Opened: July 16th, 2004
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Josh Mathews was backstage with Randy Orton. He asked Orton about Triple H returning last week, and Orton interrupted him and accused him of showing him up. He said he put Triple H, Batista and Ric Flair all on the shelf. Orton said Trips made his return with his sledgehammer, because deep down, he knows he can’t beat Orton on his own. Orton said he’d make people forget about what Hunter did last week when he wins the title in a few minutes. John Cena interrupted and dismissed Mathews. Cena pretended to be the interviewer and said the WWE Universe always talks about Orton, but they usually wonder why someone with so much talent continues to be so disrespectful. Cena made a joke about trying out for an announcer spot, then got serious and reminded Orton that he and Randy weren’t going to be the only two in the match. He suggested that perhaps the oil Orton was putting on his skin was starting to rot his brain. Orton just walked away.
Randy Orton vs. Big Show vs. John Cena vs. Triple H – Fatal Four-Way WWE Championship Match
Orton and Triple H took the fight to the floor right off the bat, while Big Show cornered Cena in the ring. Triple H sent Orton over the guardrail. Right on cue, as Cena was thrown out of the ring, The Game made his way in to face off with Show. They circled each other as the show went to break.
All four were in the ring back from break, with the men being paired up in their separate feuds. Then Hunter went after Big Show, including giving him a face-buster on the knee. Cena and Hunter gave Show clothesline after clothesline and Cena finally took him out of the picture with a flying shoulderblock. Cena and Triple H faced off as the two looked to the crowd for some kind of reaction. Faint “Triple H” chants. Hunter got caught with a flying shoulderblock, then Cena set him up for the fist-drop. Trips got up and caught Cena, planting him with a spinebuster. He set up for the Pedigree, but Cena reversed it into an Attitude Adjustment, but Show came in and clotheslined both men down. Triple H got worked over by Orton at ringside again, and Show had his way with Cena. Show tried a double chokeslam on Cena and Hunter, but it didn’t work. Orton set up for a punt on Show, but Show caught it and slapped Orton in the chest in the corner. Show and Cena were finally alone in the ring. Show hit the Vader Bomb for only the second time in memory on Cena, but Orton broke up the pin. Hunter snuck into the ring, but Show speared him for two. Show went to the middle rope again, but Triple H rolled out of the way. Orton came into the ring, but Show blocked an RKO attempt. Triple H tried to Pedigree Show and did so. Before he could make the pin, Cena Attitude Adjusted Hunter, then tried to cover Show, but only got two. That makes little sense. He got Show up and hit the Attitude Adjustment, but Orton broke up the pin. Then he RKO’d Show and made the pin for his fifth title reign.
Winner: Orton, at 11:15.
10-Man Battle Royal – Winner gets WWE Title shot at The Bash
Triple H came out to his King of Kings theme. Triple H threw out Rhodes, but he held on. Big Show went right after Miz and less than a minute into the match, Orton walked onto the stage to get a closer look. Team Priceless double-teamed Triple H and Cena pounded away on Miz. Regal and Kingston were paired off as well. Hardy got Miz to the apron and he tried to push him out with his foot, but couldn’t. Miz and Hardy then teamed up to try to eliminate Cena, but Big Show nailed Miz in the stomach to put a halt to that. Headbutt by Show on Regal. Show started to clean house, clotheslining and headbutting everyone. Hardy made Show made, then backed out of the ring under the bottom rope. Show pulled him back in, then threw him out at 3:38. Then Show threw out MVP at 3:52. Everyone realized it was time to get rid of the biggest dog in the yard, and they all teamed up to get rid of Show at 4:23. They took the last break at this point.
Six men were left out of break. Looks like The Miz was sent packing during the break. Orton continued to look on, tensely, from the top of the ramp. Rhodes and DiBiase were taking out Cena when Kingston came over to give aid. Cena back-dropped Rhodes over the top, but he landed on the apron and came back in. Even Kingston and Triple H did battle, with Kingston running into a high knee. Hunter tried to fight off Legacy, but they got the better of him for the short term at least. Kingston hit a back suplex on Regal, who I’m surprised is still in there. Cena made the save for Trips. Kingston and Hunter tried to team up to eliminated DiBiase. I’m glad this isn’t an abandon-ship battle royal. These guys are high enough on the card where they shouldn’t be just tossed out with ease early in the match.
Cena and Triple H came face-to-face in the middle of the ring. They traded right hands back-and-forth. Triple H got Cena on his shoulder to eliminate him, but Rhodes and DiBiase got involved. Cena and The Game ended up hitting a double clothesline. Kingston jumped onto DiBiase in the corner. They double clotheslined Kingston out at 13:25. Regal followed suit after trying to take on both members of Legacy; he was dumped at 13:47. DiBiase and Rhodes focused their double-team powers on both The Game and Cena. Cena made a comeback though, flattening DiBiase and Rhodes with clotheslines and a Fisher-plex. High back-body drop for Rhodes. DiBiase was tossed out by Cena at 15:48 and Rhodes skinned the cat, but was clotheslined out by Trips at 16:04. Cena was pedigreed by Triple H, but Team Priceless came in and pounded them down to the mat. Then, The Miz snuck up from ringside, having never been eliminated. He eyed a double-clothesline to eliminate both men, but they ducked and he went sailing out at 17:34. Then Hunter eliminated Cena.
Winner: Triple H, at 17:40.
Trump came on the big screen and congratulated Triple H on his win. He said that in doing things differently, he’s not going to wait for The Bash to have that match- it’ll be next week on Raw, in a Last Man Standing Match for the title. Orton and Triple H stared at each other from afar to end the show.
