[2011-09-18-WWE-Night of Champions] Mark Henry vs Randy Orton

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Superstar Sleeze]

World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton vs Mark Henry - Night of Champions 2011

 

"WELCOME TO THE HALL OF PAIN" That post-match promo has to go down as one of the best championship victory promos of all time.

 

It seems that Mark Henry coined the term "Hall of Pain" on the Smackdown before this show. I gotta check out that promo. Amazing match. Best Mark Henry match I have seen thus far. There are a couple different elements at work here. It is not just Mark's power and mass versus Orton's speed and guile. Mark Henry is the "Worlds Strongest Failure" according to Randy Orton. He is a career underachiever. How will he perform in the biggest match of his career. Henry shows off some of that power early but Orton goes for the legs. Orton can be uptempo when he wants to be. Garvin stomp by Orton focused on the legs. Mark ends up on the outside and rips the cover off the announce table. Show his inexperience. Orton has him rattled. Mark hits a big boot on Orton. I cant believe Mark can pick up his leg that high. Orton has one last gasp with the sleeper. Great idea. Mark backs him in he corner. Orton is on the top rope and one swing of that bear paw sends Orton crashing to the floor. Mark Henry in control is a beautiful thing. Mark Henry is just in a zone. One of the best super heavyweight, power heat segments. Stretching Orton's back across the ring post. Big bodyslam and that big ass splash. Orton is trying to fire up and Mark hits these huge headbutts. The entire Hall of Pain run built to this moment and Mark Henry was ready. However, this confidence turns to arrogance. Mark Henry starts to toy with the World Heavyweight Champion. I use that term to remind everyone this is the World Heavyweight Champion he is wrestling, Mark Henry is on the roll of a lifetime, but even he should not take the World Heavyweight Champion lightly. Orton starts to build some momentum. He has a great punch and European Uppercut. Henry stymies him with one of those big headbutts. Orton to the mat. Henry splash, but nobody is home. Here is the Champion's opening. He is rocking. I liked the rapid fire ten count punches in the corner with Henry on one knee. Orton hits some massive clotheslines but Orton cant get him off his feet. Standing dropkick knocks the big man down! We got a fight on our hands now, boys!

 

Now we get to unique part of the match. Henry shoves Orton off when he goes for the Hangsman DDT and hits a heavy clothesline. Mark Henry hits the World Strongest Slam and Orton kicks out?!?! What's unique? This was not an act of finisher trading. This was a spot that was built to. Mark Henry had control let that control slip from his grasp by getting cocky and once he regained control he went for the kill, but Orton kicked out. This actually built to another segment instead of spot trading. By kicking out of the World Strongest Slam in this context, you truly believe Orton will win. In a typical wrestling match with this build, Orton is a 95% chance of winning. I think this one of the most effective red herrings they have ever produced.

 

Having had his finish kicked out of, Mark Henry does the sensible thing and goes for a bigger bomb. The Vaderbomb. He eats feet. You feel that Orton finish stretch that will end up in victory. He kicks Mark Henry down to size. DDT. Hangsman DDT. Yep Orton has this one. He moves in for the kill and with one flick of his tree trunk like leg Mark Henry takes Orton's knee. Orton sells it like he has been shot in the leg. Orton's selljob is incredible. The way he is writhing in pain. Everything he tries to get up, he sort of collapses. He cant put any pressure on his leg. He uses Mark Henry to get up. Mark Henry is all business. Not a single shred of mercy. Orton defiant goes for the RKO and Henry throws him off. World's Strongest Slam. 1-2-3. WELCOME TO THE HALL OF PAIN!

 

Amazing match. Early frustration from Mark Henry before settling into a groove. I loved how he earned that heat segment fighting through a sleeper and knocking Orotn off the top. He ruled that heat segment. I loved how he got cockier and cockier allowing Orton back in. Orton was terrific in this match. Good selling early, awesome fire late and the leg selling at the end was downright awesome. The kickout of the Worlds Strongest Slam is one of the best false finishes they have had in awhile. Like I said 95% of the time when a match is paced like that, the babyface goes over after kicking out of a heel's finish. Awesome curveball. Loved the finish with Mark injuring the leg, Orton's selling, the last ditch RKO attempt and then Mark Henry finishing the job. Badass. ****1/2