Dolph Ziggler def. Matt Hardy
Despite his cocky attitude, Dolph Ziggler continues to impress his critics and this week was no different in his bout against in-ring veteran Matt Hardy. As always, Hardy’s “never say die” attitude didn’t make achieving victory easy for the Hollywood, Fla. native, but Ziggler was able to steal a victory. After a series of close calls for both ring warriors, the young Superstar surprisingly caught his veteran opponent off guard when he reversed the Twist of Fate into a backslide for the 1-2-3.

The Hurricane def. Zack Ryder by Disqualification
Although The Hurricane was declared the victor of his match, it wasn’t exactly heroic being that it was due to a disqualification. WWE’s caped crusader was in an epic battle against ECW’s rising Ryder, but an attack by a mysterious masked man cut the fight short leaving the referee no choice but to stop the match giving Hurricane the win. The real story is in who was the man that interfered. Could it be possible that WWE’s superhero now has a super villain arch nemesis?

The Legacy def. Evan Bourne & Primo
After attacking Kofi Kingston on Raw, The Legacy kept their momentum going with a huge win over “Air” Bourne & Primo on “WWE Superstars.” Despite their opponents impressive speed and agility, DiBiase & Rhodes stepped up their game and did what they needed to achieve success. In the end, it was the Cody hitting the Cross Rhodes on Primo for the pin and the win.

Future opponents banded as teammates Tuesday night on ECW on Syfy. While they’ll clash at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, ECW Champion Christian & Shelton Benjamin earned a victory over the argumentative Ezekiel Jackson & Vladimir Kozlov.

ECW Champion Christian & Shelton Benjamin def. Ezekiel Jackson & Vladimir Kozlov
ECW Champion Christian teamed with No. 1 contender Shelton Benjamin to take on Ezekiel Jackson & Vladimir Kozlov in tag action this week. The WWE TLC opponents put their differences aside for a night to get the colossal victory. Plus, The Gold Standard said he’d undoubtedly have Christian’s back against their Ruthless Roundtable opponents on ECW, because Benjamin wants Christian at 100 percent in two weeks at WWE TLC when they steal the show with their Ladder Match. Will Benjamin live up to his promise to win the ECW Championship by defeating Christian at WWE TLC? Or will Captain Charisma retain the ECW Title once again?

Meanwhile, the rift between Jackson and Kozlov grew bigger, as Jackson walked out on his partner during their match, allowing Benjamin to capitalize and hit Paydirt on Kozlov for the victory. Earlier, William Regal apologized to Jackson after seeing footage of last week’s ECW when Kozlov’s interference backfired, leading to Yoshi Tatsu’s win over The British Brawler, a loss Kozlov tried to blame on Jackson. Big Zeke also apologized to Regal for letting his temper getting the best of him, but he refused to apologize to Kozlov. Then, The Moscow Mauler interrupted, asking if Jackson would say he’s sorry, sparking another argument. Regal tried to be the voice of reason, insisting that The Ruthless Roundtable stay united to do achieve total domination of ECW. Unfortunately for the once unstoppable group, Jackson and Kozlov’s differences got in the way again, prompting their main event loss. Will these two be able to rekindle their friendship and partnership for the betterment of The Ruthless Roundtable?

Goldust def. William Regal (with Ezekiel Jackson and Vladimir Kozlov)
Goldust defeated William Regal when Jackson and Kozlov’s arguing at ringside was too much of a distraction for The British Brawler. The schoolboy rollup victory gave The Bizarre One retribution for last week’s “WWE Superstars” when Kozlov defeated Goldust and Regal capped off the victory with a Knee Trembler. What’s next for the new rivalry between Goldust and Regal’s Ruthless Roundtable? How will Jackson and Kozlov’s recent clash affect this once dominant trio?

Trent Barreta & Caylen Croft def. local competitors
ECW’s newest duo, Trent Barreta & Caylen Croft, made their Extreme premiere Tuesday night with an easy win over two local competitors, as Barreta got the pin. Arriving in the Land of the Extreme via ECW’s New Superstar Initiative, Barreta & Croft look poised to make an impact after a strong debut appearance this week. Plus, they’ve promised ECW General Manager Tiffany that they’re the tag team that’ll change the world! Who will step in the ring and face these two newcomers next?

“The Abraham Washington Show” with Zack Ryder and Rosa Mendes
ECW’s “it” couple, Zack Ryder and Rosa Mendes, were the special guests on this week’s edition of “The Abraham Washington Show.” The Long Island, N.Y., Superstar, and his lovely Diva entertained the critically-acclaimed talk show crowd when they read poems they wrote for each other. Ryder was so overcome by emotion, he began jumping on the couch, ala Tom Cruise on The Oprah Winfrey Show!

Ryder will meet The Hurricane on this week’s “WWE Superstars” Thursday night at 8/7 CT on WGN America. How will the lovestruck Ryder fare in the ring against ECW’s masked Superstar, who just came off the biggest win of his career after defeating Paul Burchill in a Mask vs. Career Match?

The Burchills’ plea
ECW General Manager Tiffany was visited by Paul and Katie Lea Burchill this week on ECW. The brother and sister were recently ousted from ECW on Syfy when Paul lost a critical Mask vs. Career Match to The Hurricane. The Burchills pleaded with Tiffany to allow them back on ECW, but the Diva refused to let them return to the Land of the Extreme. Will the Burchills ever see the Land of the Extreme again?

Savannah talks to Vance Archer
One of Tuesday night’s newest Superstars, Vance Archer, told backstage interviewer, Savannah, that although he’s destined to reach the top of ECW, he wants to savor each and every moment as he paints his “masterpiece of agony.” With another win last week, the intense Archer remains undefeated with a 4-0 record. Who will he set out to conquer next?

Big things, small packages. You know the saying. And never has it held more true than when diminutive Hollywood actor Verne Troyer dropped by as special guest host of Raw in the run-up to the WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view.

Triple H def. Unified Tag Team Champion Chris Jericho
Just before heading out to confront Chris Jericho, Triple H and Shawn Michaels were irked by Hornswoggle when the little guy reminded them that he hasn’t given up on the idea of taking legal action against the two for emotional distress.

Unified Tag Team Champion Chris Jericho is none too pleased. During his no count-outs, no disqualifications match against Triple H, the mouthy egomaniac enjoyed several opportunities to put away his opponent, but he simply could not overcome The Game. While that fact alone is enough to leave a welt, the sting becomes compounded by the realization that he must now face DX next week in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match, a match that Triple H insisted will be Jericho’s last on Raw once DX takes the gold away from Jeri-Show.

With Jericho staring down the barrel of a 2-on-1 situation against DX, the momentum clearly shifts to Triple H & Shawn Michaels as the two teams look toward their TLC Match at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.

Next week’s special guest host will be Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban
They say everything is bigger in Texas – even the controversy. To prove it, the ever-opinionated owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, will be honored as special guest host next week when Raw rolls into Dallas.

Mark Henry def. United States Champion The Miz in a Non-Title Match
Being The World’s Strongest Man doesn’t mean you have the world’s thickest skin. After The Miz questioned whether Mark Henry had any personality, the big guy’s feelings appeared bruised. Just to prove Miz wrong, Henry laid down a slammin’ rap with special guest host Verne Troyer. Then, after pumping up the crowd, Henry proceeded to beat down The Miz.

The World’s Strongest Man and the “Mini Me” actor then invited a bouquet of Divas out, and they all danced in the center of the ring to celebrate.

John Cena called out Sheamus
Having survived being blindsided by Sheamus the week prior, WWE Champion John Cena dared The Celtic Warrior to try and slam him through a table again. Rather than Sheamus, though, The Champ received Carlito in the ring.

The Boriqua brother admitted that were Cena to lose at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Carlito and, allegedly, a host of other Superstars would cheer at the tops of their lungs. Carlito described how he and others are tired of always seeing Cena’s name atop the marquee. Before Carlito could spit his trademark apple in The Champ’s face, though, Cena beat him down and sent him scurrying. That’s when Sheamus showed, but he only stared Cena down before leaving to fight another day.

Randy Orton def. Kofi Kingston
If you can’t beat ‘em … get two cronies to soften ‘em up first – call it The Orton Creed. Before Randy Orton’s match against Kofi Kingston, his Legacy henchmen, Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, each executed separate attacks on The Dreadlock Dynamo. Determined to carry on, Kofi insisted he felt up to the challenge of Orton. Despite a valiant effort, however, Kingston appeared too fazed by the previous strikes and fell to Orton, who continued to viciously assail his opponent long after the bell.

Special guest host Verne Troyer arranged United States Champion The Miz vs. Mark Henry
Leave it to The Miz to come up with a line that took all the creative energy of two hamsters on a treadmill. The United States Champion promised special guest host Verne Troyer that he would be nice to him and even give the actor, who stars in the upcoming fantasy adventure film The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, one million dollars! Get it? Like in Austin Powers? Ugh.

After Troyer mentally disarmed Miz, the self-proclaimed “Awesome One” was set to punt the little guy when Mark Henry decided to put the bully in his place. After more verbal vomit from Miz, Troyer finally decided to arrange a match pitting the United States Champion against The World’s Strongest Man. Yeeeaahhh, baby!

Sheamus pummeled Santino Marella
Sheamus doesn’t exactly come across as a lampshade-on-the-head type of guy. Which may explain why he became enraged at not being taken seriously last week just before he attacked WWE Champion John Cena during a contract signing for their Tables Match at WWE TLC. To emphasize the point, this week The Celtic Warrior challenged the only Superstar on the Raw roster he considers “a joke,” Santino Marella. Before the bout could even take place, though, Sheamus pummeled Santino, hurling him through a table and dismissively leaving him immobile.

Maryse & Jillian def. Divas Champion Melina & Gail Kim
After disguising herself as The Gobbledy Gooker last week and ambushing Melina from behind, Maryse was forced this week to face the Divas Champion head-on. The conceited Canadian teamed with Jillian in a clash against the lovely Latina & Gail Kim. Perhaps her time recovering from injury fueled Maryse since she actually managed to pin Melina without making any “poultry” excuses.

Jeri-Show and DX arranged Chris Jericho vs. Triple H for tonight
With less than two weeks until WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Unified Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho & Big Show presented their case against their rivals straight to the WWE Universe. The two rattled off a list of reasons they felt DX was unworthy of facing them in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match.

For their part, DX objected – strenuously. Triple H & Shawn Michaels stated that they’re eager to shut the mouths of their opponents once and for all. In fact, The Game challenged Jericho to a singles match, which the self-important Superstar grudgingly accepted. The four even figured out a way to raise the stakes. The match will involve no count-outs or disqualifications, and the loser must face the opposing team next week in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match.

With just more than two weeks until WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs – a revolutionary new pay-per-view concept promising unspeakable dangers and certain pain – the fury of Friday nights was in full force.

Unified Tag Team Champion Chris Jericho demands a golden opportunity
The self-proclaimed “best at what he does” strutted onto SmackDown, not only to assure victory against D-Generation X for himself and Big Show at WWE TLC, but also to insist that SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long place him in the No. 1 Contender’s Match for the World Heavyweight Championship. Instead, Long informed Jericho that he would face The Undertaker later in the evening in a non-title match.

Batista def. Kane in a No. 1 Contender’s Match for the World Heavyweight Championship by count-out
This week on Monday Night Raw, Batista walked away after Kane dared him to try and make “an example out of him” (Watch). But on Friday night, in a fierce clash of the titans to determine the No. 1 Contender for The Deadman’s gold at WWE TLC, the rabid Animal instead charged forward.

Although the combustible collision between the two intimidating Superstars exerted pure intensity from start to finish, it was a single act of treachery that brought about its explosive resolve. After being hurled over the barricade outside the ring, Batista used the obstructed view to hit The Big Red Machine in his injured knee with a steel chair, rendering his opponent unable to answer the 10-count and winning himself another chance at the World Champion’s title.

World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker def. Unified Tag Team Champion Chris Jericho by disqualification
The new No. 1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Championship, The Animal Batista, later invited himself to the broadcast table, silently taking stock as The Phenom battled Jericho in a high-octane main event. But just when it looked like The Demon of Death Valley was about to Tombstone his way to victory, The Animal attacked. After causing Jericho to lose by disqualification, Batista added to the first-ever Undisputed WWE Champion’s post-match Codebreaker on the war-torn Deadman with a vicious chair assault.

Intercontinental Champion John Morrison def. Eric Escobar in an Intercontinental Championship Match
As the official consultant to SmackDown, Vickie Guerrero pushed Teddy Long into giving her boyfriend Eric Escobar a title opportunity against The Friday Night Delight. But, as fast as Escobar got his foot in the door, The Shaman of Sexy slammed it shut again, defeating Escobar with Starship Pain.

The outraged Vickie Guerrero then terminated her relationship with Eric Escobar, screaming, slapping, and spitting her way back into the single scene; declaring in no uncertain terms that she was through with him. But, once in the back, Escobar launched his own barrage of insulting retorts onto the livid SmackDown consultant.

Matt Hardy def. CM Punk by disqualification
On his ongoing “crusade” to convert those in need to a straightedge lifestyle, The Second City Saint completely shocked the WWE Universe by reintroducing a reformed Luke Gallows, formerly Festus. He explained that he has gotten Gallows off the abusive drugs and away from the neglect that his family had enabled him with for so long.

After Punk proclaimed WWE Alumni Jeff Hardy’s soon to be released DVD “My Life My Rules,” a “dangerous, addictive new drug,” The Straightedge Superstar battled Jeff’s brother, Matt Hardy. But just when it looked as if Hardy would rise above the former World Champion, the vicious Gallows unleashed an unrelenting assault that left him motionless in the center of the ring.

The Hart Dynasty def. Cryme Tyme
The highly-skilled Hart Dynasty has been forged from greatness; trained in the famous Hart Dungeon; bred into a simply glorious squared circle tradition of the elite Hart and Smith families. And just four short days after an impressive outing against D-Generation X on Raw, David Hart Smith & Tyson Kidd once again lived up to it all. In a tremendous performance against the explosive Cryme Tyme – capped off by Hart Smith’s Saito Bomb on a distracted Shad – the pink and black warriors demonstrated the legendary tag team skills inherited from the likes of The Hart Foundation and The British Bulldogs.

After the shocking events of Survivor Series and this Monday’s Raw, the Land of the Extreme underwent some game changing moments of its own. In a night of unforgettable action, a new No. 1 Contender for the ECW Championship was crowned, a pay-per-view bout was announced and William Regal’s once indestructible Ruthless Roundtable began to show cracks in the armor.

Yoshi Tatsu def. William Regal
Viewing Yoshi Tatsu as his ticket back to the ECW Championship, William Regal was intently focused on winning tonight’s match. The British Brawler was so driven, he implored his cronies, Ezekiel Jackson & Vladimir Kozlov, to do whatever they could to insure his victory. Yet, a miscue from Kozlov allowed Tatsu to kick Regal in the head and win the match.

After his devastating loss, Regal chewed out his two monsters, blaming them for this setback. The Moscow Mauler then falsely accused Jackson of costing their kingpin the bout. This did not sit well with Big Zeke who proceeded to destroy Kozlov and Regal, sending a message that he was not happy with The Ruthless Roundtable.

“The Abraham Washington Show” with Matt Hardy
The self-proclaimed “most entertaining man in sports entertainment” Abraham Washington welcomed Matt Hardy to his show for some conversation on ECW on Syfy. While the not-so-charming host took every opportunity to offend his guest, Washington did reveal that Matt Hardy will be appearing on an episode of the popular show Scare Tactics next Tuesday on Syfy. After airing a clip from the program, the smug Washington claimed he wasn’t afraid of anything — then he was scared half to death by his jolly sidekick, Tony Atlas.

Vance Archer def. a local competitor
The imposing Vance Archer continued his impressive win streak on ECW on Syfy with another dominating victory over a local competitor. Using his brute strength to toss his much smaller opponent around, the 6-foot-8 Archer seemed to enjoy punishing his adversary before he put him away. Like him or not, this big man from Dallas, TX is making a serious impact in the Land of the Extreme.

ECW Champion Christian’s challenge
Moments after Shelton Benjamin became the new No. 1 Contender, ECW Champion Christian made his way to the ring and got right down to business. Stating that he was tired of the ECW Championship being overlooked on recent pay-per-views, Christian challenged Benjamin to a bout that would surely steal the show at WWE TLC — a Ladder Match. Agreeing that they were two of the greatest competitors in this dangerous contest, Benjamin accepted Christian’s challenge and vowed to take his title when they meet in three weeks.

Shelton Benjamin def. Zack Ryder
Shelton Benjamin had a lot riding on this match with Zack Ryder. Not only was The Gold Standard looking for retribution after his loss to Ryder on last Thursday’s “WWE Superstars,” but ECW General Manager Tiffany had made it clear that Benjamin would become the No. 1 Contender for the ECW Championship if he won this bout. Rising to the occasion, Benjamin pulled out all the stops, using his preternatural athletic abilities to take down his rival. Despite the involvement of Ryder’s lady friend, Rosa Mendes, Shelton was able to hit Pay Dirt on the Long Island loudmouth, winning both the match and the No. 1 Contender spot.

In a city famous for all things chocolate, special guest host, Gov. Jesse Ventura, brought to Raw an appropriate revolutionary new concept: Sweet for some, bitter for others and a little messy when things got too hot to handle.

WWE Champion John Cena and Sheamus signed title match contract; Sheamus attacked Cena
Gov. Jesse Ventura has never been afraid to speak his mind. So, at the conclusion of the contract signing between WWE Champion John Cena and his opponent at the WWE TLC pay-per-view, Sheamus, Ventura admitted that he thought there was a conspiracy at WWE. As the host of Conspiracy Theory, a truTV program that has Ventura hunting for answers to determine the validity of various theories, the WWE Hall of Famer told The Champ that he feels there’s a conspiracy by WWE officials to maintain Cena as the face of the company.

While Ventura went on to say that he hopes Sheamus defeats Cena, The Celtic Warrior attacked the WWE Champion from behind and slammed him through a table. It was then that Ventura declared that the WWE Championship Match at WWE TLC will officially be a Tables Match.

Raw’s special guest host next week will be Verne Troyer
Next week’s Raw promises to be huge, even if the show’s special guest host packs all his manic energy into a less-than-giant frame. Austin Powers alum Verne Troyer will stroll into Baltimore, Md., to take control and show the WWE Universe that big things come in small packages.

Sheamus def. Kofi Kingston, Randy Orton, MVP, Mark Henry, R-Truth, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase
With each having earned their spot in the first-ever Breakthrough Battle Royal, Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Randy Orton, MVP, Mark Henry, R-Truth, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase each appeared focused on what could prove to many to be the opportunity of their careers. Whichever Superstar emerged victorious would compete in either a WWE or World Heavyweight Championship Match.

As special guest host, Gov. Jesse Ventura, alongside Mr. McMahon, announced the bout, the action inside the ring tumbled along at a frenetic pace. While alliances were utilized, they were also tested. Two Superstars that have showcased an unusually high level of rancor, Kofi and Orton, were at each other’s throats almost immediately. Before the end of the match, though, The Dreadlock Dynamo would get the best of The Viper, sending him over the top rope and out of the competition. Kofi had little time to celebrate, however, since, by the end, it was The Celtic Warrior, Sheamus, who would emerge from the pack of hungry Superstars to become the No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship.

Legacy def. Cryme Tyme
Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase have always been eager to please. And with their Legacy ring leader, Randy Orton, in the Breakthrough Battle Royal, you can just bet that The Viper loudly emphasized the need to have his henchmen in the ring with him. Well, Randy, mission accomplished. The Legacy duo beat back the challenge of Cryme Tyme to qualify themselves for the night’s main event.

Kane confronted Batista
After “embarrassing” his former best friend, Rey Mysterio, at Survivor Series, Batista informed the WWE Universe that he will stop at nothing to get his hands on The Undertaker’s World Heavyweight Championship. Not so fast. The Deadman’s brother, Kane, then entered the ring and confronted The Animal, begging that Batista try to crush him like he did Rey the night before. The Animal, however, would not take the bait and left the ring.

DX def. The Hart Dynasty; Unified Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho & Big Show will defend their titles against DX at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs
Despite practically trying to dismantle one another at Survivor Series in a Triple Threat WWE Title Match, Triple H and Shawn Michaels reestablished their bond, understanding their actions the night before were in the heat of competition. Once they put bygones behind them, they quickly found their groove while facing off against The Hart Dynasty. While Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith looked to be in top shape and gave the DX duo a bit of a scare, the veterans pulled out the victory.

Afterward, Chris Jericho paid the two a visit to discuss he and Big Show defending their Unified Tag Team Titles against the challenge of DX at the upcoming pay-per-view, WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs. After listening to Jericho condescend for a while, DX happily informed the self-important Superstar that their bout will be a TLC Match!

Divas Champion Melina, Mickie James & Kelly Kelly def. Women’s Champion Michelle McCool, Layla & Jillian
Forget everything you learned about Thanksgiving in elementary school. On Raw, the Pilgrims and Native Americans didn’t sit down to a fall feast. Instead, they dressed in sexy outfits and tried to tear each other apart in a Thanksgiving Mayflower Melee Match. Clad in Native American apparel, Divas Champion Melina, Mickie James & Kelly Kelly fought Women’s Champion Michelle McCool, Layla & Jillian. To complete the Thanksgiving theme, the Goobledy Gooker even served as timekeeper.

Once the match got underway, Team Native American was able to best Team Pilgrim when Melina managed to pin Jillian. Always eager to speak with Divas, Jerry “The King” Lawler entered the ring for an interview with the beautiful Latina. And that’s when things took a turn for the weird. The Gobbledy Gooker attacked the Divas Champion from behind. Moments later, it was revealed that the turkey costume was actually stuffed with Maryse!

Primo attacked by The Viper; Randy Orton def. Evan Bourne
Like a spoiled child, Randy Orton simply won’t take “no” for an answer. In a desperate attempt to qualify for the Breakthrough Battle Royal, The Viper attacked Primo as the Boriqua brawler made his way to the ring for his qualifying match against Evan Bourne.

As a result, Primo was unable to compete. After consent by special guest host Gov. Jesse Ventura, it was Orton who battled Bourne. Unfortunately for the aerial artist, The Viper proved too much to handle as he slithered into a qualifying position.

DX being sued by Hornswoggle
Just as Triple H and Shawn Michaels were reciting a list of things for which they’re grateful, the two were interrupted by a lawyer representing Hornswoggle. The attorney informed DX that, after last week’s Pedigree on Hornswoggle, the leprechaun is suing the duo for intentional infliction of emotional distress and will see them in “little people’s court” next week.

Mark Henry, MVP & R-Truth def. Jack Swagger, Chris Masters & Chavo Guerrero
As proof that a WWE ring possesses the capacity to support massive amounts of gross tonnage, Mark Henry, MVP & R-Truth climbed into the squared circle to face Jack Swagger, Chris Masters & Chavo Guerrero in a Six-Man Tag Team Match. The contest would determine which three individuals from the winning squad qualify for tonight’s Breakthrough Battle Royal. In the end, R-Truth showed the WWE Universe “what’s up” by pinning The Masterpiece, Chris Masters.

Jesse Ventura and Mr. McMahon to return to announce table
Being Raw’s special guest host has its privileges. As such, Gov. Jesse Ventura welcomed himself into Mr. McMahon’s office to deliver a message: He’s getting the band back together! Well, actually, just the announce team of Ventura & McMahon, which would reunite to call the Breakthrough Battle Royal. The camera time should benefit the charismatic host of truTV’s Conspiracy Theory, which debuts Dec. 2 at 10 p.m.

WWE Champion John Cena def. CM Punk
Raw’s special guest host, Gov. Jesse Ventura, expressed his desire to break free from convention – and tonight he succeeded. He arranged a non-title match between WWE Champion John Cena and a SmackDown Superstar, CM Punk. The preachy pugilist, Punk dropped by Raw just one night after falling shy of clinching victory for Randy Orton and his team at Survivor Series. The Champ, on the other hand, was fresh off a successful title defense against Triple H and Shawn Michaels at the colossal pay-per-view.

The momentum proved too much for Punk to overcome as Cena dug in his heels and managed to triumph over his opponent’s high-energy attack.

Sheamus def. Finlay
The power and peril of Sheamus continues unabated. After channeling his considerable rage at the WWE timekeeper and Jerry “The King” Lawler during the prior Raw, The Celtic Warrior punished fellow Irishman Finlay at Survivor Series, kicking him in the head before pinning him. Tonight, the troubles persisted. Finlay once again found himself on the losing end as Sheamus defeated him and qualified for the Breakthrough Battle Royal.

Kofi Kingston def. Dolph Ziggler
Fresh off his pounding of Randy Orton a week ago and his team captain victory the night before at Survivor Series, Kofi Kingston faced off against Dolph Ziggler in the first-ever Breakthrough Battle Royal Qualifying Match. The wind clearly at Kofi’s back, The Dreadlock Dynamo hit some rough waters but eventually sailed past Ziggler to become the first Superstar to qualify for tonight’s contest.

Special guest host Gov. Jesse Ventura announced Breakthrough Battle Royal
Whether as a WWE Hall of Famer, the Governor of Minnesota or the host of truTV’s upcoming Conspiracy Theory, Jesse Ventura has always proven himself an iconoclast, a man predictable only in his unpredictability.

Ventura hewed close to form when he dropped by Raw to serve as special guest host. Confronted by Randy Orton demanding a WWE Title Match, Ventura informed The Viper that neither he nor anyone who has possessed the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship would be granted title opportunities.

In fact, Ventura devised the first ever Breakthrough Battle Royal, in which a series of bouts would be held between members of Raw and SmackDown who never held a World Title. The winners of these bouts will then participate in the Breakthrough Battle Royal with the winner earning a either a WWE or World Heavyweight Championship Match.