A couple years passed since Alex Auditore's rivalry with Murphy has ended at SummerSlam in 2018 and the Pharaoh is looking to a bright future after dropping the Universal Championship to Roman Reigns. With his wife Alexa Bliss by his side, things ar...
#AlexNJPW was still trending a week after the Pharaoh kicked down the Forbidden Door to become the most must-see WWE Superstar worldwide, which brought an ire out of the WWE Champion The Miz.
Alex has returned from Japan and is fully rested for tonight's Raw to witness a non-title match between his mentor Randy Orton going against the WWE Champion in the main event. The Pharaoh had no match, but he has a segment to address regarding the reason he chose Hell in a Cell as the stipulation for his match at WrestleMania against The Miz.
As for Miz, he looks to defeat the other half of the Raw Tag Team Champions to make a statement and send a message to the Pharaoh.
The first hour of the match was a number one contender's triple threat match between the Street Profits, Judgment Day and Alpha Academy. And once again, Rhea Ripley proved to be the difference maker as Priest and Dominik pick up the win and the chance to challenge RK-Bro for the titles.
Now, it was Alex's segment to hype up the Hell in a Cell match. The Pharaoh sat in a dark room as videos played of past Hell in a Cell matches including those of Randy Orton's.
Alex: I was trained by one of the company's best Superstars ever to step foot inside that ring, but I wasn't given the silver spoon in my mouth. I was just a young man coming up fresh from NXT and I wasn't that serious until Randy Orton literally slapped me in the face to wake me up and face reality, that this is no game, this is the real deal. The Viper taught me everything to get into my opponent's heads and make them squirm.
The Pharaoh paused for a second to show the moment Orton himself slapped Alex in the face on his first night.
Alex: I have mad respect for Randy Orton and I am damn proud to have him as my mentor. In my short career under his tutelage I have become champion adapting his methods mixed with mine. And unlike Miz, I am no stranger to cruel confined structures, hell just ask my mentor and my wife.
The video package showed Alex's Hell in a Cell debut against Murphy and Shane Thorne a few years ago. Along with highlights of Orton and Bliss' matches inside steel cages and the Elimination Chamber.
Alex: Hell in a Cell. It changes careers. It alters lives. It destroys one's sense... of morality. At WrestleMania, the AKO is banned, and Miz thinks he's smart enough with that move... stupid... stupid... stupid. I have aces up my sleeves, I have tricks Miz doesn't know. The AKO is not my only venom and for a fact, I am not locked inside that cell with Miz, he will be locked inside with me. What I'll do to The Miz will be sickening, it will be perverse, it will give him nightmares, it will give him sleepless nights, it will make him regret crossing me and it will make me... happy. Inside Hell in a Cell, I will end The Miz and I'll take the WWE Championship.
The segment ended with Alex staring right into the camera and then the screen presented the match card graphic.
Back in the arena, a one on one match was going as John Morrison takes on Mustafa Ali. The match was in between one sided and back and forth, but the match ended with Morrison taking the win after hitting Starship Pain.
However, the celebration was cut short as Alex slides in and nails Morrison with an AKO. The Pharaoh stood over Morrison as an idea came flooding into his head. Alex smirked as he saw Morrison slowly getting up and going on his knees, he then positioned himself at the corner and has Morrison at his sights.
Then Miz came out running with mic in hand.
Miz: no! No! No! Stop! Don't you dare do what you are about to do, Alex! You don't want to do this! Nobody wants to see you do this! Please, let Johnny go!
Alex had a sadistic serpentine smile on his face as he continues to mess with Miz mentally. However, he did not listen to the WWE Champion's plea and proceeds to lunge and punt kicked Morrison in the head.
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Miz attempted for an ambush but stopped in his tracks as the serpentine Pharaoh stared him down. The WWE Champion retreated and doesn't want nothing to do with his challenger while also thinking of his match against the Viper.
(Time skip to the main event)
The commentary team had provided and update on John Morrison and that he was taken to a local medical facility following Alex's attack from earlier.
The Miz's entrance music played and the WWE Champion made his entrance while Maryse and Ziggler accompanied him to the ring while he had Morrison on his mind.
Then RK-Bro's entrance music played and the legendary Viper made his entrance while Riddle and Bliss accompanied the surefire Hall of Famer to the ring.
(Randy Orton vs. The Miz)
The former rivals locked up in a test of strength with the Apex Predator trapping the A-Lister in a side headlock to get an early advantage. Miz pushed Orton to the ropes, but the Venomous Mentor took down the champion with a clothesline followed by his signature knee drop to Miz's Moneymaker. The champion rolled out of the ring to catch his breath, but Orton pursued Miz and planted him on the announcer's table with his signature belly to back suplex.
(Fast forward)
Orton did not hold back on his anger as he connected uppercuts to Miz in the corner followed by the vintage backbreaker. Miz tried to get away again by crawling to the apron, but the Viper trapped and hung him on the second rope before dropping the champion with the DDT.
Then Orton got in his special place and looks to finish off Miz with the RKO. As Miz got up, Orton looks to hit it, but the champion countered and hits a sudden Skull Crushing Finale, but Orton managed to get his shoulder up before the third count, much to the relief of Riddle and Alexa and to the shock of Ziggler and Maryse.
Riddle looks to distract Miz, but Ziggler got in the Original Bro's face and the two men engaged in a brawl to the ramp.
Miz looks to hit another Skull Crushing Finale, but from behind and sliding into the ring was Alex. The champion felt the presence and turned around, but Alex smirked and winked at Miz before quickly rolling out of the ring.
The distraction proved to be the turning point of the match as Orton got back up and rolls Miz up for the three count. Alex smirked as he humiliated Miz while he celebrated his mentor's win with Riddle and Alexa. However, Orton ended the show in the best way he knows by flattening Ziggler with an RKO at ringside.
The show ended with Miz clutching his WWE title while Maryse kneeled at his side as the It Couple stared down at the A-Couple and RK-Bro while they celebrated.
