Golden Rhodes.
The 1065th edition of WWE Monday Night RAW came to you, live, from the Scottrade Center in the den of “The Viper” Randy Orton, St. Louis, MO. Freshly unemployed and with nothing to lose, “The World’s Largest Athlete” finally got his hands on the WWE COO last week as Big Show took out weeks of frustration on his former boss, knocking Triple H out cold at the conclusion of last week’s RAW! With the COO out of commission with a concussion, who will take over in running the company? Will Triple H’s loyal wife Stephanie McMahon run the WWE in her husband’s absence or will RAW General Manager Brad Maddox be left in charge?
Also, after defeating WWE Tag Team Champions Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns at Battleground to get their jobs back, Goldust & Cody Rhodes would get the opportunity to put a major dent in The Shield as the Rhodes brothers would challenge The Shield’s Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns for the WWE Tag Team Titles!
Match Results
- Randy Orton (with The Wyatt Family) def. The Miz by pin following the RKO.
- Fandango (with Summer Rae) def. Santino Marella by roll-up.
- Los Matadores def. Heath Slater & Drew McIntyre by Fernando pinning Heath Slater following the double-team Samoan Drop.
- Beat The Clock Challenge: Ryback def. R-Truth by pin following Shell Shocked, setting the time to beat at 5:44.
- The Real Americans def. Tons of Funk by Antonio Cesaro pinning Brodus Clay following the Neutralizer.
- Tamina Snuka def. Brie Bella by pin following a big boot.
- Beat The Clock Challenge: Non-Title: Time to Beat- 5:44: CM Punk def. Curtis Axel by pin following the GTS with a time of 5:55. As a result, CM Punk gets to pick the stipulation for Hell in a Cell.
- Non-Title: Alberto Del Rio (with Randy Orton) def. Daniel Bryan by count-out.
- WWE Tag Team Championship: No DQ: Goldust & Cody Rhodes (with Big Show) def. Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns (c) (with Dean Ambrose) by Cody Rhodes pinning Roman Reigns (c) following the Knockout Punch by Big Show to win the WWE Tag Team Titles.
Detailed Results
Two weeks before he steps foot into Hell in a Cell to serve as the Special Referee for the Hell in a Cell match between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan for the vacant WWE Championship, RAW kicks off with WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels! Michaels first thanks everyone who voted him in as the Special Referee last week, saying that a lot of people are concerned about his “personal” stake at Hell in a Cell, saying that he trained Daniel Bryan and he hates Randy Orton and his best friend is still Triple H. The Hall of Famer continues, saying that it is not about him, it is about crowning a new WWE Champion and he has quite the history with the WWE Championship, not to mention Hell in a Cell. HBK then guarantees that one man will walk out of Hell in a Cell as the WWE Champion before “The Heartbreak Kid” is interrupted by St. Louis’ own Randy Orton, who confronts his former rival in the ring. Randy Orton reminds Shawn Michaels that he was “born and raised” in St. Louis and he knows the people of St. Louis better than anyone, saying that he knows that St. Louis residents are “not that bright”. Orton continues, saying that, deep down, HBK knows that, on his best day, he could not hold a candle to Orton. Michaels suggests that Orton needs to worry about Daniel Bryan, but Randy Orton vows to hurt Daniel Bryan “real bad” and the Hall of Famer is going to have to count the fall and he will have to raise Orton’s hand in victory, saying that he will enjoy every second of it. Orton then says that, if Michaels screws him over at Hell in a Cell, there will be no “coming back” from what he does to the Hall of Famer! HBK says that nobody can “intimidate” him and, if Orton crosses the line, he will have no problem putting “The Viper” down with Sweet Chin Music. Michaels then turns his back to exit the ring and Orton tries to catch HBK with the RKO, but Michaels counters, nearly making good on his promise to take Orton out with Sweet Chin Music! “The Viper” is able to slip away from Michaels, but Orton is blind-sided by The Miz, who pummels Orton around ringside until referees are finally able to pull Miz off of “The Viper”.
Out for revenge against Randy Orton for the assault in his hometown a few weeks ago, the opening match of the night would see “The Awesome One” The Miz going one-on-one with St. Louis’ own Randy Orton. During the match, The Miz was twisting Randy Orton up for the Figure-Four Leg Lock when The Wyatt Family make their creepy presence felt as Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, & Erick Rowan appear on the stage, distracting The Miz long enough for Randy Orton to hit the RKO, picking up the win over The Miz. After the match, Bray Wyatt asks The Miz what it is going to take to fulfill Miz’s quest for “fame”, saying that he does not wish to see The Miz “suffer”, vowing to put The Miz down. Wyatt then concludes, telling The Miz to “follow the buzzards”.
With Summer Rae in his corner, “The Lord of Dance” Fandango would face Santino Marella on RAW. In the end, it was a distraction by Summer Rae that would allow Fandango to catch Santino with a roll-up, picking up the victory.
Backstage, Paul Heyman confronts RAW General Manager Brad Maddox, saying that CM Punk “cheated” at Battleground and that is why the GM needs to do something more than just make a one-on-one rematch for Hell in a Cell. Heyman then proposes that CM Punk face both Ryback and Curtis Axel, saying that is what is “best for business”. Maddox says that it does not seem “fair” to CM Punk and Heyman argues that Punk is a “weasel”. The GM then proposes a Beat The Clock Challenge where Ryback will face R-Truth in one match and CM Punk will face Curtis Axel in another match and, whoever wins, either Punk or Ryback, will get to pick the stipulation for the match between Ryback and Punk at Hell in a Cell!
The exciting Los Matadores, with El Torito in their corner, were in action on RAW as Fernando & Diego would face 3MB’s Heath Slater & Drew McIntyre, with Jinder Mahal in their corner. In the end, it was Los Matadores hitting the double-team Samoan Drop on Heath Slater en route to Los Matadores picking up the win. After the match, Jinder Mahal would get the bull treatment as El Torito helps Los Matadores take Jinder Mahal out, as well.
Just one week after being knockout out cold by the fired Big Show on last week’s RAW, WWE COO Triple H and one of the Principal Owners of the WWE, Stephanie McMahon, make their way to the ring, hand-in-hand. Stephanie says that she learned a lesson last week, saying that she let her “kindness” get the better of her, saying that, even after they took care of the mortgage on Big Show’s house, Big Show still got himself fired and he knocked out Triple H. Stephanie continues, saying that they are selling Big Show’s house and pressing charges for trespassing and assault! Stephanie then warns that “insolence will not be tolerated” before saying that Triple H is “defining a new era” and, with her support, Triple H is the WWE. Triple H says that rumors of his demise have been “greatly exaggerated”, saying that he put aside his “personal and professional needs” to ensure the future of the WWE as its COO. Triple H admits that “nobody likes the boss” and he has endured every hardship a COO could endure, but every man has his breaking point and his was last week when he got knocked out by Big Show while the crowd chanted “yes”.
Triple H continues, saying that, if they want him to be the “bad guy”, then he will be the bad guy. Triple H elaborates, saying that he will make Big Show “beg” for his job to avoid incarceration and financial ruin and he will make anyone else who dares to defy him or his wife do the same! Triple H says that anyone who even thought about the word “yes” had better “start to pray”. This brings out “The Yes Man” himself, Daniel Bryan, who comes out to the stage, chanting “yes” in the face of The Authority! However, Daniel Bryan is quickly struck down by World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio, who attacks Bryan from behind before laying Bryan out with a straight kick to the face! Stephanie McMahon then informs Daniel Bryan that he will be facing Del Rio tonight. Triple H then leads a sarcastic “yes” chant, but the fans chant “no” at the COO.
In the first of two Beat The Clock matches, Ryback, with Paul Heyman in his corner, would go one-on-one with R-Truth with the right to name the stipulation for the CM Punk vs. Ryback rematch at Hell in a Cell on the line. Early on in the match, R-Truth would intentionally avoid Ryback, making the big man chase him around the ring in order to run the clock up on the match, but Paul Heyman would stand in front of Truth on the outside, allowing Ryback to get his hands on R-Truth. R-Truth would give Ryback all he could handle throughout the match, but the powerhouse would battle back, hitting Shell Shocked on R-Truth en route to picking up the win and setting the time for CM Punk to beat at 5:44.
Backstage, WWE Principal Owner Stephanie McMahon confronts Daniel Bryan’s fiancée Brie Bella, informing Brie that she will go one-on-one with Tamina Snuka and, while Nikki Bella will be banned from ringside, Divas Champion AJ Lee will be in Tamina’s corner!
In tag team action, Tons of Funk, Brodus Clay & Tensai, would face The Real Americans, Jack Swagger & Antonio Cesaro, with Zeb Colter in their corner. In the end, it was Antonio Cesaro hitting the Neutralizer on Brodus Clay en route to picking up the win for The Real Americans. After the match, Jack Swagger would beat down Tensai before Cesaro uses his freakish strength to twirl Tensai around with the Cesaro Swing.
Per the orders of Stephanie McMahon, Brie Bella would go one-on-one with Tamina Snuka on RAW and, while Nikki Bella was banned from ringside, Divas Champion AJ Lee was allowed to be in Tamina’s corner. In the end, the second-generation competitor would not need any help from AJ Lee as Tamina puts Brie Bella down with a big boot en route to picking up the win. After the match, Tamina Snuka would pick Brie Bella back up, first hitting a Samoan Drop, followed by a shoulder breaker and, finally, the Superfly Splash. After the attack, AJ Lee would enter the ring as the Divas Champion locks the Black Widow in on Brie Bella until referees are finally able to break it up. After AJ Lee & Tamina Snuka leave the ring, Nikki Bella rushes to check on her sister.
With Ryback setting the time to beat at 5:44 earlier in the night, “The Best in the World” would have to beat that time, as well as beat Curtis Axel, to get to pick the stipulation for his rematch against Ryback at Hell in a Cell as CM Punk would go one-on-one with Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel, with Paul Heyman in his corner, in the second Beat The Clock Challenge match. With mere seconds remaining, CM Punk would hit the GTS on Curtis Axel, pinning the Intercontinental Champion with eleven seconds left to spare! As a result, CM Punk gets to choose the stipulation for Hell in a Cell and Punk would waste no time making the announcement, saying that he learned from watching Paul Heyman, saying that he likes Heyman’s idea of a Handicap Match. However, Punk would have a different Handicap Match in mind as Punk informs Heyman that, at Hell in a Cell, Ryback will be forced to team with Paul Heyman to face “The Best in the World” in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match inside the demonic Hell in a Cell!
Two weeks before he steps inside Hell in a Cell to face Randy Orton for the vacant WWE Championship with Shawn Michaels as the Special Referee, Daniel Bryan would go one-on-one with World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio in a non-title match on RAW. In the middle of the match, Randy Orton appears on the Tron, saying that he saw what happened to Daniel Bryan’s fiancée, Brie Bella, earlier in the night, saying that he is going to check on Brie right now! Orton then enters the trainer’s room, closing the door as screams are heard from The Bella Twins. Del Rio would attempt to take advantage, but would ultimately fail and as soon as Daniel Bryan has Del Rio down, Bryan abandons the match, rushing to the back to protect his fiancée. However, once Daniel Bryan enters the trainer’s room, he is ambushed by Randy Orton as “The Viper” attacks Daniel Bryan, tossing Bryan into a steel bathtub. Fortunately for Daniel Bryan, referees are quickly able to break it up, checking on Daniel Bryan as Randy Orton exits the room.
Backstage, The Authority speaks to The Shield as Triple H informs the trio that the WWE Tag Team Title match will have no disqualifications, telling Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, & Roman Reigns that the “gloves are off”, instructing the trio to “finish it”.
Then it was time for the main event as, with their jobs in the WWE back intact, the Rhodes brothers, Goldust & Cody Rhodes, would challenge The Shield’s Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns, with United States Champion Dean Ambrose in their corner, for the WWE Tag Team Titles and, as decreed by Triple H, the match would have no disqualifications! During the match, Dean Ambrose would get involved in the no disqualification match, allowing the three-on-one beatdown of Cody Rhodes from The Shield. However, the veteran Goldust would slide into the ring with a steel chair, using the chair to save his brother, taking out all three men with the chair before tossing Ambrose to the outside, but Roman Reigns would regain the advantage, taking Goldust down before getting his hands on the chair himself. However, Goldust would dodge the chair shot, launching himself at Roman Reigns, taking Reigns out. Meanwhile, on the outside of the ring, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins would battle with Rollins putting Cody down with a powerbomb to the ringside barricade. In the ring, Goldust would again sacrifice himself, taking Roman Reigns to the outside with a clothesline, but Dean Ambrose would again get involved as Ambrose & Reigns would target “The Bizarre One”. Goldust would hold his own against the two men, but Roman Reigns would spot his opening and Reigns would take it, driving Goldust through the ringside barricade with the Spear! Dean Ambrose was then the only man left on his feet as Ambrose took matters into his own hands, rolling Cody Rhodes into the ring before trying to revive Roman Reigns and roll him back into the ring.
However, a giant would come sprinting through the crowd as Big Show makes his way through the screaming fans, causing Dean Ambrose to grab a steel chair, but Big Show would kick the chair into the face of the United States Champion before leveling Ambrose with the Knockout Punch! Seth Rollins would then attempt to dive onto Big Show, but Show would catch Rollins on the outside, blasting Rollins with the Knockout Punch, as well! With only one Shield member left standing, Cody Rhodes would go for the Disaster Kick on Roman Reigns, but Reigns would duck out of the way. Unfortunately for Roman Reigns, he would duck right into the monstrous right hand of Big Show as the giant knocks Reigns out cold, allowing Cody Rhodes to pin Roman Reigns to win the WWE Tag Team Titles for himself and Goldust! As Big Show celebrates with the fans, Triple H hits the ring, livid over what just took place as the COO looked to blow a gasket as Goldust & Cody Rhodes celebrate on the stage as the brand new WWE Tag Team Champions!
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