Opened: July 16th, 2004
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Randy Ortom vs. Triple H –Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship.
Hunter quickly knocked Orton to the outside in the opening seconds and Orton began selling a shoulder injury to play up Hunter’s previous damage to Orton’s shoulder. Back in the ring, Hunter teased the Pedigree, but Orton blocked and dumped Hunter to the floor. Hunter selling a left knee injury. Action then moved over the guardrail into the front row with Hunter in control. Hunter beat the crap out of Orton with right hand punches, but Orton lured Hunter into a back drop over the guardrail to the floor.
Orton regained control and went to work on Hunter’s left knee again. Orton then picked up the ring steps and smashed Hunter in the face with Hunter blocking slightly with his hands. Match moved back into the ring where Orton began stomping on Hunter’s leg. Orton wrapped Hunter’s leg around the ringpost, then he grabbed a steel chair, but Hunter kicked the chair into Orton’s face. Orton brushed it off, though, and popped Hunter across the face with a chair. Not a clean blow, but anything chair-related above the shoulders should be a no-no. Hunter got up at an eight count and Orton started clearing the announce table. Orton took too long and Hunter low-blowed him. Hunter teased a Pedigree on the table, but Orton blocked and surprised Hunter with an RKO onto the face of the table. Table didn’t break. That’s a sturdy table. Hunter made it up at nine, then back body dropped Orton onto the table. Still didn’t break. Hunter then grabbed a TV monitor and smashed Orton in the face.
At 11:00, the match moved across the ringside area to the entrance ramp. Hunter rammed Orton head-first into the barricade along the entrance ramp, then he gave Orton a spinebuster on the ramp. Hunter still selling that left knee. Orton got up at nine, then Hunter teased the Pedigree again, but Orton back dropped Hunter onto the ramp. Both men reached their feet on the ten count before moving the brawl to the floor below the entrance ramp. Orton then teased the RKO, but Hunter shoved Hunter over a temporary barricade near the electrical area. That’s some serious limited view seating. A crew guy was wiped out in the process and the ref called for a trainer.
Orton introduced a ladder into the proceedings and he put Hunter’s left leg inside the ladder to begin stomping and stomping away on the ladder with the knee instead. Huge crowd heat against Orton as Hunter screamed in pain. Ref began his ten count as Lawler suggested Hunter live to fight another day. Orton stopped the ten count, though, and slowly pulled Hunter up to his feet. Hunter unable to stand as Orton dragged him up a few rungs of the ladder. He tried an RKO, but Hunter shoved him off out of desperation. Hunter suddenly came to life and nailed a Pedigree on the stage. Hunter sold the left knee as the ref began a ten count on both men. Hunter tried to pull himself up with the ladder as Orton was KO’ed, but Hunter couldn’t make his feet and the ref reached a ten count. Post-match: Refs helped Hunter up to walk to the back, but he got one last stomp in on Orton, who remained out cold but still WWE champion.
Winner: Draw at 20:05.
Backstage, WWE champion Randy Orton was being tended to by medics with Cody and Ted standing next to him. Vince McMahon then interrupted to tell Cody and Ted to get in the car and run away. He addressed Orton that he needs to get ready for more pain in six days at The Bash. Orton said McMahon needs to show him some decency. McMahon re-booked Orton vs. Hunter in two out of three falls at The Bash. First fall is regular, second is Falls Count Anywhere. If necessary, third fall is a Stretcher Match. McMahon called it the Three Stages of Hell. Orton sneered.
Cut to a shot of Randy Orton slowly walking to his rental car in the parking lot. He was trying to leave the arena, but Triple H jumped him from behind and smashed him into the trunk of his car. Hunter slammed the hood down hard on Orton’s back and Orton slumped down to the ground. Hunter slumped down next to him and whispered in his ear that it won’t be over until this Sunday. Hunter moved off camera and the camera focused on Orton in pain to close the show.
