WWE Money in the Bank 2012 Review: CM Punk and Biggest Losers from Epic PPV

Following Money in the Bank and Raw, WWE has set up a lot of different things that will end the summer with a bang. You can see where things are headed even if we aren't quite there yet, but you can't help but feel bad for some stars. 

WWE is a very hot and cold company. It tries to push so many different buttons week after week, show after show, that not a lot of wrestlers are given their just due. 

Looking at what happened at Money in the Bank, you can clearly see who was meant to come out of the show looking like gangbusters and who is in trouble. 

We are going to take a look at the stars who are getting ready to take a big turn for the worse in the coming weeks, thanks largely to events set up at Money in the Bank. 

CM Punk

Despite defeating Daniel Bryan, it has become abundantly clear just where CM Punk stands on the WWE totem pole. Money in the Bank was the seventh consecutive pay-per-view in which Punk and the title were not in the main event. 

Punk's match with Bryan at Money in the Bank was good. The finish was dumb because AJ should not have just counted the finish if she wanted to be involved in the match. 

In addition to that, Punk is at best the third-biggest star—at least in the eyes of the creative team—on Raw. John Cena is always going to be No. 1, but even AJ is getting more airtime than he is right now. 

Given that Cena is going to be challenging Punk for the title now, don't be shocked to see the Straight Edge Superstar pushed down the card after SummerSlam. 

Dolph Ziggler

After weeks of championing Dolph Ziggler as the only logical choice to win Money in the Bank, WWE did the right thing and gave him the briefcase for a world championship match whenever he wants. 

Then we had to see what happened later in the show. Ziggler tried to cash in the briefcase against Sheamus after his match with Alberto Del Rio. Ziggler and Del Rio got into an argument, then Sheamus destroyed Ziggler with the Brogue Kick. 

I want to see WWE actually get behind Ziggler just to see if he can become the star that a lot of people assume he can be. But I am skeptical after watching Sunday night and seeing how WWE has used him over the last seven months.

Ryback

The overriding theme of this article is even in victory, you can come out looking like a loser. Ryback was the greatest example of anyone on the Money in the Bank card. 

Not only is Ryback still not getting his matches advertised on pay-per-views in advance, but he showed just how limited he really is in a handicap match with Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks.

Ryback was given four minutes on the show and he was gassed about two minutes in. He was forced to sell and had no idea what he was doing. If WWE has grand plans for him, he has to learn how to work a full match. If this is a sign of things to come, Ryback is in trouble. 

Check back for more on the WWE as it comes, and check out Bleacher Report’s wrestling page to get your fill of the WWE. For more WWE talk, check out Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot topics you just can’t miss.

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