ST. LOUIS — Ryback and WWE Champion John Cena threw everything they had at each other during Extreme Rules’ Last Man Standing Match.When the dust settled, it was clear both Superstars had hit the wall – figuratively and literally – and no man was left standing.
Who was the better competitor Sunday night? That remains a subject of debate. On the minds of the entire WWE Universe, meanwhile, is the wellbeing of the two match participants.
The bout was ruled a No Contest after 20-plus minutes of hard-hitting action culminated with a spectacular collision that not only brought the bout to an end, but also endangered the near-term careers of the WWE Champion and his top contender. While fighting on the entrance stage, Ryback bulldozed the Cenation leader through the entrance stage wall, sending sparks from broken light bulbs flying in the process.
Per the rules of the contest, which stipulated the winner must incapacitate his foe to the point of being unable to respond to a 10 count, official Charles Robinson had no choice but to rule the match over when neither The Champ nor Ryback could rise to his feet and break the count.
As WWE officials and medical personnel rushed to tend to the battered warriors, the WWE Universe inside Scottrade Center buzzed with excitement over the scene that transpired. Although it is too early to know the condition of either Superstar, Cena was removed from the scene on a stretcher, while Ryback left with assistance from officials. On the Extreme Rules Post-Show, cameras caught Cena removing his neck brace, getting off the gurney under his own power, and refusing further medical attention.
It was clear from the get-go that the Cenation leader was competing at less than full health. To even fight in the No-Disqualification, No-Count-out Match in the first place, The Champ courageously had to battle through a lingering Achilles tendon injury that would portend trouble in the most conventional of match types, let alone a Last Man Standing Match.
As it turns out, Ryback did not need to exploit Cena’s heavily taped ankle to gain an early upper hand. At the bout’s outset, the matchup looked wholly lopsided in the challenger’s favor.
Ryback plowed through Cena with his powerhouse offense. Although The Champ attempted his tried and true combinations, the effort seemed almost futile: Ryback brushed off Cena’s classic bulldog variation and ran through The Champ with a Lou Thesz press variant.
The top contender easily maneuvered the outsized Cenation leader. Screaming “easy” as he lifted Cena overhead in a gorilla press slam, Ryback demonstrated his power time and time again. He used a deadlift powerbomb on Cena, as well as a fallaway slam through a table. The latter impact kept the tenacious Cena down for a count of eight.
Ryback averted an Attitude Adjustment and connected with his “Meat hook” Clothesline, but a second attempt at his well-known lariat was reversed into an STF by the cagey WWE Champion. Cena appeared to knock Ryback unconscious, but the challenger made it to his feet at the count of nine.
Cena kept the momentum going when he countered a Shell Shocked into an Attitude Adjustment through a table — the second splintered table of the contest. Living up to his indestructible reputation, Ryback made it to his feet with one second left on the referee’s count.
As the action spilled into the WWE Universe, fans in the Scottrade Center got a close-up view of the heated battle. In fierce impact, Ryback slammed a piece of board against Cena’s skull. The Cenation leader joined his opponent in pulling out all the stops, later leaping out of the stands to splash Ryback through yet another table. The strategic Cena then got hold of a fire extinguisher, which he used to chase Ryback onto the stage. Two successive strikes with the fire extinguisher almost dropped Ryback for good.
Then, with Ryback positioned for an AA on the stage, fate took a turn for the worse, with Ryback spearing Cena directly into the set. EMTs were called for almost immediately as officials inspected the two warriors’ prone bodies.
The scary conclusion of the WWE Championship Match leaves in question the status of the WWE Championship scene and Ryback’s position as the top contender. As details emerge about the extent of any injuries suffered tonight, the WWE Universe is left to wonder just how the Cenation leader will recover from his first defense on pay-per-view of his 11th WWE Championship.
