WWE SummerSlam 2012: 12 Things We Learned from This Year's PPV Event

Admittedly, my prediction about the 25th anniversary of SummerSlam being the best ever fell way short.

While there were some exciting matches and questions left unanswered, I got the feeling the back end of the program was worse than the first half.

Nothing seemed to gel and when the match between CM Punk, John Cena and Big Show stopped and restarted, all the controversy began (I'm begging away from Sheamus and his win over Alberto Del Rio).

There were some very strong points to the evening's events. But the idea of it being the greatest ever was an assumption not lived up to.

There were other PPV events this year that were better, including No Way Out and Money in the Bank.

Here are some things we learned from the PPV and what might lead into Night of Champions in four weeks.

All pictures were taken from wwe.com unless noted.

Having the U.S. Title Match in the Pre-Show Was the Right Thing to Do

I have really grown tired of seeing Santino Marella march around the ring with the green "Cobra" sock puppet and try to be a throwback WWE cartoon character.

While he is amusing and has a great following in the company with the fans, I enjoy more wrestling and less antics. And, yes, it looked like he would wrestle without the dreaded sock to earn a win.

It did not happen.

Maybe Antonio Cesaro will bring a little more attention and prestige to the title.

The United States Championship is clearly the fourth or fifth most important title in the WWE. While it may never grow to be anything more, it can surely have better matches surrounding it.

Cesaro can help elevate that with new feuds and rivalries.

Dolph Ziggler/Chris Jericho Should Have Later in the Lineup

What happened to building the suspense?

I thought wrestling should have less important matches at the beginning of the night and build the program up.

Ziggler and Chris Jericho do that and did that.

But to open the night, I think there should have been more build up.

Ziggler/Jericho Is Steamboat/Savage All over Again

I love matches like these where it looks like art.

All the great feuds of the past were like that.

I have said this before and will say it again, when wrestlers can sell for each other and make the work look effortless, then you have something great.

Jericho looked 10 years younger Sunday night and made Ziggler look like the future.

Ziggler showed he could keep up with the greats of the past.

The match was great like I thought it would be.

And Jericho proved to be the best tonight and won "The Big One."

Daniel Bryan Has Really Fallen from Grace

Three weeks ago, he was one of the best gimmicks in the WWE. Now, well, it looks like there is really no place for him in the WWE title hunt.

The match with Kane was a good one, I thought so, but it did not have the shine on it as it could have.

Still, Bryan is a great performer and we all know Kane is one of the best in-ring competitors in WWE history.

The contrast in styles made for a good match.

And both need to be back in the title situation.

And catching Bryan in a choke from the prone position was amazing, but seeing Bryan win in a roll-up was pretty cool, too.

The Aftermatch Tirade by Kane Only Means This Feud Isn't over

We will be seeing the Kane/Bryan feud for a little longer. Will it continue through the rest of the summer?

Who knows. But I like the idea the WWE is storylines that do not have title implications.

Bryan needs another good feud since he was spectacular in the CM Punk rivalry.

Kane has proven to be the unsung MVP of this company for years on end.

The Miz/Rey Mysterio Was Worth the Match

His moves are more impressive.

He looks to be more in control, and as Michael Cole said, more vicious in his attack and wrestling.

It works. It also looks like it could have him springboard back into WWE Title contention.

Rey Mysterio was great and sold for the Intercontinental Champion. But in Los Angeles, I thought the contender would have had a better fate.

You cannot win them all.

Power Bomb Controversy

What's good for the goose?

After the shoe was thrown to Alberto Del Rio, who lost the interception to Sheamus, the shoe was used against the opponent and Sheamus retained the title.

But hold on a minute. ADR had his foot on the bottom rope while Sheamus got the pin.

Can you spell rematch and a match at Night of Champions?

Tag Team Match Was Good, Sans A.W.

I like both these teams and think they could have some mileage in this feud.

Even with A.W. not at the event, the match was pretty good.

Truth/Kingston are a great fit and Titus O'Neal and Darren Young remind me of Butch Reed and Ron Simmons because of their raw power. They are future champions.

The match was much better than I thought it would be.

Hopefully, we can see more teams on other PPV events.

Big Show Looks Better Than He Ever Has

He came in and took over the match from the opening bell. Big Show looked like he could be a champion from back when he was "The Giant" in WCW.

Cena and Punk could not muster any offense in the beginning of the match, and it looked like I thought it might be early on, when Big Show just blistered both opponents.

It looked at first like no competition.

Who the Hell Won?

Two submissions. Two winners?

And AJ comes to the ring.

Oh, the controversy.

Restart! I love it.

The drama continues.

Punk Wins!!!

Undoubtedly, there will be controversy, and it will mean a rematch at Night of Champions between Punk and Cena.

Brock Lesnar/Triple H Failed to Live Up to Billing

It was slow and deliberate and fell flat.

And in the end, Brock Lesnar won.

The last two matches fell flat, to be honest.

I thought there would be more blood, more punishment and more pain.

There wasn't

Triple H/Undertaker was a much better match.

The End of Triple H the Wrestler?

It would appear this was the last time we see The King of Kings in the ring.

If the ending of the match was any indication where Triple H left the ring after tapping out to Brock Lesnar and then thanked the crowd in Los Angeles, we may have seen another one of my generation's greats call it a career.

I did not see that coming, but it makes sense.

Now, we have to ask...what is next for Brock Lesnar?