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WWE champion SHEAMUS vs. EVAN BOURNE — non-title match
The bell sounded and #1 contender Randy Orton slowly walked out on stage to get a close look at the action. Evan Bourne has qualified for the Rumble, of note. Who knows how. Orton made his way to ringside and Sheamus stopped to glare at him. Meanwhile, Bourne smashed him in the back of the knee with a kick strike before landing a leaping kick strike. He followed with a double knee smash off the top rope for a two count. Sheamus then hit a backbreaker to cut off Bourne’s momentum before hitting a bicycle kick. Sheamus then put Bourne up in the air for his Outsider’s Edge finisher and the win.
WINNER: Sheamus at 2:05. I don’t agree with throwing the champion in a segment without any hype and where he loses credibility points for nearly being pinned by someone who never wins matches on TV, even with Orton’s distraction. WWE needs to build up Sheamus right now, not put him in a position to look vulnerable every week. (n/a)
Post-match: Orton slowly walked into the ring as the announcers tried to cover for the match that could have ruined Sheamus’s credibility by saying Orton got in Sheamus’s head, which nearly cost Sheamus the win. Orton entered the ring and stared down Sheamus, who grabbed his WWE Title belt and held it up in the air to boos. A few fans chanted, “Randy, Randy” during this. Sheamus then left the ring without any further physicality.
In-ring: Randy Orton came to the ring for a match. He did the full ring intro and stared into the crowd before Chris Masters came out as the opponent. Virtually no reaction for Masters, who came out to that generic new rock music and Eve by his side.
RANDY ORTON vs. CHRIS MASTERS (w/Eve)
The bell sounded and Sheamus’s music hit to bring out the WWE champion for a closer look. Formula, but good stuff with Orton and Sheamus here. Masters and Orton locked up center ring and Masters landed a hard shoulder block. The crowd hasn’t heard Masters turned babyface. Masters tried the Masterlock, but Orton flung him away, only to take a powerslam for a two count. They showed Sheamus staring intently into the ring as Orton came back with a fallaway backbreaker. Orton then got down on the mat to set up the RKO, but Masters countered into the Masterlock. Orton tried to escape by grabbing the ropes and he started to fade, which drew Masters into a trap for Orton to grab the ropes for a break. Masters then approached Orton for follow-up offense, but Orton dropped him with the RKO out of nowhere. Orton made the pin for the win.
WINNER: Orton at 2:50. Really intriguing segment here. There was a babyface that Knoxville hadn’t heard turned babyface, a long-standing heel playing for sympathy, and the WWE champion. It was just different and in a good way. The post-match put good heat on Sheamus with WWE subtly making Orton the default babyface for the Rumble. WWE gets a B+ for developing the Orton-Sheamus program for the Rumble on this week’s show. (*)
Post-match: Orton sold neck pain, then suddenly turned around to find a bicycle kick to the face from Orton. One clean blow. Sheamus then put his boot on Orton’s head and declared himself the winner tonight. Sheamus slowly left the ring, leaving Orton out cold in the ring. Sheamus then lifted the WWE Title belt up in the air to close the segment.
