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WWE continues their positive strides in terms of both business and fan perception each week. RAW and SmackDown focused on building towards the upcoming Payback Premium Live Event, while NXT set the table for Heatwave next Tuesday.
For some fans, the post-SummerSlam fatigue may start setting in. This feeling often occurred when the product seems to lose some steam each year following The Biggest Party Of The Summer. It could be argued that they've manged to combat it so far, however.
Still, the current product may not be enough to satisfy some fans. Thankfully, Sportskeeda has you covered. Each week, we offer a look back at some of the biggest, most notable, and sometimes most exciting moments in the company's illustrious history.
This article will look back at two major moments in Randy Orton's career, both an on-screen high and an on-screen low. Additionally, a shocking return is covered along with a surprising title change. What went down?
Below are five key events that happened this week in WWE history.
#5. Kevin Nash shockingly cost CM Punk the WWE Title at SummerSlam on August 14th, 2011
WWE held their annual SummerSlam event on August 14th, 2011 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Around 17,000 fans attended a card featuring seven main card bouts, albeit one was a short impromptu contest.
After CM Punk managed to defeat John Cena to crown the Undisputed WWE Champion, Kevin Nash shockingly returned and hit The Straight Edge Superstar with the Jackknife Powerbomb out of nowhere. This was a shocker, as he'd been mostly absent since 2003.
After Punk was laid out, Mr. Money in the Bank Alberto Del Rio ran out and hit Punk with the Step-Up Enziguiri. The champion was already battered, after a 24 minute long bout with Cena and Nash's sudden attack, making him easy work for El Patron. Punk's moment was ruined and Del Rio was the new champion.
#4. Akira Tozawa captured the Cruiserweight Championship on RAW on August 14th, 2017
WWE Monday Night RAW aired live on August 14th, 2017. The show took place in Boston, Massachusetts. Hometown favorite Sasha Banks was a highlight of the show, as were stars such as Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose.
The event also featured a title change. Akira Tozawa shockingly defeated Neville for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. This marked Tozawa's first-ever championship since joining the company in 2016 as part of the Cruiserweight Classic.
Neville had been a nearly unbeatable champion, but Tozawa managed to defeat the British star. While he and his manager Titus O'Neil celebrated the victory, the star later known as The Bastard would reclaim his gold just six days later during the SummerSlam Kickoff show.
#3. Randy Orton became the youngest-ever world champion at SummerSlam on August 15th, 2004
WWE SummerSlam took place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on August 15th, 2004. Around 17,000 fans were in attendance for a main card featuring eight exciting bouts.
The most notable match of the night was the main event. Chris Benoit, who had won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, defended his gold. He battled the up-and-coming Evolution star Randy Orton.
The two men clashed for just over 20 minutes. Surprisingly, there was no interference from Randy's stablemates and he ended up defeating Benoit after hitting the RKO. This feat made Orton the youngest world champion ever. Benoit demanded a handshake post-match, which Randy Orton surprisingly gave him. A new era was dawning in WWE.
#2. Nexus battled Team WWE at SummerSlam on August 15th, 2010
The Staples Center in Los Angeles, California played home to WWE SummerSlam. The event aired live on pay-per-view on August 15th, 2010. The show featured six main card matches, but the last match was the big hook.
The Nexus, a group of rookies who terrorized the main roster after NXT season one ended, battled Team WWE, led by John Cena. The Nexus featured Wade Barrett, Skip Sheffield, Michael Tarver, Darren Young, Heath Slater, David Otunga, and Justin Gabriel.
Meanwhile, John Cena's team also featured John Morrison, R-Truth, Chris Jericho, Edge, Bret Hart, and the returning Daniel Bryan. Bryan had been released after appearing with The Nexus upon their debut. In the end, Cena stood tall in a decision that remains much debated over a decade later.
#1. Evolution turned on Randy Orton during RAW on August 16th, 2004
RAW aired live on USA Network on August 16th, 2004. The show took place at the Labatt Center in London, Ontario, Canada. It featured the fallout from SummerSlam the night prior.
As mentioned earlier, Randy Orton won the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. The two talented WWE stars would have a rematch in the main event of RAW. Orton once again stood tall, though he had the benefit of a distraction from Evolution this time.
Things truly became interesting post-match. Batista hoisted Orton up onto his shoulders as Triple H and Ric Flair helped Randy celebrate his win, only for Triple H to give Orton the thumbs down. The Animal dropped The Legend Killer and Triple H proceeded to bloody and batter the World Heavyweight Champion, kickstarting their storied rivalry.
