DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES
Shawn Michaels’ recent career crisis appears to have DX unraveling at the seams. HBK and Triple H joined forces in an effort to retain their Unified Tag Team Titles in a Triple Threat Elimination Match against United States Champion The Miz & Big Show and the Straight Edge Society. Michaels, however, seemed distracted by what can only be categorized as his obsession with a WrestleMania rematch against World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker.

After eliminating Luke Gallows, HBK focused on the remaining threat, Big Show & Miz. Rather than offer his usual sure-handed performance, though, Michaels crumpled, allowing his opponents to surmount his offense and capture the Unified Tag Team Titles

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES
The first man to be introduced in the Royal Rumble is Dolph Ziggler. Number Two is the high flying Evan Bourne. The bell rings and we’re ready to start. Ziggler jaws at Bourne and they both eye the WrestleMania sign. Bourne catches Ziggle with a coulpe of kicks and a hurricarana before connecting with a heel kick to Ziggler’s jaw. Ziggler almost knocks Bourne out with a dropkick, but Bourne fights him off and stays in the ring. Bourne launches himself up off of Ziggler and connects with the double knees to Ziggler’s chest. Bourne knocks Ziggler to the apron, but he makes it back into the ring. Ziggler connects with the Zig Zag out of nowhere, and he throws Bourne to the apron, but Bourne kicks Ziggler and comes back in the ring with a Shooting Star Press, the buzzer rings and number three is CM Punk with Sarita. Punk goes after both Bourne and Ziggler and he immediately eliminates both.

Punk grabs the mic and thanks the crowd for joining him for the most historic moment the Straight Edge Society has seen. 29 other men will either be eliminated or saved. The clock counts down and number four is JTG. JTG goes right to work on CM Punk, but when he charges Punk in the corner, he finds himself eliminated. Punk gets right back on the mic and says not everyone can win the Rumble, just like not everyone can be saved. Not everyone has his dedication. And tonight he’ll be the first straight edge Rumble winner. The clock counts down again and this time it’s the Great Khali. Punk tries to save Khali, telling him he can make him greater. Punk says he can see the pain in Khali’s eyes and he needs to be saved. He asks Khali to raise his right hand and accept straight edge into his life, but Khali hits a chop and locks in the vice. The clock counts down again and the next entrant is Beth Phoenix.

Khali immediately picks up Beth and puts her over the rope and directs her to the back. Beth kisses Khali and drags him over the top rope, while remaining on the apron. She turns around and goes right to work on Punk, trying to eliminate him. Punk connects with the G2S on Phoenix. The clock counts down again and the next man in is Zack Ryder. Punk eliminates Phoenix. Punk says that Ryder has potential, but he double crosses Ryder and hits him with the mic. Punk sends Ryder over the top rope and eliminates another person. Punk asks who’s next, and says that whoever it is he’s better than them, because he’s better than everyone there today. The next entrant in is Triple H. Hunter makes his way to the ring slowly, and Punk hypes himself up. Punk and Hunter stare each other down, and Punk tries for a right, but Hunter fights him off. Hunter connects with a knee and puts Punk back into the corner, pounding on him. Punk connects with a high knee, but Hunter fights off the bull dog and hits a spinebuster.

The next entrant is Drew McIntyre. Hunter fights off McIntyre as soon as he gets in the ring with a high knee. Hunter tries for the pedigree on Punk, but Punk fights out. Punk tries for the G2s, but Hunter fights out and sends him out of the ring.

credit to rajah.com for the report

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES
For the second week in a row, The Second City Saint converted a member of the WWE Universe to the Straightedge Society, shaving his new recruit’s head as a symbol of his transformation from his “past transgressions” into a new way of life. In the process, Punk pledged that he would continue his Straightedge quest by winning the Royal Rumble Match as the first step toward the salvation of society.

CM Punk & Luke Gallows went on to triumph over three other tag teams, winning the right to face Unified Tag Team Champions D-Generation X for the titles. Though JTG went for the pin on The Straightedge Superstar, he hadn’t noticed that Punk’s “Detoxified Disciple” had tagged himself in. Gallows made short work of the unsuspecting Superstar, hitting him with the Gallows Pole for the monumental victory.

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES
With Luke Gallows at his side, CM Punk followed up on his promise to “save” a member of the WWE Universe. A fan identified only as James was the chosen one. Assuaging James of his fears, the “Straightedge Savior” shaved his head, initiating him into the straightedge society.

After a distraction by his mentor CM Punk, the “Detoxified Disciple” Luke Gallows defeated Matt Hardy with a ruthless Gallows Pole.

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES
Team Kingston and Team Orton had a lot going for them heading into their Elimination Tag Team Match, as both squads were comprised of some of the most talented Superstars that SmackDown, Raw and ECW had to offer. Just how evenly-matched the contest was became clear as the night progressed, with each team losing a member one by one until only Kingston was left on his side. Suddenly, however, the situation had swung firmly in his opponents’ favor, as Team Orton boasted two eligible competitors: CM Punk and The Viper himself.

Not one to be deterred by stiff odds, Kingston fought onward against SmackDown’s CM Punk, pinning The Straightedge Superstar after a hard-fought series of near-falls for both competitors. As soon as Punk was vanquished however, Orton was ready to spring into action. Though The Viper might have boasted more in-ring experience than Kingston, the athletic young Superstar showed that he has just what it takes to compete on WWE’s highest level. Leaping into the air and immediately connecting with Trouble in Paradise, the rising star defeated Orton to win the match for his team, pinning two former World Champions in the span of six seconds.

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

At WWE Bragging Rights, World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker emerged from the fast-paced fury of a championship Fatal Four Way with the gold, reigning supreme over three former World Champions – Batista, Rey Mysterio and CM Punk. But, in a match where every Superstar was in it for himself, it was the unsuspected bite of an infuriated Animal that left the WWE Universe absolutely awestruck.

Weeks before, The Deadman defeated CM Punk inside The Devil’s Playground at Hell in a Cell to win his seventh World Title. Five days later on SmackDown, Mr. McMahon emerged to “help” SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long make “his” monumental announcement – that The Straightedge Superstar’s rematch would be a Fatal Four Way at WWE Bragging Rights, and it would also include The Master of the 619 and The Animal.

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES
Out of the ominous fury of the Devil’s Playground, destiny struck with a vengeance. After colliding with World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk in the demented Hell in a Cell structure at the pay-per-view of the same name, The Undertaker emerged victorious, claiming his seventh World Championship amid a grueling mixture of aggression, mayhem and unforgiving steel.

The Undertaker secured his retribution in a structure as legendary as the championship gold he now carries. And despite a championship showing, CM Punk walked out of Newark without his title, suffering the full-force of The Deadman’s rage. Will the self-proclaimed “Second City Saint” ever be the same again?

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

Following suspicious calls by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long and WWE official Scott Armstrong, The Straightedge Champion secured his most crooked win to date, retaining the World Heavyweight Title against Undertaker in a Submission Match in which The Deadman never actually surrendered.

Without pinfalls, disqualifications or count-outs, passage to the World Heavyweight Title was granted only by making an opponent submit – something The Deadman has never done in his near-two decade career. The heavy match favorite, the returning Phenom sought to cull both the gold and soul of CM Punk in a single night at WWE Breaking Point.

This outcome appeared imminent when Undertaker ultimately hooked in Hell’s Gate, gripping the champion and squeezing the petty life from Punk’s tattooed body. The Straightedge Superstar’s flailing arms dwindled to a wilt and the champion used his last moment of consciousness to submit.

But mere instants after The Phenom could have his cold arm raised as the victor, GM Long arrived to overrule the referee’s initial decision, reinforce the ban on Undertaker’s potent hold and grant Punk a second chance by restarting the match.

While the WWE Universe uncharacteristically jeered the General Manager and Hell’s Gate-crasher, CM Punk sprung back into action, en route to The Straightedge Champion’s signature Anaconda Vise. A shocking Canadian coup then became apparent; Long stood watch from the stage while Armstrong, the match’s official, signaled for an abrupt ringing of the bell to end the match in Punk’s favor, despite The Deadman’s lack of legitimate submission.

Leaving mouths agape in Montreal, the tattooed titleholder quickly exited the ring beside his co-conspirator and swiftly stumbled away from The Phenom’s reach to the ramp where Punk gloated beside a stoic, expressionless Long.

Though The Deadman is a WWE figure who’s often shrouded by anomaly, the puzzling conclusion of this bout in Quebec is more so the result of another deceptive act by CM Punk to maintain his position at SmackDown’s pinnacle. This calls into question the judgments rendered by both Armstrong and Long, who confounded his loyal SmackDown supporters. Simply stunned, the WWE Universe begs for explanation, but more importantly, righteous resolution.

As countless collected souls can attest, Undertaker is the specter of vengeance in WWE. Though seemingly bamboozled at WWE Breaking Point, The Deadman does not rest, and likely will not rest until The Straightedge Superstar serves a suitably painful penance by his gloved hand.

DIGITAL PICTURES — SCREEN CAPTURES

For weeks, World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk said Jeff Hardy didn’t stand a chance against him. There was no way a flawed man like Hardy could defeat a competitor who follows the straightedge way of life, Punk claimed.

But at Night of Champions, Jeff Hardy proved CM Punk wrong when he pinned him in the center of the ring and captured his second World Heavyweight Championship.

This victory over Punk was a long time coming for The Charismatic Enigma. Jeff thought his dream of becoming the World Heavyweight Champion had finally come true at Extreme Rules when he defeated Edge in a Ladder Match, but the moment was short-lived. Mere seconds after he grabbed the gold, Hardy had to face CM Punk, who was cashing in his Money in the Bank title opportunity. Battered and tired, Jeff was unable to put up a good fight and The Straightedge Superstar won the title.

At The Bash, Hardy’s frustrations continued. When it seemed as though The Charismatic Enigma had pinned Punk to win the gold, it was revealed that the champion’s foot was under the ropes. When the match was restarted, Punk kicked the referee in the back, resulting in a disqualification and no title change.

But when the two Superstars met again at Night of Champions, there was nothing CM Punk could do to stop Hardy’s drive to win. The World Heavyweight Champion utilized his aggressive and unique offense to slow the Cameron, N.C., native down, but he simply couldn’t break the colorful warrior’s spirit. Even Punk’s brutal finishing maneuver, the Go to Sleep, wasn’t enough to keep Hardy down.

Frustrated with Jeff’s resilience, The Straightedge Superstar grabbed his gold and tried to leave the ring, but the adrenaline junkie dragged him right back in and delivered the Twist of Fate. Then, with 17,774 fans in the Wachovia Center chanting his name, The Charismatic Enigma scaled the top rope and delivered a picture-perfect Swanton Bomb onto Punk, scoring the victory and the title.

After the match, Jeff Hardy passionately celebrated his championship win with the WWE Universe, but the party can’t last for long. If CM Punk’s track record is any indication, the former World Heavyweight Champion is already concocting a scheme to get the title back.