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WWE Champion CM Punk interrupted General Manager John Laurinaitis

HERSHEY, Pa. – With just two days before the epic Fatal 4-Way World Title showdown at WWE Over the Limit, a match between World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus and Randy Orton – scheduled by Executive Administrator Eve via Twitter on Monday – became SmackDown’s explosive main event. While The Great White would reign supreme in the monumental battle, The Viper may very well have set himself up to win the war.

On the May 14 episode of Raw SuperShow, the WWE Board of Directors handed down a surprising series of mandates to the permanent General Manager of Raw and SmackDown, John Laurinaitis: His match against John Cena at WWE Over the Limit would be one-on-one, if anyone helped him, they would be terminated and if “Big Johnny” lost, he would also be terminated!

As a result, the WWE Universe got to see a whole different side of the GM at the start of Friday night’s SmackDown. A humbled “Mr. Excitement” claimed that, because of the Board’s ruling, his looming battle against the 10-time WWE Champion was like “leading a lamb to slaughter.” He went on to ask the WWE Universe to pray for him in his “lopsided” match.

CM Punk interrupted Laurinaitis’ prayer with a smile on his face, informing the despondent head honcho that the WWE Universe will be “partying in the streets” after he loses Sunday and that he’d personally wish the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations “best of luck in his future endeavors!”

Reminding The Second City Saint that he’s still in charge, Laurinaitis scheduled a match between Punk and the monstrous Kane for later in the show. Then, in a shocking display of fury, the GM blamed the WWE Universe for the actions of Superstars like Punk and Cena, insisting that they all “go to hell!”

In a match ordered by General Manager John Laurinaitis at the opening of SmackDown, CM Punk took on the ruthless Devil’s Favorite Demon Kane – with Daniel Bryan joining the SmackDown announce team to scout out his WWE Over the Limit adversary.

In a completely brutal back-and-forth onslaught that saw The Big Red Monster punish Punk’s ribs throughout, the resilient Straight Edge Superstar fought back with unyielding determination – using his “educated feet” to strike at the heart of his horrific foe.

When the action spilled outside the ring, however, the “observing” Bryan picked up a steel chair. But instead of striking the champion, the crafty Superstar smashed Kane across the back, assuring that Punk would lose by disqualification before hightailing it up the ramp.

Recovering in time to see Punk holding the chair in question, Kane used the weapon to unleash an onslaught of absolute mayhem on The Second City Saint, capped off by two earth-shattering chokeslams.

Will the beating Punk endured give Bryan the advantage heading into his WWE Title Match this Sunday?

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WWE Champion CM Punk & Sheamus def. World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan & The Miz

NEWARK, N.J.– As The Road to WrestleMania raged on, WWE Champion CM Punk and Sheamus joined forces against World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan & The Miz. Also, Big Show locked horns with Kane while Team Teddy continued to battle Team Johnny for an advantage heading to The Showcase of the Immortals.

The Second City Saint journeyed to Friday nights, just nine days before he will put his WWE Title on the line against Chris Jericho in what has become an extremely personal WrestleMania showdown. Together with Sheamus, he would battle World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan – whom The Celtic Warrior will challenge at The Show of Shows and The Miz – who has been completely unsuccessful at getting a match on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Just when Bryan looked be in trouble with The Great White in the fierce tag team main event, the calculating champion quickly tagged himself out, leaving Miz to fend for himself as he took off up the ramp with AJ and his title following close behind him. Sheamus finished off his remaining opponent with the Brogue Kick.

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The Match between WWE Champion CM Punk and World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan ended in a Double Pin

When Sheamus involvement in the main event between CM Punk and Daniel Bryan caused The WWE to lose, Interim Raw GM John Laurinaitis came to the ring and restarted the match!

Moments later, when Bryan used the ropes to win, SmackDown GM Theodore Long started it again!

Then, with both determined General Managers at ringside, the explosive match ended with both Superstars pinning each other at the same time.

As a result, SuperSmackDown went off the air in absolute controversy, with Laurinaitis holding Bryan’s hand in the air and Teddy holding Punk’s.

Related Links:
WWE.com Super Smackdown! Preview” CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan in a Champion vs Champion match

The official website of the BMO Harris Bank Center is advertising CM Punk as a special guest for the WWE SuperSmackDown Live special that will air on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 on Syfy.

Source: wrestlinginc.com

WWE.com has posted two new features: Bring it Back! SmackDown’s Fist Set and Top 25: Stunning Royal Rumble Match Statistics. Digitals of Punk are included in each feature; these have been added to the gallery.

Related Links:
Digitals > Other > A fistful of classic Smackdown set photos
Digitals > Other > Top 25: Stunning Royal Rumble Match Statistics

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GM Theodore Long made a Christian vs. CM Punk main event

While Christian was trying to convince Teddy Long to give him “one more match” for the World Heavyweight Championship, Raw’s CM Punk and his Pipebomb Microphone decided to join the conversation – igniting a war of words between the two Superstars. After openly bashing Raw’s Interm Raw GM John Laurinaitis, The Second City Saint – backed by an approving WWE Universe – suggested he and Christian battle it out. Teddy Long concurred, making the match official for the main event.

CM Punk def. Christian

As CM Punk looked ready to put Christian away with the GTS, WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio suddenly emerged – distracting The Second City Saint long enough for his crafty opponent to regain the advantage.

The disruption from The Mexican Aristocrat did not stop there. Later in the match– as his personal ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez jumped up on the ring apron to take the referee’s attention – Del Rio pushed Punk off the top rope. Christian seized the moment, poised to hit the spear on his war-torn foe. However, before he could, Sheamus charged to the ring to even the odds.

Although The Celtic Warrior did not enter the ring or physically interfere with the bout, his presence caused Christian to take his eye off the ball, giving Punk the opening he needed to finish him with the GTS.

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Randy Orton won a 41-Man No. 1 Contender’s Battle Royal

The night started with major news. With new Interim Raw GM John Laurinaitis at his side, Teddy Long announced the first match of the night would feature 41 Superstars in the largest Battle Royal in WWE history. Laurinaitis then revealed the winner would earn a title match against the champion of his choosing.

During the mayhem, powerhouses like Mason Ryan and Sheamus eliminated multiple Superstars. With bodies flying, a Brogue Kick from The Celtic Warrior sent The Miz careening from the ring. But since Miz didn’t go over the top rope, he was still in contention. In contrast, even though Christian was eliminated, in a devious move, he reentered the ring and took Sheamus out of the hunt.

As the field thinned down to the final two combatants, Miz found himself battling Randy Orton tooth-and-nail for the championship opportunity. With both Superstars tangling with each other on the ring apron, The Viper downed Miz with an RKO. In a wild finish, the momentum from the RKO carried both Superstars to the arena floor. But since Miz’s feet hit just before Orton’s, the victory went to The Viper.

Battle Royal Elimination Order: 1. Cody Rhodes, 2. Johnny Curtis, 3. JTG, 4. Michael McGillicutty, 5. Derrick Bateman, 6. Yoshi Tatsu, 7. Titus O’Neil, 8. Matt Striker, 9. William Regal, 10. Percy Watson, 11. John Morrison, 12. Dolph Ziggler, 13. Trent Baretta, 14. Jey Uso, 15. Ted DiBiase, 16. Tyson Kidd, 17. Daniel Bryan, 18. Tyler Reks, 19. Curt Hawkins, 20. Drew McIntrye, 21. Justin Gabriel, 22. Mason Ryan, 23. Primo, 24. Santino Marella, 25. Alex Riley, 26. Kofi Kingston, 27. Zack Ryder, 28. David Otunga, 29. Jimmy Uso, 30. Ezekiel Jackson, 31. Heath Slater, 32. Sin Cara (Negro), 33. Christian, 34. R-Truth , 35. CM Punk, 36. Sheamus, 37. Wade Barrett, 38. Jack Swagger, 39. Jinder Mahal, 40. The Miz