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Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of WWE Night of Champions 2013 from Detroit, Michigan.
Kick--Off Show
The panel tonight is Alex Riley, Josh Mathews, Booker T, and Santino Marella. They talked about some of the top matches.
Backstage, a freaked out Paul Heyman was asked by Brad Maddox what was wrong. Heyman's beard was unruly. Heyman said that Maddox put him in a handicap match against CM Punk and Punk was taught how to circumvent the system. Heyman said Punk is going to fight him and massacre him in the middle of Maddox's face...unless Heyman punches a referee right in the mouth, which would be a DQ. If Punk attacked him after the bell, it would be felonious assault and Heyman will press charges. Maddox said that scenario wouldn't be best for business and ruled it was a No DQ handicap match. He walked off and Heyman's face went white.
The crowd was chanting "Yes" as the panel discussed the handicap match and the World champion.
Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and JBL are the announcers.
Tag Team Turmoil
3MB vs. Tons of Funk
This is going to be Gauntlet rules, where the winners face the next team. Clay had Godzilla-like spikes on his back. 3MB worked over Tensai early. Tensai and McIntyre badly botched a sunset flip spot to the point of silliness. McIntyre worked over Clay but Clay rolled up McIntyre and scored the pin.
Your winners, Tons of Funk!
3MB beat down Funk as their next opponents, Jack Swagger & Antonio Cesaro.
Tons of Funk vs. Real Americans
They went to commercial and then when they returned, The Real Americans were working over Clay. Clay came back with a splash off the middle rope but Cesaro broke up the pin, then nailed Tensai off the apron to the floor.
Cesaro blind tagged Swagger who grabbed Clay in the Patriot Act and forced him to tap.
Your winners, Swagger & Cesaro!
The Usos were out next.
Usos vs. Real Americans
Usos drilled them with some dives. They were awesome. The Americans came back with a double uranage for a two count. Swagger looked great in working them over and getting the win.
Prime Time Players vs. The Real Americans
The last segment was really good as Swagger looked awesome in the ring. He finally missed a splash in the corner and was nailed with a Gutbuster by Darren Young for the pin.
So, Young and Titus O'Neil will challenge the Shield for the WWE Tag Team championship.
The PPV opened with a nice video spotlighting former champions of every title belt you could think of, pushing the Night of Champions theme. I think I ever spotted Nikita Koloff.
Triple H came out and said that he wanted to welcome everyone to Night of Champions. He said that he wanted to show everyone that he wasn't the villainous tyrant that people claim that he was, he was announcing there would be no interference in the WWE title match from anyone. He specifically said no Big Show and no Shield. He said they would find out who the better man was, one on one.
Triple H tried to rile up the crowd but Paul Heyman and WWE Intercontinental champion Curtis Axel came out. Heyman said he's been trying to get to HHH for days and has been leaving messages for him. Heyman said he has a desperate need to speak with HHH and he didn't want it to be in public, but he has a real serious problem with what HHH believes to be best for business.
HHH stopped him and said Heyman looked awful and asked him when was the last time he showered or slept. He said Heyman looked like a wreck. Heyman started losing his mind but stopped himself and apologized. He tried buttering HHH up and then said that HHH made "one serious error in judgment" by putting a non-athlete and middle aged father of two into a handicap match against a fighter "of such dominance, that your WWE accepted my branding of him as the Best in the World." He said that Punk almost stopped the Undertaker's streak and gave Brock Lesnar all that he could handle. He said that Punk doesn't want to grapple or wrestle but give him such a beating that Heyman might never be seen again.
Heyman asked HHH to please cancel the match. HHH said that Heyman had no reason to be scared and advised him not to tag in. He said that if Heyman truly believes in Curtis Axel like he says he does, there would be no problem. He questioned whether Paul did, then said he believes that the match should stay. Heyman asked if there was no more honor among thieves and tried to wak out.
Curtis Axel took the mic and asked if there was something personal going on here. Heyman was shocked. Axel said the day he became a Paul Heyman guy, he beat HHH. He said that Hunter never got over that. Hunter said that he did make a mistake that he can fix, and that's that the Intercontinental title is now on the line with Axel facing the first person HHH sees backstage...right now. He walked out.
Paul Heyman said that he'd like to announce that the IC title match we about to see is being held under protest by Axel. He began arguing with Axel for messing with HHH "of all people."
Out came Kofi Kingston.
WWE Intercontinental champ Curtis Axel vs. Kofi Kingston
Heyman sat down on the ring steps, completely defeated.
They locked up. Kingston went for a waistlock but Axel grabbed a side headlock. Kingston gained the advantage and Axel used the ropes to halt it. They locked up again and Axel went back to the headlock. Kingston drilled him with several elbows but was shoulderblocked off. Axel rebounded off the ropes but saw Kingston was poised to strike and rolled out of the ring, sitting on the apron.
Back in the ring, Axel was caught going for a kick but punched Kingston. He nailed some strikes in the corner. Kingston came back with a kick to the face for a two count. Kingston began peppering the champ with kicks and punches. Axel came back with a big dropkick and a clothesline over the top to the floor on Kingston.
Axel went to whip Kingston into the ring steps but Kingston caught himself, went to the top and hit a flying bodypress to the floor. Back in the ring, Kingston continued to work over Axel until he missed a leap into the corner and ended up crashing and tying himself to the tree of woe. Axel worked over Kingston in the corner, drilling him with a shoulderblock. He pulled down Kofi for a two count.
Axel nailed a belly to back suplex that looked great for a two count. Kingston tried to make a comeback but was turned inside out with a clothesline for a two count. Axel worked him over but Kingston came back with several big punches. Axel went for another clothesline but Kingston grabbed him arm and pulled himself over and back on his feet, then nailed a DDT.
Kingston nailed a series of Steamboat-esque chops and nailed a flying bodypress off the top for a two count. Kofi nailed the Boom Drop and began calling for the Trouble in Paradise but Axel avoided it and drove Kofi into the turnbuckles. He began working over Kofi but was drilled with a kick.
Axel went to the top and went for a move but Axel dropkicked him on the way down for a two count. Axel missed a belly to back suplex and was rolled up by Kingston for a two count. Axel drilled him for another two count. The announcers noted that the longer the bout goes, the worse Axel will be tired and it will be worse for Heyman later.
Kofi missed the Trouble in Paradise but missed. Axel went for a neckbreaker but Kingston turned it into the S.O.S for another great near fall. Axel drilled Kingston with a nasty looked neckbreaker variation and scored the pin.
Your winner and still WWE Intercontinental champ Curtis Axel!
Good opening segment and match. Axel and Kingston had a good athletic back and forth match and it was the best Kingston has looked in some time. Axel looked like a true star from a worker's point of view. Heyman was great as the man completely defeated and knowing it. The interplay between HHH and Heyman was really good.
Backstage, Rob Van Dam and Ricardo (sporting a sling on his arm) were in a vignette where they said Rob's moves in Spanish, ending with "RVD" being the translation for World champion.
Backstage, Aksana, Alicia Fox and Layla blew off AJ Lee and refused to come to the ring with her.
WWE Divas champ AJ Lee vs. Naomi vs. Brie Bella vs. Natalya
Lee tried to escape and run through the crowd at the bell but the other three teamed to grab her and work her over, taking turns to send her into the guard rail. They tossed her into the ring and stood over her. Brie kicked her out of the ring, then immediately attacked Natalya and Naomi.
Brie drilled them each with running knees to the face. Natalya was knocked out of the ring to the floor. Brie went after Naomi but was caught with a dropkick. Naomi caught her with a leaping headscissors. They ended up knocking heads during an exchange in the corner and AJ hit the ring and tried to pin Naomi.
Natalya broke it up and she and Lee went at it. Naomi hit the back butt splash on Natalya and covered her for a two count. AJ went sent to the floor. Naomi and Natalya each worked over Brie. Naomi went off the top but there was no water in the pool. AJ tosed her to the floor. Naomi returned and drilled Brie with a kick but AJ yanked her off the apron to the floor.
Natalya took over on Brie and slammed her, then slammed Naomi. She went for the Sharpshooter but Brie nailed her. Natalya slammed Brie atop of Naomi. She put the Sharpshooter on them both at once but AJ attacked her from behind. AJ grabbed her in the Black Widow and Natalya tried to fight it off but finally tapped.
Your winner and still Divas champ, AJ Lee!
A decent match. They all worked a decent pace and the double Sharpshooter was a cool idea. The Divas division is damned improved from this time a year ago.
Coverage continues on Page 2!
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