And the winner is: A draw?

[Mr. Perfect]

So I never, ever buy the PPV's anymore. The last PPV I actually paid for was in like 1998ish. I just can never bring myself to pay that kind of money for something I can see the recap of the next day, or just read the results right after the show anyway. But for some reason on Sunday I ordered the NOC PPV because for some reason I thought the Cena/Punk match was going to be something memorable. Anyway, from the title of my post I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. How can WWE actually charge money for us fans to watch a PPV show and then not even deliver on their main event? I felt like I was watching some old WCW PPV and seeing a "Dusty Finish." I just feel cheated. That's the kind of finish you do on Raw, but not at a PPV.

And on a side note concerning WWE PPV's, since when do they have commercials during a PPV. They showed a preview of some new movie, can't remember the movie, but does it matter? Seriously, once again how can WWE charge money for us to see commercials? I'm just curious if all PPV's now have some type of commercial(s) or is this a new thing?

[CM Punk'd]

Sometimes you gotta have these "Dusty Finishes" to set up for the eventual big payoff.

Now on the other hand, if it happened at a "Big 4" PPV...

[Crippler]

Did you get a great match? Did you get several good-great matches? I dunno about you, but that's all that I want at the end of the day.

[Summer of Punk]

A DQ ending or a count out ending would've been unacceptable. A draw is perfectly fine.

[Raven*]

To say that the main event did not deliver is a complete lie. The match was one of the best this year.

If draw means another month of Punk and Cena, then I'm down with it.

[Dose]

To say that the main event did not deliver is a complete lie. The match was one of the best this year.

If draw means another month of Punk and Cena, then I'm down with it.

I personally thought it was too methodical... though I did like the way Punk seemed to switch it up from the way he normally wrestles.

[Todd]

It was a great match and they intelligently covered the end up with a finisher-fest after Cena rolled his ankle. They got the crowd hot and Cena did as little damage as possible.

On topic, I've never seen the problem with a draw. Americans seem to hate them in everything, sports in the US are designed to eliminate draws.

[Greywolf]

It's not like it's Wrestlemania or their final epic battle. Both guys went out there, did everything they could and together they both won and lost. The ending they had just gave a perfectly good reason why these two men need to be in a Hell in a Cell match, to up the anti! The ending writes the next four weeks itself: What on earth can contain these men in a ring without tearing the building apart? They both might as well go in the back and grab the kitchen sink, because they threw everything else at each other, what's next? ... Hell in a Cell! No limits, no disqualification, no count out, and most important of all: no ties!

We all ask for a reason behind Hell in a Cell match actually happening, the ending makes perfect sense on why they would need this stipulation.

[Jack Nichols]

It was a great match and they intelligently covered the end up with a finisher-fest after Cena rolled his ankle. They got the crowd hot and Cena did as little damage as possible.

On topic, I've never seen the problem with a draw. Americans seem to hate them in everything, sports in the US are designed to eliminate draws.

The problem with a draw is simple, its that there is no winner. Sports in America need to have winners and losers otherwise whats the point?

[Todd]

I think this is a major reason why football isn't popular in America. The idea of two good sporting entities battling it out at the best of their abilities and ending with a share of the spoils is fascinating to me, a draw is a valuable part of sport. There has to be an eventual winner, that I agree with obviously, and there will be at HiaC.

[LS]

Did anyone else find it a bit hard to believe that a 10+ year veteran didn't know to keep his shoulders up from the mat when doing a german suplex with a bridging pin...?

[Greywolf]

Did anyone else find it a bit hard to believe that a 10+ year veteran didn't know to keep his shoulders up from the mat when doing a german suplex with a bridging pin...?

John Cena is so strong he can pin both his opponent and himself at the same time!

[Dose]

I think this is a major reason why football isn't popular in America. The idea of two good sporting entities battling it out at the best of their abilities and ending with a share of the spoils is fascinating to me, a draw is a valuable part of sport. There has to be an eventual winner, that I agree with obviously, and there will be at HiaC.

I think a lot of people are fine with draws in combat sports though. As long as the fighters show heart.

Edit: Cena rolled his ankle early in the match... I guess that might explain the pace.

[naughtysmark]

I didn't mind it. It actually seemed kind of fresh which never hurts.

[thetumblindice]

Did anyone else find it a bit hard to believe that a 10+ year veteran didn't know to keep his shoulders up from the mat when doing a german suplex with a bridging pin...?

A good point now that you mention.

However I LOVED this match. One of my biggest criticisms of WWE in recent years has been how they hot potaytoe the championships around with a new champ every month or two, as I think it really takes away from it bring a big deal when a new champ is crowned. So not only am a Punk fan, but just also rooting to extend a long title reign so when he finally loses it'll be a big deal. I think it benefits the product.

The ending actually doesn't bother me. Well maybe cuz I wanted Punk to walk out as champ so I was bummed when it appeared Cena had won and marked like a bastard when Punk retained on the shady finish.

To the OP's point, yes it reminded me of WCW, but in a good way. WCW did it WAAAAY too often. This is the first non-decision main event on a WWE PPV I can remember in...well I can't even remember. (As naughtysmark mentioned...it was actually fresh) So it was shocking and unpredictable. And it followed what was a pretty damn excellent match which *appeared o have a decisive finish* but then was overturned in controversial fashion to further Punk's reign, make the belt seem like more of a difficult prize to get your hands on, and build the fued. I loved it.

[The Champ]

Did anyone else find it a bit hard to believe that a 10+ year veteran didn't know to keep his shoulders up from the mat when doing a german suplex with a bridging pin...?

I've noticed that Cena's new gimmick is being a complete moron.

*waits for the inevitable "you mean old gimmick? HURR HURR"*

[The Industry]

That finish has happened to like twenty fucking good-great wrestlers.

[The Show]

That finish has happened to like twenty fucking good-great wrestlers.

Yep. Happened to HBK.

Twice if we're counting his 2003 title match against Triple H. Happened a different way but the result was the same.

[Slushy]

I can understand where Mr. Perfect is coming from, but I didn't mind in this case especially since it was a 2nd rate PPV. Plus WWE backed themselves into a corner with it being in Cena's hometown as well as involving the breast cancer support.

Had Punk's reign ended, I would've been pissed and had Punk got himself disqualified, it would've been too obvious so the Dusty finish was something fresh especially with the German suplex off the top rope. That was a sick move if you ask me!

[Jack Nichols]

I can understand where Mr. Perfect is coming from, but I didn't mind in this case especially since it was a 2nd rate PPV. Plus WWE backed themselves into a corner with it being in Cena's hometown as well as involving the breast cancer support.

Had Punk's reign ended, I would've been pissed and had Punk got himself disqualified, it would've been too obvious so the Dusty finish was something fresh especially with the German suplex off the top rope. That was a sick move if you ask me!

Did you really think it was sick? I didnt watch the PPV and I only watched the youtube clip and it was executed rather poorly. Perhaps it looked better from WWE camera angle. Also it looked off the second rope.

[The Industry]

I remember when DDP was a Michael Hayes ripoff and managed Bad Company and eventually The Freebirds themself.

He is a former WCW Champion

[Codebreaker]

I've noticed that Cena's new gimmick is being a complete moron.

*waits for the inevitable "you mean old gimmick? HURR HURR"*

Shit. Guess it was pretty obvious though.

[buscow]

I loved everything about the match.

To me it is all about telling a good story. If the finish is a progression of a strong story then I'm all for it.

Everything Punk and John did in that match furthered the story they were trying to tell.

Matches like that are why I love wrestling.

[mattsheliine]

was it just me or was cena's shoulders not on the mat? i mean cena is so strong that he would have powered up.

[iron maiden]

Did anyone else find it a bit hard to believe that a 10+ year veteran didn't know to keep his shoulders up from the mat when doing a german suplex with a bridging pin...?

I should let something like that bother me but I don't anymore. Not when I've been watching the product for 30+ years and know that I will always have to suspend disbelief at some point.

I'm not a fan of DQ or draw endings but in the case of Cena and Punk at NoC it worked. The fans got an incredible match that made both sides happy and it furthered their feud heading into HIAC.