Few men have felt the sting of that axiom quite like John Cena. The Superstar had struggled against five resolute rivals – Sheamus, Triple H, Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase and Kofi Kingston – in one of the most unforgiving structures ever devised to capture his sixth WWE Championship. An exhausted Cena basked in his accomplishment as the WWE Universe reigned their approval upon him. Glory was his.
That glory, however, proved fleeting indeed. Mr. McMahon and his de facto enforcer as of late, Batista, made their way to the ring. The Chairman informed the newly crowned champion that he must defend his title against The Animal – immediately. Cena appeared incredulous, but knowing Mr. McMahon, perhaps he should have expected just such a despicable twist. Despite a valiant effort, Cena seemed too battered, too spent to mount a worthy defense, and he was forced to relinquish the championship to a victorious Batista.
This final shocking turn capped off an entire match littered with surprises. The biggest shake-up may have been the further dismantling of The Legacy. If ringleader Orton had come to question the loyalty of DiBiase, he needn’t question it any further – it’s long gone. As DiBiase and The Viper battled inside the chamber, Rhodes came to the ring to sneak a lead pipe to his mentor. DiBiase, however, claimed the pipe and bashed Orton with it before pinning him.
In other action, the seemingly unstoppable Sheamus met his match against Triple H. It was The King of Kings who avenged an attack from The Celtic Warrior a week earlier and put an end to his tyrannical rule by eliminating Sheamus from the bout. The Game would eventually face Cena, who forced him to tap out to claim the title, brief as it was.
What will happen in the wake of such unexpected developments remains to be seen, but it’s unlikely that any of the six Superstars involved in the match will give up their quest for the most revered of treasures, the WWE Championship. After all, glory may be fleeting, but obscurity lasts forever.
Unified Tag Team Champions DX & Hornswoggle def. United States Champion The Miz, Big Show & Jon Heder
Jon Heder has demonstrated his unique ability as an actor. As a wrestler, not so much. The When in Rome star teamed with the newly formed squad of United States Champion The Miz & Big Show to take on Unified Tag Team Champions DX & Hornswoggle.
While Miz & Show assured Heder he’d be just fine in their hands, when The World’s Largest Athlete ended up outside the ring in pain, the actor was forced to enter the ring, where he suffered a humiliating loss and had to have his co-star, Don Johnson, escort him out.
Before the celebration kicked off, though, John Cena grabbed a mic and informed the match participants that it will be he who proves to be the last man standing at Royal Rumble. As to be expected, Big Show, Triple H and Shawn Michaels each took exception. So much so, in fact, that DX proceeded to toss Show and Cena over the top rope and outside the ring. And then, in a shocking show of independence, The Game heaved his own partner HBK over the top rope, telling him that the WWE Championship and WrestleMania are the two things he lives for. And that he, too, will compete in the 2010 Royal Rumble Match.
Unified Tag Team Champions DX def. Chris Jericho & Mike Tyson
In his first-ever WWE match, boxing great Mike Tyson played a little rope-a-dope with his partner Chris Jericho. Earlier in the evening, Tyson had agreed to team with Jericho against Unified Tag Team Champions DX. If Jericho had won, he would be legally allowed to appear on all WWE brand shows.
Unfortunately for Jericho, this isn’t WrestleMania XIV. It was then that Tyson turned his back on Michaels and helped “Stone Cold” Steve Austin win, even ripping up his DX T-shirt after the match. This time, Tyson instead embraced Michaels & Triple H, turning his back on his arrogant partner and knocking him out. With Jericho dazed, Tyson’s transformation became complete when he joined DX, including Hornswoggle, for a celebration in the middle of the ring.
Unified Tag Team Champions DX def. Chris Jericho & Big Show
Chris Jericho had his chances. The SmackDown Superstar and his partner, Big Show, held the Unified Tag Team Championships for months, which allowed Jericho to appear on all WWE brands, including Raw. Last month, however, Jeri-Show dropped the titles to Triple H & Shawn Michaels. Ever since, the arrogant Superstar has done everything in his power to recapture the titles, which would once again allow him to launch his petty attacks on Raw.
Jericho’s whining, however, simply wasn’t enough. When Jeri-Show teamed up against DX, The Game and HBK, with a little help from Hornswoggle, managed to overcome their opponents and bid Jericho a gleeful goodbye.
Unified Tag Team Champions DX def. Big Show & Chavo Guerrero
Big Show may no longer have Chris Jericho as a partner, but there was one man more than willing to fill his boots: Chavo Guerrero. The self-proclaimed “Mexican Warrior” teamed with Show against Unified Tag Team Champions DX.
Guerrero felt he could help neutralize DX mascot Hornswoggle. Well, things didn’t exactly work out that way. In fact, when the little guy made an appearance, it distracted Guerrero enough to ensure Triple H & Shawn Michaels the victory.
The fun wasn’t over just then. Like a man possessed, Jericho had been standing outside The XL Center earlier in the evening pleading for WWE Universe members to sign a petition allowing him back on Raw. When that failed, his former partner snuck him a front row ticket. From that vantage point, the self-important Superstar watched DX prevail and attempted an attack on the pair.
Weary of Jericho’s antics, The Game & HBK relented and agreed to face Jeri-Show the following Monday night in a title match as long as Jericho forgoes his Raw reinstatement campaign if Jeri-Show loses.
Unified Tag Team Champions DX def. The Hart Dynasty
In their first title defense since winning the Unified Tag Team Championship, DX came to SmackDown to take on The Hart Dynasty. The champions were looking to continue the Christmas cheer they spread on Monday Night Raw (Raw recap). After a competitive contest, it was DX who reigned supreme when HBK hit David Hart Smith with some holiday Sweet Chin Music, followed up by a devastating pedigree from Triple H.
With DX looking on, The Hart Dynasty attacked Chris Jericho
Earlier in the night, The Hart Dynasty and Chris Jericho traded verbal barbs over who should be No. 1 Contenders to DX. Appearing on the arena screen, DX poked fun at their challengers, including offering The Hart Dynasty a one-way, paid trip back to Canada. But, it was Jericho who suffered the ultimate insult when David Hart Smith and Tyson Kidd drove him into the canvas, leaving him writing in pain.
This week Triple H moved up to the #1 position of the Power 25.