WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Rob Van Dam w/ Ricardo Rodriguez
Ricardo Rodriguez handled the ring introduction for the challenger Rob Van Dam. Lilian Garcia handled the ring introduction for the champion, in Spanish, Alberto Del Rio. The bell rings and Alberto Del Rio charges in at Rob Van Dam with a big kick and lock up. Del Rio drops RVD early on with a quick shoulder block. Del Rio slaps his face begging for a kick and RVD drops him with a heel kick. RVD with a monkey flip on Del Rio from the corner and then connects with a quick standing moonsault resulting in a two count. RVD kicks Del Rio to the outside off the ring apron, puts Del Rio over the ring barricade chest first, hops up on the ring apron and connects with a jumping spinning heel kick. Back in the ring, Del Rio connects with a suicide dive to RVD on the outside through the ropes. Del Rio with a quick back suplex as RVD rolls to the ring apron. Del Rio connects with a huge kick to the back of the head as RVD drops to the outside. RVD avoids another suicide dive from Del Rio, returns to the ring and drops Del Rio with repeated clotheslines. RVD with a springboard leg drop over Del Rio on the ring apron. RVD is now up on the top turnbuckle, jumps and catches with Del Rio with a kick to the jaw. RVD calls for Rolling Thunder, Del Rio is back up and connects with a backcracker on RVD for a close two count. Del Rio is up on the top turnbuckle with RVD. RVD elbows Del Rio and Del Rio falls back. RVD with a flip dive that catches Del Rio and results in a two count.
Del Rio catches RVD with a title-a-whirl backbreaker and then comes back with a big stomp over the lower back of RVD. Del Rio is calling for his armbar submission. RVD counters with a knee and a quick roll up that results in another close two count. RVD plants Del Rio in the corner and connects with a springboard split leg moonsault for another two count. Loud “RVD” chant in Detroit as Ricardo helps fire up the crowd at ringside. Del Rio drops his knees off the left forearm of RVD and then responds with a huge kick to the jaw. Del Rio hooks the leg and RVD again kicks out after two. Del Rio with a quick stomp to the chest of RVD as RVD tries to sit up. Del Rio comes off the top turnbuckle and RVD catches him with a quick heel kick. RVD drops a leg quick and pulls himself up to the top turnbuckle. RVD jumps and Del Rio gets his knees up when RVD connects with the Five Star Frog Splash. Del Rio then applies his armbar submission on RVD as he is recovering from taking knees to the gut. RVD is trying to pull his legs towards the bottom rope. RVD is reaching with his arm and gets to the bottom rope to break it up. The referee starts the five count. Del Rio refuses to break the hold. The referee reaches five and calls for the bell to force the disqualification finish.
Winner via DQ: Rob Van Dam
Winner and still WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Alberto Del Rio
After the match, Alberto Del Rio attacks RVD. Del Rio grabs a chair at ringside, returns, Ricardo takes the chair away and RVD gives Del Rio a DDT. RVD props Del Rio up in the corner. Ricardo grabs the steel chair and holds it over the face of Del Rio. RVD climbs to the top turnbuckle across the way, jumps and connects with the Van Terminator. Del Rio is out. RVD grabs the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and holds it up in the corner. We see a shot of Del Rio falling out of the ring as WWE medical staff checks on him.
Backstage, we see a shot of Curtis Axel smiling slapping the WWE Intercontinental Championship over his shoulder. Paul Heyman explains to Axel that if he is left alone in the ring tonight with CM Punk, he won’t be here tomorrow or the day after that. Heyman said if he can’t be here then he loses his strategy. He talks about Axel making Triple H an enemy and he can fix that for him, but he has to “be here tomorrow to be able to do that for you.”
Booker T is voted as the greatest World Heavyweight Champion of all time courtesy of a WWE.com poll.
Backstage, Randy Orton takes issue with Triple H not allowing interference at ringside.
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