Table Scraps.
Thirteen nights before WWE TLC, the 1019th edition of WWE Monday Night RAW came to you, live, from the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, NC. In a story first broke by WWE.com, WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon has been spotted in the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, leading to wild speculation regarding the presence of the Chairman. Is Mr. McMahon there to address the shocking emergence of The Shield and their impact on the WWE Title scene, most notably protecting WWE Champion CM Punk, ensuring Punk’s safety from Ryback? Or maybe the Chairman is there to address the ongoing AJ scandal that has seemingly been started by RAW Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero in what has been a successful ploy to regain power on RAW. Whatever the reason is for his presence, one thing is for certain- Mr. McMahon is in the building and things are bound to get shaken up! Also, with just one day standing between him and the sixth longest reign as WWE Champion in history, what will WWE Champion CM Punk have to say about his historic reign, not to mention the likelihood of surpassing John Cena’s 380-day reign as champion? Two intense rivalries would collide in a huge tag team match on RAW as the ten-time former WWE Champion John Cena teams with “The Celtic Warrior” Sheamus to face “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” Dolph Ziggler and the World Heavyweight Champion, Big Show!
Match Results
- Non-Title: Team Hell No def. The Prime Time Players (with The Shield) by Daniel Bryan rolling up Darren Young.
- AJ Lee def. Tamina Snuka by roll-up.
- John Cena & Sheamus def. Dolph Ziggler & Big Show by John Cena pinning Dolph Ziggler following the Attitude Adjustment.
- Damien Sandow def. Santino Marella by pin following the Terminus.
- Alberto Del Rio def. Sin Cara by submission to the cross armbreaker.
- Contract on the Line: Randy Orton def. Brad Maddox by pin following the RKO. As a result, Brad Maddox does not earn a WWE contract.
- United States Championship: Fatal 4-Way: Antonio Cesaro (c) def. Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, & Wade Barrett by pinning Kofi Kingston following the Neutralizer to retain.
Detailed Results
After they were the victims of an assault by The Shield on last week’s RAW, Team Hell No was more unified than ever as the WWE Tag Team Champions Kane & Daniel Bryan kick the show off. However, after Team Hell No enters the ring, they spot the three men known as The Shield observing them from the crowd. Kane addresses the trio, saying that Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, & Roman Reigns claim to “fight against injustice”, challenging The Shield to come to the ring and they will give them something to fight about! However, The Shield would not budge and Team Hell No would soon have to shift their focus to their opponents, The Prime Time Players.
With The Shield ominously watching from the crowd, the opening match of the night saw the WWE Tag Team Champions, Team Hell No, facing The Prime Time Players in a non-title match. During the match, however, Daniel Bryan would keep a close eye on The Shield, but when Bryan looks up to where the three men were standing, only Dean Ambrose was still standing in his spot! Later on in the match, Team Hell No would spot Roman Reigns, who was standing in the middle of the crowd as The Shield was seemingly closing in on the ring. As the match continued in the ring, both Team Hell No and The Prime Time Players would find themselves distracted as both Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns continue to make their way through the crowd with Seth Rollins still missing from the scene. Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns would continue to descend upon the ringside area, making it to the barricade. This would draw the attention of Team Hell No, allowing Darren Young to attempt a roll-up on Daniel Bryan. However, Bryan would shift his weight and reverse the roll-up, scoring the win for himself and Kane! As soon as the match was over, however, The Shield saw their opportunity to strike as Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns hop the barricade, focusing on Kane, who tries his best to fight off the assault. Spotting his partner in peril, Daniel Bryan starts towards the scene at ringside, but that’s when Seth Rollins appears, attacking Daniel Bryan from behind! As Rollins stomps away at a battle-weary Daniel Bryan in the ring, Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns continue the assault on Kane on the outside of the ring, dragging “The Big Red Monster” to the steel ring steps where they pin Kane’s shoulder between the steps and the ring post before Ambrose & Reigns repeatedly stomp the steel steps, smashing Kane’s arm between the steel apparatuses. With Kane out of commission, all three members of The Shield hone in on Daniel Bryan as Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns deliver a beat down to Bryan, drilling Bryan with their patented three-man powerbomb in the center of the ring! The Shield then makes their exit through the crowd as Kane does his best to check on his tag team partner.
Amidst the alleged AJ scandal, AJ Lee would return to in-ring action as the former General Manager would go one-on-one with the apparent bodyguard of RAW Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero, the second-generation competitor, Tamina Snuka. Despite being dominated and punished by Tamina Snuka throughout the match, AJ Lee would spot an opening when Tamina went for the Superfly Splash as AJ catches Tamina with a roll-up to pick up the win.
On his 379th day as the WWE Champion, just one day shy of matching John Cena for the 6th longest reign in WWE history, WWE Champion CM Punk, with Paul Heyman in tow, appears on RAW. Heyman shows the newest edition of the WWE Encyclopedia, saying that he is not out there to promote the book because he is not a fan of it. Heyman explains that the new WWE Encyclopedia does not have enough information about the reigning WWE Champion, CM Punk. Heyman continues, admitting that both he and Punk missed a very important detail in the Encyclopedia, the fact that, at midnight tonight, Punk will officially tie John Cena for the sixth longest reign as WWE Champion in history and, tomorrow night at midnight, Punk will officially surpass Cena as the “longest reigning WWE Champion of the entire modern era”! After an unfavorable response to this milestone from the fans, Heyman explains that Punk is the longest reigning WWE Champion of the last 25 years, a quarter of a century. Heyman continues that, not only will they all have to admit that CM Punk is the best in the world, but Punk should be the first face on WWE’s version of Mount Rushmore. The WWE Champion then speaks, saying that, despite his historic accomplishments, he is still “unfairly prosecuted”. Punk then says that, if the WWE did have a Mount Rushmore, his face would easily be chiseled on it before the likes of Hulk Hogan, John Cena, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, or The Undertaker. Punk continues, saying that the fans will not give him the respect that he deserves before saying that, at Hell in a Cell, he defeated Ryback and, at Survivor Series, he defeated both Ryback and John Cena in a Triple Threat Match. Punk then begs the question of why he is being forced to defend the WWE Title in a Tables, Ladders, & Chairs Match against Ryback at WWE TLC. Punk blames the fans, saying that they want to hold a magnifying glass to him to try and look for an imperfection so that they can make excuses to justify why all of their “heroes” cannot and will not ever beat him! Punk then lists off the “excuses” that the fans have made over recent months, citing his alignment with Paul Heyman, the “rogue referee” Brad Maddox, and, now, The Shield as the reason for his status as the WWE Champion. Punk calls these notions a “lie”, saying that the truth is that, if it wasn’t for him, they would not be in the arena. Punk continues that, if it wasn’t for him, then they would have nothing to look forward to on these “dismal” three-hour episodes of RAW! Punk then says that he is the “hottest thing going” in the WWE today, telling the fans to turn off their televisions or leave the arena if they don’t like it!
The Miz then interrupts, telling the fans to sit down and enjoy themselves before telling Punk that no one believes Punk when he says that he has nothing to do with Brad Maddox or The Shield. The WWE Champion takes issue with this, asking who Miz thinks he is, coming out there and passing judgment on him. Miz responds, admitting that he cheated and took shortcuts when he was the WWE Champion, but at least he admits it. Miz continues that Brad Maddox was in Punk’s back pocket at Hell in a Cell and, at Survivor Series, The Shield bailed Punk out and, if they did not bail Punk out last week, then Punk would have been at the mercy of Ryback. Punk then says that, if Miz came out there to question his credibility, then Miz can come down to the ring so he can prove himself by putting The Miz to sleep. Miz says that they can fight at any time before daring the WWE Champion to come on his talk show, Miz TV, to take a lie detector test to prove his innocence when it comes to Brad Maddox and The Shield, citing that the local sheriff’s department loaned him the technician and the equipment to do so! Heyman calls Miz TV a “three-ring circus”, saying that Miz wants to put a live microphone in the hands of an “uninhibited public speaker” on live television, knowing full well what CM Punk thinks of The Miz behind the scenes. Miz calls Heyman a “human walrus”, saying that, if he wanted Heyman to speak, he would throw him a fish! Miz then says that what Heyman said is exactly what he wants, daring Punk to bring his “best pipe bomb”. Miz continues that he is giving Punk what he wants, a chance to prove to the world that he is telling the truth and prove all of Punk’s detractors wrong or Punk could refuse and continue to walk around with an “asterisk” placed on his name and his reign as the WWE Champion! Punk then begrudgingly agrees to take the lie detector test on Miz TV, saying that he will prove that he is right and cement himself as the best in the world!
In a huge tag team match, ten-time former WWE Champion John Cena would team with “The Celtic Warrior” Sheamus to face “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” Dolph Ziggler and the World Heavyweight Champion, Big Show, just thirteen nights before Big Show and Sheamus collide in a Chairs Match for the World Heavyweight Title at WWE TLC. In the end, it was Sheamus hoisting Big Show up for White Noise and, at the same time, John Cena would drop Dolph Ziggler with the Attitude Adjustment en route to Cena pinning Dolph for the win!
In an attempt to individually educate the WWE fans, “The Intellectual Savior” Damien Sandow would attempt to transform another fan into his “apprentice”. Sandow selects an audience member to enter the ring before Sandow explains to the fan that he will ask him three questions and, if he answers them correctly, he will prove himself worthy of an apprenticeship. Sandow’s first question asked the fan what the chemical formula, H2O, applies to, with the fan correctly answering, “water”. Sandow then asks who the first President of the United States was and the fan answers correctly with “George Washington”. The third and final question was, “what famed English poet wrote, ‘much have I traveled in the land of gold’?” The fan admits that he does not know the answer and Sandow screams that the answer is “John Keats”, calling the fan an “ignoramus”! Sandow continues to berate the fan, saying that he won the “idiot of the day” award and sending the fan off with a quote of his own, “ignorance is curable, but stupid is forever”! Sandow then tells the fan to leave his presence and leave the building, saying that the fan should be “exiled” from the United States of America. While the fan takes a walk of shame back to the crowd, Santino Marella comes out to confront Damien Sandow, asking an intelligible question about seashells. Sandow answers that the most popular type of seashell is a “bivalve”, but Santino says that is the wrong answer. Santino claims that the correct answer is the “conk shell” before Santino to pop Sandow in the head with the microphone, but Sandow sees it coming and blocks the shot, dropping Santino with a right hand, before exiting the ring.
After taking issue with Damien Sandow’s individual education of a fan, Santino Marella would go one-on-one with “The Intellectual Savior” Damien Sandow. In the end, Santino Marella would learn a physical lesson at the hands of Damien Sandow, who drops Santino with the Terminus en route to picking up the win.
Backstage, Dolph Ziggler is talking with RAW Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero, blaming his tag team loss on his tag team partner, Big Show, calling the World Heavyweight Champion a “giant idiot” and the “worst tag team partner ever”. Dolph then says that he is a “star” and should not have to compete in tag team matches. Vickie admits that she is beginning to lose “faith” in Ziggler, but Dolph argues that he can defeat John Cena and look good doing it. Dolph then asks Vickie for a rematch against Cena at WWE TLC, vowing that he will “steal the show”. The Managing Supervisor then grants Ziggler his rematch for WWE TLC, but opts not to kiss Dolph in the public hallway. Ziggler then exits, but not before letting Vickie know that she has someone waiting in her office. However, Vickie is surprised and angered to find none other than Brad Maddox waiting in her office with his own cameraman! Vickie demands to know why Maddox is in the building and the former referee comments that he is there to ensure that no one will ever forget the name, Brad Maddox!
Still arguing in the Managing Supervisor’s office, Vickie Guerrero wants to know why she should give Brad Maddox a WWE contract, citing Maddox’s alignment with CM Punk at Hell in a Cell. However, Maddox again dismisses the allegations, saying that Punk had nothing to do with his actions at Hell in a Cell. Maddox then tries to flatter his way to a WWE contract, saying that Vickie is “one of the most powerful and influential women in WWE history” and that her legacy speaks for itself. Maddox continues, saying that Vickie has “earned” that legacy with her “vision” and her “leadership”, as well as her “management skills” and her “eye for talent”. Maddox says that Vickie also has an eye for entertainment, saying that he can take RAW from being “good” to “great”. Vickie grants Maddox’s request for a match that Maddox must win to get a WWE contract, but when Maddox asks who his opponent will be, Vickie informs Maddox that he will find out when he gets to the ring, but vows that it will be “great TV”!
In a rematch from a couple of weeks ago, “The Mexican Aristocrat” Alberto Del Rio, with Ricardo Rodriguez in his corner, went one-on-one with “The International Sensation” Sin Cara. At the end of an intense back-and-forth war, it was Alberto Del Rio negotiating Sin Cara into the cross armbreaker, forcing Sin Cara to tap out to pick up the win.
Backstage, the rumors are confirmed as WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon is spotted marching towards the ring, but stops briefly to instruct a stagehand that he wants to have a talk with RAW Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero in the middle of the ring right now!
After having her presence requested by WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, RAW Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero nervously makes her way to the ring to introduce the man himself as WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon makes his way to the ring. The Chairman tries to discuss the WWE TLC lineup with Vickie, but the Managing Supervisor interrupts, pitching the idea of having John Cena face Dolph Ziggler at the pay-per-view, commenting that the match will be “epic”. McMahon suggests that, if Vickie really wanted to make it epic, then she should add a big stipulation to the match. Trying her best to make the Chairman proud, Vickie suggests that the Cena vs. Ziggler match be made a No Disqualification Match, which was not the answer that Mr. McMahon was looking for. The Chairman gives Vickie another chance, saying that the theme of the pay-per-view is tables, ladders, and chairs, not No Disqualification matches, telling Vickie to “think harder” and even whispering his ‘suggestion’ into Vickie’s ear. Vickie then shouts out, “a Ladder Match”, in shock and disapproval as the Chairman credits Vickie for her “great idea”! Trying to protect her former client, Vickie quickly comes up with an explanation, saying that neither John Cena or Dolph Ziggler are champions and, for a Ladder Match to take place, there would have to be something hanging above the ring for them to retrieve in order to win the match. McMahon then pretends to be stumped by this and also pretends to shop ideas with Vickie, saying that there should be some sort of a “briefcase” hanging above the ring, mentioning Dolph’s Money-in-the-Bank briefcase! Still trying to protect both her job and her former associate, Vickie says that she is worried that other people might see that as being “unfair” to Dolph Ziggler since Dolph would have everything to lose and nothing to gain. McMahon then asks Vickie if she thinks that it is “fair” to the fans for Vickie and Dolph to perpetuate the “crap” that is the scandal between AJ Lee and John Cena, saying that Vickie owes them something more than an apology, suggesting that she make the Ladder Match official to try and make it to Cena, as well as AJ. With body language exuding reluctance, nervousness, and almost physical illness, the Managing Supervisor makes the match official, announcing that John Cena will face Dolph Ziggler in a Ladder Match at WWE TLC with Dolph Ziggler’s Money-in-the-Bank briefcase on the line!
Having concluded his business, Mr. McMahon was set to leave the ring, telling Vickie Guerrero to enjoy the rest of her night. However, Vickie would be a little quick to move on, even telling the Chairman that he is “dismissed” before trying to move on! McMahon interrupts, saying that he got to the arena a little later then he expected, so he had just heard about the lie detector test that CM Punk is going to take later on in the evening. The Chairman continues, asking what would happen if Punk was proven to be a “liar” regarding the involvement of Brad Maddox and The Shield, suggesting to the Managing Supervisor that some sort of “action” should be taken against the WWE Champion. McMahon then looks Vickie in the eye, saying that “no one likes a liar”, trying to steer Vickie in the right direction, asking what punishment should befall CM Punk if he is proven to be a liar. Vickie grasps at straws for the answer, suggesting that, if Punk is found guilty, then the “mastermind” of the whole ordeal, Paul Heyman, should be punished. Vickie continues to stagger around for the answer, saying that, since Punk is a Paul Heyman guy, then Punk would not want to put Heyman in harm’s way, leading Vickie to make the declaration that, if Punk is proven to be a liar, then, on next week’s RAW, Paul Heyman will be forced to compete in a match against Ryback! McMahon commends Vickie for her ‘decision-making’ before making his exit from the ring.
After sweet-talking his way into a second shot at a WWE contract, Brad Maddox would have the opportunity to become a WWE Superstar as Maddox would go one-on-one with a mystery opponent, which turned out to be none other than a nine-time World Champion and one of the most sadistic, predatory, and successful Superstars in WWE history, “The Viper” himself, Randy Orton! Randy Orton made quick and easy work of the wannabe Superstar, putting Brad Maddox down with the RKO en route to picking up the win and keeping Maddox in the unemployed line. However, the alleged seekers of injustice, The Shield, would hit the ring as Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns target Randy Orton, pummeling and stomping away at “The Viper” before the trio leaves Orton laid out with their three-man powerbomb!
Backstage, an enraged Dolph Ziggler confronts Vickie Guerrero, livid over having to defend his Money-in-the-Bank briefcase against John Cena in a Ladder Match at WWE TLC. The Managing Supervisor shouts back, asking what Dolph expected her to do with Mr. McMahon forcing her hand. Dolph then tells Vickie that he thought that they were on the same page, saying that they both saw AJ as a “power-hungry amateur”, but says that Vickie is becoming just like AJ! As if she did not have enough going wrong for her, Vickie is also confronted by Paul Heyman, who stares down the Managing Supervisor. Vickie then says that, for Heyman’s sake, Heyman better hope that CM Punk is telling the truth, but Heyman just slyly smiles at Vickie before leaving her office. Things continue to get worse for Vickie, however, as a beaming John Cena enters Vickie’s office, saying that Vickie actually made a good match, sarcastically thanking the Managing Supervisor. Cena then reminds Vickie that he is the only Superstar in history to cash in Money-in-the-Bank and fail to win the title before vowing that he will defeat Dolph Ziggler at WWE TLC and he will successfully cash in the Money-in-the-Bank briefcase and become the champion. Cena then starts to leave, but Vickie calls Cena back, saying that she found something in the Divas locker room last week, presenting a couple of bows with John Cena’s picture on them. Vickie claims that she isn’t interested in trying to expose Cena, but advises Cena against getting involved with AJ Lee. Cena says that the bows are an obvious “hack job” and Vickie has wasted everyone time with her fictitious scandal, saying that Vickie cannot leave well enough alone. Vickie then warns Cena that, if he fails to learn from his past, then he is doomed to repeat it.
In tag team action, Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston and his old tag team partner, R-Truth, were set to face the team of “The Bareknuckle Brawler” Wade Barrett and United States Champion Antonio Cesaro. Before the match could start, however, SmackDown’s Senior Advisor, Theodore Long, comes out, saying that, since Vickie is dealing with her own problems and Booker T is not in the building, he is going to “spice things up”. The Senior Advisor then drops a bombshell, announcing that the tag team match will now be a Fatal 4-Way Match for either the Intercontinental or United States Title, depending on how the fans vote in the #RAWactive poll!
In what was originally scheduled to be a tag team match, a huge Fatal 4-Way Match would take place on RAW as Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston, R-Truth, Wade Barrett, and United States Champion Antonio Cesaro would square off in a title match and, with 83% of the votes from the WWE fans, the match would be for the United States Championship! In a match filled with absolute chaos, R-Truth would drop Antonio Cesaro with a heel kick to the face, followed by Wade Barrett putting R-Truth down with the Bull Hammer Elbow. Kofi Kingston would then hit Trouble in Paradise on Wade Barrett and looked well on his way to becoming a dual champion, but Antonio Cesaro would seize the opportunity, lifting Kofi up off of the pin and dropping Kofi with the Neutralizer, pinning Kofi to defy the odds and successfully retain the United States Title!
Then it was time for the truth to be revealed with serious consequences as WWE Champion CM Punk would be a guest on Miz TV as Punk would undergo a professional lie detector test administered by Frederick Abrahamson from the Gilford County Sheriff’s Department and, if Punk is proven to be a liar, then Paul Heyman must compete against Ryback on next week’s RAW. The Miz states that CM Punk claims innocence when it comes to the involvement of Brad Maddox and The Shield over recent months before Miz introduces his guest, WWE Champion CM Punk, who is flanked by Paul Heyman. As Frederick Abrahamson straps the lie detector device on CM Punk, the WWE Champion takes the time to insult The Miz, saying that Miz just wants to be him, but Miz admits that he wasn’t paying attention and Punk says that Miz wasn’t paying attention in wrestling school either. The bickering continues as Punk wants to be asked if The Miz sucks to see if he is telling the truth, but Miz fires back, saying that he does not suck, but Punk’s mom does! They would then get down to the business at hand as Miz asks some basic questions to make sure that the device is working properly. After asking Punk his name and if he has been the WWE Champion for 379 days, both of which Punk answered correctly and honestly, Miz brings up bad memories by asking Punk if Punk had his head shaved at the hands of Rey Mysterio a few years ago, which Punk begrudgingly admitted to be true. Miz then asks Punk if it is true that, when he was in the main event of WrestleMania last year, Punk had a match against Randy Orton. Punk again admits that it is true, this time adding that, the only reason that The Miz won at last year’s WrestleMania was because of The Rock’s involvement while he lost to Orton in spectacular fashion in the match that everyone was talking about. Punk continues, saying that Miz cannot remember his main event match at WrestleMania because he had a concussion and he wishes that they all had concussions so that they could forget that Miz was ever in the main event! The Miz then gets to the more difficult questions, asking whether or not Punk thinks that he can defeat Ryback, on his own, in their TLC Match for the title at WWE TLC, which Punk confidently answers with a “yes”. However, the technician shakes his head at The Miz as the reading, which is displayed on the Titan Tron, confirms that Punk answered with a potential lie! However, Punk disputes that the question could only be answered by an opinion, not by a fact. This leads Miz to get into the burning questions, asking Punk if he worked with Brad Maddox at Hell in a Cell and with The Shield at Survivor Series to retain the WWE Title, shouting at the WWE Champion to give his answer.
However, before Punk is forced to give an answer, The Shield comes out of nowhere, pulling The Miz out of the ring before completely destroying the Miz TV set! While Punk quickly detaches himself from the lie detector and makes a clean getaway with Paul Heyman, The Shield tosses the table to the outside of the ring, hurling the lie detector equipment out of the way and even assaulting Frederick Abrahamson, the lie detector technician! The Shield then bring The Miz back into the ring as Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns decimate The Miz, putting Miz down with the triple powerbomb. After getting assaulted by The Shield for the second week in a row earlier in the night, Team Hell No make their way to the ring with payback in mind. However, the three-on-two advantage would catch up to the WWE Tag Team Champions as The Shield gets the better of Kane & Daniel Bryan, but Ryback would then join the fray, picking Dean Ambrose out of the brawl, allowing Team Hell No take it to Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns! Ryback then tosses Ambrose over the ringside barricade and into the crowd, where he continues to hammer on Ambrose all the way to the backstage area. Meanwhile, back at ringside, Kane & Daniel Bryan continue to exact their revenge on The Shield with Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns doing their best to battle back. Before long, Seth Rollins would try to retreat through the crowd, but Daniel Bryan was in hot pursuit as Kane tosses Roman Reigns over the ringside barricade as well. With Ryback & Team Hell No brawling with The Shield in the crowd, CM Punk and Paul Heyman return to the ring as the WWE Champion stomps away at The Miz before kicking Miz out of the ring. Believing that there was no one else to contend with, it looked as though CM Punk would escape RAW unscathed yet again, but Ryback had different plans as “The Sin City Cyborg” returns to the ring, catching the WWE Champion by surprise and dropping Punk with Shell Shocked! Ryback was not through, however, as the #1 Contender first brings a steel chair in the ring, followed by a steel chair. Ryback first uses the ladder, driving it into the mid-section of Punk before smashing the steel chair into the spine of the WWE Champion. Ryback would then present the final element, setting up a table in the middle of the ring before grabbing the WWE Champion and driving Punk through the table with a powerbomb!
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