DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

Randy Orton def. Dolph Ziggler; Mark Henry and Sin Cara drafted to SmackDown
With a drastic change in appearance, Dolph Ziggler may be new, but he’s not improved. Not enough, anyway. As his business associate, Vickie Guerrero, looked on, Ziggler lost his match to recent SmackDown draftee Randy Orton. The Viper’s victory earned the blue brand two new draft picks: Mark Henry and Sin Cara. After the bout, Orton’s Extreme Rules opponent, CM Punk, grabbed the spotlight and goaded WWE’s Apex Predator before their Last Man Standing Match.

Team Raw def. Team SmackDown in a Six-Man Tag Match; John Cena drafted to Raw
The tectonic plates of WWE have shifted in dramatic fashion. Freshly drafted Superstar Alberto Del Rio joined WWE Champion The Miz & CM Punk to form Team Raw. The three would go on to collide with Team SmackDown, comprised of Christian and SmackDown’s newest roster recruits Mark Henry & John Cena. The two squads would compete for the chance at one more draftee. Dogged and determined, it would be the rebels in red who would triumph – thanks in large part to a mutinous Henry, who attacked his fellow boys in blue. The WWE Champion celebrated as he leveled one of his two Extreme Rules opponents, Cena, with a Skull Crushing Finale to capture the win for his squad.

I’ve added the remaining digitals from the European tour that were posted on the WWE website. Click on any image to visit the album.

Here are the digitals from Dublin from the WWE website. Click on any image to visit the album.

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

Who knew The Viper could play possum so well? As tensions continue to mount between Randy Orton and CM Punk, the two met head on in the night’s explosive main event. Fierce competitors, The Viper and The Second City Savior traded blows as well as momentum throughout the bout. In the end, Orton turned the tables on his preachy opponent and capitalized for the win. Unfortunately for Orton, The New Nexus crashed the victory party.

Punk’s New Nexus disciples surrounded the ring and closed ranks around their prey. After pummeling Orton and leaving him seemingly unconscious on the canvas, The New Nexus cleared a path for Mason Ryan to deliver the final nail in the coffin. The Second City Savior waved him off, though, intent on punishing Orton himself. As he steamed toward the lifeless body, however, WWE’s Apex Predator snapped to life. He leveled Punk with a shocking RKO before slithering from the ring and leaving The New Nexus stunned and scrambling for answers.

Here are the digitals from Birmingham, England from the WWE website. Click on any image to visit the album.

Here are the digitals from Belfast, Northern Ireland from the WWE website. Click on any image to visit the album.

CM Punk is currently on a tour of Europe with WWE. I’ve just added some digitals from Glasgow, Scotland from the WWE website.

Digital Pictures — Screen Captures

Their respective matches at WrestleMania were intense and astounding in their outcomes. Randy Orton staggered the 71,617 attendees when he overcame CM Punk with a mid-air RKO. For his part, Cody Rhodes shocked the crowd when he wielded Rey Mysterio’s leg brace to conquer his adversary.

Now, time for retribution. The Viper teamed with The Master of the 619 against The Second City Savior and his partner, the former “Dashing” one. Although Punk & Rhodes offered an impressive effort, their opponents proved seamless in their approach. Mysterio nailed Rhodes with a 619 and sent him into the waiting – and always treacherous – arms of Orton, who leveled him with an RKO for the win.

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

CM Punk forgot one very important detail about Randy Orton. Even on The Grandest Stage of Them All, The Viper can unleash a devastating RKO at any time. That’s exactly what happened inside the sold-out Georgia Dome as Orton delivered his trademark maneuver mid-air to The New Nexus leader.

As if he were a master tactician, CM Punk wisely targeted Orton’s injured knee, the same knee that The Second City Savior attacked on Raw with a wrench. With his New Nexus cohorts out of the equation, the strategy seemed nothing short of brilliant. With his ultimate goal of exacting revenge on Orton for causing him to vacate the World Heavyweight Title in 2008, CM Punk wanted nothing more than to humiliate The Viper in front of more than 70,000, including his family, at The Show of Shows.

Since The New Nexus first attacked Randy Orton, both The Viper and Punk have struggled to get inside each other’s heads, trying to gain the important psychological advantage heading into Atlanta. While Orton took out each member of The New Nexus with a punt to the head, Punk took a much more personal approach, using Orton’s tour bus and his family as bait to sadistically injure The Viper’s knee. In a true showing of his resilience, Orton – barely able to walk – confronted The Straight Edge Superstar a week later, only to be left unconscious in the middle of the ring from a GTS.

However, Randy Orton is certainly one of the most tenacious Superstars in WWE history and never backs down from a fight, especially at WrestleMania. The Viper battled through his pain and proved to the world why he is WWE’s Apex Predator. Even as The Straight Edge Superstar continued to target Orton’s knee, The Viper refused to yield.

CM Punk’s targeting of The Viper’s knee may have been enough to stop a lethal punt to the head, but as Orton has shown time after time in the squared circle, an RKO can devastate an opponent in the blink of an eye. Perhaps it was CM Punk’s overconfidence, but his seemingly ingenious strategy backfired as he attempted to take Orton down with a springboard clothesline. The Viper saw an opening, a pristine opportunity to silence his opponent and leave WrestleMania victorious.

More than 70,000 flash bulbs went off as CM Punk leapt from the top rope only to be met by a memorable RKO heard across the WWE Universe, putting The Second City Savior out for good. As Orton’s hand was raised in victory, the WWE Universe witnessed The Viper at his best, on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

Returning to his hometown, The Second City Savior boasted about the ambush and theorized that Orton had developed a false sense of security after defeating each of Punk’s New Nexus disciples. Having heard enough, WWE’s Apex Predator confronted his tormentor. Amid the ensuing scuffle, Orton lined up to punt The Second City Savior in the skull. Unfortunately for him, though, his knee wouldn’t allow it. Punk seized the opportunity and instead leveled Orton with a jaw-rattling GTS.

thanks to josie for the captures.