Night of Champions (2011)
Night of Champions was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by WWE. It took place on September 18, 2011 at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. It was the fifth annual Night of Champions event, and the first WWE PPV event to be held following the dissolution of the original brand extension.
Eight matches took place at the event, seven of which were broadcast live on pay-per-view. The event featured multiple main events, with Triple H defeating CM Punk, John Cena defeating Alberto Del Rio for the WWE Championship, and Mark Henry defeating Randy Orton for the World Heavyweight Championship.
The event garnered 161,000 buys, down from 165,000 buys the previous year.
Storylines
Night of Champions featured professional wrestling matches involving different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots, and storylines that played out on WWE's television programs. Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.The main rivalry involved the former champion CM Punk and the Chief Operating Officer of WWE Triple H in a No Disqualification match. After Punk became the WWE Champion at SummerSlam 2011, he was attacked by Kevin Nash. Kevin Nash had stated that Triple H had sent him a message telling him to take out the winner regardless of who it was, which gave Alberto Del Rio ample time to cash in his Money in the Bank contract and become WWE Champion. A vindictive CM Punk would take his aggression out on Nash, Triple H, and his wife Stephanie McMahon through constant verbal insults, especially to Triple H whom Punk believed to have instigated Nash's attack. On the August 29 episode of Raw, Punk and Nash were scheduled to be in a match at Night of Champions, but at the end of the show, Triple H had the match changed to feature CM Punk against himself. The following week on Raw, Triple H, after discovering that it was Nash that used his cell phone to make the text, fired him and changed the stipulation to be no disqualification. Punk in turn added his own stipulation that if Triple H lost to Punk, Triple H would have to resign as the COO of WWE.
Another rivalry involved the WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio defending his title against former champion John Cena. The previous month at SummerSlam, Cena had lost to CM Punk, who also had a claim to the WWE Championship. After the match, Money in the Bank winner Alberto Del Rio cashed in his contract after Punk was assaulted by Kevin Nash and won the WWE Championship. On the August 22 episode of Raw, Punk and Cena faced each other to determine Del Rio's opponent, with Cena winning and gaining the right to a rematch after some interference from Nash.
Event
Preliminary matches
The first match was Air Boom defending the WWE Tag Team Championship against Awesome Truth. At the end of the match, the referee did not see the tag between Miz and Truth and while the referee was arguing with Truth, Miz executed a Skull Crushing Finale on Bourne for the pin, but the referee was fighting with Truth and Bourne kicked out before the referee was able to count. A frustrated Miz shoved the referee down causing a disqualification. Truth helped the referee up and then shoved him to the ground.Next, Cody Rhodes defended the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Ted DiBiase. At the end of the match, DiBiase removed Rhodes' facial mask off of him. When DiBiase tried to hit Rhodes with it, Cody pinned Dibiase with a roll up whilst holding his tights for the victory.
After that, Dolph Ziggler defended the WWE United States Championship against Jack Swagger, Alex Riley and John Morrison in a Fatal Four-way match. Swagger nailed Morrison with a Gutwrench Powerbomb, but Ziggler threw Swagger out of the ring and covered Morrison to retain the title.
In the fourth match, Randy Orton defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Mark Henry. During the match, Henry targeted Orton's knee. Orton tried to execute two RKOs, but Henry shoved Orton away. After shoving him out of the way for the second RKO, Henry executed a World's Strongest Slam on Orton and pinned him and won the match and the title.
In the fifth match, Kelly Kelly defended the WWE Divas Championship against Beth Phoenix. Towards the end of the match, Phoenix superplexed Kelly. Kelly recovered and rolled Phoenix up for the win.
Next, John Cena challenged Alberto Del Rio for the WWE Championship. During the match, Del Rio applied the Cross Armbreaker, but Cena powered out of it. Ricardo Rodriguez tried to interfere, but Cena knocked him off the apron. At the end of the match, Cena executed an AA on Del Rio and applied the STF on Del Rio. Del Rio submitted, resulting in Cena winning his tenth WWE Championship.
Main event
In the final match of the night, Triple H put his job as COO of the WWE on the line against CM Punk in a No Disqualification match. Punk attacked Triple H during Triple H's entrance to start the match. The match spilled on the outside as the momentum kept shifting between the two competitors, and Triple H targeted Punk's legs. Back in the ring they kept trading shots and matched each other move for move. The action spilled outside again and both of them fought in the crowd and through the arena, with Punk throwing garbage cans at Triple H. Near the entrance ramp they both used the set display to attack one another, and Punk used aerial maneuvers and kicks to attack Hunter. Back in the ring CM Punk repeatedly used a steel chair to knock down Triple H and taunt him with his own crotch-chop. Triple H countered with a swift Spinebuster, and as they both fought outside Triple H went for the legs again using the ring post to inflict damage and nailing Punk with a chair himself and taunting him with a crotch-chop of his own. As Triple H went for a Figure-Four Leg Lock on the outside Punk kicked him into the steel steps. Punk then nailed the COO with a roundhouse kick and set him up on the announce table, following which he performed an elbow drop on Triple H from the top turnbuckle, driving him through the table. As they went back in the ring, The Miz and R-Truth came to the ring and attacked both competitors, nailing Triple H with a Skull Crushing Finale and CM Punk with a What's Up. They placed Punk on Triple H but to their shock Triple H kicked out at two. They then started attacking the referee. Punk and Triple H then attacked Miz and Truth as John Laurinaitis came down ringside trying to restore order. Triple H nailed Punk with a Pedigree, but as he covered him Laurinaitis diverted the attention of the referee towards the other referee knocked out by Miz and Truth preventing him from making the pinfall. Punk recovered and knocked out Triple H with a G.T.S.. But as he covered him going for the pin, R-Truth once again attacked him breaking up the fall at two. Punk had had enough and knocked Truth out with a crushing Go To Sleep outside the ring. He then attempted an aerial attack on Triple H, jumping from the top rope, but Triple H countered with a kick to the abdomen, and nailed a devastating second Pedigree. Triple H covered him but to everyone's shock the resilient Punk still kicked out at two. Laurinaitis was seen texting someone from ringside, and as Punk and Triple H continued to fight, Kevin Nash came to the ring from the crowd and attacked them both. He then tried to nail Triple H with a Jacknife Powerbomb but Punk prevented the attack on his competitor. In retaliation, Nash attacked Punk and laid him out with a thunderous Jacknife Powerbomb. He then turned his attention to Triple H, but before he could do any damage, Triple H hit Nash with a sledgehammer outside the ring. He then reentered the ring and executed a devastating third Pedigree and pinned Punk to win the match and retain his job as COO.Aftermath
The following night on Raw, Triple H announced the first ever Triple Threat Hell in a Cell match for the WWE Championship with John Cena defending the title against Alberto Del Rio, who was granted his rematch clause after losing the title at Night of Champions and CM Punk, who never got his rematch. Del Rio won the match after pinning Punk after hitting him with a lead pipe and locking Cena out of the cell. The Miz and R-Truth attacked the three after the match. A few weeks later, Triple H fired Miz and Truth. John Laurinaitis rehired Miz and Truth and Miz and Truth defeated the team of Triple H and CM Punk at Vengeance after interference by Kevin Nash.Mark Henry attacked Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler the next night because of Ross and Lawler never believing that he could become World champion. SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long announced later that night that Henry would defend the title against Orton in a Hell in a Cell match. Henry would retain the title. Big Show returned from injury to challenge Henry for the title at Vengeance, where the match ended in a no contest after the ring broke, and at Survivor Series when Henry would get himself disqualified. Henry lost the title to Show in a Chairs match at.
After Sheamus Brogue Kicked Christian at the pay-per-view. They fought at Hell in a Cell and Vengeance with Sheamus winning both matches.
Beth Phoenix was able to defeat Kelly Kelly at Hell in a Cell to become the Divas champion.