WWE Best of the Month: April 2012

The month of April was a great time to be a pro wrestling fan.  We saw some of the most shocking moments in WWE history to go along with the slew of terrific matches! 


Here are the highlights from April 2012:





 Superstar of the Month: CM Punk

CM Punk had a shaky first few weeks during the month of April, but one thing is for certain, he is the best wrestler in the world today.  No other pro wrestler had a better showing of brilliant performances in and out of the ring than the straight edge WWE Champion.  His two matches with Chris Jericho are both instant classics to go along with his terrific series of performances against Mark Henry on Monday Night Raw.  I shudder to think what the next champion will have to do to top such an amazing run.  If April 2012 has taught us anything, it's that no doubt about it, Punk will be an impossibly hard act to follow.





Match of the Month: Wrestlemania XXVIII: Triple H vs. The Undertaker

On an unforgettable night, under a moonlit sky, Triple H and The Undertaker crafted one of, if not the most memorable matches of the decade thus far.  They did not do it alone however, Shawn Michaels delivered a subtle, yet masterful performance in his role of special referee.  The Miami audience was amazing as well and it all came together so beautifully into a live performance work of art.  The legacies of all three men have led to the most legendary series of matches year after year beginning with the iconic battles between Undertaker and Michaels, and ending with this very contest.  It was awe-inspiring.  Hell, it was transcendent.  It brought about the end of the most brutally satisfying era in a poetic (and downright moving) battle for the ultimate prize......pride.  In the end, The Undertaker rightfully took his iconic streak to 20-0 and walked off into the sunset arm in arm with his two greatest challengers in a fitting finish.  It was in that moment that I realized I just witnessed not only the match of the month, but what will easily go down as one of the greatest matches in WWE history.

Match Rating: *****

Moment of the Month: An End of Another Era

The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony usually offers it's fair share of memorable moments, and the 2012 ceremony was no different.  Mike Tyson caused controversy in the WWE one last time with his well deserved induction, The Four Horsemen made for a true mark out moment with a noticeably drunk Ric Flair in tow, and then there was Edge.  For a guy who at one point was shunned as a singles wrestler, Edge has been an inspiration for young men around the world to push through doubters and naysayers.  He became one of the WWE's cornerstone performers in the last eight years through hard work and perseverance.  That being said, the idea of him entering the Hall of Fame was the last thing on any of our minds in the beginning of the year and as soon as it was announced, many questioned his induction.  Edge accepted the prestigious honor again unfazed by all of the hate and the ho-hum response by today's jaded critics and left us all with a little bit of closure to a chapter of WWE history that unfortunately, ended prematurely.  Watching a visibly emotional Adam Copeland humbled by the respect of his peers was as touching a moment as I have ever witnessed during my lifelong obsession with the WWE.  Thank you Edge.  You are truly one of the all-time greats.





Surprise of the Month: The Prodigal Son has Returned

In what will likely go down as the shocker of the year, Brock Lesnar made his long awaited return to the WWE in April.  The reaction was thunderous.  It was one of the loudest sustained roars I have ever witnessed in any sport, making this moment all the more legendary.  Only Sting could have come through that curtain and have been more of a surprise.  It was truly a sight to see.  With all of Lesnar's success in the UFC, like most people I thought that we would NEVER see him in a WWE ring again.  Little did I know he would make the biggest impact of the year in one night.  Instantly, the world was buzzing and the landscape of the WWE would change dramatically.  I still get goosebumps just thinking about it.










Top Ten WWE Superstars Pound for Pound


*(The number in parenthesis is the superstar's rank in the last month's list)

1. CM Punk (2) WWE Champion: Punk's classic 162+ day reign continued throughout April with a few impressive wins over Mark Henry and Chris Jericho.  Add in the fact that he now has arguably, the most consistent streak of great, high profile matches of any active competitor over the last year, and it's hard to argue that he really is the best wrestler in the world.
2. Sheamus (5) World Heavyweight Champion: While Sheamus may not be the most popular champion of all time amongst the IWC, it's hard to argue with the facts.  At Wrestlemania XXVIII, he defeated last month's number one wrestler, Daniel Bryan for the title in just 18 seconds.  After a few impressive wins he found himself again across the ring from Bryan at Extreme Rules.  It was in that 2 out of 3 Falls match that Sheamus silenced his critics and earned the number two slot.
3. John Cena (4): Cena's loss to The Rock greatly impacted his confidence in ways we've never seen before.  Still, there may be no other superstar in WWE history more equipped in terms of overcoming adversity.  Cena proved that when he triumphantly overcame his biggest challenge to date,  defeating Brock Lesnar at Extreme Rules.
4. Brock Lesnar (-): Lesnar may have lost his first match in eight years, but he made the biggest statement of the night.  Everyone has been bitching about the result, but he never said he cared about wins and losses to begin with.  Lesnar's only desire is to bring the pain and to "legitimize" the WWE.  Mission accomplished. 
5. Lord Tensai (-): The former A-Train returned to the WWE with arguably, the most impressive performance of the month.  After easily defeating competitors like Yoshi Tatsu and Alex Riley, Tensai became one of the few men on the roster to earn a win over John Cena in 2012. 
6. Randy Orton (7): Randy bounced back from his recent lackluster performances with a definitive victory over Kane at Extreme Rules.  It's also worth noting that he earned wins over The Miz, Daniel Bryan and Jack Swagger along the way.
7. Daniel Bryan (1): In the ring, Bryan is still one of the most dangerous superstars in the WWE, but you wouldn't know it if you only tuned in over the past month.  After holding the top spot in the rankings for two months in a row, Bryan's pair of losses against Sheamus hurt his credibility immensely.  Not to be outdone, he ended the month on a high note by becoming the number one contender for CM Punk's WWE title on the last Raw of April.
8. Chris Jericho (3): Another contender that has fallen from grace after losing twice in a row to CM Punk.  Jericho is still the most cunning superstar in the WWE and he should always be considered amongst the cream of the crop.  Big wins against Kofi Kingston and Big Show prove that.
9. Santino Marella (-) United States Champion: Santino may never be the most feared competitor in the WWE, but as Michael Cole said it, "he just keeps winning".  Even though he did not earn any real major victories, there's no denying that Santino boasts quite possibly, the best win-loss record of any WWE superstar in April.
10. Cody Rhodes (6) Intercontinental Champion: Rhodes saw his fair share of losses last month, but don't count him out just yet.  Even though his 2012 has not gone as smooth as I predicted thus far, I still see big things ahead for the IC champ.