Event: WWE Monday Night RAW
Airdate: Monday, August 26th, 2013 (USA Network)
Location: The US Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ
Results by H. Winston
“Yes, sir, we promised you a great main event…”
We are live in Phoenix, Arizona! The show starts off with The Shield standing out in front of the ring. Triple H comes out to his “King of Kings” theme. He speaks of the incident at SummerSlam, describing it as the beginning of an era. He says it was only business, nothing personal. He then shows a video of how RAW ended last week. He admits that this was personal. He says that he humiliated Bryan because of his actions. He says Bryan made it personal by insulting Triple H and his family. Triple H says he is willing to move on as if nothing happened. Triple H says that the ratings for last week’s show were through the roof. All indicators say that business is booming. Triple H credits this success to Randy Orton.
Enter Randy Orton. Triple H congratulates him for breathing new life into the WWE. Triple H says he likes to reward those who have earned it. The crowd chants no, Triple H simply says yes. Triple H reveals his gift to Orton, a Cadillac Escalade. Orton thanks Triple H for the car and for having a vision for the business. Orton prepares to check out the car, but Daniel Bryan comes out before he can leave the ring. Bryan notes that the car is better than his Honda. Bryan thanks the WWE universe for supporting him, despite the fact that he isn’t as pretty or fit as Orton. He also thanks John Cena for giving Bryan the opportunity to compete in the main event of SummerSlam. Lastly, Bryan thanks Triple H for ending the charade and showing his true colors. He says that Triple H is as narrow minded as Vince McMahon. The old rebel is just a sell-out in a suit. Orton tells Bryan that he needs to show the COO of the WWE and the face of the WWE some respect. Bryan says that when he gets his rematch, Orton’s face will be rearranged along with Triple H’s vision for the future, as Bryan will become the WWE champion. Triple H says that is a sweet fantasy. He says that Bryan is nothing more than a B at best, while Orton is an A player. Triple H makes a match for tonight between Bryan and Seth Rollins. If he makes it through Rollins, he will have a match with Ambrose. And if he makes it through Ambrose, he will have a match against Reigns. Triple H believes that this is what is best for business.
Fans can vote tonight via WWE App on the stipulation for the match between CM Punk and Curtis Axel. The options are:
a) Paul Heyman is banned from ringside
b) Paul Heyman is special guest referee
c) If Punk Wins, Paul Heyman has to step in the ring with Punk
Cody Rhodes vs Fandango
Rhodes hits a suplext on Fandango. before much can happen, Miz comes out to Fandango’s music and dances on the stage. This distracts Fandango long enough for Rhodes to get the roll-up victory.
Winner: Cody Rhodes
After the match, Sandow, who had been on commentary, entered the ring to attack Rhodes. Maddox comes out to announce the following tag match:
The Miz and Cody Rhodes vs Damien Sandow and Fandango
Back from commercial, the match is already underdway. Fandango is in the ring with Rhodes. Fandango throws Rhodes into the corner and tags in Sandow. Sandow has Rhodes in an arm hold. Rhodes breaks out but Sandow hits a sidewalk sweep to get a 2-count. Sandow and Rhodes clothesline each other. Rhodes gets a tag and Miz connects with a top rope attack. Miz goes on a flurry of attacks, targeting the knee of Sandow. Fandango abandons Sandow. Rhodes trips Sandow allowing Miz to hit the skull-crushing finale to get the win.
Winner: The Miz and Cody Rhodes
A video package is shown for Los Matadores.
Josh Matthews is backstage with Christian. Christian notes that anyone who speaks ill of the new regime ends up suffering. He notes that he survived the attitude era, as well as the McMahon-Helmsley era. Orton comes in and says that Christian is upset that he lost as SummerSlam, while Orton won. Christian speaks of Triple H liking to use sledge hammers in the ring, and says that he must have found a new tool to work with. The two will have a match tonight.
Curtis Axel is backstage with Heyman complaining about the vote on WWE App. Axel says that even if the fans choose for Heyman to have to get in the ring with Punk, Punk will have to out-wrestle Axel, and he cannot do that. Axel asks if Heyman believes in him and Heyman ponders before saying “like my life depends on it.”
Curtis Axel vs CM Punk
It is revealed that the fans chose option C on the app, meaning that Heyman will have to enter the ring with Punk if Punk wins the match.
Punk hits a running shoulder on Axel. Punk goes for the GTS but Axel gets out of it and exits the ring. Punk follows. Punk runs toward Heyman, Heyman bolts but Axel was able to grab Punk from behind and beat on him as they work back toward the ring. Axel is in control of the match, having Punk in a headlock, center of the ring. Punk gets to his feet and breaks out, hitting the running knee in the corner. Punk gets to the top rope to hit an elbow from the top rope but Axel rolls out of the ring. Punk dives out to hit Axel ringside.
Back from commercial, Punk is in control but is hit by a clothesline to the back of the head. Axel gets a 2-count. Punk gets to his feet and is promptly hit by a drop-kick. Heyman looks pleased as Axel holds Punk’s head off of the ground and says that he is nothing. Punk hits a cross-body on Axel and gets a 2-count. JBL says that if Rihanna and Chris Brown can get back together, so can Punk and Heyman. Axel is again in control of the match. Punk gets to his feet, Axel misses a clothesline and Punk hits a spinning neck-breaker. Punk goes to the top and his the elbow. 2-count. Punk prepares for the GTS, but fails, Axel hits a neck-breaker but only gets a 2-count. Punk is at Axel’s knees, Axel is not paying attention as Punk gets Axel on his back for the GTS. Punk hits it and gets the 3-count.
Winner: CM Punk
Heyman tries to leave but is grabbed by refs and told to go to the ring. He runs back again but is grabbed by security and forced to the ring. He tells Punk that is was all Brock Lesnar as Punk grabs him by his face. Punk backs Heyman into the corner but is hit by a low blow, delivered by Axel. Heyman hands a pair of handcuffs to Axel, who Cuffs Punk’s hands behind his back. Heyman slaps Punk while Axel holds his head off of the ground. Punk is up, with Heyman and Axel on each side. Punk kicks Axel in the head, then kicks the back of Heyman’s knee to knock him down. He begins kicking Heyman but is his by a chair from behind. Axel gets a kendo stick. Axel hands the stick to Heyman and tells Heyman to teach Punk a lesson. He hits on to Punk’s back, then Axel grabs him and holds him against the ropes as Heyman delivers several kendo hits to Punk’s stomach. As Punk is lying on the ground at ringside, Heyman tells Punk that he loved him. The crowd is chanting “walrus”. Heyman looks as if he is about to cry as he hold himself up near the ring. Heyman leaves with Axel.
Natalya w/ Funkadactyls vs Brie w/ Nikki and Eva Marie
Brie has Natalya in a corner of the ring. Natalya slams Brie to the mat and gets the sharpshooter locked in. Nikki pulls Brie to the ropes. I think someone knocked Natalya out while the ref wasn’t looking but I missed it while writing. Brie got the 3-count.
Winner: Brie Bella
AJ Lee comes out and talks bad about Total Divas. AJ says that when she sees expendable, useless women who returned to reality TV when they weren’t talented enough to be champions. AJ says she didn’t get here because she was cute or born into a wrestling family. She got here because she is good and earned her championship. She says that they will never be able to touch her and that is reality.
RVD w/ Ricardo Rodriguez vs Alberto Del Rio
Rodriguez is now wearing a red shirt in support of RVD instead of his usual tuxedo. RVD sets Del Rio up on the ropes and hits him with a kick in the face, delivered from the top rope. Back from commercial, Del Rio is in control. He delivers some headbutts but RVD gets a kick to the head. Del Rio runs up and stomps with both feet on Van Dam’s back. Del Rio goes to the top rope, jumps down and is hit in the face by Van Dam’s foot. Van Dam hits a series of clotheslines followed by a kick to Del Rio’s chin. Rolling thunder, followed by a 2-count. Van Dam hits the split-leg moonsault from the top rope, 2-count. RVD goes to the top rope to go for a frog splash but Del Rio knocks him down. Del Rio hits the enziguri to get a 2-count. Van Dam catches Del Rio’s legs with his own and rolls him up for the 3-count. Van Dam is now the #1 contender for Del Rio’s championship.
Winner: Rob Van Dam
Images are shown of Cena’s elbow/tricep surgery. The surgery was successful and therapy is said to be underway.
Josh Matthews is backstage with Ryback. Matthews tells Ryback that many people are calling Ryback a bully. Ryback acts confused. He grabs Matthews by his face and squeezes him. He says that he finally found a way to shut him up, and throws Matthews to the ground.
Paul Heyman and Axel are about to leave backstage. Heyman says that Punk is like a child that just needs to keep being punished. Heyman says he feels like a man that put his son in his place. He says that Punk will learn that Heyman is the last person he should go against. They get into a car and leave.
Christian vs Randy Orton
Christian goes for a quick roll-up to get a 1-count. Orton hits a running shoulder to knock Christian to the mat. Christian lifts Orton over the ropes to the outside of the ring. Christian goes to the top but misses Orton as he comes down, then Orton counters with a dropkick. Orton chokes Christian along the bottom rope. Orton hangs Christian on the top rope, then hits him in the face with a high knee. Orton methodically stomps Christian as he is down and hits a high knee drop. Christian throws a shoulder to get out of the corner. Christian is sitting on the top rope near the corner as Orton pushes him over, out to ringside.
Back from commercial Christian kicks Orton in the face as he approaches Christian in the corner. Christian goes to the top rope but Orton grabs him and begins headbutting. Orton preps for the superplex and hits it. Orton is up but is rolled up as he approaches Christian, 2-count. Christian has Orton mounted in the corner and gets in 10 strikes to the head as the crowd counted out. Christian goes to the top rope and hits a cross-body, 2-count. Christian goes to the top rope again, jumps down and is rolled up by Orton, 2-count, countered into a pin by Christian, 2-count. Christian goes for killswitch but Orton fights out. Christian hits a tornado DDT from the top rope, 2-count. Orton catches Christian entering the ring and hits the DDT. Orton begins to hear voices, he goes for the RKO but Christian throws him to the ground. Christian preps for the spear, Orton jumps over, but Christian nails the spear as Orton turns around, 2-count. Orton goes for the RKO, Christian counters and goes for the killswitch, Orton counters by pushing Christian to the corner into the ref. As Christian turns around, Orton jabs a thumb into his eye. This allows Orton to get the RKO and 3-count.
Winner: Randy Orton
Daniel Bryan comes on the big screen. He says it was nice of Triple H to give a pretty car to the pretty man. But what if Bryan becomes the champion at night of champions? Would that make him the new face of the WWE? He steps aside to reveal many “yes” spray painted in orange all over Orton’s new cadillac. Michael Cole used the phrase “yescalade”.
Backstage, Triple H tells Maddox the car is his personal property. Triple H tells Maddox to gather everyone from backstage to go out to the ring to watch what happens to Daniel Bryan tonight. He tells Maddox that if anyone interferes they will be fired by him. Orton walks up and says that Daniel Bryan will pay for what he did to his car.
Titus O’neil vs Jack Swagger
Coulter says that lately, the Real Americans have had some victories stolen from them by someone called the Primetime Players. He goes off on a welfare rant, at one point saying, “If you can’t feed ’em, don’t breed ’em.”
Swagger starts off by getting a series of knees to O’neil’s gut in the corner. He then hits a series of shoulders to O’neil’s gut. Swagger chokes O’neil along the middle rope. Swagger slams O’neil on his back, followed by a 2-cout. O’neil hits a running shoulder to knock Swagger down. O’neil lifts Swagger and throws him over his head. Swagger regains control and goes for the patriot lock, but O’neil kicks out of it. Swagger was busy telling the ref to watch Darren Young, as he turned towards O’neil, O’neil picked up Swagger and slammed him down on his back to get the 3-count.
Winner: Titus O’Neil
Back from commercial, Bray Wyatt comes on the big screen and says lots of weird things. As Cole says, “I don’t know what to make of that.”
Maddox is backstage with a doctor. The doc is saying that Punk is refusing medical attention. He wants a match with Paul Heyman. Maddox says that at Night of Champions, Punk will have an elimination match against Curtis Axel and Paul Heyman. If Heyman tries to back out, we will never see him again.
The entire roster is out on the stage to watch what happens with Daniel Bryan.
Daniel Bryan vs Seth Rollins
Bryan kicks Rollins into the corner. Bryan clotheslines Rollins over the ropes to the outside. Rollins smashes Bryan against the barricade and throws him back in the ring. Rollins throws Bryan into the corner, he runs up the turnbuckles and flips over Rollins’s head, bounces off the ropes and hits a hard clothesline. Rollins springs off the top rope but Bryan grabs his leg and gets him a half-crab leg lock, but Rollins gets to the ropes to break the hold.
Back from commercial, Rollins is splashing onto Bryan in the corner. Rollins runs to the opposite corner to prep for another splash, but Bryan follows him to the corner and hits a drokick as soon as he turns around. After a series of near-falls, Rollins hits a kick to the back of Bryan’s head and a suplex to get a 2-count. Rollins sets Bryan up on the corner, preps for a superplex but Bryan goes under his legs and pushes him down onto the ropes. Bryan gets on the ropes and grabs Rollins from behind and hits a german suplex from the top rope, 3-count.
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Ambrose is quick to jump in and attack Bryan. Bryan gets Ambrose in the yes-lock, but Reigns jumps in to break the lock. The match is called off. The Shield are at full force, all attacking Bryan. Reigns hits a spear. Triple H comes out and watches as the Shield set up the 3-man powerbomb. Orton comes out as the Shield have Bryan held down in the ring. Orton grabs Bryan by the face and hits the RKO. The crowd is chanting or Big Show as he is standing behind Triple H. The Shield stand over Daniel Bryan. Orton walks up the ramp and stands with Triple H. The two walk leave together and the show is over.
Credit: H. Winston