Randy Orton lays out Christian in WWE Raw unsanctioned match

Randy Orton laid out Christian during an unsanctioned match on tonight’s Raw thanks to Ric Flair.

Orton opened the show talking about last night’s victory over Edge, bringing up the tricep tear that took place during the course of the match. Christian came out and confronted Orton, calling him out over his lack of remorse over Edge’s injury. Orton said that he realized why Christian came out and challenged him to an unsanctioned match, giving him the duration of the show to decide.

Christian contemplated the challenge throughout the show. Big Show and Ric Flair both came to him, with Big Show telling Christian that he would want to punch Orton in the face if he were in Christian’s position. Flair pleaded with Christian to change his mind.

Both men came out at the end of the show for the match. Just as it was about to begin, Flair came to ringside, again asking Christian not to go along with the match. Christian told Flair that he needed to do this. Once the bell rang, Flair low blowed Christian, sending him to the ground. Orton responded by striking Christian with the punt kick, pinning him to win the match.

The show ended with Orton berating Christian as he was being tended to by medical staff, with Orton pinning the blame on Christian for his actions.

Christian last competed in a WWE ring back in 2014, retiring due to multiple concussions he suffered throughout the course of his career.

Gargano to face Ciampa in an unsanctioned match at NXT TakeOver

The heated rivalry between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa will come to a head at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans.

It was announced at the start of tonight’s episode of NXT that Ciampa will face Gargano at TakeOver in an unsanctioned match. Ciampa had been heckled by the crowd upon entering Full Sail University and asked NXT General Manager William Regal how he could finally get Gargano out of his life. Regal said that he would make the unsanctioned match at TakeOver with the following stipulations: if Ciampa wins, Gargano will be out of NXT forever. But if Gargano wins, he will get his job back. 

Gargano was forced out of NXT in storyline after he lost a title vs. career match on NXT last month to Andrade “Cien” Almas. Ciampa had interfered in the match, attacking Gargano with his crutch, which led to Almas getting the win with the hammerlock DDT. On last week’s NXT, Gargano came out of the crowd to attack Ciampa, leading to a pull-apart brawl.