahon-McIntyre to the entire WWE Universe live on Octane. Now, the two men will try to tear each other apart, as they once again step inside Hell in a Cell. Will the special guest referee, Shawn Michaels, be able to handle this situation? Or will the Heartbreak Kid be biased due to his long-storied friendship with Triple H? Will the King of Kings finally be able to defeat McIntyre, or will the former Chairman of the WWE get win number four over one of the most decorated athletes in the history of professional wrestling? Both men have guaranteed that only one of them will walk out of SummerSlam in one piece, as they look to end it all in the very same ring where it all began: At the Staples Center, inside Hell in a Cell, in the Grudge Match of a Lifetime.

Match card

 * Alberto Del Rio defends the Intercontinental Championship against his rivals John Cena and Antonio Cesaro in a Triple Threat match
 * Summer Rae and Kaitlyn face off once again, with the winner getting the next shot at the Divas Championship
 * Paul Heyman's Juggernaut will have tough competition as Brock Lesnar, Ken Shamrock and Jack Swagger will face the team of Daniel Bryan, Chris Jericho and Ryback
 * The Undertaker, with his newest ally Bray Wyatt in his corner, battles his brother Kane
 * Cody Rhodes and Dean Ambrose will have the fight they've been waiting for, as they face each other in an Unsanctioned match
 * The vacated World Heavyweight Championship will be on the line as The Miz meets Christian
 * CM Punk will put the WWE Championship on the line in a match with the fan favourite Dolph Ziggler
 * Trish Stratus and AJ Lee look to put their personal rivalry to an end, as they compete in a No Holds Barred Match for Trish's Divas Championship
 * In the Grudge Match of a Lifetime, Triple H battles his arch-nemesis Drew McIntyre one last time in the main event of SummerSlam, as the two men look to end each other's careers inside Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee.

Results

 * AJ Lee defeated Trish Startus in a No Holds Barred match to win the Divas Championship


 * Juggernaut (Brock Lesnar, Ken Shamrock and Jack Swagger) defeated Chris Jericho, Ryback and Daniel Bryan in a 6-man Elimination Tag Team match

ORDER OF ELIMINATION

 * 1) Ken Shamrock Eliminated By Chris Jericho with a Lionsault
 * 2) Chris Jericho Eliminated By Brock Lesnar with an F5
 * 3) Jack Swagger Eliminated By Ryback with a Shell Schocked
 * 4) Ryback Eliminated By Brock Lesnar with an F5
 * 5) Daniel Bryan Eliminated By Brock Lesnar with an F5
 * Antonio Cesaro defeated John Cena and Alberto Del Rio to win the Intercontinental Championship


 * Undertaker (with Bray Wyatt in his corner) defeated Kane


 * Dean Ambrose defeated Cody Rhodes in an Unsanctioned match to win the Hardcore Championship


 * The Miz Defeated Christian by countout to win the vacant World Heavyweight Championship


 * Dolph Ziggler defeated CM Punk to win the WWE Championsip


 * Kaitlyn defeated Summer Rae to become #1 contender for the Divas Championship


 * Triple H defeated Drew McIntyre by knockout in a Hell in a Cell match where Shawn Michaels was the Special Guest Referee