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Todd Grisham interviewed Randy Orton, with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase in the background preparing for the match. Orton said he has nothing else to say to Shane McMahon or Triple H. He said he does have something to say to Dave Batista. He said he may think he has everything figured out. He said he is his own man and has Legacy, yet after all of these years he’s still doing Triple H’s dirty work. He said he can take out all of his anger in a matter of minutes, but he told him not to get DQ’d. “I mean, you wouldn’t want Triple H to lose his title, would you? I mean, that’s what’s important here, Triple H and his title.” He said it’s amazing that after all of these years, it’s still all about the game – “for some people, anyway.” Orton is so good now. After a few years of trying to figure out his interviews, he’s arrived and he’s so compelling to watch each time.
SHANE MCMAHON & BATISTA & TRIPLE H vs. RANDY ORTON & CODY RHODES & TED DIBIASE
Shane came out first, then Batista, then Triple H, then Legacy. Six-way chaos broke out before the bell rang. Triple H went after Orton at ringside and all the way to the back. Triple H returned to the ring and Orton was nowhere in sight. The ref ordered the bell to start the match, even without Orton at ringside. Batista opened against Cody. Triple H and Shane took turns beating on him. At 3:00 Cody raked Batista’s eyes and tagged in DiBiase. They double-teamed Batista in the corner. Ross said Rhodes and DiBiase are two building blocks in the future of WWE in his estimation. Batista came back at 4:00 wth a spinebuster on DiBiase. He set up a Batista Bomb, but DiBiase slid out of the ring. Batista went after him at ringside. Orton charged Batista from behind and shoved him into the ringpost. The ref didn’t see it. Back in the ring, Orton stomped away at a stunned Batista. Orton DDT’d Batista off the second rope. Batista tried to tag out a minute later, but Orton stopped him just in time at 8:00. Ross said that may be looked back on as a key moment in the match.
At 10:00 Batista came back with a spearing headbutt. Batista hot-tagged Shane who went to work on a fresh Rhodes with a barrage of punches. He hit a neckbreaker for a two count, then threw him to the floor. Shane began disassembling the announcer table. DiBiase went after him. Shane tackled him. Rhodes returned to the ring. Shane snapped his neck over the top rope, then climbed to the top rope and leaped of with a flying elbow. He rolled Rhodes over twice to get closer to the ropes, which looked ridiculous, and then predictably DiBiase yanked him out of the ring during his pin attempt. Orton whipped Shane into the ringside steps, but the ref was distracted by Triple H who left his corner. Orton went to work on Shane, suplexing him into the ring. Shane scurried toward his corner for a potential tag. Orton stopped him and then stared down Triple H.
The heels isolated Shane for several long minutes. Shane finally hot-tagged Triple H at 18:00. Triple H went to work on Orton with a barrage of punches. It was relentless. Orton reversed Triple H into the ropes, but Triple H came back with a kneelift. When DiBiase and Rhodes charged at him, he tossed them out of the ring, then gave Orton a spinebuster for a near fall, broken up by DiBiase who a split second later than ideal. Triple H set up a Pedigree, but Rhodes broke it up and DDT’d him. Shane dove at Rhodes and clotheslined him over the top rope. He did the same to DiBiase, knocking him over the ringside barrier into the crowd. Cody fired back at Shane with a chairshot to the shoulder. When Batista went after Rhodes, Rhodes jabbed him in the throat with a chair.
Both Orton and Triple H were down for an eight count in the ring. Both got up. As Batista was about to hit DiBiase with a chair at ringside, Triple H pulled the chair from him. Orton then gave Triple H an RKO for a convincing near fall. So convincing the bell ringing rang the bell mistakenly. Orton then gave Triple H a punt kick for the pin. The bell ringing must’ve known the finish, but rang the bell too early. He’s in trouble tonight. Orton then grabbed the WWE Title and left with DiBiase and Rhodes.
WINNERS: Orton & DiBiase & Rhodes in 22:00 so Orton becomes the WWE Champion.
STAR RATING: *** — They gave it time to be an epic match, but the early-match long selling by Batista and the mid-match long selling by Shane got a little tedious. Other than the early bell ring, though, the final minutes hit a great crescendo. Good to see a title change in this match take place with the new champion scoring the pin on the incumbent.
























Opened: July 16th, 2004