Night of Champions (2011)
Night of Champions | |||
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First Niagara Center | |||
Attendance | 11,000[1] | ||
Buy rate | 161,000[2] | ||
Tagline(s) | It's a Night You Will Never Forget | ||
Pay-per-view chronology | |||
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Night of Champions chronology | |||
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The 2011 Night of Champions was the fifth annual
Eight matches took place at the event, seven of which were broadcast
The event garnered 161,000 buys, down from 165,000 buys the previous year.
Production
Background
Storylines
Night of Champions featured professional wrestling matches involving different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots, and storylines that played out on WWE's television programs. Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[8]
The main rivalry involved the former champion
Another rivalry involved the WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio defending his title against former champion John Cena. The previous month at SummerSlam, Cena had lost to CM Punk, who also had a claim to the WWE Championship. After the match, Money in the Bank winner Alberto Del Rio cashed in his contract after Punk was assaulted by Kevin Nash and won the WWE Championship.[12] On the August 22 episode of Raw, Punk and Cena faced each other to determine Del Rio's opponent, with Cena winning and gaining the right to a rematch after some interference from Nash.[13]
Event
Role: | Name: |
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English Commentators
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Michael Cole |
Jerry Lawler | |
Booker T | |
Spanish Commentators | Carlos Cabrera |
Marcelo Rodríguez | |
Ring announcers | Tony Chimel (SmackDown) |
Justin Roberts (Raw) | |
Referees | Mike Chioda |
John Cone | |
Scott Armstrong | |
Chad Patton |
Preliminary matches
The actual pay-per-view opened with Air Boom (
Next, Cody Rhodes defended the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Ted DiBiase. In the climax, DiBiase removed Rhodes' facial mask. As DiBiase tried to strike Rhodes with the mask, Rhodes pinned Dibiase with a roll up whilst holding his tights to retain the title.
After that,
. In the end, as Swagger performed a Gutwrench Powerbomb on Morrison, Ziggler threw Swagger out of the ring and pinned Morrison to retain the title.In the fourth match, Randy Orton defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Mark Henry. Throughout the match, Henry began to target Orton's knee. In the closing moments, Henry countered an RKO attempt and executed a World's Strongest Slam on Orton to win the title. Following the match, Henry was congratulated on finally winning the World Heavyweight Championship after 15 years.
In the fifth match,
Next, John Cena faced Alberto Del Rio for the WWE Championship (accompanied by Ricardo Rodriguez). John Cena made an entrance in Del Rio's Ferrari F430 before the match. During the match, Del Rio applied the Cross Armbreaker only for Cena to counter Del Rio. As Rodriguez stood on the ring apron and tried to interfere, Cena knocked him off. In the climax, Cena executed an Attitude Adjustment and applied the STF on Del Rio, who submitted, to win the title.
Main event
In the final match of the night, Triple H put his job as COO of the WWE on the line against CM Punk in a No Disqualification match. Punk attacked Triple H during Triple H's entrance to start the match. The match spilled on the outside as the momentum kept shifting between the two competitors, and Triple H targeted Punk's legs. Back in the ring they kept trading shots and matched each other move for move. The action spilled outside again and both of them fought in the crowd and through the arena, with Punk throwing garbage cans at Triple H. Near the entrance ramp they both used the set display to attack one another, and Punk used aerial maneuvers and kicks to attack Hunter. Back in the ring CM Punk repeatedly used a steel chair to knock down Triple H and taunt him with his own crotch-chop. Triple H countered with a swift Spinebuster, and as they both fought outside Triple H went for the legs again using the ring post to inflict damage and nailing Punk with a chair himself and taunting him with a crotch-chop of his own. As Triple H went for a Figure-Four Leg Lock on the outside Punk kicked him into the steel steps. Punk then nailed the COO with a roundhouse kick and set him up on the announce table, following which he performed an elbow drop on Triple H from the top turnbuckle, driving him through the table. As they went back in the ring, The Miz and R-Truth came to the ring and attacked both competitors, nailing Triple H with a Skull Crushing Finale and CM Punk with a What's Up (Leaping Reverse STO). They placed Punk on Triple H but to their shock Triple H kicked out at two. They then started attacking the referee. Punk and Triple H then attacked Miz and Truth as John Laurinaitis came down ringside trying to restore order. Triple H nailed Punk with a Pedigree, but as he covered him Laurinaitis diverted the attention of the referee towards the other referee knocked out by Miz and Truth preventing him from making the pinfall. Punk recovered and knocked out Triple H with a G.T.S. (Go To Sleep). But as he covered him going for the pin, R-Truth once again attacked him breaking up the fall at two. Punk had had enough and knocked Truth out with a crushing Go To Sleep outside the ring. He then attempted an aerial attack on Triple H, jumping from the top rope, but Triple H countered with a kick to the abdomen, and nailed a devastating second Pedigree. Triple H covered him but to everyone's shock the resilient Punk still kicked out at two. Laurinaitis was seen texting someone from ringside, and as Punk and Triple H continued to fight, Kevin Nash came to the ring from the crowd and attacked them both. He then tried to nail Triple H with a Jacknife Powerbomb but Punk prevented the attack on his competitor. In retaliation, Nash attacked Punk and laid him out with a thunderous Jacknife Powerbomb. He then turned his attention to Triple H, but before he could do any damage, Triple H hit Nash with a sledgehammer outside the ring. He then reentered the ring and executed a devastating third Pedigree and pinned Punk to win the match and retain his job as COO.
Reception
Night of Champions 2011 received mixed to positive reviews by the critics, with
Aftermath
The following night on Raw, Triple H announced the first ever
Mark Henry attacked
After Sheamus Brogue Kicked Christian at the pay-per-view, they fought at Hell in a Cell and Vengeance with Sheamus winning both matches.
Beth Phoenix was able to defeat Kelly Kelly at Hell in a Cell to become the Divas champion.
Results
No. | Results dark match |
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References
- ^ "Night of Champions 2011". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 25, 2011.
- ^ "WWE Reports 2011 Third Quarter Results" (PDF). WWE (Press release). November 3, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 4, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
- World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
- ^ Sacco, Justine; Weitz, Michael (April 7, 2011). "The New WWE" (Press release). Connecticut: WWE. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
- ^ "Light Strike presents WWE Night of Champions". WWE. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
- ^ Nemer, Paul (August 30, 2011). "Raw Results – 8/29/11". WrestleView. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
- ^ "WWE presents Night of Champions". HSBC Arena. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
- World Wrestling Entertainment. Archived from the originalon November 22, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
- ^ Wortman, James (August 15, 2011). "Raw results: California scheming". WWE. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ Adkins, Greg (August 29, 2011). "Raw results: Triple H to battle Punk". WWE. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ a b Adkins, Greg (September 5, 2011). "Raw Supershow results: Cena fends off Del Rio". WWE. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ Wortman, James (August 14, 2011). "CM Punk def. John Cena; Alberto Del Rio cashed in Raw Money in the Bank briefcase (New WWE Champion)". WWE. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ Adkins, Greg (August 22, 2011). "Raw results: Cena crushes Punk – with help". WWE. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ "WWE Night of Champions dark match result". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. September 18, 2011. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2011.
- ^ Styles, Joey. "Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes def. Ted DiBiase". WWE. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ Burdick, Michael. "Mark Henry def. Randy Orton (New World Heavyweight Champion)". WWE. Archived from the original on December 4, 2011. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ Adkins, Greg. "WWE Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston & Evan Bourne def. The Miz & R-Truth by Disqualification". WWE. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ Murphy, Ryan. "John Cena def. Alberto Del Rio (New WWE Champion)". WWE. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ Medalis, Kara. "Divas Champion Kelly Kelly def. Beth Phoenix". WWE. Retrieved December 5, 2011.
- ^ Martin, Adam (September 18, 2011). "Night of Champions Results – 9/18/11". WrestleView. Archived from the original on December 25, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2023.