411’s Instant Access 09.18.11: WWE Night of Champions 2011

Hey kids, I’m Scott, and this is 411’s Instant Access: WWE Night of Champions 2011. Instant Access is the companion piece to 411 Live Pay-Per-View Coverage and features immediate reaction to wrestling pay-per-views. The focus in Instant Access is on first thoughts and initial reactions instead of play-by-play with the goal of providing you with instant access to one TWO writers’ thoughts on the show. Anyway, here’s the team for Night of Champions:

• Scott Slimmer, author of Don’t Think Twice.
• Mike Uphoff, author emeritus of 411’s WWE Smackdown Report.

For even more coverage, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter at @ScottSlimmer.

Okay kids, enough with the explanations. Let’s get to the wrestling.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Kofi Kingston & Evan Bourne (Champions) vs. The Miz & R-Truth
Match Result: Kofi Kingston & Evan Bourne defeat The Miz & R-Truth via disqualification.
Match Length: 10:02
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: As usual, WWE opened the show with a fast-paced match that was sure to get the crowd excited. This was one of the more frenetic PPV matches we’ve seen from WWE in quite some time, and it just proved that WWE does have workers that can go balls-to-the-wall when given the opportunity. I agree with the decision to keep the belts on Kingston & Bourne, because hot shotting them to any other team at this point would only serve to weaken Kingston, Bourne, and the titles themselves. In addition, having Miz and Truth lose in controversial fashion serves to advance their “Conspiracy Theory” storyline. Of course I would have liked to have seen Kingston & Bourne win clean, but I understand the logic of having Miz and Truth lose via disqualification in order to further their angle. If this the Miz / Truth storyline had ended here for the night, then I would have been quite happy with the match. However, the fact that the Miz / Truth storyline continued later in the evening to the detriment of the main event almost makes me wish that they had simply lost clean in the opener and been done for the night. Anyway, Kingston & Bourne are still the tag team champions, and Miz and Truth have become even more embroiled in their Conspiracy Theory storyline that now definitely involves Triple H, John Laurinaitis, and even CM Punk. That should make for some interesting confrontations tomorrow night on Raw.
Uphoff: Good opener for the PPV. The two tag teams really had the crowd going for the majority of the match, and the ending was perfect as it played into the conspiracy bit for Awesome Truth. Good work by everyone involved, and a good way to start off the PPV. I’m guessing these two will lock horns again soon, and I am more than happy to see them do it. These two teams have been dynamite for the division, and I hope it continues.
Match Rating:
Slimmer: ***
Uphoff: ***
Average Match Rating: ***

Intercontinental Championship Match
Cody Rhodes (Champion) vs. Ted DiBiase
Match Result: Cody Rhodes defeats Ted DiBiase with a roll-up pin.
Match Length: 9:48
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: This was a fun match, and I’m glad that the ongoing Rhodes / DiBiase storyline was able to culminate in a PPV match. However, as is often the case with Intercontinental Championship Matches on PPV, this match wasn’t anything more than we see on Smackdown every week. I’m not sure if that’s more of a statement about the high qualify of Smackdown matches or the low quality of PPV matches, but I’ll let you be the judge. Having DiBiase lose here does add credibility to the way the announcers continually describe him as being in a perpetual career slump, but I also understand that Rhodes is the more marketable talent with greater career potential. Maybe WWE did throw DiBiase under the bus here, but there’s no reason to damage a safe bet in Rhodes while taking a big risk on DiBiase. Rhodes will continue to impress as his Intercontinental Championship run continues, but the real question is where DiBiase goes from here. My guess is that he’ll spend some time on Superstars, but I don’t know if we’ll see him featured prominently on Smackdown again anytime soon.
Uphoff: This had really little build, which disappointed me. It was a decent match, but I ended up being disappointed. Solely because I thought these two were capable of putting on a better match than this. It wasn’t bad by any means; it just wasn’t as good as I hoped. It was a decent match that picked up near the end, and the finish of the match played out nicely and made sense as DiBiase wanted revenge by using the mask and Rhodes outsmarted him with the tights.
Match Rating:
Slimmer: **½
Uphoff: **½
Average Match Rating: **½

Fatal 4-Way Match for the United States Championship
Dolph Ziggler (Champion) w/ Vickie Guerrero vs. John Morrison vs. Alex Riley vs. Jack Swagger
Match Result: Dolph Ziggler defeats John Morrison after a Gut Wrench Powerbomb from Jack Swagger.
Match Length: 8:12
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: Night of Champions usually has at least one big multi-man spotfest, and this was the 2011 edition. However, while I enjoyed the match as a spotfest, I also appreciated the added drama provided by the tension between Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, and Vickie Guerrero. That story provided a much needed narrative thread that gave the match a nice feeling of cohesion. Ziggler will be a main eventer sooner rather than later, so I’m more than happy to see him retain the belt here. In addition, having him screw Swagger out of the victory was a nice way to continue their feud. Look for all four of these guys to continue to meet each other in singles and tag team matches as we wait for the relationship between Ziggler and Swagger to completely implode.
Uphoff: Had some great spots here, with the spider suplex and the super belly-to belly throw off the top rope. I almost thought that they were going to give the title to Alex Riley when he hit the Impaler DDT, but I’m glad they didn’t. He has improved considerably since he was the Miz’s lackey, but I don’t think he is quite ready for a singles title yet. Morrison brought the usual flash and some nice moves, and it was nice to see the WWE booking continue the feud in a match like this between Swagger and Ziggler. I agree with the finish, as it furthers that feud between the two. I’m interested to see where everyone goes from this match.
Match Rating:
Slimmer: **¾
Uphoff: ***
Average Match Rating: ***

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Randy Orton (Champion) vs. Mark Henry
Match Result: Mark Henry defeats Randy Orton with the World’s Strongest Slam.
Match Length: 13:13
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: Oh hell yeah. Mark Henry’s monstrous push this year has been a thing of beauty to behold, and his PPV matches over the course of the last few months have been the best of his career. The fact that he would eventually challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship seemed like a foregone conclusion, but I really didn’t know if WWE would let him actually win the belt. Having him win makes complete sense from a kayfabe point of view, because he has been absolutely unstoppable this year. This title reign is a thank-you for Henry’s years of service to the company, at it really doesn’t even matter how long he holds the belt. He can always say that he was the World Heavyweight Champion. With Hell in a Cell taking place in just two short weeks, it’s a safe bet to assume that we’ll see a title rematch between Henry and Orton. I would usually tend to bet on Orton to regain the title at HiaC, but let’s not forget that it was this time last year when Kane’s improbable title reign lasted far longer than any of us expected. I’m still betting on Orton at HiaC, but I won’t be shocked if Henry picks up one successful title defense within the Cell.
Uphoff: Well-booked match in my opinion. While it was slow and plodding in some parts, I enjoyed it overall and thought it was well-executed. Orton looked good as someone who actually might be able to beat the monster, and Mark Henry played up his killer persona very well. I loved the ending as Orton went for the RKO and Henry threw him off and hit the World’s Strongest Slam for the three count. Congratulations to Mark Henry for finally winning the big one, and I hope you hold the title for a while because you deserve it. Good stuff from both men here
Match Rating:
Slimmer: ***½
Uphoff: **½
Average Match Rating: ***

Divas Championship Match
Kelly Kelly (Champion) w/ Eve Torres vs. Beth Phoenix w/ Natalya
Match Result: Kelly Kelly defeats Beth Phoenix with a sunset flip.
Match Length: 6:24
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: This was a perfectly acceptable Divas match from an in-ring point of view, but the fact that Kelly Kelly continues to find ways to defeat Beth Phoenix has me more than a bit confused. I do understand that WWE is trying to build Kelly as the single most important member of the Divas Division, and I understand that they think having her defeat Beth Phoenix on multiple occasions helps to build her reputation. If I truly thought that Kelly had any chance of becoming the next Trish Stratus, then I would absolutely agree with WWE’s strategy. However, the truth is that there will most likely never be another Trish, and if there is, it certainly isn’t going to be Kelly. And so with that being said, what WWE is really doing is squandering the realistic potential of the Divas Division by shooting for the stars. They really could improve the Divas Division by putting the belt on Beth and having her put on good matches with various Divas in the promotion. The fans are ready for Beth to win the title. They were begging for it tonight in Buffalo. But WWE clearly has their sights set on making Kelly into something she isn’t going to become, and they’re clearly willing to sacrifice the Divas Division to try to make it happen.
Uphoff: Bit surprised and sad that Beth didn’t win the title in her hometown, but oh well. It was competently wrestled by both women, and a good match overall. It’s funny, because TNA has almost always had the better women’s wrestling division and WWE’s has always sucked, and now they have changed. TNA’s is god-awful, and WWE has been putting on competent matches consistently
Match Rating:
Slimmer: **
Uphoff: **¼
Average Match Rating: **¼

WWE Championship Match
Alberto Del Rio (Champion) vs. John Cena
Match Result: John Cena defeats Alberto Del Rio with the STF.
Match Length: 17:26
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: What can you say that hasn’t already been said? Cena and Del Rio put on a dandy little match. Del Rio can wrestle, and I’ll be the first to admit that Cena truly has made impressive strides in his ring work this year. But at the end of the day, when Del Rio’s first title win is cut short and Cena is once again the WWE Champion, what’s the point? Last year, I thought that WWE had finally realized that John Cena doesn’t need to be WWE Champion. They can use him effectively – and even shove him down our throats if they wish – without putting the belt around his waist. And yet now we’re back to Cena as the default champion. I have nothing against a company putting its faith in one man, and I actually enjoy long title runs. But the multiple short title runs and frequent title changes that we’ve seen over the last few years have started to exhaust me. I remember every one of Shawn Michaels’ title wins. I remember every one of Bret Hart’s title wins. Hell, I even remember everyone of Hulk Hogan’s title wins. But with Cena? I can honestly only recall three or four of them. The rest just blur into a foggy haze. I should be clear, this problem isn’t exclusive to Cena. I have the same issue with most of the title wins by Orton, Edge, and Batista. But Orton lost to Mark Henry tonight, so Cena bears the brunt of my ire. Hell in a Cell is only two weeks away, so look for Del Rio to cash in his rematch in the Devil’s Playground.
Uphoff: Del Rio showed a great game plan by targeting Cena’s back repeatedly. Started out slow, but really picked up and got the crowd involved as the match went on. Del Rio also had a nice senton off the top rope to Cena as well. Nice counter by Cena with the armbar submission, but do we really need Cena as champion for the TWELFTH FUCKING TIME????? No, we don’t. Congratulations, WWE. You took a great talent in Alberto Del Rio, bitched him out for three weeks on TV, and then gave the title back to Cena. Way to make a superstar. Screw this crap. I hate watching Cena now. Talk about the status quo. I’m tired of seeing Cena as champ. I don’t hate the guy or even doubt his wrestling ability; I just can’t stand to see him on top all the time. Let someone else run with it, WWE booking. Jesus Chris
Match Rating:
Slimmer: ***¼
Uphoff: ***¼
Average Match Rating: ***¼

No Disqualification Match
CM Punk vs. Triple H
Match Result: Triple H defeats CM Punk with the Pedigree.
Match Length: 24:01
Match Analysis:
Slimmer: Sweet. Baby. James. I’m still trying to wrap my head around all of that. This was classic overbooking at its finest, but I’m not necessarily saying that’s a bad thing. Overbooking can working tremendously well under the right circumstances; Mick Foley’s first WWE Championship win is a perfect example of that. The extensive interference in this match all made sense from a kayfabe point of view, so it that sense it was a success. Miz and Truth wanted to take out their frustrations from earlier in the venting, but more importantly, they wanted to help Punk win the match so that Triple H would be ousted as COO. Kevin Nash is angry at both Punk and Triple H, so it seemed natural for him to run roughshod over everyone. And then there’s John Laurinaitis, who undoubtedly provided the most intriguing interference of the night. Did he really distract the second referee so that he couldn’t count the pin after the first Pedigree? Did John Laurinaitis screw Triple H? The plot thickens. And so I suppose what I’m saying is that I’m fine with the story presented in this match. However, what upsets me is the philosophy behind employing such convoluted booking in a match like this. Triple H has only has one other PPV match this year. His matches are now special attractions, and they should be treated as such. Booking Triple H and CM Punk in the main event of a PPV would have been a great way to put on a memorable match, regardless of who eventually picked up the win. But instead of allowing this match to shine on its own merits, WWE chose to use this match as a mere stepping stone for further the overall storyline. This match was sacrificed so that the storyline could continue, and I only hope that the investment pays off in the end.
Uphoff: Overbook much? I mean, the run-ins by Awesome Truth and Nash make sense, but seriously, the fuck? Come on, WWE. It was a good match, but a lot of it seemed like brawling and throwing each other into different things. Punk laid a hellacious chair shot on HHH though, and it was nice. What was even better was the Macho Man elbow through the announce table. That was SICK. I couldn’t believe it when Punk kicked out of the Pedigree. I actually believed for a second that he might win. I don’t have a problem with Johnny Ace interfering, because it makes sense in the light that he would want HHH to lose because he would likely take his place as COO. What I question is why the hell is R-Truth pulling Punk off the cover that would have cost HHH his job? That makes no sense at all! Hopefully, much of this is explained on RAW tomorrow. Fun convoluted match that both men clearly worked hard, but marred by some stupid booking
Match Rating:
Slimmer: ***½
Uphoff: ***½
Average Match Rating: ***½

Final Thoughts

Match of the Night:
Slimmer: Randy Orton vs. Mark Henry (***½)
This match certainly wasn’t a classic from a work rate point of view, but it told a compelling story that really did add to the overall quality of the match. I love how WWE has pushed Mark Henry in such a way that we’re happy to see him finally be the beast of destruction that he always seemed destined to become. Henry’s title win is the one big moment that I’ll remember enjoying form this show, so it gets MotN honors from me.
Uphoff: CM Punk vs. Triple H (***½)
Even though it was convoluted and overbooked as hell, it was still fun to watch.

Trash of the Night:
Slimmer: Kelly Kelly vs. Beth Phoenix (**)
I want to be clear that I’m not calling this match TotN because of the actual quality of the match. The quality of the match was just fine, and in fact it may have been a smidge above the usual WWE PPV Divas match standard. However, it was the booking that earns this match TotN. You can say what you want about the overbooking in the main event, but you know WWE can’t resist that sort of this from time to time. We expect it, and there’s no point in fighting it. On the other hand, I simply cannot understand why WWE refuses to pull the trigger on a Beth Phoenix title run. It’s like they know they’re teasing us, and at this point they seem to be teasing us just for the fun of it.
Uphoff: None.

Final Analysis:
Slimmer: Night of Champions wasn’t a bad show, but it was a largely forgettable show. The matches ranged from ** to ***½, but I understand that you can’t pack every show with five star classics. I suppose what bothers me about this show is that the only moment I’ll really remember is Mark Henry’s title win. That was a nice moment, and I’m glad I finally got to see it. On the other hand, I won’t remember yet another Cena victory, and the Triple H / Punk match was clearly a vehicle for progressing their storyline rather than a match in and of itself. The blow-off to that feud is still looming, and we’ll forget about this match when it does finally occur. And so while I there was nothing horribly offensive or downright terrible on this show, its relentless mediocrity does make me wonder if it was really worth $44.95.
Uphoff: Solid outing by the WWE, but this time around it doesn’t have a standout match like the previous two PPV’s. The PPV quality has been declining as of late, and it is not a good thing. MITB was outstanding and damn near perfect, SummerSlam was excellent, and this time around was a good, solid effort. However, booking issues kept this from being better. Having Beth win the title would have made more sense, and the main event was vastly overbooked. Still, there were no bad matches, and the filler bit between Christian and Sheamus was greatly entertaining. All in all, a good effort from WWE, but a clear step below the previous two offerings.

Verdict:
Slimmer: **½
Uphoff: ***½
Average Verdict: ***