Get Well Soon.
Six nights before Night of Champions, the 1007th edition of WWE Monday Night RAW came to you, live, from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Fifteen years ago in Montreal, the most controversial and talked-about event in wrestling history went down as the infamous Montreal Screwjob changed the face of the WWE forever and, for the first time since the 1997 incident, Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart will appear, live on RAW, in Montreal. Also, after the shocking conclusion of last week’s RAW revealed an apparent partnership between WWE Champion CM Punk and Paul Heyman, what exactly is the relationship between the self-proclaimed “Best in the World” and the mastermind between the original ECW? What impact will it have on CM Punk’s WWE Title defense against John Cena this Sunday at Night of Champions?
Match Results
- Non-Title: R-Truth & Kofi Kingston def. The Miz & Antonio Cesaro (with Aksana) by Kofi Kingston pinning Antonio Cesaro following Trouble in Paradise.
- 6-Diva Tag: Layla, Kaitlyn, & Eve def. Beth Phoenix, Natalya, & Alicia Fox by Eve pinning Alicia Fox following the swinging neckbreaker.
- #RAWactive Match: Non-Title: Randy Orton def. CM Punk by DQ after Dolph Ziggler interferes.
- Randy Orton & Jerry “The King” Lawler def. CM Punk & Dolph Ziggler (with Paul Heyman) by Randy Orton pinning Dolph Ziggler following the RKO.
- Ryback def. Heath Slater by pin following Shell Shocked.
- #1 Contenders’ Match for the WWE Tag Team Titles: Kane & Daniel Bryan def. The Prime Time Players by Daniel Bryan pinning Darren Young following the chokeslam by Kane to Daniel Bryan on top of Darren Young. As a result, Kane & Daniel Bryan are the new #1 Contenders for the WWE Tag Team Titles.
- Alberto Del Rio def. Tyson Kidd by submission to the cross armbreaker.
- Non-Title: Sheamus def. David Otunga by submission to the Texas Cloverleaf.
- Cody Rhodes def. Rey Mysterio by pin following the Cross Rhodes.
Detailed Results
Fifteen years after the infamous Montreal Screwjob, RAW kicks off with WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart, who appeared live in Montreal for the first time since the 1997 incident! Amid a raucous ovation, Bret tries his best to speak, saying that the last time he was in that arena, it was one of his “darkest days” before saying that the Montreal fans got him through those dark days and he will never forget that. Bret continues that he is proud of what he did that day before thanking the fans for supporting him throughout years. A genuinely great moment is then ruined by WWE Champion CM Punk as the respect-obsessed champion enters the ring to confront “The Hitman”. Punk says that he does not have the “ego” to write a book about himself like Bret Hart did, but if he did write a book, it would be called, “what if?”, saying that, what if he had faced Bret Hart at Survivor Series in 1997 instead of Shawn Michaels. Bret says that it does not matter what anyone would have done, because it would have taken him less than a minute to put Punk in the Sharpshooter and make the back of his feet touch the back of his head! Punk argues that he does not “need” a Vince McMahon to screw anybody and he would have beaten Bret Hart with his own two hands. Punk continues that his defeat of Bret would have meant that the Attitude Era would never have existed and he would jump to WCW and the WWE would have been “dead”.
Bret says that Punk would have been “excellently executed” by “The Best There Is, The Best There Was, And The Best There Ever Will Be”. Bret says that “the best in the world” would not have walked out on a match against Sheamus nor would he ambush John Cena during the main event. The WWE Champion says that he was in his hometown, a town that appreciates its champions, and he was in a hurry to enjoy his day off, but he returned to the arena to get his stuff. Punk asks where John Cena is, asking if Bret has Cena waiting in the back just in case things get heated. Punk continues that Bret does not know the meaning of “respect” because, if he did, then he would not talk to the WWE Champion in that manner, adding that he has been the WWE Champion longer than Bret Hart ever was. Punk then says that, after he beats John Cena at Night of Champions, he will be the greatest WWE Champion of all-time! Punk continues that, the ovation that Bret got in Montreal should be the ovation that he gets in each and every arena he enters. Punk then calls Bret “overrated”, saying that he will put Cena to sleep this Sunday. Punk adds that he is going to leave Cena a “beaten, broken shell of a man”, just like Bret Hart is. The WWE Champion then turns his back on “The Hitman”, walking out of the ring.
In a special Night of Champions Tag Match, Intercontinental Champion The Miz would team with United States Champion Antonio Cesaro, with Aksana in his corner, to face WWE Tag Team Champions R-Truth & Kofi Kingston. In the end, it was Kofi Kingston hitting Trouble in Paradise on Antonio Cesaro en route to pinning the United States Champion and picking up the win for himself and R-Truth.
In a deposition that took place at WWE Headquarters and conducted by David Otunga, Otunga, his client Ricardo Rodriguez, World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, and his lawyer were all present. After Sheamus swears to be truthful, Otunga asks Sheamus for his first and last name with Sheamus saying that his last name is “Lipschitz”, claiming he is part Irish and part Jewish. Sheamus then laughs it off, saying that Lipschitz is not his last name. Sheamus then says that, if he had to hit Ricardo Rodriguez with the Brogue Kick, he would do it again. Otunga then brings up referee Chad Patton and Daniel Bryan as victims of Sheamus’ Brogue Kick, presenting photos of the incidents. Otunga then grills the World Heavyweight Champion despite the objections of Sheamus’ lawyer, but Sheamus argues that the Brogue Kick does not discriminate before blasting the court camera with a Brogue Kick!
Six nights before she defends the Divas Title against Kaitlyn at Night of Champions, Divas Champion Layla teams with her #1 Contender, Kaitlyn, and Eve to face the team of Beth Phoenix, Natalya, & Alicia Fox in a 6-Diva Tag Match. In the end, it was Eve tagging herself into the match, hitting the swinging neckbreaker on Alicia Fox en route to picking up the win for her perplexed team.
Then it was time for the #RAWactive Match of the night as WWE Champion CM Punk would face Brodus Clay, Randy Orton, or Jerry “The King” Lawler, depending on who the fans voted for. With 75% of the vote, the Twitter universe overwhelmingly voted “The Viper” Randy Orton into the non-title match! During the match, Randy Orton was ready to put CM Punk away, but Dolph Ziggler rushes the ring, attacking Orton, but Orton takes Punk out of the ring. Orton then delivers a powerslam to Dolph and a second to Punk, but the numbers game would catch up to “The Viper” as both Ziggler and Punk pummel Orton. However, Jerry “The King” Lawler would rush the ring, assisting Orton in clearing the ring before Lawler and Orton would continue the fight on the outside of the ring!
After Dolph Ziggler brought an abrupt end to the match between CM Punk and Randy Orton, WWE Champion CM Punk would team with “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” Dolph Ziggler, with Vickie Guerrero in his corner, to face “The Viper” Randy Orton and Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler. During the match, CM Punk’s new associate, Paul Heyman makes his way to ringside to discuss matters with the WWE Champion. While the match goes on behind Punk, Punk and Heyman calmly discuss business and, despite the shrill screaming of Vickie Guerrero, Punk continues to ignore the match. Meanwhile, Randy Orton hits the RKO on Dolph Ziggler in the ring, pinning “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” for the win as Punk and Heyman walk away, unfazed by the loss!
Backstage, WWE Champion CM Punk and Paul Heyman are questioned about the nature of their relationship with Punk offering the simple explanation that he is a “Paul Heyman guy”.
Backstage, Kane and Daniel Bryan’s anger management therapist, Dr. Shelby, confronts his clients as RAW General Manager AJ Lee reveals that she asked Dr. Shelby to be there. The GM says that the doctor has a “radical” treatment idea as Dr. Shelby says that the treatment will either cure Kane and Daniel Bryan’s anger issues or send them into an “abyss” from which they will “never recover” and it will force them to “trust” each other!
After his loss to Zack Ryder on last week’s RAW, Heath Slater demanded a rematch against “The Long Island Iced Z”, but Ryder says that, while he would love to face Slater, Slater already has an opponent in “The Sin City Cyborg” Ryback! In the end, it was another dominant victory for Ryback, hitting Shell Shocked en route to picking up the win over Heath Slater.
Backstage, AJ Lee informs The Prime Time Players that they are not the #1 Contenders to the WWE Tag Team Titles because there is one team that they have not defeated, the team of Kane & Daniel Bryan! The GM then announces that they will face Kane & Bryan for the #1 Contenders’ spot.
Per the orders of RAW General Manager AJ Lee and anger management therapist Dr. Shelby, Daniel Bryan would be forced to team with “The Big Red Monster” Kane to face The Prime Time Players with the winners facing R-Truth & Kofi Kingston for the WWE Tag Team Titles at Night of Champions! During the match, Daniel Bryan would refuse to tag Kane into the match, resulting in Kane tagging himself into the match. With Kane dominating the match, Daniel Bryan would tag himself back into the match and Kane would respond by chokeslamming Daniel Bryan, but Kane chokeslams Bryan right on top of Darren Young as the referee counts to three, meaning Kane & Daniel Bryan are the new #1 Contenders for the WWE Tag Team Titles! After the match, Kane actually raises the hand of Daniel Bryan. Can this unlikely and unbalanced team unseat R-Truth & Kofi Kingston as the WWE Tag Team Champions?
Six nights before he challenges Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Title at Night of Champions, “The Mexican Aristocrat” Alberto Del Rio, with Ricardo Rodriguez in his corner, went one-on-one with Canada’s own Tyson Kidd. In the end, it was Del Rio locking in the cross armbreaker, forcing Tyson Kidd to tap out to pick up the win.
After the match, commentator Michael Cole is seated alone at ringside without Jerry “The King” Lawler as Cole emotionally explains that, during the match between Kane & Daniel Bryan and The Prime Time Players, the Hall of Famer collapsed in his position at ringside. Cole continues that Lawler’s collapsing is not part of the entertainment and medical technicians are currently using CPR on Lawler backstage.
With Michael Cole understandably quiet on commentary, the show moved on as World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus went one-on-one with the man who was responsible for getting his Brogue Kick taken away, David Otunga, in a non-title match. In the end, it was Sheamus using the Texas Cloverleaf, forcing David Otunga to tap out to pick up the win. After the match, Sheamus would get a measure of revenge on the Harvard Law graduate as Sheamus lays Otunga out with the Brogue Kick! RAW General Manager AJ Lee then comes out, saying that, with Sheamus using the Brogue Kick, she has no other choice. However, SmackDown General Manager Booker T comes out to handle the matter, saying that, if Sheamus uses the Brogue Kick at any time before his investigation is complete, Sheamus will be stripped of the World Heavyweight Championship!
Backstage, Dr. Shelby tells new #1 Contenders Kane & Daniel Bryan that they came together and worked as a team. Bryan calmly says that he didn’t appreciate the chokeslam, but they did get the win and he can get used to the team of Daniel Bryan & Kane. This sparks an argument over whose name should be placed first with both men shouting “no” at the doctor’s suggestion of the team being called “Team Friendship”.
Michael Cole then provides an update on his friend and Hall of Fame colleague, Jerry “The King” Lawler, following the legend’s collapse earlier in the evening. Cole informs everyone that Lawler has been rushed to a local hospital and, while Lawler is receiving oxygen, he is breathing on his own. Cole then states that, out of respect for “The King”, there will be no further commentary on this week’s RAW.
Rey Mysterio was in action on RAW as “The Master of the 619” went one-on-one with the mask-obsessed Cody Rhodes. In the end, it was Cody Rhodes hitting Cross Rhodes on Rey Mysterio en route to picking up the win. After the match, Intercontinental Champion The Miz comes in to rub his title belt in the face of Mysterio, but Rhodes attacks The Miz, laying Miz out with the Cross Rhodes!
Michael Cole explains that Jerry Lawler is being more responsive as “The King” is responding to lights. Lawler is in the isolated portion of the E.R. and is awaiting a CAT scan.
After kicking off the show with his first appearance in the Bell Centre in Montreal in fifteen years, Bret “The Hitman” Hart would introduce the #1 Contender for the WWE Title, John Cena, for an exclusive interview. Bret says that the rivalry between CM Punk and John Cena reminds him of the feud between himself and Shawn Michaels, saying that he sees a lot of himself in Cena and a lot of Shawn Michaels in CM Punk. Cena says that the differences between Punk and Michaels are obvious, saying that Michaels did not pretend to be someone he is not. Cena continues that Punk believes that leather and gold equal respect and Bret responds by asking how Cena is going to handle the “phony Punk”
This brings WWE Champion CM Punk out as Cena tells Punk that there are three ropes between Punk and the worst decision of his life. Punk then says that Cena is the true phony, saying that he does what he wants, when he wants and he has decided to come out there and defend his good name against such blatant “disrespect”. Punk then enters the ring, saying that Cena and Bret are so much alike because they were both “surpassed” by someone so much greater than them, saying that he is greater than Cena and Shawn Michaels was greater than Bret Hart. Punk continues that they cannot draw a line of comparison between himself and Shawn Michaels because he is better than Michaels, adding that he is better than the “hillbilly” that Bret Hart made pass out in the Sharpshooter, Stone Cold Steve Austin! Punk says that he is also better than The Rock and everyone saw what he did to The Rock, something that Cena could not do in an entire year. Punk then says that he proclaims that he is the best in the world because he is indeed the best in the world. Cena calls Punk a “scumbag”, saying that Montreal is an “honest” city, saying what they want when they want. Cena then says that, for 300 days, Punk has been the WWE Champion and, for 300 days, the championship has been “irrelevant”! Cena tells Punk that “there is no you”, saying that the night that Punk made the most noise was when his microphone was silenced.
Cena continues that Punk promised “change” last year, but the only change that Punk wanted was him becoming a “star” and, through good and bad, he has been himself. Cena then says that, throughout Punk’s career, Punk has changed his ideologies numerous times, stabbed his friends in the back, wear the colors of Hall of Famers, and even “stole” the elbow drop of the late, great Randy Savage, saying that Punk has done all of this because he is yet to find himself. Cena continues that the reason that Punk is still the champion is because he has defended it by any means necessary and that does not define a champion and, at Night of Champions, Punk will have to find a new “identity”. Cena then says that Punk has realized that he is in “serious jeopardy” of losing the WWE Title at Night of Champions. Cena then insults Punk in French and Punk says that Cena is “lowering” himself to speaking the language of the locals. A fired-up Cena then says that the fans are the reason they are both there, calling Punk an “ignorant son of a bitch” and slapping the microphone out his hands. Cena then says that, at Night of Champions, he is going to kick Punk’s ass! Punk then attempts to cheap shot Bret Hart, but Cena blocks it before Cena looks ready to fight the WWE Champion. Punk then tries to cheap shot “The Hitman” again, but Bret blocks it himself, knocking the champion down with a right hand! Punk then rolls out of the ring, clutching his WWE Title belt.
Michael Cole then ends the show with a positive update about Jerry “The King” Lawler as Cole explains that, after the Hall of Famer collapsed to the floor earlier in the evening, Lawler is in a local medical facility, where he is breathing on his own and his heart is beating on his own. Cole then reports that Lawler’s condition is “stabilized”, but asks everyone to keep Lawler in their thoughts and prayers.
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