Randy Orton def. Alberto del Rio
ATLANTA — There can only be one Apex Predator in
WWE, and when the smoke cleared at Hell in a Cell, it was Randy Orton
who sat atop the food chain after defeating Alberto Del Rio in a hotly
anticipated grudge match that brought out the darkest and most vicious
tendencies of both Superstars. (PHOTOS)
Del
Rio had made much of his supposed supplanting of Orton atop the WWE
food chain, mocking The Viper’s signature poses and referring to him as a
“garden snake” en route to their showdown at Hell in a Cell. Orton had
not seemed his typical, predatory self either as Hell in a Cell
approached, suffering a loss to the resurgent Wade Barrett and coming up
short when The Mexican Aristocrat sprung sneak attacks on the
unsuspecting nine-time World Champion. For all of Del Rio’s history of
bluster, it seemed like The Essence of Excellence did, in fact, have
Randy Orton’s number.
Of course, appearances can be deceiving.
Orton
was anything but de-fanged at Hell in a Cell, unleashing a venomous
onslaught on Del Rio that, despite his best efforts, the opulent
one-percenter was unable to withstand. Orton opened the match with just
such an attack, hitting Del Rio with knees to the stomach and wasting no
time taking the fight to the outside, smashing Del Rio’s face against
the announce table and turnbuckle in a matter of seconds.
With
an assist from Ricardo Rodriguez, however, Del Rio was able to revert
to his time-honored game plan of targeting his opponent’s arm. In an
attempt to soften The Viper up for the Cross Armbreaker, Del Rio strung
Orton up in the ropes before applying a hanging, inverted version of the
hold that left Orton writhing in pain on the mat.
As Del Rio’s
assault continued, Orton attempted to reverse The Mexican Aristocrat’s
momentum with a roll-up attempt, but Del Rio kicked out and went right
back to work, wrenching Orton into a second, inverted version of the
Cross Armbreaker. Del Rio’s insistence on using the entire five-count
came back to haunt him, though, when Orton wriggled free and dropped Del
Rio on the edge of the apron, gaining his momentum back and escaping
from the Cross Armbreaker again before setting up for the hanging DDT.
Del
Rio managed to escape, though, and ultimately took his mockery one step
too far when he mimicked Orton’s signature taunt and attempted to
execute an RKO on The Viper. Orton, however, would not be denied. The
former World Champion, slightly hindered by Del Rio’s attacks to his
arm, swung The Essence of Excellence into the hanging DDT, connecting
this time and setting up a brutal barrage that seemed to turn the tide
of the match in his favor … but Del Rio had one final, wicked trick up
his sleeve.
While Orton set up for a top rope suplex, The Mexican
Aristocrat tripped Orton and trapped his legs in the ropes, stomping on
the chest of the inverted third-generation Superstar and covering him
for a two-count. With his sternum and his arm compromised, Orton seemed
down for the count when The Essence of Excellence applied the Cross
Armbreaker yet again. But The Viper, showing his heart, writhed his way
out of the hold and slithered back to the turnbuckle, where Del Rio went
for his patented enzuigiri … and then, finally, The Viper struck,
dodging the kick and catching Del Rio in a midair RKO, felling Del Rio
and leaving him no delusions as to who exactly he’d been mocking,
belittling and baiting all along:
His name is Randy Orton. And he is still The Apex Predator.
