Raw: Aug. 20, 2012

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman kicked off Monday Night Raw

FRESNO, Calif. – The fallout from The Biggest Party of the Summer was felt throughout the WWE Universe at California State University – Fresno on Monday Night Raw. Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar addressed the aftermath of "The Perfect Storm" and Triple H's uncertain future. The Anomaly also made a shocking announcement on Tout. Also, Chris Jericho and Dolph Ziggler battled in a SummerSlam rematch with huge repercussions for both Superstars. And the WWE Universe anxiously waited as WWE Champion CM Punk prepared to make his decision for the No. 1 contender to the WWE Title. ( RAW HIGHLIGHTS)

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman kicked off Monday Night Raw
At SummerSlam, the WWE Universe witnessed one of the most physical contests in history when Triple H battled Brock Lesnar. Twenty-four hours removed from “The Perfect Storm,” Lesnar and his representative, Paul Heyman, kicked off Monday Night Raw. ( PHOTOS | WATCH)

Heyman wasted no time recapping the events of the previous evening. With Lesnar stoically standing in the center of the ring, Heyman recounted witnessing Triple H tapping out while locked in the devastating Kimura Lock. The end result of the match, as reported earlier in the day on WWE.com, was that The Game had once again suffered a broken arm.

Before “The Perfect Storm” erupted at SummerSlam, Triple H insisted that WWE official Scott Armstrong let the battle rage and there be no disqualifications. On Raw, Heyman reminded the WWE Universe that The Cerebral Assassin wanted a physical contest and Lesnar delivered.

Lesnar’s representative called Armstrong to the ring so that Lesnar himself could give the WWE official a special message. When Armstrong entered the ring, The Anomaly put his arms around the veteran referee and had two words for him: “good job.”

As Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman left the ring, the questions about the status of Triple H’s career remained unanswered.

Moments after leaving the ring, Brock Lesnar Touted that he had accomplished everything he wanted and was leaving WWE for good. ( WATCH)

Sin Cara, Kofi Kingston & R-Truth def. The Prime Time Players & Cody Rhodes

Sin Cara, Kofi Kingston & R-Truth def. The Prime Time Players & Cody Rhodes
At SummerSlam, Kofi Kingston and R-Truth retained the WWE Tag Team Championships against The Prime Time Players. Twenty-four hours later on Raw, the championship duo teamed up with WWE's resident masked marvel Sin Cara to battled their opponents at The Biggest Party of the Summer and Cody Rhodes. Last week on SmackDown, Rhodes revealed an artist's rendition of what Sin Cara "really" looks like underneath his mask. ( PHOTOS |  WATCH)

Both rivalries intensified on Raw in an action-packed Six-Man Tag Team Match. Though Kingston, Truth and Sin Cara managed to swing momentum in their favor early in the contest, The Prime Time Players and Rhodes displayed a strong sense of teamwork using sheer power and agility to keep their opponents reeling. R-Truth took the brunt of the offensive from The Prime Time Players and Rhodes, but a slight distraction allowed Truth to swing the contest in his favor and tag Sin Cara.

The masked high-flyer's incredible speed barely allowed Rhodes to establish any kind of offense and Truth and Kingston kept The Prime Time Players from interfering. As the Tag Team Champions battled their rivals on the outside of the ring, Rhodes' obsession with Sin Cara's mask got the better of him as he tried to rip it off, allowing the masked Superstar to flip Rhodes over for the pinfall and victory.

Raw General Manager AJ Lee responds to CM Punk's TOUT
Earlier in the evening, WWE Champion CM Punk Touted that he thought AJ Lee should show him respect and let choose the next No. 1 contender. Raw's General Manager responded by telling Matt Striker that she was fine with it, so long as she approves the WWE Champion's choice.

Ryback def. Local Competitors via disqualification

Ryback def. Local Competitors via disqualification
Ryback marched into Monday Night Raw ready for more, staring down two local competitors brazen enough to enter the ring. The massive Superstar's main focus, however, was on Jinder Mahal who recently claimed that he can do anything Ryback can. As soon as the opening bell sounded, the local competitors were hit by a virtual freight train as Ryback decimated them inside the squared circle while simultaneously calling for Mahal. ( PHOTOS |  WATCH)

Just as Ryback prepared to put the local competitors out of their misery with a double suplex, Mahal raced into the ring to attack Ryback, ending the contest. Mahal then locked his nemesis in the Camel Clutch in an attempt to prove his dominance over his nemesis. However, his efforts were for naught as Ryback displayed his pure strength and overpowered his attacker, sending him running from the ring.

Sending a message to Mahal, Ryback then lifted both local competitors onto his shoulders and slammed them back to the mat.

Raw General Manager AJ Lee announces that Chris Jericho will face Dolph Ziggler in a SummerSlam rematch
One night after losing to Chris Jericho at SummerSlam, Dolph Ziggler implored WWE's first-ever Undisputed Champion to give him a rematch. Jericho and Ziggler argued over reasons for the rematch until AJ Lee skipped up to the two Superstars. Raw's General Manager then announced the two competitors would square off on Raw and if Jericho lost, his WWE contract would be terminated. On that same note, if Ziggler lost, he would lose his Money in the Bank contract for a World Heavyweight Championship opportunity.

Randy Orton def. Alberto Del Rio

Randy Orton def. Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio came to Fresno State demanding a rematch against World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus. Del Rio believed he was robbed at SummerSlam and wanted another opportunity to fulfill his destiny. As The Mexican Aristocrat demanded The Celtic Warrior, Raw General Manager AJ made her way to the ring and announced Del Rio would face WWE's Apex Predator Randy Orton.

Seconds before the opening bell, the World Heavyweight Champion made his way to ringside and joined Michael Cole and Jerry "The King" Lawler on commentary. Even with his archrival looking on from ringside, Del Rio kept his focus primarily on The Viper. The former WWE Champions traded blows and neither could mount an offensive strong enough to maintain momentum.

Finally, after a series of counters from both Superstars, The Viper managed to take down Del Rio with a powerful DDT. Preparing for the RKO, Ricardo Rodriguez tried to distract WWE's Apex Predator, but Sheamus sent Del Rio's personal ring announcer cowering from ringside. With Orton's back turned, The Mexican Aristocrat pounced and executed a perfect Backstabber. As the official counted the pinfall, Sheamus made sure he saw that Orton's foot was on the ropes, breaking the pinfall.

Irate, Del Rio screamed at The Great White and the official, only to be caught with a massive and match-ending RKO. ( WATCH EXCLUSIVE: DEL RIO REACTS TO HIS LOSS ON RAW)

Damien Sandow def. Brodus Clay

Damien Sandow def. Brodus Clay
The self-proclaimed “Intellectual Savior of the Masses,” Damien Sandow, came to Monday Night Raw with the sole intention of making The Funkasaurus, Brodus Clay, extinct. Sandow immediately targeted Clay's injured knee, which Sandow further aggravated last week on Raw. The Funkasaurus' strength, however, proved to be too much for WWE's “Intellectual Savior.” Clay's size gave him a formidable advantage and he built a great deal of confidence by overpowering Sandow.

Perhaps his overconfidence got the better of him on this night, as The Funkasaurus missed a running splash into the corner, allowing Sandow to roll up the dancing Superstars for the victory. Shocked, Clay looked on as Sandow showboated with a cartwheel in the center of the ring. Sandow, however, wasn't minding his defeated opponent and Clay got back to his feet, slamming and splashing WWE's “Intellectual Savior.” Though Sandow won the match, The Funkasaurus certainly had the last laugh on Raw.

WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels addresses the WWE Universe regarding Triple H ( WATCH)

Big Show def. David Otunga

Big Show def. David Otunga
Earlier in the evening, as Matt Striker was asking Raw General Manager AJ Lee about CM Punk's Tout, David Otunga returned and offered his services to the General Manager. Unfortunately for Otunga, he uttered the word "crazy" during his pitch to AJ. Raw's General Manager responded by ordering the Harvard Law graduate into a match against an opponent of her choosing later in the evening. ( PHOTOS |  WATCH)

When the time came for Otunga to serve his penance, he was utterly shocked to see that he would be forced to face Big Show. Otunga's return from a several month hiatus was met with complete decimation at the hands of The World's Largest Athlete. Big Show maintained the upper hand throughout the entire matchup and sent his opponent tumbling to the mat with a resounding WMD.

Daniel Bryan & The Miz vs. Kane & Zack Ryder ended in a No Contest

Daniel Bryan & The Miz vs. Kane & Zack Ryder ended in a No Contest
The WWE Universe thought they were being treated to a competitive contest featuring Intercontinental Champion The Miz teaming with Daniel Bryan against Kane and Zack Ryder. However, the uncontrollable anger that both Kane and Daniel Bryan possess immediately made this match highly combustible. At SummerSlam, Kane tossed Josh Mathews during an interview in a fit of rage, 24 hours later, Daniel Bryan continued his shouting matches with the WWE Universe over the "YES!" chant. ( PHOTOS | )

Bryan did his best to avoid The Big Red Monster, tagging in The Miz moments after the opening bell rang. The Intercontinental Champion and his tag team partner kept their attacks focused on Zack Ryder, but that did not stop Bryan from taunting Kane. When Ryder finally managed to tag in his partner, Bryan cowered, rushing over to tag in The Miz. The Awesome One had other plans and moved away from Bryan and leaving him to deal with The Devil's Favorite Demon.

Unprepared to handle Kane's sheer power and with his tag team partner gone, Bryan hopped the barricade and retreated through the crowd. This triggered Kane's unbridled anger and he started to tear apart the ringside area. An unfortunate timekeeper also felt The Big Red Monster's wrath and was unceremoniously tossed over the barricade. Finally, Kane Chokeslammed Ryder before leaving the arena.

Following the contest, Raw General Manager AJ Lee posted the following on Twitter: "@WWEAJLee: Starting next week, I’ve decided to help  @wwedanielbryan with his anger issues, by sending him to anger management therapy classes."

Kaitlyn won a Divas Battle Royal to become No. 1 contender to the Divas Championship

Kaitlyn won a Divas Battle Royal to become No. 1 contender to the Divas Championship
WWE's lovely Divas vied for the opportunity to challenge Layla for the Divas Championship. With the champion watching from ringside, chaos erupted inside the ring as the No. 1 contendership awaited to be claimed. There was no clear favorite in the contest and the unpredictability of the contest left the WWE Universe in Fresno State on the edge of their seats. Finally, it came down to Kaitlyn and former Divas Champion Eve. Given the experience that Eve has inside the squared circle, the smart bet would have been on her to claim the opportunity for the Divas Title. However, millions around the world, including Eve and Layla, were shocked as Kaitlyn eliminated the former champion to become the No. 1 contender. ( PHOTOS | WATCH)

Dolph Ziggler def. Chris Jericho

Dolph Ziggler def. Chris Jericho; Jericho's WWE contract is terminated
The stakes on Monday Night Raw were highest in the SummerSlam rematch between Chris Jericho and Dolph Ziggler. Earlier on Raw, General Manager AJ Lee declared that if Jericho lost, his WWE contract would be terminated. However, if Ziggler lost, he would lose his Money in the Bank contract for a World Heavyweight Title opportunity to Jericho. ( PHOTOS | WATCH)

Both competitors showed their aggression and desire to win as soon as the match began. Jericho tried to capture Ziggler with an early pinfall as The Showoff focused his offense on The Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Rolla's injured ribs. The talented Superstars kept each other at bay with momentum shifts, showing the WWE Universe the talent and experience shared between the two.

Although the WWE Universe was in Jericho's corner, their cheers were nearly drowned out by the constant shrieking of Vickie Guerrero. WWE's first-ever Undisputed Champion remained unfazed and kept a firm hold on the control of the bout.

The match continued and it appeared that Jericho would soon hold the Money in the Bank contract. Ziggler had other plans and managed to counter Y2J's patented Lionsault and quickly execute the Zig Zag, picking up the victory and terminating Jericho's WWE contract.

As The Showoff celebrated, Chris Jericho was not going to go out quietly. He left WWE with a brutal briefcase attack on his opponent and then laid out Ziggler with the Codebreaker. ( WATCH: CHRIS JERICHO SAYS GOODBYE)

WWE Champion CM Punk confronts Jerry "The King" Lawler and John Cena

WWE Champion CM Punk confronts Jerry "The King" Lawler and John Cena
On Raw 1,000, Jerry "The King" Lawler said that CM Punk turned his back on the WWE Universe. Twenty-four hours after retaining the WWE Title in a Triple Threat Match against Big Show and John Cena at SummerSlam, WWE Champion CM Punk demanded an apology from the WWE Hall of Famer. But before Punk could get his apology, John Cena made his way to the ring. ( PHOTOS |  WATCH EXCLUSIVE VIDEO)

The Straight Edge Superstar was clearly unhappy with Cena's interruption, claiming that since WrestleMania, the champion has taken a "back seat" to Cena, The Rock, Brock Lesnar and Triple H. Punk explained to Cena that he didn't mind out of respect. The WWE Champion reminded Cena and the WWE Universe how many times he has defeated the Cenation leader. With that in mind, CM Punk named his one condition for accepting the match: Cena must admit that The Second City Saint is the “Best in the World.”

Cena retorted that despite nine months of not being the WWE Champion, the Cenation was still strong because of the one thing CM Punk desired: respect. Cena refused to adhere to Punk's demand, because in his heart, he is the best.

The 10-time WWE Champion highlighted the stark contrasts between himself and the current champion and how he never demanded anything from anyone. Willing to sacrifice the No. 1 contendership, Cena would not give Punk what he wanted. Cena reminded The Straight Edge Superstar that if he wanted to prove he was the best once and for all, he must face Cena at Night of Champions.

After the Cenation leader left the ring, CM Punk once again turned his attention to Jerry Lawler, calling the WWE Hall of Famer into the ring to once again demand an apology. Lawler apologized, but the WWE Champion was still not satisfied and wanted "The King" to declare him the “Best in the World.”

The Memphis, Tenn., native refused and tried to return to the announce table only for CM Punk to kick him from behind. As Raw came to a close, the WWE Champion, still lacking whatever respect he felt was deserved, silently looked down at Lawler and to the WWE Universe. ( WATCH: PUNK EXPLAINS HIS ATTACK)