Rage Against The Authority.
One night after a brutal and controversial Hell in a Cell event, the 1066th edition of WWE Monday Night RAW came to you, live, from the Amway Center in Orlando, FL. In one of the most confusing and controversial Hell in a Cell matches in history, Special Referee Shawn Michaels would inadvertently pave the way for Randy Orton to claim the vacant WWE Championship as, after witnessing Daniel Bryan take out his best friend and WWE COO Triple H, the Hall of Famer would turn the lights out on his former protégé with Sweet Chin Music and, one three-count later, Triple H got what he wanted as the “face of the WWE” was, once again, Randy Orton!
Also at Hell in a Cell, CM Punk put Ryback down with the GTS inside the Cell, but the bigger story would be what took place after the match was over as “The Best in the World” would finally get his hands on Paul Heyman, dropping the evil mastermind with the GTS on top of the Cell structure. After the beating he sustained at the hands of CM Punk, what is the status of Paul Heyman? Is CM Punk satisfied enough to move on from Paul Heyman and his clients?
Match Results
- World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena (c) def. Damien Sandow by pin following the Attitude Adjustment.
- United States Championship: Big E. Langston def. Dean Ambrose (c) by DQ after Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns interfere. As a result, Dean Ambrose (c) retains.
- 6-Man Tag: The Shield def. Big E. Langston & The Usos by Roman Reigns pinning Jey Uso following a double Spear to both The Usos.
- 3-on-2 Handicap Match: Los Matadores (with El Torito) def. 3MB by Fernando pinning Drew McIntyre following the double-team Samoan Drop.
- AJ Lee & Tamina Snuka def. The Bella Twins by Nikki Bella submitting to AJ Lee’s Black Widow.
- Kane def. The Miz by pin following the chokeslam.
- Street Fight: CM Punk def. Ryback by submission to the Anaconda Vise.
- Non-Title: The Real Americans def. Goldust & Cody Rhodes by Goldust submitting to Jack Swagger’s Patriot Lock.
- Natalya (with The Great Khali & Hornswoggle) def. Summer Rae (with Fandango) by submission to the Sharpshooter.
Detailed Results
One night after a courageous return at Hell in a Cell where he defeated Alberto Del Rio to become the brand new World Heavyweight Champion, RAW kicks off with “The Champ” John Cena. The new champion proclaims that he is not only back on RAW, he will be back on SmackDown as well before saying that he is back and “ready to go”. Cena then says that he realizes that Alberto Del Rio has a guaranteed rematch for the title and, if Del Rio wants some, he should come get some. However, the new champion is interrupted by “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” Damien Sandow, who proclaims that the “uncrowned champ is here” before telling Cena that he is not fooling him. Sandow continues, saying that it is physically impossible for Cena to have healed from his triceps injury this soon. Sandow then says that the real reason that Cena is out there is because Cena is afraid that Sandow is going to cash in Money-in-the-Bank. Sandow continues, saying that he can cash in his title opportunity whenever he wants, but he is not going to do it tonight. “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” then appears to be leaving the ring, but when Cena shoves Sandow, Sandow kicks Cena in the knee before smashing his briefcase into the surgically repaired arm of Cena. The crazed intellectual then repeatedly smashes the briefcase into the arm of Cena before dragging the new champion to the corner of the ring, wrapping Cena’s arm around the steel ring post. “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” then sends Cena shoulder-first into the steel ring steps before Sandow grabs a steel chair, draping Cena’s arm over the steel steps before smashing Cena’s arm with the chair!
Damien Sandow then frantically calls a referee to the ring as Sandow officially cashes in his Money-in-the-Bank contract for an impromptu World Heavyweight Title match against a severely weakened John Cena! Despite his weakened state, John Cena would take it to Damien Sandow and Sandow would go hold-for-hold with the veteran, but in the end, it was Cena hitting the Attitude Adjustment on Sandow en route to successfully retaining the World Heavyweight Title and making Sandow the first Money-in-the-Bank winner in history to fail his cash-in via pinfall.
After taking a count-out loss to narrowly escape with his United States Title at Hell in a Cell, the rematch would take place on RAW as The Shield’s Dean Ambrose, with Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns in his corner, would defend the United States Championship against Big E. Langston. However, the match would barely get underway before Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns get involved as The Shield looks to beat down Big E. Langston, but The Usos would make the save, which leads to RAW General Manager Brad Maddox making an impromptu 6-Man Tag Match.
In a match made by RAW General Manager Brad Maddox, Big E. Langston would team with Jimmy & Jey Uso to face The Shield in a 6-Man Tag Match. In the end, it was Roman Reigns single-handedly taking out both of The Usos with a double Spear, pinning Jey Uso to pick up the win for The Shield.
After his controversial actions as the Special Referee at Hell in a Cell where he dropped Daniel Bryan with Sweet Chin Music, allowing Randy Orton to pin Daniel Bryan to become the new WWE Champion, WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels would appear on RAW to explain his actions. Michaels says that he owes everyone an explanation for his actions, but he owes it to one person more than any other. With that, HBK asks his former protégé, Daniel Bryan, to come to the ring. While Bryan comes to the ring, there was no smile and there was no “yes” chant from Bryan. Michaels says that he did not “intend” to do what he did at Hell in a Cell, saying that he called the match “right down the middle”, but when he saw what Daniel did to Triple H, he could not let it stand. Michaels continues, saying that his friendship with Triple will always “supersede” everything else and, at Hell in a Cell, Triple H needed him to be there for him and he was.
The Hall of Famer then asks Daniel Bryan to shake his hand and accept his apology, but Bryan refuses. Michaels then says that, in the WWE, you do not trust anyone and he is out there humbling himself, so the least that Bryan could do is accept his apology and shake his hand. When Bryan refuses again, Michaels gets in the face of Daniel Bryan, calling Bryan a “self-righteous little puke” before saying that, for the past seven months, he has heard people refer to Bryan as a “B+ player” and, every time, he has stuck up for Bryan, saying that Bryan is an “A+ player”. Michaels continues, saying that he no longer cares and he has always been an “A+ player” and he always will be, shouting at Daniel Bryan that he is Shawn Michaels and he is telling Bryan to shake his hand, barking at Bryan to “do it”! Bryan does grab the hand of Michaels, but uses the feigned handshake to lock the Hall of Famer in the Yes Lock as Daniel Bryan tortures his Hall of Fame trainer, making HBK tap out before referees rush out to break it up!
Backstage, Daniel Bryan is being interviewed about what just took place between him and Shawn Michaels when the interview is crashed by The Wyatt Family’s Luke Harper & Erick Rowan, who savagely beat Bryan down, tossing Bryan into a concrete wall before Bray Wyatt appears, telling Bryan that the “devil” made him do it. Wyatt then uses Sister Abigail’s Kiss to drive Daniel Bryan’s skull into a piece of steel fencing before finishing the assault by ramming an anvil case into the skull of Bryan!
In a 3-on-2 Handicap Match, Los Matadores would face all three members of 3MB, Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal, & Drew McIntyre. Capitalizing on the shenanigans between Heath Slater and El Torito on the outside, Los Matadores would hit the double-team Samoan Drop on Drew McIntyre as Fernando pins McIntyre for the win.
In Divas tag action, Divas Champion AJ Lee would team with Tamina Snuka to face The Bella Twins. In the end, it was AJ Lee locking in the Black Widow on Nikki Bella, forcing Nikki to tap out to pick up the win.
For the first time since SummerSlam in August, “The Big Red Monster” was in action on RAW as Kane would go one-on-one with the man he left lying with a chokeslam at Hell in a Cell, The Miz. In the end, it was Kane planting The Miz with a chokeslam en route to picking up the win. After the match, Kane grabs a microphone, demanding that WWE Principal Owner Stephanie McMahon come out there. Stephanie reluctantly comes out, but opts to stay on the staging area. Kane tells Stephanie that she has been “manipulative” and she has “ruined lives”, but says that, in this day and age, that is what is “best for business”. Then, in a bizarre forfeit to The Authority, Kane tells Stephanie that “this monster is yours to unleash”! Kane then exits the ring, walking up to Stephanie McMahon, removing his mask and handing it over to Stephanie and, after a moment of confusion, a smile creeps across the face of Stephanie as the Principal Owner holds up Kane’s mask, pleased with The Authority’s new charge.
One night after defeating Ryback inside Hell in a Cell before exacting his revenge on Paul Heyman on top of the Cell, “The Best in the World” CM Punk would appear on RAW. Punk said that he made good on his promise to put Paul Heyman down with the GTS, declaring that “Paul Heyman is history”. Punk then says that there is only one thing left to do, saying that he is now putting his sole focus on Ryback, vowing to finish Ryback tonight!
After vowing to finish Ryback moments earlier, “The Best in the World” CM Punk would go one-on-one with Ryback and, as voted on by the WWE fans, the match would be a Street Fight! The Street Fight would not take long to get physical as Ryback would toss CM Punk into the ringside barricade, but Punk would grab a kendo stick, getting a few shots in before Ryback picks Punk up and plants him in the center of the ring. Punk would then fight back, setting a table up in the ring, putting Ryback through the table with an elbow drop. Punk then locks in the Anaconda Vise on Ryback, forcing the monster to tap out to pick up the win.
After their annihilation of Daniel Bryan earlier in the night, The Wyatt Family would descend upon the ringside area, targeting CM Punk. Luke Harper & Erick Rowan would enter the ring and, while Punk would briefly hold the big men off with a kendo stick, the destructive monsters would overwhelm Punk. After Erick Rowan squashes Punk in the corner with a big splash, Bray Wyatt enters the ring as Punk is held up by Harper & Rowan. While Punk is able to rebel with a headbutt to Bray Wyatt, the numbers reign supreme again as Harper uses the Discus Clothesline to put Punk down before Bray Wyatt hits Sister Abigail’s Kiss on Punk. Wyatt then kneels next to Punk, shouting that the “devil” made him do it.
In non-title tag team action, WWE Tag Team Champions Goldust & Cody Rhodes would face The Real Americans, with Zeb Colter in their corner. In the end, it was Jack Swagger locking in the Patriot Lock on Goldust, forcing “The Bizarre One” to tap out to pick up the non-title win for The Real Americans.
With the World Heavyweight Title no longer in his possession following Hell in a Cell, Alberto Del Rio would appear on RAW. Del Rio says that his one and only concern is John Cena, saying that Cena “stole” his World Heavyweight Title at Hell in a Cell. Del Rio then says that he is going to hurt Cena and hurt him “bad”, saying that the World Heavyweight Title belongs to him.
After pinning Natalya in a Mixed Tag Match at Hell in a Cell to win her in-ring debut, Summer Rae, with Fandango in her corner, would make her singles match debut against Natalya, with The Great Khali & Hornswoggle in her corner, on RAW. After some shenanigans between Fandango and Hornswoggle & The Great Khali on the outside, Summer Rae would take her focus off of Natalya and the second-generation competitor would take advantage, locking in the Sharpshooter on Summer Rae, forcing Summer to tap out to pick up the win.
With a host of WWE Superstars & Divas lined up on the stage, including Brad Maddox, Vickie Guerrero, Goldust, Cody Rhodes, Ryback, Curtis Axel, The Miz, AJ Lee, The Bella Twins, Los Matadores, Kofi Kingston, The Usos, The Prime Time Players, Big E. Langston, among others, it was time to celebrate the brand new WWE Champion as WWE COO Triple H and WWE Principal Owner Stephanie McMahon make their way to the ring, flanked by The Shield. Triple H says that he was asked a decade ago who he thought would be the “face of the WWE” and he picked Randy Orton. Triple H says that the “monster” matured and became the “A+ player” and his “prophecy” became true when Randy Orton became the new WWE Champion and the new “face of the WWE”. Triple H then introduces the brand new WWE Champion, Randy Orton, who makes his way to the ring. Randy Orton greets and hugs The Authority before Stephanie McMahon addresses the roster, saying that Randy Orton is “everyone’s champion”. Stephanie continues, asking all of them to show Orton the “respect” that he deserves. The new WWE Champion then says that having the WWE Title means that he is “better” than every fan in the crowd and every man on the stage. Orton continues, saying that he is a “success” and, not only is he the “face of the WWE”, he is their “superior”.
However, there was one big unemployed giant who disagreed with what he saw and heard as, despite a restraining order held against him, Big Show would make his way down the ramp! The Shield would attempt to cut off Big Show at the pass, but that is when The Usos, Goldust, & Cody Rhodes would get involved, later joined by the rest of the roster in taking The Shield out of the equation and leaving the door open for Big Show to get his hands on Triple H and the new WWE Champion, Randy Orton! Before Big Show could do just that, Randy Orton and The Authority scramble to get out of the ring while Big Show stands tall in the ring. Big Show shouts at The Authority that he is well aware of the restraining order, but says that he has “friends” that can post bail for him. Big Show says that he will take “every damn dime” from Triple H and the WWE because he has “nothing to lose”. However, unbeknownst to Big Show, Randy Orton had slid in behind him in the ring as Orton blasts Big Show in the head with the WWE Title belt, but when the WWE Champion goes in to finish the job, Big Show pops up, leveling the “face of the WWE” with the Knockout Punch! Big Show’s actions left Triple H frozen on the ring apron as the giant dares Triple H get in the ring with him, taunting the COO, but Triple H would not take the bait, opting to keep his distance from his former employee, only getting back into the ring once Big Show exits the ring.
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