WWE Championship – Free or Fired
Special guest referee: John Cena
Randy Orton (c) vs. Wade Barrett
Legitimate “big fight” feel here. The bell rings and both circle each other. Orton and Barrett lock up and Orton pushes Barrett to the corner. Orton backs off Barrett and stares him down. Orton with a lock up, sent into the ropes and levels Barrett with a shoulder block. Orton with a lock up, headlock takedown and keeps Barrett grounded. Barrett counters into a head scissors. Orton flips out, hits the ropes and levels Barrett with another shoulder charge. Barrett grabs Orton sending him into the corner. Barrett with some quick kicks, but Orton explodes with another clothesline taking down Barrett. Orton with a kick to the chest of Barrett. Orton with right hands, uppercuts and elbows to Barrett in the corner. Cena pulls Orton from the corner. Cole adds that Cena is just doing his job. Orton gets in Cena’s face when Barrett levels Orton with a big boot. Barrett with right hands and stomps to Orton. Barrett puts pressure on the back of Orton’s neck standing over it against the ropes. Barrett with more right hands and kicks to Orton in the corner. Cena then pulls Barrett away. Cole mentions fair play here by Cena as the special guest referee. Orton with a dropkick on Barrett and follows up with some big right hands. Orton with stomps to the body of Barrett and then drops a knee over his mouth.
They brawl to the outside and Barrett sends Orton into the steel ring steps and padded ring barricade. Barrett then sends Cena back first into the side of the ring. Barrett does this a second time and Cena jumps out telling Barrett to get it back in the ring. Barrett stares at Cena and then sends Orton shoulder first into the steel ring steps. Barrett tosses Orton back in the ring, hooks the leg and Orton kicks out after two. Barrett with some stiff jabs to Orton and follows with a big clothesline dropping Orton. Cover and Orton gets a shoulder up after two. Barrett whips Orton into the corner and Orton bounces off grabbing the back of his head. Another cover by Barrett and Orton gets a shoulder up. Barrett with headlock on Orton. Orton fights to his feet slapping and punching Barrett. Barrett catches Orton with a big knee to the gut as Orton came off the ropes. Barrett with a cover, Orton gets a shoulder up again after two and Barrett goes back to the headlock. Orton with a big back suplex on Barrett. Orton and Barrett exchange right hands. Orton breaks it up with a kick, two uppercuts, kick to the face and a series of clotheslines. Orton with his snap powerslam as Barrett came off the ropes. Orton clotheslines Barrett over the top rope to the outside and follows. Barrett sends Orton into the post.
Barrett tosses Orton back in the ring. Orton catches Barrett with a kick to the head as he was getting in through the ropes. Orton is pulling Barrett under the bottom rope. Barrett with a rake to the eyes. Orton shakes it off and gives Barrett a backbreaker. Cover by Orton and Barrett gets a shoulder up after two. Barrett catches Orton with a big boot in the corner. Barrett stands up on the second rope and connects with a flying elbow. Cover and Orton gets a shoulder up after two. Barrett yells at Cena that it was three. Barrett has Orton up on his shoulders. Orton jumps off, hits the ropes and Barrett catches Orton with a big spinning side slam. Believe it or not, Striker refers to it as a “Black Hole Slam” aka the finisher of Abyss in TNA. Orton with his DDT through the ropes on Barrett. He drops down. Barrett gets up and quickly ducks to the outside. Orton jumps out as well and clotheslines Barrett. Orton sends Barrett back in the ring. Orton is up on the ring apron. Barrett catches Orton with a knee to the head, drags him in, puts him on his shoulders and hits his Wasteland finisher. Barrett hooks the leg…1…2…Orton gets his hand on the bottom rope. Barrett can’t believe it. Barrett gets in Cena’s face arguing the pinfall. Barrett pushes Cena. Cena pushes Barrett back. Orton catches Barrett with an RKO. Orton hooks the leg…Cena counts the pinfall…1…2…3. Striker mistakenly yells, “Cena is free!” Cole corrects him saying, “No, Cena is fired.” Cena realizes the moment and that he is now fired.
Winner and STILL WWE Champion: Randy Orton
After the match, Randy Orton stares down John Cena. Cena takes off his referee shirt and tosses the Nexus arm band on top of Barrett. The Nexus hit the ring. Cena and Orton fight them off. The Nexus head to the back carrying off Barrett. Cena then leaves the ring and grabs the WWE Championship belt. He returns and hands it to Orton. They both hug. Orton jumps up on the top turnbuckle raising up the WWE Championship. Cena is still in the ring standing in the corner as Orton jumps down. Orton leaves the ring with his title in hand. Orton seems reluctant to celebrate anymore as he stares down Cena and starts heading up the ramp. Orton stops, takes another look at Cena, holds up the WWE Championship and then heads to the back.
Orton’s music fades as we see Cena still standing in the ring. Cena takes off his wristbands and lays them in the middle of the ring. A loud “CENA” chant starts up. Huge ovation for Cena along with some mixed reaction as he gives a salute to all sides of the arena. Cena leaves the ring and hugs Michael Cole. Cena hugs the well known WWE Sign Guy. Cena points to the camera and says thank you. He heads up the ramp and gets another huge reaction. At the top of the ramp, Cena poses once again. He then takes off into the crowd and shakes hands with WWE fans in attendance. A spotlight follows Cena as he makes his way around the arena shaking hands. He eventually makes his way back to the stage and gives one last salute as the PPV goes off the air.