WWE Championship Tournament – 2011

Matches took place during Monday Night Raw in Green Bay, WI on July 18, 2011 and Hampton, VA on July 25, 2011.

– Quarter-Finals

– Mike Mizanin pinned Alex Riley with the Skull Crushing Finale at 5:00; the match could only end by pinfall or submission – R-Truth pinned Jack Swagger at 4:19 with a roll up reversal out of the ankle lock; the match could only end by pinfall or submission – Kofi Kingston pinned Alberto Del Rio at 6:08 with a roll up reversal as Del Rio attempted the armbreaker; prior to the bout, Del Rio came out to the ring in possession of the Money in the Bank briefcase, then saying he hoped John Cena would be fired for losing to CM Punk and that he would have won the title the previous night but Punk ran out of the arena; Del Rio then said the WWE needed a new leader and champion; after his promo, Ricardo Rodriguez walked out and introduced Del Rio from the entrance stage; the match could only end by pinfall or submission (Rodriguez’s surprise return after a month absence) – Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned WWE US Champion Dolph Ziggler (w/ Vickie Guerrero) in a non-title match at 4:57 with the 619 and splash off the top; the match could only end by pinfall or submission

– Semi-Finals

– Mike Mizanin pinned Kofi Kingston at 3:50 with the Skull Crushing Finale after causing Kingston to hit his head on the top turnbuckle; Miz bled from the mouth during the contest; the match could only end by pinfall or submission – Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned R-Truth at 12:51 with the 619 and splash off the top; the match could only end by pinfall or submission

– Finals

– Rey Mysterio Jr. fought Mike Mizanin to a no contest when, after Mysterio was introduced, Vince McMahon appeared and said he would postpone the championship match because the show was running short on time and he had an announcement to make; after Mysterio left the ring, McMahon said he could find a new John Cena as the crowd chanted “CM Punk;” during the segment, McMahon accidentally said “WWF” in regard to the title; Vince then said he makes decisions for the benefit of the company and his long-term planning would eventually make sense; Cena then came out and said he wouldn’t be Shawn Michaels, noting McMahon saddled burden after burden on Michaels’ back during his career, noting he wouldn’t want to be known as the guy who screwed Punk and then congratulated Punk on the win; Cena then responded to McMahon’s comments that he could make another big star, with Cena saying Vince had eight months to pick a new WrestleMania opponent for the Rock and that he would walk out with his head high; Cena then said he loved the WWE and believed he belonged there but that he would walk onto someone else’s TV show because he loved doing this “brother;” moments later, Triple H walked out in a suit and said he just came from a board of directors meeting and that he wanted to talk with Vince in private about it; after Vince said he wanted to discuss it there, Triple H said the board says Vince’s actions lately have been questionable and that they’ve filed an injunction against him with a vote of no confidence; he then said the family agrees and that he had been appointed to take over day-to-day operations of the company; Triple H then said Cena wouldn’t be fired but then, as Vince began to cry, fired Vince; Triple H then apologized, said he loved Vince, and left the ring as the crowd chanted “Thank you, Vince” 7/25/11
Hampton, VA
Coliseum
– Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Mike Mizanin at 13:18 with the 619 and splash off the top; during Miz’s entrance, the entire Raw roster was shown watching on backstage; the match could only end via pinfall or submission; after Mysterio’s win, the roster was again watching on backstage; after the contest, Miz briefly attacked Mysterio before Alberto Del Rio ran out to cash in his Money in the Bank title shot, with Mysterio hitting a plancha onto Del Rio on the floor; moments later, Del Rio took back the briefcase and opted not to vie for the title shot; after the commercial break, Mysterio was congratulated backstage by the likes of Zack Ryder, Curt Hawkins, Titus O’Neil, Alex Riley, Chris Masters, Tyler Reks, Santino Marella, Beth Phoenix, Naomi, Aksana, Gail Kim, and more before then approaching John Cena, who shook his hand; Josh Matthews then conducted an interview with Mysterio about his title win before several superstars doused Mysterio with champagne