YES! YES! YES!
The 1048th edition of WWE Monday Night RAW came to you, live, from the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, SC. After two one-on-one matches that ended in controversy on last week’s RAW and SmackDown, respectively, the third match in the series would take place on RAW as “The Viper” Randy Orton would go one-on-one with Daniel Bryan. Last week’s RAW concluded in shocking fashion as “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar made an unexpected return with the sole purpose of leaving CM Punk lying in the center of the ring with a thunderous F-5, but a lot of questions remain regarding the attack. What is the explanation behind this confrontation between the two “Paul Heyman Guys”? Does the apparent dissention between CM Punk and Paul Heyman have anything to do with Lesnar’s re-emergence? In one of the biggest shams in WWE history, “The World’s Strongest Man” Mark Henry faked his own retirement on last week’s RAW in order to lure WWE Champion John Cena in and plant the champion with the World’s Strongest Slam! How will John Cena respond to Mark Henry’s actions?
Match Results
- Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton fight to a Double Disqualification after the referee loses control of the match.
- Sheamus & Christian def. Team Rhodes Scholars by Sheamus pinning Cody Rhodes following the Brogue Kick.
- Kaitlyn def. Aksana (with AJ Lee) by pin following the Spear.
- Non-Title: Chris Jericho def. Alberto Del Rio by DQ after Ricardo Rodriguez interferes.
- Ryback def. The Great Khali by pin following Shell Shocked.
- #1 Contender’s Triple Threat Tag Match: Jimmy & Jey Uso def. Tons of Funk and Jinder Mahal & Drew McIntyre (with Heath Slater) by Jey Uso pinning Tensai following the Superfly Splash.
- CM Punk def. Darren Young by submission to the Anaconda Vise.
- Street Fight: Daniel Bryan def. Randy Orton by submission to the No Lock.
Detailed Results
After losing to Randy Orton on last week’s RAW due to the referee stopping the match and defeating Orton via count-out on SmackDown, RAW kicks off with Daniel Bryan, who says that some people have said that he has some sort of “complex”. Bryan says that he has been questioned throughout his career as people have asked him if he is really a wrestler because of his size and, from day one, people have thought that he is the “weak link”. Bryan continues, saying that those people are “morons” and he will not be satisfied until he either pins Randy Orton or makes him submit in the middle of the ring, something he vows to do tonight! Bryan is then interrupted by his opponent, Randy Orton, who tells Bryan to “shut up and fight”! This sparks a brawl between Orton and Bryan before the referee is able to separate the adversaries long enough to start the match.
With Randy Orton at one victory over Daniel Bryan via referee stoppage and Daniel Bryan at one victory via count-out, it was time for the “rubber match” as Daniel Bryan would go one-on-one with “The Apex Predator” Randy Orton in the opening match of the night. From the opening bell, both Superstars would completely disregard the rules as Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan would brawl in and out of the ring with Bryan tossing Orton over the announce table, but when Daniel Bryan leaps at Randy Orton with a knee, Bryan catches Orton, but also catches the referee, which prompts the double disqualification as the referee is no longer able to control the match! However, Orton and Bryan could not care less about the match being over as the fight continues until a slew of referees rush out, finally separating the two of them.
Backstage, an enraged Daniel Bryan confronts RAW Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero and her assistant, Brad Maddox, livid over the double disqualification ruling in his match against Randy Orton. Bryan demands that he get a rematch with Orton and he get it tonight, but Brad Maddox chimes in, saying that Bryan has already had his match and there is no room for a rematch on tonight’s show. Bryan then changes his tune slightly, demanding that he either get a rematch against Randy Orton tonight or he gets a match against Brad Maddox! Vickie wastes no time in agreeing with Bryan, saying that Bryan will get his rematch with Randy Orton! After Daniel Bryan exits, the Managing Supervisor is confronted by WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, who tells Vickie that some people think that Daniel Bryan is a “downright embarrassment”, but when Vickie asks the Chairman what he thinks of Daniel Bryan, McMahon says he will let her figure that out.
Amidst his rivalry with Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow, Sheamus would enlist the assistance of Christian as “The Celtic Warrior” would team with “Captain Charisma” to face Team Rhodes Scholars in tag team action. In the end, it was Sheamus blasting Cody Rhodes with the Brogue Kick en route to picking up the win for himself and Christian.
Backstage, RAW Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero confronts CM Punk, but Punk asks if Paul Heyman or Brock Lesnar is in the building and Vickie says that she has not seen them. Vickie then tries to inform Punk that he has a match tonight, but Punk is only interested Heyman and Lesnar, telling Vickie to let him know when either or both of them arrive.
The Divas were in action on RAW as Kaitlyn, with Layla in her corner, would go one-on-one with Aksana. During the match, however, Divas Champion AJ Lee would come out to Kaitlyn’s music, wearing a ridiculous muscle suit. The attempt to distract Kaitlyn would ultimately fail as Kaitlyn would kick out of a roll-up by Aksana, plowing Aksana with the Spear en route to picking up the win. After the match, AJ Lee would do her best to impersonate Kaitlyn, saying that, not only did she lose the Divas Title, but she also lost her “dignity” when she was embarrassed by the ruse of a secret admirer. In a replay of what happened to Kaitlyn a few weeks ago, Big E. Langston comes out with flowers in hand, saying it was him all along and telling the faux Kaitlyn that she was the “one” all along. The faux Kaitlyn says that she has always dreamed of finding a man with a voice as deep as hers and an Adam’s apple like hers, as well. As Layla holds Kaitlyn back, the fake Kaitlyn says that she will never regain the Divas Title, so she will just continue being the butt of AJ’s jokes.
It was announced during RAW that former World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler has been cleared to compete and “The Show-Off” will challenge new champion Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship in three weeks at Money-in-the-Bank!
After his match against Alberto Del Rio ended in a disqualification, thanks to involvement from Dolph Ziggler, the rematch would take place on RAW as six-time former World Champion Chris Jericho goes one-on-one with World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio, with Ricardo Rodriguez in his corner, in a non-title match. In the middle of an incredible match, Chris Jericho would have Alberto Del Rio dead to rights in the Walls of Jericho, but Ricardo Rodriguez would jump in the ring, blasting Jericho in the back of the head with his metal bucket, resulting in a disqualification win for Jericho. After the match, Dolph Ziggler rushes the ring, pummeling Del Rio while Jericho hits the Codebreaker on Ricardo Rodriguez! This leads to a face-to-face confrontation between Jericho and Ziggler, but the moment that Jericho turns his back to Dolph, Ziggler hits the Zig Zag on Y2J!
Backstage, WWE COO Triple H confronts Vickie Guerrero and Brad Maddox, saying that he heard a rumor that Vickie was thinking of cancelling the match between Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton. Vickie says that she agrees with Mr. McMahon that Daniel Bryan is an “embarrassment” to the WWE, but the COO says that he does not agree with that theory about Daniel Bryan. The COO continues, saying that the only opinion that matters is that of the WWE fans and they want to see the match between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan. Triple H then convinces Vickie to allow the fans to pick the stipulation for the match, as well, before telling Vickie that, if she just listens to him, she will be fine. Before exiting, Triple H compliments Brad Maddox on his shirt, asking if it comes in men’s sizes too.
In the ring with Vickie Guerrero & Brad Maddox, Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler would unveil the cover of the new WWE 2K14 video game, which will be out this fall. Before unveiling the cover, Lawler reveals a special contest where the fans will design and create their own cover that will be on the flipside of the front cover of the game! RAW Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero then says that she will take it from there and, barely audible over the chorus of boos from the crowd, Vickie Guerrero announces that the fans will use the WWE App to pick either a Street Fight, a Lumberjack Match, or a Falls Count Anywhere Match for the match between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan later in the evening. Vickie continues, saying that she created her own cover for the WWE 2K14 video game, showing her own cover for the game, which features Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, & Mr. McMahon on the cover! However, Brad Maddox has a cover of his own, showing a cover featuring Maddox standing in the front with John Cena and CM Punk behind him! “The King” then unveils the actual cover of the WWE 2K14 game, which features “The People’s Champion” The Rock!
For the first time since being put through the roof of an ambulance by John Cena at Payback, “The Sin City Cyborg” would appear on RAW as Ryback would go one-on-one with “The Punjabi Giant” The Great Khali, with Natalya & Hornswoggle in his corner. In the end, it was Ryback hoisting the giant up and dropping him with Shell Shocked en route to picking up the win.
After being the victim of the grand retirement ruse perpetrated by Mark Henry last week, the WWE Champion would respond to Mark Henry’s sham as John Cena makes an appearance on RAW. Cena says that, of the countless men who have challenged for it, only 43 Superstars have actually held the WWE Championship, an elite accomplishment that earns “respect”. Cena continues, saying that he has seen men do whatever it takes to get a shot at the WWE Title and, last week, they saw how “low” a man will sink to get a title shot. The WWE Champion says that Mark Henry “disgraced” his family and “cheated” the WWE fans and his speech was an “utter disaster” to men who have had to retire in the ring, such as Edge, Shawn Michaels, and “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Cena continues, saying that Mark Henry made a “mockery” of all of those men, but he understands why. Cena explains that Mark Henry believes that he will not have a “legacy” in the WWE if he does not have a run with the WWE Title, but Henry will have to go through him to get it. The WWE Champion says that Mark Henry has to “earn” the WWE Title and the only thing he has earned is the right to have his teeth knocked down his throat and, at Money-in-the-Bank, Mark Henry will discover what he and the fans already know, shouting that “our time is now and the champ is here”!
New #1 Contenders for the WWE Tag Team Titles would be determined on RAW as Tons of Funk, Brodus Clay & Tensai, 3MB members Jinder Mahal & Drew McIntyre, and Jimmy & Jey Uso would collide in a Triple Threat Tag Match with the winning team getting a future shot at the WWE Tag Team Titles, currently held by two-thirds of The Shield, Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns. In the end, it was Jimmy Uso hitting a huge Samoan Drop on Tensai before Jey Uso follows it up with the Superfly Splash, pinning Tensai to pick up the win for Jimmy & Jey Uso, who become the new #1 Contenders for the WWE Tag Team Titles! After the match, The Shield comes out to stare down their new challengers.
Last week on RAW, Brock Lesnar made a surprise return, where he laid CM Punk out with the F-5 and, on RAW, Paul Heyman would address the WWE fans regarding his involvement with his two “guys” getting physical in the ring. Heyman says that he has willfully ignored CM Punk’s attempts to contact him over the past week because he wanted to give Punk his explanation face-to-face. Heyman then calls Punk to the ring and “The Best in the World” complies, making his way to the ring to confront his former manager and supposed “friend”. Punk says that he should catch the fans up on why exactly he is a “Paul Heyman guy”, explaining that he was signed to the WWE in 2005 after generating considerable buzz for himself on the independent circuit. Punk continues, saying that the then Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, John Laurinaitis, saw fit to send Punk to WWE’s developmental territory in Louisville, KY. Punk says that, at the time, Paul Heyman was in charge of WWE’s developmental territory and Heyman was set up to fail as Heyman was frequently sent emails by upper management, including Vince McMahon, telling Heyman to let Punk go. However, Heyman refused to fire him and, when ECW was resurrected in 2006, Heyman picked Punk to be a part of the ECW roster. Punk then gets in Heyman’s face, telling Heyman to tell Brock Lesnar that he is coming for Brock Lesnar and he does not care if Brock is bigger than him because he is “better” than Lesnar. Punk continues, saying that Brock does not have the “balls” to hear it from him, so he will tell Heyman as Punk says that he will bring Heyman’s “beast incarnate down”!
CM Punk then addresses Paul Heyman, saying that Heyman had never done him wrong in the past before flat out asking Heyman if Brock Lesnar attacked Punk on his own or if Heyman sent Lesnar out there last week. Punk tells Heyman not to lie to him and tells Heyman to swear on the lives of his children that he is telling the truth, shouting at Heyman to “tell the truth” for the first time in his life! Heyman tells the seething CM Punk that, since they are “best friends”, Punk deserves to hear the truth before swearing on his children’s lives that he had no idea that Brock Lesnar was going to attack Punk last week! Heyman reminds Punk and the world that Lesnar’s contractual obligations were finished after Extreme Rules, saying the moment that Punk said that Brock needed Heyman’s help, Punk “picked a fight” with Brock Lesnar. Heyman continues, saying that the clash has been coming for a long time due to “professional jealousy” existing between Punk and Lesnar, saying that is the reason that he has never proposed a tag team between Punk and Lesnar because he kept the two of them apart due to the jealousy between the two of them. Heyman says that he accepts himself for who he is and he knows that he will accompany Punk again one day, telling Punk that he “loves” CM Punk and he is his “best friend” and he will “never represent anyone” that goes against CM Punk and that includes Brock Lesnar, admitting that Lesnar will have a problem with that, but that’s between him and Lesnar. Heyman then says that his “fate” is in Punk’s hands, telling Punk that it is his “move”. Punk thinks it over before telling Heyman that he is “sorry” that he doubted him, hugging his best friend!
Despite his emotional state, “The Best in the World” CM Punk would go one-on-one with Darren Young, with Titus O’Neil in his corner, on RAW. Despite a surprisingly impressive showing from Darren Young throughout the match, CM Punk would lock the Anaconda Vise in on Darren, forcing Darren to tap out immediately to pick up the win. After the match, Titus O’Neil would rush the ring and The Prime Time Players would overwhelm CM Punk, but Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel rushes out, actually helping Punk to fight off The Prime Time Players as Paul Heyman watches from ringside! The assist leaves CM Punk confused and questioning Heyman and Axel.
Backstage, Stephanie McMahon confronts Vickie Guerrero, asking why the Managing Supervisor has not announced the participants for the WWE Championship Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match. Vickie admits that she has been too busy and it must have slipped her mind, but Stephanie tells Vickie not to worry about it, saying that she will handle the announcement.
WWE Executive Vice President Stephanie McMahon then makes an appearance, saying that it is that time of the year where Superstars look to climb a ladder and become “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank”, earning them a guaranteed title shot. Stephanie then announces the participants in the WWE Championship Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match as “The Best in the World” CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, “The Celtic Warrior” Sheamus, “The Viper” Randy Orton, “The Big Red Monster” Kane, “Captain Charisma” Christian, and the returning “Whole Damn Show” himself, Rob Van Dam! Which one of these seven former World Champions, four of them former Money-in-the-Bank winners, will earn a guaranteed shot at the WWE Championship come Money-in-the-Bank?
Backstage, Ryback confronts Vickie Guerrero & Brad Maddox, saying that he “deserves better” and demanding that he get a rematch against John Cena for the WWE Title at Money-in-the-Bank. However, Chris Jericho interrupts, saying that he “deserves” to be in the WWE Championship Money-in-the-Bank Ladder Match, but Ryback says that he could eat Jericho alive. Jericho and Ryback then go face-to-face, leading to Vickie Guerrero making a one-on-one match between Ryback and Jericho for Money-in-the-Bank!
Backstage, CM Punk confronts Paul Heyman, saying that he does not need Heyman’s help and Heyman argues that he “fixed” the problem, saying that he talked to Vickie Guerrero and got her to agree to a tag team match next week where the team of CM Punk and Curtis Axel will face The Prime Time Players! Punk says that he will take the match because he wants a piece of The Prime Time Players, but he will prove to Heyman and everyone else that he does not need Heyman’s help. Punk then vows to win Money-in-the-Bank and regain the WWE Title all on his own.
After the massive retirement ruse last week, “The World’s Strongest Man” Mark Henry appears on RAW, saying that he fooled every single one of the fans and he made them cry and chant his name. Henry then claims that he has been nominated for an “Academy Award” for his performance last week, but what he wants and what he “deserves” is the WWE Championship. Henry continues, saying that people are upset with him because he “used” his friends, family, and other WWE Superstars, but he is not going to apologize to any of them! Henry says that people have always told him who he is and what “defines” him, telling him to not squash the little kids and to win the Olympics for America. Henry continues, saying that the fans are a bunch of “puppets” because they do what he tells them to do and, last week, he said “honey, I’m coming home” and he is coming home alright, but he is coming home as the WWE Champion!
Then it was time for the main event as, following two controversial victories over each other and a double disqualification finish earlier in the night, Daniel Bryan would go one-on-one with Randy Orton and, as voted on by the WWE fans, the match will be a Street Fight, where the only way to win is by pinfall or submission with no disqualifications and no count-outs! The match would immediately get intense as Orton and Bryan battle in and out of the ring, but the first major shot of the match was fired by Randy Orton, who stops Bryan from diving to the outside with a vicious steel chair shot to the skull! Later on in the match, Daniel Bryan would repeatedly try to knock Randy Orton off of the ring apron with dropkick after dropkick, but Bryan would finally use a powerbomb to put “The Viper” through a table set up on the outside of the ring! Daniel Bryan then grabs a kendo stick, using a combination of kicks to the chest and kendo stick shots to the back, but Orton would manage to pull a big move off, hooking Bryan up in a T-Bone suplex and slamming Bryan into the table! Later on in the match, Daniel Bryan would manage to lock the No Lock in on Randy Orton, but Orton would use the kendo stick to break out of the hold, wearing Bryan out with multiple stick shots. Shortly after this, Daniel Bryan again locks in the No Lock, but when Randy Orton tries to use the kendo stick to escape, Bryan grabs the kendo stick and implements the stick in the No Lock, leaving “The Viper” no choice but to tap out as Bryan picks up the huge victory! After the match, Randy Orton would confront Daniel Bryan, shaking Bryan’s hand in a show of respect before exiting the ring, allowing Daniel Bryan to enjoy his moment.
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