[narrator] Tonight is going to be…
hell.
For two of WWE's most ferocious competitors,
hell comes in the form of a giant's devastating punch.
[Cole] The wicked right hand, by Big Show.
[narrator] And a warrior's crushing kick.
[J.R.] What a shot by Sheamus.
[narrator] With pure lights-out power,
these two superstars are ready
to unleash their own brand of hell.
[Big Show] I'm gonna KO Sheamus,
and I'm gonna become the new World Heavyweight Champion.
[Sheamus] Nobody takes this championship more seriously than me.
May the best man win.
[narrator] For a respect-hungry champion…
[CM Punk] I am the best in the world, and I command respect.
[narrator] Hell comes in the form not only of an unforgiving steel cell…
but a 6'3"…
[Ryback] Feed…
[narrator] …291-pound beast…
[Ryback] …me…
[narrator] …with an insatiable appetite…
[Ryback] …more.
for annihilation.
-[crowd chanting] Feed me more! -[man] Dominating.
-[crowd chanting] Feed me more! -[man] Unstoppable.
-[crowd chanting] Feed me more! -[man] Undefeated.
[crowd chanting] Feed me more!
[narrator] Four superstars, each in their own hunt for victory.
[Big Show] I want the World Heavyweight Championship.
[Sheamus] The time for fighting is now.
[CM Punk] I've been WWE Champion for 337 days.
Respect.
[Mick] You wanna be a statistic, or do you wanna be a legend?
[narrator] Tonight will indeed be hell.
[Ryback] Feed me Punk.
[narrator] And now, WWE presents
Hell in a Cell.
["In The End" playing]
♪ In the end As you fade into the night… ♪
[Cole] This is Atlanta, Georgia.
And you are looking live at the jammed Philips Arena in downtown.
WWE Universe is ready for the one time of year pay-per-view
known as Hell in a Cell.
And there is the devilish structure known as Hell in a Cell.
Where later tonight, CM Punk, the reigning WWE Champion for 343 days,
will defend his title
against the undefeated and seemingly unstoppable Ryback.
[bell dings]
[announcer] Following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Let me first introduce
Alberto Del Rio's personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez.
[Alberto's theme music plays]
[Cole] I want you gentlemen to check out the car
that Alberto Del Rio drove to the Philips Arena today.
It's a 2012 Fisker Hybrid 490 horsepower, worth $120,000.
[car horn honking]
[JBL] Don't forget his own ring announcer. Who wouldn't want to be Alberto Del Rio?
[speaking Spanish]
[Cole] Well, you gotta admit, he puts in one heck of an effort
introducing his boss, Alberto Del Rio.
Welcome to ringside, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Michael Cole, joined by, uh,
well, the legendary John Bradshaw Layfield to my right,
the Hall of Famer Jim Ross to my left.
-And you were gonna say? -Who couldn't love this guy?
You gotta love Ricardo. He's got his own ring announcer.
Michael, how great is Alberto Del Rio?
Comes from the greatest wrestling family in all of Mexico.
That pretty well covers it.
[Cole] It would be, "Alberto has his own ring announcer," not Ricardo.
[JBL] That's what I said. Alberto.
Quit correcting me, Michael,
or we are not gonna get along well out here.
[Cole] I'm not-- This match here tonight has gotten extremely personal, J.R.
It began on the night that Randy Orton met Big Show
to determine the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[J.R.] And Randy Orton had a rough night, obviously,
with The Big Show, as everyone does.
Then after the match was over, Alberto Del Rio seizing the moment
to assault Randy Orton and attempt to… to injure Orton.
You see right here,
Alberto Del Rio taking cheap shots and liberties with Randy Orton.
But we all know The Apex Predator
certainly would not take that situation lightly.
And as, John, as we'll see here in a moment,
Randy Orton had something to say and do about the matter.
[JBL] And they're on SmackDown, the A-Show of the WWE.
Alberto Del Rio mocking The Viper, but he forgets…
The Viper strikes back.
Randy Orton himself from a family of wrestlers,
from a legendary family of Ortons in St. Louis.
All over Alberto Del Rio.
Alberto Del Rio gets away, but what happens?
Ricardo, RKO on the announce table.
Goodbye, ring announcer. Hello, Hell in a Cell.
We're about to have us one heck of a fight, Michael.
[Cole] Well, despite what happened there,
Del Rio still claims Orton is afraid of him.
[Orton's theme song plays]
♪ They council me, they understand ♪
♪ They talk to me… ♪
[announcer] Making his way to the ring, from St. Louis, Missouri,
weighing in at 245 pounds, Randy Orton!
[Cole] Well, there is the WWE's Apex Predator
until Alberto Del Rio proves otherwise.
Randy Orton set to do battle tonight at Hell in a Cell.
Well, joining us at ringside, of course, none other than the Spanish commentators,
Carlos Cabrera and Marcelo Rodriguez. Hola!
[speaking Spanish]
[Cole] You know, there's a great article on WWE.com, J.R.,
that asks the question, has Randy Orton lost his edge?
Del Rio seems to be one step ahead of The Viper, what do you think?
[J.R.] I think that Del Rio makes a pretty good point.
Randy Orton has gotta do something that, I don't wanna say jump start himself,
but we know what Randy Orton can do.
Randy Orton without gold, he looks almost naked.
And seeing a man naked is not my idea of a great night.
[Cole] John, do you think Orton's lost his edge?
You watch him every week on SmackDown.
[JBL] I don't know what J.R.'s talking about, Randy Orton being naked.
Look, he's the youngest WWE champion ever. He's a nine-time WWE World Champion.
This man is somebody who has potential going out like crazy
and he has reached it.
As far as losing his edge,
we have got a heck of a fight shaping up here
at Hell in a Cell, because, no, Randy Orton hadn't,
and Alberto Del Rio is on top of his game right now.
[JBL] Randy Orton, the classic pose
that has been mocked by Del Rio, as of late.
[Orton's theme song continues playing]
[Cole] Ricardo Rodriguez said that this matchup
is going to resemble the Mexican flag here tonight,
where the eagle, Del Rio, conquers the serpent, Randy Orton.
So we kick things off with Del Rio and Orton.
I'd like to join all those watching here live tonight at the Philips Arena.
Also on pay-per-view across the United States and all over the world.
And places like the United Kingdom on Sky Sports,
in Australia, Romania, Chile, Ecuador,
and of course, in Del Rio's home country of Mexico.
[J.R.] And certainly Randy Orton getting off to a very fast start.
And getting off to a fast start is so important
in these high-stakes matchups between two upper-level superstars.
Ooh, wow!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] And Randy Orton.
[JBL] Don't forget American Forces Network, Michael.
[Cole] Yes, a big shout out to all the men and women serving across the world
and on our ships at sea,
as Randy Orton takes it to Alberto Del Rio.
Nice of Randy to have placed your hat back on the announce table.
[JBL] I tag teamed with his father,
the Hall of Famer, "Cowboy" Bob Orton in Japan.
Six!
[JBL] I go way back with the Orton family. Nice of him to take care of my hat.
Nice also of some of our armed forces around the world
getting to watch one heck of a fight.
[Cole] Well, for Randy Orton, this again, as he said Friday night on SmackDown,
Del Rio picked the wrong guy to make an example of.
He said he's gonna be honest, and that he's gonna give Del Rio
the most brutal beating of his life, here tonight.
[J.R.] Orton picking off body parts here in the early going,
ankles, shoulders, the head.
And now more strikes right into the solar plexus of Alberto Del Rio.
Orton came highly motivated tonight.
[Cole] Indeed he did.
I mean, he's been mocked and humiliated by Del Rio,
let alone the stink attack we showed you a little bit earlier on
from a number of weeks ago.
And Randy's gotta be careful
he's not disqualified here in the early going.
Interesting-- Look at Ricardo Rodriguez.
And that's what Randy's gotta watch out for.
[J.R.] Randy knows that to Rodriguez this can be a huge distraction.
[Orton groans]
[Cole] And, of course, Del Rio is softening up
the left shoulder of Randy Orton for the Cross Armbreaker,
that many believe may be
the most dangerous submission maneuver in WWE today.
[J.R.] It's hard to argue that it isn't, quite frankly.
Because it could be applied to anyone, it could dehabilitate somebody.
Now look at this, right on the arm, that's exactly what Del Rio's doing.
Nothing random about this act.
[Cole] And Del Rio continuing to work on Randy.
Randy Orton has had a history of shoulder problems
over the years in WWE.
Very well documented and Del Rio knows that.
[J.R.] Del Rio has the advantage with all his amateur training.
Randy Orton, certainly an amazing catch-as-catch-can specialist.
As John mentioned, he's won so many championships.
But quite frankly, Alberto Del Rio is a better amateur skilled wrestler
than is Randy Orton, in my opinion.
[JBL] Alberto Del Rio, Pan American Gold Champion.
Would have gone to the Olympics in Australia,
if Mexico would have had the money to send him.
[Cole] And Randy Orton, teeing off on Del Rio, but again goes to the arm.
[JBL] You gotta love this.
[Cole] He's got a five count before he has to break.
Orton's gonna be disqualified if he doesn't break before five.
[JBL] Brilliant.
[J.R.] A lot of damage done from one to that four-count.
-And again… -[all exclaiming]
Orton's left arm being the target
of the offensive attack of Alberto Del Rio.
[Cole] John, I wanna pose you this question
from SmackDown this past Friday night.
Is Del Rio in Orton's head?
Orton was so wrapped up with Del Rio this past week.
He was attacked from behind by Wade Barrett,
who had cut some sort of deal with Del Rio.
[JBL] And Wade Barrett knocks out Randy Orton.
Yes, I believe that Alberto Del Rio has gotten in Randy Orton's head.
How could he not? This is about alpha males.
This is about my family is better than yours.
This is about Alberto Del Rio coming from a Hall of Fame background,
against Randy Orton, who comes from a Hall of Fame father.
This is alpha-male, Michael.
[Cole] And Del Rio continues the assault into the cover.
Look how he wraps the arm and shoulder, and a kick-out by Orton.
J.R., interesting poll on WWE.com.
The majority of superstars polled in the locker room about this match
said that they believe Del Rio's gonna win here tonight.
Are you surprised?
[J.R.] I'm not really surprised because Del Rio's doing a role in this.
As JBL said, I think he has gotten in Randy Orton's head a little bit.
And Orton-- Orton has sometimes been termed
as not being the most mentally-balanced individual.
Very competitive, but he has a short fuse
and that can cause him to make some mistakes.
You make one mistake against Del Rio, you lose.
[Cole] And again, Del Rio continues the pressure, and Randy Orton,
trying to fight out of this. But has the damage been done?
[JBL] You know his father, J.R., just like I do.
His father, Ace Cowboy, had a short fuse and he became a Hall of Famer.
[Cole] Randy Orton looking to steal one here.
Shoulders down, roll up and a kick-out at two by Del Rio.
[J.R.] You take any way you can get at this point
as Del Rio goes right back to work on the arm.
[Cole] There we go.
[J.R.] That was a beautiful maneuver by Del Rio.
[Cole] Again, cover, hooks the leg-- Orton at two.
[J.R.] Armbar takedown. Again, putting all that torque
and that pressure on the arm that's injured.
And we can only guess how badly the left arm of Randy Orton is injured.
[Cole] Del Rio has been seen, he never,
since he believed Randy Orton took his spot.
[JBL] But how do you like how focused Alberto Del Rio is?
He comes into this match,
he doesn't let it get to his head that he's gotta beat up Randy Orton.
He goes after the strength, and that is Randy Orton's left shoulder.
[Cole] And again, the point I was trying to make
is that Del Rio's been upset
because he believed he should have been in the number one contender match,
not Randy Orton against Big Show.
[JBL] How can you argue that?
These two guys, I'm telling you,
these two guys, this is a matter of alpha males.
This is bigger than Hell in a Cell. This is bigger than a wrestling match.
This is something that's been brewing since they've been kids
and since they've been in the WWE together.
[Cole] Randy Orton desperately needs to create separation.
[J.R.] Did you say it's bigger than Hell in a Cell there, Mr. Bradshaw?
[Cole] Almost.
[JBL] Yes, I'm saying it's bigger than this match.
This isn't just a fight where you show up and say, we're gonna have a fight.
It's not good enough for these guys.
[Cole] And again, Del Rio using the entire five-count provided by the referee here.
And he breaks at three, but Del Rio was tossed off by Orton.
I believe that was the defensive move by Randy.
[J.R.] Nice move by Orton, perhaps out of desperation.
But again, what collateral damage has Del Rio inflicted on Randy Orton?
[Cole] See Rodriguez, was trying to help Del Rio back in the ring.
Del Rio wanted nothing to do with it.
But all of a sudden, you feel the momentum maybe shifting a bit.
[J.R.] Everything coming from Orton's right side, obviously, left arm damaged.
[Cole] Oh, and Randy Orton… [JBL] Here we go!
[Cole] Again, Cross Armbreaker, fully Cross Armbreaker, submission maneuver.
Randy Orton grabs the rope to cause the break.
[J.R.] I thought Orton was gonna tap, but he reached out for the rope.
But look at Del Rio.
[JBL] Taking a full four-count, that's what you do.
[Cole] Then again, John, how well does Del Rio know Orton?
Orton was going for that powerslam that he usually uses there.
Del Rio had it scouted.
And there's the backbreaker.
[J.R.] Inverted backbreaker by Orton is a difference maker.
And now Orton's either bought some time or he might get the pin.
[Cole] And to the cover this time, hooks the leg of Del Rio.
Got it-- No, two and a half.
Del Rio's a two-time WWE Champion.
He's won the Royal Rumble, he's won Money in the Bank.
Had one of the greatest first years on record in WWE history.
[J.R.] You're exactly right. In 2011, the Royal Rumble you're talking about,
the biggest Royal Rumble in history, with 40 men, Del Rio wins it.
[Cole] And Orton setting up Del Rio.
Del Rio felt the DDT coming.
[JBL] Another great counter by Alberto Del Rio.
[Cole] And not just a great counter,
but you see how he hung up Orton on the top rope with a bad shoulder.
Look at Rodriguez.
[J.R.] It'd be a good idea to stay focused here.
[Cole] And now Del Rio…
[JBL] Haha! I love it.
[Cole] Taunting, mocking Randy Orton.
[JBL] Alberto Del Rio's feeling it.
[Cole] Del Rio is gonna go for the RKO. That's Orton's finishing maneuver.
And Randy Orton sends Del Rio to the apron.
[J.R.] Uh-oh!
[Cole] Vintage Orton! DDT!
[crowd cheering]
[J.R.] And that… that hanging up DDT is absolutely wicked.
[Cole] And Randy Orton is going to that place,
where Randy Orton hears voices in his head.
[JBL] He's got one arm, Michael.
But can he feed-- Oh, look at this.
Randy Orton went down where he pounds the mat and…
Looked like he felt it through his injured left arm.
Went for the RKO.
Backstabber by Del Rio.
Into the cover, this could be it.
Hook of the leg, Orton's shoulders down-- And a two.
[J.R.] And it was Orton's right shoulder that came up.
It looks-- Look here…
The tip of the RKO by Alberto Del Rio.
And then Orton strikes back quickly. Boom! An amazing definitive counter.
[Cole] Yeah, but Randy just can't build enough momentum for a sustained offense.
Del Rio continued on the attack.
[JBL] Alberto Del Rio came out with a very simple game plan.
He's gonna find the weak arm, stay with it--
-[Cole] There's the powerslam! -[JBL] What a great counter.
[Cole] That's what Orton went for earlier.
This time hopes to pick up the win off the powerslam-- And Del Rio…
[J.R.] It's obvious that Orton is in pain, where he's suffering with that left arm.
He couldn't finish the pinning combination there, after the powerslam.
[Cole] And all because of the punishment by Del Rio
to the shoulder throughout this matchup.
Now you're starting to see the vicious streak
that Randy Orton possesses.
[JBL] Nine-time World Champion Randy Orton.
[Rodriguez speaking indistinctly]
[JBL] Third generation.
Against the son of one of the greatest Mexican heavyweights of all time.
The nephew of probably
the greatest Mexican heavyweight of all time, Mil Máscaras.
[Cole] Of course, Dos Caras, Del Rio's father.
[JBL] And don't forget Sicodelico, his other uncle.
Three of the great brothers in Mexican history.
[Cole] Randy Orton somehow hanging on.
[J.R.] Orton saved himself there by hanging on.
-[JBL] Doesn't look good. -[Cole] He's in deep trouble here.
Del Rio, man!
Oh, man!
[J.R.] Del Rio shows no mercy on Randy Orton.
[Cole] And The Viper, he may be down and out.
And Orton at two.
Rodriguez wanted a three-count, so did Del Rio.
That was on pure instinct that Orton kicked out there.
[JBL] There's a lot more hurt on Randy Orton right now
than his left shoulder.
[Cole] A 250-pound man come off the top rope
right through his ribs, and Orton somehow kicked out.
Maybe frustration beginning to build for Del Rio.
[Cole] Has Randy Orton got anything left, Michael?
This is a beatdown of epic proportions by Alberto Del Rio.
[Cole] He showed moments ago he does.
[JBL] He showed moments ago why he's a nine-time World Champion.
I'll take nothing away from Randy Orton.
But this has been almost all Alberto Del Rio.
[Cole] Del Rio, who doesn't often go to the top rope, but gonna go there again.
-Perhaps that's the reason why. -[JBL] What was that?
[Cole] No idea, perhaps he's afraid of heights.
[JBL] You're-- try and stop him.
Alberto Del Rio's trying something that was out of his game plan.
[Cole] And I think he realized that.
[JBL] Huge, huge mistake by Alberto Del Rio.
[Cole] And it could cost Del Rio.
Randy Orton stalking his prey.
Orton goes for the RKO again.
Del Rio counters.
And again-- Looked like he was trying to send
the shoulder to the post, and Randy Orton able to counter.
Oh, Rodriguez, though! To the injured arm.
And now Del Rio again with the Cross Armbreaker.
[JBL] Right in the middle of the ring.
[Cole] Submission maneuver. Look at Orton.
[JBL] Right in the middle of the ring.
[Cole] Look at what Orton's doing with both hands here, J.R.
[J.R.] Orton is… he's making sure he's not tapping.
But this may be not the greatest move for Randy Orton.
-He might wanna live to fight another day. -[Cole] He's trying to survive here.
Del Rio trying to separate the two hands of Orton.
Ref's trying to alleviate pressure in--
-[JBL] He's got him in deep. It's in deep. -[Cole] And is Orton gonna tap?
[JBL] He's gotta tap. He's in the middle of the ring.
[Cole] Randy Orton with nowhere to go.
[J.R.] Del Rio ripping and tearing at the elbow of Randy Orton,
trying to hyperextend.
[Cole] And Randy Orton… Randy Orton, shoulders are down.
Oh! And Del Rio at two almost got caught.
[J.R.] And Del Rio forced to break his own finishing maneuver,
or suffer a three-count.
[Cole] And Del Rio went for the big kick, and RKO.
-Unbelievable move! -[JBL] He has it! he has him!
[Cole] Unbelievable move by Orton.
And Orton wins.
[bell dings]
[J.R.] Orton able to hook the leg with the right arm, to finish it--
[announcer] Here's your winner, Randy Orton!
[JBL] What a great way to start off Hell in a Cell, Michael.
What a fight we just saw by two great champions.
[Cole] Del Rio went for that patented enzuigiri,
where he climbs to the top rope and hits the guy in the back of the head.
Orton saw it coming, he ducked it into the RKO.
One of the most unbelievable counters that I've ever seen.
[JBL] Randy Orton is everything you want in a professional wrestler. Unbelievable.
[J.R.] Very instinctive, very talented, and unpredictable is Randy Orton,
with a big time victory here tonight at Hell in a Cell.
[JBL] That was impressive, Michael. What a fight.
I'd love to see that again.
[Cole] We said at the top of the matchup that there were critics
that claimed Orton may have lost his edge.
I don't think so.
[J.R.] Well, I thought it was a great strategy by Alberto Del Rio
to focus on the left arm of Randy Orton, the entire contest.
[JBL] Del Rio had a strategy, stayed with that strategy.
[Cole] And there it is. Del Rio missing it with a kick right into the RKO.
An unbelievable counter by Randy Orton.
[JBL] Del Rio lost momentum when he went to the top rope inexplicably
during the middle of match.
He took himself out of his game plan, Randy Orton capitalized on it.
[J.R.] I would agree with that.
[Cole] I think it's fair to say that that man right there,
Randy Orton is still WWE's Apex Predator.
[JBL] Few guys ever live up to their potential.
Randy Orton is one of those few.
What a wonderful champion.
[Orton's theme song plays]
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Ladies and gentlemen,
it has simply become known as the AJ Scandal,
dominating the news and social media all week long.
Miss Lee resigning as RAW General Manager this past Monday night due to allegations
of, well, an inappropriate relationship with John Cena.
Of course, Vickie Guerrero was appointed Managing Supervisor.
She's had a Twitter war with John Cena all week.
[J.R.] It's been captivating, to say the very least,
of the tweets that have gone out between John Cena and Vickie Guerrero.
And I can tell you that we can kind of cut to the chase
as far as John Cena's concerned,
because John says that one of his tweets said that he told Vickie,
if you got proof of a "affair," then prove it.
[JBL] But the #CougarInCharge,
the greatest General Manager since Kenesaw Mountain Landis,
Vickie Guerrero says she has proof.
And she will debut it tomorrow night on Monday Night RAW.
[Cole] Well, the AJ Scandal also dominated the Hell in a Cell pre-show,
live on WWE.com and YouTube.
Before we went on the air tonight,
John Cena answering questions from the WWE Universe
via Twitter and tout before he was interrupted
The most popular--
[Cole] And John Cena said enough.
He… he's heard enough of this scandal.
He's about to blow a gasket.
[Cena's theme song plays]
Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome RAW's Managing Supervisor, Vickie Guerrero.
[crowd booing]
Vickie, with the controversial AJ Scandal still fresh on everyone's minds,
how do you anticipate--
Scandal? Yes.
Controversial? No.
It is clear that AJ and John Cena had an affair.
And I have the pictures to prove it.
[laughs]
As a matter of fact, through an anonymous source,
I was given the evidence that shows the affair took place.
And I would like to take this opportunity
for AJ to come to RAW and defend herself in person.
-Now, Josh, if you'll excuse me. -Thank you, Vickie.
Paul.
Ms. Guerrero,
I understand how much pressure you were under on Monday.
And I'm just thinking now that you've had several days to think about it,
maybe you'll take into consideration
that the reigning defending WWE Champion CM Punk
should not be placed in Hell in a Cell against Ryback--
Paul, I am not going to cancel this match.
[chuckles]
I mean, it's clear that Punk is scared of Ryback.
I mean, isn't that the truth?
I mean, telling the truth is a hard pill to swallow for people these days.
I mean, first, John Cena can't admit that he had an affair with AJ.
And second, Punk can't admit that he's scared of Ryback.
Now, as far as I'm concerned--
Look, Punk is not afraid of the boogeyman,
he's not afraid of Frankenstein, Dracula, or the Ryback!
We're all under a lot of pressure.
AJ got what she deserved.
But maybe you'll take this under consideration
because I've been hearing
you're doing a great job, and you don't wanna mess it up.
[chuckles]
[Cole] He's gonna change his tune.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Atlanta, Georgia.
There you see the Georgia Dome,
home of my favorite WrestleMania, WrestleMania XXVII.
But tonight, the Philips Arena next door hosts Hell in a Cell.
["Sandpaper" playing]
[bell dings]
[announcer] Following contest is scheduled for one fall.
And it is for the WWE Tag Team Championship.
[Bryan's theme music plays]
[announcer] Making his way to the ring, from Aberdeen, Washington,
weighing in at 210 pounds.
Here's one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions, Daniel Bryan.
[Cole] Now, Daniel Bryan can still not get over the fact
that WWE fans love to give him grief.
[Kane's theme music plays]
[announcer] And his partner, he weighs in at 323 pounds.
Here's one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions,
Kane.
[Cole] The dysfunctional Tag Team Champions.
Kane and Daniel Bryan set to defend the Tag Team titles here tonight,
at Hell in a Cell.
[JBL] You wanna match that WrestleMania Atlanta, didn't you, Michael?
[Cole] Yeah, that's why it was my favorite one.
-[JBL] You're undefeated. -[Cole] Exactly.
Nonetheless, the Tag Champs would find out who their opponents would be
this past Monday night on RAW finals of the Tag Team Tournament.
[J.R.] It certainly was a great team effort
by Team Rhodes Scholars,
because they beat an outstanding combination,
Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara.
And take a look at Damien Sandow, and Rhodes had that great chemistry.
Sandow takes the "bullet" for his team.
But it provided the opportunity,
key word opportunity, for the Cross Rhodes.
And that would lead to the new team
of the Rhodes Scholars in the finals, winning it.
And now they're here tonight to try to win the Tag Team Championship.
[Cole] Great effort by Rey and Sin Cara on Monday,
but Cody and Damien have made one heck of a team.
[J.R.] I like the chemistry of Team Rhodes Scholars.
[announcer] And the challengers at a combined weight, 460 pounds,
Team Rhodes Scholars.
[JBL] What a great homecoming for Cody Rhodes.
In this age of rudeness,
and partisan bickering from all walks of life.
I believe there is something that everyone can agree upon.
By the end of the night, Team Rhodes Scholars will be able to say,
we are the Tag Team Champions.
[crowd booing]
We are the Tag Team Champions.
[JBL] They sound good together.
[Cole] But the question is,
is it wise strategy for Sandow and Cody Rhodes
to mock Kane and Daniel Bryan?
[JBL] Michael, you're in a title fight.
Does it really matter if the other guy's mad or not?
You think he's gonna fight harder because he's mad?
Let him try to get in their head.
Cody Rhodes is a four-time Tag Team Champion
with three different tag team partners.
Cody Rhodes knows what he's doing.
[Cole] In a poll of superstars in the locker room on WWE.com,
a majority, near unanimous,
said that Team Hell No would win this matchup.
That's if they can get on the same page.
[J.R.] Yeah, if the implosion, which is inevitable,
can keep from occurring.
But right now, the team of Team Hell No has a commonality here.
[JBL] Why is it inevitable?
[J.R.] Because I think they're dysfunctional.
-I think it's gonna happen. That's why. -[JBL] They're Tag Team Champions.
Who does not wanna be Tag Team Champions? Is that dysfunctional?
[J.R.] You miss a point, but that's another issue.
[Cole] Daniel Bryan, former World Champion,
starting things off against the man
who calls himself The Emperor of Enlightenment.
The Duke of Decency, Damien Sandow.
[J.R.] Wow, The Duke of Decency.
[Cole] His words.
Knee to the midsection by Bryan to Damien Sandow.
[J.R.] Very captivating cliché.
[Cole] Of course, he prefers to be known as The Intellectual Savior of the Masses.
[J.R.] Absolutely.
[Cole] And Sandow wants nothing to do with Kane, and here comes Cody Rhodes.
[J.R.] One way or the other.
[JBL] They look really dysfunctional.
[Cole] SmackDown this past Friday night. John, you called it.
Kane with a chokeslam knocking off Cody Rhodes.
Will he do it again here tonight-- The kick-out.
[JBL] What Team Rhodes is gonna have to do
is they're gonna have to isolate one of these guys.
They think it's Daniel Bryan, but it could be Kane, you don't know.
But the key in tag team matchups,
I'm a three-time former Tag Team Champion,
is you have to isolate one man.
[Cole] That was great seeing Faarooq backstage here today in Atlanta.
[JBL] Incredible seeing Ron Simmons backstage.
-[Cole] Ooh. -[J.R.] Hall of Famer.
[Cole] And Kane, here's a tag made to Daniel Bryan.
And, uh, Daniel Bryan, again, working well as a team.
[J.R.] Yeah, nice teamwork, absolutely nice teamwork, and they can do it again.
There's a cover.
[Cole] Daniel Bryan, cover, hook for the leg,
and Cody Rhodes kicks out.
-Do you think that Team Hell No-- -[J.R.] Look at this.
[Cole] Daniel Bryan, of course we mentioned before,
he knows hundreds of submission maneuvers.
Do you think Team Hell No can hold the tag titles for a long time?
[J.R.] If they don't implode, absolutely. They're very talented.
Daniel Bryan and Kane complement each other very well.
[JBL] Is that not for anybody?
Is that not for any team that doesn't implode?
If you know the Patriots don't implode, they can be Super Bowl champions forever.
The problem is, teams do.
So it's not inherent just to one team,
and you don't know if it's functional because it is the norm.
[J.R.] You have to get hot about it, John.
-[Cole] Working very well together-- -[JBL] How about the Dallas Cowboys?
[Cole] Here tonight, as we see Kane with a kick to the shoulder of Cody.
And Cody Rhodes, again, taking an extreme amount of punishment.
[J.R.] Talking about isolation,
Cody Rhodes has now been isolated from Damien Sandow.
The classic tag team strategy.
All the great teams that have competed here in Atlanta over the years.
The Andersons were as good as anybody at isolation.
[Cole] Here's Kane. Cover, hook to the leg.
[JBL] Don't forget the great tag team of Doom.
[grunts]
[Cole] That would be The Legion of Doom.
-Ron Simmons and Butch Reed. -[JBL] Oh, that Doom.
[Kane groans]
Both were here.
-[JBL] I'm talking about Atlanta. -[Cole] They were here, too.
Cody Rhodes, uh, unloading.
And Damien Sandow, I believe he made a tag, and he did.
Kane going for the chokeslam. Damien takes out the big man.
[JBL] Here was somebody who didn't even know
professional wrestling existed before 2000.
[Cole] I started with you in '97.
[J.R.] That was a nice chop block,
which is smart strategy on a near seven-footer that weighs 323.
You want to chop him down.
[Cole] And again, Cody Rhodes in off the tag.
Great teamwork here
as Rhodes and Sandow look to isolate Kane,
perhaps Daniel Bryan.
[JBL] Cody Rhodes, bit of a homecoming.
Cody Rhodes was the two-time state champion
of Marietta, Georgia, just north of here.
Went to the finals four straight years.
One hundred and one and two as an amateur wrestler
in high school in Atlanta.
[Cole] Damien Sandow, here's some of the aggressiveness we've talked about.
He was trained by the late great "Killer" Kowalski,
and he says that's where the aggressiveness has come from.
[J.R.] A lot of Hall of Fame influence,
WWE Hall of Fame influence in the team of Team Rhodes, Team Rhodes Scholars.
Easy for me to say.
[JBL] Cody Rhodes' dad, Dusty, was bigger than Willie B at one point.
I mean, actually, bigger.
[Cole] Look at Kane, trying to fight out of the corner.
And Cody Rhodes, again, to the knee.
As Team Rhodes Scholars have focused on keeping the big man at bay.
One! Two!
[J.R.] One would have thought going in that Daniel Bryan, as JBL said earlier,
might have been the man to be isolated,
because Kane's been chopped down in a variety of ways.
[JBL] I agree with you,
but you gotta take the opportunities presented to you.
-That's what they're doing. -[J.R.] I agree, you're right.
[Cole] Bryan, look at him. Daniel Bryan wants into this matchup.
Kane hobbling toward the corner, makes the tag.
[JBL] Not very dysfunctional, J.R. This team is working like a oiled machine.
-[Cole] Here comes Daniel Bryan. -[J.R.] Yeah, even a well-oiled machine.
-[JBL] Little like Notre Dame last night. -[J.R.] No lie.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes!
[J.R.] I walked by Daniel Bryan today,
and he just looked at me and said, "I'm not goatface."
What are you gonna say to that guy?
[Cole] I understand that's a very popular costume for kids this holiday.
Goatface mask. As Sandow misses wildly.
Oh, look at Bryan!
[J.R.] Beautiful athleticism.
And Daniel Bryan got all his weight in that clothesline.
He got half his body and his hip right into the clothesline.
And now watch these-- These kicks are nasty.
[JBL] The toughest vegan in the world.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes!
[JBL] Mike Tyson was a vegan. Bill Clinton was a vegan.
[Cole] Daniel Bryan caught Cody.
And there goes Sandow.
[J.R.] Look at the determination on Bryan's face.
-[Cole] Daniel Bryan! -[J.R.] Fearless.
[JBL] That looked like a weak link to me.
The goat can fly.
[Cole] And what JBL was referring to
is the fact that in a lot of people, a lot of critics of Daniel Bryan--
Look at Cody Rhodes trying to provide the distraction, and he does.
Get a lot of critics of Daniel Bryan calling him the weak link of Team Hell No.
[JBL] Very few teams would a former World Heavyweight Champion
be considered the weak link.
But when you're out there with Kane, that is the presence that Kane has.
[Cole] I don't think he's the weak link by any stretch of the imagination.
[J.R.] That's just somebody looking at size alone
and not skill set and experience.
[Cole] Sandow, look at the leg here on Daniel Bryan.
Remember, Tag Team Title's up for grabs in this matchup.
Rhodes and Sandow winning the tournament to get here tonight.
[J.R.] Frankly, one-on-one,
I don't know that there's anyone in WWE that's a lot better than Bryan.
[Cole] Running knee from Rhodes, here's the hook of the leg.
Shoulders down on Bryan. Another near fall
for the number one contenders for the tag title.
[JBL] Former World Heavyweight Champion.
[Bryan grunts]
[Cole] Daniel Bryan won that World Championship TLC last December,
cashing in Money in the Bank.
[J.R.] Tag Team Championship's on the line here, as a one-fall matchup.
[Cole] Hook of the leg again by Sandow, and Bryan survives.
[J.R.] So somewhere along the way, we're three seconds away
from either a team retaining or new champions being crowned.
-[Cole] Near fall after near fall. -[J.R.] Pretty simple business deal.
[Cole] We're team Rhodes Scholars.
Again, Damien and Cody have gotta be careful
to not be disqualified.
Championship cannot change the answer to disqualification or a count out.
Here's the cover, hook of the leg, shoulders down.
[JBL] Looking like a Frank Brody knee drop right there.
Somewhere staying handsome, smiling.
[Cody grunts]
[Cole] And Cody, son of The American Dream,
Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes.
[man] Come on, goatface!
[Cole] And this goes to your strategy,
you thought the team would use in this matchup, isolating Bryan.
[JBL] They tried it with Kane earlier, it didn't work.
Now they've got Bryan, this is what they need to do.
They need to set up their strategy, isolate him,
and always cut the ring off and stay between Daniel Bryan and Kane.
[J.R.] Use that imaginary line diagonally and stay there and compete in that match.
The key thing, bottom line, is not let Bryan make any more tags.
[Cody grunts]
[J.R.] Look at Bryan fight out of the corner.
And fight right back to his corner is Daniel Bryan.
[Cole] But Cody Rhodes, and a knee to the gut.
And Daniel Bryan left a ways away.
A cover by Cody. Bryan at near two.
[JBL] Cody Rhodes dragging him over.
Four-time Tag Team Champion, Cody Rhodes, with three different partners.
[Cole] The thing that I've been impressed about Team Rhodes Scholars,
guys, is they haven't backed down from Team Hell No.
In the past couple of weeks,
they've ambushed and attacked 'em on a number of occasions.
[J.R.] Very aggressive, Sandow and Rhodes.
[Cole] Cover, yet again.
This time Bryan needs two before he kicks out.
[J.R.] That means they've got a lot of confidence.
I think that's important for a young tag team, to have some confidence.
Oh, nice.
[Cole] Damien Sandow, he calls this the Cubito Aequet.
That is Latin for "elbow of disdain."
Elbow to the heart. Could this be it?
New tag champ's not there.
[Bryan groans]
[JBL] As smart as Damien Sandow is,
that elbow to me is something he shouldn't do.
It's a great, terrific elbow. A great offensive weapon.
He wastes way too much time sitting here posing for no reason.
[crowd clapping]
Fight back!
[Cole] Here's Kane, barking orders to Daniel Bryan,
trying to wheel him back into this matchup,
somehow make a tag.
Let's go, goatface! Come on, goatface, let's go! Get up and fight!
[Cole] Is he saying, "Come on, goatface, let's go?"
[J.R.] I think that's what he said.
[Cole] It's a unique way to rally your partner.
[JBL] Never called "goatface" by Ron Simmons. Thank goodness.
Not that I could've done much about it.
[Cole] Daniel Bryan looking for perhaps the No Lock,
which is his patented submission maneuver.
Drop toe-hold by Bryan, great move.
Can he create enough space to make a tag?
[J.R.] That would be my recommendation right now, to tag if you can.
Certainly, Damien Sandow ate a bunch of that second turnbuckle.
Right here.
Come on! Come on! Come on! Daniel!
[Cole] Who will make the tag?
Who will gain the momentum in this Tag Team Championship match?
[J.R.] That drop toe was big for Team Hell No.
[JBL] It's a game changer if Daniel Bryan gets to Kane.
[Cole] Here we go!
Cody Rhodes, and here comes Kane.
[JBL] This is exactly what Team Rhodes Scholars does not want.
[Cole] Near seven-feet tall, 325 pounds, former WWE, former World Champion.
[JBL] What a backdrop!
[Cole] Kane sends Cody Rhodes flying.
[Kane grunts]
[Cole] And all of a sudden, the momentum is shifted to the tag champs.
Right there is classic Kane, sidewalk slam, hook of the leg.
Shoulders down, and two by Cody.
[J.R.] Rhodes is just hanging on now because it may be just a matter of time.
[JBL] How scary is this?
This 320-pound monster going to the top rope.
Hey!
[J.R.] And Rhodes, climbing right to the second rope,
blocking Kane's offense.
[JBL] Kane's attention was diverted by Damien Sandow.
Great teamwork by Team Rhodes Scholars.
No way he gets him up into air-- Uh-oh.
[Cole] And Kane, top rope. Clothesline! Takes out Cody.
[J.R.] And remember, Kane weighs 323.
[JBL] Maybe not such a good homecoming for Cody Rhodes.
-That's a-- -Hold on!
[J.R.] Daniel Bryan just… just tagged himself in.
[Cole] Daniel Bryan looking for the credit.
Headbutt to Cody, cover.
-Cody Rhod-- -One, two--
[Cole] Well, Kane--
What are you doing?
[J.R.] I think Daniel Bryan got the three-count right there.
-Now he got this… He just swaps it. -I just had him pinned!
[Cole] Daniel Bryan is trying to help.
I was trying to help you.
[Cole] And Damien Sandow…
Well, I'm not sure if that was wise.
[Cole] Cody Rhodes!
[J.R.] Daniel Bryan backdrop Rhodes on the top rope, right onto Kane.
No! No! No!
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes!
[J.R.] So Daniel Bryan and Cody Rhodes are the two legal men.
-[Bryan screams] -[Cole] And Daniel--
Oh, Cody Rhodes stepped out of the way
and Daniel Bryan ran into his own partner.
[J.R.] Daniel Bryan's errant knee just took down his own partner Kane.
Now we may have another swing of momentum.
[Cole] Or not. Uh-oh.
What are you doing in this match?
What are you doing?
[indistinct talking]
Enough! Enough! Enough!
[Cole] Uh, Team Rhodes Scholars taking out Kane and Bryan from behind.
Get him in the ring!
[Cole] I still believe Cody and Daniel are legal.
[J.R.] You're right.
[Cole] Cody Rhodes going for Cross Rhodes.
Cross Rhodes. We may need to have new Tag Team Champions.
Cody Rhodes, cover.
Hook of the leg. Kane won't let it happen.
[J.R.] Kane back in, interrupts the count.
Rhodes and Sandow would be the champions.
And Kane is the illegal man.
[JBL] He's also the man that is furious.
[Cole] And Kane has just lost it. Kane is unloading on everybody.
[JBL] This is what happens with a monster.
[Cole] This is what happens when you mess around--
-Ring the bell! -[bell dings]
[Cole] With Kane's partner.
It's okay for Kane to pick on Daniel Bryan,
but not anybody else.
Disqualification. Winner.
[J.R.] Kane has assaulted everyone in the ring but the official.
[Cole] Well, let's not forget, Kane is still The Big Red Monster.
No matter what happens, he's got a short fuse.
[announcer] The winners of this match, as a result of a disqualification,
Team Rhodes Scholars.
[Team Rhodes Scholars theme music plays]
[Cole] Now, Team Rhodes Scholars may have won the matchup,
but Team Hell No will keep the tag team titles.
Titles don't change hands via disqualification.
[indistinct talking]
[J.R.] Well, you gotta wonder at this latest implosion,
how much it will affect the Tag Team Champions, who barely survived.
[Cole] Oh!
[Kane's theme music plays]
[indistinct talking]
[Cole] Now, Daniel Bryan's upset,
but again, Kane lost it when Rhodes and Sandow
started going off on Daniel Bryan,
and then Kane got knocked out by his own partner…
[JBL] Still think Dr. Shelby needs the Nobel Peace Prize, Michael?
[Cole] Dr. Shelby should be fired, I think he already was.
[J.R.] I think he started out as a veterinarian.
I am Tag Team Champion!
[JBL] He does take care of a goat.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time, The Miz.
[crowd cheering]
Miz, tonight you invoke your rematch clause
for the Intercontinental Championship against Kofi Kingston.
Kofi has been giving you some trouble over the past few weeks.
I am the one man that's single-handedly entrusted to prevent the apocalypse,
because with Kofi Kingston as the Intercontinental Champion,
the bar has been lowered.
And when the bar has been lowered,
mediocrity becomes acceptable.
And when mediocrity becomes acceptable, society crumbles.
And when society crumbles,
civilization will end as we know it.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go beat Kofi Kingston,
win back my Intercontinental Championship,
and in the process…
save the world.
[bell dings]
[announcer] This contest is set for one fall.
It is for the Intercontinental Championship.
[Kofi's theme song plays]
♪ You know ♪
♪ SOS ♪
♪ I hear them shoutin' ♪
♪ SOS ♪
♪ I hear them cryin', everybody ♪
♪ You woke up in a bad-man place… ♪
[announcer] Approaching the ring first, from Ghana, West Africa,
weighing 212 pounds,
is the current Intercontinental Champion, Kofi Kingston.
[Cole] Kofi Kingston so excited about this matchup here tonight.
We're gonna take you back to the night that Kofi, well,
stunned the world two weeks ago on WWE Main Event on ION Television.
[J.R.] Big night. I love this match.
It was a game of chance, which Kofi Kingston loves to play,
and Miz, so strategic in his approach to, at that time,
retaining the Intercontinental title, would be willing to take a shortcut.
The unfair advantage, but it wouldn't pay off.
Good officiating there,
and then Kofi Kingston would, in the bottom of the night,
strike with that… that kick,
and become the Intercontinental Champion for the fourth time.
[talking indistinctly]
[J.R.] Here's Josh Reddick of the Oakland A's.
major league baseball all-star, big WWE fan.
Follows me on the Twitter, Mike.
I follow him, too. Good guy.
[Cole] Everyone follows you.
-[J.R.] He's a Georgia native. -[JBL] Suck up.
[J.R.] Hey, Josh, you ready?
[Miz's theme song plays]
♪ I came to play There's a price to pay ♪
♪ Time for you to get down On your knees and pray… ♪
[announcer] From Brooklyn, Ohio, weighing 221 pounds, The Miz.
[Cole] As The Miz makes his way to the ring
to try to regain his Intercontinental Championship,
we want to remind everyone
that the next time we come to you on pay-per-view,
three weeks from tonight,
it is the 26th Annual Survivor Series.
One of the greatest pay-per-views of all time, comes to Indianapolis.
Huge crowd here tonight at the Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Kofi Kingston versus The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship.
A title which began in 1979.
The first champion, the Hall of Famer, Pat Patterson.
[J.R.] Over a dozen WWE Hall of Famers
have had the distinction of being the Intercontinental Champion.
[Cole] Kofi is a four-time Intercontinental Champion now.
[bell dings]
[Cole] He said he is so excited, so proud to be the champ.
[JBL] Some great Intercontinental Champions,
The Rock, Mr. Perfect, JBL, HBK, JBL…
[Cole] The Miz trying to take the advantage,
and Kofi Kingston saw it coming, and here we go.
[J.R.] These guys have really developed an intense rivalry.
And I think these two men
have two of the brightest futures in all of WWE.
[Cole] Look at this!
Miz going for Skull-Crushing Finale to counter.
[J.R.] Very evenly matched.
[Cole] And Kofi Kingston for Trouble in Paradise, stalemate early on.
[J.R.] Both men dodging the proverbial bullet in the early going.
[Cole] Kofi Kingston saying that he grew up
dreaming of being the Intercontinental Champion.
He says it's an honor to be able to wear
the championship proudly for a fourth time.
Get him back. Get him back.
[JBL] Three-time Tag Team Champion, Kofi Kingston.
[J.R.] Miz very opportunistic there.
Referee was doing his job, and Miz taking advantage.
[Cole] And Kofi Kingston again, this could turn into a fight.
These two men do not know-- Do not like each other.
And Kofi Kingston telling us that he thanks The Miz
for waking up something inside of him.
Bringing out the intensity that Kofi knew he had,
but hadn't been able to bring it out.
And Kofi…
[J.R.] The Boston College graduate, very intelligent young man.
Some have said, well, maybe Kofi's not intense enough all the time.
Well, it's hard to be intense all the time.
I think we're seeing a different side of Kofi Kingston.
[Cole] And Kofi, talk about athleticism.
And but he ran into the boot.
[Cole] Kofi able to miss the steel steps,
but Miz followed up with a boot to the face.
[JBL] Notre Dame's got great intensity.
[Cole] You know, John, you… you were a real critic of Miz
when he first arrived on the scene at WWE. You've really changed your tune.
[JBL] I thought his goal was to be the next Ryan Seacrest.
I thought he just wanted to be a reality TV star.
[Cole] Miz for the championship, hook of the leg.
Does he have it? And Kofi at two.
[JBL] And what Miz did is nothing short of phenomenal.
[Cole] Watch Kofi Kingston, that is just-- You can't teach that, J.R.
[J.R.] Absolutely not, instinctive, and so--
-[JBL] Can't teach that either. -[J.R.] So was The Miz retaliation.
[JBL] That is what I'm getting to, Michael.
You began with a WrestleMania main eventer.
You have a former World Heavyweight Champion in Miz, all through hard work.
He came from the real world to here.
You don't see Johnny Bananas becoming World Heavyweight Champion.
It's all due to the credit of The Miz.
That I am a huge, huge fan of.
[Cole] A poll of superstars at WWE.com
said earlier today this match was a toss up.
They couldn't pick a winner.
[JBL] Miz has had a terrible two weeks.
He gets kicked in the face by Kofi Kingston,
bunch of stitches in his head.
He gets fed to Ryback. Then he loses his championship.
Gets a little momentum back against Yoshi Tatsu on Friday night,
just 48 hours ago.
And now he's in this title match. Could get it all back right now, Michael.
[Cole] He could rectify it all tonight
by regaining the Intercontinental Championship.
Oh, and Miz…
Right in front of me. Watch his head.
[Cole] He had a full head of hair there.
And you can see the official gonna tolerate that
as this championship match continues.
Gonna have a little leeway here tonight. Cover, and a kick-out at two.
Do you think that Miz, by a lot of his comments, J.R.,
has really woken up Kofi?
[J.R.] Yeah, I do. I think he has.
I think this rivalry is good for both men, quite frankly.
[Cole] And Miz, there's that high running clothesline as he takes Kofi out.
Now, Miz gonna go up top.
Kofi Kingston in trouble.
Miz has gotta ground the high-flyer.
Been able to do that so far.
And Miz again to the back of the head.
Miz looking to regain the title.
Hook of the leg, Kofi, teddy kick-out he does.
[J.R.] I like that Miz is going right for the cover.
He strikes with something that he thinks will get him three,
and he goes right for the lateral press, looking for the pin.
[JBL] And Miz is bigger than Kofi.
Lay on top of him.
Make him kick-out every single time you get a chance.
Wear him down. Keep him from high-flying.
[J.R.] I think that's a great point
because Kofi's number one claim to fame is his speed,
and he does play that game with chance, the high-risk man.
[Cole] This time Kofi saw it coming
and followed up with a clothesline of his own.
[JBL] That'll knock out your back cuspids.
[Cole] Both men down, center of the ring. Could be the turning point of the matchup.
Can Kofi gain some sort of momentum here?
[J.R.] Well, this match has been contested at a pace
that is in Miz's favor.
Miz is slowing it down, and that's what needs to happen
if he's gonna beat Kofi Kingston tonight, in my opinion.
[Cole] And Kofi trying to take the fight to Miz.
Follows it up with a dropkick to the jaw, and Kofi Kingston picking up the pace.
[J.R.] Pace quickens, see who has the advantage.
The Intercontinental Champion.
[Cole] And Kofi…
Boom, boom!
[Cole] Connects with a Boom Drop. Is it enough to put Miz away?
But what it will do for Kofi is perhaps set him up for his Trouble in Paradise.
[crowd chanting] Boom!
[Cole] The kick that gave Miz stitches,
and put Miz away the night he lost the title.
-Miz, well, he saw it coming. -[J.R.] Wasting a lot of booms there.
[JBL] That could have cost Miz millions of dollars.
Miz is a TV star, besides just being on WWE Worldwide television.
[Cole] The kick to the head?
Look at this. Kofi Kingston, great counter,
shoulders down, and Miz at two.
I mean, this is a full-contact sport, John.
You know that better than anybody else.
Kofi, what a crossbody!
Lateral press, hook of the leg, and a kick-out.
[J.R.] Great balance by the athletic Kofi Kingston.
[JBL] But Miz is like me.
He makes money outside of wrestling because he's good looking.
[Cole] Kofi Kingston, like a yo-yo there, and he's going for the S.O.S.
And Miz, backbreaker, follows it up.
Well, he was going for the neckbreaker, but he wasn't able to finish it up there.
This time it's the SOS by Kofi.
Stacks him up, shoulders down, two and a half.
[J.R.] Miz shows great toughness, and being able to kick-out.
Kofi's got to make sure that he doesn't take too much time to regroup.
He's got the advantage as the Intercontinental Champion,
and the title's at stake tonight.
[Cole] John, when you know your opponents so well like these two men do,
what does it take to gain some sort of advantage?
[JBL] All you need is one edge, Michael.
You know what they're gonna do, and you know what options you have.
-[Cole] Oh, man. -[JBL] That right there could be the edge.
[Cole] That's one way to ground the high flyer.
Kofi Kingston, he may have a hamstring or a knee injury.
[JBL] And you don't doubt yourself. You get a game plan, you stick with it.
[Cole] J.R., Miz saw the opening, and now he's gonna attack,
as we take another look.
[J.R.] Yeah, look at this.
These things, his knees and--
[JBL] That will stop a high-flyer right there.
[J.R.] As we saw all weekend, the effect that it can have on athletes.
Severe leg injuries, and that's exactly what Miz is doing here.
He's gonna take the speed away from Kofi Kingston.
[referee] Three! Come on.
[Cole] Kofi's left leg is wrapped up in the rope, and Miz attacks again.
Kofi Kingston's entire game is based on his leaping ability and his speed.
Can't do that with a bum leg.
[J.R.] Absolutely not, and Miz is smart.
And he knows he's got three seconds away
from regaining his Intercontinental Championship.
[JBL] Stripping away anything that might be protective.
[Cole] Exactly. And Miz--
[JBL] Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant by Miz.
[Cole] And he's gonna expose the already injured leg.
[JBL] This is brilliant.
[Cole] And for those of you that don't know,
Kofi Kingston wears this padding all the way up his leg to his knee.
Miz has taken that off.
He's also taken off the knee pad that Kofi Kingston had under that padding.
[JBL] That's what I like about Miz.
He's got a game plan, he's sticking with it.
Not known for his submissions,
but what he's doing is he's wearing down Kofi.
He's grounding Kofi Kingston.
Come on. Back it up.
[J.R.] Certainly Miz, even if he doesn't go for a submission,
will make Kofi stationary.
[Cole] Again, Miz cannot be disqualified
because you cannot win the championship via disqualification.
Gotta be done pinfall or submission.
[J.R.] And those that have questioned Kofi's intensity full time.
-[JBL] Look at this. -[J.R.] Oh, man.
[Cole] Miz working on the injured leg, and it's half-busted crap here.
[JBL] Right in the middle of the ring. This could be it.
[Cole] It's a submission maneuver.
[J.R.] Gut Check for Kofi Kingston. His Intercontinental title is on the line.
[Cole] The champion has nowhere to go.
He's got to somehow try to drag himself to the bottom rope.
Is he gonna tap out? Is he gonna tap out?
[JBL] The kid from Ghana, West Africa might have to end
his Intercontinental title reign right now.
[Cole] Somehow trying to get to the bottom rope.
Can Kofi get there? He's fingertips away. Fingertips away.
[JBL] Dragging him back in the middle. There you go, Miz.
There you go, son!
[Cole] And sits right back down.
Imagine the torque on the knee.
The injured leg of Kofi Kingston, who goes for a counter, goes for reversal.
Rolls him up, shoulders down. Did he have a-- No.
[J.R.] Inside cradle applied,
and that was a little bit of carelessness by Miz.
And, whoa, that's…
-[Cole] That wasn't. -[J.R.] That's not.
[Cole] DDT, we may have a new Intercontinental Champion right here.
And Kofi kicks out.
[J.R.] Well, those that question Kofi Kingston's toughness
certainly can't question it now, if they ever do.
[Cole] John, it all started with this.
[JBL] This is what happens when you're taken out of your game plan,
like Kofi Kingston is.
[JBL] What happens when the high flyer can't fly?
This is what happens.
[Cole] Again, it wasn't just the leg,
but Kofi Kingston's head bounced off the mat when he came off the top rope.
-And then the DDT. -[J.R.] Two high-impact shots.
[JBL] But what happens if you take the option away from Tebow?
What happens then? That's what happens with Kofi Kingston.
You took the flying out of Kofi Kingston's arsenal. And it…
[Cole] Tebow, he's a quarterback. He doesn't fly.
[JBL] He's overrated, like the other quarterback.
[Cole] He's a player, and he may win one here.
Miz stealing the kick-out at two.
[Cole] Some principle, Michael.
[Cole] And Kofi went for Trouble in Paradise.
Miz going for the Skull-Crushing Finale.
Kingston countered again.
Miz still got it locked in, though. Is he able to connect here?
Is Miz gonna be able to put Kingston away?
[J.R.] Intercontinental title at stake.
[Cole] Kofi Kingston… And there goes Miz.
Kofi's still really on one leg here.
Oh, Trouble in Paradise, with the good leg.
[Cole] Does he have him? He's got him.
Two, three.
[bell dings]
[Cole] What resilience by the Intercontinental Champion.
[announcer] The winner of this match and still Intercontinental Champion,
Kofi Kingston.
[JBL] Incredible win by Kofi Kingston.
[J.R.] I thought Kofi Kingston showed great toughness
and his will to compete and to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
This is a great rivalry.
Miz and Kofi Kingston for the coveted Intercontinental title.
[JBL] And this is a great champion. Congratulations to Kofi Kingston.
[Cole] We learned a lot about Kofi Kingston tonight.
We learned about his heart. We learned about his toughness.
[J.R.] And we also learned that he can beat you without using all his speed.
[Kofi's theme music plays]
[Cole] I'll show you what happened earlier in the matchup.
This is when Miz took control of Kofi.
He would later expose the injured leg, continue the attack onto Kofi's head.
Bounce off the mat.
[J.R.] That was over right there.
And then the challenger goes to this Skull-Crushing Finale.
It's very cleverly counted.
And then right here, boom, right to the temple.
A kill shot from Kofi.
[Cole] And Striker's in the ring with the champion.
Kofi Kingston, congratulations on your first title defense.
Whoo! That's what I'm talking about, baby.
Look, first and foremost,
I gotta say thank you to The Miz.
Because he forced a side out of Kofi Kingston
that you haven't seen in a long time.
He forced Kofi to bring out the wildcat in Kofi Kingston.
[crowd cheering]
I feel so re-energized, rejuvenated, man.
I'm so proud to be your Intercontinental Champion!
[Kofi's theme music plays]
[JBL] He said his idol is Shawn Michaels, the Heartbreak Kid.
If Shawn Michaels watches tonight,
he's gotta be very proud of this young man, Kofi Kingston.
[Cole] How can you not be proud of Kofi Kingston?
He retains the Intercontinental Championship tonight
against a very game Miz.
We learned a lot about Kofi tonight,
and he's still the Intercontinental Champion.
[JBL] Impressive.
[crowd cheering]
Whoo!
-Under control. -No, you didn't.
It is your fault that we lost.
No, it's your fault.
I didn't get pinned.
That's because I saved you from being pinned.
Or maybe you were too busy to notice
because you were thinking of all the vegan candy
that no one's going to give you on Halloween.
The guy who wears a mask 365 days a year, is going to talk to me about Halloween?
I don't think so.
Well, you've been wearing a Halloween costume
ever since you were born on Old MacDonald's farm.
♪ Old MacDonald had a goat ♪
♪ E-I-E-I-O ♪
No! No, no, no!
You are impossible!
Actually, I am the Tag Team Champions.
I'm the Tag Team Champions.
[bell dings]
[announcer] Following contest is scheduled for one fall.
And it is for the United States Championship.
[Cesaro's theme song plays]
[announcer] Making his way to the ring from Lucerne, Switzerland,
weighing in at 232 pounds.
He is the United States Champion, Antonio Cesaro.
[Cole] It was back on the SummerSlam pre-show in August
that Antonio Cesaro would beat Santino Marella
to become the current United States Champion.
And a very proud champion he is.
[JBL] Says he's the greatest United States Champion ever.
You've had some great ones.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Ricky Steamboat,
Ric Flair, JBL, Bret Hart.
[Cole] How about those who made their name right here in Atlanta?
Guys like Tully Blanchard, Nikita Koloff, Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham.
[JBL] Terrific history in Atlanta.
J.R. used to get Ted Turner and Eric Bischoff coffee here.
[J.R.] Magnum TA… No, that's your boy Neil Cavuto was shining my shoes.
[speaking Swiss German]
[crowd] What?
[Cole] Well, he does speak five different languages.
[J.R.] Which one was that?
[announcer] Introducing the challenger, from Cape Town, South Africa,
weighing in at 213 pounds.
Come on, you slap ass!
[announcer] Justin Gabriel.
[JBL] That was Swiss.
He talked donkey, Michael, he might even talk to you.
[Cole] Hee-Haw!
[Gabriel's theme music plays]
[Cole] Well, let's show you how Justin Gabriel
earned this opportunity tonight.
One-on-one matchup this past Monday on RAW with Cesaro.
[J.R.] Last Monday night on RAW, a special challenge match.
And, of course, the young man from Cape Town, South Africa,
knew that he had to win to get a shot.
So Gabriel took the biggest chance that he could.
Watch this 450 Splash. Watch how it lands.
A lot of impact on both men.
[Cole] Couple of weeks ago, Gabriel missed this.
Cesaro would win this past Monday night. Gabriel hit it.
[J.R.] An ugly, got a bowling-shoe ugly landing
that hurt both men.
But Gabriel gets the victory and earns this opportunity
to become United States Champion here tonight.
[Cole] You know, they really don't make bowling shoes ugly anymore.
-You get them in white, black… -[J.R.] Really?
[JBL] I'll tell you what's Oklahoma ugly, is that haircut of Justin Gabriel.
This is a terrific young man, but that haircut, I'm not so sure about.
[Cole] So it's Gabriel versus Cesaro for the United States championship.
I'd like to thank those capacity crowd tonight, the Philips Arena in Atlanta.
Also watching all over the United States on pay-per-view in places like Canada,
in Italy, Austria, in Cesaro's homeland of Switzerland.
And of course, a big shout out to the men and women
serving on our ships at sea and our bases all over the world
watching on the American Forces Network tonight.
[J.R.] Gabriel cannot out-wrestle Antonio Cesaro.
[JBL] I agree with you, but he comes from a great wrestling heritage.
His father, Paul Lloyd, was a great Greco-Roman wrestler, All-Africa champion.
He comes from a wonderful heritage in Africa.
[Cole] Justin Gabriel, the thrill-seeker, loves adrenaline.
Matter of fact, he was gonna skydive this past weekend,
but he got rained out, so to speak, because of Hurricane Sandy.
So what did he do?
He took a surfboard out in the Atlantic and rode the waves.
That's what Justin Gabriel's all about.
[JBL] Justin Gabriel's grandfather was knighted, Sir John Edward Lloyd.
-[Cole] Ooh, and Cesaro. -[JBL] Former pro boxer.
-I should be knighted. -[Cole] I am knighted.
And look at this, Gabriel knocked off the top rope, and Cesaro is in control.
Antonio Cesaro says that no American can beat him.
[JBL] No American has yet.
[Cole] Justin Gabriel from South Africa did this past Monday night.
He said that Gabriel doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as me,
via his Twitter account.
Ooh, and Cesaro.
[J.R.] Cesaro can certainly solve that issue.
Winning. Winning will do that.
You eliminate your competition by winning, more often than not.
[Cole] Cesaro said he thinks it's cute to see people
who actually believe somebody can beat him for the United States Championship.
Off the leg, drops Cesaro, forearm right in the face,
and Gabriel kicks out.
[JBL] Training in catch-as-catch-can style was Antonio Cesaro.
Former top-14 rugby player thrown out like an old Buck Shelford.
[Cole] Yeah, too aggressive for the rugby league. Figure that out.
[J.R.] A lot of great influences in the game of Antonio Cesaro.
Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson, some tough guys.
[Cole] Ground and pound attack again.
[JBL] Told me backstage, I was a huge influence as well.
I really appreciated it.
He told me in German. I answered him in Russian.
[all exclaiming]
[Cole] Back of the head, the uppercut.
Here's the cover by Gabriel.
I should say by Cesaro, but Gabriel kicks out.
Gabriel needs to be able to pick up the pace
to have any chance in this match tonight.
[JBL] Cesaro loves contact.
Give up!
[JBL] Loves when it just becomes Smash Mouth Wrestling.
Give up, Gabriel.
[J.R.] Really tough man, and as JBL says, loves the physicality,
has extremely amazing tendon strength.
Can gutwrench anybody, I think, on the WWE roster.
[Cole] Remember the night he did it to Brodus Clay?
[J.R.] That's a load.
[Cole] Physical, powerful man,
and Gabriel trying to fight back into this.
Gabriel touted before we went on the air tonight,
saying that he doesn't fly, he levitates.
Well, he better start doing that if he has any chance here.
[all exclaiming]
[JBL] Gabriel's a three-time Tag Team Champion.
Whether he flies or levitates, I think the kid has got a future star.
I don't know about that haircut, but he's a future star.
[Cole] You should talk about a haircut, yours looks just like his!
Nice throw by Cesaro, quickly into the cover,
hook of the leg, and a kick-out.
You know you got a couple out of place tonight.
[JBL] Never. Go to a great barber in New York.
[all exclaiming]
-[Cole] Lot of people go to that barber. -[JBL] Famous guy.
[Cole] Very well-known people. Now, look at Cesaro!
[J.R.] No waste of motion here. Cesaro going for the cover.
[Cole] Again on Gabriel, at two.
[J.R.] There is this no-nonsense United States Champion.
Straight forward, and Gabriel's got to fight back in this thing,
create some momentum, some speed.
I don't know if Cesaro's gonna allow that to happen.
[Cole] Cesaro extremely upset over the fact
that he lost to Gabriel this past Monday night on RAW.
[indistinct talking]
[Cesaro grunts]
[JBL] But not for the title.
It's hard to take a title from a champion.
And I tell you, Cesaro has been a wonderful champion.
[Cole] Again, it's champion advantage.
You gotta win via pinfall or submission to take the championship.
[Cesaro] I got him.
[J.R.] Cesaro had that mouth fishhook there moments ago.
[JBL] First time I've ever heard that, Michael.
-[Cole] What was that? -[JBL] Champion advantage.
Joking. Our fans know that, Mike.
We have educated WWE Universe. They know that.
They know that a champion has to get beat.
[Cole] John, here's the deal. WWE is global.
We have new fans joining us each and every week.
Some of them may want to know what the rules are.
[JBL] Fair enough.
[Cole] And look at Gabriel, tossed up over the top by Cesaro.
[JBL] There you go! This is where the kid's dangerous.
[J.R.] Gabriel able to land on his feet was the key to that whole sequence.
[Cole] And Gabriel, look at this.
He may have him here. Hook of the leg, and Cesaro at two.
[JBL] Look like a young Lionheart right there, that springboard moonsault.
[J.R.] Very nice.
[Cole] Hey, Justin Gabriel looking to pick up the pace.
And Cesaro turns him inside out.
Vicious clothesline.
Here's the cover. Will he put Gabriel away?
No! Gabriel tries to turn it around!
Upset here, upset here, and a kick-out at two.
[J.R.] Here's a look at, watch the springboard.
Moonsault.
As JBL lit it, shades of Chris Jericho there.
And they got a near-fall, and watch the power, the counter.
Bam!
A lot of impact from the U.S. Champion.
[Cole] Cesaro just constantly in your face.
But Justin Gabriel, if he creates some separation,
just like that for the DDT.
Cover again.
Can he win the United States title, and Cesaro at two.
[J.R.] Really nice technique by Gabriel, who delivered the DDT
and then held on to the chin to float over,
get the pinning combination.
[JBL] Gabriel reminds you of another great flying African, Steve Simpson.
Willie Cooney's son.
[Cole] Going for it! Going for it!
He was going for the 450, I believe. Cesaro rolled out of the way.
Gabriel was able to, well, half-land on his feet.
And still in the fight.
[J.R.] Gabriel's trying to hit that one--
-[Cole] He got him here. -[J.R.] …do it.
[Cole] He may crown a champ, no!
[J.R.] Referee got a great look at the shoulders of Antonio Cesaro,
who rolls out of bounds in hopes of some refuge.
[JBL] Cesaro makes a counter, rolls out of the way,
wasn't sure what to do.
[Cole] And Gabriel again takes out the United States champ.
[JBL] You get two boots in the face, you know what to do.
[JBL] Gabriel has got to get him back in the ring to win a championship.
[Cole] Well, he does, but Justin-- No way! Uppercut.
[JBL] Good night.
[Cole] High-risk maneuvers. Well, that's why they're called high-risk.
[J.R.] Man, what a shiver.
[JBL] Now, if I was champion like Cesaro and I'd be United States champion,
I'd roll back in the ring and just let him get counted out.
[Cole] After being embarrassed by Gabriel Monday night,
I think Cesaro wants to beat him.
[J.R.] Cesaro just gut-wrenched and picked up dead weight.
[Cole] I think he's gonna pick up more dead weight here.
Cesaro perhaps setting up Gabriel for his finisher.
It's called the Neutralizer.
That is flat out power, flat out strength.
Face first goes Gabriel, Cesaro's gonna hook the leg.
And Cesaro will retain the United States title.
-[bell dings] -[JBL] You could have counted 20.
[Cesaro's theme song plays]
[announcer] Here's your winner
and still United States Champion, Antonio Cesaro.
[J.R.] My God, not even Matt Brown could have screwed that up.
[Cole] Watch Gabriel here.
Again, this is why it's called high-risk.
[JBL] Hey, you win some, you lose some. Gabriel will learn from this.
This kid is gonna be okay. He's gonna be a champion.
But this is why Antonio Cesaro is the current United States Champion.
And a great one that he is.
[Cole] And here is the Neutralizer, flat-out power from Cesaro.
[J.R.] I'm impressed with the game of Justin Gabriel.
But Cesaro just might evolve into becoming the best US champion we've seen in years.
-[JBL] Since JBL? -[J.R.] Yeah, that's what I was meaning.
[JBL] He says no American can beat him, no American's done it yet.
[Cole] He could be right.
["In The End" playing]
[Cole] A lot of news going on here tonight at Hell in a Cell.
Of course, as we get ready for the main event.
We can tell you that managing supervisor of RAW, Vickie Guerrero…
Well, she told Paul Heyman earlier tonight
that she believes WWE champion CM Punk is scared of Ryback.
Well, I don't think that-- It's really interesting.
I was kinda surprised that Heyman was that open
about wanting this match canceled. That's how I got it.
And certainly still to come tonight in this inside Hell in a Cell.
Ryback is undefeated and the WWE title is on the line.
[Cole] And let's take a look at Ryback, undefeated and apparently unstoppable.
[man] Four,
three, two, one!
Finish it!
[crowd chanting] Feed me more!
I… Need… More!
[Ryback] Feed me Punk!
…to my office to be delivered. The cougar prints, some flowers,
maybe some little chocolates for my coffee table.
-Ms. Guerrero. -Excuse us.
Vickie, you have made your reigning defending WWE champion so happy.
I could almost kiss you,
almost.
I mean, to cancel Hell in a Cell
where CM Punk would have humiliated Ryback anyway.
This will go down as the landmark decision
of the early part of your long reign in your administration.
I mean, Vickie, I cannot tell you how proud I am of you.
Now, CM Punk and I are gonna catch the 11 o'clock to Chicago,
but we're gonna make RAW tomorrow night.
-Wait a minute. -What?
Who told you the match is off?
Because it's on.
And if you or CM Punk have a problem with that,
you know where to go.
["Sandpaper" playing]
[Cole] And thanks to Fozzy for their single "Sandpaper."
It's one of the official Hell in a Cell themes.
It's off the album Sin and Bones, available now on iTunes.
[JBL] First undisputed champion in wrestling history,
Chris Jericho and Fozzy, supply the music today.
[Mysterio's theme song plays]
♪ Booyaka, booyaka ♪
♪ Booyaka, booyaka, 619 ♪
♪ Booyaka, booyaka, that's my pueblo ♪
♪ Booyaka, booyaka, 619 ♪
♪ Booyaka, booyaka, Rey Mysterio ♪
♪ Booyaka, booyaka, 619 ♪
♪ Hey, booyaka, booyaka That's my pueblo ♪
♪ Booyaka, booyaka, 619 ♪
♪ What you gon' do when we come for you… ♪
[music continues in Spanish]
[bell dings]
[announcer] This is a tag team bout, simple one fall.
Introducing first, from San Diego, California,
weighing 175 pounds, Rey Mysterio.
[Cole] As Rey Mysterio gets set for action,
we'd love to send our best wishes out
to SmackDown ring announcer Lilian Garcia.
Lilian is home resting comfortably
after suffering multiple contusions and lacerations
after being struck by a car on Friday afternoon.
She's in a neck brace as a precaution, but Lilian, get well soon.
WWE.com, all the information on what happened.
[J.R.] You bet. Get well, Lil.
[JBL] She was wearing a Rey Mysterio mask when she got hit by a car. True story.
[Cole] Hurry back, so we don't have to put up with Chimel.
[Cara's theme music plays]
[announcer] And his tag team partner, from Mexico City, Mexico,
weighing 180 pounds, Sin Cara.
[J.R.] The young man being mentored by Rey Mysterio.
Went down to Mexico City when WWE signed this young man.
And you talk about it, a crowd that he drew, all walking by.
Every major news service.
Absolutely a phenomenon in Mexico City and beyond.
[Cole] Great mentor-and-pupil team,
bright future for these two, as a team in WWE.
[The Prime Time Players' theme song plays]
[announcer] And their opponents, with a combined weight of 509 pounds,
Darren Young and Titus O'Neil, The Prime Time Players.
[Cole] Guys, as we get set for tag team action,
I wanna bring you up to date on some…
I wanna bring you up to date on some breaking news
that's going on right now, ladies and gentlemen,
before we get set for the-- Oh, check this out.
There's Chilli having fun to The Prime Time Players.
Grammy Award winning artist, of course.
Nonetheless, you guys remember earlier tonight that Vickie Guerrero said
that she has pictures to prove that, well, in her words,
there was "an affair" between John Cena and AJ.
She's gonna show those pictures tomorrow night on Monday Night RAW.
She also invited AJ to come to RAW to defend herself in person.
Well, just moments ago, Miss Lee tweeted,
that "I will gladly accept your invitation.
I'll see you and your, quote, 'evidence' at RAW tomorrow.
I'm still not afraid."
[J.R.] It's gonna be a very interesting night
in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 24 hours.
[JBL] Kenesaw Mountain Landis cleaned up baseball
after the 1919 scandal.
Thank goodness we have Vickie Guerrero to clean up Monday Night RAW.
[Cole] And Darren Young will start things off against Sin Cara.
A lot of history between these two tag teams.
Of course--
[J.R.] I think, quite frankly, we've seen The Prime Time Players
try to gain a reputation,
earn a reputation by assaulting Rey Mysterio, especially, and Sin Cara.
I'm intrigued by the mask of Sin Cara tonight.
It's Sin Cara's--
Oh, man! Amazing athleticism.
[JBL] And then Mysterio and Sin Cara would defeat The Prime Time Players
in the second round of the Tag Team Tournament.
[J.R.] Sort of said if we could get a look at the mask,
but Sin Cara moves so quickly.
He's got Rey Mysterio on the back of his mask,
and his image on the front.
[JBL] Got eyes on the back of his head.
[Cole] And there's Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio, great double team.
Commissioner No Days Off, Darren Young, hook of the leg and a kick-out.
It's gonna be real interesting Wednesday night.
WWE's brand new show,
Main Event on ION Television, 8/7 Central.
Six-man tag team main event.
You'll see Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara team with Randy Orton
against The Prime Time Players and Alberto Del Rio.
[J.R.] Fastest hour in WWE is on Wednesday nights.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Mysterio went for the 619. Darren Young with a great throw.
[JBL] And how great is Alberto Del Rio?
How brave is he to come from a lucha tradition and not wear a mask?
-[Titus] Get him over here. -[JBL] I admire that.
[Cole] You've had your issues with Rey Mysterio in the past.
I believe the man actually retired you twice.
[JBL] Michael, that's long ago history, and I was sick that day,
both days.
[J.R.] Look at how big Titus O'Neil, he's a mountain of a man.
[JBL] He was like 6'6", near 300.
[J.R.] Walked by him the other day, he's a huge individual.
Played at the University of Florida, four years.
-[Cole] And Titus-- -[JBL] Under Steve Spurrier.
[Cole] Elbow to the jaw and Darren Young comes in off the tag.
[JBL] Difference between God and Steve Spurrier
is God never thought he was Steve Spurrier.
Ron Simmons told me that.
[Cole] What do you think of The Prime Time Players, John?
[JBL] I think they're loaded with talent, they need refinement.
[Titus] Sit down and watch the show.
[Cole] Here's Darren Young again, hooking the leg of Mysterio.
[JBL] A big strong guy, look at Titus O'Neil.
This guy's a physical specimen, as is Darren Young.
They just lack refinement.
That only comes with being in the ring and with time.
But I like the fact that they're out here,
willing to try to make a name for themselves,
off two great stars like Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara.
[Cole] Mysterio and Sin Cara were knocked off in the finals
of the Tag Tournament
by Team Rhodes Scholars last Monday night.
But in an interview afterward on WWE.com, Rey didn't make any excuses.
He said, hey, it's only the beginning of what I believe
is gonna be a tag team with some big goals.
[J.R.] Absolutely, and that's just Rey. He's overachieved in some people's eyes.
I think he's a future WWE Hall of Famer without any doubt.
[JBL] The longest winner, the longest streak in Royal Rumble
is owned by Rey Mysterio. Over an hour.
[Cole] Lasting longer than anyone in Royal Rumble history.
[JBL] That's what I just said, Michael. You're a freaking parrot.
[Cole] I'm not a parrot. I'm just trying to make sense of it.
-Sin Cara comes in. -[JBL] Here comes Sin Cara.
[Cole] Off the tag, nice missile dropkick.
[JBL] Son of Dr. Karonte in Mexico.
Has his own comic book in Mexico City.
[J.R.] That's how you take down a bigger man, you knot up those quads.
At least that's what Sin Cara was trying to do.
[all exclaiming]
[Cole] Ooh, he caught Titus.
[J.R.] Don't you think Sin Cara's gotten better
since he's aligned himself with Rey?
[JBL] No doubt about it.
[Cole] Cross body, lateral press, hook of the leg. Titus kicks out.
[JBL] You align yourself with a three-time World Heavyweight Champion,
three-time Tag Team Champion Rey Mysterio.
You cannot help but get better, J.R.
[Cole] And it's just not in the ring.
Rey Mysterio's doing so much to make Sin Cara feel comfortable in America.
[J.R.] Uh-oh.
[Cole] Learning the traditions here, and all that helps is Titus.
[J.R.] This ain't comfortable.
[Cole] Sin Cara, and look at the strength of this man.
Toying with SIn Cara.
[JBL] This is what I'm talking about. Big, tough guys, not refined yet.
But you can't coach that, you can't teach that.
[J.R.] I don't think that Titus O'Neil knows exactly how good he can be.
And with Darren Young with him,
this tag team's got a tremendous amount of potential.
[JBL] These guys have a real chance of getting there.
[J.R.] We saw this earlier, the isolation in a tag team matchup,
where one man on one team is isolated.
Sin Cara is that man right there.
-[Cole] Darren Young to the cover. -One.
[Cole] And Sin Cara at two.
[JBL] Darren Young calls himself Mr. No Days Off.
In the gym, seven days a week.
Getting stronger and better.
[JBL] Rear bodyscissors, like a Mil Máscaras or a Kevin Von Erich.
[Cole] Mysterio in the corner, trying to will Sin Cara back into this.
This is the coaching we've talked to-- we've talked about here.
[J.R.] And right now, we'll see…
we'll see exactly what Rey's coaching and mentoring
is gonna do for Sin Cara in a very precarious situation.
Give him up some size and power.
And here's where JBL was talking about the seasoning.
[Cole] Look at this, great reversal.
They have him here. Darren Young has to kick-out.
[J.R.] Darren Young can't let that happen, can't let that happen.
He's gotta regain the advantage, recapture the advantage,
and isolate Sin Cara in the corner of The Prime Time Players.
Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh! Back off.
[J.R.] Officials have done a good job here tonight,
because O'Neil tried to get in on the action.
[Cole] Sin Cara trying to fight back into this thing
and doing a pretty good job,
but the numbers game may catch up with him.
Oh, and it does.
-Oof, spine first to the apron. -[JBL] Right on his tailbone.
[Cole] Oof.
[JBL] On that hard ring apron.
[Cole] Darren looks to take advantage of the leg,
and Mysterio realizing his partner was in trouble, breaks it up.
[J.R.] That's a directory maneuver.
Rey not wasting any time to interrupt the attempted pin.
Sin Cara's in a lot of problems right here.
Do The Prime Time Players realize fully just what bad shape Sin Cara may be in?
[Mysterio speaking Spanish]
[Cole] Watch the ring shake up.
[all exclaiming]
[JBL] Look like Dez Bryant today,
in the end zone, when he was out of bounds,
which Cowboys didn't win.
That hurts.
[JBL] I'm a sports connoisseur, Michael. You can ask me anything.
[Cole] You have to say meaningless statistics and stuff.
[JBL] That happened today, Michael.
You call that meaningless? You call that irrelevant?
[Cole] One person probably saw it,
as you see Titus O'Neil continuing the assault on Sin Cara.
A big deal, Titus O'Neil.
-[JBL] One person other than me? -[Cole] Yes.
And Darren Young, getting off the tag, getting--
And Howard Finkel…
[grunting]
[Cole] And look at Titus O'Neil!
[J.R.] Good teamwork, good teamwork.
Sin Cara being punished.
Pushed to the limit by The Prime Time Players,
looking to get a big win,
a nice payday here on a major pay-per-view in WWE.
[Cole] And Sin Cara trying to fight back,
but he's gotta create separation and make a tag to Rey.
[both grunting]
[Cole] He's got some heart.
And Darren Young just plows him over.
[JBL] When you create space like that, go tag your tag team partner.
[J.R.] I would agree with that. Yeah, good point.
[Cole] That's some of the stuff that Rey's trying to teach Sin Cara.
Darren Young right back on the attack.
[J.R.] The experienced tag teams will bring Sin Cara back to the corner,
back to home base,
fight on your home turf, in your half of the ring.
-And we're seeing that now. -[Cole] Yeah, almost on cue.
[JBL] Didn't work in Norman last night, but it does work most of the time.
You speak English?
[Cole] That's the kind of meaningless stats I like.
Huh? Speak English.
[JBL] More than one person watched that. Jarrell watched that. I saw him on TV--
[Cole] Look at Sin Cara. And again Titus O'Neil
not allowing Sin Cara to get to Rey to make a tag.
This for you.
[J.R.] I'm liking this Prime Time Players team more and more by the moment.
[Cole] Titus off the suplex, hooks the leg on Sin Cara,
who again fights out before a three-count.
Another near fall for Darren and Titus.
[J.R.] And the question is now, when is Sin Cara gonna fold his tent?
-Call it a day. -[Mysterio] Sin Cara!
-[J.R.] His body's being hammered. -[Mysterio] Sin Cara!
[J.R.] Challenged, physically and mentally.
[crowd chanting] Sin Cara! Sin Cara!
[JBL] They're toying with Sin Cara now.
[Cole] Now Mysterio realizes dire straits for his partner.
No.
[Cara grunts]
[Cole] Sin Cara still got some fight in him, but-- Not now.
[JBL] And I like this.
Titus O'Neil has Sin Cara in his own corner.
[Cole] Here's the cover again by Titus and Sin Cara still fighting in this thing.
[J.R.] Titus has the perfect body to apply that abdominal stretch
that we saw just a few moments ago.
When refined, that is an outstanding submission maneuver.
[Cole] Frequent tags made.
[JBL] We're watching an old-fashioned beatdown.
[Cole] Grade what you've seen so far out of The Prime Time Players.
[JBL] I said they need refine, and I still think they do.
When they're gonna have to win Tag Team Championships.
So right now they are working a perfect tag team match.
[Cole] Cover again, hook of the leg and a kick-out.
[JBL] They are wrestling as well as a tag team can.
Using their strength, isolating the person that is Sin Cara.
[Cole] But at what point does frustration start to build
when Sin Cara continues to somehow manage to kick-out?
[JBL] When you're young, frustration kicks in.
What they need to do is just keep pounding,
keep pounding, keep pounding, and finally beat him.
[J.R.] I think right now Titus feels that his team is in obvious control.
It's just a matter of time.
It's not if, but when.
Let me show y'all how a real football team do.
[Darren] Set it up, baby. Set it up!
[Cole] Now Titus, and Sin Cara ducking out of the way.
Titus took too much time.
Shoulder to the post and Darren Young trying to get him back in it.
[J.R.] There's some of that seizing that JBL mentioned.
Titus did too much talking.
He talked himself, perhaps, right out of an advantage.
You can't let Sin Cara make the tag.
[JBL] You do not want Rey Mysterio to get the tag
and pick the pace up for this matchup.
[Cole] Titus trying to prevent that tag from happening and Sin Cara…
[Cole] Oh, man! What a counter!
Is it enough?
Is it enough for Sin Cara to get to Rey Mysterio?
[crowd clapping]
[J.R.] You know, Darren Young could come in the ring right now.
-There's a tag, both sides. -[JBL] Here we go.
[Cole] Rey Mysterio.
-[JBL] This is gonna get exciting. -[Cole] Pace will quicken now.
[JBL] I can't stand Rey Mysterio, but Lord, can he move.
[Cole] Rey Mysterio, one of the greatest high-flyers of all time.
Seated senton.
[JBL] Look at this, tilt-a-whirl DDT!
Hooks the leg, Darren Young fights out.
[J.R.] An amazing offensive sequence by Rey Mysterio.
Slowing him down is like trying to pour smoke through a keyhole.
You just can't get it done.
[JBL] Who would want to pour smoke through a keyhole?
[J.R.] Old Texan.
[Darren groans]
[Cole] Thrilling.
Look at this, Mysterio-- And Darren Young missed.
[JBL] Oh, and Mysterio caught him.
[J.R.] There's the seasoning.
[JBL] This is where Rey Mysterio is so fun to watch.
[Cole] There goes Titus, he's out of the equation.
[JBL] A little lucha.
[Cole] Yeah, look at the top of your screen. Sin Cara!
[JBL] Dr. Karonte would be proud right now.
-[Cole] Legal man in the ring. -[JBL] Now it's just Rey and Darren Young.
[Cole] And they're the legal men.
Rey Mysterio, springboard.
[both grunting]
[Cole] What's Rey gonna do here?
He works magic from any position in the ring, just like there.
[JBL] Not where you want to be.
-[Cole] 619! -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Mysterio heading to the top rope.
Drops the dime!
[JBL] Like a falling sofa.
[Cole] Mysterio and Sin Cara pick up the win.
[Mysterio's theme song plays]
[announcer] The team of Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio.
[J.R.] It's like a team that had the lead going in late and then gave it away.
And that's what The Prime Time Players. They had a distinct advantage.
[Cole] And it was a rally by Rey Mysterio.
Once he made the tag, the pace quickened.
And Mysterio and Sin Cara
were able to put The Prime Time Players away.
But this is what happened earlier on to Sin Cara.
[J.R.] Well, it looked like that.
Sin Cara made an amazing counter.
[JBL] Sin Cara dropped on his own head.
[J.R.] Yeah, he took a chance and it didn't pay off.
He made a great counter, but he's now suffering from it.
The doctors are looking at… at Sin Cara.
[JBL] Got our great medical staff out there looking at him.
[Cole] Potential neck injury perhaps,
as Rey Mysterio closes this matchup with a beautiful 619.
[J.R.] Rey made the call, went to the top, closed the deal.
Rey Mysterio fought it out emphatically for his tag team.
And now the eyes turn to Sin Cara who's going back in the ring.
Hopefully, we hope that he's gonna be okay.
[JBL] WWE has been way ahead of the curve with their medical profession.
Taking care of our performers.
-[Cole] Sin Cara, guys, is one tough dude. -[J.R.] Very resilient young man.
[JBL] No doubt about that.
[J.R.] Watch this, he lands right on his head.
Trying to get out any way good and right. There you see it.
[Cole] Oh, my goodness.
Those huge shoulders of Titus O'Neil prevented him from getting his head out.
[Cole] The good news is Sin Cara is back in the ring
and able to celebrate the victory with his mentor, Rey Mysterio.
Big win.
[JBL] Fun to watch, Michael, fun to watch.
["Sandpaper" playing]
[Cole] Sheamus is the champion.
The number one contender is The Big Show.
And what this match boils down to is, well, it's simple.
It is Sheamus' Brogue Kick against Big Show's KO Punch.
[Cole] Sheamus gonna call for it. He's gonna call for the Brogue Kick.
[Cole] The Brogue Kick delivered.
[J.R.] Did you see that shot?
[King] I don't think I've seen anyone
make as big an impact here in the WWE as quickly as Sheamus.
[Cole] Oh, man, a Brogue Kick! He did it! Sheamus is the World Champion.
[Sheamus] I'm the World Heavyweight Champion.
I don't care if it's an arena…
[King] Sheamus kicked his legs out.
If it's in a bar room…
[man] Sheamus a hothead.
…or if it's back home in Ireland in me grandmother's back garden,
I love to fight.
[Heyman] Oh, my God!
[J.R.] Oh, my God! Sheamus' head just popped at the floor.
[Cole] Big Show sending an extreme message to the World Champion Sheamus.
[Big Show] My KO Punch is clearly more powerful
than Sheamus' Brogue Kick.
This fist can break your jaw, it can rattle your tooth,
it can burst the capillaries in your face.
[Sheamus] You wanna believe that your knockout punch
is the most lethal maneuver in the WWE?
Go ahead, man, feed your ego.
I'm a giant.
You don't have what it takes to Brogue Kick me in the head.
[Sheamus] In order for that knockout punch to be lethal,
you have to hit someone with it.
[Big Show] If you think you're gonna walk into Hell in a Cell
and kick my head off my shoulders,
you're either stupid or delusional.
[Sheamus] I strive for a challenge,
and there is no bigger challenge than you.
I am going to knock you out, and I am taking that title.
The time for talking is over, Show.
The time for fighting is now!
[Big Show] My KO, my KO, my KO Punch
is the most devastating maneuver in WWE history.
I am a threat, and I will take that championship from you.
[bell dings]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[Sheamus' theme song plays]
♪ Lost their head ♪
♪ A careless man who could wind up dead ♪
♪ You wear your sin… ♪
[Cole] Well, gentlemen, uh,
Sheamus has held the world title since WrestleMania.
The current version of the World Championship
has been at WWE for the last decade,
and Sheamus has been one of the all-time greats.
[J.R.] I have so much respect for Sheamus.
He's tough, he's come through and got to the top
with nothing but hard work.
A great role model for everyone,
to show you what hard work can do for you.
[Cole] What a week that the Irish have had.
Leinster scores nine tries against the Cardiff Blues.
But Notre Dame destroys JR Moyes and Norman.
Will it continue with Sheamus?
♪ In the shadows of my eyes ♪
♪ When the devil comes to call you ♪
♪ Breaks your earthly ties ♪
♪ The land will break And the seas will rise ♪
♪ The wind will rage As it burns the sky… ♪
[J.R.] Big day this Tuesday for WWE '13.
Big night here tonight for Sheamus,
as he defends the World Heavyweight Championship.
And I've talked about styles, and sometimes styles make matches,
and the clash of styles can really dictate the outcome.
[Big Show's theme song plays]
♪ It's a big bad show tonight… ♪
[Cole] Oh, there's the world's largest athlete.
Friday night, when SmackDown went off the air, there was chaos.
Following a face-to-face confrontation with Big Show and Sheamus,
Big Show cleared the ring of all the security guards.
He attacked them.
And when asked why Big Show wasn't punished because of his actions,
well, the answer was pretty simple.
The man has an ironclad contract that he signed earlier this year.
And ever since that day, Big Show's run roughshod on everybody.
He hopes to do that to the World Champion tonight.
[JBL] Big Show has knocked out everything he's touched.
He knocked out Mark Henry, he knocked out Tensai, two huge men.
He's knocked out everybody he's hit with that KO Punch.
But Sheamus, his entire life, growing up playing Gaelic football,
never been knocked out.
What happens if Show can hit him with that KO Punch tonight?
[J.R.] That's my point about the styles, because Sheamus is so confrontational.
Sheamus can't afford to stand in front of The Big Show.
[announcer] Introducing first, the challenger,
standing seven-feet tall, weighing in at 441 pounds,
The Big Show.
[crowd booing]
[announcer] And from Dublin, Ireland, weighing in at 267 pounds,
he is the World Heavyweight Champion,
Sheamus.
[crowd cheering]
[J.R.] So does it really break down
as simplistically as we're talking,
the Brogue Kick versus the Knockout Punch of The Big Show?
[Cole] You see the emotion of that man, The Big Show.
Tonight is his opportunity to erase a 45-second memory,
or a nightmare, in his case.
Last December at TLC, Big Show won the World Heavyweight Championship.
He held the title for 45 seconds
before Daniel Bryan cashed in his Money in the Bank contract.
Big Show has been embarrassed since.
So Big Show versus Sheamus, first time ever,
do they meet the ring here at Hell in a Cell.
And there's the power and strength of The Big Show.
John, break it down, who has the advantage?
[JBL] No doubt about it, The Big Show, I've known Big Show a long time.
I've never seen him, but I once got chokeslammed through a ring by Big Show.
I know his strength.
Sheamus is now feeling it for the first time.
It is shocking when you're out there with a giant for the first time.
[Cole] Early show of power by Big Show, lifting Sheamus off--
[JBL] This is something Sheamus has never had happen to him before.
Being overwhelmed with power.
[Cole] So John, explained what Big Show's gonna do in this matchup.
What does Sheamus need to do, J.R.?
[J.R.] Sheamus has gotta dictate a very quick pace.
And the longer this match goes,
I think Sheamus may be able to earn an advantage.
Big Show can carry 441 pounds on that seven-foot frame,
wants to end it early.
[Cole] Sheamus makes his money by being a brawler.
Is it smart to brawl with this man, The Big Show?
[JBL] Absolutely not.
Sheamus has one thing that he knows can keep him
the championship, and that's--
-[Cole] Oh! -[JBL] Wow, wow, that hurts.
[Cole] Well, look at Sheamus trying to fight back.
[J.R.] And we have no idea
what's happening to Sheamus' body with those body shots.
But we do know Sheamus will not back down.
[JBL] Big Show knocked out Mark Henry, the world's strongest man, with one punch.
[Cole] He's knocked out most superstars in WWE with that.
[JBL] Everybody Big Show has touched, he has knocked out.
-[Cole] And the thing I find interesting-- -[JBL] Listen to that.
That will cave your chest in, Michael.
There's no way to describe how bad that hurts.
[Cole] The thing that I find interesting in the early going in this matchup
is Sheamus has been on his heels from the get-go.
And there he is, Mr. Money in the Bank Dolph Ziggler,
who said he guarantees he's gonna cash in
his World Heavyweight contract tonight at Hell in a Cell.
[J.R.] Dolph better bring more than just a contract.
You can't stop me!
[J.R.] Bring his lunch.
Look at that man and Dolph and Sheamus.
We know that Sheamus can take an amazing, simply a frightening amount of punishment.
[Cole] WWE.com polled superstars in the locker room.
[JBL] Listen to this.
[Cole] Uh-oh, Sheamus.
Look at Sheamus, the brawler, trying to fight back into this thing.
And again, power of Big Show.
And Sheamus takes out Big Show with a knee, great strategy.
But how about Big Show rolling out of the way?
[J.R.] Big Show buying himself some time.
He's got a ten-count, but once the referee starts the count to work with.
Certainly Big Show knows he can't win the championship
only by a pinfall or submission.
[Cole] You look at what all Big Show's accomplished here.
He's one of the great champions of all time.
[JBL] First match he ever had in WCW, formed right here in Atlanta.
He beat Hulk Hogan, his first match ever.
Big Show won a championship.
[Cole] Big Show, one of only three men
to hold all active WWE championships in his career,
but he still cannot get that 45-second nightmare,
get that taste out of his mouth.
[J.R.] Only way to erase that is to win the championship here tonight.
[Cole] Look at Sheamus trying to take advantage
of The Big Show and a bum leg.
Paused by the world champion,
and Sheamus gonna throw it all on to the line here.
[J.R.] Sheamus has a rendered Big Show a little bit immobile.
And he's taking advantage of it.
[Cole] Right back on the attack for Sheamus.
World champion, back and forth we go.
[J.R.] Sheamus can be very relentless.
[Cole] There's the power again of the world's largest athlete.
[J.R.] Big Show felt a sense of urgency
as Sheamus was beginning to build momentum.
Big Show needed some time.
One!
[Cole] This is how Sheamus took control earlier on.
[JBL] Sheamus is trying to chop him down. He's never felt power like this.
Sheamus is a tough guy, grew up tough outside of Dublin,
like a lot of these Irish young men do.
[Cole] I thought we were gonna get Sheamus taking Big Show out of his knee,
but Big Show using his power to toss the champion over the top rope.
And now it's Big Show dictating the pace.
[J.R.] Giant hand print on the chest of Sheamus, there you see it.
The thing about it is Big Show's gonna make sure that Sheamus
doesn't get back to The Big Show's knees--
And the security wall.
[JBL] This is a huge man that Big Show's throwing around like a ragdoll.
This is a true giant.
Those hands are like catcher's mitts.
[J.R.] I'd say Sheamus goes around 270, wouldn't you think, John?
[JBL] Absolutely, and he's being thrown around like a ragdoll.
Sheamus has never felt power like this.
Sheamus is a great, tough champion.
Grew up tough. Everything he's done has been tough.
But he's stepping there for the first time feeling the power of a giant.
[Cole] Sheamus realizing that this was gonna be a challenge.
Called Big Show a mountain that he will conquer tonight.
WWE fans getting behind the world champion.
[J.R.] Big Show very deliberate in his movement toward Sheamus.
But the key term is he's still moving toward Sheamus.
He's fighting back and fighting back.
[Cole] Well, momentarily-- Sideslam by the giant.
Cover on the champion and side leg hooked.
Sheamus able to kick-out before two.
[JBL] Look at Sheamus, you can see him thinking.
You can see him trying to figure out a way,
what in the world am I gonna do with this giant?
[J.R.] Until he figures it out, he's just gonna have to survive.
And we've seen Sheamus do that plenty of times.
His body take a beating, but he wouldn't quit.
And that's why he's still world champion.
[Cole] Yeah, but he's been on his heels most of this matchup.
[JBL] Former King of the Ring, former Royal Rumble winner.
Two-time WWE Champion, one-time World Heavyweight Champion.
But J.R., the first time you get in the ring with this giant,
you are not prepared what you're going to meet.
[J.R.] I can see your point there,
and I'm certainly taking your word for that.
[Cole] Again, John, you make a great point there.
First time Sheamus has ever stepped in the ring with this man.
-There's no way you can be prepared. -[JBL] It's overwhelming, Michael.
[all exclaiming]
[J.R.] But how do you train for The Big Show?
Who do you get to spar with, work out with?
There is no one.
[Cole] What did you do?
How did you prepare to get in the ring with him?
[JBL] Survived, that's the only way I survived.
Can't beat The Big Show, you survive.
[Cole] He's size 22.
[JBL] You hope he gets tired, you hope he makes a mistake,
but what if he doesn't? He's a giant.
-[J.R.] Size 22 with 5E boot-- -[Cole] 5E boot by Big Show.
[J.R.] 5E width.
…shoulders, fella!
[JBL] His first match, he takes out Hulk Hogan.
He also took out one of the other greatest wrestlers in WCW,
Ric Flair for a world title.
[Cole] You talk about hoping Big Show gets tired.
He's not gonna get tired
if he continues to dictate the pace where he wants it to be.
[JBL] And Sheamus at some point is gonna get tired of getting beat on.
[JBL] J.R., you're a football guy, you know this.
Sometimes when you're outweighed by the offensive line, the defensive line,
you simply get worn down over time.
[referee] Break it.
-[J.R.] Exactly-- -[JBL] Look at this, look at this.
[J.R.] Sheamus' heart will never give up.
We see this high impact-- And watch this. Right here, right to the face.
You're gonna-- Boom!
And Sheamus' hands quivering, shaking, his body quivering after the impact.
Big Show now, he's like a shark.
-[Cole] Look at Sheamus trying to fight. -[J.R.] Blood in the water.
[Cole] Sheamus somehow trying to fight, and the world champion…
Sheamus sent over the announce table by Big Show,
but here's the dilemma Big Show faces.
He's gotta get the champion back in the ring.
Gotta get him back in the ring.
That's the only place he's gonna be able to win the championship,
via it pinfall or submission.
[referee] Two!
[Cole] That's what Big Show does, champion back in the ring.
And Big Show looking to win his second world title here tonight.
[JBL] You see Sheamus when he got him up close,
he was running like a little coward muggle.
Red marks all over Sheamus from Big Show clubbing him.
[J.R.] Sheamus has got red welts and bruises all over his body.
[Cole] Oh! That could be it. Big Show gonna win the world title.
No, Sheamus staying alive.
[J.R.] Just the way this thing is going,
you gotta believe that The Big Show, is it's too much.
[crowd exclaiming]
[J.R.] I had to get the hell out of the way.
[Cole] Big Show knows better than that.
Big Show has had 22 total titles in his career.
He knows he's not gonna beat a guy like Sheamus like that,
but what he's doing is he's playing mind games.
He's letting him know I'm the giant and I'm eating you alive.
[Cole] And he's beating him down.
Now look at Sheamus.
[J.R.] Sheamus expending a great deal of energy here
trying to turn the corner and build momentum.
But this momentum's not gonna change unless The Big Show makes a huge mistake.
[Cole] He can't turn the corner.
Every time he tries to, Big Show just dominates.
[JBL] You gotta understand, that's nine, ten feet over the top rope.
I mean, Big Show is throwing Sheamus around like a ragdoll.
It's a 275-pound tough man, Sheamus.
[Cole] Big Show's also being fueled
by the fact that he thought for the last month,
Sheamus has been, well, not taking this match seriously.
That he's been poking fun at Big Show. I don't buy that argument.
But that's what Show thinks, and that's what's driving him.
[JBL] Sheamus loves to fight. Like a typical Irishman.
[Cole] Using his shoulder like a battering ram over the top rope.
The Big Show slowly trying to make it back to his feet.
[JBL] Like a Fit Finlay, like a Vince McMahon,
these guys are born to fight.
But sometimes Sheamus can be too tough for his own good, this might be the time.
[Cole] Sheamus trying to shift momentum,
and he runs right into the kick by Big Show.
[J.R.] How about the flexibility of a 440-pounder?
[Cole] Cover of the champion at two.
[J.R.] That straight kick to Sheamus is about 6'3".
And Big Show now just surveying the damage,
looking at the welts and the bruises.
[JBL] Sheamus is a great champion, he's a tough guy.
But right now, Sheamus has no idea what to do with this giant.
[Cole] Big Show is focused as we've ever seen him.
[J.R.] Big Show slipped on one knee,
he's not Tebowing, I think he's counting his money.
The money that's gonna come by being the World Heavyweight Champion.
[JBL] Question him on the word Tebow, Michael.
[Cole] Sheamus trying to pull himself up, and look what's waiting for him.
I mean, mentally, you've gotta be so defeated
when you make it back to your feet and you look into the chest of a giant.
[JBL] I give Sheamus credit for just getting back up.
Look at the marks on Sheamus.
[J.R.] They're everywhere, it really looks like he's been expelled from a car crash.
Knees, strikes, the headbutt, the big hands.
[JBL] #HardbodyRef checking on him, see if Sheamus is okay.
[Cole] This has just been a… this has been a complete domination.
[JBL] Big Show is fighting the perfect championship fight.
Here's a guy, Big Show's won 22 total titles between WCW and WWE.
And he smells a world title tonight.
[Cole] Sheamus has not been able to muster much offense at all.
And he's trying to fight back into this.
Sheamus building adrenaline,
using his adrenaline to build momentum.
[JBL] You gotta love Sheamus.
You gotta love this fight that Sheamus has.
[Cole] The Great White taking it to Big Show,
and Big Show with a bear hug.
The massive arms,
tree trunk-like arms of Big Show wrapped around the waist of Sheamus,
and it may just be a matter of time.
[J.R.] One of the most basic of wrestling maneuvers is made to be extraordinary
because of the size and the strength of The Big Show.
[JBL] But look how smart Big Show is.
He's got his head behind Sheamus' left shoulder,
and he's down on his knees so he's not having to lift his body.
[Cole] And how much more effective is this
considering the amount of punishment Sheamus has taken at this point?
[J.R.] All those body shots,
again, we don't know the collateral damage of the body shots
delivered by The Big Show on the champion.
That inventory's been taken right now.
[JBL] You think Sheamus ever at 270, whatever pounds he is,
ever had to worry about a bear hug by somebody?
I'm telling you, he is not prepared to step in the ring with a giant.
Not because he's not prepared as a fighter,
but it's hard to step in the ring with a giant for the first time.
[Cole] Sheamus is fading, guys. Sheamus is fading.
Big Show has got the bear hug locked in.
Sheamus trying to do what he can to power out of this thing.
Gonna try to fight back.
Sheamus, some life left in him.
[J.R.] Sheamus is thinking somewhere, some way, I've gotta find a--
[all exclaiming]
[JBL] Not enough. 450 pounds crushing the champion.
[J.R.] Ill-advised, you gotta love the heart.
[Cole] And it's gonna get worse. It's about to get worse.
Big Show, second rope.
Oh, good night, Sheamus.
Big Show looking to take out the champion, and stays alive.
[J.R.] Sheamus just will not die.
He's thinking, I gotta find a Brogue Kick somewhere, some way, somehow.
But man, you can't Brogue Kick anybody in this position.
[Cole] Notice the expression of Big Show
when he looked down after Sheamus kicked out.
He's gonna try to put the finishing touches
on the World Heavyweight Champion.
That massive palm of Big Show signaling chokeslam.
Sheamus, champion in trouble.
Oh, and Sheamus, counter with a DDT.
Is it enough?
[J.R.] Big Show took his eye off the ball, Sheamus made a counter.
And now cover.
[Cole] And a cover on Big Show, two-count, Sheamus…
[JBL] That's your answer of "Is it enough?," Michael.
[Cole] Sheamus sent through the second rope by Big Show
as he kicked out here.
[J.R.] Sheamus landed in a very awkward way.
His body twisted toward his lower back as he came out of the ring.
But look at him fight.
[Cole] And Sheamus hanging Big Show up.
[J.R.] The World Heavyweight Champion with a renewed sense of urgency.
Maybe this is the last grasp for Sheamus.
He needs that Brogue Kick in the worst way.
[crowd chanting] One, two, three, four.
[Cole] And Big Show, no way.
Wow, Big Show.
[Big Show grunts]
[Cole] Sheamus still fighting, guys.
[JBL] Sheamus is not gonna quit. I can promise you that.
[Cole] Sheamus up over the top of Big Show.
Oh, and he ran right into it. No!
Good night, Sheamus.
Big Show, time to celebrate.
Not yet!
[J.R.] Can you believe it?
The World Champion whittling himself out of a chokeslam.
[JBL] But did Sheamus just prolong the inevitable?
[Cole] Or is there gonna come a point where Big Show's gonna get frustrated?
[J.R.] I can see that happening, quite frankly.
[Cole] He's dominated 90% of this match
and still has not been able to put the champion away.
[JBL] Big Show could run out of gas too, Michael.
He's 441 pounds, it's almost half a thousand.
[Cole] Outweighs Sheamus by 174 pounds.
[JBL] Big Show could get tired.
[Cole] Look at this. This is the Colossal Clutch.
This is the Submission Maneuver.
Big Show's used it in the past, but he wasn't able to lock it in.
[J.R.] Now that's…
[Cole] Nobody home off the elbow and Sheamus back to his feet.
[JBL] This Irishman's resilient, you gotta love Sheamus.
[Cole] Now look at this.
Sheamus gonna go for a submission maneuver.
[JBL] The world's biggest Cloverleaf.
[Cole] Trying for the Cloverleaf here, shoulders are down
and Big Show had a fight-out
and he sent Sheamus through the second rope.
[J.R.] How ironic, the Irishman using the Cloverleaf
to try to get a submission and retain the world title.
[Cole] And Big Show stalking Sheamus.
[J.R.] Big Show's gotta get his business back in the ring.
[crowd exclaiming]
[Cole] The fight continues out here at ringside.
And on the Spanish announce table to our right.
[referee] Two.
[Big Show grunts]
[Cole] Big Show-- Look out.
Prevented himself from going to the post, but not that time.
[referee] Three.
[Cole] Sheamus again.
[Cole] Twice Big Show goes spine-first into the steel post.
[J.R.] Big impact by Sheamus on The Big Show, who is breathing heavily.
[Cole] Sheamus up to the top rope, we've seen him do this in the past.
Can he connect here?
Battering ram time. Caught by Big Show again.
[J.R.] Watch that back of the knee. Remember the knee early in the match.
Sheamus going back to it now.
[Sheamus grunts]
[JBL] Sheamus finally found a way.
[Cole] But Big Show's still on his feet.
Now he's down, now the big man's down.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] How much do you admire this Irishman fight?
This is unbelievable.
[Cole] I can't believe he's still in this match.
Welts building all over his chest.
But the determination in the eyes of the World Champion,
never-say-die attitude.
[JBL] Gotta take a risk here, Sheamus.
[Cole] Look at this, he's got Big Show up.
-[JBL] Unbelievable. -[J.R.] Good God!
[Cole] White Noise! White Noise!
You know what that means. Sheamus may put Big Show away.
Hook of the leg, and he kicks out at two.
[J.R.] I can't believe the kick-out.
And I damn sure can't believe the strength of Sheamus.
[JBL] Unbelievable.
[Cole] Watch this.
[grunting] Sheamus out of money.
[J.R.] Look at this strength.
How much did that take out of Sheamus?
How much did that take out of the challenger?
[Cole] White Noise connecting, Big Show kicks out.
But Sheamus buys some time to try to regroup.
[JBL] How about Big Show here?
You have beaten Sheamus up for better part of half an hour.
[Cole] Listen, listen, listen. Listen to the fans. Listen to WWE fans.
Sheamus is calling for the Brogue, and he got caught.
And a one-hand KO!
-[JBL] New champion! -[Cole] Sheamus is knocked out!
[JBL] No one's ever kicked out.
[Cole] Big Show hooks the leg.
Sheamus kicked out of a KO Punch!
You gotta be kidding me.
[J.R.] What the hell did we just see?
[JBL] Something that's never happened before, J.R.
[Cole] I was gonna say, I don't think anyone has ever kicked out of a KO Punch.
[J.R.] Watch this, a block then right, boom.
[JBL] The punch that knocked out the World's Strongest Man,
Tensai and half the WWE roster.
[Cole] Yeah, but Big Show's shocked, guys.
Big Show is shocked that Sheamus kicked out from the KO Punch.
And is he questioning himself here?
[J.R.] How much did that kick-out cost Big Show mentally?
[Cole] Big Show is cocked and loaded. He's ready again.
[JBL] Go back to it, Big Show. Go back to it.
[Cole] Sheamus struggling to make it back to his feet.
I guarantee you, Sheamus has no clue where he is right now.
[J.R.] At this point, Big Show can be one-dimensional.
And that dimension is the right hand.
[JBL] What a great champion Sheamus is.
[Cole] Big Show measuring the champion.
[JBL] Wow.
-[Cole] Right hand cocked. -[JBL] That is hard. That is guts.
[Cole] But Sheamus has no idea what's waiting for him here.
[JBL] I don't care, this is impressive.
[Cole] And Big Show went for the KO. Sheamus--
Brogue! Brogue! The Brogue Kick!
Crawling to the cover, hooks the leg,
shoulders down, got him.
No! Big Show kicked out of the Brogue.
[J.R.] Sheamus, his expression tells an amazing story.
The Brogue Kick connected,
It was a… it was a fitting blow.
What's this, right, bam! Right there.
[Cole] This is amazing. Big Show was able to kick-out of the Brogue Kick.
First Sheamus with a KO, now Big Show on the Brogue.
What do these two guys gotta do to take out the other?
[JBL] Talk about a bunch of firsts.
Sheamus has never had anybody kick-out a Brogue Kick since he's been champion.
Big Show's never had anybody
that he hasn't knocked out with that KO Punch.
We're in uncharted territory, Michael.
This is Hell in a Cell, this is pay-per-view,
and it doesn't get any better than this.
Go for it again, Sheamus, go for it again.
[Cole] The World Champion calling for it yet again.
[JBL] We're about to see a giant get beat.
[Cole] Big Show trying to somehow get to his feet.
Wow, look at the look in the eyes of Sheamus,
the determination of the champion.
[JBL] Look at the people rising to their feet.
[Cole] Goes for the Brogue--
Oh, and a KO Punch!
[J.R.] My God! Big Show caught Sheamus coming in.
[Cole] Sheamus, the KO, Big Show
wins the world title.
Big Show is world champion.
[Big Show's theme song plays]
[announcer] Here is your winner,
and the new World Heavyweight Champion,
The Big Show.
[JBL] Big Show just knocked out
one of the toughest World Heavyweight Champions
this business has ever seen.
My God, this man's a giant. Who in the world can beat him now?
[J.R.] The felonious fist of The Big Show
have led him to become the heavyweight champion of the world.
A seven-foot, 441-pound World Heavyweight Champion.
[Cole] Let's talk about Sheamus for a moment.
There is no shame in losing to a giant,
especially when you have just undergone three 3600 pounds of pressure.
That's not one, but that's two KO Punches from The Big Show.
[JBL] Let's talk about Sheamus all week, Michael.
That was unbelievable. The heart of a champion.
That man right there is a Celtic warrior, Sheamus.
[J.R.] Look at this. Amazing strength.
White Noise, I didn't think it could be done on The Big Show.
But Sheamus showed amazing power, the will, the passion.
And Sheamus, everybody had him here.
[JBL] What a great champion Sheamus is.
[Cole] Watch this, KO.
[J.R.] That would be kicked out of.
[Cole] Yeah, this is incredible, what a testament.
[JBL] Twice the punching power of a pro boxer is Big Show's punch.
[Cole] And then watch this.
Sheamus with a Brogue Kick to Big Show.
But that didn't work either for the world champion.
Big Show would kick-out of this.
[J.R.] And who kicked out of the Brogue Kick before? Nobody.
-[Cole] This is amazing here. -[J.R.] Right out of nowhere, watch it.
Right hand, now keep an eye on the right hand of The Big Show.
Watch the right.
Sheamus coming hard, passing, gets knocked out.
[Cole] Guys, we just saw a car crash of two incredible warriors
and two incredible champions.
[JBL] What a champion Sheamus is.
But now that Big Show is World Heavyweight Champion,
he may just hold it until he retires.
[Cole] What a fight.
[J.R.] Big-time fight feel, big-time fight.
The Big Show beats the walking slobberknocker Sheamus
to become the heavyweight champion of the world at Hell in a Cell.
[JBL] What a tough Irishman. You gotta love Sheamus.
-[Cole] Big Show wins this. -[JBL] What a tough young man.
[Cole] His second world championship adding to his already spectacular legacy.
As we take one more look at the final knockout punch,
how quickly it happened.
Big Show to Sheamus.
And The Giant is world champion.
[crowd cheering and applauding]
[JBL] Listen to this WWE Universe.
[crowd cheering and applauding]
[JBL] They know what a fight they've just seen,
and what a warrior Sheamus is.
[panting]
Damn it.
Booker, I'm so glad I caught up to you before my match. I just had a--
Eve, Eve, not right now. I… I gotta go check on Sheamus.
Eve?
Teddy.
I know you're trying to make me look bad.
But you see, these things have a way of working themselves out.
At the last pay-per-view, you screwed over Kaitlyn and Layla.
But tonight, they are going to get the chance to return the favor.
You'd like that, wouldn't you, Teddy?
[Zack] We'd all like that.
-[laughs] -[scoffs]
And, uh, who are you supposed to be?
You like my costume, bro?
I'm dressed as the scariest witch in the entire WWE.
Eve. [laughs]
Woo, woo, woo, you know it.
-A witch? -Yeah, I'm serious, bro.
You think I'm a witch?
Well, uh, with just one letter off.
[laughs] Sick.
I've gotta get ready for my match.
-You do that. -Later.
Zack, I gotta say, player, you look marvelous.
I look great. Hey, check this out.
Santino, come on in, check out this costume, bro.
Ta-da! [laughs]
And, uh, who are you supposed to be?
Teddy Dore, I'm Lady Goo Goo Ga Ga.
♪ I'm on the right track, baby I was born this way ♪
Damn!
[crowd cheering]
No question about that.
Big Show, was just Big Show tonight, he was so determined.
[crowd cheering]
Call it off.
-I beg your pardon? -Call it off.
The cell.
-Call your match off tonight? -Yeah.
-The WWE Championship match, call it off? -Yeah.
Are you lacking confidence in yourself?
[chuckles] No.
Are you intimidated by Ryback?
No.
Are you fearful of Ryback?
No.
I would suggest you go out, you prove to Ryback,
you prove to everybody,
that CM Punk is the best in the world.
[sighs]
[bell dings]
[announcer] This is a Triple Threat Match
for the Divas Championship.
[Eve's theme song plays]
[announcer] Introducing at this time from Denver, Colorado,
she is the current Divas Champion, Eve Torres.
[Cole] Now, in a moment, we're gonna explain to you how all this came about.
How Eve became champion,
and all the allegations that are flying around the Divas locker room.
As Eve gets set to defend her title in a Triple Threat Match here tonight.
[Layla's theme song plays]
[announcer] And the challenger first from Miami, Florida, Layla.
[Cole] Booker T, the general manager of SmackDown, said this past Friday night,
he's heard enough of the she said, she said,
and made the Triple Threat Match for tonight.
[J.R.] I don't know if we'll ever get to the bottom of this controversy.
It is certainly intriguing.
[Kaitlyn's theme song plays]
[announcer] And from Houston, Texas, Kaitlyn.
[JBL] You had Teddy Long with a blonde wig on. What more do you need to know?
[Cole] Well, it all began for these Divas last month
at the Night of Champions pay-per-view,
where it was supposed to be Kaitlyn versus Layla for the Divas title.
-What happened? -I don't know.
I was just warming up and someone hit me from behind.
-Someone, who? -I don't, Eve… I don't know.
You'll get your title match, just not tonight.
I'll talk to Booker, we'll figure something out.
[J.R.] And obviously, Eve did have a conversation
with the general manager of SmackDown, Booker T.
And Booker T thought that Eve deserved the opportunity
and had earned it.
Layla had not prepared for Eve,
and that would be a problem, as Eve would be the new Diva Champion.
[Cole] And then there'd be another confrontation
this past Monday night on RAW.
You're full of it, Eve.
You know, remember the blonde wig we found,
the one that you had Aksana attack you in?
-Yes, this mysterious blonde wig. -I saw the email.
I don't know what you thought you saw, Kaitlyn.
Eve, I took a picture of your iPad.
Drop the little nice girl act.
You're still the same conniving witch
that you've always been.
[Cole] And there were fighting words
as Eva and Kaitlyn with a brawl in the backstage area.
Apparently, what was on the iPad was some information,
as Layla would get involved here,
on who actually attacked Kaitlyn at Night of Champions.
[JBL] But why would Teddy Long steal the iPad?
You condone that, Michael?
[Cole] I'm not saying I condone it or I don't.
But let's just get caught up with what the information is that we know.
Aksana, she figures into all this because she admits she got a,
well, she had some communication from Eve to perhaps attack Kaitlyn.
Although Aksana has not admitted to doing the attack.
And then Eve said that she was too trusting,
that she left the iPad open.
Anyone could have sent out that information.
[J.R.] So-- I'm sorry, the first diva to win a pinfall or a submission here,
earn one, will leave as the Divas Champion.
So, Eve really doesn't have any advantage.
[Cole] Yeah, Triple Threat rules here tonight.
And Kaitlyn from behind.
[JBL] I would call it a disadvantage, though.
When you're a champion, you got a one-in-three shot right now.
I disagree with what Booker T has done here.
I know Booker T is frustrated.
I know Booker T is doing what he thinks is best.
But I disagree with what he's done here.
[Cole] What would you have done?
[JBL] Put 'em in singles matches against the champion.
What they wanna do is gang up on the champion.
That is exactly what they're doing right now.
[Cole] Well, listen-- Look at Layla
trying to win the championship in a kick-out.
[JBL] And if that would have happened,
what a robbery that would have been to Eve.
-[Cole] But wait… -I want it, too.
[Cole] If Layla had pinned Kaitlyn there, she would've won the Divas title.
[JBL] That's my point, Michael.
[Cole] There's been some animosity between the friends Layla and Kaitlyn.
Both going for the cover here,
and Eve would kick-out.
This past Friday on SmackDown, Layla and Kaitlyn were tag team partners.
And Layla, well, accidentally kicked Kaitlyn in the matchup.
Kaitlyn admitted that drove a wedge between the two.
Look at this. Layla looking to win the Divas Championship here.
Now, the shoulders are down.
[JBL] Layla has been a great champion,
the first ever British-born WWE Ladies Champion.
[Cole] Kaitlyn…
Layla's in trouble. Can Kaitlyn win here?
Now Layla reverses.
And remember, Triple Threat rules.
Divas Champion Eve isn't even involved in any of these near falls.
She can lose the title without even being pinned.
Back and forth we go, and this time Eve gets back involved.
[J.R.] Eve's got to reassert herself and get advantage over somebody.
She just did on Layla.
[JBL] Layla was with the Miami Heat in 2006,
she has as many rings as LeBron James.
[Cole] You know, John, this is smart though.
Get Layla, the experienced former Divas Champion, out of the ring
and allow Eve to go one-on-one with the rookie Kaitlyn.
And remember the injured ankle brought on by that attack last month
that Eve has targeted.
[JBL] Eve's good at submissions,
trained for five years in the Gracie Gym in Los Angeles.
Two time WWE Ladies Champion, 2007 Diva Search winner.
[Cole] And even Eve making Kaitlyn pay. Here's what you're talking about, John.
[J.R.] Well, the submission's got to come early because remember,
you got to still factor Layla in this equation.
-And Kaitlyn's trying to hold on. -She says no!
[Cole] She's trying to make it to the bottom rope here.
No! [grunts]
[J.R.] Wonder what Divas can be trusting.
That's the way, based on the information we're hearing,
the he said or she said, she said.
I don't envy Booker T.
[JBL] Many times you've been married, Jerry,
you know none of them can be trusted.
[J.R.] You're right about that.
[Cole] Yeah, you've got such a great record.
And look at this. Kaitlyn trying to make it to the bottom rope here.
As Eve turns her attention to Layla.
[J.R.] Ooh, man!
JBL just removed himself from my wife's Christmas list.
No barbecue sauce for you, buddy.
[Cole] I bet you're upset.
-Look at Layla, unloading on Eve. -[JBL] I like his barbecue sauce.
-And I like his wife. -[Cole] Look at this.
[JBL] Took his barbecue sauce with me to Kilimanjaro.
-[Cole] Great athleticism. -[J.R.] Look at this.
[Cole] Layla had a kick-out by the champion.
[J.R.] Layla had a bad injury.
Knee injury, came back much better. Much better.
I think she came back more focused, more aggressive.
But Eve has the potential to be as dominating a Diva--
[Cole] Oh, man!
And now Kaitlyn looking to take advantage. She's hobbled.
[JBL] Call this J.R.
[J.R.] Well, I'd just rather let the pictures tell the story.
[Cole] That's a first.
And look at this.
Oh, nice stab suplex into the cover.
I thought Kaitlyn was going for the cover, but she's not.
And now a submission maneuver on her own for Kaitlyn.
[man] Come on, Layla.
-[JBL] Kaitlyn? -[man] No!
[JBL] I'm begging you to be able to tell the difference.
They all look the same.
[Cole] Kaitlyn has a submission maneuver on Layla.
What match are you watching?
As Layla tries to drag herself to the bottom rope.
[JBL] You've confused me on that married comment.
[Cole laughs]
[JBL] Completely lost it in this diva match.
[Kaitlyn grunts]
[Cole] Layla, former Divas Champion.
And Kaitlyn looking to win her first Divas title.
[J.R.] A lot of strength here.
[Cole] Oh, man!
[J.R.] That looked ugly, and it had to hurt.
-[Kaitlyn screams] -[Layla groans]
[J.R.] Remember, Eve was a champion through the--
[Cole] Uh-oh, uh-oh!
-Layla… -One.
[Cole] And Eve's saving her title.
And again, sending the veteran out of the ring.
[JBL] This is what you have to do to win a Triple Threat Match.
-All you gotta do is pick the bones. -One, two…
[Cole] Layla breaking it up now. Back and forth we go.
One, two…
[J.R.] Maybe we just let the Spanish guys do this?
[Layla groans]
[Cole] Look at Kaitlyn trying to win the Divas Championship.
[Kaitlyn groans]
[Cole] John, you haven't said a word in about two minutes, that's a record.
[JBL] You confused me on these names.
[Cole] Well, that's Kaitlyn.
[JBL] I know who it is, Michael. I made a slight mistake, okay?
They're all pretty ladies, okay?
-[Cole] They're Divas. -[JBL] They're pretty Divas, I'm sorry.
You got me confused, watching this beauty and this athleticism, okay?
I'm trying to dig my way out of the hole,
and there's absolutely no way I'm gonna do it.
I feel like I'm OU right now against Notre Dame.
[J.R.] Oh. I took the over in the OU deal this week, I won the pot.
[Cole] Ah, Layla…
[J.R.] Layla has got a lot to fight for here, just like…
[Cole] Kaitlyn rolls through.
[J.R.] There's the strength we talked about.
[JBL] Former NPC competitor, very strong lady is Kaitlyn.
[Cole] Plants Layla.
One, two…
[Cole] And look at Eve over the top, breaking it up.
Looks to take advantage, hooks the leg on Layla.
And Eve will retain the Divas Championship.
[announcer] Our winner of this match and still Divas Champion, Eve Torres.
[J.R.] Well, Kaitlyn did the heavy lifting,
literally and figuratively.
But Eve slips in, as JBL said,
you just gotta pick the bones when you can.
[JBL] Just gotta be a vulture, just gotta be around and be close.
It's about opportunity, and Eve's an opportunist.
[Eve's theme song plays]
Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome the brand new World Heavyweight Champion, The Big Show.
How sweet does that sound? Doesn't that sound good right now?
The Big Show, the new World Heavyweight Champion.
No more 45 seconds,
no more embarrassing title runs for nine years.
I have reached the pinnacle.
I have reached the top of the mountain.
Your worst nightmare, Josh, has come true.
Everyone's worst nightmare has come true.
The Giant is the World Heavyweight Champion.
And I dare anyone, anyone in our locker room,
try to come and take it from me. Try.
Okay, as you can see,
Sheamus is being tended to by WWE's medical personnel.
We've yet to receive an update on Sheamus' condition.
If we do before the night is over, we'll be sure to keep you updated.
But right now, let's go back to ringside.
[Cole] Well, I've got an update on his medical condition.
He was knocked out cold, not once but twice by Big Show, and obviously--
An incredible match.
Matt Striker's as bad as my commentary was on that Divas match.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the next time that we are on pay-per-view will be three weeks from tonight.
It's the 26th annual Survivor Series,
live from Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
And, J.R., the question is, who will be WWE Champion
when we get to Survivor Series?
[J.R.] There's a lot of momentum.
A lot of people think it's gonna be Ryback.
Ryback has yet to lose. Here's what we know.
Ryback will either become the WWE Champion tonight,
or he'll get his first loss ever, homeowning by CM Punk.
[Cole] CM Punk claims he's not lacking confidence.
He's not intimidated.
He's not fearful of stepping into Hell in a Cell
with a human wrecking ball, Ryback.
["Sandpaper" playing]
[narrator] Some men hunger for change.
[man 1] CM Punk is WWE Champion.
[CM Punk] This is the new face of the WWE.
[narrator] Some men hunger for glory.
This title is where it belongs.
[Heyman] A championship he has held for--
-[Cole] 282-- -[JBL] Over 300--
[CM Punk] Three hundred thirty seven days and counting.
[narrator] Some men hunger for respect.
[CM Punk] I am The Best in the World.
And I command respect.
[narrator] But some men, some men hunger for more.
[crowd chanting] Feed me more!
Feed me more!
[Vince] CM Punk will defend the WWE Championship
inside Hell in the Cell against Ryback.
[Ryback] Feed me Punk.
[Cole] Ryback's got Punk up.
Ryback has Shell Shocked the WWE Champion.
I am The Best in the World, not Ryback.
And I promise that I will walk out of Hell in a Cell
still your WWE Champion.
[J.R.] There he is, Ryback!
[Cole] And CM Punk trying to run away.
Lumberjack sent him back into the ring.
[Cole] CM Punk trying to retreat, nowhere to go.
Much like Sunday inside the cell, there'll be nowhere to go.
[J.R.] Oh, my God! Wow!
[man] Geez.
[Heyman] Ryback is feasting on the WWE Champion.
[J.R.] What's gonna be left of CM Punk inside Hell in a Cell?
[Cole] Punk tried to run tonight, but there's no running Sunday.
He'll be locked inside Hell in a Cell with the monster Ryback.
Feed me more!
[Cole] And there is the prison,
the infrastructure which will surround the ring,
keeping our two combatants inside.
The cell was introduced 15 years ago this month,
and this match has changed men.
It has cut short careers, and in turn, has made legends.
[cage rattles]
[CM Punk's theme song plays]
♪ Look in my eyes, what do you see? ♪
♪ The cult of personality ♪
♪ I know your anger… ♪
[Cole] WWE Champion CM Punk has held the championship 343 days.
The 10th longest streak in history,
just two-weeks-and-a-day away from passing Diesel,
and becoming the number nine reign of all time.
J.R., CM Punk over this reign has won just about every match imaginable.
But he's never won inside Hell in a Cell.
[J.R.] He never has, but you know, I did some research on that.
There's a lot of guys that you would think had won in the Hell in a Cell.
One that comes to mind is "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
Had a pretty amazing career here, a Hall of Fame career.
Never won inside Hell in a Cell.
The cell itself seemingly has a personality of its own.
[Cole] A lot of rumors flying around, John, that CM Punk is scared
of getting into the cell with this man Ryback,
despite the fact that he promised he'd walk out WWE Champion.
Do you think Punk's scared? Do you think he's intimidated?
[JBL] Absolutely not.
Three hundred and forty three days as champion says
you're not scared of anything.
But you have to understand,
the very first Hell in a Cell for CM Punk was in '09 against The Undertaker.
The first time a championship had changed hands.
I think CM Punk learned
what you had to do in Hell in a Cell, from that.
[J.R.] I have to disagree with you, John,
because we've seen Heyman tonight lobbying on Punk's behalf
to get this match canceled.
I mean, it seems to me that Punk is very anxious, very apprehensive.
To be in this environment against an animal,
a 300-pound animal that's never been beaten,
by the name of Ryback.
[JBL] Is it the cage, J.R., or is it Ryback?
I think it could be some of both. There's gotta be apprehension.
Once you've been in this structure, you have to not want to get back in it.
[Cole] But did you notice the hug between Punk and Heyman?
It almost looked like a farewell.
[JBL] Mick Foley never really recovered from his first match at Hell in a Cell.
[Cole] And speaking of Mick Foley, great interview with him on WWE.com,
where he gives advice to both men in the cell tonight.
His advice to CM Punk, win this match,
define your legacy right here, right now, tonight.
[JBL] Tim White, the referee,
never came back from refereeing a Hell in a Cell match.
That's how dangerous this structure is.
[J.R.] June 28th, 1998, I'll never forget that night.
Mick Foley, Mankind versus The Undertaker in this very cell.
♪ Feed me ♪
[JBL] Here we go!
[Ryback's theme song plays]
♪ Feed me more ♪
[Cole] What a week it's been for Ryback.
Back on RAW on Monday night,
he defeated a former WWE Champion, The Miz.
On main event Wednesday night,
Ryback defeated a former World Champion, Dolph Ziggler.
We saw him manhandle CM Punk last week
as we went off the air on Monday Night RAW.
But this is his first title match.
It's Ryback's first Hell in a Cell match. Is there pressure?
[J.R.] Oh, absolutely there's pressure, but there's also precedent.
I know that Triple H had his first Hell in a Cell matchup,
it was a huge victory.
Shawn Michaels, first time in a cell against The Undertaker.
Wins it, yes, controversially, Batista, Lesnar.
Ryback's got confidence.
I think Ryback is different from all those men.
[Cole] Punk was conferring with Paul Heyman moments ago.
He's finally turned around to look at the monster
he will face here tonight with his WWE title on the line.
[bell dings]
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, this contest is set for one fall.
It's for the WWE Championship.
And will be contested inside Hell in a Cell.
[crowd cheering]
[announcer] Introducing first,
being accompanied by Paul Heyman, from Chicago, Illinois.
Weighing 218 pounds,
he is the current WWE Champion,
CM Punk!
[crowd booing]
Respect!
[announcer] And the challenger,
from Sin City, weighing 291 pounds,
Ryback!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] The rules of a Hell in a Cell match,
you can only win via pinfall or submission.
The fall can take place anywhere.
[crowd chanting] Feed me more!
[Cole] This is the 26th Hell in a Cell match
and the first since perhaps the greatest one ever
at WrestleMania this past year
between Triple H and The Undertaker, as the combatants are now locked inside.
[JBL] What a feeling you have, though, Michael, when that cage is locked?
[J.R.] Locked, all right, with that padlock, the chain.
Two men are locked inside.
The match must end by pinfall or submission.
-[bell dings] -[JBL] I'm not sure one's a full man.
I'm not sure that Ryback isn't part animal.
What a beast this guy is.
[Cole] We are underway
and CM Punk is going to buy himself a little bit of time here.
[J.R.] Ryback has never lost the WWE title, it's what is at stake.
[JBL] But talk about first, J.R.,
Ryback's never been in a championship match.
Ryback's never been in a cage match.
Ryback's never, certainly never been in Hell in a Cell.
This is sink or swim for this beast.
[Cole] And CM Punk again, buying time.
You know, one of the things that Mick Foley said,
I've been offering advice to Ryback, and Mick has been in a number of these.
I believe in you. I believe in you. You are The Best in the World.
[Cole] Is the fact that, uh…
Will Ryback, uh, really have the stamina
to compete in this matchup if he continues to go at great length?
I mean, fatigue can make us all cowards, in Mick Foley's word.,
And Ryback, he's been involved in many long matchups.
[J.R.] Interesting point, good point by Mick Foley.
[JBL] It doesn't have to be, Michael. He's destroyed everybody.
We talked about Ziggler and Miz, two great former WWE champions.
Ryback walked through them in the past week.
[Cole] And Punk.
[JBL] Look at this, look at this.
[J.R.] The man decided feeding doesn't work by the hour, gentlemen.
[screams]
[Cole] And Ryback, the strength and power of the monster.
[J.R.] Ryback's eyes say he has destructive intentions.
And a kick right to the sternum of the champion.
[Cole] Oh, this could be… this could be a short work for Ryback
of the WWE champion.
Ryback's in a zone.
[J.R.] Punk getting ragdolled
by the challenger for the WWE Championship.
[Cole] And Punk. Oh, man. Collision with a turnbuckle.
[J.R.] Talk about annihilating anatomies.
[JBL] Punk's 343rd day as champion could be his worst.
He's stuck with Ryback in Hell in a Cell.
[Cole] Yeah, but CM Punk, the veteran.
The reason he's held the title for 343 days.
And-- Oh, just tossed away by Ryback.
[groans]
[Cole] And the man Heyman has dubbed the Punk-eating carnivore, is in control.
[J.R.] Paul Heyman, rightfully so, doesn't like what he's seeing here.
The physical dissection of the WWE Champion.
[Cole] I'm impressed with Ryback's patience.
And Punk can't get out.
Desperately trying to rip open that door, but it's padlocked shut.
[J.R.] Nowhere to go.
Face the music.
[Cole] And again, you can use the cell as a weapon, as Ryback's doing there.
Using the steel to his advantage.
And again, tossing Punk around.
[JBL] This is what Ryback has to do to become champion.
[Cole] He's fearless, he's merciless.
Is this lethi… leviathan, Ryback.
And CM Punk looking somehow to, just to hide, run away.
Leave him alone! Wait your turn! You gotta wait your turn!
What did you want?
He's a human being, for crying out loud.
He's a human being.
He's a champion, he's the best in the world.
He's dead.
[Cole] Well, we saw Punk--
Look at this! Fire extinguisher!
Heyman pays dividends.
He distracted Ryback enough to allow Punk to take advantage.
[Heyman] Get him!
[Cole] Ryback's temporarily blinded, and now CM Punk on the attack.
And this is where Punk's dangerous.
Now's your turn!
[JBL] How great is Paul Heyman?
Outside the cage and still making an impact.
That's the consigliere of CM Punk, Paul Heyman.
[J.R.] Accurate knees right to the ribs, the torso of Ryback.
[Cole] And all this, fire extinguisher, steel chair, completely legal.
There are no disqualifications in a Hell in a Cell match.
And Ryback!
The chair bouncing off the skull of Punk.
[J.R.] Punk just ate the steel chair kicked into his face.
[JBL] There's no disqualification, this is what Ryback needs to do.
-[Cole] And look at the power! -[JBL] He needs to just unleash himself.
[Cole] The ferocity.
And again, this beast, Ryback…
manhandling the champion.
-[JBL] Ryback's feeling it. -Feed! Feed!
[crowd chanting] More!
[J.R.] He is a merciless emissary of pain, this Ryback.
[Cole] And watch this.
Chair off the skull.
And now Ryback.
And CM Punk using his quickness and his veteran instincts
to duck out of the way, and may have found an opening.
But how can you keep Ryback down?
That is the-- That's what Punk has to try to solve here.
[JBL] How do you get him down, Michael?
-[Cole] Like that! -[JBL] That's how you do it.
-[J.R.] Off the top. -[Cole] And CM Punk.
[Heyman shouting indistinctly]
-[Cole] You hear Heyman screaming. -[Heyman] Stay on him!
[Cole] "Stay on him, stay on him," he's telling the champion.
[JBL] CM Punk has no choice, the door's locked.
[Cole] Punk!
Again, glancing blow to the skull of Ryback.
[JBL] I'm sure it was a glancing-- I think he hit him.
[Cole] And now Punk again heading up for the top rope.
Looking to perhaps take out Ryback from his vantage point.
Now Ryback down to one knee.
[J.R.] Those blows off the top
would take a normal man down and maybe even beat him.
[Cole] Punk going for a third time to the top rope
and he's caught by Ryback.
And just like that, the monster turned things around.
Oh, and Punk caught him!
[J.R.] Heel kick to the face.
[JBL] Ryback caught a 218-pound man like it was nothing.
[Cole] And the problem is that Punk is not able to capitalize.
-Watch this, watch the power. -[JBL] It's impressive.
[Cole] And then driving Punk.
[Ryback grunts]
[Cole] And Punk pulling out all the stops.
But Ryback is still on his feet.
Punk went through the second rope, he hit the cell.
Ryback never went down.
[J.R.] The cell is standing and so was Ryback.
[Heyman] Keep the pressure on.
[Cole] What does Punk need to do? Perhaps the equalizer will help.
Steel steps, neck breaker outside the ring.
[J.R.] Heyman's screaming or was moments ago.
[JBL] The marks all over Punk.
Look at the marks all over Punk from that cage.
[Cole] And off that neck breaker, Ryback is right back to his feet.
But he's been stunned a bit.
Punk again with the equalizer, steel chair.
[Ryback groaning]
[Cole] The new Punk would have a plan somehow.
[CM Punk groans]
[CM Punk groaning]
[J.R.] Strength, power, how do you defend it?
[Cole] Punk went for the neck breaker again, and Ryback…
And Punk trying to squirm out of harm's way.
And Ryback, shoulder first to the steps. This could be the opening.
This could be the opening Punk needs.
[J.R.] Punk dives the cannon.
[Cole] Paul Heyman is going insane at ringside.
Screaming at Punk to take advantage.
[JBL] There's no count outs. You got to pin him.
There's nobody like you.
Capitalize, capitalize.
[Cole] Watch this. Advantage champion for now.
[J.R.] And remember, no count outs, no disqualifications.
Ryback rolling back in the ring.
Out there for more than a ten-count, but that's irrelevant in Hell in a Cell.
[groans]
[Cole] Now what's Punk gonna attempt to do?
Again, Ryback trying to power-up out of this, and he does.
CM Punk finds himself in some trouble,
and Ryback makes him pay.
[JBL] Ryback is powering out of everything CM Punk does.
These aren't scientific counters, these are just brute strength.
[Cole] Survival of the fittest, and again, Punk using his quickness.
[J.R.] The ring post is not intimidated by the undefeated Ryback.
[Cole] No, not at all. Ryback went in shoulder first.
That coming off him, going shoulder-first into the steel steps.
[Heyman] He's still alive.
[Cole] That sixth smile, sinister smile on the face of Punk.
And CM Punk is vintage there.
The high-running knee,
and CM Punk follows it up with a clothesline.
And you suddenly feel the confidence may be building for the champion.
[JBL] Three hundred and forty three days as champion, Michael.
He's one of the greatest champions that WWE has ever seen.
There's a reason for it.
CM Punk's taking a risk, I like it.
That's what champions do in big matches.
You said legends are made.
[Cole] CM Punk, elbow to the heart of Ryback.
CM Punk hoping to define his legacy tonight.
Ryback is down.
Ryback may be hurt.
[JBL] CM Punk craves respect. I think he deserves it.
He beats Ryback tonight, he'll certainly get it.
[Cole] Kendo stick for Punk.
We've never seen Ryback in this position before.
How will the number one contender respond? Will he be able to respond?
[J.R.] The weapons are legal.
[crowd cheering]
That's Singapore cane, the kendo stick.
[Cole] And now Punk was mocking
the "feed me more" chant that Ryback engages in.
And now unloading on the monster.
Look at the shape that that kendo stick is in,
as Punk continues to beat on Ryback.
[JBL] Just look at Ryback. You're just making him mad!
[JBL] Get hit by a kendo stick?
[Cole] That is absolute fear that you just saw in the eyes of Punk.
[roars aggressively]
[all exclaiming]
[Cole] And here comes Ryback.
[Cole] Whoa, what a back body drop!
[J.R.] The WWE Champion is in the deep water now.
[JBL] CM Punk has had an incredible title reign, but it may end at 343 days.
[Cole] I think Heyman agrees with you.
[crowd chanting] Feed Me More! Feed Me More!
[JBL] Here comes the Meathook, what Ryback calls his clothesline.
[crowd chanting] Feed Me More! Feed Me More! Feed Me More!
[Cole] And there it is, Meathook Clothesline.
Finish it!
[Cole] And that'll set up Ryback for Shell Shocked.
[J.R.] It seems as if winning the WWE title is academic.
-[Cole] Ryback. -[J.R.] Punk is defensive.
[Cole] With Punk up, Shell Shocked time.
Ryback marches around the ring.
[JBL] About to have a new champion, Michael.
Wait.
[all exclaiming]
[J.R.] What the--
[Cole] And Punk wasn't--
Wait a-- What the-- What the hell just happened?
[J.R.] Wait a minute. Hold on a damn minute.
[CM Punk's theme song plays]
[Heyman] Open the door!
[overlapping conversations]
[announcer] The winner of this match and still the WWE Champion,
CM Punk.
Get out of here. Get the hell out of here.
[overlapping conversations]
[indistinct shouting]
[Cole] I think they dropped the key.
And here comes Ryback, the monster,
who just took out the ref, who low-blowed him.
[J.R.] And then fast counted Ryback.
[Cole] And now an assault on the champion.
Ryback has lost it.
[JBL] I've never seen anything like that in 20 years of wrestling.
-[Cole] Can you blame the man? -[JBL] No, absolutely not.
[Cole] I mean, I don't know what happened here,
but whatever it was, it's not right.
And there's the referee.
[J.R.] The referee with a low blow, the fast count.
And now he's paying for it.
[JBL] The referee with a low blow, Jerry. Can you believe even saying that?
What in the world just happened?
[Cole] I'm gonna tell you what's gonna happen here.
[J.R.] I've never seen anything like this in my life,
at a WWE title match.
[Cole] Oh, my God!
[JBL] I don't blame Ryback.
[Cole] Ryback was gonna win the WWE title.
[JBL] Destroy this ref, I don't blame him.
[Cole] I don't think there's any doubt about it yet.
[JBL] This ref just robbed Ryback of a championship.
[Cole] Ryback had pumped up for Shell Shocked.
And the referee low-blowed Ryback, allowing Punk to win.
He delivered a quick count.
And now Ryback, total destruction.
[J.R.] Oh, my God!
[crowd exclaiming]
[JBL] Destroy him, Ryback. I don't blame him.
[Cole] And Heyman desperately trying to drag Punk out of the cell.
And Ryback stalking the champion.
[J.R.] Punk had to be in another state to be out of harm's way from Ryback,
after what just happened.
[Cole] Heyman running away, can you blame him?
CM Punk is about to pay for that sin.
[man] Oh, yeah.
[Cole] Look at Punk,
Look at Punk trying to escape. Punk's trying to escape from Ryback.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Punk's trying to climb to the top of that cell.
[JBL] Ryback's going after him.
[Cole] The cell, 20 feet in the air,
and Ryback, Ryback is going after Punk.
This is absolutely incredible.
[JBL] Ryback has completely lost it.
Look at this!
-[J.R.] A 300-pound man, -[JBL] Twenty feet in the air.
Look at this.
[J.R.] Now where do you go?
Now where do you run? Now where do you hide?
[Cole] Punk is trying to run away.
He's trying to retreat, but Ryback's got the champion.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] What on earth has Ryback got running through his head here?
[J.R.] What a danger zone these men are in.
[Cole] Are you kidding me? There's no way.
-[JBL] No. -[Cole] Ryback.
[JBL] No, Ryback.
[Cole] Shell Shocked to Punk on top of the cell!
[crowd cheering]
[J.R.] Punk's body racked,
the WWE Champion's body racked on top of the cell by Shell Shocked.
And look who's standing.
[crowd chanting] Feed me more!
[J.R.] Look who's still hungry.
[JBL] Don't encourage him, don't encourage him.
[Cole] Bedlam at Hell in a Cell.
Ryback has completely lost it.
The WWE Champion Punk is helpless.
[Ryback's theme music plays]
[Cole] Well, first, the shocking conclusion.
J.R., you mentioned it, you've never seen anything like it.
Ryback was gonna win the championship here.
[J.R.] No doubt about it, the referee stopped it.
Oh! A blatant low blow. A blatant low blow.
And watch the count. Watch the fast count.
[crowd] One, two, three.
[bell dings]
[J.R.] And the referee certainly paid his pittance for his sins.
With a low blow and a fast count.
Look at this power, this is sickening.
[JBL] Don't blame him. Don't blame Ryback.
I've never even heard of anything like this happening.
[Cole] And then on top of the cell,
Ryback would deliver Shell Shocked to Punk.
Punk survives with the WWE Championship.
He's gonna hold it for at least 344 days.
Punk promised he'd walk out as champ, and he did.
But Ryback is livid,
and a WWE Champion paid at Hell in a Cell.
Good night from Atlanta.
[man] Made in Georgia. .