Home / Results / Monday Night Raw / September 19, 2011

1. Air Boom, Sheamus, & Justin Gabriel def. Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Christian, & Michael McGillicutty when Sheamus pinned Otunga.

2. Alberto Del Rio def. John Morrison via submission.

3. Non-title: Cody Rhodes NC Sin Cara. The match never started when a 2nd Sin Cara appeared to duel with the 1st.

4. Kelly Kelly & Eve Torres def. Beth Phoenix & Natalya when Eve pinned Natalya.

5. Non-title: Zack Ryder def. Dolph Ziggler.

6. CM Punk & John Cena def. The Miz & R-Truth when Punk pinned Miz.

As the fall TV season begins, so does the resumption of periodic guest stars on Raw. Tonight, actor Hugh Jackman ("X-Men") is in the house to promote his new film, "Real Steel", opening October 7. We're in Cleveland, which is the Miz's old stomping grounds. Will Miz fall victim to the Raw hometown star curse, as Beth Phoenix did last night at Night of Champions? Well, we'll all find out together..........

And we open with CM Punk, battered and wounded after losing a no-DQ war with Triple H last night. Punk says his pride is hurt, but he also agrees with The Miz & R-Truth, two of his attackers, that there is a conspiracy. That brings out the COO, who hasn't got a problem resuming hostilities. However, he's given Punk a chance to regain the WWE title, as he'll join John Cena & Alberto Del Rio in a 3-way Hell in a Cell match on October 2. Punk then reveals that HHH isn't part of the conspiracy at all. He's figured out, finally, that both men have been played.

Convienently, John Lauranitis comes out. He accuses Punk of being part of the conspiracy, anything to avoid being fingered as the real culprit, although Punk is doing just that, deducing that Lauranitis may be the one that contacted Kevin Nash in the first place. Lauranitis fires Punk, but is overruled by HHH, who promises someone will be fired tonight.

1. Air Boom, Sheamus, & Justin Gabriel vs. Wade Barrett, Christian, David Otunga, & Michael McGillicutty.

No entrances for either team, and that's been happening a lot lately. Evan Bourne is the face in peril for the first half of the match. Otunga gets a cheap shot in on Kofi Kingston, but Bourne gets the hot tag to Sheamus. Ballgame over. A quick scrum only clears out the rest of the field, including Kingston clutching his midsection after a crossbody on Barrett. Sheamus killed Otunga with the Brogue Kick, then used the Celtic Cross as an in your face to Christian. Winners: Air Boom, Sheamus, & Justin Gabriel.

HHH meets with the ref who worked the tag title match last night. He leaves, and Alberto Del Rio enters. Del Rio is irate over the HIAC, but HHH advises he needs prayer, especially after Del Rio told him he prays Vince McMahon would return. Oh, please....

2. Alberto Del Rio vs. John Morrison.

Squash. Morrison never really got out of the blocks. A rear enziguri was the extent of his offense on this night, but it was all Del Rio, and JoMo tapped to the cross-armbreaker quicker than he did last time. Winner: Alberto Del Rio.

Hugh Jackman is out to an appreciative pop. He barely gets started plugging "Real Steel" before Vickie Guerrero & Dolph Ziggler interrupt. Long story short, it looks like Ziggler will face Zack Ryder later, and Ryder will have Jackman in his corner!

Miz & R-Truth arrive, and are met by Lauranitis. Miz apologizes for what happened last night. Hmmmmmmmm.

3. Non-title: Cody Rhodes vs. Sin Cara.

The match never started. Rhodes had barely reached the ring before the "other" Sin Cara came out, and the two masked men went at it. It's hard to tell which is which, and Lord only knows when that will be settled.

Miz & Truth have been brought before Triple H. Both apologize and appear contrite. Both are "fined $250,000" and will face CM Punk & John Cena in the main event.

Jim Ross has the privelege to interview new World Champion Mark Henry, who has previously held the ECW & European titles, and if I remember right, he's also a former tag team champion. This isn't going to go well at all. Teddy Long is seen leaving the arena, and JR reports that Henry will defend vs. Randy Orton in Hell in a Cell on October 2. Henry repeats essentially what he said last night, referring to the fans as haters, and rips into JR, claiming Ross wanted him fired years ago. JR apologizes, but it's not enough. Henry chokes Ross with his tie, prompting Jerry Lawler to leave the desk. Lawler is brutalized. World's Strongest Slam in the ring, and then, a 2nd through the desk!

Josh Mathews takes over on color, presumably for the rest of the night, as JR & Lawler are gone.

4. Kelly Kelly & Eve Torres vs. Beth Phoenix & Natalya.

Beth is still smarting from losing again to Kelly last night, this time in front of family & friends in Buffalo. Way too short, and that's a disservice to the ladies, actually. Natalya missed a corner charge, and Eve schoolgirled her for the finish. Winners: Kelly Kelly & Eve Torres.

Hugh Jackman meets Zack Ryder. The Ryder-Ziggler match is next!

5. Non-title: Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Guerrero) vs. Zack Ryder (w/Hugh Jackman).

Vickie had flirted with the actor right in front of Dolph earlier. You'd think Ziggler'd be jealous? Nah. If it was Jack Swagger, it's a different story. No sign of Swagger, which is curious. Ziggler spent too much time taunting Jackman, and that would prove costly. After a double lariat, Ryder reached the ropes, hoping to get back up. Vickie slapped him right in front of ref Mike Chioda (back from suspension). That got the wicked widow ejected from the arena. As Chioda made sure Vickie was gone, Jackman got on the apron and clocked Ziggler, marking the spot for Ryder to hit the Ruff Ryder. Winner: Zack Ryder.

A video package plays for Jack Swagger. Backstage, Vickie is watching, and Swagger, dressed to the nines, joins her. Vickie officially becomes his manager, and he seals it by kissing her hand and promising her he can arrange a meeting (or is that a date?) with Jackman. Dolph isn't impressed. Uh-oh.

CM Punk & John Cena meet backstage, and Cena gets all serious, discussing the wars they've had, and making history. Punk suggests Cena could be fired, and that would be history. Maybe not. If I'm Punk, I'd worry.

6. The Miz & R-Truth vs. CM Punk & John Cena.

Miz & Truth, collectively, "The Awesome Truth", got themselves into this fix after losing to Air Boom via DQ last night, and assaulting two referees, as well as HHH & Punk, during the course of the evening. They get the heat on Cena for a good chunk of the match, as Punk may have been legit hurt and had to be protected as a result. The match started with Miz shaking hands with ref Charles Robinson to sell the apology from earlier. After a near fall, Miz got into an argument with Robinson, and Truth smartly restrained his partner, hoping to avoid a repeat from the previous night. Cena finally got the hot tag to Punk. As with the first match, the hot tag meant the ballgame was over. A surge of adrenaline fueled Punk's offense, as he hit the knee-lift/bulldog combo in the corner. Truth & Miz collided, and Miz was put to sleep. Winners: CM Punk & John Cena.

Triple H came out, and, rather quietly, "fired" Miz & Truth. They were hot about that, and followed HHH to the back. As Scott Stanford was about to interview HHH, they attacked. The talent seated in the room pulled them off. Jack Swagger & William Regal escorted Truth out. Two others tossed Miz, who fell victim to the hometown star curse, and, for now, is out of a job. At least until the next PPV, anyway.......