« Screen Captures · Digitals »
Screen captures are now up!

WWE champion RANDY ORTON vs. JOHN CENA — 60-minute Iron Man match — WWE Title match — Anything goes
Cole asked Lawler to offer some insight into going 60 minutes. Lawler said he’s never been in an Iron Man match, but he’s been in some hour-long matches where conserving energy is key. Cena and Orton started with an early lock-up, then Cena hit the turnbuckles hard on a whip to the corner. Orton whipped Cena to the opposite corner and Cena came out looking for a bulldog, but Orton blocked and went back to work on Cena. Out of nowhere, Cena slapped on the STF and Orton quickly tapped out. Crowd popped for Cena’s quick win. Orton popped up and glared at Cena, who took a deep breath and understood the strategy of Orton trying to conserve and not take too much damage in the STF.

***Cena 1, Orton 0 at 3:55***

Orton gained the advantage after the first fall as the announcers discussed the Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart classic Iron Man match from WrestleMania 12. Meanwhile, Orton slapped on a reverse chinlock as Cena faded. Cena fought back to his feet and hit the running blockbuster before going up top. Cena wanted the top rope guillotine and connected. He then set up the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Orton suddenly snapped to his feet and nailed the RKO as Cena bounced off the ropes. Orton with the pin for the second fall at 9:00. And now a 30-second wait.

*** Cena 1, Orton 1 at 9:00***

After the pause, Orton rammed Cena off the apron into the guardrail on the floor. Orton followed to the floor and stared at the announce table. He turned his head and started clearing the table before grabbing a TV monitor. Orton blasted Cena over the top of the head with the point of the gimmicked monitor, then made a cover, but Cena kicked out. Apparently it’s Falls Count Anywhere too. Orton rolled Cena into the ring, then took a wireless mic and bopped Cena over the head with it. Orton made a cover, but Cena kicked out. Refs and medics then wanted to check on Cena, who sold injury. Cena suddenly stormed Orton in the corner with an explosion of energy before chucking Orton clear over the top rope to the floor. And we have blood with Cena bleeding from the head. Really does mean something since we haven’t seen blood on WWE TV in a while.

At the top of the third hour, Orton put a boot to Cena as Cena was face-first on the ring steps. Orton made a cover on the floor, but Cena kicked out. Back in the ring, Orton methodically began an attack on Cena with right hands to the source of blood. Orton then went down to the mat and pounded the mat with his fists before teasing the RKO. Cena ducked, though, and started his comeback routine. Cena then did the You Can’t See Me and connected with the Shuffle drop this time. Cena then wanted the FU and he connected. No wait, Orton apparently countered in mid-air with a reverse RKO. Both men were down and both men had an arm over each other. Ref counted a three count for each man at 17:00.

***Cena 2, Orton 2 at 17:00***

Medics hit the ring during the 30-second pause and checked on Cena. The 30-second interval expired and Orton missed with a running shoulder tackle when Cena moved. Medics apparently glued Cena’s head shut to close the wound and stop the bleeding. Cena then took Orton to the corner and wanted an FU from the second rope. He connected in a nice spot, but couldn’t make a cover. Cena then made a cover and scored the pin for another fall at 19:40.

***Cena 3, Orton 2 at 19:40***

During the 30-second pause, Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes stormed the ring to beat up on Cena. Apparently DiBiase is on Orton’s side tonight…thus far. DiBiase gave Cena the Dream Street finisher. They put Orton on top of Cena and Orton scored a pin at 20:55.

***Cena 3, Orton 3 at 20:55***

After the fall, Kofi Kingston stormed the ring with chair in hand to chase away DiBiase and Rhodes. Crowd was hot for Kofi. Good incorporation of Kofi to give him a main event spotlight. After the next 30-second interval, both men came to their feet and started brawling. The brawl spilled to the floor and Cena rammed Orton into the guardrail. Kids were screaming as Cena continued to beat on Orton. Ref told one of the thousands of fans wearing Steelers jerseys in the arena to back off. Orton then reversed a whip into the rail and smashed Cena into the structure. He made a cover, but Cena kicked out. Announcers talked about the equipment being dangerous as they approached the stage area. High Voltage given a name-drop. Orton then smashed Cena’s head into the pyro machine and some pyro went off. Orton freaked out, then caught his breath. He threw Cena through the HD lighting grid and Cena ended up in the backstage area. Orton then dragged Cena back to the arena-side of the Titantron and made a cover for the pin.

***Orton 4, Cena 3 at 25:35***

Orton looked around contemplating his next move during the 30-second interval. He went over the pyro machine and started playing with the buttons like a crazy kid with a new set of toys. Orton figured out how the pyro works, then smashed Cena across the back with a chair. Orton then dragged Cena to the stage area where the pyro shoots off. Orton ran over to the pyro machine and shoved the man in charge away. Ref admonished Orton, who had his finger on the trigger as Cena went motionless. Orton punched the button, but it wouldn’t work. Suddenly, the pyro went off and Cena had enough time to roll out of the way. Cena still alive. Orton then checked on Cena and was so pissed that Cena was still alive. Orton went into a rage beating and pounding on Cena before taking him down to ringside. Announcers called Orton a psycho pyromaniac. They hit the 30-minute mark with Cena out cold on the floor as Orton contemplated his next move.

Orton began a methodical attack on Cena, including ring steps to the face and a chair to the back as Cena leaned against the ringpost. Orton made a cover on the floor, but Cena kicked out. “What more can Orton do, he already tried to blow the man up?” Lawler asked rhetorically. Back in the ring, Orton slowly lifted Cena to his feet and Cena suddenly executed a small package after playing opossum. Cena scored the pinfall at 33:00, then Orton went nuts until the ref pulled him away for the 30 seconds. “F—” Orton shouted twice on the floor.

***Orton 4, Cena 4 at 33:00***

The 30 seconds expired, but Orton waited before re-entering the ring. He then dragged Cena across the ring apron and stared a hole into Cena’s soul. He wanted the horizontal DDT from across the ring apron to the floor and he executed it with Cena going face-first into the floor padding. Orton then rolled Cena over and made the cover for the pin at 35:20.

***Orton 5, Cena 4 at 35:20***

Crowd was quiet as WWE replayed the DDT into the floor. Orton was shown slapping the mat on the way down to create the sound of Cena’s face hitting the floor. After the 30 second rest period, Orton rolled Cena back into the ring as the crowd came to life with a dueling chant of “Let’s go Cena” vs. “Let’s go Orton.” Orton began his Orton Stomp trying to take apart Cena’s entire body. Cena slowly made his way to his feet, but Orton knocked him right back down with a straight right hand to the face. Orton with a cover, but Cena kicked out. They zoomed in on an evil look on Orton’s face as Grisham said he could be the face of Raw for many months or years to come. He said it appears Cena is headed for Smackdown. Well, that means Cena is winning.

Orton continued to slowly stalk and attack Cena, who finally ducked a clothesline and staggered Orton to the floor. Cena then staggered around in the ring as the cut on top of his head started to bleed again. Orton collected himself on the floor and checked the scoreboard with 20 minutes left in the match. Announcers speculated whether he’ll play prevent defense with a fall advantage. Lawler said it might be too long to stall. Cena then jelly-legged walked up the ramp to Orton, who met him with kicks and stomps. Back in the ring, Orton wanted the horizontal DDT, but Cena countered with an FU tease. Orton escaped, though, with elbow strikes and ran right out of the ring to the floor. Orton tried to take off through the stands up into the arena seats, but Cena met him and blasted him with right hands. Orton started rolling down the arena steps with a one-fall advantage trying to run away from Cena, who chased him down in-between the floor seats and 100-level seats. And we hit the 45-minute mark with Cena measuring Orton for right hand blows on the floor.

Back on the floor outside of the ring, Cena continued to chase down Orton before blasting him into the ring steps. Cena made a cover, but Orton kicked out. Cena then whipped Cena hard through the barricade near the timekeeper’s table and Orton crashed hard through the gimmicked barrier. Cena then calmly picked up the ring steps and blasted Orton in the face with the steps. Cena triumphantly lifted the steps in the ring, then looked over some potential options for his next move. After his review, Cena scooped up Orton’s dead weight and slowly carried him up the ring steps to position him for an FU through the announce table. Orton did the Abyss Shake as if he took a bump through the tacks, then Cena dropped down and covered Orton to score a pinfall at 51:00 to even it up.

***Orton 5, Cena 5 at 51:00***

Cena waited for the 30-second interval, then he tried pinning Orton again, but Orton kicked out. Cena then went under the ring and grabbed a table. He set up the table in the ring while Orton slowly started to stir on the floor. After setting up the table in the ring, Cena carried Orton back into the ring. They approached the five-minute mark and Cole reminded us there will be overtime if this is tied. Cena placed Orton on the table and Orton sold near-death. Cena then went up top and thought about this move. He tried a top rope leg drop, but Orton rolled off the table and Cena ate wood. And they hit 55:00 with both men down and out on the mat.

Orton landed the first right hand from his knees. Cena responded in kind. Orton with a right. Cena with a right. Orton with a right. Cena with a right. Orton with a right hand. Cena with a haymaker. Orton with an uppercut. Cena with a punch. Orton with a punch. Now both men on their feet. Cena with a shot to the gut. Orton with a right to the face. Cena likewise. Orton with a haymaker. Cena staggered, then another to the gut. Orton to the top of the head. Again. Cena with two, then three, and four. Cena ducked a clothesline and hit a shoulder tackle. He then tried a second, but airballed and the ref ate the shoulder tackle. Orton then dropped Cena in mid-ring with the RKO, but the ref was out cold. Another ref stormed the ring and Cena kicked out before three. Nice sequence.

At 58:00, Orton was PO’ed and shoved down the replacement referee. Two refs down. Orton slowly walked around the ring as Cole talked overtime. Lawler said he wants to see OT. Orton’s eyes bulged out of his head as he thought things over. Orton was on the verge of a nervous break down, but then stopped when he had an idea. He then backed up and teased The Punt, but Cena moved and dropped Orton with the STF in center ring. Orton had nowhere to go. Crowd ready to explode like a fourth down play on the goalline. Cena twisted Orton’s neck with the STF as Orton tried to hang on for 20 more seconds. Orton wouldn’t tap, though. Fans counted it down. Nine, eight, seven… and Orton tapped out at 59:54 with the crowd exploding. The time then expired and Cena won back the WWE Title.

Post-match: Cena grabbed his title belt and held it up high in the air. Cole called it one of the greatest matches he’s ever seen. Announcers recapped the high points of the match, then they cut back to show Cena on the stage sweating and holding the title belt. Orton was selling mass pain to his shoulder back in the ring. Announcers then showed Orton’s visible three count with the score 5-5 around 58:00. Back live, Orton was shown collecting himself. Cole said it’s the end of the war between Orton and Cena. Orton grimaced to close the PPV.

WINNER: Cena 6, Orton 5 with a submission at 59:54; Cena wins the WWE Title at 60:00. Quite the war. Nothing else on this show was replay-worthy, but this was replay-worthy. WWE pulled out all the tricks, gimmicks, and other assorted items to tell a 60-minute story. Orton was the star of the match with his crazy facial expressions and psychotic behavior staying true to his character. Story at the end we’ll probably see play out on Raw was Orton unable to hold on for those last six seconds or Orton complaining that he had Cena pinned at 58:00. Hard to rate this on a traditional scale, but I believe this was one of the best stories WWE has told on PPV this year. HBK vs. Taker is another level and in its own category, but this was a different type of four-to-five-star level match.