WWE Royal Rumble PPV Opener:
The 2013 WWE Royal Rumble opens with a video package highlighting the history of the Rumble, complete with statistics and records. The focus also shifts heavily to The Rock vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship.
The pyro explodes and Michael Cole welcomes us to the show. Lilian Garcia announces that the first match will be a Last Man Standing match, Big Show’s music plays and out he comes.
World Heavyweight Championship (Last Man Standing): Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Big Show
Alberto Del Rio starts walking to the ring with Ricardo Rodriguez. They run into WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Hart wishes Del Rio luck and says he’s fought Show, and he’s big and bad. Hart says Del Rio reminds him of a Mexican Bret Hart, so he should go out and show that tub of goo what’s what. Del Rio says Hart reminds him of a Canadian Del Rio and they shake hands. Ricardo gushes over Hart and Del Rio says they need to go, but Hart puts a signature pair of his glasses on Ricardo. Ricardo makes his way out, with the Bret Hart glasses on, and does the ring introduction for Alberto Del Rio, who gets a somewhat decent reaction from the crowd. The bell rings and Show takes it right to Del Rio, backing him into the corner and hitting a couple of punches to the gut before head butting and chopping Del Rio. Del Rio tries to fight back with kicks and punches, but he runs right into a clothesline from the big man. Show slams Del Rio to the mat and wait for him to get to his feet.
Show takes Del Rio into the corner and chops him hard across the chest. Del Rio is able to get a boot up to kick Show in the throat, but when Del Rio heads to the middle rope, he jumps off into another big right hand. Show head butts Del Rio before whipping him into the corner and hitting a backsplash. Del Rio gets caught by a kick from Show, but he’s able to counter a powerbomb into a hurricanrana, and he even goes to the top for a seated senton to take the giant off his feet. Show pulls himself up in the corner, and Del Rio leaps up with a big enzugiri. Del Rio beats Show down and tries for the cross arm breaker, but Show simply picks Del Rio up and drives him down. Del Rio rolls to the outside to get to his feet, and Show follows, chopping Del Rio across the chest again. He tosses the champ into the ring and heads to the timekeeper’s area, grabbing a steel chair. Show climbs the ring steps and heads back into the ring with chair in hand. He winds up, but Del Rio catches him with a dropkick and Show drops the chair. Del Rio hits Show with the chair repeatedly, dropping him to his back and driving the chair down repeatedly into Show’s ribs. Del Rio heads to the middle rope with the chair in hand, but when he jumps off, Show catches him around the throat and takes him to the mat with a big chokeslam. Del Rio is able to make it to his feet at 9, but he falls right out of the ring onto the arena floor. Show heads out to the floor after Del Rio and asks if the ref’s going to resume his count. Del Rio gets to his feet and Show quickly slams him down on the floor. Del Rio stands up at 7 and Show takes him up the entrance ramp. Del Rio kicks Show in the groin and Show is stunned. Del Rio rears back and catches Show with a kick to the side of the head that drops the challenger.
Show stands at 9 and catches Del Rio with a boot to the gut. They fight up to the entrance area with Show hitting a weird DDT and then whipping Del Rio into the entrance set. Show tries to kick Del Rio, but Del Rio moves and Show kicks the set decoration. Show grabs one of the light tubes and hits Del Rio across the back before breaking it against the set. Show grabs a table and sets it up before chopping Del Rio across the chest. Show begins to climb the entrance set and hoists Del Rio up with one arm. The two fight on top of the set, about 8 feet in the air, and Show grabs Del Rio across the throat, tossing him to the arena floor through the table. The referee begins the count, but Del Rio makes it to his feet at 9. He immediately falls right back down, but gets up quickly this time. Show grabs Del Rio around the neck and brings him back toward the ring, kicking him in the stomach on the way. Del Rio pulls himself to his feet using the ring apron. Big Show jumps right back on him. Show calls for the KO punch, but Del Rio sees it coming and drops to the outside. Show follows out to the floor and takes the ring steps apart, grabbing the top stairs and chucking them at Del Rio’s head. Del Rio moves and the stairs crash into the ring post. Ricardo isn’t happy, and he attacks Show, but ends up thrown into the barricade hard. Show tries for a spear, but Del Rio moves and Show ends up crashing through the time keeper’s area. Show makes it to his feet at 9, but Del Rio grabs a chair and wears it out across Show’s back, hitting him repeatedly. Show’s arm ends up draped across the steel ring steps and Del Rio hits it with the chair. Del Rio grabs a fire extinguisher from somewhere and uses it to blast Show.
Show rolls back into the ring and Del Rio follows. Del Rio grabs the same arm he assaulted earlier and locks it in the cross arm breaker. Ricardo is up and he has duct tape, taping the big man’s legs to the bottom rope at the ankles. The ref counts and Show can’t get the tape off in time to get back to his feet. The ref counts ten while the crown chants one-ten in Spanish. Del Rio retains.
Winner and STILL World Heavyweight Champion: Alberto Del Rio
Backstage: Matt Striker With AJ, Dolph Ziggler & Big E Langston
Matt Striker is backstage with AJ, Dolph Ziggler, and Big E Langston. Striker brings up the Beat the Clock challenge. Ziggler says Vickie is so see through, and she’s jaded, bitter and pathetic. Ziggler says he’s choosing #1, because that’s exactly what he is. AJ asks if Striker thinks Dolph can’t do it, or he’s not good enough to be #1 and win the Rumble. AJ wants to know how fast and how far can Striker run in five seconds. Langston walks up and grabs the mic as Striker walks off. Langston puts on his best reporter voice and asks what Dolph will do after he wins here tonight. Ziggler says he’ll set the record for longest entrance, then win the Rumble, then cash in his briefcase, win the World Championship, and go to WrestleMania to win the WWE Championship and unify the titles on the grandest stage of them all.
In some pre-recorded video, Antonio Cesaro says the last three winners of the Rumble have been non-American, and that will continue tonight because all of those winners pale in comparison to Cesaro.
The Prime Time Players let us know that a win would mean millions of dollars.
Randy Orton says there’s no partners or allies in the Rumble, just like he likes it. He needs this win, and he’ll take it.
John Cena says there’s a target on his back, but at the end of the night, everyone will realize the champ is here.
Wade Barrett says he restores credibility to an event that hasn’t had it for a long time because no one can stop the Barrett barrage.
Sheamus says he’s going to win the Rumble match two years in a row because of the brogue kick. It’s the Rumble and time for talking is over.
Ryback asks who says he’s not the best in the world. He’s not the largest athlete, doesn’t eat fruity pebbles, and won’t have a pint after the match. He says feed me more.
WWE Tag-Team Titles: Team Hell No (c) vs. Team Rhodes Scolars
Rhodes catches Bryan with a boot to the gut before going to work on the arm. Bryan works his way out of it and hits Rhodes with a dropkick. Rhodes sends Bryan into the ropes and Bryan catches Rhodes by the leg, trapping him in a surfboard. Bryan tags out to Kane who hits Cody with a low running dropkick that’s good for a near fall. Kane drives Cody’s head into the turnbuckle before sending him into the ropes. Cody is able to catch Kane with a kick to the knee and a big dropkick before tagging out to Sandow. Kane is able to slam Sandow to the mat before tagging out to Bryan. Kane whips Bryan into Sandow in the corner for a big splash. Sandow gets to his knees and eats a series of kicks from Bryan to the chest. Bryan tags out to Kane who kicks Sandow in the side of the head and hits him with a big right.
Sandow is able to catch Kane with a back elbow, but Kane kicks Sandow in the face and sends him to the outside before tossing Rhodes out after him. Bryan tags in and leaps through the ropes, taking out Sandow and Rhodes. Bryan is thrown into the ring apron by Sandow and takes it back into the ring before Rhodes is tagged in. Rhodes comes in strong and takes Bryan to the mat putting him into a half-crab and Bryan counters for the two count. Rhodes is able to tag out to Sandow before the third count and gets Bryan with a splash. Bryan gets a Russian leg sweep by Sandow before getting back up. Sandow again gets another near fall on Bryan. Rhodes once again tags back in and is getting the upper hand on Bryan who is able to retaliate with a heel kick.
Sandow then tags back in and is able to keep Bryan from tagging out as Rhodes tags back in. Rhodes slams him to the mat refusing to let him tag out. Sandow is able to avoid a choke slam from Kane. Kane gets to the top rope but misses a clothesline from the top rope on Sandow. Sandow gets a quick two count on Kane with a neckbreaker. Sandow and Rhodes fight out of a double chokeslam. Bryan makes a blind tag. Sandow and Rhodes get a double suplex on Kane. Kane chokeslams Rhodes following Bryan getting Sandow with a missile dropkick. Sandow taps out from the No Lock clamped on by Bryan.
Winner and STILL WWE Tag Team Champions: Team Hell No
Backstage:
Vickie Guerrero breaks up the short lived victory celebration between Kane and Daniel Bryan who gives both of them their Royal Rumble entry numbers. After calling Bryan’s number “interesting”, Kane refuses to show Bryan his number saying no. Bryan explains that it’s in the rules and Kane is supposed to show him. Kane responsed that Bryan would feel “very inadequate” and it’s a bad strategy, but he’ll see Bryan out there. Bryan says not if he sees him first, in which Kane says that’s highly unlikely.
30-Man Royal Rumble
Dolph Ziggler makes his way to the ring in the #1 spot, as he claimed earlier. He’s flanked by Big E, and AJ. AJ makes out with him for a bit at the top of the entranceway before Ziggler peels off and heads to the ring by himself. Ziggler has a mic, and he says he stands before the crowd all alone in the spotlight exactly where he belongs. And tonight when the Rumble match comes to a close it’ll be exactly the same. Him standing in the ring by himself as the winner of the Rumble match. And he doesn’t even care who #2 is, so just send him out already. Ziggler is answered with the return of Y2J, Chris Jericho himself! Ziggler and Jericho lock up and Jericho clamps on a headlock. Ziggler sends Jericho into the ropes, and eats a shoulder block.
Ziggler tosses Jericho to the apron, but he heads right up to the top and comes off with an axe handle smash before sending Ziggler out to the apron. Ziggler punches Jericho away and heads to the top but he’s stopped by Jericho. Jericho tries to shove Ziggler to the floor, but Ziggler fights it off. Jericho hits a superplex as #3 is announced, and it’s Cody Rhodes. Jericho goes right after Rhodes, but Ziggler teams up with Rhodes and they take it to the veteran. Rhodes and Ziggler try to toss Jericho over the top, but he’s able to hold on to the ropes. Cody catches him with a nasty kick to the gut, but Jericho recovers quickly and locks Cody in the walls of Jericho. Ziggler attacks from behind and chokes Jericho against the bottom rope. Ziggler slingshots Jericho against the bottom rope throat first. The clock counts down. #4 is Kofi Kingston. Kingston comes in with a giant dropkick to Rhodes before mounting him in the corner for ten punches.
Kofi misses trouble in paradise on Ziggler, but he’s able to send Ziggler out to the apron. Rhodes tries to get Cody out, and Jericho tries to get Rhodes out in turn. Jericho takes Rhodes into the corner and chokes him with his boot as Kofi tries to get Ziggler over the top rope a second time. Rhodes helps Ziggler as the clock winds down again. #5 is Santino Marella. Marella comes in and has already broken his record, tossing everyone out to the apron, but not eliminating anyone. Santino reaches for the Cobra, but it doesn’t help him as Rhodes is able to toss him over the top rope to the outside. Santino has been eliminated. Ziggler continues to focus on Kingston and Rhodes teams up to help him. Kingston kicks them both away as the crowd counts down from ten another time. 3MB’s music hits. Drew McIntyre is #6. McIntyre comes in hot, trying to eliminate Kofi right off the bat, but things break down as Jericho comes in from behind.
Jericho peels off and walks right into a dropkick from Ziggler, and he ends up tossed over the ropes, almost falling out to the floor. He’s able to pull himself back up as the clock counts down once more. #7 is Titus O’Neal. Titus comes in quick and goes right for Kofi and Rhodes, fighting off both off them. Titus picks up Kofi for a big backbreaker before throwing him aside. Jericho tosses McIntyre to the apron and dropkicks him to the outside. Drew McIntyre has been eliminated. Ziggler comes close to being eliminated again, but sneaks back into the ring as Rhodes and Titus focus on Jericho. #8 is Goldust! Cody doesn’t look happy, and Goldust goes right for him, catching him right a right hand, and sending him out to the ring apron, stomping away at him. The crowd’s happy to see Goldust as he unloads on his brother in the corner.
Goldust tries to elminate Cody, but Cody fight his brother off. The clock winds down again. #9 is David Otunga. Otunga comes in and heads after Goldust and then Jericho, choking him in the corner with his boot. Titus beats on Goldust in the corner as Ziggler tries to send Kofi to the outside. Rhodes and Goldust team up on Titus, trying to dump him over the top rope. They get him out to the apron, but Rhodes turns on Goldust, and screws up the plan for everyone. #10 is another 3MB entrant, Heath Slater. Slater heads into the ring and goes after Goldust, then Otunga, stomping away at his former partner in the corner. Slater is able to pepper Kofi with a couple of rights before getting caught by Titus. Ziggler is once again in a precarious position, due to Jericho this time. Rhodes finds his way on the apron courtesy of Titus as the clock counts down again. #11 is Sheamus. Sheamus comes in and hits a couple of Irish curse backbreakers, then a couple of nasty roll throughs. Sheamus sends Titus out to the apron, and launches Otunga into him, sending Titus to the outside. Titus O’Neal has been eliminated.
Sheamus catches Otunga with a couple of blows to the chest and a brogue kick that sends him to the floor. David Otunga has been eliminated. #12 is Tensai. Tensai comes in and attacks everyone, but quickly pairs up with Sheamus, fighting him in the corner. Everything breaks down into random brawling with people splitting off every now and then and Ziggler ending up on the ring apron almost eliminated. Another entrant gets counted down. #13 is Brodus Clay. Brodus makes his way into the Rumble and heads right after Jericho before trading blows with Tensai for a bit. Rhodes sends Goldust flying across the ring, but Goldust as able to backdrop Rhodes to the apron. Goldust charges, but Rhodes drags him out to the apron. Goldust clothesline Rhodes into the ring, and Rhodes sends ‘dust into the ring post and to the outside. Goldust has been eliminated. The clock counts down once more. #14 is Rey Mysterio. Mysterio comes in and blasts Ziggler with a nasty kick before hitting Jericho with a 619 and dropping the dime on the returning superstar. Everyone tries to clump up on Tensai, but it doesn’t last too long. Sheamus tries to get him out on his own, but Tensai fight it off. #15 is Darren Young.
Everyone teams up on Brodus Clay, and he’s dumped over the top, Tensai is sent out by Kofi shortly after. Brodus Clay and Tensai have been eliminated. Ziggler sends Kofi to the apron and he lands on Tensai’s back. Kofi lands on the announcer’s table. Kofi stands on the table and asks for JBL’s chair. JBL hands it to him as the clock counts down. #16 is Bo Dallas. Kingston uses the chair like a pogo stick and hops his way over to the ring. He the low bridges Darren Young and eats a disaster kick from Rhodes. Darren Young and Kofi Kingston have been eliminated. Dallas blasts Slater with a back elbow as the clock counts down. #17 is THE GODFATHER! The Godfather makes his way down to the ring with a couple of his ladies in tow, getting a great pop from the crowd. Ziggler dropkicks him right over the top and to the outside. The Godfather has been eliminated. Godfather doesn’t look too upset as he puts his glasses and hat back on and struts out with his ladies.
Jericho slams Dallas to the mat and hits him with a second rope knee drop as the timer counts down. Wade Barrett is #18. Barrett comes in and goes right after Jericho, stomping away at him in the corner before catching Sheamus with a black hole slam. Barrett tries to get Sheamus over the top and he’s helped by Jericho, but they just can’t manage to get him out. Barrett fights with Slater as the crowd counts down once more. #19 is John Cena. Cena does not get a welcoming reaction on his way into the match as everyone gangs up on him from the get go. Cena fights off everyone, sending Heath Slater and Cody Rhodes over the top and to the outside. Heath Slater and Cody Rhodes have been eliminated. Cena tries to eliminate Jericho, but it’s broken up by Ziggler. Bo Dallas tries to eliminate Cena in the corner, but Cena fights it off. #20 is Damien Sandow. Mysterio heads up to the top and catches Barrett with a hurricanrana that takes both to the apron. Barrett heads back in and kicks Mysterio from the apron.
Rey Mysterio has been eliminated. Sheamus attacks Barrett as Jericho tries to lock in the walls of Jericho on Cena and the clock counts down. #21 is Daniel Bryan. Bryan goes right for Sandow, kicking away at him before turning to Ziggler, then Barrett, kicking them all repeatedly in the chest. Bryan shoulders Jericho and tries to get him over the top with the help of Sheamus. Jericho hangs on as Sheamus pulls Bryan into the corner to fight. Ziggler pounds on Dallas in the corner and the next entrant comes down. #23 is Antonio Cesaro. Cesaro comes in and is targeted right away by Sheamus and Daniel Bryan. Sheamus hits him with a nasty clubbing blow. Things break down into simple brawling, lots of punches and uppercuts. #23 is The Great Khali. Khali heads into the ring and begins chopping as many people’s heads as possible before standing on Jericho’s throat in the corner. Cesaro struggles to get Sheamus over the top rope. Bryan blasts Ziggler with rights, but eats a head butt from Khali. #24 is Kane. Kane comes in and goes after Ziggler, getting him out to the apron once more. Kane pairs off with Khali, trying to wear him down with Bryan but Khali fights them both off. Sandow comes close to eliminating Sheamus, but Sheamus hangs on.
The ring is filling up, and we’re getting one more. #25 is Zack Ryder. Kane dumps Khali over the top rope, and is in turn dumped over the top by Bryan. Cesaro sends Bryan to the apron and dumps him out into Kane’s waiting arms. Bryan asks to be put into the ring, but Kane refuses and drops him to the floor. The Great Khali, Kane, and Daniel Bryan have been eliminted. #26 is Randy Orton. Orton comes in with a series of clotheslines and a snap powerslam to Ziggler. Orton tosses Bo Dallas and Ziggler to the apron and brings both in with a double suspension DDT before hitting Ryder with an RKO and dumping him over the top. Zack Ryder has been eliminated. Cesaro and Barrett team up on Barrett in the corner as the clock counts down again. #27 is Jinder Mahal.Cesaro picks up Cena and tries to toss him over the top, but Cena fights it off and tosses Cesaro over. Antonio Cesaro has been eliminated. Cena and Barrett pair up for a bit before Cena looks for Ziggler, slingshotting him over the top to the apron. Sheamus catches Barrett with a huge clothesline. #28 is the Miz. Miz comes out and attacks Cesaro on his way out to the ring. Sheamus clotheslines Mahal over the top. Jinder Mahal has been eliminated. Miz hits Cena with a reverse DDT while Barrett tries to eliminated Sheamus. Orton puts Ziggler on the top turnbuckle and pushes him to the apron. #29 is Sin Cara. Cara comes in with a couple of quick spots before being grounded by Sandow. Sheamus is able to muscle Cena out to the apron.
Dallas is on the apron and he drags Barrett over the top rope and to the floor. Wade Barrett has been eliminated. Sheamus tosses Sandow to the apron, but Sandow hangs on to the ropes to keep himself alive. Miz backdrops Jericho to the apron and Wade Barrett leaps up to the apron and pulls Dallas over the top. Bo Dallas has been elimiated. Barrett winds up and blasts Dallas with a nasty elbow. #30 is Ryback. Here we motha-fn go! Ryback charges out to the ring and goes after everyone, pushing them away. Ryback dumps Sandow out onto the apron and charges in, knocking him to the floor. Sandow has been eliminated. Cara kicks Ryback and tries to leap off the top on him, but Ryback swats him away and tosses him to the outside. Sin Cara has been eliminated. Miz tries to attack from behind, but ends up tossed to the outside as well. Miz has been elminiated. Jericho hits Ryback with the codebreaker and Cena with a lionsault. He almost eliminates Sheamus before hitting Ziggler with a codebreaker, and being sent from the ring by Ziggler in turn. Jericho has been eliminated. Ryback ends up charging shoulder first into the ring post. Orton hits Ziggler, Cena and Sheamus with RKO’s before bringing Ryback back into the ring with a suspension DDT.
Orton tries for an RKO on Ryback, but Ryback pushes him off and clotheslines him over the top. Randy Orton has been eliminated. Sheamus takes Ziggler out to the apron and Ziggler fights back, but a brogue kick sends Ziggler to the floor. Dolph Ziggler has been eliminated. It’s down to Sheamus, Cena and Ryback. Cena and Sheamus team up on Ryback with a double suplex. They stare each other down, then look up to the WrestleMania sign. Both men begin unloading on each other and Cena hits a couple of shoulder blocks and a belly to back suplex, but misses the five knuckle shuffle when Ryback stops him with a giant clothesline. Ryback tries for shellshock on Sheamus, but Sheamus fights out and connects with white noise on Ryback. Sheamus tries for the brogue kick, but Ryback counters by picking him up and tossing him from the ring. Sheamus has been eliminated. It’ll either be Ryback or Cena headed to WrestleMania.
Cena catches Ryback with a series of rights, but runs right into a big spinebuster. Ryback tries for the clothesline, but Cena catches him with a drop toe hold and locks in the STF. Ryback fades, and appears to pass out. Cena pulls Ryback to his feet and seats him on the top rope. Ryback begins to fight back, hitting a Thesz press from the middle rope before shouldering Cena. Ryback charges toward the ropes, but Cena drops down, and pushes Ryback over. Cena wins.
Winner of the 2013 Royal Rumble: John Cena
Backstage: Josh Matthews Interviews The Rock
Josh Matthews is backstage with The Rock. Matthews begins to ask about the Shield, but he’s cut off by Rock. Rock says finally, he’s come back to Phoenix. Last week the Rock was coughing up blood, he’s been through it all, adversity all his life. Rock strived for the NFL, but didn’t get drafted. A year later, the only thing he had was 7 bucks in his pocket. We’ve all gone through adversity. It’s like the guy who gets passed up for a promotion. Or god-forbid, if your loved ones are stricken with cancer like his own mother who’s here tonight. She didn’t quit, they don’t quit, and he’ll never quit. Punk says the fans don’t count. Rock says they have no idea how much they all count to him for all the love and support they give. That’s why in this moment Rock is reaching out his hand to everyone who believes, and everyone who gets knocked down and right back up, because tonight, we’re going to end 440 days of misery. Tonight is the night the fans and the Rock beat CM Punk, become WWE Champion, and become one, if you smell what he’s cooking.
WWE Title: CM Punk (c) vs. The Rock
The WWE Champion CM Punk, accompanied by manager Paul Heyman, comes to the ring first for our main event of the evening. The Rock comes out next. He has a lengthy entrance. Both guys are finally in the ring now. Punk hits Rock with a series of rights, but Punk responds with a couple of kicks, and some clubbing blows in the corner. Rock responds with a clothesline and tries for a Rock Bottom, but Punk fights it off. Rock clotheslines Punk to the outside and follows. Rock and Punk fight around the announcer’s table before Rock sends Punk into the barricade.
Rock dismantles one of the announcer’s table, but Punk sends Rock back into the ring and puts the table back together. Punk heads back into the ring and is met by an immediate right that sends him back to the outside. Punk and Rock fight on the outside with Rock whipping Punk into the barricade. Heyman attacks while the ref’s back is turned and distracts the Rock long enough for Punk to hit a clothesline. Punk hits a front clothesline, laying Rock stomach first across the barricade. Punk brings things back into the ring where he blasts Rock with knees to the stomach and a stiff kick to the back. Punk rips at Rocks face while locking in a body scissors. Rock fights out of the hold, but runs into a knee to the gut. Punk locks in a submission hold, but Rock won’t give up. Rock fights his way out of it with knees to the back of Punk’s head.
Rocks hits a couple of rights, an inverted atomic drop, and then runs into a big kick to the face. Punk walks over top of Rock, smiling and laughing. Punk punches Rock in the stomach before tying him up in the ropes and hitting him with clubbing blows to the chest. Punk brings things into the middle of the ring before picking Rock up in a suplex and tossing him into the top rope. Punk kicks and stomps away at Rock in the corner before being backed up by the ref, allowing Heyman to get in another cheap shot. Punk allows Rock to get to his feet on the apron before hitting him with a springboard dropkick that sends him to the floor. Punk heads to the top rope and leaps to the outside, hitting Rock with a flying forearm. Punk grabs at his knee, walking it off. Punk brings things back into the ring where Rock kicks at Punk’s knee, bringing him down to the mat. Punk grabs Rock and throws him through the ropes to the outside.
Punk leaps through the ropes with a suicide dive that wipes out the Rock. Punk tosses Rock back into the ring and climbs up to the apron. Punk misses a springboard dropkick and Rock goes for the opening, stomping away at Punk’s back before driving him knee into the canvas. Rock stomps at Punk a bit more before picking him up and hitting a Russian leg sweep. Rock tries for the Rock bottom, but Punk fights it off and shoulders Rock. Punk tries for the G2S, but Punk catches the knee and tries for the sharpshooter. Punk fights it off and it able to lock in the anaconda vice. Rock turns things into a pin to force Punk to break the hold. Rock is able to come up with a DDT out of nowhere and both men are slow to get to their feet. Rock tries for the Rock bottom again, but Punk reverses into a crucifix pin. Rock rolls through and Punk finds himself trapped in the sharpshooter. Punk looks desperate, but he’s able to make it to the ropes to force Rock to break the hold. Punk rolls to the outside, falling to the floor. Rock follows, picking Punk up.
Rock dismantles the announcer’s table again. Punk crawls toward the ring, but he’s stopped by Rock, who puts him on top of the announcer’s table. Rock catches Punk with a couple of right hands before being caught with a kick to the temple from Punk. Punk pulls Rock up on the table and calls for the G2S, but Rock fights it off. Rock tries for the Rock bottom, but the table gives out and both men fall to the floor. Rock is able to break the count on the floor, and when he heads to the outside, he catches Punk, and puts him down on the floor with a big Rock bottom. Rock brings things back into the ring and goes for the cover, but he’s only able to get two. Both men are slow to get to their feet and when they do, Punk kicks Rock in the side of the head and lays him out. Punk falls down to the mat as well, and again both men are slow to get to their feet. Punk and Rock trade punches in the middle of the ring, with Rock getting the advantage.
Rock hits a big flying clothesline before putting Punk down with a spinebuster. Rock rips off his elbow pad and tosses it out to the crowd. Rock goes for the People’s elbow, but the lights go out right as he’s about to hit it. Cole is saying it’s the Shield, and they triple powerbombed Rock through the table. The lights come back on and Rock is laid out on the remains of the announcer’s table. Punk heads to the outside and asks the announcer’s if they saw anything. Punk pulls Rock to his feet and brings him back into the ring. Punk pins him and retains his title.
Winner and STILL WWE Champion: CM Punk
Vince McMahon Comes Out
Punk holds the title high and kicks the Rock from the ring. Punk’s music fades as he celebrates, and he’s interrupted by the music of Vince McMahon. Vince comes out and doesn’t look too happy. He says Punk’s celebration is over. He said if the Shield got involved, he’d strip Punk of the title. Technically they couldn’t see them, but it’s his duty as chairman of the board to officially, but Vince is interrupted by the Rock. Rock says we’re not ending this night like that.
He says Vince doesn’t take it from him, he will. Restart the match now. The bell rings and Punk goes right to the corner to stomp away at Rock. Punk is furious. Punk hits Rock with the running knee in the corner, then a clothesline. Punk heads to the top rope and hits the Macho Man style elbow, but it’s only enough for a two count. Punk calls for the Go to sleep, shouldering the Rock. Rock works his way out of it and nails him with a spinebuster. Rock follows up with the Peoples Elbow and pinks Punk, 1….2……………3. New champ. Punk’s streak ends.
Winner and NEW WWE Champion: The Rock
