Night of Champions

* Poll results: Best match at WWE’s Night of Champions
* Poll results: Grade WWE’s Night of Champions

The Pre-show kicks off with Matt Striker and Scott Stanford at the commentary table. Stanford says Michael Cole will update us on Jerry Lawler at the beginning of the pay-per-view. They mention the 16-Man Battle Royal that is coming up to determine WWE United States Champion Antonio Cesaro’s opponent for later tonight. We then transition into the video hype for Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio, including Smackdown General Manager Booker T’s decision to ban the Brogue Kick.

Back in the area, Josh Mathews asks Booker T the progress of his decision to ban the Brogue Kick. Booker says the only thing we need to know is that the kick is still banned.

We see a hype video for Antonio Cesaro.

Pre-Show Match: #1 Contender’s (WWE United States Championship) 16-Man Battle Royal
Everybody gangs up on Slater and eliminates him. McGillicutty is out next, then DiBiase. Primo is eliminated by Clay. Mahal is out next. Clay then eliminates Epico. Tensai eliminates Gabriel and Kidd. Santino tries to take down Tensai and Clay, but fails. Tensai and Clay slug it out. McIntyre, Young, and a few others eliminate Clay. Santino eliminates JTG. Ryder eliminates McIntyre, and we’re down to five. Santino grabs The Cobra and hits Tensai with it. Santino tries to pin Young. O’Neil eliminates Santino. The Prime Time Players double-team Tensai. Final Four are Young, O’Neil, Ryder, and Tensai. Ryder eliminates O’Neil and Tensai eliminates Young. Ryder head-scissors Tensai over the top rope to win it. After the match, Josh Mathews asks Ryder if he can win the title later tonight. Ryder says, “Woo woo woo, you know it!”
Winner and number one contender: Zack Ryder

We go backstage and Josh Mathews says CM Punk is refusing to talk for an interview and Paul Heyman walks up. Heyman corrects Mathews’ grammar and walks into Punk’s locker room. We then see the CM Punk-John Cena hype video to close the pre-show.

Night of Champions opens with a video highlighting the CM Punk-John Cena feud.

We go live into the arena in Boston, Massachusetts and Michael Cole welcomes us to the show. Cole gives an update on Jerry Lawler while a “Jerry” chant breaks out in the crowd. Cole says Lawler will be going home to Memphis later this week. Out comes Lawler’s replacement for the night, John Bradshaw Layfield.

Match #1: WWE Intercontinental Championship Fatal-Four Way Match: The Miz (c) vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Sin Cara
Before the match, The Miz cuts a promo and says he is going to file a complaint against Booker T for making him defend his title against three guys in one night.
Rhodes squares of with Sin Cara as Mysterio and The Miz do the same. Sin Cara takes out Rhodes and Miz as Rhodes and Miz go to the outside, leaving Mysterio and Sin Cara in the ring. Rhodes and Miz get back into the ring and double-team Sin Cara. Sin Cara comes back and takes both of them down and Rhodes goes to the outside. Sin Cara arm drags The Miz out of the ring and Mysterio sends Rhodes to the outside. Mysterio and Sin Cara begin to battle it out. Sin Cara takes Mysterio down, but Mysterio comes right back and takes him down with a head-scissors, but The Miz breaks up the count at two. Rhodes and Miz take control back and Rhodes goes for a pin on Sin Cara, but Miz tries to break it up before Rhodes moves. Rhodes and Miz duke it out and Miz elevates Rhodes over the top rope to the floor. Mysterio gets The Miz and gets a two count before Sin Cara breaks it up. Sin Cara and Mysterio double-team The Miz and send him to the outside. Mysterio and Sin Cara battle again and Mysterio trips him into the corner. Mysterio goes up top, but Sin Cara takes him down. Rhodes gets back into the ring and takes Sin Cara down and gets a two count. Rhodes turns his attention to Mysterio and takes him to the top, but The Miz gets back in the ring and suplexes them both to the mat. Miz pins Rhodes for a two count and then gets a two count in Mysterio. Miz tosses Rhodes to the outside and focuses on Mysterio. Miz hits Mysterio with a DDT and goes for a cover, but he kicks out at two. Mysterio slides to the outside and Sin Cara takes Miz down with a missile dropkick. Sin Cara takes himself and Miz down to the floor as Mysterio takes Rhodes down on the outside. Sin Cara hits a corkscrew on Miz back in the ring and goes for the cover, but Miz kicks out at two. Miz comes back and clotheslines Sin Cara in the corner, but Mysterio comes back and takes Miz down. Mysterio goes for the cover, but Rhodes breaks it up. Rhodes hits Mysterio with a face buster and goes for the cover, but Sin Cara breaks up the count. Rhodes goes after Sin Cara, but Sin Cara reverses. Miz tosses Sin Cara into the corner and goes for the Skull Crushing Finale on Mysterio, but Mysterio sends him into the ropes for the 6-1-9 and connects. Mysterio goes for the splash on Miz and covers him for two as Rhodes breaks it up. Rhodes stomps away on Sin Cara and tosses Mysterio to the outside. Sin Cara kicks Rhodes in the head and pulls out a mask and goes to put it on Rhodes, but Miz comes in and hits Sin Cara with a neck beaker for a two count. Sin Cara puts the mask on The Miz and Rhodes goes for Cross Rhodes on Sin Cara, but The Miz catches Rhodes with the Skull Crushing Finale for the pin fall.
Winner and still WWE Intercontinental Champion: The Miz

We go backstage and see The Prime Time Players talking with Eve Torres. Eve spots Kaitlyn down on the ground and Kaitlyn says someone attacked her and Eve says her match is off. Eve says she’ll talk to Booker.

We see a video portraying the recent events of Daniel Bryan and Kane’s anger management classes.

Match #2: WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Kofi Kingston and R-Truth (c) vs. Daniel Bryan and Kane
Kane and Kingston start the match off. Kane tosses Kingston over the top rope, but he hangs on. Kingston tags in Truth and they double-team Kane, but Kane catches Truth and overpowers him. Kane delivers an uppercut and Bryan enters the match. Bryan kicks Truth in the corner and tosses him into another corner before Truth takes him down with a hip toss. Kingston hits a forearm from the top rope and pins Bryan for a two count. Truth gets back into the match and hits a leg drop on Bryan for a two count. Bryan kicks Truth and Kane tags himself in. Kane slams Truth’s head on the turnbuckle and then stomps away on him. Kane tags in Bryan and he takes Truth down with a shot to his back. Bryan kicks Truth in the chest and hits his running dropkick for a two count. Bryan tags in Kane and he hits a running dropkick on Truth. Kane wrenches Truth’s neck, but Truth fights back before Kane takes him to the corner and tags in Bryan. They attempts to double-team Truth, but he moves out of the corner and Kane and Bryan begin to argue, but then they hug it out. Kingston comes back in and hits the Boom Drop on Bryan. Kingston goes for Trouble in Paradise, but Kane catches him to save Bryan. Bryan gets Kingston in the No Lock, but Truth breaks it up. Kane slams Truth into the apron on the outside. Kane goes up top and so does Kingston. Kingston tries to take Kane down, but Bryan holds on to Kane. Kane takes Kingston down and gets the pin fall. After the match, Kane and Bryan celebrate, but then they argue about who is the tag team champions.
Winners and new WWE Tag Team Champions: Kane and Daniel Bryan

We go backstage and we see Eve Torres, Teddy Long, and Booker T in Booker’s office discussing the Divas Championship situation. Teddy says he doesn’t know what they’re going to do and Eve says there are no other Divas in line for a shot. Booker says she is wrong, and gives her the title match.

Match #3: WWE United States Championship Match: Antonio Cesaro (c) (w/Aksana) vs. Zack Ryder
Cesaro takes Ryder down, but Ryder escapes and they taunt each other. Ryder sends Cesaro off the ropes, but Cesaro comes back and takes him down with a shoulder block. Ryder comes back and takes Cesaro down and gets a two count. Cesaro picks Ryder up and drapes him over the top rope and stomps away on him on the mat. Cesaro applies a submission, but Ryder fights out. Cesaro quickly takes him down with a clothesline and gets a two count. Cesaro picks Ryder up and tosses him down to the mat for a two count. Cesaro chokes Ryder on the middle rope and stomps down on his chest. Cesaro stomps on Ryder again and gets another two count. Cesaro hits a suplex for a two count. Cesaro gets Ryder in a headlock, but Ryder fights out. Cesaro tosses Ryder into the air and delivers a beautiful uppercut for a two count. Cesaro gets Ryder in a submission, but Ryder fights out and drives Cesaro face first. Ryder connects with an elbow and a clothesline. Ryder gets a roll up for the two count. Ryder hits a missile dropkick for another two count. Ryder takes Cesaro down with a neck breaker for a two count. Cesaro drives his shoulder into Ryder’s midsection and goes up top. Ryder stops him and connects with a hurricanrana from the top rope. Ryder sets up for the Broski Boot, but Aksana pulls Cesaro out of the way. Cesaro connects with an uppercut and then hits the Neutralizer for the pin fall.
Winner and still WWE United States Champion: Antonio Cesaro

We have video hype for Saturday Morning Slam.

We see Alberto Del Rio, David Otunga, and Ricardo Rodriguez backstage. Rodriguez doesn’t have his neckbrace on and Otunga and Del Rio tell him to put it back on. Otunga calls Rodriguez stupid and he and Del Rio walk off as Rodriguez puts the neckbrace on.

Match #4: Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Guerrero) vs. Randy Orton
They tie up and circle around the ring before Ziggler applies a headlock. Ziggler takes Orton down and they get into a stalemate again. They tie up again and Orton applies the headlock this time. Ziggler sends Orton off the ropes, but Orton comes back with a shoulder block. Orton stomps on Ziggler before hitting him with an uppercut. Ziggler comes back and hits a dropkick on Orton and gets a two count. Ziggler chokes Orton in the corner, but Orton comes back and delivers another uppercut. Ziggler comes back with a neck breaker and gets another two count. Ziggler elbows Orton a few times and goes for a suplex, but Orton delivers a suplex of his own. Orton hits Ziggler with a neck breaker and takes him down again with a power slam. Orton gets Ziggler caught between the ropes and goes for his DDT, but Ziggler reverses and rolls Orton up for a two. Orton comes back and takes Ziggler down for a two count. Orton keeps control and drags Ziggler across the ring and places him on the turnbuckle. Orton goes for a suplex, but Ziggler fights out and tosses Orton down to the mat. Ziggler comes off the top rope with a missile dropkick and gets a two count. They exchange blows before Ziggler drapes Orton over the top rope, which leads to a two count. Ziggler stomps away on Orton and drops a few elbows and gets a two count. Ziggler gets Orton in a headlock on the mat and continues to wear Orton down. Orton comes back and delivers a back drop to Ziggler. Ziggler hits a clothesline for a two count. Ziggler comes back and gets Orton in another headlock. Orton comes back and delivers some right hands and a dropkick. Ziggler comes back and delivers a DDT to Orton for a two count. Orton catches Ziggler on the top rope and hits a superplex for a two count. Orton connects with an uppercut but the slug it out. They exchange rights, lefts, uppercuts, and headbutts. Orton gains control, but Ziggler connects with the Zig-Zag and goes for the cover, but Orton kicks out at two. Ziggler charges at Orton, but Orton counters and goes for his DDT. Ziggler escapes and they go to the outside. Orton catches Ziggler on the barricade and goes for his DDT and connects with it. Orton tosses Ziggler back into the ring and goes for the cover, but Ziggler gets his foot on the rope. Orton goes for the RKO, but Ziggler shoves him off and rolls him up for a two count. Orton comes back and counters out of a sleeper hold and hits the RKO for the pin fall.
Winner: Randy Orton

Match #5: WWE Divas Championship Match: Layla (c) vs. Eve Torres
Eve takes Layla down and locks her legs around Layla’s neck. Layla gets out and wrenches Eve’s arm. Layla comes off the ropes and rolls Eve up for a two count. Layla gets Eve in a headlock, but Eve fights out. Layla hits Eve with a dropkick. Eve tosses Layla to the outside. They fight on the outside for a bit before Eve tosses Layla back in. Eve pounds away on Layla and chokes her over the middle rope. Eve keeps control and applies a submission. Layla comes back and delivers a double-arm DDT to Eve. Layla dropkicks Eve in the face and comes off the ropes, but Eve moves out of the way. Eve connects with a neck breaker for the pin fall.
Winner and new WWE Divas Champion: Eve Torres

We see Daniel Bryan backstage saying “I’m the Tag Team Champions!” He walks up to Dr. Shelby and Kane walks up saying the same thing. Kane and Bryan argue with each other and AJ walks up and screams at them. Dr. Shelby asks them if they have anything to say. Bryan congratulates Kane, and Kane walks away. Kane dumps a Gatorade cooler on Bryan and says “I’m going to Disneyland!”

We see an Alberto Del Rio vs. Sheamus hype video.

Match #6: World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sheamus (c) vs. Alberto Del Rio (w/David Otunga and Ricardo Rodriguez)
Before the match, Booker T comes out and says he has concluded his investigation. He announces that the Brogue Kick is once again a legal move.
Sheamus goes for a Brogue Kick on Del Rio, but he moves and Sheamus hits Otunga. Del Rio comes back and escapes the ring and goes to the outside. Sheamus pummels Del Rio in the corner and delivers a knee to the midsection. Sheamus goes for the cover, but Del Rio kicks out at two. Del Rio comes back and charges at Sheamus, but he moves and comes off the top rope and hits a shoulder block on Del Rio. Sheamus tosses Del Rio back into the ring and goes to the top rope. Del Rio climbs the ropes as well. Del Rio shoves Sheamus into the Spanish announce table and tosses him back into the ring and gets a two count. Sheamus goes shoulder-first into the ring post, and Del Rio goes to work on Sheamus’ shoulder. Sheamus applies a submission on Sheamus’ shoulder and delivers a shot with his elbow. Del Rio drapes Sheamus’ arm over the top rope. Sheamus comes back and gains control. Sheamus goes to suplex Del Rio, but Del Rio elbows Sheamus in the head and reverses. Del Rio headbutts Sheamus, but Sheamus catches Del Rio on the apron and delivers his vintage ten clubbing blows. Sheamus goes for White Noise, but Del Rio reverses and hits a Backstabber for two. Del Rio stomps away on Sheamus, but Sheamus reverses and hits White Noise. Sheamus goes to the corner and sets up for the Brogue Kick, but Del Rio moves and kicks him in the head for a two count. Del Rio stomps on Sheamus again and goes for the cross arm breaker, but Sheamus shoves him off. Del Rio goes for it again, but Sheamus rolls through and goes for the Texas Cloverleaf, but Del Rio rolls out of it. Sheamus charges at Del Rio, but Del Rio pulls the rope down and Sheamus gets caught up in the ropes. Del Rio stomps on Sheamus as he is hung up in the ropes. Del Rio applies the cross arm breaker in the middle of the ring, but Sheamus powers out and slams him on the mat. Sheamus goes for the Brogue Kick, but Del Rio ducks and applies the cross arm breaker again. Sheamus feigns tapping, but he gets hit foot on the ropes and Del Rio has to break the hold. Sheamus comes out of nowhere and hits the Brogue Kick for the pin fall.
Winner and still World Heavyweight Champion: Sheamus

We see a CM Punk-John Cena hype video.

Match #7: WWE Championship Match: CM Punk (c) (w/Paul Heyman) vs. John Cena
Before the match, Paul Heyman is in the ring and cuts a promo. He says he is here tonight to pay respect to a Champion, who just so happens to be a Paul Heyman Guy.
They tie up and Cena backs Punk into the corner. They have a stalemate before Cena gets Punk in a headlock and connects with a Fisherman’s Suplex. Punk takes Cena down with an elbow and takes him down with a headlock takedown. Cena shoves Punk off and hits him with a back body drop. Punk comes back and takes Cena down for a two count. Punk tosses Cena into the corner and walks on his back. Punk connects with a DDT for a two count. Punk wrenches Cena’s neck and applies a headlock down on the mat. Cena comes back and takes Punk down with a shoulder block. Punk takes Cena down with a drop-toe hold and applies a submission. Cena fights his way out and rolls to the outside. Punk dives through the second rope and takes Cena down on the floor. Punk tosses Cena back into the ring and panders to the crowd as Cena connects with a baseball slide. Cena tosses Punk into the crowd and then suplexes him from the crowd onto the floor. Cena tosses Punk back into the ring and goes for the Attitude Adjustment, but Punk reverses and kicks Cena in the head. Punk goes to the top rope and connects with a sledge and takes Cena down. Cena comes back and takes Punk down, but Punk comes back and kicks Cena in the midsection and connects with a neck breaker for a two count. Punk comes off the top rope, but Cena rolls through and catches him and goes for the AA. Punk escapes and goes to the outside. Cena dives through the ropes and takes Punk down on the outside. They get back into the ring and Cena locks the STF in, but Punk gets out of it. Cena keeps control and Heyman is shown muttering to himself on the outside. They exchange blows in the ring and punk hits his running knee in the corner. Punk takes Cena down with a clothesline and goes to the top. Punk hits the Macho Man Elbow and gets a two count. Punk stalks Cena and sets him up for the Go To Sleep, but Cena counters into the STF. Punk reaches for the ropes and gets there to break the hold. Punk hits the Go To Sleep and goes for the cover, but Cena kicks out at two. Punk stomps Cena a few times and eventually goes for a cover, but Cena kicks out at two. Cena hits the side slam, the Five Knuckle Shuffle, and the AA, and goes for the cover, but Punk kicks out at two. Punk is down on the outside and Cena goes out after him. They get back into the ring and Cena goes for the top-rope leg drop, but missed. Punk gains the advantage and goes for the cover, but Cena kicks out again. Punk goes after Cena and slaps Cena in the face a few times. Punk goes for the cover, but Cena kicks out yet again. Punk goes to the top and goes for a Moonsault, but Cena moves out of the way. Cena gets Punk in the AA, but Punk reverses and hits the GTS on Cena, but Cena kicks out again. Punk gets up and hits the Rock Bottom and goes for the cover, but Cena kicks out again. Cena catches Punk in the AA and goes for the cover, but Punk kicks out at two. Cena sets Punk up in the corner, but Punk elbows Cena in the head, but Cena connects with a German Suplex from the ropes for the pin fall. After the match, the referee says both men’s shoulders were down, so the match ends in a draw.
Match Result: Draw, CM Punk is still the WWE Champion

We see Paul Heyman and CM Punk walking up the ramp and celebrating as referees check on John Cena in the ring as the show comes to a close.

Quick Results:
1. WWE Intercontinental Championship Fatal Four-Way Match: The Miz def. Cody Rhodes, Rey Mysterio, and Sin Cara
2. WWE Tag Team Championship Match: Kane and Daniel Bryan def. Kofi Kingston and R-Truth
3. WWE United States Championship Match: Antonio Cesaro def. Zack Ryder
4. Randy Orton def. Dolph Ziggler
5. WWE Divas Championship Match: Eve Torres def. Layla
6. World Heavyweight Championship Match: Sheamus def. Dolph Ziggler
7. WWE Championship Match: CM Punk vs. John Cena (Draw)