On this Day, we remember the night The Game became Champion, but the Viper left with the Gold. On this day in pro wrestling history, on October 7th, 2011, the WWE presented No Mercy live from Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL.
On that night, three WWE title matches took place. The scheduled main event match was John Cena defending the WWE Championship against Challenger Randy Orton in a last man standing match.
Over the past few weeks, Orton was starting to show more of a viper-like strategy. He would strike first and ask questions later. That was never more evident than when Orton RKO’d Cena on a steel chair.
Due to a legitimate injury, Cena could not compete and therefore had to vacate the WWE Championship. As a result, Randy Orton was made WWE Champion. However, the night wasn’t going to be as easy as Orton thought.
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The Night The Game became Champion –
Randy Orton vs. Triple H
WWE ordered that Orton defend the title. That match wasn’t later on in the card; that match was now. His opponent was none other than The Game himself, Triple H. Triple H was always a thorn in the side of Orton’s title reigns, and this night was no exception.
The two former Evolution members always had competitive matches. Orton jumped Triple H right as soon as the bell rang. He eventually fought back with a brutal spine buster. The Game was still the man.
However, Orton dug into his dirty tricks and hit Hunter with a DDT. Orton tried several times to RKO the challenger but was blocked.
Triple H tried the same with the pedigree. Neither man could finish the other. Triple H was shot off into the corner buckle. When Orton charged, the Game moved and rolled up Orton for the win. Triple H was the new WWE Champion.
…but The Viper leaves with the Gold –
Triple H vs. Umaga
Hunter may have won the championship; however, his night was far from over. The Game still had to contend with Umaga.
The Samoan Bulldozer was his scheduled opponent, so Triple H agreed to defend the title. The Cerebral Assassin was ready for a fight. Umaga was known for his brutality. The Game was no stranger to that strategy either.
Triple H used his quickness to duck Umaga, sending the Samoan over the top rope to the floor. That only stunned the monster momentarily.
Triple H would hit Umaga with a Harley Race high knee but no effect. The Game went for the pedigree but was Samoan dropped instead.
It looked like Umaga was the next WWE Champion. Umaga went to work on the ribs of Triple H. He hit headbutt after headbutt to the Games sternum. You could see the pain on the Champion’s face with each blow.
Then, out of nowhere, Triple H caught Umaga with a thunderous pedigree. Triple H had defeated the Samoan Bulldozer Umaga. As he was walking up the ramp celebrating, you could see he was holding his ribs.
Triple H was still the Champion, but the match with Orton and Umaga took its toll. But the night was still not over.
The Night The Game became Champion, but The Viper leaves with the Gold –
Last Champion Standing
Triple H vs. Randy Orton
Randy Orton had been seething since the Game beat him for the title earlier in the night. He demanded a rematch tonight. Instead of John Cena in the last-man-standing match, it was Triple H vs. Randy Orton Last Man Standing for the WWE Championship.
The Champion was visibly injured; however, this is the same man that continued to wrestle with a torn quad. The Game was a fighter. Arguably, no one was bigger and better than Triple H.
If he was going down, he’s taking Orton with him. This was Triple H’s third match of the night. Orton was smart and zeroed in on Hunter’s ribs and lower back.
Orton suplexed Hunter on the barricade. Once back in the ring, Triple H fought back, but Orton was way more rested. He hit a reverse neckbreaker. Then Orton grabbed a microphone cord and began to choke the Game.
No rules, no problem for either superstar. The two fought to the announcer’s table. Orton grabbed a monitor and leveled Triple H in the head. As Hunter was being counted out, somehow, he got up before the ten count.
Orton attempted to RKO the Champion on a table but was shoved off last minute. Triple H was beginning to find his vicious side as he grabbed the ring steps and hit Orton with it.
The Game Became Unhinged
A thud reverberated through Allstate Arena as Orton lay unconscious. Despite that hit, Orton still made it to his feet before a ten ct. Triple H grabbed a chair, but Orton kicked him in the gut.
The Viper DDT d Hunter on the chair. Still, the Cerebral Assassin would not go down. Orton then hit Triple H with the RKO. Triple H still refused to die. The Game looked Orton dead in the eyes and gave him a DX crotch chop as a means of defiance.
Broken and bloody, Triple H found a new fire. He forced Orton back to the arena floor. However, Orton caught Triple H with a slingshot into the ring post.
As Orton went to finish Triple H with steel steps. The Game hit a low blow on the Viper. Orton came crashing down into the steps headfirst. Triple H grabbed a steel chair and smashed Orton’s head with it on the steps.
Triple H then went for a pedigree on the announcer’s table; out of nowhere, Orton delivered an RKO. The table did not break. Orton climbed back into the ring as the referee counted the ten count.
Somehow, the Game managed to crawl back toward the ring, but his body couldn’t take it anymore at the count of nine. Triple H collapsed. The referee counted to ten and declared Randy Orton the new WWE champion.
On this day, we remember the night The Game became Champion, but The Viper leaves with the Gold.
