NEW ORLEANS – Destiny (and chaos) once again smiled on Alberto Del Rio, who ventured into “Hell” for the first time this Sunday and attained his second WWE Championship. The Mexican Aristocrat overcame both CM Punk
and defending titleholder John Cena in an epic Triple Threat Hell in a Cell encounter, but his monumental triumph inside Satan’s Structure was arguably eclipsed not only by the controversial circumstances of his victory but by the frenzied aftermath of the match itself. (PHOTOS)
All three these competitors put forth an impressive effort as they vied for WWE’s grandest prize in the most barbaric of environments, but it was The Mexican Aristocrat who emerged from this career-threatening encounter with the WWE Championship after nailing Punk with a steel pipe. However, none of these battle-tested ring warriors anticipated the brutality that former WWE Superstars The Miz and R-Truth had in store for each of them and the entire WWE Universe after the bout.
Before Miz and Truth could wreak havoc at the end of the night, Cena, Punk and Del Rio collided in one of the most cruel Hell in a Cell Matches to date, bending steel chairs, denting steel steps and even splintering a table inside Satan’s Structure as they vied for The Champ’s illustrious title. Sensing that his employer might need a little help overcoming two seasoned Hell in a Cell competitors in Cena and Punk, Del Rio’s personal ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez attacked the referee and pilfered the key to the Cell door. Then, as the referee was incapacitated, Rodriguez opened the portal to The Devil’s Playground, handing Del Rio a steel pipe to ensure that the moneyed Mexican’s first foray into the unforgiving structure would be a fruitful one.The action spilled outside the ring, where a well-timed swing of Del Rio’s pipe left Cena sprawled on the concrete outside the confines of the Cell. Del Rio then ventured back into Satan’s Structure and locked the door behind him, turning an unpredictable Triple Threat Hell in a Cell Match – the first in WWE history – into a far more manageable one-on-one scenario. Del Rio then threw the key underneath the ring to lock Cena out of the structure and take him out of the match for good.
Inside the Cell, Punk seemed poised to reclaim the WWE Championship by nailing Del Rio with a Go to Sleep, but The Mexican Aristocrat evaded the maneuver by bashing The Straight Edge Superstar with his steel pipe. Just as he did when he won his first Money in the Bank-assisted WWE Title, Del Rio pinned Punk’s shoulders to the mat for the three-count. Yet, Del Rio wouldn’t look like a champion for long.The Cell rose following the match, allowing Cena and WWE officials to re-enter Satan’s Structure at last. Unfortunately, raising the Cell also enabled former WWE employees R-Truth and The Miz – both of whom attacked several WWE Superstars earlier in the evening after being escorted out of the New Orleans Arena – to re-emerge and charge the ring.
The Cell then mysteriously lowered to the ground once again, trapping Miz and Truth inside with Del Rio, Cena, Punk and several WWE personnel. Livid over the so-called “conspiracy” that led to their firing at the hands of WWE Chief Operating Officer Triple H, the diabolical former Superstars viciously assaulted all three main event competitors as well as the helpless cameramen and referees who could not escape their fury.Ultimately, The King of Kings led WWE Executive Vice President John Laurinaitis and a veritable army of Superstars to the ring to open the Cell and apprehend the devious duo. Truth and Miz were handcuffed and taken into police custody – each receiving a few painful parting shots from Triple H for good measure – but several questions still remain.
Who lowered the Cell after the match was over? Furthermore, were the conspiracy-obsessed former Superstars in cahoots with whoever was responsible? Will The Game be able to get to the bottom of this plot, or will WWE continue to spiral out of the control? Answers await in the weeks ahead on WWE Raw SuperShow, Monday nights at 9/8 CT on USA Network.
