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Dolph Ziggler def. WWE Champion CM Punk by Count-Out (WATCH)
CM Punk lost his bout against No. 1 contender Dolph Ziggler, but retained the WWE Championship when the match ended in a count-out thanks to a distraction by Interim Raw GM John Laurinaitis. The EVP of Talent Relations ran down to the ring to advise the WWE official about the exposed turnbuckle. Meanwhile, The Straight Edge Savior nearly hit his opponent with the GTS, then locked him in the Anaconda Vise, but the official never saw Ziggler tap because he was talking to Laurinaitis. Punk ended up outside the ring, thanks to Laurinaitis, who pulled down the ropes, allowing him to slide out. Punk couldn’t get back onto the mat before the 10-count, giving his opponent the victory. While the cocky Ziggler didn’t win the title, he left proudly holding Punk’s WWE Championship knowing he’s defeated him for two straight weeks.

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WWE Champion CM Punk’s Second City homecoming was marred by the underhanded actions of Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis and Dolph Ziggler, while the diabolical Kane finally shed some fire on his recent attacks on John Cena.

Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis set a Gauntlet Match for WWE Champion CM Punk
The Chicago crowd hoping to give their hometown hero a rousing ovation was disappointed when Raw kicked off with Interim General Manager John Laurinaitis mocking CM Punk’s signature entrance. With the WWE Champion’s T-shirt pulled over his suit jacket, the executive proceeded to give himself credit for the exciting changes in sports-entertainment.

That was all it took to bring out a livid Second City Savior. Explaining that Raw’s revolution is due to Punk being “the best wrestler in the world,” the WWE Champion looked ready to hit the EVP with a GTS. That’s when Laurinaitis announced his idea for the evening — Punk will face three opponents in a Gauntlet Match and if any of those competitors beat the champion, they will receive a WWE Title Match next week on the first Raw of the New Year!

The Straight Edge Superstar was game, but he wanted to up the ante. If the tattooed Superstar beat all three Superstars, he proposed that he get a fourth match with none other than John Laurinaitis himself.

WWE Champion CM Punk def. Jack Swagger in a Gauntlet Match (WATCH)
Forced by Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis to face Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler and Mark Henry in a Gauntlet Match, WWE Champion CM Punk knew he had to dispatch of his first opponent early. It wasn’t easy getting by the former World Heavyweight Champion, but even with the shrill Vickie Guerrero attempting to sway the bout for her client, The Straight Edge Superstar put Swagger to bed with a devastating roundhouse kick.

Dolph Ziggler def. WWE Champion CM Punk in a Title-Free Gauntlet Match (WATCH)
Still sucking air after his first Gauntlet Match, Punk rallied against the talented, but arrogant Dolph Ziggler. That was until Mr. Laurinaitis stuck his nose in. Distracting The Straight Edge Superstar by making a mid-match announcement, the Interim Raw General Manager allowed Ziggler to steal one and earn a WWE Title opportunity against the champion next Monday night. The showoff was so pumped about his victory, he snatched Punk’s title and taunted a disgusted Chicago crowd.

The trio of WWE Champion CM Punk, World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan and United States Champion Zack Ryder had reason to celebrate. Lifelong sports-entertainment fans, the three Superstars overcame some serious odds to walk away from WWE TLC with their respective titles in hand. But the mutual admiration society didn’t have much time to pat each other on the back in Philadelphia. Soon besieged by the tyrannical trio of The Miz, Alberto Del Rio and Dolph Ziggler, the three champions fought off their attackers before receiving word from Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis that they would face those three Superstars in tonight’s main event.

It looks like the change The Straight Edge Superstar promised is finally coming to fruition. Entering the ring through a raucous Philly crowd, WWE Champion CM Punk, World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan & United States Champion Zack Ryder showed how they were leading WWE into 2012 by blasting their way through a veritable rogues’ gallery with blunt force. The exciting young Superstars each got their fill of action before Bryan made Del Rio tap out to the LeBell Lock.

If it wasn’t clear at WWE TLC, it should be after this bout — the future is now.

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If the WWE Universe didn’t think CM Punk was a superhero already, they will after witnessing his daring performance in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match at WWE TLC.

Up against the rogues’ gallery of the treacherous Miz and the underhanded Alberto Del Rio, The Straight Edge Superstar miraculously broke free of handcuffs after being latched to the ropes by The Awesome One. The WWE Champion then fought his way to the top of a ladder and snatched his title before celebrating high above the carnage he’d just created.

It was the kind of fearless, in-your-face showing that has defined The Straight Edge Superstar’s run since he resigned with WWE in the late summer. Outspoken about his frustrations with the sports-entertainment empire in the past, Punk chose to be an agent of change instead of sitting around and waiting for one to appear. The “Voice of the Voiceless” wanted to see a more entertaining WWE Champion? At WWE TLC, he became it.
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John Cena, Big Show & WWE Champion CM Punk def. Alberto Del Rio, The Miz & World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry (WATCH)
Champions and WWE’s biggest titans faced off in a main event truly worthy of Fort Bragg. Teamwork reigned supreme as WWE Champions CM Punk and Big Show cleared The Miz and Del Rio from the ring and The World’s Largest Athlete punched World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry right into an Attitude Adjustment from John Cena for the pinfall. The Cenation leader then thanked the troops for their service and sacrifice.

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WWE Champion CM Punk won the Slammy Award for Pipe Bomb of the Year (WATCH)
Former DX member The Road Dogg made a surprise return to WWE to present the always vocal WWE Champion CM Punk with the Slammy Award for Pipe Bomb of the Year. Accepting the statue alongside a mannequin that looked not unlike a young John Laurinaitis, The Straight Edge Superstar used this opportunity to further embarrass the Interim Raw General Manager by presenting a video package that highlighted the executive’s more embarrassing moments. (WATCH) Punk will definitely hear about this in his performance review.

The Miz & Alberto Del Rio def. WWE Champion CM Punk & Randy Orton (WATCH)
Less than a week before he defends his WWE Title against The Miz and Alberto Del Rio in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match at WWE TLC, CM Punk teamed with former rival Randy Orton to face his opponents and suffered a vicious beating. Attacked by Wade Barrett during the bout, The Viper chased the thug through the crowd, leaving The Straight Edge Superstar outnumbered by the vicious villains. After Miz pinned Punk, The Mexican Aristocrat and The Awesome One worked together to ruthlessly bash the WWE Champion with a ladder and promised to destroy him completely on Sunday.

WWE Champion CM Punk won the Slammy Award for WWE Superstar of the Year (WATCH)
Incapacitated after the brutal beating he received in his tag bout, the WWE Champion was unable to accept the biggest award of the night from presenter Rey Mysterio.  Instead, a sneering John Laurinaitis “humbly” did it for him. The executive revealed that Punk couldn’t take the stage, but he will be in the ring on Sunday.

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Dubbing himself “Mr. Excitement,” Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis sent John Cena, The Miz, Alberto Del Rio and United States Champion Dolph Ziggler into action to decide who would face WWE Champion CM Punk at WWE TLC in two weeks.

WWE Champion CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio and The Miz signed a contract for their WWE TLC bout (WATCH)
Now that the combatants for WWE TLC’s WWE Title Match were set, the Interim Raw General Manager upped the ante by making the bout a Triple Threat Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match. Although it is one of WWE’s most career-threatening bouts, all three Superstars eagerly signed the contract before attacking each other in an all-out brawl. As officials hit the ring to try to break up the melee, the WWE Universe cheered wildly, knowing they will see one hell of a match in two weeks.

Full Raw Results at WWE.com

Survivor Series Screencaps
November 21 Raw Screencaps
November 28 Raw Screencaps
Holiday 2011 WWE Magazine Scans (thanks to Scandids)
Sky Sports Digitals

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WWE Champion CM Punk def. Alberto Del Rio (WATCH)
The Mexican Aristocrat didn’t think CM Punk was going to go down that easy, did he? Barely one week into his reign as WWE Champion, The Straight Edge Superstar defended his title in a bout where he would have lost the championship had he been disqualified. Attempting to take advantage of this stipulation, Del Rio removed a turnbuckle pad and brought a steel chair into the ring. But the WWE Champion had his opponent scouted and tossed the foreign object before sending the underhanded Superstar headfirst into the exposed turnbuckle for the cunning win.

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WWE Champion CM Punk mouthed off to John Laurinaitis (WATCH)
Still reeling after winning the WWE Title in Madison Square Garden at Survivor Series, WWE Champion CM Punk promised the WWE faithful in Hershey, Pennsylvania that he would make things interesting on WWE Raw SuperShow again. His first goal? To put Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis on the unemployment line.

The WWE Universe may have liked the sound of that, but Mr. Laurinaitis was quick to squash their applause. Entering to tell the new WWE Champion that he believes they can work together, the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations promised that he was more radical than one might expect and then proved his unpredictability by scheduling Punk in two bouts — a rematch against Alberto Del Rio next Monday and a showdown with United States Champion Dolph Ziggler tonight.

WWE Champion CM Punk def. United States Champion Dolph Ziggler in a Title-free Match (WATCH)
Their championships may not have been at stake in this match, but both new WWE Champion CM Punk and United States Champion Dolph Ziggler certainly fought like they were. Convinced that he was, in fact, the new face of WWE, the United States Title holder looked to knock Punk off his perch early, but The Straight Edge Superstar wasn’t going down that easy. Catching the bleached blond off guard, the WWE Champion scored with a devastating GTS to secure a  thrilling victory.