[soft inspirational music playing]
[narrator] What defines a champion?
It isn't just winning,
but champions win.
-[bell ringing] -[Gorilla] Bruno Sammartino!
[narrator] It isn't all about glory,
but champions find it.
[Gorilla] Hulkamania is here.
[narrator] Their passion is undeniable.
[Vince] The boyhood dream has come true.
[narrator] Their drive is unstoppable.
[Heenan] Long live The Undertaker.
[narrator] Their greatest moment is always right now.
[Ross] The Austin era has begun.
[narrator] When pressure is at its greatest,
a champion is at his best.
Why?
Because nothing else matters.
-["Night of Gold" playing] -[narrator] Throughout the years,
so many things have changed.
But what it means to be a champion,
to have the heart of a champion,
that will never change.
Tonight is a night of champions,
and as we remember the past,
we look to tonight and dream of the future.
♪ I'm gonna be a champion ♪
♪ Yeah, I've got what it takes ♪
[Daniel] I can be WWE Champion.
[Triple H] You are not an A player.
The face, you don't have it,
of a company.
I don't care what you think!
♪ I'm gonna be a champion ♪
[CM Punk] After what was done to me,
I want a fight!
Anybody that steps in between you and I, I will rip apart.
[narrator] Tonight, there is only one thing that matters.
[Randy] There's not a chance in hell that you can win this fight.
[narrator] To walk out of this arena
[Daniel] Randy Orton may have the genetics of a champion.
[narrator] a champion.
[Daniel] But Randy, you don't have the heart…
of a champion.
[music concludes]
[narrator] And now, WWE Night of Champions.
[fireworks banging]
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And tonight, we celebrate those at the top,
those who proved they are the best,
those who are champions.
You are looking live at the Joe Louis Arena
in Detroit, Michigan,
and this is Night of Champions.
[dramatic music playing]
[Justin] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
the COO of the WWE,
Triple H.
["King of Kings" playing]
♪ Behold the King ♪
♪ The King of Kings ♪
♪ On your knees, dog ♪
[Michael] So, it is only appropriate that we begin tonight
with one of our all-time great champions,
a 13-time world champion, Triple H.
But many say he hasn't been quite a champion
while running things as COO of WWE.
Hello again, everybody.
At ringside, I'm Michael Cole, he's John Layfield,
he's Jerry "The King" Lawler. You were gonna say?
I was gonna say I don't know how many people are saying that,
anything derogatory about The Game,
because they fear for their jobs if they speak out against him.
[JBL] He's doing what's best for business.
It's that simple.
[Michael] Also joining us at ringside, our Spanish colleagues,
Carlos Cabrera, Marcelo Rodriguez.
Hola, gentlemen.
[speaking Spanish]
[Jerry, in English] I heard him say something bad
about Paul Heyman, and I agree.
Welcome to Night of Champions!
[crowd cheering]
I am extremely proud to put my stamp of approval on tonight's matches
as I truly believe Night of Champions
will be one of the greatest nights in WWE history.
[crowd cheering]
And to show you that I am not the…
villainous, corporate, evil guy
that many of the WWE superstars think that I am…
to show you that I have listened to the WWE Universe…
and that I think you want what I want, which is what's best for business.
[crowd cheering]
So tonight,
in the WWE Championship match,
where Daniel Bryan…
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! Yes! Yes!
…will take on WWE Champion Randy Orton.
[crowd cheering]
There will be no interference from anybody.
[crowd cheering]
That means no Shield,
that means no Big Show,
that means nobody.
Just Orton and Daniel Bryan, one-on-one.
We will find out who should be WWE Champion.
So with that said, are you ready?
[crowd cheering]
I said, are you ready
-for Night of Champions? -[Heyman] Hey. Whoa, whoa.
Stop, stop.
[crowd booing]
Hi.
Um… Pardon the interruption, but I have been calling
and texting and e-mailing you.
I have left messages with your executive assistants,
I have left messages with your wife,
I have left messages with your servants.
I don't know what it takes to get a reply from you.
I understand how busy you are,
but I have, sir,
a desperate need to speak with you.
I didn't want it to be here in public,
in your ring, face-to-face,
but I have a really serious problem
with what you're considering to be best for business.
Paul, Paul, first of all…
You all right? You look terrible.
[crowd laughing]
[Triple H] When's the last time you've slept?
Paul, you need--
When's the last time you've showered?
What is wrong with you? You're falling apart, man.
You're a wreck.
Of course I'm a wreck! I--
I apologize. I--
No one should ever raise their voice to a man in your position,
and I apologize to you, especially on this,
which is the most heavily anticipated Night of Champions in history,
and that goes to your credit, sir.
I respect and I admire your vision
and your leadership.
But with all due respect,
I think tonight you've made one serious error in judgment.
You put me, a non-athlete,
a middle-aged father of two,
in a hand--
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk!
CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
In a-- in a Handicap Elimination match against a man--
not just a man, a fighter.
A fighter of such dominance, even your WWE
accepted my branding of him as being The Best in the World.
A fighter that came within an inch
of snapping The Undertaker's streak at WrestleMania.
A fighter that gave Brock Lesnar
all that Brock could handle.
And this man doesn't wanna just wrestle me or grapple me Greco,
this man wants to beat me up.
This man wants to hurt me.
This man--
[crowd cheering]
He wants to give me such a beating
that Paul Heyman will never be seen in WWE again.
And--
[crowd cheering]
I'm… [stammers]
I'm begging you to do what's best for business.
Please cancel this Handicap Elimination match
with CM Punk.
[crowd booing]
[crowd chanting] No! No! No! No!
No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!
No! No! No! No! No!
You make some good points, Paul.
Does this have anything the fact-- to do with the fact
that your match was made into
a No Disqualification Elimination Handicap match?
Yes.
You've already tried to weasel out of this thing.
I don't see it happening again.
But here's the reality, Paul.
There's no reason to be scared.
In this kind of match, quite honestly,
you don't even have to tag in if you don't want to.
I mean, just let Curtis Axel here handle CM Punk.
I mean, you believe that Curtis Axel
can handle CM Punk, don't you?
If you-- if you believe in Curtis Axel
like you say you believe in Curtis Axel,
then there's no problem.
You do believe in Curtis Axel, don't you?
[inaudible]
My feeling, Paul?
The match stays.
[crowd cheering]
Is there-- is there no more honor amongst thieves? I mean--
What are you doing?
You think this is funny, Hunter?
-[inaudible] -What's wrong with you?
Is this something personal going on here?
I know what it is.
It's ever since I became-- The first day I became Paul Heyman Guy,
it was May 20th, in Kansas City,
on Monday Night Raw.
I beat you
in a match.
That's it, isn't it?
Wow, you actually even remember the date.
-That's impressive. -He's sorry.
No, no. There's an old saying,
"Don't poke the bear," right?
So Paul Heyman brings up a good point earlier
that I made a mistake tonight.
After all, this is Night of Champions
No, no!
-What did you do? What did you do? -[crowd cheering]
And if I am mistaken, at Night of Champions,
all championships are defended.
[crowd cheering]
[Triple H] Now, luckily for me,
this is a mistake that I can fix now.
See, what I am gonna do right here on September 15th
in Detroit.
[crowd cheering]
I am gonna walk back down that aisle,
and you are gonna defend the Intercontinental Championship
against the first person I cross
when I walk back there.
And Curtis,
don't go anywhere,
'cause that match is gonna take place right now.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Oh, boy.
-["King of Kings" playing] -[JBL laughs] Here we go!
[Michael] The night not starting quite the way Mr. Heyman would like.
[Jerry] I think Curtis Axel let his alligator mouth
overload his hummingbird rear end.
[JBL] All Triple H is doing is what's best for business.
[laughing]
[Jerry] Well, the WWE Universe here seems to like it.
Let me, um… Um…
[crowd jeering]
Listen, it can't be that bad, right?
Ladies and gentlemen, at this juncture,
I would like to inform you that this Intercontinental Championship match
is being contested under protest
by my client, Curtis Axel.
[crowd booing]
[Michael] Who's he gonna protest to?
[Jerry] Next, he'll file a grievance.
-Of all people. You know-- -I can't handle this.
-You know how he gets. [JBL] You think he'd be subpoenaed?
[Jerry] Who do you think Triple H is just gonna come across back there?
["S.O.S." playing]
-[crowd cheering] -[inaudible]
-[JBL] Uh-oh. [chuckling] -[Michael] Oh, yeah!
♪ SOS ♪
♪ I hear them shoutin' ♪
♪ SOS ♪
♪ I hear them cryin', everybody ♪
♪ You woke up in a bad-man place… ♪
[Michael] This is not good news for Curtis Axel,
'cause, guys, you recall over the past couple of weeks,
Kofi Kingston owns a couple of victories over Curtis Axel,
-including a pinfall win. -[Jerry laughing]
[Michael] So tonight, it's for the Intercontinental Championship,
and Paul Heyman is beside himself.
[Jerry] It looks like he suddenly got sick to his stomach.
He may lose his lunch here.
♪ I hear them callin' ♪
♪ SOS ♪
♪ I hear them shoutin' ♪
♪ SOS ♪
♪ I hear them cryin' ♪
♪ SOS ♪
♪ I hear them callin' ♪
[music concludes]
[inaudible]
[bell ringing]
[crowd chanting] Kofi! Kofi! Kofi!
Kofi! Kofi! Kofi!
Kofi! Kofi!
[Michael] What a critical matchup for both of these men.
Kofi Kingston battling for the Intercontinental Championship,
Curtis Axel battling to build momentum
toward the Two-on-One Elimination matchup later tonight versus Punk.
[JBL] Well, you gotta be prepared when opportunity knocks.
A huge opportunity for Kofi Kingston.
[Michael] You know, we mentioned Chris Jericho
has won the Intercontinental Championship a record eight times.
A victory tonight for Kofi Kingston
would mean he would hold the Intercontinental title for five times.
[Jerry] Yeah, Kofi Kingston has been a great Intercontinental Champion,
and nothing more in the world
that would please this young man more than to do it again here tonight.
[JBL] And, King, he's had Curtis Axel numbered recently.
[Michael] Curtis Axel, of course, won the Intercontinental title
back on Father's Day.
Here's the cover by Kofi Kingston.
Rather appropriate since we mentioned his father,
the late, great Mr. Perfect,
one of the great all-time Intercontinental champs.
[Jerry] Can you imagine Kofi Kingston just being here tonight,
not even knowing if he was gonna compete or anything,
and suddenly, he's in a match for the Intercontinental title.
[Michael] I'd like to thank you for joining us tonight on pay-per-view
and all over the world in places like the United Kingdom on Sky Box Office,
Australia on Main Event,
Spain on Priso TV and Uno,
and in the Middle East on Abu Dhabi TV and OSN.
-[group 1 chanting] Let's go, Kofi! -[group 2 chanting] Let's go, Axel!
-[group 1] Let's go, Kofi! -[group 2] Let's go, Axel!
[Michael] And there's Kingston, up over the top.
And Curtis Axel gonna take a breather.
[Jerry] Well, Curtis has been a little cautious, and I don't blame him.
A lot at stake here.
[JBL] The pressure's always on Curtis Axel.
I mean, Curtis Axel's not only defending his championship impromptu,
he knew nothing about it, but think about what he's got coming up
with "The Best in the World" CM Punk,
and trying to take care of his meal ticket, Paul Heyman.
[Jerry] Yeah, the pressure's on Paul Heyman as well.
[JBL] You better believe it, you can look at him and smell him.
[Michael] Yeah, I'd like one of you guys to answer Triple H's question.
Does Paul Heyman have faith that Axel can beat Punk later tonight?
[Jerry] I don't know. I could just judge by the look on Paul Heyman's face.
He didn't look-- it was not a look of confidence.
It was not a look of-- like he was secure
in the fact that nothing bad was gonna happen to him tonight.
[JBL] Hey, pressure makes diamonds.
It also breaks bones.
[Jerry] Oh, look out.
[JBL] You don't know how people are gonna respond to it.
[Michael] And Kofi Kingston looking to wear out Axel
who doesn't quite seem to be in this, at least mentally,
in the early going as Kingston--
[JBL] Well, you prepare like crazy for a guy like CM Punk.
[Michael] Oh, man!
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And again, Axel needs a time out.
[JBL] And all of a sudden, Curtis Axel thinks it's a way's away
from the match with Punk, he gets in there with Kofi Kingston.
-Don't worry about it, Paul -One!
You gotta turn this around.
[Michael] And John, you notice the way Curtis Axel
is favoring his leg.
Axel can ill afford an injury in this match tonight
with the Punk match looming.
[Jerry] Whoa.
[Michael] Again, that leg giving way.
And Kofi Kingston caught him right on the jaw.
Flushed by Kofi.
Cover, for the Intercontinental Championship,
and a kickout at two.
[JBL] But even if Curtis Axel comes out of this without an injury,
think about all the energy he expends in this match with Kofi Kingston.
[Jerry] Exactly.
[JBL] And he's got a guy who's the longest-reigning WWE Champion
in the modern era and CM Punk waiting on him?
[Jerry] And just imagine this.
Think about what would happen if Curtis Axel actually loses this match
and the title to Kofi Kingston going into that big match…
-[Michael] Nice dropkick. -[Jerry] …later on with CM Punk.
[JBL] Looked like his daddy right there. "Better than Perfect," he says.
-[Jerry] Oh, watch out here. Ow. -[Michael] And there's Kofi.
And Axel buys himself a little bit of time.
Remember that.
[JBL] Paul Heyman's not doing a lot of coaching right now.
[Jerry] Paul Heyman's walking around the ring.
Waddling around the ring.
[Michael] You know, Triple H alluded to it as well,
and we heard about it exclusively on the kickoff show…
[Jerry] Well…
[Michael] …that the Axel/Heyman match with Punk
was gonna be no disqualification now later tonight.
[Jerry] Oh, this cannot be good for Kofi.
-[Michael] Kingston-- oh, look at this. -[Jerry] Look at that.
[Michael] Great leaping off the top by Kofi as he takes out the champion!
[Jerry] Oh, my gosh.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Oh, Heyman just shakes his head.
I don't know if it's disbelief or disgust.
[Michael] Well, it's almost like he's in shock out here, Mr. Heyman.
[JBL] Well, you can imagine. You--
-[Michael] And look at Kingston. -[Jerry] There's a cover.
[Michael] Is it enough to take the title away?
And a two-count.
[Jerry] Can we take one more look at Kofi Kingston's move here?
Look at this. Climb the steps,
climb the ropes, and then whoo-hoo,
look at this leap right onto Curtis Axel.
[JBL] You can imagine. Your client, Curtis Axel, is not only in a title match
which he is losing at right now,
but you've got another match with CM Punk that Paul Heyman
has to depend on Curtis Axel.
[Michael] Oh, and Axel, Great moves.
[Jerry] Yeah.
Maybe he might be able to depend on Curtis pulling off a move like that
in the CM Punk match.
Curtis, out of there now, let's go! Come on, get up!
-One, two, three! -[Michael] Axel begins to punish Kingston.
[Jerry] And you can't go to the well once too often with a guy like Curtis Axel.
I mean, Paul Heyman has read everybody's book.
-Oh. -[Michael] Oh, man.
[Jerry] Almost broke him in half.
[JBL] And there's a reason that Curtis Axel is the chosen one.
[Michael] Is that enough here to put away Kingston?
Chosen by who?
[JBL] Paul Heyman.
What do you mean, chosen by who?
Paul Heyman had his pick of the entire WWE roster.
Who wouldn't wanna be with Paul Heyman?
-[Jerry] Me. -[JBL] His last four clients
have been world champions.
-Besides you. -[Jerry chuckles] Oh.
[referee] Curtis, come on. Hey!
[Jerry] Judging from what Triple H smelled--
or said about Paul Heyman earlier, nobody's gonna want to be with him.
[Michael] Well, Heyman's tried to do everything to get out of this match.
Monday night on Raw, he even feigned an injury.
[JBL] King, you're still mad at Paul Heyman and Austin Idol
for shaving your head several years ago.
[Jerry] You're right.
Oh, look at that face.
I'm gonna go as him for Halloween.
[Michael] What? Are you gonna wear a balloon on your head?
Oh.
[Jerry] Kofi Kingston trying desperately to get out of that grip.
-Oh, man. -[Michael] And again, Axel--
-[JBL] That's a throw. -[Michael] Great throw by Axel.
And here's the cover. Is it enough to put Kingston away?
Well, the rally by Kofi. Not enough.
Near-fall for the Intercontinental Champion,
first match of the night here in Detroit at Night of Champions.
[Jerry] I think Kofi landed right on the back of his head
with that throw from Curtis Axel.
He's still a little loopy in there.
[JBL] All that hair will help him.
[referee] Come on, Kofi, huh.
[Jerry] And that lack of hair may help Heyman.
[Michael] And Heyman seems to like the aggression
that Axel's showing here.
[crowd chanting indistinctly]
[Jerry] We're gonna watch once again where Kofi was thrown on his head.
Oh.
[Michael] And Kofi trying to fight back, former--
[Jerry] It's gonna take a while to shake the cobwebs out after that.
[Michael] Kofi looking to pick up the pace to his advantage.
Oh, and he got caught by a wicked clothesline.
[JBL] That looked more like a right hand.
[Michael] And again, shoots the half into the cover, hooks the leg.
Is it enough to put Kingston away?
And kickout at two by the challenger.
[JBL] More like something Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns
right here in Detroit would throw.
-[referee] Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! -[screams]
-[Jerry] Whoa! -Curtis, come on!
-[Jerry] Did he just walk on Kofi's face? -Stay out of his eyes.
[crowd chanting] Kofi! Kofi! Kofi!
-[JBL] There's a face for you. -[Jerry] Not again.
-[speaking indistinctly] -[crowd chanting] Kofi! Kofi! Kofi! Kofi!
[Michael] WWE fans firmly behind the challenger.
[Jerry] Heyman looks like somebody's been walking on his face.
We heard him say he has not slept--
-[Michael] Shaved. -[Jerry] And I think he hasn't showered.
Off the hair.
[Jerry] He looks like an unmade bed. Look at him.
Whoa!
[Michael] Again, Axel quickly to the cover.
-Is it enough to put Kingston away? -[referee] One, two!
[Michael] And Kofi's hanging in this thing.
[Jerry] Yeah, that's about all you can say for Kofi right now.
Curtis Axel is really in command of this match at the moment.
He's got Kofi right where he wants him.
-Look at this roll through. -[JBL] Wow.
[Jerry] Bet that does put some pressure on your neck.
[JBL] He's been targeting that head of Kofi
ever since he threw him on it.
[Jerry] Once again, trying to build up a little head of steam. Whoa, ducked that.
-[chuckling] -[Michael] Oh, man.
And Kofi, look at this!
-[Jerry] Yes! -[Michael] Planting Axel.
But can Kofi take advantage?
[JBL] Cover him, Kofi.
Come on, Kofi.
You can be a five-time Intercontinental Champion.
-[referee] Four! -[Michael] And even more importantly,
-you can make Heyman sweat even more. -[JBL] I wanna--
I agree, Michael, I would love to see Heyman's face
if Kofi wins this thing.
-[Jerry] You don't wanna-- -[JBL] Oh, my God.
[Jerry] You don't wanna read the lips of Paul Heyman.
I don't think what he has to say right now is--
[JBL] It'd be like Terry-- it'd be Terry Bradshaw.
[Jerry] Yeah-- oh.
[Michael] And here's Kingston, look at this.
Kofi off the dropkick,
and now Kofi trying to pick up the pace, build momentum here.
-The quicker pace will favor Kingston. -[Jerry] Uh-oh.
-[grunts] -[Jerry] Oh, man.
Curtis Axel ran right into two big boots. And here comes Kofi again!
[Michael] Crossbody lateral press, hook of the leg, for the title.
-And a kickout at two. -[Jerry] He got it! Oh, he didn't get it.
[Michael] A near-fall for the challenger.
[Jerry] And a near-- Oh, I had one of those.
[Michael] Heyman's now resorted to muttering to himself.
[JBL] It's been one year
since I came back at Night of Champions last year, King,
because you did have one of those.
[Jerry] I know.
[JBL] They said, "King's dead, you've gotta come fill in for him."
Here comes the momentum of Kofi.
-Boom! Boom! -[crowd] Boom! Boom!
[Michael] Kofi Kingston Boom Drop.
Kingston could be closing in on his fifth Intercontinental title.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] What a night for this young man
that he knew nothing about when he got here.
[crowd] Boom! Boom!
[Michael] Kofi Kingston trying to set up the champion here.
Axel trying to make it to his feet.
Kingston looking for Trouble in Paradise.
-[Jerry] Here it comes! -[Michael] And Kingston misses.
-[Jerry] Took too long. -[Michael] Axel.
Back it up, let's go. Curtis, that's enough.
That's enough, I said. Come on.
[Jerry] Curtis Axel driving that shoulder of his
into the midsection of Kofi Kingston.
[Michael] Yeah, but Axel's been through some battle here tonight.
-Kingston catches him. -[Jerry] Oh!
That'll put your lights out.
-Oh, and-- -[Michael] Oh, wow,
-Axel right to the gut. -[JBL] Wow!
[Michael] Great move by the Intercontinental Champion.
-The cover. -One, two.
[Michael] And Kingston stays in it.
[Jerry chuckling]
If Heyman had any hair, he'd be pulling it out right now.
Watch this amazing move by Curtis Axel.
Look at that.
How did Kofi Kingston survive that?
[Michael] The longer this match goes,
the worse it is for Heyman later on tonight.
[JBL] CM Punk has to be loving every second of this.
[Jerry] Yeah, even if-- even if Curtis Axel comes out of this unscathed,
he's still gonna be worn out.
[JBL] Here we go.
[Jerry] Be exhausted. Oh!
[Michael] Uh-oh, Kingston
-Ducks underneath. Great move by Kofi. -[Jerry] Whoa!
[Michael] Is it enough? Is it enough here for Kofi?
Axel at two.
-[Jerry laughing] Paul Heyman… -[Michael] Oh.
[Jerry] …can't believe what he's seeing here.
[Michael] And Axel who just plowed right over Kofi Kingston.
And another near-fall for the champion.
Exhilarating matchup to start here tonight on Night of Champs.
-And look at this. -One, two.
[JBL] We now have every championship on the line.
[Jerry] This shows you what these guys think of these titles.
Look how these two men are battling for the Intercontinental Championship.
[Michael] About a dozen WWE Hall of Famers
that held the Intercontinental title over the years.
Oh, Kofi went for the SOS, Axel countered,
Kofi missed Trouble in Paradise.
Curtis Axel now may have Kofi Kingston right where he wants him.
[Jerry] No.
[Michael] And Kingston, S.O.S.!
-He's beaten Axel like this before. -[JBL] What, has he got him?
[Michael] Did he get him? Did he get him? No, two and half.
[Jerry] Are you kidding me!
[Michael] Two and a half. What a near-fall for Kingston.
[Jerry] How did Curtis Axel kick out of that?
Oh, and Kofi knows he was so, so close.
[JBL] So close to his fifth Intercontinental Championship.
[Jerry] Yeah, loosen that tie, Paulrus.
-[JBL] Paulrus! -[Jerry chuckling] Yeah.
[Michael] How in the world did Axel kick out-- Oh!
[JBL] Axel's a champion, that's why.
He's the chosen one. Paul Heyman chose him for a reason.
-Whoa! -[Michael] Uh-oh.
Don't know what's gonna happen here.
-Something's gotta give. -[Jerry] I don't know. Curtis has him.
[Michael] Something's gotta give. Look at Kofi, look at Kofi.
Oh, and he got hung up on the top rope.
[JBL] Terrific counter by Curtis Axel.
[Michael] And is that enough for Axel here?
[JBL] This could be it. Here we go.
-Ball game. -[Michael] Oh, no. Ow.
[JBL] Wow, did he plant him.
-[Michael] That's it, cover by Axel. -One, two, three.
[Michael] And he retains the Intercontinental title…
-[bell ringing] -[Michael] …after a great match
from a game Kingston.
[Justin] The winner of this match
and still Intercontinental Champion,
Curtis Axel.
[JBL] Hey, kudos to Curtis Axel.
Kudos to Kofi Kingston for kicking off the pay-per-view in a championship way,
but Curtis Axel still has to go out there
against "The Best in the World" CM Punk.
[Jerry] Yeah, you're right about that.
I mean, you've got to admit, Curtis Axel expended a lot of energy.
It's got to take something out of him,
but he also gained a lot of confidence with that victory.
[Michael] And guys, let's not forget about the breaking news we heard
about on the Night of Champions kickoff show.
That Two-on-One Handicap Elimination matchup
between those two men and CM Punk later on tonight
will now be contested under No Disqualification rules.
[Jerry] Yeah, Paul Heyman almost fainted when he found that out.
What a great match we witnessed.
And we thought-- right at this point,
I thought Kofi Kingston had won this thing.
Look at that. Oh, man.
No!
[Jerry] But you got to watch-- Right here is where Curtis, oh, turns things around,
dropping Kofi across that top rope.
And then he planted Kingston, ow!
[Michael] Watch how Paul Heyman reacts to the victory by Curtis Axel.
[bell ringing]
[Michael] So, for Paul Heyman, he's a bit relieved at this point.
-He's passed the first test. -[Jerry] Is he-- Is he praying or what?
[Michael] But still a huge hill to climb for Heyman and Axel
later on tonight when they take on CM Punk,
Two-on-One Handicap Elimination matchup,
which is now No Disqualification.
Heyman can breathe a little easy,
-at least for a few more moments. -[Jerry] Yeah.
He can breathe a little easy for a short while.
We've been talking all night long, folks,
about these great polls that are on wwe.com right now.
-Yes. -Where you can vote
for some of the greatest champions of all time.
The Intercontinental title, among those on the list,
Chris Jericho, the Honky Tonk Man,
Mr. Perfect, Pat Patterson,
and "Ravishing" Rick Rude.
And it's now time to show you who you, the WWE Universe,
picked as the all-time greatest Intercontinental Champion.
[Jerry] And me and JBL, we picked too.
[Michael] Chris Jericho.
-[Jerry] Wow. -[Michael] And deservedly so.
Chris sets the record,
having eight Intercontinental Championship reigns.
[JBL] Where's my write-in vote for JBL?
[Jerry] Down there with Pat Patterson, 1%.
[Ricardo] Ow, ow, ow.
-[crowd cheering] -Yeah, right there, you feel it?
I feel it.
Dude, are you all right?
[mumbling]
Look, you fought hard against Alberto Del Rio
last week on SmackDown. Are you sure tonight you're gonna be set?
I'll be fine, I promise. I promise.
Actually, in fact-- in fact, I think I'll be a lot better after tonight you win
the World Heavyweight Championship.
Oh, yeah, you and me both, amigo.
-Hey, Ricardo. -Yup, what's up?
How would you say this in Spanish?
Five-Star Frog Splash.
El Frog Splash de Cinco Estrellas.
Frog Splash de Cinco Estrellas.
That makes sense, yeah.
And how about Mr. Monday Night? Say that one.
El señor de Las Noches de Lunes.
El señor de Las Noches de Lunes, nice, nice.
Ooh, say Rolling Thunder.
Trueno Rodante.
We'll practice that one later. It's-- We'll practice it.
Okay, all right.
Is there-- is there any Spanish to describe Alberto Del Rio?
No tiene cojones.
Ah, I know what that means.
-Mm-hmm. -Nice.
Oh, I got one more for you, all right?
Translate this,
World Heavyweight Champion.
Amigo, this one is actually very simple and universal,
RVD.
I think I got it.
-RVD. -RVD.
Like that?
-RVD. -RVD.
Good teacher.
-RVD. -RVD.
I'm speaking Spanish.
-RVD. -RVD.
World Heavyweight Champion.
-Oh, yeah. [groans] -Thanks, man. Oh, sorry.
-Nah, it doesn't hurt. -Okay, okay.
I like that.
[crowd cheering]
Hey, girls!
All right, tonight is the night, right?
I mean, what do those "divas" think?
That they are going to walk out with my title?
They are severely mistaken, right?
I mean, let's just go prove them wrong, okay?
Let's go out there and let's show them that a real diva
is going home with this title tonight.
We? [scoffs]
I don't think so.
What did you just say to me?
You heard me.
Here's the thing, you made some good points last week, fine.
But to be honest, we are done being your little army.
-Done. -Yeah.
Let's go. [scoffs]
Wait, wait, you can't walk away from me!
You're nothing without me. I am this division!
Layla, you and I are friends.
You get it, right? You understand.
Sure, I understand.
Okay, oh, gosh, I'm so glad. Okay, so at least I have you.
-So, we'll go out there now and-- -Actually, you know what?
Let me go straighten Aksana and Alicia Fox out.
I'll be right back.
Wait, Layla!
Layla, the match is next!
[Michael] Well, apparently AJ's done a pretty good job
alienating just about everybody.
Folks, we are in Detroit tonight.
Great tradition for WWE in the Detroit area.
It's hosted two WrestleManias
and, well, some of all-time sports entertainment greats
have come from this city, including the Hall of Famer,
-the original Sheik. -Yes.
The home of the Red Wings, 11th-time Stanley Cup Champions.
And we've been asking you to vote all night long at wwe.com
for some of the greatest champions of all time.
We're asking you to vote now
for who is the greatest Women's or Divas Champion.
[Jerry] Oh, and look at that illustrious list,
topped off there by The Fabulous Moolah,
Wendi Richter, Trish Stratus,
oh, Lita, or Michelle McCool.
Man, what an impressive list of Divas.
And you get to decide who you think is the all-time greatest Diva Champion.
[Michael] And let's take you back to Raw, show you AJ talking.
Oh, we're gonna show you the results, actually, ladies and gentlemen, right now,
of who you voted as the greatest champion of all time.
The Hall of Famer Trish Stratus at 56%.
Well, AJ Lee in just a few moments
is going to defend the Divas Championship in a Fatal 4-Way.
This got really interesting a few weeks ago on Monday Night Raw.
Do you wanna know what I see when I look in that ring?
A bunch of cheap, interchangeable,
expendable, useless women,
women who have turned to reality television
because they just weren't gifted enough to be actresses.
I have done more in one year than all of you have done
in your entire collective careers,
and that is reality.
[Michael] And then a couple of weeks ago on Monday Night Raw,
things really took a turn for the worse.
There was a big tag team matchup.
And look at-- check out Naomi with the Rear View.
She's part of the Fatal 4-Way.
And then AJ, who was on commentary, would get involved.
[bell ringing]
[Michael] And I don't know how wise it is for AJ Lee…
You don't deserve my title! None of you do!
[Michael] …to go after--
[JBL] Things got carried away with the other Divas.
She got passion for that title.
[Jerry] And nobody ever accused AJ of being wise.
Wily maybe.
-[JBL] Crazy maybe. -[Jerry] Wacky maybe, but not wise.
[Michael] AJ Lee even admitted,
"Hey, sometimes I do get a bit carried away."
[JBL] She is-- She is entertaining.
["New Foundation" playing]
[bell ringing]
[Lilian] The following is a Fatal 4-Way,
and it is for the Divas Championship.
Introducing the challengers. First,
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Natalya.
[Jerry] Oh, man, Nattie looks ready.
[Michael] Natalya, of course, the daughter of Jim "the Anvil" Neidhart
from the Hart Foundation.
["Somebody Call My Momma" playing]
-♪ Funk is on a roll ♪ -♪ 'Ey, 'ey, 'ayo ♪
-♪ Funk is on a roll ♪ -♪ Can somebody call… ♪
[Lilian] From Planet Funk, Naomi.
[Jerry] Oh, boy.
[JBL] The best pure athlete in the Diva division.
[Michael] One of The Funkadactyls.
[music fades]
[Jerry] Love that outfit.
["You Can Look (But You Can’t Touch)" playing]
[Lilian] From Scottsdale, Arizona, Brie Bella.
[Michael] Check out Brie's outfit.
It was voted on by WWE fans as part of a twitter poll.
The fans decided to choose Bella Bright
hence the outfit that Brie is wearing tonight.
[Jerry] Hey, that kid stole my sign.
♪ Something in the way I always make you crazy ♪
♪ It's a mystery… ♪
-[music fades] -["Let's Light It Up" playing]
[crowd cheering]
♪ Let's light it up ♪
♪ Light it up, light it up Light it tonight ♪
♪ Let's light it up ♪
[Lilian] And from Union City, New Jersey,
she is the Divas Champion,
AJ Lee.
[Michael] AJ Lee, in an exclusive on wwe.com's backstage fallout,
said she doesn't understand
why all the other divas want to gang up on her all the time.
[Jerry] Well, last week I said something about AJ's look,
but in reality, all divas look the same to me. Good. Whoo!
[Michael] So, this is a Fatal 4-Way match.
The rules are simple, first diva to gain pinfall or submission
will become the Divas Champion.
♪ Every time the sun goes down Feel everything change… ♪
[Michael] You do not have to beat the champion.
So for instance, if Brie Bella, say, pins Naomi, Brie would be the Divas champ.
[Jerry] You know what we heard out of the mouth of AJ earlier?
She's really, truly, in that little heart of hers,
believes that she is single-handedly the whole divas division.
-It's all about her. -[bell ringing]
[JBL] That's confidence.
[Michael] It was three years ago tonight at Night of Champions
when the Women's and Divas Championship were unified here,
and that was done by Michelle McCool.
-[Jerry] It is all-- -[Michael] AJ Lee trying to get away.
-Natalya-- -[Jerry] It is all-- it is all about AJ.
-Everybody's after her. -[Michael] Brie and Naomi
not going to allow it to happen.
[Jerry] Nowhere to run,
-nowhere to hide. -Get her in, Nattie.
[Michael] This is Fatal 4-Way, so anything goes here.
[Jerry] It looks like they're going to take turns
doing anything and everything to poor AJ.
[Michael] It is supposed to be every diva for herself in this match,
but of course everyone wants to get their licks in on AJ,
who had some very inflammatory things to say about, uh…
the cast of Total Divas.
Natalya, Brie, and Naomi are part of that Show on E.
-[yells] -[Michael] Oh, and Brie.
And now Brie goes right back after Natalya and Naomi.
Wise move by Brie Bella.
[JBL] Well, you'll realize right now that it's every diva for themselves.
[Jerry] You're not kidding.
[Michael] AJ called this group stiff, plastic, graceless mannequins.
[Jerry] What?
-[Michael] The words of AJ. -[Jerry] That's a lot of words.
[Michael] Oh, and Brie taking it to Natalya.
[Jerry] A knee right to the chin. Ooh, and another one.
[JBL] And the Divas claimed that AJ was jealous of them on Total Divas.
Nobody wanted her.
[Jerry] Boy, look at Brie Bella.
She has that look on her face--
Oh, well, that look may have just changed.
Nice dropkick there and it was totally unexpected by Brie.
[JBL] Well, I'll tell you, she's the best athlete in the Diva division,
-best pure athlete. -[Jerry] Which one, Brie?
[JBL] No!
Uh-oh.
[Jerry] Oh.
[JBL] That's what I'm talking about, King.
-Naomi. -[referee] One, two--
[JBL] She's still young to the business.
When she figures it out, I think she's gonna be a great champion.
-[Michael] Yeah, you said-- -[JBL] And she could be tonight.
[Michael] And AJ back into the fray,
looking to take one from Natalya here who kicks out at two.
[Jerry chuckles] AJ very opportunistic.
She waited on the outside
until she saw an opening. Oh, what a forearm.
-Ow, what a slap! -[Michael] Wow!
[JBL] Well, that's what you have to be in a Fatal 4-Way, as you know, King.
[Michael] And there's the Rear View by Naomi.
Here's the cover, is it enough? And Brie Bella breaks it up.
-No. -[JBL] Bella Brite.
[Jerry laughs]
[Michael] There were a number of things you could have voted for,
including Raggedy Bella or Strawberry Shortcake Bella.
[JBL] Can we vote for your outfit tomorrow night, Michael?
You'd look good in one of those Brite outfits.
[Michael] Whoa, whoa, whoa. Or Raggedy. Look at this.
[grunts]
[Jerry] Brie is in some kind of mood tonight--
-Oh, man! -[Michael] Oh! Was.
Natalya, shoulders down, and a kickout by Brie.
-Look at Naomi fly! -[Jerry] Look out!
-[Michael] Nobody home. -[JBL] Missed her. Missed her.
[Jerry] Natalya able to drop out of the way.
[Michael] And now AJ Lee, the champion, trying to take advantage.
[Jerry] Oh, no, she's throwing Naomi out of the ring.
I think she should have tried to pin Naomi.
[JBL] She sure should have, mistake by AJ.
[Michael] Don't say that too loud. She'll be out here criticizing you.
[Jerry chuckling] Yeah, no kidding.
-[Michael] AJ-- oh! -[JBL] She does like to do that.
-[Michael] And Naomi. -[Jerry] Whoa!
[Michael] Oh, man.
[Jerry] Naomi's got some unbelievable moves in this match tonight.
[Michael] And there's AJ! Oh, boy.
[Jerry] Man, she just pulled Naomi right down on her face.
[Michael] Naomi face-first off the apron.
[Jerry] That put a big smile on the face of AJ.
-Oh! -[Michael] And there goes AJ.
[Jerry] This is-- this is some great action.
[Michael] Brie looking to-- Brie looking to win here, looking to take out Natalya.
And a kickout at two.
[groans]
[JBL] Recognized as the hardest-working diva,
Nattie Neidhart.
What a great win it'd be for Nattie if she's able to get it.
[Michael] She won the 16th tag match last week using the Sharpshooter.
Oh, man!
[Jerry] And that one had me fooled.
[JBL] It'd be a celebration in Calgary.
[Michael] And Natalya, she was stepping through for the Sharpshooter there.
[Jerry] Wait a minute.
A body slam on Brie on Naomi.
[JBL] Naomi's covered. Why don't they count it?
-Why is the referee not counting? -[Michael] I know. The referee--
Look at-- the shoulders are down.
-Both the shoulders are down. -[JBL] Come on, referee!
[Jerry] He's just standing there staring at them.
[JBL] Where'd they get this guy from? A Mayweather fight?
-[Jerry] Well, he's just, uh-- -[JBL] Thanks a lot, C.J. Ross
[Michael] Her shoulders are still down, by the way.
-[Jerry] He's caught up in the moment. -[JBL] Good grief.
Brie Bella should be the champion right now.
[Jerry] Wait guys, look at this.
We are about to witness maybe the first ever
double Sharpshooter.
-Whoa! -[Michael] And there it is.
[JBL] Is the referee smart enough to count out the tap out?
[Michael] And there's AJ from behind.
Incredible double Sharpshooter by Natalya.
[Jerry] Look at that AJ.
What a vicious little vixen. Whoa! Oh, no!
[Michael] And there it is, the Black Widow, AJ's submission maneuver.
-She's got it locked into Natalya. -[Jerry] Oh, my God.
Does she ever have it locked in?
[Michael] Brie and Naomi are down and out.
What's Natalya gonna do?
Is she gonna tap to the Black Widow?
[Jerry] She's got no choice.
[referee] Come on, Nat. Do you wanna give up?
-[Jerry] She's tied up like a pretzel. -[JBL] Nattie tapped.
-[bell ringing] -[Michael] AJ retains her championship.
["Let's Light It Up" playing]
[Lilian] Here is your winner and still Divas Champion,
AJ Lee.
♪ Light up the sky, let's light it up… ♪
[Michael] Well, say what you want about AJ Lee, but she survived tonight.
♪ Like the diamonds As they shine in your eyes ♪
♪ Light it up, light it up Light it tonight… ♪
[Jerry] Let's go back and look at this.
I don't know if I've ever seen a more unusual looking Sharpshooter.
She thought she definitely was gonna win this thing,
but from behind once again,
taking that opportunity, AJ Lee.
-And watch this, whoa! -[JBL] That's what it's all about.
[Jerry] Oh, my goodness.
[Michael] Talking about taking opportunities,
-that's the Black Widow. -[screams]
[Michael] And Natalya had no choice but to tap out to the raging AJ Lee.
♪ Feel my body buzzin' Feel my temperature rage… ♪
Still the Divas Champion.
[JBL] Crazy's still in charge. [laughs]
♪ Light it up tonight Let's light it up… ♪
[Jerry] What a great match.
[JBL] That was a great match.
-[Jerry] Wonderful diva action. -[shouts indistinctly]
♪ Let's light it up… ♪
[Michael] Tremendous performance by all the divas involved,
but AJ Lee doing what she said she was gonna do.
She's leaving Night of Champions…
[JBL] And one blind referee.
[Michael] …with the title.
You know, AJ Lee, guys, does what she says she's going to do.
She retains her Divas Championship.
She did in fine style.
So if you missed it, the Night of Champions Kickoff Show
has an all-star panel.
Let's check in with the guys right now.
Here's Josh Mathews.
Thanks guys, very much.
Alex Riley has joined us,
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T,
and former Intercontinental Champion, Santino Marella.
It's been an incredible night thus far
as we are just moments away from the World Heavyweight Championship match,
Alberto Del Rio versus Rob Van Dam.
Booker, on Kickoff, you said you think we're gonna see
a new World Heavyweight Champion.
I mean, no doubt.
I mean, Rob Van Dam has what it takes to win,
but let me tell you, Alberto Del Rio has proved he is the real deal.
Multi-time World Heavyweight Champion.
Will Rob Van Dam step up?
Backs against the wall, I think he will do it tonight.
[Santino] I think they're very equal in experience, and strength,
and speed, and stamina.
But is being the hometown guy gonna have an impact?
[Alex] Yeah, and Santino, you mentioned experience.
Seventeen years of experience in this business for RVD.
Like Booker said, it might be one of his last shots,
and he's got Alberto Del Rio's assistant coach on his side.
I mean, I wouldn't wanna lose my assistant coach.
He's old school, and I'm looking forward to seeing my friend, Rob Van Dam,
drop that Five-Star Splash,
become the World Heavyweight Champion
-tonight at Night of Champions. -[Alex] I'm rooting for him as well.
-Cool dude. -[laughs]
Well, we are getting settled in for the World Heavyweight Championship match,
Del Rio versus Rob Van Dam, as we send things back down to ringside.
[Jerry] Quite an illustrious panel there.
["One of a Kind" playing]
♪ One of a kind! ♪
♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ One of a kind! ♪
♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ One of a kind! ♪
[Michael] Led by Ricardo Rodriguez, Rob Van Dam,
the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.
I do wanna go back and correct something I said earlier on.
Chris Jericho is actually
a record-setting nine-time Intercontinental Champion.
Not eight-time as I alluded to before.
Rob Van Dam, former WWE Champion and ECW Champion,
held those titles at the same time.
[JBL] The only person to ever do so.
[Michael] And now he has the opportunity to win the World Championship tonight.
[Jerry] And he learned how to say World Heavyweight Champion in Spanish,
RVD.
♪ One of a kind! ♪
♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ One of a kind! ♪
♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ One of a kind! ♪
[crowd] Van Dam!
-[music concludes] -[crowd cheering]
["Realeza" playing]
[speaking Spanish]
[Jerry, in English] Alberto Del Rio.
You can say what you want, in Spanish or in English,
Alberto Del Rio is the World Heavyweight Champion.
[JBL] Mexico's greatest export,
Alberto.
[Michael] Let's take it back to Friday Night SmackDown
from a couple of weeks ago.
Rob Van Dam had just finished a match on SmackDown
and Alberto Del Rio, who was on commentary,
would take advantage of a fallen Rob Van Dam,
sending a message to the number one contender
with that Cross Armbreaker, submission maneuver, King,
that could come into play here tonight.
[Jerry] Well, I think it goes back to the match
that Alberto Del Rio had with Dolph Ziggler.
He snapped that night in some sort of way
and he gained an aggressive, vicious streak that he still carries.
You saw it there on RVD,
and, well, I think we may see it again in this match tonight.
[JBL] I agree with you, King.
It's been a noticeable difference since that match.
It's been an Alberto Del Rio that has been almost impossible to beat.
[shouts indistinctly]
[music concludes]
[bell ringing]
The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[crowd cheering]
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present to you at this time,
from the Great State of Michigan,
Mr. Pay-Per-View,
Rob Van Dam.
[crowd cheering]
[Lilian] And his opponent…
[speaking Spanish]
Alberto Del Rio!
[Jerry, in English] Michael, you speak Spanish.
You're gonna have to tell me what she said.
-[Michael] I don't. [laughing] -[Jerry] Oh.
[JBL] She said, "Mexico's greatest export."
And Lilian said, "I also think he's very cute."
[Michael] And she also said, "Alberto Del Rio."
So, here we go. Rob Van Dam versus Alberto Del Rio
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[crowd chanting] RVD! RVD! RVD!
[Michael] Well, Rob Van Dam earned this opportunity tonight, King,
with a victory over Alberto Del Rio a couple of weeks ago.
-[bell ringing] -[Jerry] No doubt who the WWE Universe
here at Detroit is solidly behind.
But look at Alberto Del Rio.
There's that viciousness starting this match off
that we were talking about, JBL.
[JBL] Absolutely.
Alberto Del Rio said RVD beat him,
but he didn't beat him for the championship.
He said he's gonna see a different Alberto Del Rio.
[Jerry laughing]
[Michael] Van Dam with that explosive offensive style.
[Jerry] Alberto Del Rio just saw Rob Van Dam's foot in his face.
[JBL] Yeah, Del Rio blocked it with his bicuspids.
-[Jerry] Yeah. -Two.
[Michael] Night of Champions has not been kind to Alberto Del Rio
-over the years, as Van Dam catches him. -[JBL] Oh, wow, good grief.
-[Jerry] Did you hear that? -Now, one--
[Michael] Del Rio 0-2 in championship matches
at Night of Champions.
-And there's Van Dam. -[Jerry] Whoa.
[Michael] Monkey flip to Del Rio.
And Rob Van Dam is rolling in the early going.
-[Jerry] Oh. -[Michael] Standing moonsault.
And look at Van Dam hammering away
and cover, hook of the leg.
Del Rio kicks out.
Rob Van Dam hit a Five--
[crowd] Rob Van Dam.
[Michael] A Five-Star Frog Splash on Del Rio…
[Jerry] He's got frog splashes and monkey flips.
He's very animal friendly.
[Michael] …this past Friday night on SmackDown.
-[Jerry] Oh. Oh, my God. -[Michael] Oh, and Del Rio.
[JBL] It's like wrestling Jack Hanna.
[Jerry] What about that dropkick to the side of Rob's head?
[Michael] Nobody home as Van Dam was able to roll out of the way.
Ooh. Kick to the back, and now Van Dam in control.
[Jerry] That's what Alberto Del Rio just said, "Van Damn!"
[Michael] Ricardo Rodriguez, you see his arm in a sling at ringside.
That's because he was in a Cross Armbreaker by Del Rio
Friday night on SmackDown.
Moonsault again takes out Del Rio.
[Jerry] I'm gonna tell you something,
these guys have started this thing off at a very fast pace,
and it has not slowed down one bit.
I don't know how long they can keep this pace up.
[JBL] RVD knows you can't win a title on the count out.
[crowd chanting] RVD! RVD
[JBL] The champ's gotta be careful.
You can't let your emotions take over.
[Jerry] He just rolled in to break the referee's count
and make him start over again,
and he's got some evil intentions out here. Ooh.
[Michael] That's not good for the champion.
[JBL] Well, again, it's great for the WWE Universe.
-Watch this. -[crowd] Rob Van Dam!
[Jerry] Incoming!
[Michael] Ooh.
And almost a homecoming for Van Dam here tonight.
He's from Battle Creek, Michigan.
We're in Detroit for Night of Champions.
[Jerry] What a battle we got going on right here
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[Michael] Watch this, King.
[Jerry] Amazing, look at this leap.
[JBL] Bam, right in the back of the head.
[Jerry] Alberto Del Rio feeling the effects of that kick.
[crowd] Rob Van Dam!
[JBL] I think Booker T is right.
He's good friends with RVD.
RVD knows this might be his last, best chance.
-[Michael] Del Rio with a counter. -[Jerry] No, not out onto the floor.
-[Michael] Oh, man. -[Jerry] Whoa, that was close.
[Michael] Good balance by Van Dam.
[Jerry] Alberto Del Rio, though, that just shows you.
-[JBL] Oh. -[Jerry] Oh.
He almost kinda suplexed Rob all the way out onto the floor here.
Come on, get up, get up, get up.
[Michael] Ricardo, who's formerly in the employ of Del Rio,
now works with Rob Van Dam.
-[Jerry] Oh, watch out here. -[JBL] Anybody's ballgame now.
-[Jerry] Look out. -[Michael] And Del Rio.
Van Dam not the only one that can fly.
[Jerry] Del Rio with a flying headbutt right to the sternum of Rob Van Dam.
[Michael] And one of the things now-- Look out.
-Van Dam sent right into the barricade. -[Jerry] Good grief.
[Michael] You talk about this all the time, John.
Del Rio, so many different aspects to his arsenal.
He's got the Greco-Roman style,
of course he can brawl with the best of 'em.
He'll even fly like he did there moments ago.
[JBL] And mind you, he grew up in this business.
[Michael] Here's the cover. Van Dam powers out at two.
[JBL] Son of a champion.
[Jerry] You talk about him flying. Here you see it.
[JBL] He's a nephew of one of Mexico's greatest champions,
Mil Máscaras, who's in our Hall of Fame.
And also a Greco-Roman Pan American gold medalist.
The guy's got every tool in the toolbox.
-[Michael] Did you just call him a tool? -[shouts indistinctly]
[Jerry] Some of the Universe thinks that about him
after the way he seemed to change.
-I mean, for a while-- -[Michael] Uh-oh. Look at this.
Shoulders down, and Del Rio…
[Jerry] For a while, Alberto Del Rio had the Universe behind him.
[Michael] Snap suplex by Del Rio.
-World champion now on the attack. -[Jerry] Oh.
[JBL] Well, they should be behind him now. He's a great champion
and a great representative, not just for the Latino people,
but for all people, for the whole WWE Universe.
[Jerry] He's a role model, huh?
[JBL] Absolutely.
[Michael] He claims the Latino community has no heroes to look up to
-except himself. -[shouts indistinctly]
[JBL] And it's wonderful that Alberto Del Rio
is willing to fill that role.
[Michael] I thought Canelo Álvarez did a pretty good job doing it.
[Jerry] Very magnanimous of him, right?
[JBL] Canelo did a wonderful job.
He had a great fight last night, just came up a bit short.
-[Michael] Ooh. -[Jerry] Oh.
[JBL] Unless you're C.J. Ross.
[Michael] Again, Del Rio looks to put Van Dam away.
Wraps the leg and the arm, but Van Dam still game, kicks out at two.
[Jerry] Was that a referee reference?
The judge who judged it even last time
was blind as the referee in the divas match.
[crowd chanting] RVD! RVD! RVD!
RVD! RVD! RVD!
[Jerry] Ricardo on the outside getting the RVD chants going loud and clear.
[Michael] Look at the viciousness of the champion.
[Jerry] Yeah, that just infuriates Alberto Del Rio.
[Michael] But again, Del Rio's just been in his zone, to King's point, ever since
-he won the title back in June. -[JBL] Smart move. Smart move by RVD.
[overlapping chatter]
[Jerry] Under that bottom rope, buy yourself a little bit of time.
[Michael] Oh, man, enzuigiri to the back of the head,
and Van Dam knocked off the apron, and he could be out.
[JBL] You can retain the championship on a count out.
[Jerry] Watch this, right to the skull of RVD.
Oh, man.
[Michael] And Del Rio, nobody home.
I think he caught his leg on the second rope
as Van Dam moved out of the way.
[Jerry] I'm surprised that Rob was able to recover enough to move out of the way.
[Michael] Van Dam's gotta get Del Rio back into the ring.
He can only win via pinfall or submission, the world title, that is.
[Jerry] Oh.
[Michael] Van Dam looking to quicken the pace.
Cover, off the thrust kick to the face, and a kickout at two.
[Jerry] Right hand from Alberto now, follow that up with a headbutt.
Alberto trying to stop the momentum that Rob was building up here.
Oh.
[Michael] This match has been very fast-paced.
Del Rio, there's a thrust kick, caught him. Is it enough?
World Championship on the line, and the champ…
able to power out.
[Jerry] And that's the thing about Rob Van Dam.
You never know what he's gonna hit you with,
and you never know where it's coming from.
[JBL] You have no idea whatsoever.
-Impossible game plan. -[Jerry] Look at this. [laughing]
He just flew over the top rope and landed.
[JBL] You know, you're thinking, Del Rio, you think you're gonna be
okay right there on the apron?
[Jerry] Uh-oh.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] We don't know what we want you to do, Rob.
Just do it.
[JBL] I'm not sure Rob knows.
I think Rob just jumps and makes stuff up in the air.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Michael] Got him off the thrust kick.
Is it enough for Van Dam?
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] I can't remember how they said it.
They said it in Spanish, but in English, it's Rolling Thunder.
-[JBL] Oh, he missed him. -[Michael] Del Rio, oh, man! Backstabber.
[JBL] I think he's got him.
[Michael] Is it enough? He wrapped up Van Dam,
-who stays in it. -[JBL] Whoa.
[Michael] Ricardo on the outside realized how close it was.
Came out of-- out of his sneakers.
-[JBL] Who wears sneakers to a match? -[Jerry chuckling]
-[Michael] Ricardo Rodriguez. -[JBL] Exactly.
He was in a tux when he was Alberto Del Rio's little hand-paid stooge.
[Michael] He is a little underdressed as of late.
[Jerry] Who noticed-- who noticed that he had on sneakers?
[JBL] Only Michael…
the shoe aficionado.
[Jerry] Footwear fan.
-[Michael] If the shoe fits. -[Jerry] Oh, boy.
Oh, watch out now.
[Michael] Rob in a precarious position here.
[speaking indistinctly]
[Jerry] Inverted suplex.
[Michael] Van Dam trying to block.
Look at Van Dam fighting back.
[chuckles] Great opportunity here for Van Dam.
The World Champion's down.
Rob Van Dam going to the top rope.
[Jerry] Is he gonna go for a Five-Star?
-[Michael] He can't because Del Rio-- -[Jerry] No, Del Rio's on his feet.
[Michael] Look at this.
Van Dam cover, for the title,
-and Del Rio stays in it. -[JBL] Wow.
[Jerry] Van Dam just throws caution to the wind,
throws his body all over the place.
Come on, come on, come on. Come on!
[JBL] I agree with you, King.
He knows what's at stake, the World Heavyweight Championship…
[crowd chanting] RVD! RVD!
[JBL] …for basically a hometown crowd here for RVD.
[crowd chanting] RVD! RVD! RVD!!
[Jerry] These guys have tried every move in the book, but none of it's--
[JBL] They're just hitting each other 'til one of 'em falls down.
[Jerry] Right.
Just turn this thing into a slugfest.
-Uh-oh. No, wait a minute. -[Michael] The tilt-a-whirl backbreaker,
and Del Rio back in control.
[Jerry] Whoa.
[Michael] Del Rio, is it enough? Can he put Van Dam away here?
And the challenger staying in it.
Come on, man.
-[Jerry] Del Rio… -You gotta be kidding me.
[Jerry] …saying, "What do I got to do to beat this guy?"
[Michael] We mentioned before, Van Dam with a victory over Alberto Del Rio
a couple of weeks ago to earn this match tonight.
[chanting] Sí! Sí! Sí! Sí!
[Michael] Del Rio looking perhaps to set up Rob Van Dam
for the Cross Armbreaker,
his submission maneuver.
[JBL] Here we go.
[Jerry] Oh.
[Michael] Oh, Van Dam caught him right in the side of the head with a knee.
And now Rob Van Dam, leg scissors, shoulders down.
[JBL] This is how he beat him before. That's how he beat him before.
[Michael] And a kickout. To John's point,
that's how Van Dam took out Del Rio the last time.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Michael] Split-legged moonsault.
Is it enough to crown a new World Heavyweight Champion?
And a kickout at two.
Come on!
[crowd chanting] RVD! RVD! RVD! RVD! RVD!
[Jerry] I think both Alberto Del Rio and now Rob Van Dam
are beginning to wonder, "What is it gonna take?"
[crowd chanting] RVD! RVD! RVD!
[Jerry] They've hit each other with everything except the kitchen sink.
There may be a kitchen sink under the ring.
[JBL] If there's a kitchen…
[Jerry laughing] What?
[Michael] Oh, man!
Del Rio now targeting the left arm of Rob Van Dam.
-Oh, and he caught him. -[Jerry] That's it.
[JBL] That's how he won the championship.
[Michael] That could be enough. Rob Van Dam out cold--
No, and he stays in it, perhaps on instinct alone.
[JBL] I was saying, "If there's a kitchen, Ricardo's in it."
-Somehow it didn't come out. -[Michael] It didn't come out?
It made no sense, even when you said it.
-[Jerry] Whoa. -[JBL] Ooh.
[Jerry] Now Alberto's feeling a little better about himself
and his chances here.
[Michael] Yeah, but he still has not been able to put Rob Van Dam away.
[Jerry] I mean, look at this guy though. Look at this match he's been through.
He barely broke a sweat.
He is in amazing physical condition, and blowing kisses.
-[Michael] Oh! -[Jerry laughing]
-[JBL] Wow. -[Michael] That heel kick caught Del Rio.
And Van Dam buys himself some time. Rob Van Dam.
[JBL] He just kissed the championship goodbye.
-[Jerry] You're not kidding. -[crowd cheering]
[JBL] Wow. We could have a reversed title change here.
-[Jerry] Hey, wait, wait, wait, wait. -[JBL] Night of Champions.
[Jerry] Guys, I think Rob's feeling a little froggy.
[JBL] Here we go with Air Van Dam.
-[Jerry] He may jump. -[crowd] Rob Van Dam.
[Michael] Is it enough? Five-Star-- Countered by Del Rio.
-[Jerry] Oh, no. -[Michael] Knees to the gut.
[Jerry] Oh, man.
[Michael] And now Del Rio locks in the Cross Armbreaker.
Armbreaker locked into Van Dam, center of the ring.
Van Dam's got nowhere to go.
The Cross Armbreaker is locked in.
[JBL] Right in the middle of the ring, too.
[Jerry] And look at the pressure.
[JBL] All the air was knocked out of Van Dam.
[Michael] Van Dam trying to do what he can,
trying to squirm his way to a bottom rope to force a break here.
Van Dam's trying to do everything he can.
-[Jerry] How is he withstanding the pain? -[crowd chanting] RVD! RVD!
[Michael] Trying to feed off the WWE fans in Detroit.
Maybe roll Del Rio to alleviate some of the pressure.
[JBL] Del Rio will break that arm.
[Michael] He's a hand's length away.
-[Jerry] Oh. -[Michael] Van Dam is closing in.
-[Jerry] He's close. -[Michael] He got there!
Break. Break. Break it. Break the hold.
One.
[Michael] There's a five count to break here or be disqualified.
-[JBL] Del Rio knows that. -Four! Five!
Ring the bell.
-[bell ringing] -[speaks indistinctly]
[JBL] Well, I thought he did.
[Michael] Somebody better get that hold off Van Dam or he could break the arm.
[Jerry] No kidding.
[Lilian] Ladies and gentlemen,
the winner of this match, by disqualification,
is Rob Van Dam.
["One of a Kind" playing]
[Michael] Alberto Del Rio had him in the Cross Armbreaker,
and when Van Dam made it to the ropes to force a break,
Del Rio refusing to let go forces the disqualification,
which means, even though Van Dam wins the match,
Del Rio keeps his championship.
[Jerry] Yeah, that's where the term--
[Lilian] But still World Heavyweight Champion,
Alberto Del Rio.
[Jerry] That's where the term hollow victory comes from.
-["Realeza" playing] -[JBL] Victory's a victory.
Alberto Del Rio walks out of Detroit
World Heavyweight Champion like he walked in.
[Jerry] Now, now, look at this now. Look at this.
[music stops]
[Jerry] There's no call for this.
You're still the champion,
show a little class.
[crowd jeering]
-[Michael] Oh, no. -[Jerry] Hey, come on.
You don't need to do this.
[JBL] Think he just winked at you, King.
[Jerry] Hey, look, look, look at this.
[JBL] Look, look, Ricardo!
Ricardo and Van Dam.
Ricardo saving RVD.
[Michael] Van Dam planting Del Rio.
[Jerry] Well, Rob's arm is just about useless
after the length of time that Alberto held that Cross Armbreaker.
[JBL] Oh, no. No, no, no. Look at this, look at this.
You're about to see something that was made famous
in a bingo hall in Philadelphia.
[Jerry] Oh, no way.
[JBL] These fans know what's coming.
[crowd chanting indistinctly]
[JBL] I think we all know what's coming.
[Jerry] Is he gonna be able to do this
after the battle that he's just been through?
[Michael] Rob Van Dam up top.
[JBL] Get out of there, Del Rio.
[Michael] Shades of a decade ago.
-[JBL] Get out of there, Del Rio. -[crowd] Rob Van Dam!
-[Jerry] Look out! -[Michael] Van… Daminator!
-[JBL] Wow! -[Jerry] Oh, my gosh!
Del Rio's history!
[Michael] No doubt the World Champion deserved that.
-["One of a kind" playing] -♪ One of a kind ♪
[Michael] He weaseled his way out of here with the championship tonight,
and he had intentions on continuing to inflict punishment with a steel chair.
Ricardo Rodriguez saving Van Dam and RVD made the World Champ pay.
♪ One of a kind! ♪
♪ The fear I see When I look in your eyes ♪
♪ Makes you believe I'm one of a kind ♪
[Jerry] Man, I'll tell you, we just about saw it all in that match.
[JBL] We sure did.
RVD, I hate to tell you, it's not a popularity contest.
You gotta give that championship back to the champion.
[Jerry] I think Alberto Del Rio's hurt.
[JBL] Yeah, I think he's hurt bad.
[Michael] The doctors are--
♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ One of a kind ♪
[Jerry] Watch this.
Well, this is earlier in the match.
It looked like that Five-Star Frog Splash was gonna put Alberto Del Rio away,
but just in the nick of time, Del Rio brought the knees up
and locked on the Cross Armbreaker and held it on, would not let go.
One, two…
[Jerry] He had the five-count
-to break it. -…three, four,
-five! -[Jerry] But he still wouldn't break it.
The referee had no choice but to disqualify Alberto Del Rio.
[Michael] And then Del Rio had every intention
of using a steel chair on Rob Van Dam,
but listen, bad arm and all,
Ricardo Rodriguez saving his buddy.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Michael] And off the DDT,
this incredible move by Rob Van Dam, John, over a decade ago,
Van Dam made this famous,
the Van Daminator, steel chair off the skull.
[JBL] Hey, I loved it then, I love it now.
It's just gotten better with age, just like Rob Van Dam.
[Michael] Del Rio took the easy way out tonight to retain
his World Heavyweight Championship,
but they're on their feet for RVD in Detroit.
♪ One of a kind! ♪
♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ One of a kind! ♪
[music fades]
-[crowd cheering] -[indistinct chatter]
[laughs]
Hey, I want you to understand what's at stake here tonight,
because if I get left alone inside that ring,
I won't be here tomorrow, or the day after,
or the day after that to help you anymore.
You lose my strategy.
You lose my brilliance.
You made an enemy tonight out of Triple H.
Do you know what kind of adversary that man can be to you?
Everything your grandfather built, everything your father built,
everything you struggled and sacrificed for will go away
because Triple H will make sure that it's taken.
And I can fix that for you.
I can fix everything that's wrong with you and Triple H,
but I have to be here tomorrow to be able to do that for you.
And I won't be here
if I'm left alone
with CM Punk.
You believe in me, right, Paul?
Right?
I have believed in you since day one,
and tonight…
tonight, I need you to believe in yourself.
That matchup still to come today…
-That's a perverse pep talk. -…at Night of Champions.
We've been asking you to vote on wwe.com all night long
on some of the greatest champions.
We're gonna show you the results now of how you voted
to be the greatest World Champion of all time.
[Jerry] Yeah, Ric Flair, Booker T, Batista, Edge, Undertaker.
Who'd you choose?
[Michael] Booker T!
[JBL] I voted Booker!
[Michael] Five-time! Five-time!
Five-time! Five-time!
Booker T part of our panel.
Congratulations to the Hall of Famer.
[JBL] The old G.I. Bro.
Makes total sense.
Hey, let me call you right back.
-[crowd cheering] -So, what's going on?
What's going on? The--
Please help me understand your logic.
No Big Show ringside tonight.
You banned Big Show, you banned Roman Reigns,
you banned Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins.
None of them are-- If it's not broke, don't fix it, right?
I mean, please help me understand your logic.
My logic is simple, Randy.
I just want to make sure I picked the right guy
when I chose you as the face of the WWE.
[chuckles softly]
You did.
["ChaChaLaLa" playing]
-[Michael chuckling] -[JBL] Mrs. Fandango!
[Jerry] And that guy.
[Michael] Fandango.
It's really fun to say.
Fandango.
How about Summer Rae,
Mrs. Fandango?
[bell ringing]
[Justin] The following contest is set for one fall.
Approaching the ring first,
Fandango.
[Jerry] Would you like to do a cha-cha-cha with Summer Rae?
-[JBL] Absolutely. -[Michael] You know, guys,
WWE's YouTube page is jam-packed
with great shows like The JBL & Cole Show,
Backstage Fallout, WWE Inbox, and more.
There's also a load of classic content for you to enjoy.
Two million subscribers now and a half a billion views.
Go to WWE's YouTube page and check it out.
[JBL] An Edge and Christian reunion on The JBL & Cole Show this week.
[Michael] You can check it out right now.
[JBL] JBL & Cole Show gonna visit a museum in Tunica, Mississippi.
[Jerry] Yeah, whose is it?
[JBL] The King.
That'd be yours, King.
[Jerry] I was just there the day before yesterday.
I can't-- I can't wait for you guys to visit.
Can you bring Summer Rae with you?
[music fades]
-["I Came to Play" playing] -♪ 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… ♪
[Justin] And his opponent, from Cleveland, Ohio,
weighing 221 pounds,
The Miz.
[Michael] Well, Miz and Fandango have had their issues
over the past number of weeks.
Really, uh, kicked off at SummerSlam
when Fandango kept interrupting Miz's hosting duties in Los Angeles.
But this past Friday night on SmackDown, we got something very unique, John.
It was actually a… well, a dancing with the WWE superstars dance-off.
R-Truth was involved, Fandango was involved.
-["Land of Five Rivers" playing] -[Jerry] The Great Khali was involved.
-[hip-hop music playing] -[Michael] And also Miz, or Mizco Inferno
was part of it as well.
-[Jerry] The Mizco Inferno was twerking. -[music stops]
And your winner is,
The Miz!
[Michael] And the fact that Mizco Inferno won the matchup
-did not sit well with… -No, no, no, no!
[Michael] …Fandango, who tried to attack Miz,
and then Miz and R-Truth had some fun with Fandango.
[JBL] While Khali watched.
[Jerry] Yeah.
[Jerry] That may have been the most entertaining dance-off
-I've ever witnessed on SmackDown. -["I Came to Play" playing]
[Jerry] Miz loved it.
♪ I came to play There's a price to pay… ♪
[JBL] It was a travesty, though, that Fandango didn't win.
-[music fades] -[bell ringing]
[Jerry] Yeah, you would think.
This guy's, like, a professional dancer and all.
Look at those moves. Look at that footwork.
[speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] Look at that grace.
Well, I mentioned this on SmackDown Friday night,
he only seems to know about three or four dance moves.
[JBL] Well, that's coming from an expert like you
'cause you went to Syracuse Dance Academy
with Mike Rotunda.
Hey! Hey! Come on. Back up. Back up. No, no. Come on, now. Let's go. Come on.
[Michael] So, Miz versus Fandango here tonight on Night of Champions in Detroit.
Thank you for joining us…
[JBL] Did you wear that at Syracuse when you were in dance class?
[Michael] …on pay-per-view and also all over the world,
in places like New Zealand on Sky Arena,
Tonga on Fiji TV,
over in South America on DLA Affiliates,
Canada, a number of outlets, and also the American Forces Network
on our bases around the world and our ships at sea.
[Jerry] Don't forget Bermuda.
[JBL] Can never forget Bermuda.
-You won't let us. -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Miz, a former WWE Champion.
Fandango burst on the scene with a win in his debut match at WrestleMania.
[JBL] One of the biggest upsets of all time.
[Michael] Knocking out Chris Jericho. Look at Miz.
He's going for a figure-four leglock here,
and Fandango wisely making it to the bottom rope.
[JBL] The last thing a great dancer like Fandango wants
is something to happen to his legs. That's his money.
[Jerry] I heard Summer Rae's legs are insured for close to a million dollars.
-[JBL] Really? -[Jerry] Look at this now.
[Michael] Shoulders down, Fandango at two.
-[JBL] Her leg? -[Jerry] Whoa!
Should be.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Look at The Miz, he's still got the moves.
[Michael chuckling] He's mocking Fandango.
Oh.
Hey! Hey! What are you doing? Get down!
[Jerry] Summer Rae on top with a distraction.
[Michael] Oh! And Fandango takes advantage.
Did you guys hear her voice? It was very high-pitched.
[Jerry] It was like somebody scratching their nails on a chalkboard.
[Michael] Hey folks, in case you haven't been following the news this weekend.
Big news on wwe.com,
Stephanie McMahon has invited Dusty Rhodes to Monday Night Raw tomorrow night.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Michael] Oh!
She says she has a business proposition for the Hall of Famer.
-[Jerry] The American Dream. -[Michael] Dusty Rhodes said--
And here's the cover, and a kickout.
Dusty said he will be at Monday Night Raw in Cleveland.
In the ongoing saga with Rhodes family, Cody Rhodes fired a couple of weeks ago.
Goldust, Dusty Rhodes not able to get Cody's job back this past week.
-[Jerry] Look at this, look at this. -[Michael] Cover again on Miz,
who powers out at two.
[JBL] A lot of champions here in Detroit. Detroit knows a lot about champions.
You know, the Detroit Tigers were originally the Detroit Cougars.
-Michael, you're a Cougar fan, aren't you? -[Michael] Was Vickie the manager?
[JBL laughing] I'm not sure.
They were founded in 1926.
-[Jerry] Yup, she was there. -[Michael] Was Vickie the--
[JBL laughing] See, that's not nice, King.
Come on, baby! Come on!
[Jerry] Summer Rae, a little flustered right now.
[JBL speaking indistinctly]
[overlapping chatter]
[Jerry] That changes the whole story.
[JBL] Our WWE fact checkers are really good.
[Jerry] You are a fountain of misinformation.
[JBL laughing]
Actually, I just made it up just to get… [speaking indistinctly]
[Michael] There goes Fandango.
[Jerry] Fandango on the floor, but not the dance floor.
He could do a little break dancing while he's down there.
Ooh!
[Michael] Miz did some break dancing in the dance off.
[JBL] Kinda looked like Horshack from the 1970s.
Saturday Night Fever.
[Jerry] You know how break dancing was invented?
[Michael] How?
[Jerry] Somebody was trying to steal a hubcap from a moving car.
Michael, you don't even know what break dancing is.
[Michael] I used to do that in high school.
-And look at Miz. -[Jerry laughing]
-[JBL] Steal hubcaps? -[Michael] As Fandango catches him
right to the midsection.
I did. I had the big boom box that I'd put on my sidewalk and I used to break dance.
[JBL] At Webutuck High?
[Michael] I used to listen to The Sugarhill Gang.
Here's the cover and a kickout at two by Miz!
[groans]
[coughs]
[Jerry] A lot of people breakdance to The Gentrys.
[Michael chuckling]
Ask him!
[Michael] Fandango continues the pressure on the midsection of Miz.
[Jerry] Miz's been in a foul mood all day
since his beloved Cleveland Browns lost again today.
[JBL] Your beloved Cleveland browns as well.
-[Michael] I know. -[Jerry] Yeah, Michael,
your Jets are doing a lot better.
[Michael] At least we won a game.
Ooh.
[Jerry] And Fandango with a big elbow and-- look out!
[Michael] Oh, Miz with a clothesline.
[Jerry] Miz followed him in.
Oh!
That should work, Fandango bouncing right back up.
Hurt his nose?
[Michael] Ow, man.
That'll halt the dancing for a bit.
[Jerry] There'll be no late-night dancing tonight.
[JBL] Now Miz up.
[Michael] Yeah, working on the leg to soften up Fandango
for the figure-four leglock.
-[Jerry] Watch out! -[Michael] Plants Fandango off the DDT.
Miz into the cover, is it enough?
And near-fall for Miz.
Come on, baby! Get up, baby!
Get up!
[crowd chanting] We want tables!
-We want tables! -[Michael] And now Miz…
looking for the Skull-Crushing Finale.
Fandango able to fight out of it.
[Jerry] Whoa, big suplex delivered there by Fandango.
His leg's still giving him fits. Still hurting
[Michael] Yeah, but he may be able to escape here. No.
[JBL] Here in Detroit, it looked like he got hit by Ndamukong Suh.
Come on, baby.
[Jerry] I don't-- I don't even-- Who was that?
[JBL] It was a low blow cheap shot where he got fined $100,000.
-[Jerry] Oh, yeah. Okay. -[Michael] He plays for the Detroit Lions.
He keeps getting fined all the time.
John's just a plethora of Detroit sports knowledge.
[Jerry] No kidding.
[JBL] I was on Wikipedia all day.
-Watch out here. -[Jerry] Not good.
-Oh! Man. -[Michael] Miz, oh, man!
[JBL] I've got a lot more just in case.
[Michael] Good.
[Jerry] More Detroit stuff?
[JBL] The Detroit Tigers were formed in 1894--
[Michael] Oh, Fandango right across
-the chest of Miz. -[JBL] That could be it.
[Michael] Drags him out from underneath the bottom rope.
Still favoring that leg, still looks to put Miz away,
and again a near-fall for Fandango.
Watch this.
Right across the chest of Miz.
[JBL] This Fandango's a great athlete.
[Jerry] You've gotta give Miz credit for just hanging in there.
[JBL] Yes, you do.
[Michael] And Fandango, who likes to use the leg drop
from the top rope, but that leg is really bothering him now.
[JBL] He's taking a while to get up there,
but if he hits it,
we'll be Fandangoing here in Detroit.
-[Jerry] Oh, he missed. -[JBL] No, he missed. He missed it.
[Michael] Just rolled out of the way.
[JBL] Took too long.
[Michael] And Miz just falls back into a cover, able to hook the leg,
and Fandango stays alive.
Fandango here, is he gonna be able to steal one? No.
And now Miz going for the figure-four leglock.
-[JBL] Can he lock it in? He locked it in! -[Jerry] Yes, Summer Rae--
[Michael] There it is, lock it in!
[Jerry] You can start sweating now, Summer Rae.
-There it is. -[bell ringing]
-["I Came to Play" playing] -♪ I came to play ♪
♪ I came to play There's a price to pay… ♪
[Justin] The winner of this match in result of a submission, The Miz!
[Jerry] Fandango taps quickly.
He doesn't want any damage done to those dancing legs of his.
[JBL] Well, it's already gonna be difficult to dance tonight, King.
Poor Fandango.
-[Jerry] Where's he dancing tonight? -[Michael] A casino.
[JBL] Yeah, at the Detroit Ballet Hall.
I heard it was sold out.
[Michael] Miz with a victory
with a figure-four leglock at Night of Champions.
♪ I came to play to get my dues paid ♪
-♪ I guess you had a dream ♪ -[music concludes]
[rousing rock music playing]
[narrator] The WWE has a longstanding history
supporting our men and women of the armed forces.
We are especially proud of our three-year partnership
with the National Guard.
[Steven] This is probably one of the biggest events
and it's been totally branded with the guard.
[Jerry] We want to say thank you to our partner, National Guard.
[man] When you can take an organization that's as popular and well-respected
as the WWE and combine that with the oldest branch of the military
in the United States, it's a win-win situation for everybody.
WWE's a great partner with us
and I hope we can continue it for a long time.
♪ Hear me when I'm calling ♪
♪ Hello ♪
♪ Are you out there? ♪
[music concludes]
[Lilian] Ladies and gentlemen, the WWE would like to extend
a very special welcome to the members of the Michigan National Guard
who are in attendance with us this evening.
WWE is extremely proud of our men and women in military.
Thank you for everything that you do for our country!
[crowd chanting] USA! USA! USA!
USA! USA! USA! USA!
And again, a big thank you to all of you watching around the world
at our bases and our ships at sea on the American forces network.
-Absolutely. -Thank you so much for everything you do.
I've gotta say hi to my girlfriend's brother,
Hunter McBride, in the air force over in Saudi Arabia, becau-- Saudi Arabia.
-Watching right now. -You know, speaking of the National Guard,
Paul Heyman may wanna recruit the National Guard,
because coming up next, it's he and Curtis Axel.
-Yeah. -Two-on-one Handicap Elimination matchup
against CM Punk. What's gonna happen here?
[Jerry] He's gonna need an army I'm afraid.
CM Punk is prime,
he's cocked and loaded, he is ready to go.
-[Michael] And CM Punk-- -[Jerry] He wants this match bad.
[Michael] And remember Punk's guarantee.
He's guaranteed he will get Paul Heyman in the ring here tonight.
A personal vendetta that began all the way back at Money in the Bank.
[breathing heavily]
[Michael] CM Punk is in prime position to win this matchup.
[Jerry] Oh, what?
[somber music playing]
[Heyman] You're my best friend in the world.
[CM Punk] I'm always gonna be a Paul Heyman guy, always.
The man that I once considered to be my best friend has been reduced
to being a sad,
pathetic loser.
[Michael] Heyman costing Punk the Money in the Bank Ladder match.
-[tense music playing] -[CM Punk] And, Paul, I am pissed off.
And I want a fight!
And if I have to fight Curtis Axel to get a shot at fighting Paul Heyman,
by God, I'm gonna do it!
Do you know what would happen if CM Punk got his hands on me?
You'd never see Paul Heyman again.
[Michael] At Night of Champions,
it'll be Curtis Axel and Paul Heyman versus CM Punk
in a Two-on-One Handicap Elimination matchup.
And if CM Punk can eliminate Curtis Axel…
[Jerry] Heyman will get the beating of his life.
[Heyman] I'm man enough to admit it.
I'm scared out of my mind.
[Curtis] I've got this.
He's gonna have to outwrestle me, and he cannot outwrestle me.
You believe in me, right, Paul?
Like my life depends on it.
[Michael] S.O.S., Kofi beat him!
[JBL] Paul Heyman just saw his life flash before his eyes.
This can't happen on Sunday.
I'm alone with CM Punk!
[JBL] We may be seeing the end of Paul Heyman.
If CM Punk gets by Curtis Axel, Punk is gonna slaughter me!
[CM Punk] I don't care who you put in front of me,
I'm gonna get my hands on you, and I'm gonna get my revenge.
I promise.
[brooding music playing]
I invented you!
Come on, tough guy.
You're nothing! You hear me?
You're nothing!
[groans]
I fathered you!
I murdered myself for you!
[groans]
You were everything to me!
I gave you my heart!
You broke my heart!
I loved you!
[music concludes]
["Reborn" playing]
[bell ringing]
[Justin] This is a No Disqualification Handicap Elimination match.
Introducing first, the team of Paul Heyman
and the Intercontinental Champion, Curtis Axel.
[Michael] And let's remind everyone, this is no disqualification.
But keep in mind, Paul Heyman, well, if his Intercontinental Champion,
Curtis Axel, can actually beat CM Punk,
Heyman may never ever have to get into the ring.
Although Punk guarantees that's not gonna happen.
[JBL] Paul Heyman is walking to the gallows. Look at him.
[Jerry] He has no friends. Even his collar's turned on him.
[Michael] Curtis Axel earlier tonight successfully retaining
the Intercontinental Championship over Kofi Kingston in a hard-fought battle,
and now Paul Heyman, imagine what is going through his weaselly mind.
[JBL] Yeah, but a retention of the Intercontinental Championship is huge,
especially on Night of Champions. But this match…
-[music concludes] -[JBL] This could be a career match
for Curtis Axel or a career-ending match for Paul Heyman.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
[Jerry] You know, I'm just wondering how much will Paul Heyman
owe Curtis Axel if Axel can somehow beat Punk.
-[Michael] Uh, everything? -[Jerry] Yeah, his life maybe.
[JBL] I'd start with that.
Wait 'til you see Heyman's face when CM Punk comes out.
-["Cult of Personality" playing] -[Michael] There you go.
Oh, my God.
That man knows his fate.
♪ Look in my eyes What do you see? ♪
♪ The cult of personality ♪
♪ I know your anger… ♪
[Justin] And their opponent, from Chicago, Illinois,
weighing 218 pounds,
CM Punk!
♪ The cult of personality ♪
♪ Like Mussolini and Kennedy… ♪
Time to die!
♪ The cult of personality ♪
[Michael] CM Punk has been waiting a long time for this.
[JBL] No disqualification.
BYOT, bring your own toys.
[Jerry] Well, CM Punk has one of those kendo sticks that Paul Heyman broke
into splinters over Punk's body.
But I just looked, and it looks like Curtis Axel has one as well.
[Michael] Everything that Punk has gone through to get to this point tonight.
Betrayed at Money in the Bank.
He had to go through Brock Lesnar.
What a Battle that was at SummerSlam just to get here.
[JBL] You know, Paul Heyman thought he had a plan on the Kickoff Show.
He thought he'd take a cheap way out, punch the referee, get disqualified,
until Brad Maddox, a general manager,
did what was best for business and said, "You know what?"
"It's now no disqualification."
-[music fades] -[crowd cheering]
[bell ringing]
[Michael] And here we go, no disqualification.
Both men starting off kendo stick.
-[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! -[Michael] Oh.
[Jerry] And we've seen how dangerous these kendo sticks can be.
Curtis Axel gets in the first shot.
[Michael] Notice Paul Heyman is not very interested
in getting that close to the ring.
[JBL] He can, though. It's no disqualification.
[Michael] I don't think Heyman wants to get anywhere near
Punk at this juncture.
[JBL] I didn't say he should, I said he could.
-[crowd cheering] -[Michael] This is an elimination matchup.
Punk eliminates Axel, he gets Heyman, simple.
Uh-oh.
-All this legal. -For Gordie Howe!
-[Jerry] Oh, man! -[JBL] Man.
-[Jerry] And look out! -[Michael] Oh, now he gets to Heyman!
-[Jerry laughing] -[Michael] Punk over the top rope.
Down goes Heyman.
And a little celebration and a tip of the hat from Punk.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Oh, he's gonna have some fun with Paulrus.
-[Michael] Hey, it's no disqualification. -[JBL] Hey, you're right.
CM Punk has been waiting for this.
[Michael] Listen to this place.
-[JBL] So has the WWE Universe. -[Jerry] Look at him.
[JBL] Goodbye, Paul.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Thumbs up or thumbs-- Oh, yeah.
That would be a down.
-Oh, no! No! -[Michael] Oh, no.
No, no, no. No! Come on.
-Please. I loved you. I loved you. -[Jerry] Right in the head.
-Oh! -[Michael] Oh, and Axel.
Low blow, but legal.
No disqualification, and Heyman escapes this time.
[JBL] He right knuckled this side.
It's far from over.
[Michael] Yeah, but Axel may have Punk where he wants him off that low blow.
Curtis Axel, it would behoove himself if he could put Punk away here.
[Jerry] Heyman escaped by the hair on one of his chinny chin chins.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
[Jerry] The Universe wanting Punk to get back to his feet.
-[screams] -[JBL] Oh, man.
[Jerry] The kidneys.
[groans]
[grunts]
[Michael] Axel going for the cover, going for the cover.
Hook the leg on Punk here and a kickout at two.
[Heyman laughing]
-I believe in you! -[Jerry speaking indistinctly]
[JBL] Yes, it was.
[Michael] And Heyman, literally just screaming,
trying to urge Axel on.
-[crowd chanting] Paulrus! Paulrus! -He wants to play?
[Michael] As the "walrus" chants fill the Joe.
[JBL] Pretty disrespectful.
[Michael laughs] Oh, please.
[JBL] He could be the greatest manager of all time.
[Michael] Could be. Oh!
[Jerry] He deserves a lot of respect.
[Michael] He may be in a hospital before tonight's over too.
Now Punk teeing off on Axel.
[Jerry] He'd be the first guy to get "get well" cards from the nurses.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Watch out! Oh, and what a drop kick
to the chin for Axel.
[Jerry] Oh, look. Look at--
Paulrus feeling a little froggy himself out there.
[crowd chanting] We want tables!
[Jerry] He's all antsy.
He wants him some Punk right now.
[Michael] He better slow down before he blows up.
[crowd] We want tables!
[JBL] Easy inside baseball.
[Jerry] Oh, big chop!
Another one.
[Michael] Look at Punk just taking Curtis Axel.
Axel avoids the chair.
Punk misses wildly, right hand.
Axel misses as well, and a clubbing blow to the back of the head.
And now it's Axel
-looking to shoot the half. -[JBL] This Axel is relentless.
[Michael] He does, cover. Is it enough to put Punk away? Not there.
[Michael] Paul Heyman saying that at one point, "CM Punk and I…
were WWE Champion for 434 days." Their relationship…
-[JBL] I think that's accurate. -[Michael] …really went downhill
when Punk won the title-- or lost the title.
[Jerry] Uh-oh. We're gonna have some table action.
[JBL] Paul Heyman made tables famous in ECW.
He knows a little something about 'em.
Obviously Axel has been well tutored.
You wanna mess with Paul Heyman?
[Michael] Curtis Axel puts Punk through this table, and it'll be all she wrote.
[JBL] Can you imagine the frustration of CM Punk coming all this way
to get Paul Heyman if he got defeated
by Curtis Axel before he really got his hands on him?
Pick him up.
[Michael] Axel built momentum earlier tonight
-with that victory over Kofi Kingston. -[Heyman] Drive him through that table.
[Jerry] Well, this could happen.
[JBL] It's about to happen, I think, King.
[Jerry] And of course, just for the record,
it's not an Intercontinental Championship match.
[Michael] No, not this matchup.
[Jerry] Oh. Trying to-- trying to suplex.
[Michael] And is it Axel? No, Axel blocks this time.
And a second time.
-Now Axel! -[Jerry] Nobody wants to go-- oh.
Nobody wants to go through that table.
[Michael] Is that enough to put Punk away?
[JBL] Can't go one way, go the other.
[Michael] Both legs are hooked this time, and Punk stays in it.
Punk's not gonna go away quietly.
-You saw what-- -[JBL] I'm not sure Punk's gonna go away.
[Michael] You saw what CM Punk put himself through against Brock Lesnar.
[JBL] And the Undertaker.
[Michael] He took the Undertaker to the limit at WrestleMania.
Took on all comers during his, oh, over year-long championship reign.
Again, Axel cover on CM Punk, and another near-fall.
[JBL] Sometimes careers are defined by moments.
Curtis Axel's career could be defined right here if he beats CM Punk.
[Michael] Just in this event alone at Night of Champions,
CM Punk has battled the likes of John Cena, and Triple H,
and the Big Show over the years.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
CM Punk! CM Punk!
[Jerry] At this point, I think Heyman wants to smile.
It's just his nerves won't let him yet.
[Michael] Oh, I think-- Yup, Punk did roll out of the way.
Axel fist-first into the mat.
Now CM Punk looks to try to build some sort of momentum in this match.
-It's been all Axel here. -[Jerry] Oh!
-[Michael] Into the steel chair. -[JBL] Right into the chair.
[Michael] Shoulder-first.
[Jerry] Heyman's so nervous.
He's been biting his nails so much his stomach needs a manicure.
[Heyman] You've gotta get up. You've gotta get up.
[Michael] Watch this.
[Jerry] Oh!
[Heyman] You've gotta get up.
You've gotta go in there and fight him right now.
[JBL] Curtis Axel trying to shake out the cobwebs.
[Michael] And Heyman pleading.
[Jerry] You're right, he is pleading.
[JBL] Wouldn't you?
-[Jerry] Yeah, if I was Paul Heyman-- -[Michael] Oh, here comes Punk.
Here comes CM Punk. You feel the shift.
It's a power play for Punk, off the swinging neckbreaker!
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Oh, watch out.
-Yes! -[Michael] High running knee.
-[Jerry] Found its mark. -[Michael] CM Punk follows it up
with a clothesline.
[JBL] This could be preceding the end.
Not just for Curtis Axel. For that man right there, Paul Heyman.
[Michael] Yeah, think about how many times over the years
Heyman has seen CM Punk do this from the top rope.
[Jerry] Yeah, but he's not enjoying watching it now.
[JBL] No, he's not.
-His life flashing before his eyes. -[Michael] Oh.
And Curtis Axel wisely
-rolling out the ring. -[JBL] A brilliant move by Curtis Axel.
Great ring presence.
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.
[Michael] And Punk-- Oh, and Axel with a chair!
A glancing blow to the back of the head of CM Punk.
Luckily Axel didn't get the full force of that chair.
-[Jerry] You're not kidding, or this-- -[Michael] Or Punk'd be out cold.
[Jerry] This would be over right now.
[JBL] Great counter by Curtis Axel.
[Michael] Axel into the-- is it enough? Is it enough to Punk away?
CM Punk at two!
[JBL] You're right, if Curtis Axel would have got all of that,
I think CM Punk would be done right there.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
[Jerry chuckling]
Heyman's letting the Universe get to him.
[Michael] Wow, that wicked swinging neckbreaker.
That could be it. Axel this time got it, no.
-[referee] Two! Two. -No!
[grunting]
[grunts, yells]
[Heyman] You are better than CM Punk!
You are better than CM Punk!
[JBL] Now Heyman convincing himself?
[Michael] Mind games.
[Heyman] Who's the best in the world now?
[crowd booing]
[Michael] Axel has said that Punk's jealous of him.
Jealous that Heyman's paying more attention to Curtis Axel!
-[Jerry] Oh, no! -[groans]
[JBL] Mm, man.
[grunting]
[Jerry] Hey, good grief!
[JBL] No disqualification.
[Michael] Near-fall again!
-[screams] -[Michael] So close for Curtis Axel.
And Punk writhing in pain.
[Jerry] Curtis Axel just about to beat Punk to a pulp.
[Michael] And Axel's doing a great job here against CM Punk.
[JBL] Yeah. CM Punk knows what's at stake though.
[Michael] Yeah, he's gotta eliminate Axel to get his hands on Heyman.
He went for the-- that was the same move that beat Kofi Kingston earlier on.
Punk though maybe going for the Go To Sleep.
Curtis Axel able to come out of it.
Kendo stick to the gut!
Now he's got Axel up top.
-Go To Sleep connected! -[Jerry] He got him! He got him!
[JBL] If this is a three-count, he's got Heyman.
-[Michael] The Vise, the Vise! -[JBL] He's got him!
[Michael] The Anaconda Vise!
-Look at Heyman's face in the background! -[JBL] No disqualification.
[Michael] Axel taps!
-[bell ringing] -[Michael] Bring on Heyman!
Bring on Heyman!
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] He's in shock. He's in total shock.
[Michael] And Punk not gonna release here.
It doesn't matter, no disqualification.
Smart move by Punk, try to take Axel out
so he can't get involved in the second part of this matchup.
[JBL] Christmas came early for CM Punk.
[crowd cheering]
-[Jerry laughing] -[Michael] Come to daddy, Pauly.
[Jerry] There's a deer in the headlights.
[JBL] That's about to get hit by an 18-wheeler.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael laughing]
-Well, Heyman, no matter-- He can't-- -[Jerry] Where's he going?
[Michael] It doesn't matter where he runs.
He can drop in the-- he can jump in the river outside,
he's still gotta face Punk.
[JBL] You chase him long enough, Heyman will drop.
-They're coming through here. -[Jerry] Watch out, watch out, watch out.
[Michael] I don't know how smart that was.
[JBL] I've never seen Heyman run that far.
-[crowd cheering] -[Michael] Here we go!
-Hey, oh, wh-- -[Jerry] look at that nose.
[Michael] He looks better like that.
-Oh, this is gonna be fun. -[Jerry laughing]
[JBL] Fun for who?
[Michael] Oh, man, how many times over the years
have people wanted to get their hands on Paul Heyman like this?
[JBL] Only everybody who's ever met him.
[Jerry] Remember when Paul Heyman was screaming, "I fathered you"?
He said, "I murdered myself for you."
I think CM Punk's about to return the favor.
[Michael] Oh, no.
[JBL] He's actually mentored himself. He's about to get murdered.
[Michael] Heyman's not martyred now.
Punishment time, vengeance time.
-The time of reckoning. -[Heyman] Oh, God, that hurts!
Oh, my God.
[Jerry] Oh, man!
He can't miss, he's got a big target.
-[Heyman] Oh, my God. -[JBL] And this is a no disqualification.
Punk can beat him up all night, and Punk just might.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] What's he doing? That's something--
[Michael] Oh, looky here.
[Jerry] Well…
[Michael] You know what they say about payback.
Remember the night Heyman and Axel handcuffed CM Punk to the ropes.
Stop. Stop!
[Michael] Handcuffed his hands behind his back
and then beat him up with a kendo stick.
[JBL] He'll never get his hands together.
You did this to yourself, boy.
[Heyman] Please, listen to me.
-I can work this out with you. -[JBL] This doesn't end well.
-Listen, don't do this. -[JBL] Not for Paul Heyman.
I'm tapping.
I'm tapping!
I'm tapping.
-I'm tapping. -[crowd chanting] This is awesome.
This is awesome.
-I'm tapping. -[Michael] How's it feel now, Heyman?
[JBL] The WWE Universe certainly is loving this.
[Michael] You know, Paul had--
Punk handcuffed like this a number of weeks ago,
-and now it's your turn! -[Jerry] Oh, the ankle.
Oh, my God! Are you crazy? What are you doing?
-No! Oh! [yells] -[Jerry laughing]
-Reminds me of that movie, Misery. -Help me!
[Michael] He's breaking everything on him.
[Jerry] Ooh!
Oh, God, help me!
-[JBL] That hurt. -No, no!
[Jerry] You think?
-[Michael] Ow, ow, ow. -Oh, my God.
Are you crazy?
Stop. Stop.
Just remember, I did this to you.
-[Michael] Oh! -[Jerry] Oh!
-[grunting] -[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] I could watch this all night long.
-[JBL] We may. -[Jerry chuckling]
[crowd chanting] Table! Table! Table!
[Heyman] I'm tapping.
-[inaudible] -[JBL] Come on, that's enough.
[crowd chanting] Table! Table! Table!
[Michael] I didn't hear you saying that when Heyman and Axel had Punk handcuffed
a couple of weeks ago.
I broke your heart?
Now I'm gonna break your face.
[referee speaking indistinctly]
[Michael] Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
-What the-- -[Jerry] What?
[Michael] Ryback! What the--
[Jerry] Oh, man.
[crowd chanting indistinctly]
[Jerry] Oh.
[Michael] You've gotta be kidding me.
-No, no, no, no, no. Wait, wait, no, no. -[JBL] No.
[Michael] No, no, no. It's no disqualification.
[Jerry] Well, you can't-- Oh, come on.
[bell ringing]
[crowd booing]
[Justin] The winner of this match, Paul Heyman.
[JBL] Heyman just defeated CM Punk.
[Michael] Oh, please.
[JBL] That's what the record book shows.
[Ryback] Come on, Paul.
Get up.
[crowd chanting] Ryback sucks! Ryback sucks! Ryback sucks!
[Michael] You're kidding me.
[Jerry] Oh, my gosh. He's stronger than I thought.
[JBL] Strongest man alive.
[crowd jeering]
[Jerry] Ryback just came out here and broke CM Punk in half.
-Forget the table, he broke Punk in half. -[JBL] CM Punk is hurt.
[Michael] We thought CM Punk was gonna finish off Heyman right here,
-and watch this. Watch the background. -[JBL] He was.
[Michael] Watch the background.
Ryback out of nowhere.
-[JBL] Look at this. -[Michael] Oh.
Driving Punk through the table.
[Jerry] And ripping Punk apart at the same time.
-Watch this. -[Michael] Oh, man.
[Jerry] Oh, man, oh, man.
And then, if the pain wasn't bad enough, here comes the humiliation.
Paul Heyman just dragged across the body of CM Punk
and the referee counts to three.
And as you said, JBL, the record books are gonna show
that Paul Heyman defeated CM Punk.
We will never, ever hear the end of this.
[JBL] I don't think anybody would have ever believed you'd say that,
anybody would say that Paul Heyman defeated CM Punk.
[Michael] Man, look at Punk. His eyes are rolled back in his head.
Who would have believed you ever would have saw Ryback
come to the aid of Heyman.
[Jerry] Oh.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
[JBL] Punk is humiliated.
[Jerry] Big gash in his back.
He won't-- he won't be feeling the--
-[JBL] The gash isn't the problem. -[Jerry] Yeah, you're right.
He's just feeling complete humiliation right now.
One more look at this.
Punk measuring Paul Heyman,
and then from behind, this-- Oh, my gosh!
Smashed right through that table.
Stay away from me. Stay away from me.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] You can see Punk refusing any kind of medical attention.
[Michael] No, he's just embarrassed.
What a night it's been here thus far at Night of Champions.
This of course is the expert superstar panel.
Alex Riley,
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T,
former United States Champion Santino Marella.
Guys, where do we start?
What has surprised you the most so far here at Night of Champions, Alex?
Well, I think this has been a tremendous pay-per-view to start with.
And the most shocking thing to me-- Well, second most shocking thing to me
is the way the COO started the night off,
by making a stipulation that nobody's gonna get involved
in the WWE Championship matchup.
At first, I thought it was confidence that he had in Randy Orton,
and then we saw earlier that it might be a test.
I don't know if this is the night to test. But the first most shocking thing
is Booker getting awarded…
-[Booker T laughing] -…the most popular World Champion award.
-Congrats. -You know, what can I say, dawg?
You know, as far as-- for me, definitely the Night of Champions
has produced three championship matches and three champions has retained.
That right there is something totally surprising.
I thought Rob Van Dam was about to cash in
until Alberto Del Rio just went totally underhanded.
-What do you think? -Well, what just happened with Ryback
blew my mind, but I must say I'm very, very impressed with Kofi Kingston,
not knowing he's going to have a match tonight and taking Axel to the limit.
Oh, man, but he still didn't cash in.
Kofi came close, but he didn't win the championship.
And again, congratulations to Booker T
being named the greatest World Heavyweight Champion…
-Thank you. -[Josh] …of all time on the wwe.com polls.
-[Santino] That's impressive. -[Josh] That sound means that it's time
for the United States Championship match.
["Special Op" playing]
[bell ringing]
[Justin] This contest, set for one fall,
is for the United States Championship!
Representing The Shield, weighing 225 pounds,
he is the current United States Champion,
Dean Ambrose!
["Special Op" continues playing]
[crowd cheering]
[music fades]
["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 ♪
[Justin] And the challenger, from Hollywood, Florida,
weighing 213 pounds,
Dolph Ziggler!
[Michael] Big opportunity tonight for Dolph Ziggler.
He goes one-on-one with Dean Ambrose
for the prestigious United States Championship.
[inaudible]
[Michael] More than a dozen WWE Hall of Famers have held that title,
including the man to my right, John "Bradshaw" Layfield.
[JBL] Yes, sir.
[Michael] John, explain to me the importance
of the United States Championship.
[JBL] Well, especially when you grew up in the United States,
you're proud of your country.
The one thing you want to do is represent it.
That flag-- that title has the American flag on it,
named the United States Championship.
Think about Harley Race.
Think about all the guys who've held that title.
♪ Bring it on! ♪
♪ Do what I say, better watch what I do… ♪
[Michael] Dolph Ziggler earning this matchup tonight
via a disqualification victory over Dean Ambrose
this past Friday night on SmackDown.
Dolph and Ambrose have had their problems in recent weeks.
Remember Dean Ambrose attacked Dolph Ziggler
before a match a couple of weeks ago. Ziggler's also had his problems
-with The Shield… -[bell ringing]
[Michael] …as he's been punished by WWE COO
for speaking out against The Authority
over the past few weeks ever since SummerSlam.
[JBL] Punished?
He's in a title match against Dean Ambrose.
You call that a punishment?
[Michael] I said he had some problems with The Shield,
-that's why he was-- -[JBL] And look at how fair Triple H is.
He put Dolph Ziggler right out there against Dean Ambrose
on Night of Champions.
[Michael] Triple H extremely fair I thought in my mind earlier tonight
when he kicked off the show saying that Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton,
for the WWE title a little bit later on, will indeed be one-on-one.
[Jerry] Yeah, that's surprising to say the least
after all we've seen the past few weeks from our COO,
and suddenly tonight, you're right, that's a very fair decision.
[Michael] There'll be no outside interference.
[JBL] I don't know why that's surprising. Triple H does what's best for business.
[Michael] Dean Ambrose, six foot four, 225 pounds. He won the--
[Jerry] It looked like it was surprising to Randy Orton.
[JBL] Randy Orton-- Triple H wants to know he has the right person.
-[Michael] He's gonna find out tonight. -[JBL] That's what a great COO does.
I believe he does.
I believe Randy Orton is incredible as the face of the WWE.
[Michael] Ambrose ducks underneath the right hand.
Dolph Ziggler, former World Champion.
[Jerry chuckling] Dean Ambrose trying to play
some mind games with Dolph Ziggler.
-Oh. -[Michael] Oh. That's where it gets you.
Here's the cover for the United States title.
[Jerry] Dolph Ziggler gets into your head with his feet.
[JBL] Both feet.
-[JBL] Oh. -[Jerry] Yeah.
[JBL] Get out your nitroglycerin, King.
[Michael] This has become a…
-[crowd] Six! Seven! -[Michael] …signature for Ziggler.
[crowd] Eight!
[JBL] One year ago when I first had to start filling in for you, King.
I may have to fill in for Dean Ambrose now.
[Michael] And Ziggler… Oh!
Is it enough to put Ambrose away?
And a kickout.
[yells]
[Michael] And there goes the champion, and Ziggler as well.
Remember, Ziggler, in order to win the title,
must win via pinfall or submission.
[Jerry] Speaking of that, I just got a bill for my doctor
with a note that said the bill is one year old.
I sent it back with a note that said, "Happy birthday."
[Michael laughing]
[Jerry] Dolph Ziggler now gonna take it to Dean Ambrose.
Whoa, Ambrose gonna turn things around here.
[JBL] Ow.
[Jerry] Oh.
[crowd wooing]
[JBL] Ambrose won his United States Championship
back at Extreme Rules earlier this year in his first ever title match.
[Michael] As did his Shield brethren, Reigns and Rollins,
winning the tag title that night,
which they'll defend in just a little bit against The Prime Time Players.
[JBL] And they have owned every pay-per-view since.
[Jerry] Uh-oh, caught.
-[Michael] Oh, man. -[JBL] Man.
[Jerry] Well, there's a difference maker.
[JBL] Yes, it is.
[Michael] The slightly-off Dean Ambrose.
-Eccentric in nature. -Just one.
-[Michael] Cover, hook of the leg and-- -[Chad] One.
Kicking it back at Ziggler that time,
trying that with just one elbow.
-Tried to put him away with that. -[Chad] One, two, three.
Watch your face. Come on now.
Hey, come on now. Watch your hair. Watch your hair.
[Jerry] Ambrose is gonna add a little humiliation
of his own to this match.
[JBL] Confidence is not something Dean Ambrose lacks.
-No. -[Michael] Said he gets bored out there.
He likes to poke the hornet's nest 'cause he enjoys living on the edge.
[Jerry] Well, he's in there with a young man,
Dolph Ziggler, that'll put you right over the edge if you're not careful.
[Chad] There you go.
[Michael] Again, Ambrose wrestling him back down to the mat.
-[Chad] What do you say, Dolph? -Done.
[JBL] The Showoff was with Mr. Money in the Bank,
two-time World Champion.
You knock off Dean Ambrose, so the first one that does,
and eventually somebody will
take that championship from him, what a name you make for yourself.
[Chad] What do you say now, Dolph?
You quit.
[Chad] Come on, Dolph. You gonna give it up? What do you say?
-No. -[Chad] No.
[Michael] Ambrose has Ziggler exactly where he wants him.
Has not allowed Dolph Ziggler to build any type of momentum.
[Jerry] And asking Ziggler if he wants to quit.
I don't think Dolph Ziggler's gonna say, "I quit," in this match.
[Michael] We asked Ambrose on commentary a couple of weeks ago
why he's been attacking Ziggler.
He said it's all about respect.
[JBL] He thinks Ziggler lacks it,
and he thinks he is here, Dean Ambrose, to mete out justice.
-[Jerry] Whoa, whoa, whoa. -[Michael] Over the top.
Is it enough here? And Ambrose got a kickout.
-Now, he attacks Dolph Ziggler. -[Jerry chuckling]
[Michael] Reversal that time, again, a near-fall.
[Jerry] Oh, look at this.
[Michael] High elbow by Ziggler for the United States Championship.
[Chad] Let's go, Ambrose.
Let's work him down. Come on, now.
[Dolph screaming]
-[Jerry] Oh, man. -[screams]
[Jerry] I remember not that long ago
when Dean Ambrose and The Shield appeared on the scene.
-[Michael] Oh. -[JBL] Wow.
[Michael] Is that enough for Ambrose to put Dolph Ziggler away
and retain his United States Championship?
-A near-fall. -[Chad] Two.
[Jerry] You could tell right away that those three individuals
-were gonna be something special. -Who is gonna be the US Champ now, huh?
-[Michael] And they have been. -[Jerry] Yeah.
I'll be honest with you though. I never expected them
to all be holding gold like they are now.
[Michael] And they have for a number of months.
Come on.
[JBL] They all won it in their first championship matches respectively.
They said it's their yard, and it has been.
I don't think I've ever seen a team come along
that has dominated an entire company like The Shield has done
since they've been here.
[Jerry] Watch yourself.
[Michael] Oh, Ziggler, there's the quickness of Dolph Ziggler.
Former World Champion plants Ambrose. This could be what he needs.
Ziggler crawling to the cover.
Can he get Ambrose on his back? He does.
Shoulders down, is it enough? No.
[Jerry] Oh, man, Ambrose was flopping like a flounder out there.
I thought Ziggler had him.
[Chad] What do you say, Dolph?
What do you say, guys? Come on, now.
[Jerry] Both these guys feeling the effects of that move.
[Chad] Two.
[Michael] Ziggler trying to somehow get his wits about him…
to gain the upper hand.
Ambrose. Full Nelson.
-Ziggler rolls through. Is it enough here? -[Jerry] Got him hooked.
[Michael] And Ambrose has got to squirm out.
[Jerry] Hit that turnbuckle there.
[Chad] What you say now?
[yells]
[Jerry] Oh.
[crowd] One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And Ziggler off the clothesline, into the cover of the champion.
-[Jerry] Oh. -[Michael] Ambrose stays in it.
[Jerry] Of course, these two-- these two young men matchup pretty evenly here.
-[JBL] Yes, they do. -[Michael] Sleeper hold.
Sleeper hold. Dolph Ziggler…
If he gets the champ to pass out or tap out,
but Dean Ambrose creates separation.
[Jerry] That's how you break that sleeper hold.
-One, two! -[Michael] Cover.
And again, Ziggler at two.
[Chad] Watch your hair. Watch your hair.
[Jerry] Ow.
[Chad] Hey, keep off the ropes, guys.
Come on, guys. Let's get him off. One. Not the rope, guys.
Oh. Watch this, watch this.
[Michael] A cover. Is it enough here to win the title?
[Chad] Two.
[Michael] Dolph with a Famouser, Ambrose from behind.
This time Ambrose has got the tights. Ziggler able to kick out.
And Dolph Ziggler, this time he hits the move made famous by Billy Gunn.
[JBL] We may have us a new champion.
[Michael] Famouser, hook of the leg, shoulders down,
and Ambrose grabs the bottom rope.
Two.
[Jerry] I thought Dolph Ziggler had the victory right there.
[Chad] Hey, he grabbed the rope, Dolph. I'm telling you, he grabbed the rope.
[Jerry] Speaking of victories, I still cannot get over the fact that,
like you said, JBL, in the record books it's gonna show that Paul Heyman,
here at Night of Champions, got a victory over CM Punk.
-Can you believe that? -[JBL] No, no.
[Michael] Thanks to Ryback.
[Jerry] Watch out, oh.
[Michael] And now Ambrose, Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler.
Shoulders down, is it enough? Here he may have him.
And oh, Ambrose almost got caught in it.
[JBL] But Dolph is clever, and what an athlete.
[Jerry] Maybe not that clever.
-Watch out here. -[JBL] Maybe not.
[Michael] And now Ambrose plants him.
Dean Ambrose, hook of the leg, wraps the arm,
and Ambrose retains the United States Championship.
["Special Op" playing]
[Justin] The winner of this match and still United States Champion,
Dean Ambrose.
[Michael] And The Shield dominance continues.
Dean Ambrose hard-fought victory tonight over Dolph Ziggler
for the United States Championship.
[JBL] Another day at the office.
[inaudible]
[Michael] Well, we asked you on wwe.com today to vote
for who you believe were the greatest United States Champions of all time.
Among those on the list, we'll show you now.
We'll show you who the winner is.
'Cause there's the current champ.
[Jerry] Yeah, illustrious names. Bobo Brazil, Harley Race,
Ricky Steamboat, Sgt. Slaughter, and Sting.
But who was the all-time greatest United States Champion?
Sting, wow.
[Michael] Sting wins the vote from the WWE Universe
as the greatest United States Champion of all time.
["Making Moves" playing]
♪ Millions of dollars ♪
[bell ringing]
[Lilian] The following tag team contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the WWE Tag Team Championship.
Introducing the challengers, at a combined weight of 509 pounds,
Darren Young and Titus O'Neil, The Prime Time Players.
[Michael] The Prime Time Players got here tonight virtue of their victory
in the tag team turmoil match earlier tonight
on the Night of Champions Kickoff Show.
The Real Americans and Jack Swagger.
Two Patriot Locks eliminated two teams.
He went for it in The Prime Time Players,
but this time around, John, it would not work.
Darren Young, doing a great job,
separated himself here from the Patriot Lock.
Able to put Jack Swagger away.
What a performance by The Prime Time Players.
[JBL] Millions of dollars, millions of dollars, millions of dollars!
And what an opportunity the Prime Time Players have tonight.
It's step up or step off.
[Justin] …number one contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship,
The Prime Time Players.
[Michael] That match taking place exclusively
on our Night of Champions Kickoff Show earlier on tonight.
So, Rollins and Reigns defending the tag team titles
against the Prime Time Players, Titus O'Neil and Darren Young.
Great opportunity for those two young men tonight
here at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit for Night of Champions.
[Jerry] There you saw the Tag Team Championships.
Man, Titus O'Neil and Darren Young are pumped, aren't they?
-[bell ringing] -[Jerry] They are ready for this match.
Of course, so is Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns.
[Michael] Seth Rollins will start things off against Titus O'Neil.
[JBL] What an opportunity Prime Time Players have.
[Michael] The Shield won the tag team gold back
at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view, with a victory over then Team Hell No.
[JBL] Few guys who can match on muscle
when Roman Reigns is standing right there, Titus O'Neil.
[Rollins] Come on.
[Michael] The Shield, who have taken out the likes
of so many superstars
since they arrived on the scene late last year,
including The Phenom, The Undertaker, who we have not heard or seen
since their brutal attack on SmackDown just a bit after WrestleMania.
Get out. Get out.
[Jerry] Seth Rollins caught right there.
He may get caught again but-- Oh, yes, he is caught again.
-[JBL] He sure is. -[Michael] That's the strength and power…
-[JBL] This guy is a freak. -[Michael] …of Titus O'Neil.
[JBL] He is an absolute freak.
[Michael] John, you talk all the time about Titus O'Neil
and the potential this young man has.
[JBL] Absolutely. Once that light bulb goes off,
we could be looking at a world champion right here in Titus O'Neil.
Everything you have to have, he has it.
[Jerry] He will slam you right through the floor.
[JBL] Just God-given strength.
[Michael] Darren Young, in off the tag.
Darren Young, you saw moments ago,
took out Swagger in the Tag Team Turmoil match…
to get us this point here tonight.
[Chad] Come on.
[Jerry] I saw Darren in Canada last week.
He said he had no problem getting his hair through there, through customs. [laughing]
[Michael] Titus didn't have to worry about that.
[JBL] No, he just had to bring his washrags.
-[Michael] Oh, Darren caught him. -[Jerry] Oh, nice catch.
[Michael] Great move by Darren. Is it enough to win the tag team titles?
Kickout by Rollins.
[JBL] There's no doubt in my mind Prime Time Players have the ability
to win this match and win these championships.
I still think it'd be an upset if they do.
[Michael] Here's the powerhouse, Roman Reigns.
[Jerry] I think you're right about that.
It's-- I mean, you look at Roman Reigns as the powerhouse of The Shield Team,
but, hey, Titus O'Neil matches him pound for pound,
and probably every bit as strong,
and Darren Young can hang with Seth Rollins ability-wise.
I just think it's an experience factor.
-[JBL] You're right, King. -[Jerry] Whoa.
[Michael] There goes Reigns and…
[Jerry] But that's not to say these young men can't rise
-to the occasion tonight. Oh, man. -[JBL] You never know.
[Michael] What an elbow caught by Rollins.
-[JBL] That could be it. -[Michael] Is it enough here?
[Chad] Two.
Get him over here. Get him over here.
[Michael] Prime Time getting close to winning the tag titles.
In comes Titus, the try his share.
[JBL] They did. That was a heck of an elbow by Darren Young.
What? Do you wanna stop me, huh?
[JBL] Now's not when you hot dog, Titus.
-Now's when you try to win a championship. -One, two, three.
[whistle blowing]
[JBL] Well, go ahead and hot dog.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Yeah, I don't think team-- I don't think The Shield's the team
you want to be screwing around with.
-[whistle blowing] -[JBL] No, they're not.
You don't get many chances to win a championship.
[Michael] There goes Roman Reigns. Prime Time Players are rolling, however.
-[whistle blowing] -[JBL] Yes, they are.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] You better get your focus on, boys.
[Michael] And what happens was
it allowed Seth Rollins to roll out of harm's way.
[Jerry] Watch out here.
-Oh, good duck. Nice. -[Michael] Darren ducked underneath
-the right hand and slipped here. -[JBL] Darren slipped out here.
[Michael] Still able to deliver the right.
-And look at Seth Rollins. -[Jerry] Oh, he's lying in wait.
[Michael] Hangs up Darren Young. And I'll tell you what happened,
that entire sequence got out of control for the Prime Time Players
-and The Shield took advantage. -[JBL] Yeah.
[Michael] Rollins was in trouble in the corner,
he was able to roll out of the ring.
[JBL] Yeah, and that's what you talk about, King, with experience.
Youth and inexperience allowed this to happen.
Prime Time Players not used to being in a big match like this,
let their emotions get ahead of them.
[Jerry] Yeah, and you're right. Sometimes when you--
when you start thinking about how big this match really is,
-and how important it is… -[Michael] Oh, man.
[Jerry] …and how much those titles mean,
it-- I mean you're just-- your focus, you can lose that focus.
[Michael] Now The Shield have Darren Young right where they want him.
-[fan] Believe in The Shield! -[Michael] Pick them apart.
[JBL] You better believe The Shield won't lose focus.
[yells]
[man] Come on, Darren, get up.
[Michael] Darren Young-- Here's Reigns looking to put it away right here.
[Michael] Notice how Reigns, when he hooked the leg,
he swung Young's body right back into the middle
so Young couldn't get to the bottom rope for the kickout.
[Jerry] That's just a little bit of that experience
that JBL and I were talking about these guys have.
[JBL] Those guys make very, very few mistakes.
[Reigns] Keep him down.
-[Titus] Come on, big dawg. -[Reigns] Keep him down.
Come on, D Young.
[crowd clapping rhythmically]
Come on.
[Michael] Darren trying to fight back against Rollins.
Yes.
[Seth] Come on, come on, D Young, huh?
-Come on, you wanna be a champion? -Come on, D Young, fight back.
What champion?
This is how you dominate a man.
[Michael] A little mind games by The Shield.
Darren though-- Darren Young, oh, what a throw.
-Belly to belly. -[Jerry] Man.
You've got to capitalize on that.
[JBL] You say they don't make many mistakes, they just made one.
Darren Young better capitalize on it and get to Titus O'Neil.
[Michael] Roman Reigns.
-How great was that for Reigns? -[Jerry] Yup.
[Michael] Darren was about an arm's length away.
Uh-oh, now the hot doggin' may have caught up with The Shield.
Trash talking with Titus O'Neil, Roman Reigns got caught
and now it's Darren Young trying to get to Titus.
[Jerry] Whoa.
-Tag out, there you go. -[Michael] Tag out. Tag's made.
[JBL] Here we go.
Man!
[Michael] Here's the cover by Titus, new champions, and a kickout at two.
[JBL] That looked like an old University of Florida tackle
right there by big Titus.
[Jerry] It kinda looked like somebody getting hit by a car.
[JBL] I tell you, this big man, he is fun to watch.
[Michael] And Titus O'Neil unloading rights and lefts.
[JBL] Titus O'Neil has no idea how good he is.
[Jerry] He is destroying The Shield.
[JBL] Watch this.
[Michael] Flat out power.
Oh!
[JBL] Great counter by Seth Rollins.
-[Michael] Down he goes, this is it. -[JBL] Goodnight!
-[Jerry] Cover, cover, cover. -[Michael] The Prime Time Players--
The Prime Time Players are gonna do it.
And Roman Reigns saving the matchup.
Off the Clash of the Titus,
Prime Time Players almost won the tag team titles.
[Jerry] Oh, man.
Seth Rollins had a death grip on the leg of Titus O'Neil,
but not anymore.
-Watch your back. -[Michael] Oh, and a spear!
The official was with Darren Young.
Roman Reigns with the spear,
-and The Shield retains. -[bell ringing]
["Special Op" playing]
[Lilian] Here are your winners and still WWE Tag Team Champions,
Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, The Shield.
[JBL] Hey, great effort by the Prime Time Players.
The lights were on bright, and they stepped up.
But I'm not sure anybody can beat The Shield right now.
[Jerry] Look at this point in the match where Titus was literally on a roll.
He rolled right over Seth Rollins.
I thought he had the match in hand and he just--
Watch Seth Rollins land on his feet and then catch Titus with that big kick.
That was the beginning of the end.
[Michael] Yeah, we thought this was the end, Clash of the Titus.
Titus O'Neil looking to put away Seth Rollins,
but Roman Reigns would save the matchup for his team.
Now, I want-- I want you to watch very carefully what happens here.
The spear. You saw the referee was dealing with Darren Young.
-Roman Reigns took advantage. -[JBL] And he knows.
["Special Op" continues playing]
[Michael] Ambrose successful,
Rollins and Reigns successful,
The Shield standing tall at Night of Champions.
That's Comerica Park.
It's home of the Detroit tigers, one of the best teams in baseball,
but we're down the street a ways at Joe Louis Arena for Night of Champions.
Titus' tigers were victorious today there at Comerica Park.
It has been a shocking night on many accounts,
but, uh, nothing more shocking than what we saw a bit earlier on.
It was CM Punk versus Paul Heyman and Curtis Axel
in a Two-on-One Handicap Elimination matchup, no disqualification.
Let's show you how Punk took care of Curtis Axel.
[Jerry] Well, you see here, CM Punk had that hold on Curtis Axel.
-Curtis Axel tapping out… -[bell ringing]
[Jerry] …and the look on the face of Paulrus
was… [chuckles] …well, it was priceless because he was in big trouble,
and he knew it.
[Michael] And the Anaconda Vise supplied by CM Punk
meaning that he would get his hands on Heyman.
Just remember, I did this to you.
[Jerry] Well, CM Punk handcuffed Paul Heyman,
and then with that kendo stick,
proceeded to wear out…
the body of Heyman.
[Michael] But watch this. Watch the back of your screen.
Ryback appears, and he drives CM Punk through the table.
That was the physical hurt.
Check out the emotional hurt.
[Jerry] No kidding.
This was, as you will recall, a No Disqualification match,
so Ryback drags a lifeless Paul Heyman's body
on top of CM Punk, and unbelievably, listen.
Paul Heyman wins the match
and then is carried to the back by Ryback.
[Michael] I mean, when did you ever think Paul Heyman
would beat CM Punk, and Ryback was--
I don't think CM Punk in his wildest dreams
would ever-- I believe Paul Heyman would pin him.
Well, Heyman and Axel may not be considered
one of the greatest tag teams of all time, but we've asked you to vote on wwe.com
who you think is one of the greatest tag teams of all time.
King, uh, let's show you who wins this thing.
[Jerry] Look at those great teams. Hart Foundation, DX, The Wild Samoans,
The British Bulldogs, Road Warriors.
Who's the greatest of all time?
DX! Triple H and HBK.
[JBL] We got two words for you, well done.
[Michael] Triple H, our COO, must be happy with that.
-Speaking of our-- -[Jerry] I love these polls.
-I love to vote. It's a lot of fun. -Speaking of our COO,
he made a big ruling in our main event tonight, no outside interference.
It's gonna be Randy Orton versus Daniel Bryan one-on-one
-for the WWE title. -[Jerry] That's right.
Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan will find out if Randy Orton was the right choice
by Triple H to be the face of the WWE.
[Michael] For Daniel-- for Daniel Bryan, the nightmare began at SummerSlam.
[Triple H] Let me take you back to SummerSlam.
[Michael] Daniel Bryan did it! Daniel Bryan is WWE Champion!
[Triple H] The dawning of a new era.
[Michael] Oh, my God! Oh, my God, no!
[Triple H] The beginning of the future.
Randy Orton is the new face of WWE.
I am the COO of this company.
It is my job to ensure the best product for everybody.
Daniel Bryan is not the face of the WWE.
[Stephanie] You're, like, five foot eight.
He is the wrong corporate image for the WWE.
[Stephanie] Two hundred pounds.
[Triple H] When you are burdened with not only the talent here,
but the 700-plus employees that work in corporate WWE,
to ensure that there is food on their table every night,
to ensure that they're in the most prosperous company
they can be in,
that's the burden that I have every day with every decision I make,
to make the WWE everything that it can be.
[tense music playing]
[Michael] Now, each and every week, Daniel Bryan is getting pummeled,
and beaten up, and punished, and destroyed.
[Jerry] Oh, this is ridiculous.
You had a giant knock him out when he was already defenseless.
[Triple H] You're gonna do what I tell you for your family.
What kind of precedent would that set in the locker room?
A 20-year veteran just looks at me and says,
"No, I'm not gonna do my job."
I would have anarchy.
-[music fades] -[pensive music playing]
[Triple H] The reality of it is,
I did what I did because I care about Big Show.
As for the Cody Rhodes situation, I feel bad.
Daniel Bryan versus Randy Orton is what's best for business.
You have to look at people's attitudes
and how that affects everybody else in the locker room.
And if Cody Rhodes had to be the egg that got cracked
to make the WWE a better place,
I'm willing to make that sacrifice.
Cody, it's with deep regret
that I have to tell you you're fired.
[crowd booing]
[tense rock music playing]
[Triple H] I'm not the enemy here.
Growth is painful.
If Daniel Bryan proves me wrong,
I will be the first guy to shake his hand and say, "You proved me wrong."
This is about my life.
As far as the face of the WWE goes…
[Michael] This WWE Universe is absolutely going berserk.
[Daniel] It's time for that face to change.
[Jerry] Whoa, whoa, whoa.
-[crowd] One, two, three. -[Michael] He got him!
What a victory for Daniel Bryan.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And Daniel Bryan goes right after Orton.
-And now The Shield. -[Jerry] It's four on one.
-[music concludes] -[tense music playing]
[Triple H] As COO, I am WWE.
Go.
It's what's best for business.
Do it!
Pick him up and knock him back down.
[dramatic music playing]
[Michael] Bryan! Daniel Bryan with a knee to the face.
[Daniel] I will beat Randy Orton.
[JBL] It just could be.
[Daniel] I will regain the title.
[Michael] It could happen Sunday, Night of Champions.
[Daniel] And I will be the WWE Champion!
[music concludes]
-["Flight of the Valkyries" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[JBL] Is tonight the night?
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Jerry] Do you realize that, right now,
people all over the world are standing up in their living rooms
with their hands up in the air, shouting, "Yes, yes, yes"?
[JBL] One of the most popular WWE superstars of all time.
["Flight of the Valkyries" continues playing]
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Michael] The question is, will Daniel Bryan be WWE Champion
the next time we come to you on pay-per-view three weeks from tonight?
Buffalo, New York, brand new pay-per-view entitled Battleground.
It's gonna be an even playing field.
Triple H says no outside interference for this match tonight.
[music fades]
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Bryan!
Let's go, Bryan!
-["Voices" playing] -♪ I hear voices in my head ♪
♪ They counsel me, they understand ♪
♪ They talk to me ♪
[Michael] He is the face of the WWE, according to COO Triple H.
He is a ten-time world champion.
And he's extremely confident that he can beat Daniel Bryan here tonight.
[JBL] That's an air of confidence walking into the room.
You get that when you're the face of the WWE.
[Michael] We've asked you to vote on wwe.com all night long
about who you believe
is among the greatest WWE Champions of all time.
-Let's show you that list. -[Jerry] Yes.
If you voted on this list, these are the champions that are listed.
There've been many, many great WWE Champion in the past,
but Triple H, CM Punk, John Cena, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, or Hulk Hogan?
Let's see what you said.
-Hulk Hogan? -[Michael] Wow.
And again, this is only five of the greats.
As in the other categories all night long,
including the World Heavyweight Championship,
there are so many great champions to list.
We picked five in each category.
You voted for Hulk Hogan as the greatest WWE Champion of all time.
[JBL] Hey, don't tell Booker T that. He agrees with the outcome.
-[Michael laughing] -[JBL] I do too, I love Booker.
[Michael] You know what's interesting about this match, guys,
is both of these men, Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton,
have had career years really wrapped up here at Night of Champions.
Randy Orton at Night of Champions won a Six-Pack Challenge to win the WWE title.
He defeated Triple H and John Cena to retain the WWE title one year.
["Voices" continues playing]
[Michael] Last year, he knocked off Dolph Ziggler
in a matchup here at Night of Champions.
Been a very successful event for Randy Orton.
♪ I hear voices in my head ♪
♪ They counsel me, they understand ♪
♪ They talk to me ♪
-[music fades] -[bell ringing]
[Justin] Ladies and gentlemen, this contest set for one fall
is for the WWE Championship.
Introducing at this time, the challenger,
from Aberdeen, Washington,
weighing 210 pounds, Daniel Bryan.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
And his opponent, from St. Louis, Missouri,
weighing 245, he is the current WWE Champion,
"The Apex Predator" Randy Orton.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Gentlemen, I explained to you
what Randy Orton has done at Night of Champions.
Look what Daniel Bryan has accomplished over the years in this event.
In 2010, he won his first championship,
the United States title here at this event.
Last year, along with Kane, he won the Tag Team Championship
as part of Team Hell No.
Tonight, can he win the WWE title from Randy Orton?
It is a big fight feel in the Joe.
Daniel Bryan, the prohibited fan favorite, his back against the wall
-against the ten-time champ, Randy Orton. -[bell ringing]
[Jerry] Oh, here we go.
[JBL] How great is Triple H,
making sure it's gonna be decided right there in that WWE ring?
[Michael] No outside interference. That means no Big Show, no Shield.
No one can get involved.
Orton and Daniel Bryan lock up center of the ring,
and we're underway for the prestigious WWE Championship.
Hey, hey. Leave it. Leave it. Please, clean break. Hold. Come on.
Come on, guys. Clean break. Come on. Hey, Randy, come on.
Clean break.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Michael] One thing we've learned about Bryan, you saw it there,
he's not gonna back down.
And Daniel Bryan, can he feed off
the-- this so-called sixth man here tonight,
the WWE Universe, or will they get the head of Randy Orton?
[Jerry] Well, that's the Universe that's here.
I mean, as I said earlier, all over the world, people are standing.
They're tweeting right now.
Razmarzda just tweeted, said, "That's right, Jerry Lawler."
"I really am standing in my living room shouting, 'Yes, yes, yes.'"
[Michael] Oh, Randy Orton with a headbutt.
John, let's not forget what happened Friday night on SmackDown,
part of The Cutting Edge, hosted by Edge.
Daniel Bryan, as we went off the air, had Randy Orton in the Yes! Lock.
Orton was tapping out to the "Yes!" Lock.
Can that happen tonight?
[JBL] Yes, it can happen.
Well, look. Daniel Bryan is-- has been a WWE Champion.
It just got taken from him by the Money in the Bank
being cashed in on him.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Whoa, big knee.
[Michael] Daniel Bryan has not backed down yet.
[Jerry] Well, that's the thing about Daniel Bryan.
That goes back to that time when he thought he was the weak link.
He would never back down from bigger, stronger opponents or superstars, never.
[JBL] Why would you think Daniel Bryan would back down?
[Michael] Again, Randy Orton,
as Bryan continues to work on the left arm,
left shoulder of Randy.
[JBL] You have a stupid answer for that stupid question?
[Michael] What?
[JBL] Why would you expect Daniel Bryan to back down?
[Michael] Big match, pressure matchup.
Who knows how he's gonna react to this situation tonight against Orton?
[JBL] He's never backed down from anything.
I certainly don't expect it tonight
and I certainly don't think the WWE Universe expects it,
and I don't think Randy Orton expects it.
[Michael] Bryan again, kicks to Orton
and now in the corner with the right hands to The Viper.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Michael] To the kidney by Orton.
[Jerry] I think that's what we said, was the only thing you can count on
is Daniel Bryan will never back down.
-[JBL] You better believe it. -[Michael] Now, look at Orton.
Again, from the second rope, there's the backbreaker.
[JBL] What a match Daniel Bryan had with John Cena at SummerSlam.
[Michael] And he won the matchup,
won the WWE Championship only to have it ripped away
when Orton would cash in Money in the Bank,
thanks to Triple H, the COO, getting involved.
[JBL] It wasn't ripped away. The Money in the Bank was cashed in.
That's what happens when Money in the Bank gets cashed in.
[Michael] It was unprecedented. The COO, the man who runs this company…
[JBL] Come on. Wah, wah, wah.
[Michael] …got involved and basically put into place
the man he wanted to see as champion.
[JBL] It would have happened anyhow.
Randy Orton had Money in the Bank.
He was waiting on his opportunity.
[Jerry] Yeah. But guys, that's what this match tonight is all about.
We could say what we want about whether or not Triple H helped Randy Orton
become the face of the WWE.
Tonight, it doesn't matter. Randy Orton has no help.
[JBL] That is exactly right, King.
[Jerry] It's man against man here.
[Michael] Forearm in the face, cover, kickout by Bryan.
[JBL] This is Night of Champions.
[Michael] Randy Orton, a third-generation superstar.
[JBL] And that is what's best for business, just as Triple H said.
[Michael] Daniel Bryan's line, saying that Randy had the genetics of a champion,
-but not the heart of a champion. -[Jerry] I wanna ask you this, JBL.
Do you think-- do you think that it's possible
that Daniel Bryan can win this match?
[JBL] Not a doubt in my mind, King.
[Jerry] Okay. If he does-- I agree.
If he does, will Triple H be man enough to come out here and say,
"Daniel Bryan, you are now the face of the WWE"?
[JBL] He wouldn't have any alternative.
[Michael] Look at Bryan.
[JBL] That would be what's best for business.
So, to answer your question, King,
-yes, I think-- -[Michael] And Randy-- Oh!
[JBL] I think Triple H would do exactly that.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Again, we talked about this last week, John.
Think about the pressure that's on Orton tonight.
Here's the cover. Forearm right in the face.
Now he hooks the leg and a kickout.
[Jerry] That would sure be a bitter pill for Randy Orton to have to swallow
if Triple H came out here and admitted to the world that--
[Michael] He was anointed as the face by Triple H, Orton was.
[Jerry] Ow, ow, ow, the beard. The beard. The beard.
[JBL] Guys, there's pressure in any championship match,
but the pressure is on Daniel Bryan.
Daniel Bryan has to beat Randy Orton.
Randy Orton just has to retain any way possible.
[Michael] John, I agree with that point,
but I also agree with a ton of pressure on Orton.
Triple H, he anointed Randy Orton as face of WWE.
If Orton goes out and loses tonight,
think about what that does to Triple H and his entire regime.
[JBL] He's a ten-time world champion.
He's responded to pressure every time he's been in that situation.
There's no reason to think he doesn't respond tonight.
[Michael] And Bryan-- This place is electric here tonight in Detroit.
Bryan ducks underneath.
Daniel Bryan right-- right to the midsection,
and now he hammers away on Orton.
Daniel Bryan's gotta be careful.
A disqualification does not help the cause.
-[Jerry] You're right about that. -[Michael] Oh, man.
-Wow. -[JBL] That's an explosion.
[Michael] Now Orton-- And a kickout by Bryan at two.
[JBL] I say it often,
if you built the sports entertainment from the ground up,
it would look exactly like Randy Orton.
The old Garvin stomp.
Wearing down Daniel Bryan.
[Jerry] And Orton's so-- so famous for that.
It's just like a trademark of his.
[Michael] Hook of the leg yet again, and again,
he forces Daniel Bryan to power out.
Randy, watch the man's hair. [speaks indistinctly]
[JBL] Randy Orton's got a great game plan here.
Wear Daniel Bryan down,
don't let him get all flying around,
take the crowd out of it.
[crowd chanting indistinctly]
[Jerry] Oh, man. Those are hard, hard shots.
[chanting continues]
[JBL] Straight right hand.
[Jerry] He went back to grab on the beard and then a headbutt to the beard.
[JBL] The beard's like a handle.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Orton thinks he's got Bryan right where he wants him.
[Jerry] And he may have him.
[Michael] Bryan top rope, Orton ducks underneath.
Misses wildly. Here comes Daniel Bryan.
Clothesline.
Can Bryan shift the momentum?
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Jerry chuckling]
Daniel Bryan's twitching.
He's shaking.
[JBL] Yes, he is.
[Michael] Trying to feed off the WWE fans.
[Jerry] Here he comes.
-[Michael] Bryan -[Jerry] Oh.
-Again. -[Michael] You can feel it now.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Come on, guys. Hey, let's go.
[Michael] What's Bryan gonna do here? Top rope.
-[Jerry] Let me tell you something-- -[Michael] Oh, look out.
Bryan, Hurricanrana from the top.
[Jerry] I guess Daniel Bryan can hang with anybody.
[Michael] And how smart is the champion?
[JBL] Oh, brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. That's ring presence.
-Watch out, Randy! -[Jerry] Look out!
[Michael] And Bryan taking out Orton.
[JBL] And a Flying Goat.
[Michael] But Bryan's gotta get the champion back in the ring.
He needs to win via pinfall or submission tonight to take the championship.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[JBL] Daniel Bryan shifted all the momentum.
[Jerry] He's gonna fly again.
[JBL] Air Goat, going for the home run.
[Michael] There he is with a missile dropkick!
-And Orton again… -[JBL] Randy going out again.
-[Michael] …goes out of the ring. -[JBL] That is ring presence.
[Jerry] And here comes the Flying Goat again.
[Michael] And Bryan again, taking out Orton.
Daniel Bryan doing everything in his power to take down the champ.
[JBL] This Daniel Bryan is fun to watch.
[Jerry] Orton won't seem to learn.
[JBL] Yeah, but-- Roll out somewhere else, Randy.
-[Michael] Oh, no. Look out, guys. -[JBL] Watch out. Watch out.
[Michael] Oh, and Randy Orton this time.
Bryan went to the well once too often and Randy Orton took advantage.
He felt it coming. He delivered the right hand.
[JBL] Randy Orton knew exactly what he was doing.
He suckered Daniel Bryan in, brilliant.
[Jerry] I think Orton may have a broken nose though.
[Scott] Come on. Let's go. One.
Come on, man. Hey, hey.
-[Michael] Oh, no. -[Jerry] Oh, no, no. Come on.
-[JBL] Oh, wow. -[Michael] Usually Orton does this--
Usually Orton does this in the ring--
Outside the ring! Bryan planted.
[Scott] Three!
[Michael] And let's show you again how Daniel Bryan…
-[Jerry] Now, watch this. This is the… -[Michael] …took out Orton.
[Jerry] …the second time Daniel Bryan had done that.
But this was, as you said, the third time.
-It was not the charm for Daniel Bryan. -[JBL] And Randy suckered him in.
Seven.
-[Jerry] Whoa, whoa, whoa. -[JBL] Randy retains by count-out.
-[Michael] Daniel Bryan-- Count of eight. -[Scott] Eight!
[Michael] Bryan's gotta make it in before a count of ten.
[JBL] Or Randy Orton's gonna keep the championship by count-out.
[Michael] The count of nine, Daniel Bryan just breaks the count.
[Michael] But the WWE's Apex Predator
-may have Bryan where he wants him. -[Jerry] You're right.
After Daniel Bryan's head was planted into the floor by Orton,
he's got him where he wants him.
[crowd cheering]
Yes!
[Michael] And now The Viper is coiled and ready to strike.
[Jerry] Uh-oh.
[JBL] Randy Orton hits this, the dream's over, Cinderella.
[Michael] Went for the RKO.
Now, Bryan with a dropkick.
Orton right into the referee,
and Scott Armstrong's been knocked out of the ring.
[Jerry] He's all the way to the floor.
Look at this.
[Michael] Now, Daniel Bryan trying to wrestle Randy Orton to the mat here,
-trying to set him up for the "Yes!" Lock. -[JBL] There's no referee.
[Michael] And now a second ref--
a second ref has made it down to the ring.
[Jerry] Good.
[Michael] The importance of this matchup for the WWE Championship.
-[Jerry] Oh. -[Michael] There's the powerslam.
Cover, hooks the leg on Daniel Bryan, and a kickout.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] It'll just be a matter of time at this point.
Orton gonna go for it again.
He delivered this DDT outside the ring a few moments ago.
-[Jerry] Hey, hey, hey. -[Michael] Now, Daniel Bryan fights out--
Fights out of it, fights out of it.
Trying to bring Orton down to the-- down to the mat, and he does.
-[Jerry] He's got it. -[JBL] He's got it. He's got it.
[Michael] The "Yes!" Lock.
-[Jerry cheering] -[Michael] Will Orton tap?
Will Orton tap out?
Bryan's got him locked in.
[JBL] Right in the middle of the ring.
[Michael] For the WWE Championship.
[Jerry] Watch Orton's hand. Watch his hand. Is he gonna tap?
[Michael] Orton's trying somehow to break the hold, but Bryan's got it locked in.
The Viper's slithering toward the bottom rope.
Can he get there?
Daniel Bryan with the "Yes!" Lock locked in.
[Jerry] Oh, he's gonna put that-- the pressure on Orton's neck and shoulder.
[Michael] Is he gonna tap out? Is he gonna tap out?
[JBL] Orton's got a history of shoulder problems.
[Michael] Oh, and he can't quite get there.
And now the long arms of Orton pay off.
Bryan has gotta break this before five.
[JBL] You gotta wonder how much damage he did to that shoulder though.
Shoulder problems have plagued Randy Orton his entire career.
[Jerry] Oh.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh!
-[Jerry] Here he comes. Oh! -[Michael] Oh, nobody home.
[Jerry] The doctor attending to the first official.
Scott Armstrong out there, still on the floor.
[Michael] Randy Orton now, uh, one arm down off the "Yes!" Lock.
Comes into the cover, and Daniel Bryan able to power out.
[Jerry] This was a point that Daniel Bryan really needed
to take advantage of Randy Orton's injured arm there.
But instead, Orton able to move out of the way
and Daniel Bryan flying into that top turnbuckle.
[Jerry] Just look at Orton now.
You can just see the wheels turning in that mind of his.
He's thinking of something devious, something that's gonna hurt.
-Oh, and there it is. -[Michael] Yeah, like that.
[Jerry] Man, oh, man.
[crowd cheering]
[JBL] You gotta love Randy Orton.
He will hit you with absolutely anything.
[Jerry] Headbutt right to the mouth,
you'd be sucking soup through a straw for a week.
Uh-oh.
[Michael] Now, look at Daniel Bryan slip underneath.
Randy Orton caught up on the top rope.
This could be a huge opening for the challenger, Bryan.
[Jerry] He's got the nose and the back of the neck.
[Scott] Come on. One, two, three.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Jerry] Daniel Bryan wearing out that ribcage.
Now, what's he gonna do?
[Michael] And this time he connects.
-Orton's out of it. -[Jerry] I know.
All this is well and good, but I think Daniel Bryan needs to try to cover Orton.
He's got him in a position he could win this thing.
Orton's about to fall off that top turnbuckle.
[Michael] See what he'll do here.
This is a precarious situation.
[Jerry] Yeah, for both men.
Oh.
[JBL] Wow.
[Jerry] That was a hard fall.
[Michael] Now, what's Orton gonna do?
Orton's just-- Orton's spent too much time up on the top rope.
-[Jerry] Oh. -[Michael] And now Bryan again.
[Jerry] He is relentless.
[Michael] He won't go away.
[Jerry] You can't keep a good goat down.
[JBL] That goat might be the next WWE Champion if he hits this.
[Jerry] Oh, and he got him.
[Michael] Oh, and Bryan hung on.
Daniel Bryan hung on.
He didn't feel the impact like Randy Orton did.
And now Daniel Bryan…
he's feeling it.
Bryan's feeling it, going up top.
[Jerry] Wait a minute. Randy Orton's too far away, Daniel.
[crowd cheering]
-[JBL] We'll see if he is. -[Michael] Bryan--
Three-quarters of the way across the ring.
[Jerry] He hit him. He got him.
[Michael] The cover, new champion, new champion.
[crowd exclaiming]
-[Jerry] Wait a minute. -Are you all right?
[Michael] Now, the original official back into things, Scott Armstrong.
[JBL] Senior official.
[Michael] He begins his-- uh, his count with both men down.
Three.
[Michael] Daniel Bryan went three-quarters of the way across the ring, guys,
to deliver that headbutt to Randy Orton.
-[JBL] Here he goes. Here he goes. -[Michael] A near-fall for Daniel Bryan.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Jerry] How many more of these can Orton take?
[Michael] Orton…
-[Jerry] Oh. -[JBL] Oh, man.
[Michael] Is that enough?
[Jerry] Oh, man, he landed hard on his shoulder.
Daniel Bryan hurt that shoulder then.
He could have snapped a collarbone.
[Michael] This is for the WWE Championship.
Which one of these men will survive?
[Jerry] Look at The Viper.
Look at the look on The Viper's face.
He knows that Daniel Bryan's hurt.
[JBL] Ten-time champion,
he knows when he has his opponent where he wants him.
[Michael] Coiled and ready to strike, slithering into position.
Went for the RKO, but Daniel Bryan backslide.
-Orton rolled through. -[JBL] Bam.
[Michael] And he caught it, kick right in the back of the head.
[JBL] Right in the head.
-[Jerry] The knee! He got him. -[overlapping chatter]
[JBL] There's that knee that beat John Cena.
[Michael] Hook of the leg, hook of the leg.
-Daniel Bryan did it. -[bell ringing]
[Michael] Daniel Bryan did it!
Daniel Bryan did it!
-["Flight of the Valkyries" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Justin] And the winner of this match
and new WWE Champion,
Daniel Bryan.
[Michael] He's no longer a B+.
Daniel Bryan is an A tonight.
[JBL] Is that the face of the WWE now?
[Jerry] Yes, yes, yes, it is.
[Michael] Daniel Bryan is the new WWE Champion.
[JBL] Wow.
[Michael] How good must that feel?
He had it ripped away from him at SummerSlam.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] What a fantastic match.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[JBL] What an unbelievable Night of Champions.
We've seen things tonight I thought we'd never see, including this.
What an unbelievable rolling journey Daniel Bryan has been on.
[Michael] Daniel Bryan has defeated
the hand-picked face of WWE.
[Jerry] And once again, Daniel Bryan has become WWE Champion
for the second time.
[Michael] Went for the RKO. Watch the backslide.
Orton rolled through and then Bryan.
[Jerry] Daniel Bryan-- and watch this one more time.
Watch Daniel Bryan catch that kick to the head.
[Michael] And, John, Daniel Bryan would use the same move
that he defeated John Cena with at SummerSlam,
the running knee, catching Orton.
[Jerry] This knee is devastating.
[crowd] One, two, three! [cheers]
[bell ringing]
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And the celebration begins.
["Flight of the Valkyries" continues playing]
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Michael] Oh, how good that must feel.
How good it must feel.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] It's been a long time coming.
[Jerry] Yes, yes, yes.
I believe in the beard.
[crowd chanting] Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
[Michael] Fifteen years of dedication and hard work,
and never say die has led to this moment.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Well, I've gotta give my personal congratulations to Daniel Bryan.
-Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! -[Jerry] Great job.
-Yes! Yes! [JBL] That's right. Congratulations.
[Michael] You don't sound so excited.
[JBL] I'm very excited about it.
This young man has been put down, put down.
He believes the world was against him.
And right now, he's standing on the mountaintop.
[Michael] The face of WWE has changed.
The new face of WWE is its champion,
Daniel Bryan.
Good night from Detroit.
[music fades out] troit.