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Randy Orton’s music interrupted much to the chagrin of Jerry Lawler, who assumed Orton was out here to ruin Batista’s announcement. Why couldn’t he have a change of heart and be out here for a Sting to A.J. Styles heart-to-heart and provide a shoulder to cry on? Orton slowly made his way to the ring and slowly opened by saying he is not very happy … about losing the WWE Title last night. He said what cheers him up…the fact that Dave is retiring. So, this is how the Big Bad Animal goes out? He said nobody cares about the big farewell speech. Orton asked him why he waited so long to retire. Orton said it’s because of him. He put him on the shelf, after all. Orton told Dave to hang his head and cry. Batista was selling a lot of emotion with his head down. He was half-laughing, half-crying. “You think it’s funny I ruined your life?”
Batista said there’s two things really funny to him right now. One, Orton is very predictable. Two, Batista removed his Barry Bonds cast and blasted Orton with a big powerslam, then a running clothesline that took Orton out of the ring. Lawler said Batista suckered Orton out to the ring. Batista said he’s not here to announce his retirement, but that he’s going to Smackdown. Orton was like, “what?” The return of the Batista Formula match on Friday nights. Batista said he talked to the guest host tonight and she guaranteed him one more match on Raw. He said it’s No Holds Barred vs. Orton tonight. Orton freaked out on the outside, then Batista did his Ultimate Warrior celebration.
Randy Orton came to the ring first for the TV main event. They showed the opening segment with Batista pulled a trick on Orton, who sold frustration standing in the ring before Batista’s music hit. Batista then came out and did his machine gun entrance while pointing to his arm to say he’s all good. Batista’s entrance pushed the show to the top of the third hour, so you know this isn’t going long for Batista’s return match.
Batista vs. Randy Orton — No Holds Barred Match
Announcers said Batista will be on Raw this Monday. Bell sounded and Orton went to the floor looking for a chair. Batista chased him down, though, only to be set up for the Jake Roberts horizontal DDT. Batista avoided it, though, and landed trademark shoulder thrusts in the corner. Batista landed a clothesline and Orton went back under the ring, but Batista clotheslined him to the floor. Back in the ring, Orton dropped Batista with his fallaway backbreaker before going to work on Batista’s arm with the Orton Stomp. Orton tried to bring a chair into the proceedings, but Batista dropped him with a spear mid-ring. Orton again rolled to the floor and Batista followed up by chucking him across the announce table. Batista slowly brought Orton back into the ring and Orton teased the RKO, but Batista flung him away. Orton then went to the floor and stared to walk away, but John Cena’s music hit. Cena had Orton trapped, then Cena clotheslined Orton down to the ground. Apparently No Holds Barred also means No DQ. Cena then tossed Orton back into the ring where Batista delivered a spinebuster. Batista did the Thumbs up, Thumbs down before putting Orton in position to deliver the Batistabomb. Batista then made the cover for the win. Cole gave a warning to the Smackdown locker room to look out for Batista before adding that Orton’s downward spiral continues. They replayed the finish and showed Batista celebrating in the ring to close the show.
Winner: Batista at 5:01. Formula gimmick match between Batista and Orton. This week, Orton was back to that familiar position of not having much credibility being duped by Batista at the beginning and taking the loss in the main event. It’s been a PPV-to-PPV see-saw with his character lately. When he gets too hot, WWE cools him down just a little bit to even things out.
