WWE Night of Champions PPV
September 16, 2012
Boston, Massachusetts
Report by: Adam Martin of Wrestleview.com
YouTube pre-show: Zack Ryder won the Battle Royal during the Night of Champions pre-show to earn a shot against Antonio Cesaro for the WWE United States Championship later tonight.
A video package opens the show focusing on CM Punk vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship.
A graphic opening hits welcoming us to Night of Champions. We go live to the TD Garden where a series of pyro goes off. We go live to Michael Cole at ringside with an empty seat next to him. Cole talks about the heart attack Jerry Lawler suffered Monday night during Raw. He reveals that Lawler will be going home this week to Memphis. Cole introduces his broadcast partner tonight to take the place of Jerry Lawler – John “Bradshaw” Layfield.
WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz opens the show.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The Miz (c) vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Sin Cara vs. Cody Rhodes
Sin Cara with a quick cross body on Miz and Cody Rhodes early. Mysterio with a head scissors takedown on Rhodes. Miz pulls Mysterio out of the ring just as Mysterio and Sin Cara were going to face off. Sin Cara with a big arm drag on Miz sending him out of the ring. Mysterio sends Rhodes out of the ring with another head scissors takedown. Sin Cara with kicks to Mysterio. Mysterio with a big head scissors takedown of his own on Sin Cara. Miz with an inverted DDT and then sends Rhodes over the top rope when he counters. Series of pinfall attempts. Rhodes with a kick to the chest of Sin Cara. Tower of Doom spot with Miz, Rhodes and Mysterio. Miz with a quick DDT on Mysterio for a two count. Sin Cara catches Miz with a springboard dropkick and then connects with a suicide dive to Miz as well. Mysterio with a head scissors sending Rhodes shoulder first into the barricade. Sin Cara with a springboard corkscrew on Miz for a two count. Rhodes face plants Mysterio. Miz and Rhodes falls into the ropes. Rhodes ducks and 619 on Miz. Mysterio dumps Rhodes out and splashes Miz. Rhodes breaks up the pinfall. Rhodes tries removing the mask of Sin Cara.
Rhodes slides Mysterio out of the ring and Mysterio lands with a thud. Sin Cara catches Rhodes with a kick to the face. Sin Cara’s mask gets removed. Sin Cara has another mask on under it. Miz lifts up Sin Cara for a powerbomb, but Sin Cara puts the extra mask over his face and Miz falls to the corner. Rhodes grabs Sin Cara, but Miz runs up blinded with the mask behind Rhodes and hits the Skull Crushing Finale. Miz covers Rhodes and gets the pinfall with a Sin Cara mask over his face.
Winner and still WWE Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Backstage, we see a shot of Eve talking with The Primetime Players. Eve is then informed Kaitlyn has been attacked. She runs to the backstage area and Kaitlyn is down crying. Kaitlyn says someone attacked her and was covering up their face. Eve tells her she can’t compete tonight and needs medical attention.
A video package runs focusing on the anger problems of Daniel Bryan and Kane.
WWE Tag Team Championships
Kofi Kingston and R-Truth (c’s) vs. Kane and Daniel Bryan
We start with Kane and Kofi Kingston. Kingston with a quick tag to Truth. Kane works over Truth in the corner and tags in Daniel Bryan. Bryan with kicks to Truth in the corner shouting “NO” as the crowd chants “YES” along with him. Truth with a quick arm drag on Bryan and tag to Kingston. Kingston with a springboard forearm to Bryan. Tag back to Truth who connects with a leg drop over Bryan. Tag to Kane who clotheslines Truth. Tag back to Bryan who goes up to the second rope and drops a sledgehammer over the back of Truth. Bryan with kicks to the chest of Truth. Tag to Kane who kicks Truth in the face with Bryan holding him down. Tag to Bryan who is sent into the corner by Kane, but Truth gets a boot up. Kane helps Bryan up. Bryan shoves Kane. Kane pushes Bryan back. Bryan pie faces Kane. Kane gets in Bryan’s face. Bryan backs off, says they need to work together and they should “hug it out.” Bryan extends his arms. Kane and Bryan hug. JBL on commentary goes, “You’ve got to be kidding me. They just hugged.” Tag to Kingston who takes out Bryan. Kingston drops Kane off the ring apron. Kingston is getting boo’s from the Boston crowd.
Kane pulls Bryan out when Kingston was about to hit the Trouble in Paradise. Kingston with a dropkick through the ropes that takes out Kane. Bryan smiles. Kingston then leaps over the top rope and takes out Bryan. Bryan gets the No Lock applied on Kingston. Truth breaks it up. Fans boo loudly again. Truth misses a splash to the outside to Kane and Kane sends Truth into the ring apron. Bryan with a dropkick charge to Kingston in the corner. Kane tags himself in. Bryan yells, “What are you doing!?” Kane goes up top to the top rope. Kingston jumps up trying to hit a huricanrana, but Bryan holds on to the leg of Kane to prevent him from going down. Kane pushes Bryan away saying he didn’t need help. Bryan then pushes Kane off the top rope. Kane falls off the top rope and splashes Kingston. The referee counts the pinfall. Kane and Bryan get the win.
Winners and NEW WWE Tag Team Champions: Kane and Daniel Bryan
After the match, Kane and Daniel Bryan argue over who is the actual tag team champion. Kane then backs off and sets off his pyro. We then see highlights from the end of the match leading to the finish of the title change. Back live, Bryan is yelling he is the tag team champions.
Backstage, Booker T is with Teddy Long. Eve lets Booker know that Kaitlyn twisted her ankle tonight and can’t compete. Teddy reminds him that the WWE Divas Championship needs to be defended tonight. Eve asks what he will do. Booker says Eve pinned Kaitlyn two weeks ago and she gets the shot tonight. Teddy doesn’t like this.
Komen.org/WWE is plugged as WWE celebrates breast cancer awareness.
WWE United States Championship
Antonio Cesaro (c) w/ Aksana vs. Zack Ryder
Before the match, Antonio Cesaro said this title match is unfair. We see footage of Zack Ryder winning the Battle Royal during the YouTube pre-show tonight.
Antonio Cesaro with a quick takedown on Zack Ryder early on. Cesaro with a quick shoulder block, but Ryder responds with a face plant. Cesaro drops Ryder over the top rope. Cesaro dead lifts Ryder and drops him in a gutwrench powerbomb. Cesaro wraps Ryder up in the ropes and then drops his weight over his chest. Cesaro again jumps on the chest of Ryder. Cesaro with a quick suplex. Crowd in Boston is behind Ryder. Cesaro catches Ryder with a mid air uppercut that looked nasty! Ryder face plants Cesaro once more and catches him with a big elbow along with a clothesline. Ryder with knees to the face of Cesaro and then connects with a missile dropkick. Ryder with a huricanrana on Cesaro off the top rope. Aksana pulls Cesaro out of the ring to avoid a big boot from Ryder. Cesaro with an uppercut to Ryder and Cesaro connects with his Neutralizer for the win.
Winner and still WWE United States Champion: Antonio Cesaro
After the match, we see highlights including the huge uppercut Zack Ryder took from Antonio Cesaro.
A promo runs for WWE Saturday Morning Slam on The CW Network.
Backstage, David Otunga is with Alberto Del Rio. Ricardo Rodriguez walks up without his neckbrace on. Del Rio and Otunga tell him to put it back on. Ricardo says he was getting hot. Otunga tells him as his legal council to put it back on.
Randy Orton vs. Dolph Ziggler w/ Vickie Guerrero
Both lock up all around the ring early on. Ziggler catches Orton with a big dropkick. Ziggler catches Orton with a kick to the face and neckbreaker combo. Orton with a counter bouncing Ziggler off the top rope and back into a big suplex. JBL brings up that tonight is the rubber match between these two. Orton with a series of clotheslines and quick powerslam. Ziggler with a dropkick to the knee. Orton counters a leaping attempt from Ziggler into a quick powerbomb. Ziggler catches Orton with a missile dropkick from the top rope. Orton with big right hands. Ziggler fires back with some of his own. Ziggler drops Orton’s face off the top rope. Ziggler drops big elbows over Orton. Ziggler keeps Orton grounded with a headlock. Orton powers out with a back suplex. Ziggler takes the back of Orton and applies another headlock. Orton with a headbutt and right hand to break it up. Orton with a standing dropkick that takes Ziggler off his feet. Orton crotches Ziggler up top. Orton with a suplerplex on Ziggler. Orton gets a two count. Vickie points and smiles at the crowd. Orton and Ziggler exchange shots. Ziggler catches Orton with a Fameasser, but Orton finds a way to kick out.
Vickie is upset at ringside slapping the ring apron yelling at the referee. They brawl to the outside and Orton sends Ziggler with force into the barricade. Orton props Ziggler up on the barricade, pulls him forward and drops Ziggler with a DDT on the mat floor at ringside. Orton slides Ziggler back in, covers and Ziggler gets his foot on the bottom rope. Orton is calling for the RKO. Ziggler counters into a close rollup. Ziggler jumps on the back of Orton applying a sleeper. Orton counters, lifts Ziggler up in the air and comes down with an RKO. Orton hooks the leg of Ziggler and gets the pinfall.
Winner: Randy Orton
After the match, Randy Orton jumps on the corner to celebrate his win. We then see highlights of the finish of Orton pulling off an RKO.
WWE Divas Championship
Layla (c) vs. Eve Torres
Eve with a quick headlock on Layla into a takedown. Series of pinfall attempts between the two. Layla with a dropkick to the face of Eve. Eve with a kick to Layla and slides her to the outside. Eve pushes Layla down on the mat and then sends her into the side of the ring. Back in the ring, Eve with right hands to Layla. Eve kicks Layla on the back from the top rope. Eve with a head scissors applied on Layla and then drives her face down on the mat. Layla with a counter DDT. Layla with a dropkick to the face and follows with clotheslines. Layla misses her springboard splash when Eve moves. Eve with a twisting neckbreaker and gets the pinfall.
Winner and NEW WWE Divas Champion: Eve Torres
After the match, Eve smiles and is handed the WWE Divas Championship.
Lilian Garcia introduces breat cancer survivors at ringside. Komen.org/WWE is plugged once again.
Backstage, we see a shot of Daniel Bryan saying he is the tag team champions. Bryan’s anger management doctor Dr. Shelby walks up and says congratulations. We then see Kane walk up doing the same. AJ walks up and freaks out trying to get them to stop. Dr. Shelby tells Bryan to congratulate Kane. Bryan does so. He asks Kane to do the same and Kane walks off. Bryan says that is what he is talking about. Kane then dumps Gatorade over Bryan and says he is going to Disneyland. We go back to ringside. Michael Cole is laughing and JBL is speechless.
A video package runs hyping Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Sheamus (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio
Ricardo Rodriguez handled the ring introduction for the challenger Alberto Del Rio. Lilian Garcia handled the ring introduction for the champion Sheamus. Smackdown General Manager Booker T’s music hits. Booker says he has concluded his investigation and announces that the Brogue Kick has been reinstated.
The bell rings and Sheamus takes out David Otunga with a quick Brogue Kick. Sheamus goes after Del Rio in the corner with right hands. Sheamus with a quick neckbreaker. Del Rio misses a splash into the ropes, falls through and Sheamus catches Del Rio with a flying clothesline off the ring apron. Back in the ring, Del Rio works over the left arm of Sheamus. Del Rio sends Sheamus into the corner and Del Rio kicks the shoulder of Sheamus. Del Rio goes up top and takes out Sheamus with a sledgehammer. Sheamus with a right hand to Del Rio up on the top turnbuckle. Del Rio with an armbar on Sheamus falling back over the ropes. Sheamus catches Del Rio with an axe handle as Del Rio came off the top rope. Sheamus with a high knee and scoop slam combo. Sheamus with big forearm shots to the chest of Del Rio. Del Rio counters White Noise with a backstabber for a two count. Del Rio ducks out of a Brogue Kick attempt and Del Rio catches Sheamus with a kick to the head. Del Rio with a kick to the shoulder, Sheamus dodges an armbar, misses a Brogue Kick and Del Rio gets the armbar locked on. Sheamus rolls through attempting a Cloverleaf. Del Rio kicks Sheamus away to avoid that.
Del Rio dumps Sheamus to the outside, but Sheamus’ bad shoulder gets caught in the top rope. Del Rio with a series of kicks to the shoulder as Sheamus is caught in the top and middle rope. The referee tells Del Rio to back off and he frees up the hand of Sheamus. Del Rio drops the arm of Sheamus over his knees. Del Rio then gets the armbar locked on Sheamus. Sheamus is reaching for the ropes. Sheamus turns over, dead lifts Del Rio and drops him back down in a big powerbomb. Sheamus holds his arm and shoulder in pain. Del Rio avoids another Brogue Kick attempt and again gets the armbar locked in. Del Rio is wrenching back repeatedly. Sheamus is reaching for the bottom rope. Sheamus is teasing he will tap. Sheamus is pulling his body towards the ropes. Sheamus gets his feet under the bottom rope and the referee forces Del Rio to break it up. Del Rio misses a flying kick in the corner and Sheamus catches Del Rio with the Brogue Kick. Sheamus hooks the leg of Del Rio and gets the pinfall.
Winner and still WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Sheamus
After the match, we see highlights of the match leading to the finish with Sheamus connecting with the Brogue Kick.
A video package runs hyping CM Punk vs. John Cena.
Back live, Paul Heyman is standing in the ring with a mic. He said he is here tonight to witness history and gets the best seat in the house to pay respect to the championship and champion CM Punk.
WWE Championship
CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena
Justin Roberts handled ring introductions for the challenger John Cena and champion CM Punk.
Paul Heyman remains at ringside. Punk kisses his title and hands it to the referee.
The bell rings and here we go. Lock up and Cena with a headlock takeover. Punk breaks free. Cena with a quick snap suplex and Cena takes the back of Punk. Punk with knees and a headlock takeover of his own on Cena. Cena with a high back body drop on Punk, but misses a splash in the corner when Punk ducks. Punk with a quick dropkick to the face of Cena, hooks the leg and gets two. JBL adds, “Punk knows it is too early. He did that to make Cena work.” Punk tosses Cena to the corner, Cena bounces off, falls to the mat and Punk stands over Cena on the second rope. Cena quickly recovers, gets Punk on his shoulders, but Punk counters down and connects with a quick DDT. Cena with a shoulder block, but Punk with a drop toe hold and bridge back into a crossface. We see a shot of Heyman looking on smiling. Cena rolls to the outside when Punk breaks the hold. Punk with a suicide dive that takes out Cena. Punk then walks up to John Cena’s dad at ringside and smiles at him. Back in the ring, Cena takes out Punk with a baseball slide. Cena then dumps Punk over the barricade, pulls him out and the connects with a suplex to the ringside floor below.
Back in the ring, Cena puts Punk on his shoulders, Punk counters and kicks Cena in the back. Punk jumps on the back of Cena and wrenches back with a clutch. Jabs by Punk to Cena. Punk goes up top and connects with a sledgehammer to Cena. Cena fights back with his shoulder blocks, but Punk counters his usual twisting powerbomb. Punk now with a series of clotheslines to Cena. Cena counters a neckbreaker from Punk and levels Punk with a big clothesline. Cena calls for the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Punk gets his boot up when Cena comes down to drop the knuckle. Punk with a neckbreaker, hook of the leg and Cena gets a shoulder up at two. Punk counters an AA attempt holding onto the ropes and falling off the ring apron. Cena with a suicide dive to take out Punk at ringside. Heyman is shocked. Back in the ring, Cena with his twisting powerbomb. Punk again counters the Five Knuckle Shuffle and locks in his Anaconda Vice. Cena counters out and locks in the STF. Punk counters that and locks in the Crossface. Look of concern on the face of Heyman at ringside. Cena powers to his feet and drops Punk in a quick back suplex. Both men are down.
Cena and Punk exchange shots. Punk with a side kick that drops Cena. Punk with a high knee in the corner, pulls Cena forward and connects with a quick clothesline. Punk goes up top and connects with a flying elbow. Cena kicks out. Punk calls for the GTS. Cena counters and gets the STF locked on. Punk is reaching for the bottom rope. Punk pulls himself forward and gets to the bottom rope. Punk connects with GTS. Punk hooks the leg and Cena powers out. Punk can’t believe it. Heyman looks down in shock at ringside. Punk with kicks to the body of Cena. Punk with a big clothesline that drops Cena. Cover by Punk and Cena kicks out. Punk slaps Cena, goes for another GTS, Cena counters, goes for an AA, Punk counters and Cena gets Punk down for the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena with an AA on Punk. Cena covers Punk and Punk kicks out after two. Heyman is smiling. Punk rolls out of the ring holding his head. Cena tosses Punk back in the ring. Cena goes up top, attempts a leg drop and Punk moves. Punk with a quick to the head, covers Cena and Cena gets a shoulder up. Punk is frustrated. Punk with a series of slaps to Cena. Punk then catches Cena with a high knee.
Punk goes up top, hits a moonsault and misses Cena completely. Cena goes for an AA. Punk counters out and connects with a GTS on Cena. Cover and Cena again kicks out. Punk is shocked. Punk backs up and awaits Cena to get to his feet. Punk with a Rock Bottom on Cena, covers and Cena again kicks out. Punk falls into the ropes and is again shocked. Cena is dazed. Cena with an AA on Punk out of no where. Cena covers and Punk kicks out. Cena lifts Punk up to the top turnbuckle. Punk elbows Cena off the top. Cena comes right back up and connects with a german suplex into a bridge off the top rope. The referee counts the pinfall. Cena jumps up and grabs the WWE Championship at ringside. Cena starts celebrating and returns to the ring. He holds up the title on the corner when the referee takes it away from him. The referee then hands the title back to CM Punk who is still recovering. Justin Roberts announces that since the shoulders of both men were down, the match has been declared a draw and CM Punk remains champion.
Result: Draw
Winner and still WWE Champion: CM Punk
After the match, we see a shot of a smiling CM Punk with the WWE Championship. John Cena starts arguing with the referee about the call. Punk then knocks out Cena using the WWE Championship belt. They show a replay of the finish showing that Cena’s shoulders were down during the pinfall along with Punk. Back live, Punk celebrates his win with Heyman as the PPV goes off the air.