[dramatic music playing]
[narrator] There is one moment unlike any other.
When a lifetime worth of sacrifices is rewarded.
When the definition of greatness becomes clear.
The moment when a champion is crowned.
And for most, this is the ultimate goal.
But one man demands more.
For CM Punk,
being WWE Champion isn't enough.
[CM Punk] Show me some respect.
You can't do what I can do.
The focus and the attention and the spotlight,
I am the best in the world.
Shut up! Show me respect!
I am the best wrestler,
the best talker, the best technician,
the best brawler, and I say it because I am it!
You don't even know who CM Punk is.
There is no you.
You have changed your ideology numerous times
all because you have yet to find you.
Punk is a guy who is an insecure dude
that constantly has to tell you how could good that he is.
But your latest phase of development revolves around this.
You think because you have this you are justified, respected.
[CM Punk] Show me respect.
No. The reason you have that is by any means necessary
and that does not define a champion in my eyes.
[crowd cheering]
[narrator] Tonight
[Cena] The Night of Champions is in my house, my hometown,
that is the moment that will define your existence.
[narrator] More than a thirst for victory
[CM Punk] Show me respect.
[narrator] Greater than a craving for a championship,
is the hunger for
respect.
[narrator] And now, WWE presents,
WWE's Night of Champions.
[explosions]
-[crowd cheering] -["Champions" playing]
♪ Here we are We are the champions ♪
♪ We've come so far They said it can't be done ♪
[Michael] This is the Garden in Boston whose many incarnations over the years
have seen plenty of great champions crowned.
It's only appropriate that tonight it hosts WWE Night of Champions.
14,886 WWE fans in attendance.
[singer] ♪ And like a home run ♪
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Michael Cole.
We begin this broadcast tonight with absolutely fantastic news
concerning my friend and my broadcast colleague, Jerry "The King" Lawler.
It was six nights ago, live on Monday Night Raw,
when Jerry scared us all.
He collapsed here at ringside during the broadcast.
He fell to the floor below.
Our WWE ringside physician,
Dr. Michael Sampson would immediately rush to his aid
and along with the Montreal EMTs,
would perform 15 minutes of CPR
on Jerry Lawler, saving his life.
Well, I've had the opportunity this week to speak with Jerry Lawler
on a number of occasions. It's been an up and down week
for his recovery that could be expected.
Jerry has his sense of humor back.
He's been cracking a lot of jokes.
I've been the brunt of most of them and he would love to thank all of you,
the thousands and thousands of WWE fans who have sent their well wishes.
Jerry loves you all.
And now, the great news, ladies and gentlemen,
Jerry "The King" Lawler will be going home to Memphis this week.
Well, who's gonna be joining me at the broadcast table here tonight?
You're never gonna guess.
[Justin] Ladies and gentlemen, replacing Jerry "The King" Lawler
on color commentary tonight…
-[bell rings] -[crowd cheering]
["Longhorn" playing]
[Justin] From New York City, New York, John "Bradshaw" Layfield.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] The news are released on social media earlier today.
The man who has the longest reining WWE Champion in SmackDown history.
A United States Champion, an Intercontinental Champion,
and a Tag Team Champion,
John "Bradshaw" Layfield, JBL,
joining us here tonight at ringside.
["Longhorn" continues playing]
And as JBL returns here to the announce booth,
everybody has been talking about this as I mentioned on social media
including Jerry "The King" Lawler who actually twitted about this
from Montreal earlier today.
And, Michael, I'm very proud of what you did last Monday
in a very hard situation and to Jerry "The King",
Jerry, get well soon.
This seat I'm keeping warm for you but I'm warning you,
by the time you come back, it may be on fire,
because that's how I do things.
[bell ringing]
The following Fatal 4-Way is for the Intercontinental Championship.
The first superstar to win by pinfall or submission
will be the Intercontinental Champion.
[The Miz] Awesome!
["I Came To Play" playing]
♪ I came to play, there's a price to pay ♪
♪ Time for you to get down On your knees and pray ♪
[Lilian] Introducing first, from Cleveland, Ohio,
weighing in at 221 pounds,
he is the Intercontinental Champion, The Miz!
["I Came To Play" continues playing]
Really?
[crowd chatter]
Really?
[crowd] Really?
-Really? -[crowd] Really?
A Fatal 4-Way match.
This is Booker T's brilliant idea?
[crowd chatter]
This is a night that's supposed to be all about me.
[crowd chatter]
A champion.
[crowd chatter]
And yet I'm the only champion that has to defend my title
against not one, not two, but three different challengers.
[crowd chatter]
So when Booker T is done investigating the Brogue Kick,
he's gonna have another problem on his hands,
because I am filing an official complaint.
[crowd chatter]
And I will not stop until my voice is heard
because I'm The Miz
-and I-- -["Booyaka 619" playing]
-[crowd cheering] -♪ 619 ♪
♪ Booyaka, Booyaka ♪
♪ That's my pueblo ♪
♪ Booyaka Booyaka 619 ♪
♪ Booyaka Booyaka ♪
♪ That's my pueblo ♪
♪ Booyaka Booyaka 619 ♪
♪ Booyaka Booyaka Rey Mysterio ♪
♪ Booyaka, Booyaka 619 ♪
♪ Booyaka, Booyaka ♪
♪ That's my pueblo ♪
♪ Booyaka Booyaka 619 ♪
♪ What you gonna do When we come for you? ♪
♪ Ya llego el Rey Mysterio ♪
♪ Bato cabron de San Diego ♪
♪ Mash up on the scene Like a brown crusader ♪
[Lilian] Introducing the challenger. First, from San Diego, California,
weighing in at 175 pounds, Rey Mysterio!
[Michael] Well, we will get to The Miz situation in just a moment
as Rey Mysterio, a two-time Intercontinental Champion,
makes his way to the ring. It's someone you know extremely well, JBL,
because here is the man who retired you from in-ring competition.
[JBL] It was a long time ago, Michael, but the thing that is important right now
is The Miz and what is being done to him is an absolute travesty.
You have three things that can happen in a championship match,
you can win, you can lose, some type of disqualification, no finish.
All you have to do is have two of them not happen to you.
But with Miz, anything can happen in a 4-Way.
It is blatantly unfair to the champion that is awesome and that is The Miz.
[Michael] Yeah, the first man to gain pinfall or submission
under Fatal 4-Way rules will win the title.
And you don't have to beat The Miz.
["Kingdom" playing]
[Lilian] From Marietta, Georgia, weighing in at 215 pounds,
Cody Rhodes!
[Michael] Now, Cody Rhodes, of course, the son of the legendary Hall of Famer,
"The American Dream," Dusty Rhodes,
former Intercontinental Champion in his own right, in fact,
held the title for nearly eight months.
[JBL] And something I like about Cody Rhodes is that old school flavor
that you have in a second generation.
I can't believe this good looking young man
with all those muscles all over him came from the loins of that guy
that had polka dots here in the WWE but this guy is old school.
He is the one that brought back that old Intercontinental title and I love it.
[Michael] Cody Rhodes to the win over Rey Mysterio on Raw this past week.
["Ancient Spirit" playing]
[Lilian] And from Mexico City,
weighing in at 180 pounds, Sin Cara!
[Michael] The high flyer from Mexico.
Not only as JBL with us at ringside, so are our Spanish announcers,
Carlos Cabrera and Marcelo Rodriguez.
[speaking Spanish]
-[speaking Spanish] -[laughs]
[speaking Spanish]
-[crowd cheering] -["Ancient Spirit" continues playing]
[Michael] The electrifying Sin Cara…
looking for his first singles championship since arriving in WWE.
The huge crowd here at Boston tonight,
nearly 15,000 on hand sold out at the Garden.
[JBL] Sold out as always, happened with JBL's own hand.
[Michael] And that's the Intercontinental Championship
which will be defended tonight live in Boston and on pay-per-view
-and all over the world tonight. -[bell rings]
[Michael] In places like the United Kingdom on SKY Box Office,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and, of course,
all over the Middle East and in Mexico, home of Sin Cara.
[JBL] Something that's big, I saw two guys celebrating backstage
the 16th of September, the Independence from France, Mexican Independence day.
[Michael] And here is Sin Cara off the top rope
taking out both Miz and Cody Rhodes.
And again, the rules of the Fatal 4-Way,
first man to gain pinfall or submission will win the title.
And Miz doesn't have to be pinned.
[JBL] …blatantly unfair to Miz.
The key in these, Michael, I've been in these--
several of this Fatal 4-Way is you've gotta be close.
[Michael] And Mysterio and Sin Cara who have developed quite the friendship
over the past couple of weeks.
[JBL] That's the two I wanna see go at Michael and they will.
[Michael] Opponents here tonight, every man for himself.
The Intercontinental Championship began in September of 1979.
Pat Patterson, the first Intercontinental Champion.
And it's been held by the likes of a Pedro Morales and Don Muraco,
and Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels,
Triple H, Austin, Rock, and former Intercontinental Champion, JBL.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] Sin Cara is a former Light Heavyweight Champion,
Tag Team Champion, Heavyweight Mexican Champion,
it's just this is his first chance-- ooh.
He's not doing so well so far for a championship in the WWE.
[Michael] Yeah, the first opportunity here for Sin Cara as he goes on the attack…
[JBL] Another second generation wrestler,
Sin Cara. His three brothers, his dad, all Lucha, proud historians in Mexico.
-[crowd cheering] -[Michael] Here's the big arm drag.
And Miz, arm dragged right out of the ring by Sin Cara.
[crowd chatter]
[groans]
[Michael] And Mysterio…
catching Cody off guard and now Mysterio,
the lone competitor left in the ring.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] Fatal 4-Way action for the Intercontinental Championship
-and this is what you alluded to earlier. -[JBL] Here we go.
Here we go, Michael.
This is what I wanna see.
[Michael] Mysterio and Sin Cara head-to-head
for the first time here in WWE.
[JBL] For the first time in their history, Michael.
[Michael] Mysterio considered the greatest high flyer in WWE history.
[JBL] Sin Cara, junior heavyweight champion in New Japan
same as Chris Jericho when he started Ultimo Dragon,
a long lineage of champions in Mexico.
[Michael] And look at this.
Rey Mysterio, who with his own right is a former two-time world champion.
And the cover, and Miz saving his championship.
Mysterio has also won the WWE Championship.
[JBL] And that's how quick it is, Michael, in a Fatal 4-Way to become champion.
You don't have to beat everybody.
You don't even have to beat the guy that has been down.
All you have to do is cover him.
That's why it is so patently unfair to The Miz.
[Michael] See Cody Rhodes staring at The Miz.
They had their ups and downs last week.
Oh, Cody Rhodes delivering a Cross Rhodes to The Miz.
Cody Rhodes believes he is the uncrowned Intercontinental Champion.
And now a little tick for tack between these two.
[grunts]
-[Michael] Here's the cover. -Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[JBL] It's what you have to do.
You don't have to be the predator, you just have to be a vulture.
-[crowd cheering] -[Michael] Cody Rhodes to the right hand
and Cody and Miz now exploding.
And this has been building for a couple of weeks.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] High elbow catches Miz in the jaw.
Cody Rhodes went for the Disaster Kick.
Miss wildly Miz here, and that there is vintage Miz.
Off the back breaker, went for the neck breaker.
And Cody Rhodes, sent flying.
[JBL] And Miz is doing what he has to do.
The thing you have to do to win is stay in the ring. And that's it.
[Michael] Mysterio is gonna take out The Miz here!
Sin Cara,
looking to pick up the win here and Mysterio at two, battles out!
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] Again, the dangers of a Fatal 4-Way match.
Miz only has a 25% chance of keeping the title here tonight.
[JBL] But the Night of Champions,
Miz rose to the occasional "Raw 1000", beating Christian.
[crowd chatter]
[JBL] Here's a kid I thought would just be a Kardashian brother
because his reality television background and he's become a main event performer.
And, Michael, the lights are on bright, it's the Night of Champions,
there's nothing bigger than this.
[JBL] And here's what I've been wanting to see.
[Michael] Yeah. Mysterio right back to work on Sin Cara
after they worked together as a team momentarily.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] Kicks to the hamstrings for both men.
[JBL] Mysterio was AAA Champion in Mexico City way before Sin Cara.
Sin Cara was AAA Champion.
This is the first time they've ever met.
[Michael] Nice drop toehold, bounced off a second in a turnbuckle, Sin Cara.
And what will Mysterio do here?
Both these men with the highly unorthodox offensive style.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] Rey taking too much time.
[Michael] And Sin Cara makes him pay.
[JBL] The biggest fall to have with Rey Mysterio is that right there.
It's hotdog and it's showboating.
You gotta get the job done.
[Michael] Now, it's hard to argue with Mysterio's success though.
And hell, just about every championship in WWE, and now Cody Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes' Disaster Kick catches Sin Cara in the chest.
Into the cover. Will Rhodes win the title for a third time,
and a kick-out by Sin Cara.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Cody!
[Michael] And now Cody turns his attention to Mysterio momentarily
-and right back to Sin Cara. -[crowd chanting] Let's go, Cody!
[JBL] And this is what Miz better watch out for.
He's not involved. He better be close.
He better be around because this could be it.
[Michael] Cody Rhodes who has been an Intercontinental Champion
and a tag team champion.
And now Miz.
-Oh, no, three men! -[crowd cheering]
[JBL] Cover him Miz, cover him.
[Michael] And now Miz looks to put Cody away,
hooks the leg, shoulders down and Cody kicks out.
Now he's gonna try his way with Mysterio,
another two count and another near fall for the champ.
[JBL] You can beat anybody in this match, Michael.
[Michael] Cody Rhodes.
-The Miz--Sin Cara taken out. -[JBL] Brilliant, brilliant.
Get rid of the people.
Get rid of them and focus on Rey Mysterio,
that's what Miz has to do to rise to occasion one more time.
-[Michael] Yeah. It was an-- -[JBL] Man, I like this guy, Miz.
He is what he says he is and that is awesome.
[Michael] It was Miz who defeated Mysterio back at SummerSlam.
With the Intercontinental Championship on the line.
[JBL] Two-time Slammy Award winner,
Mr. Money in the Bank, four-time tag team champion,
two-time US Champion,
Miz has done it all and he's doing it the way he should do it right here.
Isolate.
[Michael] And look at this!
-DDT. -[JBL] Own it.
[Michael] Miz quickly into the cover here,
hooks both legs of Mysterio and fights out again.
There's the heart we talk about from Rey Mysterio.
It's amazing to hear you say these things about The Miz
because early in his career when you were here,
you were very critical of this young man.
[JBL] I couldn't stand him.
I really thought he was just gonna be a Kardashian brother
or some other reality goof.
He worked his tail end off to become a WrestleMania main eventer
and a WWE Champion.
[Michael] You can't take anything away from Mysterio either.
And there's the quickness of Mysterio.
And Sin Cara right back in the action.
And that's what Fatal 4-Ways are all about.
Sin Cara missile dropkick top rope!
And now Sin Cara stands alone.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] Oh, look at this, right through the second rope
launching himself and taking out Miz.
Meanwhile action here in front of us.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Cody, chest and shoulder first off the barricade.
[crowd chatter]
[JBL] Somebody's got to pin somebody, Michael.
-Well, all of this is great. -[crowd cheering]
-[Michael] A flying-- -[JBL] And the WWE Universe loves it.
You don't win a championship outside the ring.
[Michael] A flying seated senton by Mysterio.
Now back in the ring.
Sin Cara Corkscrew over the top,
hook to the leg, first championship perhaps--no!
Miz in two.
Surviving.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] Just fantastic action outside the ring, John.
[JBL] Unbelievable action.
What you expect of Rey Mysterio as much as I personally dislike him.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And again Mysterio.
[JBL] But here's where you gotta be a vulture.
All you gotta do is pick the bones, quit being a hero.
Quit trying to get the crowd behind you,
quit trying to get the WWE Universe excited,
-win a championship. -[Michael] Oh, Mysterio!
Look at this. And Cody Rhodes breaking it up.
[JBL] Gotta be close. Exactly what Cody Rhodes is doing.
Just be a vulture. Stay close.
[Michael] And now it's Cody Rhodes,
focusing his attention to the man he's had a great rivalry
with over a number of years, Rey Mysterio.
Mysterio goes face first. Cody Rhodes says that's it.
Here's the cover on Mysterio, two count.
Did he get him? No.
It was Sin Cara in a split of time and only one, Rey Mysterio.
One, two!
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] Now, it's another near fall for Cody Rhodes.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Cody! Let's go, Cody!
[Michael] And look at this. Ooh, shoulder first,
Sin Cara, into the steel post.
Miz going for the Skull-Crushing Finale. Look at him putting Rey away.
Rey with a counter.
-Here goes Cody. Both men down! -[crowd cheering]
-[Michael] 619 as Cody… -[JBL] Good night.
[Michael] …rolled out of the way.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Mysterio top rope,
-drop with a dive! -[JBL] The pace has just picked up.
-One, two! -[Michael] Hooks the leg,
-and look at this. -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Cody Rhodes saving the matchup
and he's gonna try to steal the championship here
and then Sin Cara save it there.
[JBL] Don't leave an ounce of gas in the tank here, Michael.
This is where you pull out any stop. This is for "to be a champion."
This is what's so great about this pay-per-view, Michael.
[Michael] Look at Cody Rhodes continuing to stomp away on Sin Cara.
Rhodes, intense as they come here tonight.
And look at Rhodes, again going for the mask.
-[JBL] Going for the mask. Come on. -[Michael] This has become an obsession
with Rhodes over the past few weeks.
[JBL] I like Cody Rhodes. That's a complete waste of time.
[Michael] Mysterio though.
Now, Cody Rhodes sends Mysterio flying with a thud to the floor.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And again, they-- they're trying to take off Sin Cara's mask
has really become an obsession of Rhodes as of late.
And Sin Cara delivers the kick to side of the head.
[JBL] That mask is a proud Mexican tradition.
-What in the world? -[crowd cheering]
-[Michael] Look at this. -[JBL] Is this even legal?
[Michael] Of course it is. Anything goes in a Fatal 4-Way.
-[JBL] What do you mean, of course it is? -[Michael] Anything goes in a Fatal 4-Way.
And look at Miz, Miz from behind!
Neckbreaker off the backbreaker.
The cover, hook to the leg on Sin Cara,
-who kicks out at two! -[crowd cheering]
[JBL] How many masks do these guys have?
[Michael] Well, Rey Mysterio has over a hundred in his collection.
[crowd cheering] Let's go, Miz!
Let's go, Miz!
[Michael] And look at this.
Now, it's Sin Cara.
And Sin Cara--Sin Cara's put a--
-he's put a mask on Miz! -[crowd cheering]
[JBL] Cody's got him. About to have a new champion.
[Michael] …going for the Cross Rhodes!
Miz, Skull-Crushing Finale, perhaps out of instinct alone!
-[JBL] He don't even know where he is. -[crowd] One, two, three!
-[Michael] Miz, the champion title. -[bell rings]
-[crowd cheering] -[JBL] We got a champion.
-["I Came To Play" playing] -♪ I came to play ♪
[Lilian] Here is your winner and still the Intercontinental Champion,
The Miz!
[Michael] The Miz retaining the Intercontinental Championship
here tonight at Night of Champions.
[JBL] He doesn't know who he beat.
[Michael] I think he did on instinct alone here.
[JBL] He has no idea who he beat.
♪ I came to play ♪
♪ I came to play, there's a price to pay ♪
♪ Time for you to get down On your knees and pray ♪
♪ I came to play ♪
[Michael] The Miz surviving, the best way to put it here in Boston.
[JBL] This may beat WrestleMania 27.
He just won a championship blindfolded.
This guy is awesome.
-[crowd cheering] -[JBL] Look at this.
Michael, he has no idea where he is.
[Michael] Not at all.
[JBL] He thinks he's grabbing one of the luchadores.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] But it was Cody Rhodes
-off the Skull-Crushing Finale. -[crowd] One, two, three!
[Michael] And Miz retaining the Intercontinental Championship.
[JBL] Not that it matters, Michael. It's every man for himself anyway.
He thought he had just beat Sin Cara.
He beat Cody Rhodes. It doesn't matter.
The Miz is walking out of here Intercontinental Champion
and that is nothing, nothing but awesome.
♪ I came to play ♪
♪ I came to play, there's a price to pay ♪
♪ Time for you to get down On your knees and pray ♪
♪ I came to play ♪
Look at those people out there.
The Prime Time Players are what the people want.
The Prime Time Players are what the people need.
-I-- -And if it wasn't for that Little AJ
taking our number one contender spot, we'll be out there right now
-with those people -Uh-huh.
-doing millions of dollars. -Millions of dollars.
-Millions of dollars.
-[whistle blows] -I'm gonna talk…
-Millions of dollars. Millions of dollars. -[speaks indistinctly]
-Eve, there's been an emergency. -Where are you going?
Emer-- What happened?
What happened? What's going on?
Oh, my God. Kaitlyn, what happened?
-What happened? Kaitlyn, what happened? -I don't know. I don't know.
I was just warming up and someone hit me from behind.
-Someone? Who? Who did this? -I don't--Eve, I don't know.
There--something was covering their face.
All right. Look, I'll found out who.
But first we've gotta take care of your ankle, all right?
-We need to treat it, okay? -We've gotta treat it.
What about my match? I've gotta try to compete.
I've-- I've--
Look, no. Kaitlyn, you--
-[sobbing] -Kaitlyn, you can't even walk.
Look, you're in no condition to compete tonight.
But, Eve, this is my-- this is my chance at the title.
Okay. You'll get your title match.
Just not tonight.
I'll talk to Booker. We'll figure something out, all right?
But we've gotta get you medical attention.
Let's go to the training room. Come on.
-Let's help her up. -Put all your weight on this foot.
Careful. Careful.
[groaning]
Well, that's an absolute shame because Kaitlyn has been so emotional
all week long about her first opportunity at the Divas title here tonight.
Yeah. And it looks like we're not gonna have a title.
It's the Night of Champions, you gotta have a Diva Championship,
-but we don't have a challenger. -Well, ladies and gentlemen,
up next the WWE Tag Team titles are on the line.
Kofi and R-Truth against the unlikely team of Daniel Bryan and Kane
and a story that began centered around anger management.
[crowd chatter]
You just seem a little mentally unstable.
[screaming]
And in the interest of a safe working environment…
[Jerry] Kane, wait, that's your partner!
I think you need to undergo anger management.
[crowd cheering]
Welcome to anger management, I'm Dr. Shelby.
I don't have anger management issues.
No, you take that goat mask off right now!
Do you hear me?
You wanna see how I feel inside?
[crowd screaming]
[Dr. Shelby] Daniel, what I'd like you to do is just fall backwards.
I'm so proud of both of you
that I'm gonna move you on to phase two, working together.
[sighs]
-[woman 1] Oh, my God! -[woman 2] Uh-oh!
I think I finally understand you, Kane.
[cheerful music playing]
-[singer] ♪ It's a smiley face world ♪ -[Michael] Wow. There it is.
They hugged it out.
[Daniel] I think I finally understand you, Kane.
[Jerry] They're liking this. Look at this.
-They're like buddies now. -♪ It's a smiley face world ♪
[Miz] And it seems like it's getting a little physical.
Is this what happens after you hug each other?
[Jerry] Not usually. That's never happened in my book.
-[music distorts] -Ooh, that was not very smart.
[Michael] Guys, remember what you learn.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Michael] I hope Dr. Shelby's watching.
I hope he's got some ideas about how to help these guys.
[crowd cheering]
[suspenseful music playing]
Now, how are you both feeling today?
What are you doing here?
I asked him here. You two are so close to a point through last week,
and it all fell apart.
What I have in mind, we'll either resolve your anger issues forever
or send you into an abyss from which you'll never recover.
[Michael] Number One Contenders matchup,
winning team will take on Kofi and R-Truth.
Oh, if this team works together, Dr. Shelby deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
And look at this, Darren Young going for a ride off a Chokeslam!
And I'm not sure if Kane liked that. Oh, look at this.
Uh-oh. So much for anger management, Chokeslam!
Wait a minute. There's a cover.
-Bryan's a legal man! -One, two, three.
[Michael] And Bryan and Kane pick up the win.
They are now the number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team titles.
-[crowd cheering] -["Flight of the Valkyries" playing]
[crowd cheers]
[JBL] These people have no respect whatsoever, Michael, mocking Daniel Bryan.
This man has issues. This man is a warrior.
This man is a former champion and these WWE Universe are mocking this man.
There is no respect, Michael.
You can't possibly condone this, Michael Cole.
[Michael] Well, I mean, uh, it is distracting and we could only--
-[JBL] Distracting? It's disgusting. -[Michael] We can only hope
that Dr. Shelby, uh, and his methods are working on Daniel
-to help him stay in control tonight. -[JBL] How about Dr. Shelby does something
about these people mocking this champion?
[crowd cheering]
[bell rings]
[Justin] This contest set for one fall is for the WWE Tag Team Championship.
Introducing the challengers first, from Aberdeen, Washington
weighing 210 pounds,
Daniel Bryan!
[Michael] Daniel Bryan, a former world champion
and a former United States Champion.
[crowd cheering]
["Veil of Fire" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Justin] And weighing 323 pounds, Kane!
[Michael] You know, JBL, this past Monday night on Raw,
Daniel Bryan and Kane who did not get along, actually,
were able to get along for the most part,
I guess, uh, and defeat The Prime Time Players
to become number one contenders for the tag team titles.
[JBL] They're trying to get along for one reason.
They're trying to get along long enough to get rid of Dr. Shelby, and I would too.
[Michael] Why? The man has worked wonders…
[JBL] Wonders? How about these people in here mocking Daniel Bryan?
He's a champion. United States Champion, World Heavyweight Champion,
Money in the Bank winner.
[Michael] Well, Dr. Shelby is gonna--
[JBL] These guys don't need anger management.
They need people to give them respect that they deserve.
This is an odd couple.
-["S.O.S." playing] -♪ You, you know ♪
♪ SOS ♪
♪ I hear them shoutin' ♪
♪ SOS ♪
♪ I hear them cryin' ♪
[Justin] And their opponents at a combined weight of 432 pounds
and are the current WWE Tag Team Champions,
R-Truth and Kofi Kingston!
[Michael] And let's not forget, of course, about R-Truth's friend,
his imaginary friend, Little Jimmy.
wwe.com has got this great spread right now.
-Little's Jimmy's-- -[JBL] Look at this.
-Look at this. -[Michael] Little Jimmy--
[JBL] He's letting his imaginary character into the ring.
Who needs Dr. Shelby now, huh?
Who needs him now? He's got an imaginary friend.
I did too when I was three.
[Michael] You've gotta go to .com, though.
They actually have a pictorial about Little Jimmy's family portraits,
like, Little Jimmy in a birthday party and the like, it's fabulous.
[Michael] You're catering to this guy's problems is what you're doing.
You're an enabler.
-[Michael] Not me. wwe.com is. -[JBL] The wwe.com is.
[Michael] So, here we go, ladies and gentlemen, the WWE's--
[JBL] That being said, as nutty as this guy is.
This is a good tag team with Kingston and Truth.
-[crowd chatter] -[Scott] Ring the bell!
-[bell rings] -[JBL] And this is an odd couple.
[Michael] Well, who's gonna start is what the argument seems to be about.
[JBL] This is the strangest couple
since "Slave Girl" Moolah and The Elephant Boy.
[Michael chuckles] So, Kane will start things up against Kofi Kingston.
There's a great article right now speaking to wwe.com interview
with WWE Hall of Famer and all-time baseball hits leader,
Pete Rose, where he gives advice to Daniel Bryan with a--
with a how to get along with Kane.
And Pete Rose, of course, uh, who's had run-ins with Kane over the years
including in this building at WrestleMania 14 knows all about it.
[JBL] Did they mean the casino?
[Michael] And here we go.
Kofi Kingston and R-Truth, and Truth caught in midair by Kane.
[JBL] That's what you have to do.
-That is exactly what you have to do. -[Michael] And here's Truth again.
[JBL] You saw last week what happens when one of them,
Kofi Kingston a great wrestler, tries to match up with Kane.
He has zero chance on any given day.
But as a tag team, these guys have held these titles for five months.
They're very good.
[Michael] Yeah, since, uh, the 30th of April.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] And Kane with a hard tag to Daniel Bryan who now enters the ring.
-[crowd cheering] -You see, this is how it's done.
[Michael] Bryan going to set an example
with R-Truth as the WWE Universe gets all over Bryan
again, who's gotta be careful not to be disqualified.
[JBL] One of--one of the hundred of Armstrong Boys dragging him out.
Scott Armstrong #HardBodyRef.
[Michael] And, uh, Daniel Bryan continues the attack on R-Truth.
You know, this incarnation of the WWE Tag Team titles, uh
began ten years ago.
[JBL] That's something you can't teach. You can't coach speed.
You can't teach athleticism.
And that's what these two young men both have in abundance.
[Michael] And here's Kofi.
-[JBL] This is how you work together as a tag team.
[Michael] Big crossbody forearm off the top rope into the cover.
Here's the hook of the leg on Bryan who kicks out.
Some of the great tag teams who've held these titles over the years,
Big Show and Kane, D-Generation X,
Los Guerreros and The Basham brothers, who you know well.
-[JBL] Part of my cabinet. -[Michael] Oh, and look at this.
[crowd chatter]
[JBL] This is what you have to do as a tag team.
You gotta isolate one guy.
And R-Truth juking and jiving.
And right now, Kofi and Truth definitely on the same page.
Hook of the leg yet again on Bryan, and a kickout.
[JBL] That's the problem you have when you're too athletic.
You tend to hot dog lock that, you tend to showboat.
You're not taking advantage of Daniel Bryan,
which is what you need to be doing.
[Michael] You know, John, you were a great tag team champion,
uh, along with the-- with Farooq and, you know…
Well, you see another hard tag by Kane.
How difficult is it gonna for Daniel Bryan and Kane to get along here tonight
under these circumstances?
[JBL] Well, they're not friends. Farooq and I were friends.
There's a big difference.
Kingston and Truth are friends. They've worked together.
They're a cohesive unit. This is not a cohesive unit.
These are two great World Champions
and Kane who's an absolute monster and Daniel Bryan.
But as a team, they're not that good.
-[Michael] Kane-- -[JBL] They're two great individuals.
-[Michael] Kane-- -[JBL] Wrestling a pure tag team.
This is a classic matchup, Michael.
[Michael] Kane who defeated Kofi Kingston in a singles match
-this Friday on SmackDown. -[crowd chanting]
[Michael] Now, a traditional tag made
-as Bryan comes in. -[JBL] They're working together.
[Michael] And again, the WWE fans all over Daniel Bryan.
It's gotta be extremely hard for Bryan to concentrate with that going out all night.
[JBL] It's gotta be extremely hard and you got to--
a guy with an imaginary friend in the other corner,
nobody says anything about it.
[crowd] Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Michael] Very aggressive, the pitbull-like Daniel Bryan!
Into the cover. Will he take out the champion as he hooks the inside leg?
And Truth kicks out.
Come on, Truth!
[Michael] Daniel Bryan, uh, has said on a number of occasions that, quote,
"I have been a victim."
[JBL] He is a victim.
But I can tell you, from a guy who's been married a bunch of times, he's lucky.
[Michael] And Kane--oh, man,
300 plus pounds into the face of Truth.
Shoulders were not down.
Official in tremendous position there and Kane right back on the attack.
Kane has held 11 tag team titles in his career,
but I believe this is one of the first times
he's actually been with a partner that he can't stand.
[JBL] And he had Mankind.
[Michael] Yup.
X-Pac, Rikishi, Undertaker,
and, of course, the Brothers of Destruction, among others.
[JBL] This is worst case scenario for Truth and Kingston.
You get them grounded.
You get them separated and you have the big monster--
-[Michael] Well, look at this. -[JBL] Working together.
[Michael] I mean, look at this.
-Kane and Bryan--oh! Uh-oh. -[JBL] Hey, it's a championship.
-Look, it-- -[Michael] A little mishap there.
[JBL] It didn't work, but it's a championship.
That's what happens when you have a championship at stake.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Oh.
-[JBL] Wheels just fell off the cart. -What the heck was that?
I was just helping you out.
What the heck was that?
I was just getting you up on your feet.
You've done some stupid things.
-It's not my fault, huh? -[crowd chanting]
Hey, that's enough. Hey.
What's wrong with you?
Hey, that's enough.
-Hey. Come on. What's wrong with you? -[JBL] Houston, we have a problem.
Uh-oh.
[crowd chatter]
Wait, wait, wait.
[Michael laughs]
Daniel Bryan thinking better off it now.
-[JBL] He's not that crazy. -[Daniel] We gotta work together.
We gotta work together.
Let's hug it out!
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] Want a hug? You ain't gonna hug.
-This is a championship match. -[Michael] It's therapy.
[JBL] You don't hug in a championship match.
You know, it's not therapy. It's a championship match.
You don't hug in a championship match. You never saw me hug Ron Simmons.
[Michael] Uh, yeah.
-[crowd cheering] -[JBL] Not in a match.
[Michael] Come on, Kane. Remember what Dr. Shelby told you.
[JBL] What do you mean remember what did Dr. Shelby?
-Kingston and Truth. -[crowd cheering]
-[Michael] There we go. -[JBL] You gotta be kidding me.
[Michael] There we go.
-[JBL] You gotta be kidding me. -[Michael] Hug it out.
Get on the same page.
[JBL] They just hugged. They just hugged.
[Michael] It's called, uh, forming a team.
[JBL] It's the Night of Champions and two guys just hugged.
[Michael] And they're still trying to keep R-Truth from, uh,
getting to his corner and making a tag to Kofi Kingston.
There's Truth and here comes Kofi.
Kofi Kingston, a three-time Intercontinental Champion,
two-time United States Champion,
a three-time tag champ taking it to Bryan here at Night of Champions.
[JBL] Oh, this kid is athletic.
[Michael] And here goes Kane.
Kofi Kingston looking to even the odds here.
A leaping ability of Kofi.
[JBL] Quit showboating, kid. You got him.
You got him.
[Michael] Kofi Kingston
Boom, boom!
[Michael] The Boom Drop connecting!
And Kofi feeling it.
Could be moments away from putting this one away.
[crowd chanting]
[Michael] And Kane…
-What are you doing? -Well, he's gonna kick your head off.
Why? Why did you pull me out of the ring?
Because he was gonna kick your head off.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] And Kofi Kingston this time taking out Kane.
I am smiling about it.
I may not be smiling now!
-[crowd chatter] -Whoo!
[Michael] Not for nothing but, uh, Kofi Kingston was about to deliver
Trouble in Paradise and I think Kane saved Daniel Bryan's neck.
[JBL] He did save him.
What athleticism by Kofi Kingston.
Barely caught him and grazing by and landing on his feet.
[Michael] And look at Daniel Bryan quickly going for the--going for the No Lock!
He calls it the No Lock!,
a submission maneuver, center of the ring.
Kofi in trouble and R-Truth breaks it up.
[JBL] That's good tag team work right there.
That's why they've been five-month tag team champions.
[JBL] But that's why Kane
is a two-time world champion.
[Michael] Kidney first into the apron.
Legal men are in the ring, Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston,
who's obviously concerned about his partner, R-Truth.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Michael] Daniel Bryan kicked right up underneath the chin
and Kane gonna tag himself in.
-Let's go. -What are you doing?
What are you doing? I was supposed to beat him.
[JBL] I'm not sure if Dr. Shelby should be sued for malpractice.
[Michael] Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Kofi King--and look at Daniel Bryan!
Daniel Bryan was holding on to Kane.
-Kofi Kingston couldn't deliver… -[JBL] That's just instinct.
That's just gut instinct.
I just saved you!
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] Looks like Kane didn't appreciate it.
And now, Daniel Bryan and Kane-- what is going on here?
They're partners.
-Kane off the top rope! -[JBL] He landed on him.
-[Michael] He flattened Kingston! -[crowd] One, two, three.
-[bell rings] -[Michael] And Kane and Bryan
have won the tag team titles.
-["Veil of Fire" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Justin] The winners of this match
and new WWE Tag Team Champions,
Daniel Bryan and Kane!
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Well in the-- well, in one of the most bizarre ways
that I have ever seen a championship change hands,
Daniel Bryan and Kane are WWE Tag Team Champions.
They started fighting with one another
and it actually helped them get the victory.
[JBL] They hugged in the middle of it, then they're fighting again.
It's the craziest matchup I've seen.
And as tag team champions, they have to defend those titles.
Tag team champion!
[Michael] Well, Dr. Shelby said these two men had to have the ability
to trust one another.
Whether they do or they don't, they're still the tag team champions.
Therapy has worked.
Shelby, as I've said before, deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.
[crowd chatter]
[JBL] This isn't gonna end well.
[crowd chanting]
I am the tag team champion!
I am the tag team champion.
I am the tag team champion!
-I am the tag team champion! -I am the tag team champion!
-[growling]
[both growling]
-[Michael laughs] -[JBL] Yup.
Dr. Shelby is a genius, Nobel Peace Prize huh?
["Burned" playing]
[Michael] Well, they're both have been selfish.
I mean, they were just screaming that I am the tag team champion.
[JBL] These two guys can't stand each other, Michael.
[Michael] Watch this. Daniel Bryan saving Kane here,
holding unto his legs.
[JBL] It's instinct.
[Michael] And now, Bryan upset that Kane didn't appreciate what Bryan had done,
tossed Kane off the top rope, he flattened Kofi.
[JBL] I think it's the first Splash Kane's ever landed on anybody.
[Michael] And Kane and Bryan have won the WWE Tag Team Champions.
-[JBL] Good luck Dr. Shelby. -I am the tag team champion!
[JBL] Sigmund Freud couldn't help these guys.
[Michael] How could one man be the tag team champion?
-I am the champion! -[JBL] WWE.
I mean, not too long ago these two guys were in anger management.
Did I see it? Look, man, business just picked up for the tag team division.
-That's the way I'm looking at it, Teddy. -Yeah, but ain't no telling when they--
Guys, I just want to update you on the Kaitlyn situation.
Apparently, she twisted her ankle and trainer said there is no way
that she can compete tonight.
So, I don't know. I told her you'd make it right
and reschedule her match for another night.
I tell you, calm down, don't worry about that.
I'll make it right. Don't worry about that, all right?
Yeah. But book, it's Night of Champions.
-Every title must be defended, man. -Oh, I forgot about that.
You're right, Teddy.
I was so concerned about Kaitlyn I didn't even think about that.
What are we--what are we gonna do?
There's no other Divas on the roster that have earned a title match.
Wait a minute.
That's not quite true, Eve.
You have.
Me? Really?
-It's not my place, surely, no. -Now, wait a minute.
I mean, two weeks ago, you beat Kaitlyn in singles competition, right?
I mean, then followed up with a runner-up in the Battle Royal.
I think this is the right thing to do.
Plus you've been doing a great job as my assistant.
So, let's just call this a little reward, a little bonus so to speak.
-Well, Booker if that's what you want. -Yes.
Then I guess I can find a way to compartmentalize all this drama
and compete for the good of the company.
-Thank you, Booker. -No. Thank you, Eve.
-I appreciate you. -Thank you.
Teddy, I got some business to take care of.
I'm gonna holla at you in a minute.
Yeah, man.
[crowd chatter]
So, things have changed tonight for the Diva's Championship,
Layla defending now against Eve.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we here at WWE are extremely pleased
to announce that we have partnered with Susan G.
Komen for the Cure, to help fight breast cancer.
Every 74 seconds, Michael,
somewhere in the world, someone dies of breast cancer.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
and you'll see the WWE showing our support by the middle rope being pink.
And again WWE partnering with Susan G.
Komen for the Cure to help fight breast cancer and save women's lives.
Fans can go to komen.org/wwe
to learn how to join the fight against breast cancer
and support this great cause.
[bell ringing]
[Lilian] The following contest is for the United States Championship.
[crowd cheering]
-["Miracle" playing] -[singer singing in foreign language]
[Lilian] Introducing first, being accompanied by Aksana,
from Lucerne, Switzerland,
weighing in a 232 pounds,
he is the United States Champion,
Antonio Cesaro.
[Michael] Well, there is Antonio Cesaro who watched the results
of our pre-show Battle Royal earlier tonight.
We'll get to them in just a moment.
But he tattled out just a few moments ago that,
"I don't care about my opponent tonight."
"What I care about is this whole Battle Royal thing."
"It's completely unfair." Your thoughts?
[JBL] It is completely unfair.
Here is a guy who wrestled at catch-as-catch-can in Switzerland.
Here is a guy who trained, who has went to a business school,
he's very analytical type person,
and he doesn't even know his opponent until the pay-per-view starts.
It is categorically unfair. He is correct.
[Michael] Won the United States Championship during the pre-show
last month at SummerSlam at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
I'm the only champion.
[crowd booing]
The United States Champion, Antonio Cesaro,
will now say a word that best describes this title match
in five different languages.
First in English.
Unfair.
In Italian.
[speaks Italian]
In German.
[speaks German]
[crowd] What?
In Swiss.
[speaks Swiss]
[crowd] What?
In French.
[speaks French]
[crowd] What?
Yes. I, Antonio Cesaro,
consider this title match unfair.
[speaking foreign language]
[man] Woo, woo, woo, you know it.
-["Radio" playing] -♪ Oh, radio ♪
[Lilian] Introducing the challenger, from Long Island, New York,
weighing in a 214 pounds,
"Long Island Iced-Z", Zack Ryder.
[Michael] But right before Night of Champions tonight
on the Night of Champions pre-show
exclusively on YouTube, Facebook, and WWE.com.
There was a Battle Royal held
to determine who earns the right to face Antonio tonight
for the United States Championship.
A sea of WWE superstars in the ring
including the "One Man Band" Heath Slater.
[bell ringing]
[Michael] And this how the, uh, Battle Royal started.
The One Man Band wasn't asked to play an encore.
And this is how it ended.
Titus O'Neil, "The Real Deal," up over the top rope.
Darren Young and the Prime Time Players left in there with Zack Ryder as well.
How did Zack Ryder hold on here?
[JBL] 'Cause he's getting ready for a championship, Michael, that's how.
[Michael] And before Zack could recover,
the 360-pound Tensai.
It looked like Tensai was gonna dump Zack Ryder here, but instead…
-[bell ringing] -[Michael] …Tensai eliminated Zack Ryder.
With an opportunity to, again, win the United States Championship.
[singer] ♪ Gonna get some girls I like… ♪
[Michael] Bearing more in mind that
Zack Ryder has already competed here tonight,
had to last that entire Battle Royal against a ring full of superstars,
so he's definitely at a disadvantage here.
[JBL] He's definitely a disadvantage, but when you get a shot
to win a championship, Michael,
-you got to take it. -[bell ringing]
[JBL] I don't care if you wrestled 400 times that day,
those chances don't come along very often.
[Michael] The United States Championship went into effect on January 1st, 1975.
The very first champion was the Hall of Famer Harley Race.
Among those who held the prestigious title,
Blackjack Mulligan, Mr. Wrestling,
Jimmy Snuka, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes,
Bobo Brazil, Diamond Dallas Page,
Roddy Piper, and my broadcast colleague, JBL.
[JBL] Zack Ryder, a former United States Champion,
lost his championship, never got a rematch.
Here is his chance
against "The Swiss Superman".
Let's go, Ryder! I'm the United States Champion!
[Michael] So many people have been impressed with Antonio Cesaro,
former rugby star.
[JBL] Rugby star, who got thrown out of the Super 14's in the French league.
[Michael] Because being too over aggressive.
As Zack Ryder now picks up the pace.
Into the cover for the United States title.
And Cesaro at two, kicks out.
[Michael] Great heritage, the United States Championship.
Over a dozen WWE Hall of Famers have held that title.
Oh, and Zack Ryder caught up on the top rope and Cesaro in control.
What do you like about Antonio Cesaro besides Aksana?
[JBL] I like the fact he speaks five languages.
I like the fact that he went to business school.
I like the fact that he's analytical. I like the fact that he's a throwback.
He's using the French Gotch Neutralizer,
is what he's using as his big finishing maneuver.
I like everything about this guy.
[Michael] See Aksana who actually bought her boyfriend, Antonio Cesaro
to the United States to compete in WWE a number of months ago.
[JBL] And Aksana, the 2009 Arnold Classic fitness winner.
This is a house full of champions, Michael.
Reminds me of me.
And this is what Cesaro has to do.
Cesaro is obviously in terrific conditioning.
He needs to wear Zack Ryder down.
No matter how psyched up Zack Ryder. Look at his strength.
Carrying him around like a sack of bread.
[Michael] And just amazing, and then the throw by Cesaro.
One, two
Two.
[crowd chatter]
Hey, Antonio, back it off now, let's go.
-[Michael] And look at this. -One, two, three.
Here's the aggressive nature we spoke about when it comes to…
[JBL] This is what you need to do. You need to smother a guy.
Zack Ryder has wrestled once. He's all hyped up.
He's got a championship match as he well should be.
And this is what you need to do, you need to smother him,
you need to pound him, you need to keep him down
and stay on top of him.
[Michael] And that's what Cesaro is doing here, punishing Zack Ryder.
A cover yet again, a hook to the leg, and a kickout.
Cesaro extremely proud
to be the United States Champion.
First singles title he's won since arriving on the scene.
Zack Ryder, trying somehow to get into this,
but he's in deep trouble of the suplex.
A kickout yet again.
It's always been the dream of that man in the ring,
Zack Ryder to be a part of the WWE.
[JBL] I don't like Zack Ryder's stupid haircut.
I don't like that woo, woo, woo,
That Long Island Iced-Z, and all the stuff he does.
But he worked his tail end off going through YouTube.
Gets a YouTube show to WWE to earn his way into this spot.
That I admire in this young man, Zack Ryder.
[Michael] Zack Ryder, a maven in social media.
Not only his YouTube show, but frequently tweets and--
-What an uppercut. -[JBL] Wow!
[Michael] Explosive.
Here's the cover by Cesaro,
and Zack Ryder somehow got the shoulder roll.
[JBL] That will knock your bicuspids right at your head, Michael.
[laughs] That is gruesome.
[Michael] What an uppercut. Watch this.
-Watch the impact. -[JBL] Incredible.
[Michael] Boom. Wow.
[JBL] This is smash-mouth. This is what you got to love.
This is catch-as-catch-can.
This is what Cesaro grew up doing in Switzerland.
Wrestling all over Europe.
The Swiss Superman, he is, Michael.
[Michael] Well, you know, he's trying to send a major statement
to everybody in the locker room watching here tonight.
And look at this, submission maneuver, perhaps.
Cesaro with Zack Ryder in all kinds of trouble.
[JBL] And you can't breathe.
This is brilliant. You can't breathe. That's what you gotta to do.
You got to stay on Zack Ryder, keep him down.
Keep him from not breathing.
[Michael] Ryder somehow breaks the hold.
Zack Ryder, face first goes Cesaro.
And now Ryder…
trying to somehow to build a little momentum.
High elbow by Ryder.
-Big clothesline. -[JBL] Nice. Nice clothesline.
[Michael] Cesaro made a mistake.
Ryder rolls him up, shoulders down.
Two-count kickout by the champ.
Ryder keep coming at-- he's staying in the game here.
Missile dropkick, cover again. -[JBL] He may have done it.
[Michael] …hooks the leg, and--no, at two.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] Ryder thought that was it, but Cesaro somehow stays alive.
[JBL] But this where you wonder how much does Zack Ryder have in the gas tank.
-[Michael] Yeah, and remember?
[Michael] He competed in the Battle Royal earlier tonight.
Oh, man what a great counter.
Ryder could do it.
Hook to the leg again, shoulders down. No, and a two.
Another near fall for the challenger.
[JBL] Look how smart Cesaro is. He goes where he can't be pinned.
The champion doesn't have to win, he just has to not get beat.
[Michael] Exactly championship-- champion advantage in this matchup.
Unlike what we saw in the Fatal 4-Way earlier tonight
where The Miz retained.
Title only changes hands via submission or pinfall in this matchup.
And Cesaro in deep trouble.
Zack Ryder, trying somehow to pull out all the stops.
There goes Cesaro, off the hurricanrana.
And suddenly, Zack Ryder is building momentum
and it could be Broski Boot time.
Cesaro very prone in the corner.
[crowd] Woo, woo, woo!
[Michael] And Aksana pulling the champion out of a harm's way.
[JBL] That's what a manager does, Michael.
[Michael] And look at the uppercut.
-That little misdirection -[JBL] Perfect.
[Michael] Causing Ryder to come out of the ring.
And Cesaro with the Neutralizer,
and Antonio Cesaro
-retains the United States Championship. -[bell ringing]
["Miracle" playing]
[JBL] Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
[Lilian] Here's you winner and still the United States Champion,
Antonio Cesaro.
[Michael] Very, very impressive is this young man.
[JBL] Unbelievably impressive.
And he got this Lithuania former IFBB
pro fitness figure competitor in his girlfriend, Aksana.
They work like a well-oiled team.
[Michael] Aksana provided a slight distraction,
it threw Ryder out of the ring.
-[JBL] All legal, Michael. 100% legal. -[Michael] And it allowed--
and it allowed Cesaro to turn the tables.
[singer singing in foreign language]
How did Zack Ryder survive this earlier in the matchup?
Watch this impact to the jaw.
[JBL] Wow.
One, two
[Michael] But somehow Ryder would kick out.
And this is what we were talking about with Aksana.
Going for the Broski Boot, Aksana pulling Cesaro out.
The distraction brings Ryder out of the ring.
And it allows Cesaro to regroup.
[JBL] She did exactly what she was supposed to do,
and so did Cesaro.
Here it is, the Gotch Neutralizer.
A tribute to one of the greatest of all time.
And to one of the greatest we have right now in Cesaro.
-["Miracle" playing] -United--
United States Champion.
Thank you.
You're a champion. You're a champion.
["Miracle playing]
Forget about this.
I mean, Sheamus doesn't have the Brogue Kick tonight.
So remember that.
-This is easy. -[speaking Spanish]
-What are you doing?
Put your neck brace back right now.
It was hot. I'm such a-- I'm feeling a lot better though.
-I'm a lot better. It doesn't-- -Listen to me.
As your lawyer, I'm telling you, never take this thing off.
Look, we're in Boston.
Now, as a graduate of Harvard Law School,
I have classmates in the audience,
which means I have reputation to uphold.
Now, if I said that my neck is still messed up,
that means yours has to be almost broken.
How do you say stupid in Spanish?
Stupido.
Now, Ricardo, a lawyer doesn't say this to his client very often,
but you're stupido.
Let's go.
[crowd chatter]
[Vickie] Excuse me.
[crowd booing]
Excuse me.
[crowd booing]
On this Night of Champions,
stand up and show your respect.
I said stand up!
[crowd booing]
[Vickie] And show your respect
for the future World Heavyweight Champion.
He is the resident showoff
and Mr. Money in the Bank,
Dolph Ziggler.
-["Here to Show the World" playing] -♪ I'm here to show the world ♪
♪ I'm here to show the world ♪
♪ Come on ♪
♪ Bring it on ♪
Dolph is in in the house, baby.
[Michael] Oh, there he is, ladies and gentlemen,
Mr. Money in the Bank.
That means that Dolph Ziggler,
inside that briefcase a contract for the World Heavyweight Championship.
A contract that Dolph Ziggler can cash in
any place, any time on the world champion.
And that is indeed Money in the Bank.
[JBL] That's indeed Money in the Bank.
It's gold with Vickie Guerrero, you can't go wrong.
The greatest coach since Farmer Brown.
[Michael] Who?
[JBL] Farmer Brown.
The greatest wrestling coach ever, coach Frank Gotch.
-Read up on history, Michael. -[Michael] Now, that's still--
[JBL] That's how-- that's how great Vickie is.
[Michael] That's real relevant tonight.
[singer] ♪ Go check the scores again ♪
♪ I come out a perfect ten ♪
♪ They broke the mold when they made me ♪
♪ Bring it on ♪
♪ Do what I say, better watch what I do ♪
♪ Better heed the warning I'm here to give you ♪
[crowd chatter]
-["Voices" playing] -♪ I hear voices in my head ♪
♪ They council me ♪
♪ They understand ♪
♪ They talk to me ♪
["Voices" playing]
[bell ringing]
[Lilian] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Making his way into the ring from St. Louis, Missouri,
weighing in a 235 pounds.
He is "The Apex Predator"
Randy Orton.
[singer] ♪ Hates to love and loves to hate ♪
♪ I have a voice that has the knowledge ♪
♪ And the power to rule your fate ♪
[Michael] Well, Dolph Ziggler was extremely upset
with that man, Randy Orton, a number of weeks ago.
-[JBL] He should be. -[Michael] It looked like Ziggler
was going to cash in the Money in the Bank contract
on a very vulnerable Sheamus.
When Randy Orton from out of nowhere delivered an RKO,
Randy Orton had just lost the matchup for the number one contender,
he was extremely upset.
Ever since then, Ziggler has had a chip on his shoulder
about Mr. Orton.
[JBL] He should have a chip on his shoulder.
I've known Randy since he was in the middle school.
I've tagged team with his father in Japan,
the "Cowboy" Bob Orton, the "Ace Cowboy."
But he should know better than to stick his nose in someone else's business.
The championship was in stake,
Dolph Ziggler was about to become champion,
and Randy Orton robbed him,
and that, Michael, is wrong.
♪ All the doctors are disease ♪
[Michael] Both these men own victories over one another
over the past couple of weeks.
Randy Orton--well, he's really at home here tonight at the Night of Champions.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] Randy Orton is at home in a wrestling ring.
Third generation wrestler,
Randy Orton when the lights are on brightest
is always gonna be at home.
What a great, great competitor,
nine-time world champion, Randy Orton.
[Michael] Yeah. Six-time WWE, three-time world.
In fact, Randy Orton was the youngest World Heavyweight Champion ever.
-[JBL] Here's a guy who started out -[bell ringing]
[JBL] and lived up to his potential.
So many guys you see come along, and you think this is gonna be it.
This is gonna be the next big thing and they never make it.
Randy Orton did, plus some.
[Michael] Dolph Ziggler's title history
as an Intercontinental Championship,
a United States Championship, and a World Championship.
Randy Orton and Dolph Ziggler still make-- starting things off here
in front of 14,886 in Boston
at the Garden for Night of Champions.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] What you're seeing here now, those two guys in their prime.
You gotta love this.
This fight would be fun in a phone booth.
[Michael] Vickie Guerrero likes what she sees early on
from "The Showoff" Ziggler.
And there is The Showoff.
[JBL] It's not a showoff, Michael, if you can back it up.
And Dolph Ziggler can back it up.
[Michael] Very intense Randy Orton here tonight.
Who has said in a number of occasions that
he's gonna battle his way back into the title picture
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[JBL] Gotta remember, Dolph-- you have Dolph Ziggler,
the all-time winningest guy in Kent State history in wrestling.
This guy isn't a showoff, he's that good.
[Michael] And look at this, Randy Orton,
nice shoulder knockdown by The Viper.
Randy Orton saying on SmackDown this past Friday night
that if Dolph Ziggler decides to cash in Money in the Bank tonight,
take out perhaps the vulnerable Sheamus,
Randy Orton is going right after Ziggler for the world title
and will beat him for it.
[JBL] He has every right to.
He should beat him out first,
but what Randy did by stopping Ziggler from going at Sheamus before was wrong.
He stuck his nose in somebody else's business.
As a third-generation wrestler, Randy should know better than that.
[Michael] Randy Orton is frustrated after losing the number one contendership.
He wasn't sure Ziggler was coming to the ring
to attack him or to go after Sheamus.
Uppercut from the WWE's Apex Predator.
[JBL] Can you make another excuse for him?
He stuck his nose in his business he shouldn't have done.
[Michael] And Ziggler with a dropkick, on the button.
Crawls to the cover.
Hooks the leg, the outside leg, as Randy kicks out at two.
Vickie Guerrero has been very vocal as of late,
not only with Dolph Ziggler, but also the run-ins she's had
with Raw General Manager, AJ Lee.
[JBL] She was born vocal.
-[Michael] Vickie Guerrero-- -[JBL] What do you mean she's vocal?
What kind of statement is that?
What kind of sexist statement is that?
She likes to voice her opinion.
If she was a man, you wouldn't say anything about it.
[Michael] She's vocal.
-[JBL] She's a modern-day woman. -[Michael] She was attack--
[JBL] I happen to know. I'm married to one of them.
And very proud of it.
-You should be proud of Vickie Guerrero. -[Michael] Nice neckbreaker.
[JBL] It's what's good about this world, Michael.
Now, yours is what's bad, you're a chauvinist.
[Michael] And here's Ziggler.
Hook of the leg, shoulders down, and--
first time I've ever been call that, but I guess from you.
Can you count right? Should've been out faster!
[Michael] And again, Vickie voicing her opinion.
[JBL] That's exactly what she's doing. She's like Freddie Roach.
You wouldn't yell-- you wouldn't yell at Freddie Roach--
if Freddie Roach is out there coaching one of his guys.
You wouldn't yell at Angelo Dundee if he's coaching Muhammad Ali,
but some reason, you've got it in for Vickie Guerrero.
[crowd chatter]
[JBL] You're better than that, Michael. You're better than that.
[Michael] Look at Ziggler
in control right now of "The Viper" Randy Orton.
[JBL] Dolph Ziggler, the most fans in Saint Edward High School history.
This guy comes from winning.
[Michael] I wanna get back to Vickie for one second.
So do you condone her slapping our general manager in the ring,
not once, but twice a couple of weeks ago?
[JBL] Michael, you wanna call the match
or are you wanting to get into some type of histrionics here?
[Michael] And here's Randy Orton, off the counter.
Oh, and what a great suplex by Orton, using the ropes to his advantage.
[JBL] We're calling Night of Champions.
I don't have time to get in the hypotheticals with you, Michael.
[Michael] Hook of the leg, shoulders down, two count, kickout.
[JBL] The two guys that are in their prime right here.
With the lights on bright, nothing gets better than this.
[Michael] Very personal issue that has developed between these two.
[JBL] They're both one one-and-one against each other.
This is a rubber match.
[Michael] And there's Orton off the back breaker.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] And Randy Orton beginning to feel it,
going to that place where only Orton knows where he goes,
where he starts to hear the voices in his head.
Nice power slam.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Now, Dolph doesn't wanna be out there.
Dolph does not wanna be on the apron.
[JBL] Uh-oh.
[Michael] And Dolph realizing that, trying to steal one here.
Did he have the tights?
Doesn't matter, Orton kicked out.
Right to the knee.
[JBL] Smart, absolutely smart.
-Ground this bigger guy. -[Michael] Look at this. Oh, man.
-Randy Orton counters. -[JBL] What a counter. What a counter.
-[Michael] And Randy… -[Vickie] Come on, Dolph.
[Michael] …falls into the cover, shoulders are down.
-Did he get him? Not enough. -[Mike] Two.
[JBL] This is a kid, Randy Orton, who grew up in a wrestling ring.
Counters like that are just innate to Randy.
What makes him so good, why he's a nine-time world champion.
[Michael] Of course, Randy's father, the Great Hall of Famer,
"Cowboy" Bob Orton.
[JBL] The Ace Cowboy.
[crowd chanting] Randy wrestles!
[Michael] Orton dragging Ziggler.
[JBL] Despite the injury that Bob Orton suffered from many, many years,
that was so debilitating where he had to wear a cast for so long,
Bob Orton, still one of the best, a true Hall of Famer.
[Michael] You really believe Bob Orton had to wear that cast as long as he did?
[JBL] He had a horribly broken arm, a very tough man.
He was second generation, of course he was legit.
What are you talking about? Are you a medical doctor?
[Michael] Talk about rewriting history.
Nonetheless, look at Ziggler
trying to fight out of this predicament he's in with Orton.
[JBL] I'm sitting beside Dr. Cole now.
[Michael] Well, with you out here, I'm gonna need Dr. Shelby in about a week.
-And look at this. -[JBL] You can only hope.
[Michael] Dolph Ziggler…
trying to somehow fight back into this.
Turning point of the matchup perhaps for both men.
Look at Ziggler, missile dropkick caught Orton right on the shoulder.
[crowd chanting] Randy wrestles!
[Michael] Ziggler, inside leg, shoulders down,
and a kickout by Randy again.
Listen ref, are you serious? You gotta do your job!
[JBL] I guess she's being too vocal now. You wanna say something now about Vickie?
-[Michael] Well, she's actually-- -[JBL] She's telling the ref--
she's telling Michael Chioda to do his job,
and that is what she is doing, her job, that is what you do, Michael.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Giving us a headache. As Orton continues.
And now, Ziggler.
These two men…
so evenly matched, and they're showing why here tonight.
Oh, and there's the athleticism of The Showoff.
[JBL] Unbelievable.
[Michael] Ziggler again, this could be it.
Crawls to the cover, hook to the leg, shoulders down,
and Orton has to power out.
[JBL] Gotta love these two guys
laying it all on the line for nothing but pride.
That's what makes WWE so great.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] And Ziggler, right back into it.
[JBL] Randy, nine-time world champion, knows how big this is.
Ziggler cashes in Money in the Bank, if Randy has a win over him,
he should be the first in line to that championship.
That is what is at stake here, Michael.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Ziggler, elbow after elbow to the chest.
[JBL] If it works, stay with it. Brilliant.
[Michael] Continuing to punish Randy.
And now The Showoff is gonna boast.
One more time! One more time!
[JBL] Not smart, not smart. Come on. -[Michael] Off that last elbow.
Is it enough?
Had the forearm shoved right in the face of Orton.
[JBL] Sometimes these guys, with this much athleticism,
it's like--it's like the old Brett Favre, like a Tony Romo,
they think they can throw the ball through a wall,
they use that athleticism to show off like that, and it cost them,
that just--you got a guy like Randy Orton down, you beat him,
you don't hotdog, you hotdog after match.
[Michael] You're worse than a politician.
You were just praising The Showoff and showboating a few minutes ago.
[JBL] He's the winningest wrestler in Kent State history.
What do you--can you not like about it?
-[Michael] Just like a-- -[JBL] He's a former WWE Champion.
[Michael] Just like a politician, you deflect the question.
And there's "The Showoff" Dolph Ziggler.
[JBL] I'm good.
[Michael] And Ziggler continuing--look at the pressure his putting on Orton here.
You wanna give it up?
He said no.
[JBL] If situations change, Michael, you change.
You call what's in front you.
[Mike] Said no.
[Michael] Well, there's so many things I can tell you about that.
As you see, Ziggler continuing to wear down Orton.
Randy Orton in deep trouble here, and I tell you--
[JBL] This is called riding time in amateur wrestling.
This is what--is what Dolph Ziggler is so good about.
He is wearing his man down.
[Michael] Look where the arm is, it's slipped underneath the chin of Orton.
The referee is right there though to make sure
it doesn't get down into the throat.
[JBL] This is what Dolph Ziggler grew up doing.
What Randy Orton grew up doing was in a pro wrestling ring,
what Dolph Ziggler did was grow up on an amateur mat,
and that's what he's going to back to.
You go back to your bread and butter whenever in doubt,
and that's what Dolph Ziggler's doing.
[Michael] Randy Orton realizes he's gotta get back to a vertical base.
He's struggling to do that, he's back to one knee.
Now, finally back to two feet.
Is it enough to be able to fight out of this?
Randy Orton creates separation.
That's what he needed to do.
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] With both men down, this is a crucial moment in this matchup.
[JBL] This is where you have to strike first, Michael.
[Vickie] Now is the time! Finish him!
[Michael] Ziggler off the elbow. And the clothesline.
-Dolph Ziggler trying crawl for cover. -[JBL] Cover. Cover. Cover him.
[Michael] He does, slowly off the crawl, Randy Orton again powers out.
Near fall after near fall,
these two men so evenly matched here tonight at Night of Champions.
[JBL] Ziggler tired, not a good cover,
he hooked the leg, but you gotta lay on top of him,
especially a champion like Randy Orton.
Finish him!
[JBL] To be beat a champion, you can't make any mistake.
[Michael] And again, Ziggler.
[JBL] Ziggler, a former champion himself.
[Michael] Got his full body weight on Orton.
Orton again trying to fight back, get up to a vertical base,
create separation yet again.
You saw the referee there. Hand full of hair by Randy.
The referee making sure that he doesn't do that.
Orton trying to do anything he can to break this hold.
What do you say, huh?
-Come on, Dolph! -[JBL] Again, he's riding him.
Riding him.
Don't let him breathe.
[Michael] The amateur background of Dolph Ziggler.
[JBL] There's the pro background right there of Randy Orton.
[Michael] Straight right hand by Orton.
[JBL] Look like his daddy.
-[Michael] Dropkick. -[JBL] That-- Wow.
[crowd cheering]
-Come on, Dolph. -[Michael] And again, critical moment.
Focus, Dolph! Let's get this done now!
You have to focus right now!
[Michael] This dropkick, JBL, came out of nowhere.
[JBL] Completely out of nowhere, Michael, you're right.
-It's what-- -[Michael] And Ziggler got caught.
[JBL] So did that.
-Cover it. -[Michael] Oh, no.
I thought Ziggler got caught, but he actually delivered a DDT to Orton.
And here's the cover by Ziggler, hook of the leg, and a kickout.
What a move by Ziggler.
[JBL] Wow.
Again? Are you kidding me?
[Michael] Great move by Ziggler
and he can't believe that Orton kicked out.
A close call, but at two-and-a-half, I believe, The Viper kicked out.
[JBL] If I was Ziggler-- see, this is the thing, Michael,
I'd wanna win every night. I wouldn't want her yelling at me.
It's part of being a good coach, what I went back to.
[Michael] You said you wouldn't want her yelling at you?
[JBL] Exactly, that's what a coach does.
A coach inspires people.
She would inspire me to do good just so she would not yell at me
in that high-pitched voice.
[Michael] Now, you're saying she's yelling?
[JBL] No, I'm not. I'm saying she's inspiring her guy,
-which is exactly what she's doing. -[Michael] Look at--look at this.
-[JBL] Here we go. -[Michael] Randy Orton.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Randy Orton took a peek and caught Ziggler.
[panting]
[Michael] We just got a close up look at those dark black eyes,
cold-like eyes of Orton.
[Mike] Get him down! Let's go.
[JBL] Methodical.
You gotta love Randy Orton.
Absolutely methodical, no wasted motion.
[Michael] And he shows absolutely no absence of malice does Orton.
-Ziggler up top, Randy Orton. -[JBL] Here we go.
-[Michael] Orton is set. -[JBL] Goodnight.
[Michael] Superplex.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And now, Orton into the cover.
Again, shoulders are down, and again, Ziggler kicks out.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] An elated Vickie.
[Vickie] Dolph? Listen to me!
You need to get him--
[Michael] That superplex did damage to both men.
[JBL] Somebody better call the sheriff. These boys are stealing the show.
What a matchup.
[crowd chatter]
This is where you empty the arsenal,
you throw everything you got,
and hope it's enough.
[Michael] Patented uppercut of Orton.
And these two are so evenly matched in this--in this great bout here.
[crowd cheering and booing]
[JBL] Fight just broke out.
[Michael] And Randy Orton, I believe, now has the advantage.
[Michael] I thought he had the advantage.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Headbutts, uppercut, rights and lefts.
[JBL] I'm gonna hate for this one to end.
It may not.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Michael] And look at Dolph,
not known as a brawler, but he's doing pretty well here.
[JBL] That a surprise.
You know what? He's tough.
[grunts]
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Now, Randy Orton beginning to build momentum.
Randy Orton, the duck under.
Look at this. Oh, no!
Goodnight, Orton.
Ziggler, what a move as he hooks both legs,
-and Orton kicked out! -[JBL] Wow!
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Randy kicked out.
-Are you kidding me? -[crowd cheering]
This is so unfair!
You do your job right
-I could do your job for you! -[Michael] Incredible.
[JBL] The 2009 Royal Rumble winner, nine-time world champion.
And you see now why Randy is living up to his pedigree.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Ziggler!
[Michael] I can't believe that Randy Orton kicked out.
[JBL] Listen to the WWE Universe, Michael, listen to it.
They're starting to realize what a phenomenal effort
these two guys are putting into this match,
trying to win, trying to get ahead.
[Michael] Yeah, you mentioned the importance of this match is for Orton.
A victory here tonight could put him in the driver seat
for a title opportunity.
Ziggler does not wanna be there. And he realized it.
-Ziggler, great move. -[JBL] Great counter. Great counter.
[Michael] And now the fight goes outside the ring.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Wow. What impact.
[man] Come on, Randy.
[Mike] Come on, Randy.
Let's go.
[Vickie] Get up, Dolph!
[Mike] Come on, Orton. Hey, get inside!
[Michael] As the fight continues outside the ring,
the referee admonishing both men, but
showing a little leeway here tonight as Ziggler--oh, no.
Randy Orton usually does this on the second rope,
but he's setting Ziggler up out on the barricade.
The referee has begun the count.
Dolph Ziggler is in trouble. Orton's not gonna do this out here.
[JBL] No, no, no.
[Michael] Randy Orton, his eyes have changed.
DDT!
Vintage Orton!
[JBL] Wow.
[Michael] The referee is at a count of six.
The brawling continued outside the ring.
The referee now at a count of seven,
and a count of eight, Randy Orton trying to get Ziggler back into the ring
to take advantage.
-Orton beats the count as well. -[JBL] You gotta love Orton.
He didn't take the easy way out.
He could've took a ten count, he wants to pin him.
-[Michael] Hook to the leg there, and-- -[crowd counting]
[Michael] Ziggler's foot is on the bottom rope.
[JBL] But he's out.
[Michael] It was just the two count, however,
and then-- this is what got Dolph in trouble.
-The DDT by Orton. -[JBL] Dolph Ziggler has no idea
where he is, Michael.
All Randy needs to do is drag him in the center of the ring.
Just drag him to the center ring and beat him, Randy.
[Michael] Well, this has been a very personal and bitter rivalry
between these two men.
[JBL] But how great is Randy not to take the count-out?
How great is Randy to want to beat him right in the middle of the ring?
[Michael] And Randy Orton looking to put Dolph Ziggler away with a one, two, three.
Ziggler trying to come to.
The WWE Universe firmly behind The Viper.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] He is coiled.
-[JBL] This is gonna hurt. -[Michael] Ready to strike.
Orton, went for the RKO.
Ziggler countered, shoulders down, and Orton at two.
Ziggler from behind again.
And again, his full weight, the sleeper hold now.
The sleeper hold locked into Orton.
-Dolph Ziggler. -[JBL] The smartest thing he could do.
Smartest thing he could do.
[Michael] Randy Orton counters though.
Dolph Ziggler…
runs into an RKO!
What a unique-- what a unique RKO by Orton.
[crowd] One, two, three!
[Michael] Randy Orton, talk about changing gears.
-["Voices" playing] -[JBL] That was incredible, incredible.
[Lilian] Here is your winner,
Randy Orton.
[Michael] JBL, talking about evolving,
talking about taking you to where the moment brings you.
-What a way by Orton. -[JBL] Incredible.
What a matchup, Michael, and Randy had it won.
All he had to do is go back in the ring, take the ten count,
let Ziggler be counted out, but he didn't want it to end that way.
[Michael] And this rivalry has become way too personal for that.
[JBL] And now, Ziggler cashes in Money in the Bank.
That man right there, Randy Orton,
is in line for his tenth world championship.
Unbelievable, Michael.
Two guys in their prime going at it, hammering tongs.
You don't love this, Michael,
you don't have an ounce of testosterone in your body, which you may not.
[Michael] What an absolutely incredible matchup
between these two great superstars.
[JBL] That was awesome.
[Michael] Randy Orton.
Watch this.
-Talk about… -[JBL] The judo throw.
[Michael] Changing your momentum in a moment,
lifting Ziggler into the air.
-[JBL] That's instinct, pure instinct. -[Michael] An untraditional RKO.
Randy Orton victorious tonight.
[JBL] Could have counted to 15, Michael.
[Michael] At Night of Champions.
[singer] ♪ They talk to me… ♪
[Michael] Fabulous.
♪ Talk to me ♪
♪ All the lawyers are defenseless ♪
♪ All the doctors are diseased… ♪
[JBL] That alone is worth the price of admission, Michael.
We got a lot more, but that was amazing.
♪ All you judges, you are guilty ♪
♪ All the bosses… ♪
[Michael] Great effort by Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton tonight.
Now ladies and gentlemen, we are live tonight,
the home of WrestleMania XIV,
this the Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
Who will ever forget that WrestleMania,
the night that "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
won his first WWE Championship.
Mike Tyson, DX involved,
one of the greatest WrestleManias of all-time.
-["Insatiable" playing] -♪ I need to find a boy ♪
♪ I'm insatiable, I can't get enough… ♪
[bell ringing]
[Justin] This contest set for one fall is for the Divas Championship.
Introducing first from Miami, Florida,
she is the current Divas Champion,
Layla.
[Michael] Oh, there's Layla who won the Divas Championship
back at the end of April,
after returning from a year off with a serious knee injury.
Layla's won both the Divas title and the former Women's Championship.
[JBL] Layla debuted here in 2006.
What a 2006 she had, she won the first Diva Search
to become World Women's Champion, $250,000
and also, that year as a cheerleader for Miami Heat,
she got a NBA ring.
-["She Looks So Good" playing] -♪ Everything I need… ♪
[JBL] Incredible year for Layla,
almost as good as this one.
[Justin] Eve Torres.
[Michael] Well, Eve Torres in this matchup
after Kaitlyn was attacked earlier tonight.
The injury forcing General Manager Booker T to make a decision
to reward Eve with this Divas Championship opportunity,
but hey, listen.
I watched Eve talking to Booker T a little while ago
and I don't know if Booker knows this.
Eve said that Kaitlyn, well, just twisted her ankle.
I mean, come on, Eve.
Kaitlyn did a little more than just twist her ankle and Eve knew it.
[JBL] What? Are you seeing black helicopters now, Jesse Ventura?
What kind of conspiracy theorist are you?
Good grief, man. The Loch Ness monster is fake.
[Michael] So I would love to hear your take on this whole thing as--
[JBL] You saw it, Michael. You saw it exactly like I did.
There are no black helicopters. There is no conspiracy theory.
[Michael] Okay. Nonetheless, I can tell you this.
We're in Boston tonight for Night of Champions.
Thank you for joining us on pay-per-view and--
[JBL] And Big Show's Bigfoot. Go ahead.
[Michael] Thank you for joining us all over the world tonight,
in places like--and look at this Layla, shoulders down--
places like Italy, Germany,
Austria, Switzerland, Spain,
and all over the Middle East,
and of course to our US Armed Forces serving around the world
and on our ships at sea tonight on the American Forces Network.
And here is Eve, a former two-time Divas Champion.
[JBL] Don't forget Pluto,
where apparently your conspiracy theories reside.
[Michael] The Divas Championship,
the youngest of all titles here in the WWE,
debuted in July of 2008.
Michelle McCool was the very first Divas Champion.
Layla, nice arm drag,
obviously, a one-time partner of Michelle McCool.
[JBL] Two-time Diva Champion, Layla.
[Michael] How difficult is it, John, for Layla to defend here tonight
against an opponent that she was not prepared for?
She has been preparing all week for Kaitlyn.
[JBL] Well, when it's somebody like Eve, it is very tough.
Eve was trained in the Gracie's camp.
She was trained in jiu-jitsu.
Compare that to Kaitlyn,
who is a young person, who's gonna be a great star,
who's just trying to make a name for herself,
a world of difference.
[crowd chanting]
[Michael] Eve recently winning NBC's Stars Earn Stripes
reality show representing the USO.
[JBL] Eve, also a Diva Search Champion, 2007.
Some of them didn't make it.
It shows you how hard it is to make it in the WWE.
And these two young ladies both made it.
And both two-times Diva Champions.
[Michael] And--ooh, nice move by Layla.
Unique as she hooks the leg, shoulders down.
-Eve tries to reverse here. -One, two.
[Michael] And back and forth we go for the Divas title.
We're safe.
[JBL] One thing you see with Layla is a constant progression in the ring.
You see that she's training every single week
trying to be a great champion.
[Michael] I think you can say the same for Eve as well.
[JBL] No doubt about it.
[Michael] Layla having fun as she always does.
[JBL] Eve, a blue belt in jiu-jitsu from the Gracie Academy.
Trained there for five years.
[Layla] Is she okay?
[JBL] But here's where you gotta have killer instinct.
-[Michael] Oh, wait. -[Layla] Is she okay?
[Michael] Well, Layla showing some sportsmanship there.
[JBL] I disagree, disagree completely.
It's a championship night.
[Michael] And--whoa--wait a minute.
[JBL] That is what champions do, Michael.
[Michael] Well, the champion was showing--
[JBL] I don't care if you like it or not. That's what champions do.
[referee] Get inside the ring now.
[Michael] And Eve on the attack.
Eve who's been showing a great deal of sportsmanship
toward Layla over the past few weeks obviously
has thrown that out the window here tonight.
[JBL] What do you mean she's thrown it out the window?
She's trying to win a championship.
-[referee] Three. -[JBL] How is that not sportsmanship?
[Michael] Ooh, and Layla, ribs first into the apron.
[referee] Five.
[Michael] And again, Eve has to get Layla back to the ring.
She cannot win the Divas title out there.
She's got to pin or make the champion submit.
And the referee's already at a count of seven.
[referee] Eight.
[Michael] And Eve quickly back into the ring.
And now she's working on the ribs
that she sent Layla into the apron twice to.
Okay. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
[JBL] Look, Layla is a great champion, but she deserves every bit of this.
[Michael] Why does she-- First off, explain to me why Layla deserves this?
[JBL] You go to shake a person's hand
right in the middle of a match after it started,
you deserve to be kicked wherever you get kicked.
[Michael] John, in defense of Layla,
Eve has been shaking everybody's hand over the past few weeks.
So why would Layla think that Eve would pull a stunt like that tonight?
[JBL] Because you're not shaking hands
in the middle of a championship match, Michael.
-[Michael] Right. -[JBL] It's different backstage.
It's different after a match. It's different before a match.
During a match, you try to win.
And that's what Eve is trying to do.
[Michael] That's what she's trying to do here too
as she continues to wear down Layla.
[JBL] And she's breaking on the count just like the referee ordered her too.
[Michael] She has to because if she's disqualified,
she won't win the title.
One, two, three, four.
[JBL] You and your black helicopters, they're following you.
[Michael] Eve just biding her time.
Layla, she may be having a problem breathing here
because of the rib injuries,
really gasping for air there in the ring.
-And Eve, looking to put her away. -One, two.
[Michael] Hook of the leg here,
and again just having to kickout like that.
[JBL] It's a good cover. It's a good cover.
You lay right on top of them and you force them to kickout.
[Michael] Right back to the midsection again, JBL.
[JBL] Great move.
Reminiscent of Kevin Von Erich.
Come on Layla.
[JBL] That leg scissor, you just can't breathe in it.
I guess that reference was too old for you too, huh, Michael?
[Michael] Texas Tornado.
-[JBL] That's his brother, Kerry. -[Michael] Kerry.
[JBL] You moron.
[Michael] Thought you had me there, didn't you?
[JBL] I did.
[Michael] And look at Eve continuing.
[JBL] That's what you do.
-That's what you do. -[Michael] Bearing down on Layla.
Layla's getting--she's in trouble here.
She's screaming in pain, gasping for air.
[JBL] That was a body scissor, a head scissor.
[Michael] And Layla, trying to do all she can to--
[JBL] That was awesome. That is what you got to do.
This is the ground and pound that Eve has learned the last five years
studying in the Gracie Academy in Los Angeles.
This is what makes Eve so dangerous.
[Michael] And you got to wonder if Layla's gonna tap out here.
-[crowd chanting] Ole, ole, ole, ole, ole. -[referee] Hey. Hey, hey, hey.
Break the hold. Come on.
[JBL] And this is where you just wear her down.
Forget about what the WWE Universe wants to believe. Become champion.
And if you have to sit in that leg scissor for 30 minutes,
you sit in the leg scissor for 30 minutes, this is what you do.
[Michael] A great--oh, great reversal.
[JBL] You don't let them up like that. That's why.
[Michael] Great reversal by Layla, but has the damage been done?
Does she have anything left?
You saw her reach for the midsection.
In tremendous pain as Layla,
she's trying to fight back into this thing.
Layla, right to the face and Eve's stunned.
Layla picking up momentum.
When adrenaline gets pumping, sometimes you can wipe away the pain
as Layla continues.
[JBL] How would you know?
[Michael] And again.
This has become the trademark of Layla.
No one home.
Eve saw it coming and she landed right on the bad ribs.
[JBL] That's what happens when you stay with the game plan.
[Michael] Cover again by--
I thought she was going for the cover, but she's not.
Looking to put Layla away right here.
-Eve with a wicked neckbreaker. -[JBL] Ballgame!
-One, two, three. -[Michael] Hook of the leg.
We got a new Divas Champion.
-[bell ringing] -[JBL] That was great.
-Ground and pound till you get it. -[Justin] The winner of this match,
and new Divas Champion,
Eve Torres.
[Michael] Well, she wasn't even scheduled to compete tonight,
but Eve is the Divas champion.
[JBL] That is how you win a championship, Michael,
and that is how you lose a championship.
Layla has the audacity to try to shake hands
in the middle of a championship match?
Thank God that Eve had the temerity to kick the stuffings out of her
and win a championship.
That is what championships, Night of Champions, is all about, Michael.
[Michael] Under the most suspect of circumstances…
[JBL] Suspect?
[Michael] Eve replaced Kaitlyn here tonight
that was attacked backstage earlier.
Kaitlyn could not compete.
Booker T said, "I'm gonna reward you Eve for all your hard work
and the fact you beat Kaitlyn a couple of weeks ago."
[JBL] You have turned math into trigonometry.
You took two and two and you got some conspiracy 18.
[Michael] Well, we're gonna show you now what you were talking about.
This is the handshake that Layla gave to Eve after Eve was injured.
-And Eve-- -[JBL] It is not a conspiracy theory.
No, it's not.
That's what it takes to win a championship, Michael.
[Michael] And here's Layla looking to put Eve away,
and Eve ducking underneath this crossbody.
Look at the look on Eve's face.
She knew she had Layla there.
[JBL] Layla has got a ton of talent.
She has been a great champion,
but I hope this is a learning experience for Layla
that you can't ever let your guard down
-in the middle of a championship. -[bell ringing]
[Michael] And for the third time in her career,
Eve is Divas Champion.
♪ Everything I need ♪
[JBL] And I don't see anybody beating her, Michael.
♪ She looks good to me ♪
[JBL] There's no crying in wrestling.
♪ She's got it, she's got it ♪
[Michael] Major surprise here tonight at Night of Champions.
[JBL] You take advantage of opportunity. Way to go, Eve.
♪ Everything I need… ♪
[Michael] Two faces of their generations,
two icons in their prime.
Here we go.
Once in a lifetime.
[narrator] Two global superstars,
one career-altering match.
Now, experience their incredible journey in
Rock vs. Cena: Once in a Lifetime on Blu-ray and DVD.
This three-disc set the chronicles the yearlong build
to the biggest match in WrestleMania history
and its huge impact worldwide.
Plus, get tons of DVD extras and Blu-ray exclusives
including never before seen footage and film of their epic confrontation.
Candid, controversial,
this is once in a lifetime,
Rock vs. Cena: Once in a Lifetime.
Available now on Blu-ray and DVD.
Ladies and gentlemen, WWE is extremely proud
to partner with Susan G. Komen for the Cure
to help fight breast cancer and save women's lives.
Tonight, we have some special women in the audience.
All of these women are breast cancer survivors.
[crowd cheering]
Joann Lebow,
Angela Diaz,
Jen Young,
and Patrice Lafassi.
[crowd cheering]
[Lilian] Make sure that you go to komen.org/wwe
so that you can learn how you can join in the fight against breast cancer
and support such a great cause.
[crowd cheering]
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
One in 35 will die from it.
That is a death every 74 seconds from breast cancer somewhere in the world.
[announcer] WWE is proud to partner with Susan G. Komen for the Cure
in its mission to save lives and end breast cancer forever.
Go to wwe.com or komen.org
to learn more about how you can join us in the fight against breast cancer.
[Michael] We, of course, are in the home of the American Revolution,
this is Boston.
Of course Paul Revere there, the statue,
and it's also the home tonight of Night of Champions at the Garden.
We're sold out, 14,886 on hand.
I'm the tag team champion.
I'm the tag team champions. I'm the tag team champions.
I am the tag team champions.
I'm the tag team champions.
I-- I'm the tag team champions.
I know who you are, Daniel.
[Kane] I am the tag team champions.
I'm the tag team champions.
I am the tag team champions.
Yes Kane, and I'm very proud of you.
I'm the tag team champions!
-I'm the tag team champions! -I'm the tag team champions!
-Enough, enough, enough!
Enough! [screams]
[heavily breathing]
I have gone through great expense
to bring Dr. Shelby here
to help you guys with your anger management issues,
to bring you together.
And you guys not only have a breakthrough,
but you win the tag team titles
and you still can't be happy for each other.
What is wrong with you?
Now, Daniel, do you have anything you'd like to say to Kane?
Congratulations, Kane.
And Kane, do you have anything that you'd like to say to Daniel?
Where are you going?
You see? That's why I'm the tag team champions.
-Shut up. Shut up, shut up. -That's why I'm the tag team champions!
-Shut up. Shut up, Daniel.
[screams]
Do I have anything to say?
I'm going to Disneyland.
[laughing]
I'm the tag team champion.
I'm the tag team--hey, hey.
I'm the tag team champion.
Oh, that's cold.
-Oh, that's cold. -Oh, I'm very cold.
Can you imagine him walking around Disney World? [laughs]
That was great. Dr. Shelby's a genius.
An absolute genius. Why are you horrified?
For the first time in his life, he's speechless.
Close Disneyland.
What? I come back and I see this?
Close the Ferris wheel.
-["Champions" playing] -[Michael] You're listening to "Champions"
by Kevin Rudolf featuring Limp Bizkit, Birdman, and Lil Wayne.
It's the official Night of Champions theme.
For more information. Visit kevinrudolf.com.
♪ We're still number one We're still number one… ♪
[Michael] Up next, with his maneuver, the Brogue Kick, banned,
Sheamus will defend the World Heavyweight Championship
against the Mexican aristocrat, Alberto Del Rio.
It is a rivalry that has grown more intense by the day.
♪ Can't hit the ball If you ain't swingin' the bat ♪
[Alberto] The Brogue Kick is brutal, it's barbaric,
and it should be banned.
[tense music playing]
[Josh] Sheamus' actions were malicious, calculated,
with the intent to commit bodily harm on innocent people.
I want you to take a look at the Brogue Kick
and see what it does.
Now, what kind of a GM do you wanna be?
Kicking somebody in the head is a criminal act.
I'm demanding that you ban it from WWE.
And if you don't, I'm prepared to file a lawsuit.
Lawsuit.
Against WWE.
Now, I'd like to turn your attention
to the night of September 3rd of this year.
You utilized the maneuver referred to as the Brogue Kick.
Si, senor.
Does the name Chad Patton mean anything to you?
Yeah. He's a WWE referee.
He's what I would call a defenseless victim
that you severely attacked on April 6th of this year.
Do you acknowledge that the Brogue Kick is a dangerous lethal weapon
that clearly demonstrates the actions of a vile hooligan?
Demonstrates?
You want a demonstration?
[Josh] For our main event the world champion, Sheamus,
against David Otunga.
[Michael] Del Rio, looking on at the damage done by Sheamus.
[Josh] Sheamus now looking to put away David Otunga.
[Michael] I think we know what's coming.
Sheamus, calling for the Brogue.
[David] Now, what kind of a GM do you wanna be?
Sheamus, due to evidence that was presented to me
and the high stakes involved,
I have no choice but to ban the Brogue Kick.
If you choose to use the Brogue Kick,
you will be stripped
of the World Heavyweight Championship.
[Alberto] The Brogue Kick is dangerous and with serious ramifications.
[Michael] The number one weapon has been taken out of Sheamus' arsenal.
Sheamus better come up with a new game plan.
[tense music playing]
["Realeza" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Well, tonight, the Mexican aristocrat
drives a Ferrari 430 Spider
lavish habits edition,
garnering worth $200,000, into the Boston Garden.
He is the number one contender
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[JBL] You got to love Alberto Del Rio.
Nice cars,
fancy taste,
and a champion, and rich.
[Michael] Del Rio brought a tremendous amount of evidence
to general manager Booker T to ban the Brogue Kick
this past Friday night on SmackDown.
Christian was called the secret weapon,
claiming that his career hasn't been the same
since he suffered a Brogue Kick last year by Sheamus here in this event,
Night of Champions.
Del Rio says Christian wasn't a secret weapon,
just another example of why the kick should be banned.
[JBL] And it shows you why Alberto Del Rio is so good, Michael.
Look at what goes on in politics. Look at what goes on in finance.
Look at Jamie Dimon. Look at anybody throughout the government.
When they don't like the rules, you change the rules.
It's that simple.
That's how good Alberto Del Rio is.
It's Sheamus' fault for not anticipating that.
You use every tool in your toolbox to win a championship.
It's what Alberto Del Rio is doing.
[Michael] You saw David Otunga in ringside,
the lawyer for Ricardo Rodriguez,
Del Rio's ring announcer.
You know, David Otunga cut Christian off Friday night
before he could finish his statement.
I wonder if Christian was gonna mention
that perhaps the Cross Armbreaker should be banned.
Christian spent a lot of time in the shelf because of that maneuver as well.
[JBL] But it isn't.
Michael, Sheamus should have anticipated this.
He had an opportunity to get his own lawyer.
You've got to anticipate this stuff
when you are champion or you are on that level.
That's what makes Alberto Del Rio great.
[mouthing inaudibly]
There's no Brogue Kick.
No Brogue Kick.
["Written In My Face" playing]
♪ It's a shame For they lost their head ♪
♪ A careless man who could wind up dead ♪
♪ You wear your sin Like it's some kind of prize ♪
♪ Too many lies, too many lies… ♪
[Michael] Well, he's been the world champion since WrestleMania,
a proud fighting champion
who is appreciated here tonight in this blue-collar town of Boston.
[JBL] Well, what do you do now?
What if you're Tebow and they say, "By the way, you can't run the option."
What if you're the Jets and you say, "You can't man up the quarter"
when you know your entire defense is based upon one move?
Sheamus' entire career,
he's won championships with that Brogue Kick.
Everything he does works towards one event.
We now find out how deep this young man from Ireland is.
♪ It's written in your face… ♪
[Michael] You know, Sheamus, the world champion,
he calls his fans "hooligans."
And he's been having fun with the hooligans all week long,
tweeting about--
well, Alberto Del Rio and Ricardo Rodriguez,
and of course the attorney, David Otunga.
There's no Brogue Kick. There's no Brogue Kick.
[JBL] What's he doing on twitter?
Why? He's got a championship.
Look at this, no Brogue Kick. No Brogue Kick.
Damas y caballeros…
[speaking Spanish]
Alberto…
Del Rio.
[JBL] I love that guy.
I wish I'd have thought to have a ring announcer when I was wrestling.
-How classy is that? -Tonight! New champion.
And from Dublin, Ireland,
weighing in at 267 pounds,
he is the World Heavyweight Champion,
Sheamus.
[Michael] Well, Sheamus is the world champion.
When he first arrived in the United States at 18 years old,
the first city that he came to, Boston, Massachusetts.
Hence, he's wearing the green and white and gold trunks tonight
to pay tribute to the Boston Irish.
And the world champion now set to go one-on-one with Alberto Del Rio.
♪ Can you dig it, sucka? ♪
["Can You Dig It?" playing]
[Michael] Our general manager from Friday Night SmackDown,
the great champion, Booker T.
♪ Can you dig it, sucka? ♪
Ladies and gentlemen,
I have concluded my investigation.
Last week, I went over all the evidence.
I even viewed David Otunga's deposition.
I went through countless hours of video footage.
And here are my findings.
[crowd] What?
Now, the Brogue Kick is a devastating and dangerous maneuver.
[crowd] What?
-We all know that. -[crowd] What?
[Booker] However,
when you signed up to be a WWE superstar,
there are risks involved.
[crowd cheering]
Now, in saying that, I'm gonna to get right to my announcement
and then we're going to move forward in my administration.
Ladies and gentlemen, at this time,
I declare…
[crowd] What?
…the Brogue Kick…
[crowd] What?
…be reinstated.
-[crowd cheering] -[JBL] What?
[Michael] What a major, major announcement.
[Booker] And that's final.
[JBL] What a horrible announcement.
[Michael] Booker T reviewing all the evidence
and has decided the Brogue Kick's good to go.
[JBL] You do that right before a championship match?
You couldn't have done that on Saturday afternoon?
[arguing indistinctly]
-[bell ringing] -[Michael] Del Rio incensed.
And look at this. Sheamus with a Brogue Kick to Otunga,
but he was going for Del Rio.
Just like he beat Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds in WrestleMania,
Sheamus trying to do it again here tonight.
[JBL] Look, I love Booker, he was one of the greatest champions of all time,
but you really couldn't have done that on Saturday afternoon
and give ADR a chance to get prepared for that Brogue Kick?
[Michael] Well, that, I agree with
'cause Del Rio's gonna be completely out of his game now.
He was limit upset with Otunga.
But now, Del Rio tries to channel that energy
and focus on the world champion.
Sheamus misses widely, Del Rio hanging on.
-He's gonna take a breather. -[ref] Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[JBL] Wouldn't you?
[Michael] Well, you know, Sheamus won this championship
back at WrestleMania
in 18 seconds.
Almost déjà vu tonight. This is how the match started
although Otunga was the victim here this evening.
Hey, you know all about losing a WrestleMania match in record time.
You lost to Rey Mysterio in 23 seconds once.
So how does that feel?
[JBL] I had a bad cold that night, Michael, and you know that.
It was 102 temperature,
I had a note from my doctor, and I went out there anyway.
I was dehydrated, I was worn-out,
I was exhausted, nauseous.
You name it, it was wrong with me. And I still went out there,
because that's how much I love this WWE Universe.
-[Michael] Look at Sheamus. -[JBL] And you choose to make fun of me.
[Michael] And Sheamus unloading on Del Rio
who uses his head and headbutt to try to turn the tables,
but Sheamus right back on the attack.
Sheamus, a current world champion,
a two-time WWE Champion,
once held the United States title.
He's a King of the Ring and a Royal Rumble winner earlier this year.
Neckbreaker by Sheamus.
Cover, hooks the leg,
-Del Rio at two. -Two.
[JBL] I used to think that Booker T was from Houston,
found out he's from outside of Dublin.
He must be Irish.
No other reason that Booker T would make a ruling like that.
[Michael] Again, he considered all the evidence.
[JBL] He could've done it on Saturday, Michael.
You don't do that right before a championship match.
[Michael] And again, Del Rio.
And look at Sheamus, measuring his man.
And a battering ram from the apron.
You think Sheamus has come to play tonight?
[JBL] Sheamus just got a Christmas gift, of course he did.
Sheamus was ready. He's been preparing with that Cloverleaf.
He's thinking he's gonna have to use something different
to finish off Alberto Del Rio.
He now has everything in his toolbox back.
[Michael] Well, let's think about Sheamus.
He developed the Cloverleaf submission maneuver
because the Brogue Kick had been banned.
And now, he's got two great weapons in his arsenal.
And Sheamus continues to unload on Del Rio.
Del Rio back out on the second rope,
and the challenger for the world championship
using headbutt after headbutt to try to stay in this thing.
[Michael] Ooh, man.
That could be a turning point for Del Rio.
The World Heavyweight Championship…
Oh! Is it--
…could be close to changing hands
as Sheamus was viciously driven into the Spanish announce table.
-[JBL] Which is appropriate. -[groans]
[Michael] See, Sheamus grabbing his ribs, his midsection
that went directly into the hood of the--of the announce table.
Let's go, guys. Three.
[Michael] Now, Del Rio directing his attack.
Four.
[Michael] Del Rio, crawling into the cover.
Hook to the leg, shoulders down again.
A lot of action outside the ring here in this title match.
First, the battering ram from Sheamus.
And then this. Watch where Sheamus lands.
Look at that announce table.
And Del Rio continuing to wear Sheamus down.
You notice how he's working on the shoulder here,
let him softening it up for the Cross Armbreaker?
[JBL] Of course. A great second generation wrestler, Alberto Del Rio,
he's gonna find something that works and stick with it.
[Michael] His father, the great Dos Caras from Mexico,
his uncle, the WWE Hall of Famer, Mil Máscaras.
[Michael] The most evil, maniacal, selfish human being
that ever lived, Mil Máscaras,
and I'm so proud that Alberto Del Rio didn't get any of his bad traits.
[Michael] And look at Del Rio in the back of the neck.
Del Rio, again, looking to win the world title.
He's won two WWE Championships.
Also, he's won a Royal Rumble match two years ago
and Mr. Money in the Bank as well as--
Sheamus goes shoulder first into the steel post.
And Del Rio very aggressive tonight,
doesn't seem to have been thrown off at all, John,
by the fact the Brogue Kick's been reinstated.
[JBL] What else you gonna do?
He's a four-time Mexican Champion, Greco-Roman.
He was a Pan-Am Champion.
[Michael] Ooh. And again, targeting the shoulder and the arm,
softening it up for the Cross Armbreaker.
Let's go, inside.
[Michael] The World Heavyweight Championship,
the WWE version,
ten years old this month.
The first champion, the great Triple H.
Edge, of course, holding the title a record six times.
Cover by Del Rio and a kickout.
Others who've held the title,
guys like Batista, and Booker T,
and Undertaker, and Rey Mysterio,
Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels.
And take another look. Things get rough here.
And we call him Sheamus the Brawler,
but it's been Del Rio taking the fight tonight to Sheamus.
[crowd yelling]
[JBL] And Alberto Del Rio is not just fighting for himself.
Understand, Michael, this is Mexican Independence Day.
He's a hero at home, a former Mexican Champion,
professional wrestling and Greco-Roman.
He's fighting for his people.
That, you have to admire.
[Michael] And he's been on a great roll as of late, he's knocked off Kane,
Orton, and Cena over the past couple of weeks.
He got Orton to tap out to become number one contender.
And look at this, again, working on the left arm.
He's got a five count to break here or he'll be disqualified.
The referee now at three. He's got to break before five and he does.
[JBL] He knows how much time he has, Michael,
and he knows he can't win it that way.
But what he's doing is he's beating him down for later.
You wear your man down. You kick him down. You hit him. You knock him.
You chip him. You do what you have to do.
-[ref] Get in here. Two. -[JBL] You deal with the hand dealt.
Alberto Del Rio was dealt a bad hand by Booker T, but he's dealing with it.
[Michael] And look at Del Rio, top rope yet again,
Alberto Del Rio runs into the big axe handle by Sheamus.
And with both men down,
this could be the turning point of the matchup.
Rodriguez went around ringside, realizes there's trouble.
-Two. Back it up. -[Ricardo] I'm not doing anything.
[Michael] There was the referee admonishing that man, Rodriguez,
still in the, uh, the collar.
Five.
[Michael] Watch this. Just about knocked his head off with that axe handle.
Del Rio runs into Sheamus again.
And this is bad news for Del Rio
if Sheamus starts to build momentum like this.
You don't want the 270-pounder to get on a roll.
And Del Rio, right back to the left arm, but this time it cost him.
[JBL] Nobody home.
[Michael] Sheamus again. High knee.
[Michael] Planting Del Rio. Sheamus now gets an opportunity.
And a near-fall for the champion.
These two men know each other so well.
They've been engaged in such great matchups
over the past number of months.
[JBL] But it's hard to beat an Irish mutant like Sheamus.
[Michael] That's nice.
-[JBL] No, I'm-- -[Michael] Did you just call him a mutant?
[JBL] Hey, Michael, it's a simple genetic fact.
Sometimes in an island with a small gene pool
you get guys like Sheamus.
[Michael] We get a lot of brilliant men from places like that too.
[JBL] You get guys--you get guys like Bolt, Blake out of Jamaica.
You get Rory, you get Sheamus out of Ireland. It's a compliment.
Sometimes when gene pools are small,
you get guys like Sheamus, a famous athlete.
[Michael] Do you know what's coming out of your mouth?
And look at Del Rio.
Now, it's Del Rio on the attack, and Sheamus blocks.
Come on, Sheamus. You gotta get in the ring, big man.
[Michael] What is Sheamus gonna do here to capitalize?
[Michael] Oh, no, not this.
It's gonna wake up Del Rio in a hurry.
[JBL] He learned--he learned this in Leinster, Ireland.
[crowd] One, two, three, four.
[JBL] This is an old-fashion Irish beat down.
-[crowd] Five, six, seven. -[ref] Two.
-[crowd] Eight, nine, ten. -[ref] Three.
[Michael] And Del Rio just falls to the apron, a heap.
And Sheamus setting Del Rio up for White Noise,
but Del Rio countered.
And now, from behind, a backstabber right to the spine.
Hook to the leg. Look at the-- shoulders down.
Almost had a new champion there.
[JBL] Del Rio's a tough guy,
but you don't want to get into a brawl with Sheamus.
[Alberto] Come on, ref.
[Michael] Del Rio frustrated.
He thought he had won the championship there,
and now back on the attack.
He needs to refocus.
[crowd chanting] We want tables.
[Michael] Sheamus is taking a lot of punishment.
[crowd chanting] We want tables.
[Michael] We've seen Sheamus' ability though.
Look at Del Rio, perhaps setting up Sheamus for the Cross Armbreaker.
And Sheamus able to counter with White Noise.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And suddenly, things have changed.
[JBL] This guy is a bull.
Wow.
Sheamus is an absolute beast.
[JBL] And he knows what he's allowed to do.
-[Michael] And he's going for it here. -[JBL] He knows what he's allowed to do.
-[Michael] He's calling for it. -[crowd] One,
two,
three.
[Michael] Calling for the Brogue Kick, Del Rio just ducks underneath it.
Shoulder first into the turnbuckle.
Right to the back of the head with a counter.
-[JBL] What an enzuigiri. -[Michael] Here's the cover.
-[JBL] We have a new champion. -[Michael] Right now, no.
A kickout by Sheamus at two.
And again, Del Rio believes he had won the title there.
Come on.
Come on, man. Come on.
[Michael] Back and forth we go.
[JBL] Sheamus is an absolute beast.
[Michael] Watch this. Sheamus going for the Brogue Kick,
again, legal in this matchup.
And Del Rio's counterattack.
One, two.
[Michael] So close for Del Rio. A near-fall.
[JBL] I don't know what you have to do to beat Sheamus.
This guy grew up playing Gaelic football, grew up playing rugby.
He grew up like a lot of Irish, tough.
Just like a Ricky Hatton. This guy is a tough guy.
Sheamus grew up fighting.
To beat him, I don't know what Alberto Del Rio has to do.
-[speaking indistinctly] -[ref] Get off the mat.
Get off the mat. One.
Alberto, you got to stay off the hair. Let's go.
[Michael] That's just it. Sheamus will do what he has to do.
Right to the injured shoulder.
Del Rio, if he could somehow lock into that Cross Armbreaker here,
it could be over. Again, a counter by Sheamus.
Missed with the Brogue Kick again. Del Rio to the midsection.
Del Rio for a third time, and this time--
-[JBL] He got him. -[Michael] Del Rio--
No, he doesn't have him. Sheamus rolled through it.
-[JBL] Cloverleaf. -[Michael] Going for the Cloverleaf.
Going for the Cloverleaf.
-[JBL] What a counter. -[Michael] Can he somehow get to his feet
and flip Del Rio to his belly?
And Del Rio fighting out.
[JBL] That is good scouting.
[Michael] What a chain of events there.
What a sequence back and forth.
Armbreaker, the Brogue, and…
[JBL] That shows a smart champion by Sheamus.
Knowing what's coming, knowing when to counter.
[Michael] And--look at that. Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
Sheamus is caught.
His arm is caught. That's the bad arm.
That is the arm that Del Rio's been targeting all match long.
Sheamus is hung up on the ropes. He's caught in the ropes.
-[ref] Back it up. Back it up. -[Michael] And Del Rio attacking Sheamus.
He's attacking Sheamus.
-The referee's got to count. -One, two, three. Back it up, man.
[JBL] It's a world championship. You got to attack him.
Back it up. Stop!
[Michael] Yeah. But he gets disqualified if he goes past that count of five.
The referee admonishing him, telling Del Rio to get out of the way.
What are you doing?
If I tell you to back it up, you back it up.
[JBL] The damage is done, Michael. And Alberto Del Rio knows that.
Back it up.
[Michael] And the referee doing his job.
He told Del Rio to back off to give the champion a fighting chance,
get him out of that predicament, and he did.
But has the damage been done?
With one arm, Sheamus was going for White Noise
and right back to the injured arm again.
Alberto Del Rio, could be a matter of time.
Going for the Cross Armbreaker now.
Del Rio's got it locked in, submission maneuver.
Will Sheamus tap out?
[JBL] You got a whole country right now, Independence Day, about to celebrate.
[Michael] Will Sheamus tap out? Will he tap out here?
Will he tap out with the Cross Armbreaker?
The champion's in trouble.
[JBL] He's got to be in the middle of the ring, Michael.
[Michael] Yeah, Sheamus has nowhere to go.
Del Rio with him locked in.
[JBL] A matter of time.
[Michael] Sheamus trying to reverse this here somehow,
roll Del Rio over.
Sheamus does. And look at the power,
the power of Sheamus.
Can you believe that?
[Michael] Pure adrenaline.
[JBL] How much damage has been done to that left arm, Michael?
-One. Two. -[JBL] What an unbelievable counter.
[Michael] Now, Del Rio had that Cross Armbreaker on
-for a for a ton of time. -Three.
[JBL] That's just God-given strength, Michael.
-Four. -[JBL] That's something born with Sheamus.
Five.
[Michael] Del Rio somehow trying to make it back to his feet,
as is the world champion.
Sheamus needing the ropes to drag himself back up.
Critical time in this matchup.
[JBL] But Sheamus has one arm, Michael.
[Michael] Yeah, but he may not need an arm.
[JBL] He may not.
[Michael] Remember, the Brogue Kick has been reinstated.
Del Rio, again, Sheamus went for the Brogue Kick.
Again, Del Rio counters.
Again, he goes for the armbreaker.
Again, it's locked in.
-And this may be too much to bear. -[JBL] He got it. He's got it.
[Michael] This maybe too much for Sheamus to bear.
[JBL] We got us a new champion, Michael.
[Michael] The champion is a good half arm length away
from that bottom rope.
Trying to drag Del Rio's body,
drag his carcass, trying to force a break.
-Is Sheamus gonna tap? -[JBL] He's gonna tap.
-[Michael] Is he gonna tap? -[JBL] He's gonna tap.
[Michael] Is Sheamus gonna tap out here?
[JBL] He better tap.
-[Michael] He can't go to the rope. -[JBL] For his future, he better tap.
[Michael] Desperately, desperately trying to get there.
Does he have the heart of a champion tonight?
Does Sheamus have enough?
[JBL] The problem is he has the heart of a champion.
He better tap out if he wants a future.
[Michael] Well, he forced him--
[JBL] You know he has a heart of a champion.
[Michael] Sheamus' feet were underneath the bottom rope,
-forcing the referee to break the hold. -Come on, man.
Come on, man. Come on.
[Michael] We were all watching the arm of Sheamus,
and Sheamus was able to slip his leg under the ropes, forcing a break.
And now Del Rio, nobody home.
He went for that flying kick. Sheamus, Brogue Kick!
-[JBL] Wow. -[Michael] From out of nowhere!
-Explosive. -[crowd counting]
-Sheamus retains the world title. -[bell ringing]
[singer] ♪ It's a shame For they lost their head ♪
[Lilian] Here is your winner, and still the World Heavyweight Champion,
Sheamus.
[singer] ♪ Too many lies, too many lies ♪
[Michael] Sheamus the Brawler. Sheamus the survivor.
Sheamus with the heart of a champion.
[JBL] You asked a rhetorical question, does he have the heart of a champion?
There you have it, Michael.
Unbelievable. A Celtic Warrior.
[Michael] Not once but twice
was Sheamus locked in the devastating Cross Armbreaker.
[JBL] The Emerald Isle is throwing a party.
[Michael] It looked like a couple of moments from tapping out,
but Sheamus, somehow he broke the hold.
And then Sheamus with the Brogue Kick newly reinstated by Booker T tonight.
Sheamus would go for the Brogue Kick earlier on the matchup,
but it wasn't to be.
Del Rio thought he had won the championship here.
[JBL] But Sheamus had him right there.
[Michael] Went for the Brogue Kick again.
And this time Del Rio would counter into the Cross Armbreaker.
And this was the critical one
where Sheamus is able to get his feet underneath the bottom rope
and forced to break.
And then Alberto would go for that flying kick.
And from out of nowhere, Sheamus with the explosive Brogue.
[crowd cheering]
One, two, three.
[Michael] Sheamus' title reign
which began at WrestleMania continues tonight.
[JBL] When you got a weapon that devastating,
you can win in anytime.
I don't know who can beat Sheamus.
What a great champion. What a Celtic Warrior.
The Emerald Isle is smiling, Michael.
I still think ADR was right about Booker T,
but what a great, great champion we have right there in Sheamus.
[Michael] Well, there's no doubt about that.
He's celebrating with the Boston faithful.
The Brogue Kick is back
and Sheamus is still the champ.
[man 1] When you can take an organization
that's as popular and well-respected as the WWE
and then combine that with the oldest branch
in the military in the United States,
it's a win-win situation for everybody.
[Gomez] I appreciate them coming down here
and get to see what we do on a day-to-day basis.
It's a good team building event.
[man 2] Being in a partnership now with Army National Guard
creates opportunities for us to use our resources together.
We both reach out. We both give back.
It's exciting to see what we can do together.
[crowd cheering]
["Champions" playing]
[Michael] And the WWE would like to send a special shout-out
for the Massachusetts National Guard soldiers in attendance tonight.
WWE is proud to support all of our men and women in uniform.
Thank you for everything you do for our country.
What a tremendous honor and privilege
to have those men and women here in attendance tonight
at the Garden in Boston for Night of Champions
because they indeed are the true champions.
They are. They serve the country, we serve them.
It's something WWE has done a long time for them.
We have a proud and a long relationship
with the great armed forces of this country.
And again, ladies and gentlemen,
Night of Champions in a big fight feel in the Garden
because coming up next,
one of the most bitter and personal rivalries
of recent memory comes to a head.
And respect is the most used word to describe this conflict.
Champion Punk, challenger Cena,
for the WWE title in Cena's hometown of Boston.
And it all built up to this confrontation last week on Monday Night Raw.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Michael] Well, here is the man who faces Punk
Sunday at Night of Champions, John Cena,
as The Hitman returns to interview Cena on Raw.
Punk is a guy who says he's a man of the people,
says he's the voice of the voiceless,
but all he's been lately is an insecure dude
that constantly has to tell you how good that he is.
[CM Punk] The Best in the World.
[Cena] CM Punk right now is just a desperate,
delusional young man
who thinks that leather and gold by any means necessary
equals respect.
[Bret] Let me ask you this, John Cena,
what are you gonna do to finally shut this phony little Punk up?
[CM Punk] Phony?
I've decided to come out here and defend my good name,
I'm not a bad guy.
In the face of such disrespect,
I will put down anybody who shows me disrespect,
that's what I do.
I am the WWE Champion
and I've been the WWE Champion longer than you ever have been.
And this Sunday, I will beat John Cena again
and I will cement my legacy.
Show me respect.
[Cena] For 300 days, you have been WWE Champion,
for 300 days, that championship has been irrelevant.
You had been here for many years and the night you made the most noise
was ironically the night you microphone was turned silent.
-I'm the best thing you've got. -[Cena] Talk about change.
I'm the best in the world.
[Cena] And then one triumphant night in Chicago when you were the victor
and the Universe finally said, we get change.
And they were lied to, they were fooled into a false claim
because change was not ice cream bars.
All you meant by "we want change" is "make CM Punk a star."
You don't even know who CM Punk is.
You have changed your ideology numerous times.
You have stabbed your friends in the back all because you have yet to find you.
Your latest phase of development revolves around this.
You think because you have this, you are justified respect.
Respect. Respect.
I am the best wrestler.
I am the best talker.
I am the best technician.
I am the best brawler.
And I don't say these things from a place of insecurity
but I say it, because I am it.
Enough. Enough.
You are ignorant and you need a little bit of respect.
You say you're gonna win at Night of Champions,
but I'm just gonna kick your ***.
[crowd jeering]
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Paul Heyman.
And although I'm from New York,
tonight I'm just like every single one of you here
in Boston, Massachusetts.
I'm here to witness history.
I'm here because tonight, I get the best seat in the house
to witness your reigning,
defending WWE Champion CM Punk
in his three hundred and second consecutive day
as the WWE Champion.
You see, I'm here tonight to pay respect to the title and the champion.
I'm here tonight to pay homage
to a man of such extraordinary character
that he proudly and publicly pontificates himself
to be a Paul Heyman guy.
[crowd cheering]
["Cult of Personality" playing]
♪ Look in my eyes What do you see? ♪
♪ The cult of personality ♪
♪ I know your anger I know your dreams… ♪
[Michael] Well, we still have no explanation from Mr. Heyman
to what his relationship is with CM Punk
but nonetheless there's the WWE Champion,
the man who claims that he will cement his legacy tonight
as the greatest WWE Champion of all time.
♪ The cult of personality ♪
[Michael] The question is, will CM Punk still be the WWE Champion
the next time we come your way on pay-per-view,
one of the most dangerous events of the year.
It is Hell in a Cell, the Philips Arena in Atlanta.
You know, a lot of debate of whether CM Punk
has turned his back on the WWE Universe.
What do you think?
[JBL] It's his first main event since December, Michael.
What do you mean has he turned his back on the WWE Universe?
He's held the championship over 300 days
and in that time, who's gotten all the press?
Cena and Rock, Triple H and Brock, The Undertaker and the Streak.
This man has carried the company for the last two years,
300 plus days as champion,
and for some reason, this guy does not get the respect he deserves.
Is he correct? Yes, Michael, he is correct.
[Michael] You were the longest running WWE Champion
in SmackDown history, 280 days,
and it seems like you've been talked about more,
got more respect than he's ever had, Punk ever has.
[JBL] When I show up, people still talking about my championship reign.
CM Punk has held it three weeks longer than I did, Michael.
But you know what they talk about? It's Cena's movies,
it's about the great Triple H, it's about The Streak.
How could you forget this man right here?
He is right. He is the backbone of his company.
He's the one you headline an event when you go to Poughkeepsie,
when you to Sacramento.
He's carrying the company, Michael.
-[music stops] -[crowd jeering]
[JBL] And he is the best in the world.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk
["The Time Is Now" playing]
Twenty miles from home tonight.
Big night. Thank you guys very much.
It's a very big night.
CM, I'm gonna make you pay for the kid, I feel good.
[singer] ♪ In case you forgot or fell off ♪
♪ I'm still hot, knock your shell off ♪
♪ My money stack fat Plus I can't turn the swell off… ♪
[JBL] John Cena is home in Boston.
We of course mentioned earlier that John Cena is…
well, you see him wearing his new pink and black ring gear.
[Michael] To help raise funds and awareness
for the fight against breast cancer.
This special edition merchandise supports a great cause,
the Susan G. Komen for the Cure,
the world's largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer research
and community outreach programs.
It's available at all live events and wweshop.com.
Get the gear, join the fight.
[JBL] And this cause's entire association
is because of that man right there, John Cena.
Well done to the champ.
[Michael] We just saw the shot of the four brave courageous women
who are tonight, breast cancer survivors enjoying Night of Champions.
[bell ringing]
[Justin] Ladies and gentlemen, this contest set for one fall
is for the WWE Championship.
Introducing first, the challenger from West Newbury, Massachusetts,
weighing 251 pounds,
John Cena.
[crowd cheering]
[Justin] And his opponent, from Chicago, Illinois,
weighing 218 pounds, he is the current WWE Champion,
CM Punk.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Now, the WWE Championship is nearly 50 years old.
Went into effect April of 1963.
Buddy Rogers, the first champion,
and all-time greats along the way have held that title,
including the man on my left, John "Bradshaw" Layfield.
[JBL] The "Nature Boy," Buddy Rogers,
named after a Nat King Cole song, Michael, in 1948.
[Michael] Of course, among the all-time greats,
Bruno Sammartino, Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund,
superstar Billy Graham, who Punk just passed
-his title reign. -[JBL] Pedro Morales.
And of course John Cena.
Ladies and gentlemen,
John Cena is the fourth longest number of combined days
as WWE Champion in history.
[JBL] John Cena also the ten-time WWE Champion, the most ever.
But again, it's all about Cena, isn't it, Michael?
-[Michael] Well, way back-- -[JBL] The tenth longest reign
out of 100 reigns is that guy right there
holding the championship above his head, CM Punk.
[Michael] Well, right now, CM Punk is making it all about himself,
a clever stall tactic here by the champion.
[JBL] Because this is a matter of dominance, Michael.
This is about one of the greatest championships in the history
of sports entertainment but it's also about dominance.
These two guys are fighting for the dominant person in the WWE.
[crowd yelling]
[inaudible]
[JBL] Great psychological tactic by CM Punk, making Cena wait.
Little showmanship, Michael.
This is big time.
Wow.
Have I ever missed this.
Punk is getting into John Cena's head.
[Michael] CM Punk, three-time world champion,
two-time WWE Champion, Intercontinental Tag Team Champion,
two-time Money in the Bank winner, Superstar of the Year.
I got the shirt now.
[Michael] And of course, John Cena, ten-time WWE Champion record,
two-time world champ, three-time United States Champion,
four-time tag team champion.
He's won the Royal Rumble, a Money in the Bank,
and he's a two-time Superstar of the Year and here we go.
Big fight atmosphere at Cena's hometown tonight.
[Michael] Lockup center of the ring for both men.
Punk is not gonna win a power game against Cena, that we know.
[JBL] He's not trying to.
[Michael] CM Punk wearing the Yankee pinstripe colors
on his boots and tights tonight.
[JBL] Everything about CM Punk is getting in somebody's head,
you got to love that.
The little subtlety of wearing the New York Yankees stripes
on his trunks, it's something that's incredible.
[Michael] And look at John Cena.
This headlock take over by Cena and headscissors by Punk.
We got a stalemate to start.
John Cena has been rather successful over the years here
in Boston, Massachusetts, his hometown,
and beat Chris Jericho for a world championship
Survivor Series 2008, beat Booker T in a match in 2007.
And he's also had some down times as well here.
Lost his United States Championship at a SummerSlam matchup
where he didn't gain a title.
[JBL] Boston has a great sports tradition, John Cena has to rank up there
with all the great sport stars, to Bobby Orr, to Splendid Splinter,
to Wade Boggs, the Rondos.
[Michael] Again very vocal WWE Universe
as they always are in matches with the polarizing John Cena.
[crowd yelling]
-[Michael] And CM Punk… -[JBL] Smart.
[Michael] …in no hurry to really lockup
get involved the shoulder knockdowns with Cena here.
[JBL] Got us a little mental chess game going on here, Michael.
[Michael] CM Punk called John Cena overrated, overhyped, and overstated.
Punk claims he's better than Austin, Rock, Shawn Michaels,
said he's a better talker, brawler, and technician than everyone.
In fact, he's the best in the world.
[JBL] That's delusions of grandeur.
Look, these guys are both wrong about each other, they're both great.
That is why they're going at it like this.
[Michael] Fisherman's suplex, went for the cover
and Punk wisely staying on his belly.
Didn't allow Cena to go for a pin there as Paul Heyman looks on.
Still do not know what relationship he has with CM Punk.
[JBL] Well, 2005, nobody wanted Punk here except for Paul Heyman.
That's on CM Punk's DVD.
He's a Paul Heyman guy.
[Michael] That elbow caught Cena in the temple, knocking him down.
Last we saw Heyman, of course, was his relationship with Lesnar.
And then CM Punk now with a headlock takeover.
[JBL] And before that, Paul Heyman was the only guy
to have three straight champions in a row, 2006.
And now, he's in some type of relationship with CM Punk.
I don't know if it's a advocate,
I don't know if he's a manager, doesn't matter.
[crowd chanting] Let's go Cena, Cena sucks!
Let's go Cena, Cena sucks!
[Michael] Fourteen thousand eight hundred and eighty-six vocal fans
here tonight at the Garden.
Came in electric since the get-go. There's a big back body drop by Cena.
And now John Cena went for the attack.
CM Punk shrewdly ducked underneath.
[Michael] Punk right to the tip of the nose and Punk again.
Into the cover, hook to the leg on Cena, will he put him away, not like that.
[JBL] And he's not gonna put him away this early. He knows that.
That cover is just to make Cena work.
[Michael] Elbow again.
Perfectly placed elbow, as was that one by the WWE Champion.
John Cena claimed that Punk was a very insecure champion,
that he's desperate and delusional.
[JBL] That comes out of ego of John Cena.
John Cena is a great champion, taking nothing away from John Cena,
but these guys right now are fighting for dominance.
That's what this is about.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And look at CM Punk.
And the boasting there by Punk may cost the champion.
John Cena the powerhouse-- Oh, and a DDT.
CM Punk rolling Cena over, hook to the leg,
shoulders down, and a kickout.
What's interesting about the rivalry between these two men
is we got to remember back to Money in the Bank pay-per-view
back in 2011.
That was the night that CM Punk defeated John Cena,
won the WWE Championship and walked out of WWE.
It was a night that changed the entire complexion
of the WWE as we know it today.
It was at Punk's hometown in Chicago.
Here's the cover on Cena and a kickout.
And since then, things have really gone CM Punk's way.
[JBL] And you think about it, every media outlet in the United States
was covering that event.
[crowd chanting] Let's go Cena, Cena sucks!
[crowd chanting] Let's go Cena…
[JBL] Every fan here has an opinion of John Cena.
[Michael] Not many in the history of WWE have ever evoked an emotional response
out of the fans like John Cena has.
And Punk doing a great job here early on keeping Cena under control.
Cena with a shoulder knockdown.
That's what Cena needed to do, create separation, start to roll here.
Punk up over the top. Nice drop toehold by the champion.
And a very, very unique bridge
in a possible submission maneuver here on Cena.
[Heyman] Come on, John boy.
[Michael] John Cena in a predicament.
What is Cena gonna do?
Punk has Cena right where he wants him.
Will Cena tap?
What's he gonna do to get out of this?
Heyman looks on.
[JBL] This is what CM Punk has to do this entire match,
just constantly wear John Cena down.
I don't know if there's ever been a competitor
that is stronger physically than John Cena.
[Michael] And Cena perhaps just showing us the display
of that power here as he tries to fight his way out.
And he does momentarily.
Look at Cena, though, the damage may have been done.
John Cena is hurting.
CM Punk has done a great job thus far neutralizing Cena.
[JBL] How smart is Cena, go outside and get a breather.
This is two great champions, Michael, in the prime of their lives.
[Michael] Yeah. But you know Cena could be hurt.
[JBL] Whether he is or isn't, Michael, the point is he had enough sense
to get out of the ring to gather himself.
[Michael] Again, WWE Championship rules advantage to that man Punk,
you got to pin him or make him submit to win the title.
Punk through the second rope taking out Cena.
CM Punk.
[ref] Come on, John!
And I'm a bit surprised.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Cena! Let's go, Cena!
[Michael] And there, of course, John Cena's father
looking on, watching this matchup.
And I was gonna say I'm a bit surprised with the way this matchup had started.
Punk has been in almost complete control.
[JBL] Punk's on the top of his game, he's never been better.
And he's fighting for something that he believes was taken from him
and that is respect.
Why does Cena get three feature movies? Why does Cena get on SNL?
Why does Cena get the prime spot at WrestleMania?
[crowd booing]
[Michael] Because John Cena has earned it.
He's worked hard to earn
-the respect of the fans. -[JBL] Yes. Yes.
And look at Punk set right out into the WWE fans in the front row.
[JBL] John Cena has earned it.
But so has CM Punk, and that's why CM Punk is mad.
[crowd yelling]
[JBL] Cena with a strike. Oh, man.
[Michael] Wow.
I don't necessarily disagree with you that CM Punk deserves respect
but I just think he's going about it the wrong way.
[JBL] He deserves it as well.
[Michael] And here's CM Punk tossed back into the ring.
John Cena now on the attack.
WWE Championship up for grabs here tonight.
Cena, perhaps going for the AA.
And CM Punk, what a kick, caught Cena.
Caught him flush.
[JBL] Punk will never match strength with Cena.
I don't know anybody that could.
He's got to continue to use his head to get ahead of John Cena
and that's exactly what he's doing.
[Michael] There's no doubt he's a great technical wrestler
and CM Punk who claims he's the best of the world,
again, looking to wear John Cena down.
[JBL] He's held the title for 300 straight days, Michael.
How does that not make you the best in the world?
[Michael] The game plan from Punk has been impeccable thus far.
John Cena has not been able to get out of the block so to speak.
[crowd chanting] Cena! Cena! Cena!
[Michael] Look at Cena. Again, look at the strength.
Look at the power of this man.
[JBL] You can't plan that in the gym. -[Michael] Look at this.
[JBL] There's nobody a freak of nature like John Cena.
[Michael] Cena lifting Punk's deadweight.
And again, Punk fighting back with the elbows to the back of the neck.
This has been a display by the champion thus far.
[JBL] Cena is your prototypical sports entertainer.
If you had one good design, it would be John Cena.
But the record that Punk has demands respect and he's not getting it.
[Michael] And Punk dancing a little bit.
Come on, hometown.
[Michael] Mocking Cena.
Little jabs by Punk.
Oh, what a right hand, glancing blow.
But Cena's down, hook to the leg, two-count kickout.
[Jack] Two. Two.
[Michael] Punk just toying with Cena with those jabs.
Psychological more than anything.
[JBL] And Punk knows he's not gonna get a three-count there.
He's covering him just to make him kickout,
just to show he's still dominant.
[Michael] CM Punk top rope.
[JBL] CM Punk is wrestling right now a perfect match.
[Michael] And Punk--oh, off the top rope, Cena down again.
John Cena said that this matchup tonight could be the moment
that will define CM Punk's existence.
[JBL] So far it is.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And now CM Punk perhaps looking for the Go To Sleep,
John Cena fights out of it.
The Go To Sleep, of course, the finishing maneuver of Punk.
And there's Cena shoulder knockdown,
suddenly you start to feel something's changed. No.
[JBL] Punk counter.
[Michael] Switch balance, midair, got him, no, kickout by Cena.
[JBL] That is scouting right there.
[Michael] And again CM Punk has got Cena off his game.
Cena was going for that side slam that would lead into the Five Knuckle Shuffle,
CM Punk countered, swinging neckbreaker.
Cena counters this time.
-And there's a wicked clothesline. -[JBL] Wow.
[Michael] That clothesline will send a message.
Here's the hook to the leg, shoulders down, champion kicks out.
[JBL] The championship match, everything sends a message, Michael.
[Michael] And there was a little extra pepper on that one.
[JBL laughs] That wasn't a clothesline, that was a right hook.
[Michael] It's like a clothesline I used to remember you threw.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And now John Cena.
-You can't see me. -[crowd] You can't see me.
[Michael] "You can't see me" from Cena usually sets up the Five Knuckle Shuffle.
-This time, Punk counters with a boot. -[JBL] What a counter.
[Michael] And again, everything Cena's thrown at Punk,
Punk has had an answer for.
[JBL] And you wonder if that's not Pauly Heyman.
You wonder if that's not scouting.
You wonder that's not some type of coaching.
[Michael] Now, look at this. Don't give Heyman that much credit.
But nonetheless there's the neckbreaker,
hook of the leg, shoulders down and Cena at two.
[JBL] But you'd give CM Punk that much credit.
-[Michael] Well, you should. -[JBL] He has countered everything that
-John Cena has thrown at him so far. -[Michael] And I do agree with you.
It's been an impeccable game plan tonight so far for Punk.
[JBL] And that is game plan.
That's coming in here with the plan to execute.
[Michael] Cena's down, Punk is slowly making it to his feet.
[crowd chanting]
[Michael] This is the pace that Punk wants.
[crowd chanting]
[Michael] Waiting for Cena to make to his feet, Cena's struggling.
CM Punk gonna launch himself off the top rope, caught by Cena.
Cena rolls through, there's the strength of John Cena.
[JBL] I'm telling you, this guy is amazing.
-[crowd cheering] -[Michael] Wow, what strength.
Went for the AA, CM Punk too close to the rope,
and CM Punk drops to the floor below.
[JBL] No matter how much scouting you do, no matter much you think you know,
when you get in there with John Cena, and I've done it,
-the strength of John Cena is un-- -[Michael] Uh-oh.
-[JBL] Here we go. -[Michael] Heads up. John Cena.
How often do you see Cena do that?
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] How often do you see John Cena do that?
[JBL] That's the importance of this match, Michael.
That's when you're going for a championship.
[Michael] John Cena looking for his 11th WWE title tonight.
John Cena trying to build a little momentum, CM Punk in trouble.
-[Michael] And here comes Cena. -[JBL] This is the ten-time WWE Champion.
-You can't see me. -[crowd] You can't see me.
[JBL] This might be 11.
[Michael] Went for the Five Knuckle Shuffle again.
And again CM Punk countered.
And look at this, going for the Anaconda Vise.
Punk going for the Vise, Punk trying to lock it in.
-Submission maneuver. -[JBL] Countered him again.
-[Michael] Punk's trying to lock it in. -[JBL] This time it could be it.
[Michael] Is John Cena gonna tap out? Is Cena gonna tap out?
Is Cena gonna tap out to Punk?
-The champion in control. -I'm the best in the world!
-[Michael] Cena's in trouble. -[JBL] You better give him respect now.
[Michael] Cena's in trouble.
John Cena, how is he gonna power out of this thing?
Nowhere to go, middle of the ring. Punk's got it locked in.
John Cena up over the top, watch Cena, Cena's out.
Cena's out of it. Now, for a submission of his own. STF.
-[JBL] Wow. -[Michael] STF.
-Punk, is Punk gonna tap? -[JBL] Right in the middle of the ring.
-[Michael] STF. -[JBL] The middle of the ring.
-[Michael] STF. -[JBL] With that huge beast on top of you.
There's nowhere for CM Punk to go.
[Michael] If Punk taps out, we'll crown a new champion at Night of Champions.
Cena with the STF.
How much is Punk gonna gave here?
How much does he have left?
[JBL] Does he have anything left, Michael?
[Michael] CM Punk trying to slide his head
underneath the arm of Cena, successfully does.
-Now Punk, look at this Crossface. -[JBL] Another counter.
Another great counter.
[Michael] Look at the Crossface by Punk.
He's got it locked in. Cena, Cena in trouble.
Now with Cena, will he tap out?
Back and forth we go.
Submission maneuver after submission maneuver.
Heyman concerned.
[Michael] What is Cena gonna do here?
[JBL] All those muscles work against you sometimes, Michael.
When you get them all bunched up like that, you can't breathe.
[Michael] Yeah, but when you have all those muscles you can do stuff like this.
-The power of Cena. Oh, man. -[JBL] Oh, my God in heaven.
[Michael] John Cena.
[crowd cheering]
[inaudible]
[Michael] Heyman cannot believe it, he's muttering to himself.
[JBL] I can't believe it, Michael.
[crowd chanting] Cena. Cena. Cena
[Michael] Punk tried two submission maneuvers
and couldn't get Cena to tap.
[JBL] And neither one were countered. It's the pure brute strength of John Cena.
[Michael] WWE Universe here backing Cena, trying to get him back into this match.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk. CM Punk. CM Punk
[crowd chanting]
[Michael] And a heel kick to the jaw.
[JBL] Another great counter.
[Michael] And there's that high running knee.
Caught up by a straight clothesline there by Punk who's gonna go to the top rope.
[JBL] No wasted time.
[Michael] Well, remember what Cena said about this, this past Monday night on Raw.
[JBL] No hot-dogging.
[Michael] Cena mocked CM Punk for using the Macho Man's Elbow.
But will he use it effectively there?
-[JBL] No. -[Michael] And a kickout at two.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] Stay with the game plan, Punk. Stay with the game plan.
[Michael] Back and forth we go for the WWE Championship.
[crowd cheering and booing]
[Michael] Nighty night, says Punk.
[JBL] This could be the respect that CM Punk's been wanting.
[Michael] This could be the moment that defines his existence,
as Cena said earlier.
[JBL] He could defeat the ten-time WWE Champion in his hometown,
how sweet would that be.
[Michael] CM Punk.
-Cena on his shoulders. -[JBL] Nighty night.
[Michael] Go To Sleep time. Cena countered.
-[crowd cheering] -[Michael] Cena countered.
Nowhere for Punk to go. STF. STF submission hold.
[JBL] What do you gotta do to beat this guy?
[Michael] Will Punk tap? Will Punk tap?
[JBL] Of course he's gonna tap.
[Michael] Punk's arms flaring all over the place.
Trying to drag himself to the rope to force the break.
Cena doing all he can, Punk trying to make it there and he does.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd booing]
[Michael] Cena's gotta break the hold.
[JBL] But what does CM Punk have left?
[Michael] Both men leaving it all in the ring for the WWE Championship.
[JBL] This is a matter of dominance.
They both wanna be the dominant guy.
-[Michael] Look at this. Go To Sleep. -[JBL] Good night.
-[Michael] Punk's got it. -[crowd] One, two.
-[JBL] No. No. -[Michael] Cena. Cena. Cena.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] You gotta be kidding me.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] John Cena kicked out
-the Go To Sleep. -[JBL] What do you do
when you throw your best shot at somebody
and you don't beat him?
[Michael] And CM Punk has thrown many of his best shots at Cena tonight,
submission moves, the Go To Sleep,
and he still hasn't been able to knock off Cena.
[crowd chanting] Cena! Cena! Cena! Cena! Cena!
[Michael] And the frustration really showing both on Heyman and Punk now.
You gotta come up with something else.
[JBL] Wouldn't you be, Michael?
He just hit him with the best thing he had and didn't beat him.
[crowd chanting]
[Michael] What is Punk gonna do now?
He's pulled out all the stops seemingly.
[Michael] And both of these guys been beat up, battered, bruised.
[JBL] This is what Punk has spent 300 days living for,
this moment to beat John Cena in his hometown.
[Michael] And Punk in a clothesline, and now Punk.
[JBL] Punk's still in control. John Cena isn't.
[Michael] Again into the cover, shoulders down this time
and a two, Cena fights out again.
[JBL] Cena has no idea where he's at.
[Michael] Punk does, but it's gotta be going through his head,
-"What do I do to beat this man?" -[JBL] Keep going to the well.
[Michael] He's had a great game plan the entire night
but he hasn't been able to finish off Cena.
[JBL] You can't game plan against strength and tenacity like Cena has.
You just gotta keep going to the well.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Absolute humiliation there.
-Caught the slap. -[JBL] Here he is.
[Michael] Going to the Go To Sleep again, John Cena from behind,
-John Cena going for the AA. -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Punk counters, misses wildly, Cena side slam.
Now John Cena, now he hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle.
Going for the AA.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Attitude Adjustment, 11-time champion.
And Punk kicked out.
[crowd cheering]
Hey.
[Michael] What a match.
[Michael] Everybody in this arena thought John Cena won the title,
everybody but Punk, who kicked out at two.
[JBL] That's why he's been champion for so long, Michael.
That's why he's deserving of your respect.
These two guys have thrown everything they have at each other.
[Michael] Cena even questioned the referee there.
[JBL] Now Cena is perplexed.
[Michael] He can't win the title on a count-out.
John Cena has to get Punk back into the ring.
[JBL] Punk has the wherewithal to get out of the ring.
[Michael] Now it's Cena who's frustrated after he couldn't put Punk away.
These men have thrown everything at one another
and still no decision in this matchup.
[JBL] Both have won championships with less
than what they've done to each other today.
[Michael] Now John Cena is gonna go on top.
[Michael] Went for the leg drop, nobody home, could be Punk's opportunity.
[JBL] Another great counter.
[Michael] A roundhouse kick, Punk quickly trying to
-shoot the half. -[JBL] He's out.
[Michael] And he does, shoulders down, and a kickout again by Cena.
And Punk is about to blow his stack.
[JBL] This is where Punk cannot lose it.
You know he's had to dig deep, he's already digging deep.
You gotta keep your brain in the game here, CM Punk.
[Michael] Yeah, but how do you do that, John?
I mean, Cena has kicked out of everything Punk's done.
[JBL] Keep going to the well, just keep going.
[Michael] I mean, you've been in the ring with John Cena.
You know how tough this guy is.
[JBL] The toughest guy I've ever been in the ring with
and the strongest guy I've ever been with is John Cena.
That's what Punk right now is realizing.
The reason John Cena is the face of this company.
[Michael] Speaking of faces, slapping Cena across the face.
[JBL] But there's a reason that CM Punk has also been champion
for 300 straight days and that right there is it.
[Michael] Into the temple, again into the cover for the champ.
Hook to the leg, kicked out again.
[JBL] We're watching two guys in the prime of their life, Michael, battle it out.
You gotta love, love, love this.
[Michael] You know what, I think frustration now for Punk
maybe turning to desperation,
because Punk is continuing to find himself not being able to put Cena away.
[Michael] Yeah, but would you rather be desperate
or would you rather be like John Cena
and be half out of it right now in the middle of the ring?
[Michael] It won't matter if Punk can't beat him.
[crowd yelling]
CM Punk top rope.
CM Punk is not gonna do that.
He went for a moonsault, again desperate times,
desperate measures may have cost the champ.
An awkward moonsault by Punk
and I just think Punk, again, is so frustrated--
[JBL] Punk's just trying something. Punk's just trying anything
to find the way to put this guy down, John Cena.
[Michael] I can't remember the last time I saw CM Punk try a moonsault if ever.
[JBL] You gotta respect him for trying. They're pulling everything out, Michael.
They've thrown everything but the Cena kitchen sink at them.
[Michael] Watch this, here's the moonsault,
Cena just barely got out of the way.
And now, turning point of the match, both men head-to-head.
Center of the ring, John Cena going for the AA,
straight power, brute strength, going for the Go To Sleep is CM Punk.
-And he hit it again. He hit it again. -[JBL] Ballgame. What a match. Good--
-[Michael] And Cena kicked out again. -[JBL] You're kidding me?
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] John Cena kicked out again.
[Michael] Punk has tried submission maneuvers,
flying elbows, Go To Sleeps, moonsault,
-everything possible. -[JBL] And he's--
[crowd chanting]
[JBL] I respected John Cena before, before I came here tonight.
After tonight, whether he wins this match or not,
my respect runs deep, deep for John Cena,
unbelievable tenacity by this guy.
[Michael] Punk's wheels are turning.
[JBL] But if Punk wins this match, Michael,
respect is going to come from the world.
[Michael] CM Punk begging Cena to make it back to his feet.
What does Punk have in mind?
Trying to hook Cena here.
-Rock Bottom. -[JBL] Rock Bottom.
[Michael] That's a Rock Bottom. Hook of the leg, did he get it? No.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] CM Punk resorting to taking a move from The Rock,
and that didn't work.
Look at the face, "What do I gotta do?"
"What do I gotta do?"
[JBL] Cena doesn't even know where he is.
He has no idea where he is.
All he knows is deep down he does not want to get beat.
What a champion. Oh, my God.
[Michael] And now Cena.
-AA! AA! AA! -[crowd] One, two.
[Michael] And Punk kicked out.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Who is gonna win this match?
[JBL] It's all even.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk. CM Punk. CM Punk.
[JBL] They both have landed everything they have, Michael, everything.
[Michael] Now, it's Cena
-who's saying, "What do I gotta do?" -[JBL] Cena has won ten championships
with that move.
Punk has beaten guys for 300 straight days with the moves
that he's hit John Cena with.
[Michael] I don't even think CM Punk realizes where he's at.
John Cena had to lift Punk up.
[Michael] Cena has him up here.
John, these guys are pulling out every stop imaginable.
[crowd chanting] This is awesome.
[JBL] They're just trying things, Michael.
[crowd chanting] This is awesome.
[Michael] And the Universe simply saying, "This is awesome."
-What a German. Cover. Did he get him? -[crowd] One, two, three.
-[JBL] He got him. Unbelievable. -[Michael] He got it. He got it.
-Cena did it. Cena did it. Cena did it. -[JBL] Unbelievable.
[Justin] The winner of this match, and the new WWE Champion,
-John Cena. -["The Time Is Now" playing]
[Michael] John Cena did it.
[JBL] That could be the greatest display of tenacity
I've ever seen, Michael. Unbelievable.
[Michael] And now the celebration for Cena, an 11-time WWE Champion.
[JBL] Incredible.
-[Michael] What a match. -[JBL] The match for dominance.
John Cena just established himself as the most dominant guy in the WWE.
[Michael] What an absolutely incredible match.
[JBL] Unbelievable, Michael.
This is what championship matches are all about.
[Michael] Both guys left everything in the ring.
♪ You'll never catch me In the next man's sweater ♪
♪ If they hate, let 'em hate I drop ya whole clan… ♪
[Michael] And in his hometown in Boston.
[JBL] It doesn't get any sweeter than that.
[Michael] John Cena soaks it all in.
♪ You can't see me My time is now, now, now ♪
♪ It's the franchise Boy, I'm shinin' now, now, now ♪
♪ You can't see me, my time is now ♪
[crowd cheering]
[Justin] Ladies and gentlemen,
both competitors' shoulders were on the mat for a count of three.
This match is a draw.
Therefore still, your WWE Champion,
CM Punk.
[crowd jeering]
[arguing indistinctly]
I'm saying, maybe you didn't know.
You listen to me, my dad's here.
[speaking indistinctly]
You wanna end-- you wanna end this on a draw?
[speaking indistinctly]
-Hey. -[speaking indistinctly]
Can I get something?
[speaking indistinctly]
A draw?
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Oh, man. Oh, please.
Respect.
[crowd cheering and booing]
[Michael] Well, let's see, I'm still confused, but watch this.
There's the German off the top rope, now watch.
-One, two, three. -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] That was an odd angle there,
but it's--let's just see if we get a better look at this angle here.
I mean, Punk's shoulders are clearly down. But look at Cena.
Look at Cena's--his right shoulder there.
Cena's right shoulder was down.
[JBL] Right shoulder was definitely down, Michael.
[Michael] And then CM Punk last thing, you wanna talk about respect?
CM Punk, he demands respect
and that's how he's gonna go about getting it?
He's lucky he survived here tonight
but he's gonna blast Cena with the championship.
[JBL] He is lucky he survived, but that demands respect, he did survive.
-Three hundred and two days. -I'm the best in the world.
-You are. -I'm the best in the world.
-And that's why I respect you. -I'm the best in the world.
-That's why I respect you. -I'm the best in the world.
Tell 'em! Tell 'em. Tell 'em.
["Cult of Personality" playing]
You did it. This is all for you.
♪ Look in my eyes What do you see? ♪
♪ The cult of personality ♪
♪ I know your anger, I know your dreams ♪
♪ I've been everything you wanna be ♪
♪ Oh, I'm the cult of personality ♪
[Michael] So on this night in John Cena's hometown of Boston,
respect or not, CM Punk is still WWE Champion,
301 days and counting.
Goodnight from Boston. is still WWE Champion,