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During the announcement, the GM also revealed that Orton must face every one of Punk’s New Nexus disciples in singles matches over the next few weeks. If The Viper defeats that member, they are banned from WrestleMania. However, should any member defeat Orton, that member is permitted to be in Punk’s corner at The Show of Shows. Not only that, if any New Nexus member interferes, the group will be disbanded.

So far, Orton 1 – New Nexus 0. WWE’s Apex Predator battled Michael McGillicutty and managed to defeat the fellow third-generation Superstar. Dealing a further blow to The Second City Savior, Orton punted McGillicutty in the head after Punk pleaded that he show restraint.

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Punk then took the mic and warned rival Randy Orton to keep his distance. Rather than follow Punk’s advice, The Viper instead attacked the holier-than-thou Superstar.

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In a grueling Elimination Chamber Match, WWE’s 2010 Superstar of the Year was forced to overcome five other Superstars – Randy Orton, John Morrison, R-Truth, King Sheamus and CM Punk – to capture his third victory inside the structure and secure his place in the main event at WrestleMania XXVII.

John Morrison and King Sheamus kicked off the contest while the remaining four combatants waited within their corner pods, each of which would open randomly every five minutes.

One by one, the Superstars were unleashed within Satan’s Structure, but not without incident. When CM Punk’s time arrived, his pod refused to open properly. As a result, The Second City Savior endured a beatdown from Randy Orton, who quickly pinned him. Before he could leave the callous coliseum, however, Raw’s anonymous GM reinstated him in the interest of fairness.

The first combatant to officially crumble was R-Truth, who succumbed to the punishment of the Irishman. A surprising second elimination came when The Viper fell to a returning and rejuvenated Punk. After inflicting a plethora of pain, The Celtic Warrior finally gave up the ghost in third. With only three Superstars remaining, The Shaman of Sexy offered a valiant effort. However, a knee injury had hobbled him, allowing Punk to pin him after a GTS.

Finally, despite having logged a 3-0 record against Cena in their last three matches, The Second City Savior failed in his final conquest. Instead, the Cenation Commander-in-Chief rose above thanks in no small part to sheer determination and a reservoir of what he called “faith.”

With the challenge of the Chamber behind him, a battered Cena can look forward to recuperating for his WrestleMania confrontation with WWE Champion The Miz, who successfully defended his title against Jerry “The King” Lawler earlier at the same pay-per-view.

For now, though, Cena can be content at not only having survived his fourth stint inside Satan’s Structure, but at having thrived under the most adverse of conditions.

Head over to wwe.com for a preview of tonight’s enormous tag team match, including CM Punk for Smackdown 600.

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In the first match, John Cena and CM Punk battled to a dirty finish. For WWE’s 2010 Superstar of the Year, his demise arrived when Punk tossed a steel chair into the ring to distract the ref. The preachy Superstar then clocked Cena with a wrench before putting him away with a GTS.

The Viper was forced to slither past more than just Sheamus after his bout ended. Once Randy Orton finally overcame the formidable presence of The Celtic Warrior in their singles bout, he was confronted by all combatants in this Sunday’s Elimination Chamber Match. Orton and Sheamus were joined in the melee by John Morrison, R-Truth, John Cena as well as CM Punk and The New Nexus.

The commotion left a slew of Superstars licking their wounds. It also left Cena and Orton standing tall amid the chaos.

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The remainder of The New Nexus charged down the entrance ramp. As Mason Ryan attended to his boss, Michael McGillicutty and David Otunga took aim at Cena. Before they could avenge Punk, however, Jerry “The King” Lawler handed Cena a steel chair, which he used to clobber the two Nexi and send a clear message to The Second City Savior: John Cena isn’t about to go without a fight.

CM Punk continues to prove himself a shrewd operator. Prior to a match pitting David Otunga against King Sheamus, the head of The New Nexus presumably orchestrated a scuffle between the Irishman and Mark Henry by planting false accusations between the two. In addition to shielding his disciple from potential harm, the move also sparked a blow-up between The World’s Strongest Man and The Celtic Warrior, who was reeling from the effects of The World’s Strongest Slam.

After Randy Orton punted their colleague, Husky Harris, in the skull last week, The New Nexus was hungry for retribution. As a result, the group surrounded The Viper and beat him down mercilessly. The group’s leader, CM Punk, then explained why he had cost Orton the WWE Championship at Royal Rumble: He hadn’t forgotten that WWE’s Apex Predator cost him his World Heavyweight Championship in 2008. However, that was hardly the end of their night.

The anonymous Raw General Manager eschewed the group’s “gang mentality” and announced that members of The New Nexus would compete in individual matches against participants in the upcoming Raw Elimination Chamber Match. The bouts would culminate in a contest between New Nexus leader CM Punk and John Cena.

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The first man over the top rope was actually the leader of The New Nexus, quickly followed by The Viper.

Randy Orton attacked The New Nexus
After the bout, Randy Orton slithered in to add injury to insult. After The New Nexus had distracted him at Royal Rumble, costing him the WWE Title, The Viper sought retribution. He hammered McGillicutty before the Nexi could hobble from the ring. WWE’s Apex Predator then trained his fangs on Harris, dropping him with a thunderous RKO and angling to punt his skull. Moments before he could, however, New Nexus leader CM Punk warned that were Orton to follow through, he would face serious repercussions. Punk’s words only served to spur on The Viper, who kicked Harris with a sickening thud. Orton then escaped through the crowd as medics attended to his prey.

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Before the situation became too incendiary, Raw’s GM intervened to arrange a match pitting Barrett against Punk with one significant stipulation: The loser of the bout will see himself and his entire group exiled from the Royal Rumble Match. And the contest’s special guest referee? None other than John Cena!