In breaking news, Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis revealed exclusively to WWE.com the Superstars who will compete for the WWE Title in the Raw Elimination Chamber Match: WWE Champion CM Punk, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, R-Truth, The Miz and Kofi Kingston.
With all eyes on Punk’s title, the six competitors will brave the redoubtable dome live on pay-per-view Feb. 19.
For the uninitiated, the Elimination Chamber Match is a bout in which two participants begin in the ring and the remaining four are held within pods in each corner. These Superstars are released into the match at five-minute intervals, with the objective being to eliminate each opponent via pinfall or submission. The last Superstar standing is declared the winner.
Measuring 16 feet in height and 36 feet in diameter, the Elimination Chamber has been unleashed on the WWE Universe 13 times since its debut in 2002 at Survivor Series. Heading into this year’s event, the Raw match participants bring with them wildly varying levels of experience inside the structure.
WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler (Special Guest Referee John Laurinaitis)
At the 25th anniversary of the WWE Royal Rumble, CM Punk will defend his WWE Championship against Dolph Ziggler in a highly anticipated title bout. In addition to making the match, Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis declared he would be the special referee. For Punk, the Royal Rumble provides the opportunity not only to put the loudmouth challenger in his place, but also to remain under the skin of Mr. Laurinaitis. For Dolph Ziggler, the Rumble allows the WWE’s resident showoff the chance to turn words into actions and walk out of St. Louis with the WWE Championship.
After weeks of back-and-forth between the two Superstars that included the showoff challenger stating his intent to beat Punk and become a “real” champion, Punk and Ziggler will finally settle their score at the Rumble, further ensuring that the pay-per-view’s 25th year will be a memorable one.
Perhaps the most egregious affront to The Straight Edge Superstar’s well-being during the course of the past month came during the final Monday Night Raw of 2011. With the cards stacked squarely against him by Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis, The Second City Savior faced an uphill battle to make sure his hometown Chicago faithful left the arena happy. In the second of three title-free Gauntlet Matches scheduled by Laurinaitis, Punk faced Ziggler after defeating Jack Swagger just minutes earlier.
Tonight on Tribute to the Troops, WWE Champion CM Punk, John Cena & Big Show battle Miz, Alberto Del Rio & World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry. Tune in to USA at 9/8 CT.
WWE Championship Triple Threat TLC Match
WWE Champion CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio and The Miz will square off in a Triple Threat Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match with the WWE Title on the line. Only one man can leave a winner when the current and two former WWE Champions meet in the first-ever Triple Threat TLC Match for the WWE Championship at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, live on pay-per-view Sunday, Dec. 18.
Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis announced this high-octane match where the Superstars will use tables, ladders and chairs as weapons and as tools to reach the WWE Title, which will be suspended some 20 feet in the air over the ring. Dangerous, harrowing and thrilling, TLC matches push competitors to the limit physically and mentally as they battle at dizzying heights in their quest for squared circle immortality.
The Miz and Del Rio had to defeat two SmackDown Superstars – Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan, respectively – on Raw Supershow to earn their spots in the WWE TLC Match. While John Cena was named as another participant, he gave up his chance at the WWE Title to give his friend, Zack Ryder, an opportunity to earn a U.S. Title Match against Dolph Ziggler.
WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio vs. CM Punk
WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio will put his title on the line at Survivor Series against CM Punk. The Straight Edge Superstar is getting his rematch, and he’s hungry for retribution against the Mexican Superstar.
After Punk challenged Del Rio on Raw SuperShow, and pointed out that he pinned the champion as recently as one month ago, Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis said he’d give Punk his rematch if The Straight Edge Superstar told the WWE Universe he respected him. Punk did as Laurinaitis requested, but in a sarcastic manner, prompting the EVP of Talent Relations to say he’d need a week to decide who’d become No. 1 contender. The EVP of Talent Relations announced on WWE.com that The Voice of the Voiceless would have to beat one man if he wanted his rematch: World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry. The World’s Strongest Man won by disqualification when Ricardo Rodriguez interfered on Del Rio’s orders. Then Laurinaitis said The Straight Edge Superstar could get his rematch if Del Rio agreed to it. After the Mexican Superstar lost to Big Show, Punk put Del Rio in the Anaconda Vise until he agreed to face him at Survivor Series.
Defeat Mark Henry on Raw and Punk gets WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series
October 29, 2011
Careful what you wish for, CM Punk. After asking for a WWE Title Match against Alberto Del Rio on Monday night’s Raw Supershow, it appears the anti-establishment Superstar may finally get what he wants – but only if he can overcome The World’s Strongest Man.
The Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Interim General Manager of Raw, John Laurinaitis, issued a statement arranging a match on Monday night between Punk and World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry. Should Punk prevail, he will earn a WWE Title Match at Survivor Series against Alberto Del Rio. For Mr. Laurinaitis’ full statement, please see below:
"After giving this CM Punk situation serious consideration, I’ve reached a decision. In my deliberations as Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Interim General Manager of Raw, I concluded that although Punk is extremely talented, he has lost several matches recently. As a result, I’ve decided that he must prove he’s worthy of a WWE Title opportunity. This Monday night, Punk must compete against World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry. If Punk wins, he will face Alberto Del Rio for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series. I wish both men a good match."
Triple H & CM Punk vs. The Miz & R-Truth
The Miz and R-Truth are once again legally contracted WWE Superstars and will face off against WWE Chief Operating Officer Triple H – the man who fired them – and his partner CM Punk – the man who insulted The Game and his entire family.
We’ve always said anything can happen in WWE and this match proves it!
Ironically, The Second City Savior leaving with the WWE Championship at SummerSlam in July started a domino effect of anarchy that ultimately led to the WWE Board of Directors relieving Mr. McMahon of his day-to-day duties as WWE Chairman and appointing Triple H as Chief Operating Officer of WWE.
Punk was no easier for The Game to manage than he was for Mr. McMahon to manage. The war of words between CM Punk and Triple H escalated exponentially on a weekly basis. Their mutual animosity came to a head at Night of Champions when the COO traded in his suit and tie for his tights and boots to try and silence the self-proclaimed “Voice of The Voiceless” at Night of Champions.
WWE Championship Triple Threat Hell in a Cell Match
Over the course of his 10 reigns as WWE Champion, John Cena has come to learn many of the hardships that come with holding that coveted title, but The Champ has never dealt with anything quite like this. For the first time in the brutal history of the Hell in a Cell Match, three Superstars will enter the unforgiving steel structure for a dangerous Triple Threat bout — and Cena’s WWE Championship will be on the line.
Two weeks after defeating Alberto Del Rio to win the title at Night of Champions, Cena will once again lock up with the underhanded Mexican Aristocrat, but this time the controversial CM Punk will be a part of the mayhem.
CM Punk vs. Triple H
CM Punk’s fervent quest for answers will lead him to an intense confrontation with WWE’s Chief Operating Officer at Night of Champions, where The Straight Edge Superstar battles 13-time World Champion Triple H.
Competing in the ring for the first time since his cataclysmic encounter with The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVII in April, The King of Kings would have at one time admired Punk’s anti-authority attitude. However, trading in his D-Generation X gear for a sharply pressed suit and tie, the outlaw-turned-executive intends to silence the self-proclaimed “voice of the voiceless” after months of mouthing off.
Even though Punk’s Undisputed WWE Championship victory at The Biggest Event of the Summer was the result of some questionable officiating by The King of Kings himself, The Second City Savior nevertheless basked in the adulation of his screaming fans at the STAPLES Center after defeating fellow WWE Champion John Cena to become the sole bearer of the illustrious prize. Yet, the self-proclaimed “voice of the voiceless” was soon viciously silenced by The Game’s longtime friend Kevin Nash, who charged the ring and laid out Punk with his iconic Jackknife Powerbomb, a maneuver that has destroyed many a foe during the 7-foot former WWE Champion’s storied in-ring career.
John Cena vs. CM Punk – Undisputed WWE Championship Match
Having each earned the right to call themselves the WWE Champion, John Cena and a returning CM Punk will collide at SummerSlam in Los Angeles. There, these dynamic Superstars will determine who deserves the right to become the undisputed bearer of the WWE Title at The Biggest Event of the Summer.
For the first time since the title’s inception in 1963, two ring warriors are in possession of the WWE Championship, thanks to Punk’s shocking re-emergence on the July 25 edition of Monday Night Raw. Just moments after Cena had bested newly crowned WWE Champion Rey Mysterio that night to win the title for a ninth time (his eleventh World Title overall), a smirking Punk confidently strode down the entrance ramp to offer his own unique form of congratulations to The Champ – by confronting Cena and holding his own WWE Championship high above his head.
Aiming to provide some semblance of order to this complicated WWE Championship scenario, WWE’s Chief Operating Officer, Triple H, mandated the following week that both titleholders clash at SummerSlam, with the victor going down in the history books as the one, true WWE Champion.
