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TWO MAJOR TITLE CHANGES, HHH VS. PUNK AND MORE: COMPLETE WWE NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS PPV COVERAGE

By Mike Johnson on 2011-09-18 10:50:00
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of the 2011 WWE Night of Champions PPV.

The announcing team is Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and Booker T.

WWE Tag Team champions Air Boom vs. The Miz & R-Truth

Miz and Truth rapped a re-worked version of R-Truth’s theme music, which is now titled “You Suck.”

Kofi and Miz started off. Miz maneuvered him into the corner and headbutt him in the corner. Kingston then caught him with a right hand as Miz argued with the referee. Someone watched the Mayweather fight.

Bourne tagged in and then tagged Miz with several kicks to the leg. Kofi leapt off Bourne’s back to nail a flying forearm in the corner for a two count. Truth tagged in but was immediately hiptossed, Bourne and Kingston nailed a headscissors on Truth, then double dropkicked Miz. The challengers went to the floor, where the champs hit stereo dives off the top on them.

Bourne tossed Truth back into the ring and scored a near fall. Truth came back with a series of punches, working over Bourne on the mat. Truth choked Bourne in the ropes near his corner, allowing Miz to sneak in a kick for another two count. Miz tagged in and hit a running boot to the face for another near fall, then cinched in a rear chinlock.

Miz and Truth nailed a double shoulderblock on Bourne, with Truth scoring another two count. Truth locked in a front facelock but was backdropped over by Bourne. Bourne tried to make it to his partner for a tag but Miz tagged in and nailed Bourne first, peppering him with punches.

Miz began nailing punches while dancing around but Bourne turned the Skull Crushing Finale attempt into a forward roll and made the tag to Kingston. Kingston cleaned house on Miz and nailed the Boom Drop. Kofi set up for Trouble in Paradise but Truth went to nail him. Kofi dropped him first and nailed Miz with the S.O.S. for a two count.

Truth nailed Kingston from behind and Miz nailed a jawbreaker into a DDT for a two count. Kingston went to make a tag but Miz grabbed him. Bourne faked a tag and nailed a missile dropkick on Miz. Miz argued over the tag with Bourne and was caught with a reverse rollup for a two count. Bourne went for Air Bourne but Miz slipped out of the way and nailed DDT. Kingston broke it up at the last second.

Truth tagged in but the referee didn’t see it. The referee argued with Truth and put him into the corner. Miz grabbed Bourne and nailed the Skull Crushing Finale and had him pinned but Truth was arguing with the referee and the ref missed it. He finally went to make the count but Bourne kicked out. Miz began arguing with the referee and shoved him down, getting his team DQ’d.

Your winners and still WWE Tag Team champions, Air Boom, by DQ.

The story was that the referee messed up the call several times. The referee argued with Miz was was shoved back down. Truth backed Miz off and pulled up the referee, apologizing, then nailed him as well. Miz screamed that he was sick of this and the conspiracies.

The match was fine until the finish, unless it’s leading somewhere for Miz and Truth.

They then aired the anti-bullying campaign ad right after two heels beat up a referee. Yes, they did.

Matt Striker grabbed Truth and Miz and warned them that attacking the referee could lead to a fine or suspension. They didn’t care. Truth said he wasn’t a referee but a conspirator and they tired of it. Striker said that the COO might not agree and Miz said that he didn’t care and after tonight, HHH might not be COO anyway. I don’t know if they meant it to be a hint they would get involved later on in the HHH-Punk thing, but you could certainly have taken it that way.

WWE Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes vs. Ted DiBiase

They locked up and DiBiase locked in a side headlock. Rhodes shot him into the ropes but had a hiptoss blocked. They had some nice back and forth wrestling early. DiBiase scored a near fall after a short arm clothesline, then began working over Rhodes’ arm.

Rhodes nailed DiBiase but was caught with a dropkick as he rebounded off the ropes. DiBiase went after the mask but the referee stopped him. Rhodes slapped Ted, who grabbed him with a double leg takedown. Rhodes cut off DiBiase with a knee to the gut and a knee to the head for a two count.

Rhodes controlled DiBiase, working on his arm and shoulder. DiBiase went for a monkey flip out of the corner and the referee counted both of their shoulder down, so they bridged up at the same time. Rhodes was really good trashtalking DiBiase during the match. He missed a charge into the corner and was nailed with a hiptoss and some right hands. DiBiase went for a dropkick but Rhodes held onto the ropes and there was no water in the pool.

Rhodes locked on an abdominal stretch near the ropes (but shockingly didn’t use it for leverage). DiBiase eventually powered out of it with a hiptoss. Rhodes cut him off and covered him for a two count. Rhodes continued to work on the arm with a hammerlock them went for a modified crossface. DiBiase powered out and nailed several elbows to the gut. Rhodes dropped down and nailed an uppercut but DiBiase came back with an inverted atomic drop.

DiBiase nailed a clothesline for a two count but was kicked off during a charge in the corner. Undaunted, DiBiase nailed a sitdown spinebuster as Rhodes went after him. DiBiase went for Dream Street but was tossed off. DiBiase nailed a dropkick and covered him for another near fall. Technically, this is really good but you don’t get the impression the crowd is invested in it.

They battled on the ropes but Rhodes headbutt him off. DiBiase came back to toss Rhodes off the top, then ripped Rhodes’ mask off. The crowd popped for that. DiBiase went to nail Cody with it but Cody ducked and rolled him up, hooking the tights for the pinfall.

Your winner and still WWE Intercontinental champion, Cody Rhodes!

Really good back and forth solid and enjoyable wrestling match but the crowd treated it like anything but an important match, which made it seem like they were wrestling in a bubble. Rhodes was great while DiBiase seemed to be missing that spark you want in a pissed off babyface.

Rey Mysterio stars in a new commercial for Lightstrike, a Laser Tag type toy. The commercial actually noted “Rey Mysterio not included.”

Christian made his way to the ring in street clothes. He took the mic and said that he spoke to Teddy Long and Teddy Long earlier tonight. He said they are too self absorbed to do the right thing, so he will. Christian said he’s been in the business for 17 years and amassed a laundry list of legendary matches, so he deserves one more match to become the World champion. He said that whoever wins Orton vs. Henry tonight, he should get a title shot against them immediately tonight. He said he wanted to put it into terms Buffalo could understand. He explained that they never won the Super Bowl, are never going to win the Super Bowl, but he has won it…twice as World champion. He said he’s a champion and it’s the Night of Champions. He asked everyone who agrees with him to stand up and let their voices be heard. He asked them to chant “One More Match.” A decent amount of fans did.

Out came Sheamus, also wearing street clothes. Christian told him that this didn’t confirm him but Sheamus said it did since he was also a former World champion. He made a joke that was awful about giving away his Uncle’s testicles to get it. Christian said that at least he has the testicles to say he deserves one more match. Maybe they can bring back Jess McGrath’s favorite wrestling shirt of all time, the “I Love my Testicles” shirt. Sheamus said that he wanted to get the first title shot if Christian won and Christian agreed. So, Sheamus led the “One More Match” chant himself, then shocked Christian with a Brogue Kick.

A nothing segment, although it adds to their rivalry. Sheamus’ joke felt so scripted and bad. Every time one of those lines is forced upon a talent, it totally kills their believability.

WWE United States champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Jack Swagger (both with Vickie Guerrero) vs. John Morrison vs. Alex Riley

This should be interesting since the booking of them of late has been nothing to be proud of. Good pop for Riley’s entrance. Guerrero came out with Ziggler. All four started in the ring at the same time, brawling in the corner. Morrison ran Swagger into the buckles and battled him. Swagger shoved him over the top to the floor. Riley dispatched the champ at the same time but was caught with a clothesline.

Swagger battered the back of Riley’s neck. He missed a clothesline but was caught by Riley with one for a two count. Riley went for a pescado to the outside but Ziggler stepped out of the way and Riley hit hard. Morrison returned to the ring and nailed Swagger with a leaping enziguiri. Ziggler broke it up. Morrison dropkicked him out of the ring and landed atop Swagger for another two count.

Swagger hiptossed Morrison over the top to the floor. He and Ziggler argued in the center of the ring. Guerrero told them to stop. Ziggler tried to trick Swagger into laxing his guard by arguing with Vickie but was caught and clotheslined. Riley nailed Swagger and covered him but Guerrero put his foot on the ropes. Ziggler nailed Riley and asked Guerrero if she just cost him his match, which made no sense since she just saved the belt. Morrison nailed him with a springboard kick and covered him for a two count.

Ziggler gained control and clubbed Morrison across the back. Morrison came back with a forearm and muscled Ziggler to the top turnbuckle. Morrison went for a superplex but Ziggler fought him off and tied him upside down. Riley hit the ropes and went for a suplex on the champ but Morrison pulled himself up and while tied, tossed him off with a suplex throw. Nice spot. Swagger then leapt onto the corner and superplexed Ziggler out. Good stuff.

Morrison began hitting some hot offense on Ziggler and Swagger. He nailed a float over DDT, then nailed a standing Spanish Fly on Riley for another two count. He placed Riley in the corner and went for Starship Pain, but Riley got his knees up. Ziggler went for the sleeper but before Riley could break it up,. Swagger grabbed him in an anklelock. Morrison went to the ropes and the outside to break it up. Riley kicked Swagger into Ziggler and nailed his finisher for a two count on Swagger.

Swagger went back into the anklelock. Morrison dove but Swagger ducked and nailed the Doctor Bomb. Ziggler nailed Swagger and pinned the stunned Morrison.

Your winner and still WWE United States champion, Dolph Ziggler!

Really good match. They let it all hang out and had a good wrestling match with cool spots and nice story about the issues between Ziggler and Swagger while the others were trying to win the title. This is how the talents in this position should always be portrayed and booked in my opinion. Very enjoyable.


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