RANDY ORTON vs. JUSTIN GABRIEL — If Gabriel loses, he’s out of Nexus
They came face-to-face after the opening bell and Orton glared down at Gabriel, who shoved him in the chest. Gabriel landed a few kick strikes, but Orton began dominating the match. Orton was in control, ready to take it home, but, suddenly, WWE champion Sheamus showed up ringside. Orton rolled to the outside and they started fighting on the outside before taking it over the guardrail to the front row. The ref reached a ten count and Orton was counted out, giving Gabriel the win. Meanwhile, Orton and Sheamus continued to brawl among the fans. Roberts then announced Gabriel as the winner, giving Orton pause.
Orton, having taken out Sheamus, then charged the rung, spun Gabriel around, and dropped him with the RKO. Orton wasn’t done, as he left the ring to find a chair to his liking. The crowd was hot for Orton, who blasted Sheamus over and over across the back with the chair. Refs tried to intervene as Orton shouted to let out his frustration from not winning the WWE Title at Summerslam. “Randy Orton has snapped here tonight,” Lawler said. The crowd chanted his name as he rubbed his face on the way out. Orton then stopped and decided he wasn’t done. Orton sprinted to the other side of the ring by the announcers and dropped Sheamus with an RKO on the padded floor. Orton pounded the announce table, shot a sinister grin to the crowd, and his music played. Orton looked at his hands and Cole said something at Summerslam sent him off. He posed on the entrance ramp to conclude the segment.
WINNER: Gabriel via count-out at 2:53. The needed emphasis was on Orton back on the WWE Title chase taking his game to the next level. Although these non-finishes are coming too frequently lately, this one served a bigger purpose. The crowd was hot for Orton, which really added to the segment. Meanwhile, Nexus goes to 3-0. Sure, it was no thanks to Gabriel’s effort, but that fit the group being heels distorting the truth and the match story was more about Orton-Sheamus.
Truth be told, the Irishman will have his hands full when he battles Orton in a WWE Championship Match at SummerSlam. While Sheamus attempts to retain his second WWE Championship, The Apex Predator has his flickering eyes hoping for his sixth.
But this time, by order of the Raw General Manager, if anyone interferes in the WWE Championship match, it’ll equal an indefinite suspension. And if Orton loses at SummerSlam, he’ll get no rematch, and will go to the back of the line.
For each Superstar, the path to a WWE Title Match has proven demanding. Sheamus was forced to best John Cena at Money in the Bank in a controversial Steel Cage Match that witnessed the meddling influence of The Nexus. Meanwhile, Orton earned his opportunity by defeating Edge and Chris Jericho in a punishing Triple Threat Match on Raw. The common thread between these two competitors being that each appears to straddle the tenuous line between aggression and transgression.
In the end, though, The Viper offers his opponent a thorny set of challenges as slithery and unpredictable as any in WWE history. And while Sheamus may appear as fair as his beloved Cliffs of Moher, he’s also just as rugged and unforgiving – and leaves Orton with a task equally as steep.
A long video package before the match recapped the feud. Sheamus bragged after pushing Orton into the corner to start the match. Orton followed up with a clothesline out of the corner. Orton clotheslined Sheamus over the top rope to the floor. Cole almost by rote threw to a commercial break. Orton pursued Sheamus at ringside and they fought into the crowd. Sheamus reversed Orton shoulder-first into the ringside steps and took over offense at 5:00. Sheamus controlled for several minutes with some ringside brawling, armbars, and chinlocks. Orton came back with a backbreaker at 11:00 after avoiding a charge into the corner. Orton continued to favor his shoulder. Orton clotheslined Sheamus twice and then hit a snap powerslam to pop the crowd. He showed fire as Cole said he was shifting into a higher gear. Sheamus reversed Orton into the corner and charged shoulder-first, but Orton moved, and Sheamus hit the ringpost. Lawler said both warriors have shoulder problems. Orton superplexed Sheamus and scored a near fall. Sheamus made another comeback at 14:00. He pounded his chest and jumped in place in anticipation of Orton rising to his feet. He went for a big thrust kick, but Orton ducked and Sheamus tumbled to the floor.
Orton pounded the mat as Sheamus returned to the ring. He hit the DDT off the second rope and then played to the crowd some more. The crowd popped and some feared he was going to pop his shoulder out again. He went for the RKO, but Sheamus blocked it. Cole mis-called it and declared that Orton hit it before realizing he didn’t. From a certain angle it definitely looked like a typical RKO, but Sheamus did push him off. Sheamus went for a quick pin and got a near fall. He set up the High Cross, but Orton escaped. Orton went for an RKO again, but Sheamus escaped and thrust kick him in the face. Orton kicked out. Sheamus threw a fit as Lawler exclaimed, “What?! How did Randy Orton survive that?”
Sheamus grabbed a chair from ringside as Lawler wondered if Sheamus wondered if he beat Orton. The ref tried to yank the chair from Sheamus. Sheamus yanked it back and sent the ref tumbling to the floor. The ref called for the bell and DQ’d Sheamus. Sheamus smiled.
WINNER: Orton via DQ in 18:00.
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