Cole gets sauced.
The 993rd edition of WWE Monday Night RAW came to you, live, from the BI-LO Center in Greenville, SC. Two weeks after being knocked out two nights in a row by his No Way Out opponent, Big Show, RAW would kick off with an exclusive interview with John Cena as commentator Michael Cole would do the honors just thirteen nights before Cena steps into a Steel Cage to go one-on-one with Big Show at No Way Out.
Match Results
- Non-Title: Sheamus def. Dolph Ziggler (with Vickie Guerrero) by pin following the Brogue Kick.
- Sin Cara def. Hunico (with Camacho) by pin following the tilt-a-whirl head scissors armbar takedown.
- 2-on-1 Tornado Handicap Match: Ryback def. Stan Stansky & Arthur Rosenberg by pinning Arthur Rosenberg following the Double Machine Buster.
- Non-Title: “There Must Be A Winner”: Kane (with Daniel Bryan) def. CM Punk (with A.J.) by pin following the chokeslam.
- Non-Title: R-Truth & Kofi Kingston def. Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks by Kofi Kingston pinning Curt Hawkins following Trouble in Paradise.
- John Cena def. Tensai (with Sakamoto & Michael Cole) by pin following the Attitude Adjustment. As a result, John Cena gets his no disqualification match against Michael Cole.
- No DQ: John Cena def. Michael Cole (with Tensai) by pin following the Attitude Adjustment.
Detailed Results
As promised, RAW kicks off with commentator and self-proclaimed “Voice of the WWE” Michael Cole, who states that all of the destruction that Big Show caused to Brodus Clay, Santino Marella, Zack Ryder, Alex Riley, R-Truth, & Kofi Kingston last week is all the fault of one man. Cole then introduces that “one man”, John Cena. Cole first reminds Cena that Big Show knocked him out twice in a twenty-four hour period two weeks ago before saying that Big Show’s attacks could have been prevented if Cena had done the “right thing”. Cole explains that Cena should have supported Big Show, but Cena wanted to make jokes and make fun of John Laurinaitis, saying that Cena wanted to be a “comedian” and that was more important than Cena supporting his “friend”. Cena says that he is proud of himself because John Laurinaitis is a “power-hungry bully”, saying that he was going to get Laurinaitis fired at Over The Limit so that they could get a new General Manager who would appreciate someone like Big Show. Cole argues that no one knew that Big Show would be hired back even if there was a new GM, saying that Cena is too wrapped up in his own “ego”. Cole continues that Big Show took the “sure thing” by signing with John Laurinaitis and that Big Show decided to teach everyone in the WWE a lesson and Big Show proved that he is an unstoppable giant last week and he will prove it to Cena at No Way Out inside a Steel Cage. Cena fires back, saying that all Big Show wanted was a wallet as big as his waistline and that Big Show took the “easy way out”, but Show does not have the audacity to accuse Cena and the fans of turning their backs on Big Show because the truth is that Big Show turned his back on them. Cole then accuses Cena of being “jealous” of Big Show because Show won at WrestleMania and was not a “punching bag” for Brock Lesnar. Cole then says that he has been a supporter of Cena throughout Cena’s career, but he is seeing things differently now, calling Cena “overrated” and saying that he hopes that Big Show does for him and the fans who have been “forced” to sit through Cena’s matches for the past ten years by finally putting them out of their “misery”. Cole then reminds Cena that Cena cannot “strike an announcer” because it is prohibited.
Still driving his “People Power” scooter, RAW & SmackDown General Manager John Laurinaitis interrupts, saying that, in the name of “People Power”, he will allow John Cena the opportunity to choose his own opponent, but Laurinaitis informs Cena that Big Show has taken the night of. Laurinaitis also informs Cena that after his win over Cena at Over The Limit, he is officially “retired from one-on-one singles competition”. The GM then tells Cena that, besides Big Show and himself, Cena can pick anyone he wants for his opponent. Cena tells Laurinaitis that it is the best decision the GM has ever made before revealing that there is an opponent that he has been “scouting” for years and he has concluded that this opponent is “uninteresting”, “overrated”, and, as Jim Ross has stated, is being shoved down everyone’s throat. Cena then announces that his opponent will be none other than Michael Cole! Cole then tries to laugh it off, saying that Cena cannot choose to face him, begging Laurinaitis to agree, but the GM turns his scooter around and makes his exit!
Backstage, Michael Cole is pleading with John Laurinaitis in an attempt to get out of his match with John Cena, saying that the people do not want to see him get the hell beat of him. Laurinaitis tells Cole that everyone’s jobs are being “evaluated” before smiling and saying that the fans do want to see Cole get beat up. Laurinaitis then tells Cole to get back to the announce desk and do his job and be ready to face Cena later on in the evening.
After Jack Swagger cost him his match against Sheamus on SmackDown, “The Show-Off” would get a rematch on RAW as Dolph Ziggler, with Vickie Guerrero in his corner, went one-on-one with World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus in a non-title match. In the end, it was Sheamus blasting Dolph Ziggler with the Brogue Kick en route to picking up the win. After the match, Alberto Del Rio would blindside Sheamus on the staging area, but Sheamus would fight back. However, Ricardo Rodriguez distracts Sheamus long enough for Del Rio to take advantage as the #1 Contender delivers several kicks to the skull of Sheamus before Del Rio hangs the World Heavyweight Champion off of the staging area while holding Sheamus’ arm in the cross armbreaker!
Backstage, David Otunga informs John Laurinaitis of some breaking news as WWE Chairman & CEO Mr. McMahon will be returning to RAW next week to give Laurinaitis a job evaluation! Not only that, but Laurinaitis’ job evaluation will kick off a special three-hour edition of RAW!
After a successful in-ring return on SmackDown, “The International Sensation” Sin Cara went one-on-one with Hunico, with Camacho in his corner. In the end, it was Sin Cara hitting his tilt-a-whirl head scissors armbar takedown on Hunico en route to picking up the win.
“The Undefeated Juggernaut” was in action on RAW as Ryback faced two unknowns, Stan Stansky & Arthur Rosenberg, in a 2-on-1 Tornado Handicap Match. In the end, it was another dominating victory as Ryback hits the double Machine Buster on both jobbers before pinning Arthur Rosenberg for the win.
Before the scheduled match between CM Punk and Kane, Daniel Bryan stands on top of the announce table, declaring it is time for some “question and answer” time with Daniel Bryan, asking if A.J. has lost her mind, if Kane will destroy CM Punk, and if he will become the WWE Champion at No Way Out, answering the questions himself with a resounding “yes”.
With Daniel Bryan at ringside, WWE Champion CM Punk went one-on-one with “The Big Red Monster” Kane in a non-title match where there must be a winner just thirteen nights before CM Punk defends the WWE Title against both Kane and Daniel Bryan in a Triple Threat Match at No Way Out. During the match, the action spills to the outside and, with the referee’s attention on Kane, Daniel Bryan would take the opportunity to strike as Bryan delivers a pair of kicks to the mid-section of CM Punk. Shortly after this, CM Punk and Kane would knock each other down, which brought A.J. to the ring as she tries to tell the referee about Daniel Bryan’s interference. This gets Bryan out of his seat again as he confronts A.J., telling her to get off of the ring apron. With Bryan distracted, CM Punk dives out of the ring, taking Bryan out, but when Punk makes it back into the ring, he is caught with a chokeslam by Kane en route to Kane pinning the WWE Champion! After the match, Kane sets his sights on A.J. and, after an attempted attack by Daniel Bryan, Kane continued to stalk A.J., but A.J. would smile at Kane, seemingly confusing “The Big Red Monster” as Kane exits the ring. Has A.J. become infatuated with Kane or was this simply a way out of being Kane’s victim?
The WWE Tag Team Champions were in action on RAW as R-Truth & Kofi Kingston faced Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks in a non-title match. In the end, it was Kofi Kingston fighting through his injuries to hit Trouble in Paradise on Curt Hawkins en route to picking up the win for himself and R-Truth.
After being allowed to pick any opponent he wanted, with the exception of Big Show or John Laurinaitis, it was then time for ten-time former WWE Champion John Cena to go one-on-one with his handpicked opponent, the self-proclaimed “Voice of the WWE” Michael Cole. With Michael Cole in denial about having to participate in the match, John Laurinaitis comes out before the match, saying that it is clear that the world wants to see John Cena face Michael Cole. Laurinaitis then says that he always “overdelivers” before announcing that the match will now be a no disqualification match, but only if John Cena can defeat his undefeated opponent, Tensai! During the match, the action spills to the outside where Michael Cole gets up the gumption to slap John Cena before Jerry Lawler does his best to corral his trash-talking colleague! Despite the best efforts of Michael Cole and Tensai’s worshipper, Sakamoto, John Cena was able to deliver the Attitude Adjustment to the super heavyweight en route to picking up the win and ending Tensai’s undefeated streak, but, more importantly, getting his no disqualification match against Michael Cole!
The bell would ring for the no disqualification match between John Cena and Cena’s hand-picked opponent, Michael Cole, but Cole tries to escape through the crowd with Cena retrieving the commentator and throwing him in the ring. The self-proclaimed “Voice of the WWE” tries to get out of the match, telling Cena that they have been friends for years and they don’t have to fight before Cole extends his hand to Cena. Cole then takes his suit jacket and tie off and says that nothing will compare to the embarrassment of him defeating Cena live on RAW. Cole continues, telling Cena to ask Jerry Lawler how it feels to be embarrassed, bringing up Cole’s questionable win over “The King” at WrestleMania last year, saying that he is “undefeated”. Cole then pokes a finger at the chest of Cena as Cole tells Cena to remember his name. Cena then commences the embarrassment of Cole as Cena strips Cole down to his underwear, delivering chops to the chest and back of the commentator. Cena then holds Cole down, forcing Cole to apologize to Jerry Lawler, which Cole does. With Cole still in his grip, Cena makes Cole apologize to the man he replaced at the announce desk, Jim Ross. Cole apologizes to J.R. before making Cole admit that the Hall of Famer’s barbecue sauce is “slobber-knocking good”! Cena then gets a couple of bottles of J.R.’s barbecue sauce from Lawler at ringside, dumping it all over Cole and cooling Cole off with some hefty fire extinguisher contents. Just when it looks like Cena is finally going to finish Cole off, Tensai comes out of nowhere and drops Cena with the Disaster Bomb. Unfortunately for Cole, Cena is able to kick out of the ensuing pinfall before Cole tries to make up for his embarrassment by trash-talking Cena and trying to hit him with a fire extinguisher, but Cena counters, delivering the Attitude Adjustment to Michael Cole en route to picking up the comical win.
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