Mark Henry interrupted John Cena's championship speech

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Having finally redeemed himself on The Grandest Stage of Them All, there was a new, elated purpose to John Cena in his first Raw as WWE Champion in nearly two years. Not only did he seem physically invigorated by the title gold around his waist (check out his championship dance, complete with a kick and a “heel turn”), but Cena also got down to business. He intended to celebrate his title win the only way he knew how: by defending it.

Cena triumphs at WrestleMania | Photos of the epic rematch

It didn’t take long for a challenger to present himself. Mark Henry, emboldened by his defeat of the monstrous Ryback at WrestleMania, stalked to the ring and demanded an opportunity to challenge for Cena’s hard-won championship. One ruling from  new Hall of Famer and reigning SmackDown General Manager Booker T later, and terms were set: Given that the injured Rock was unable to make good on his rematch clause, Henry would indeed get a crack at The Champ … provided he beat Cena one-on-one on Raw.

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Big E Langston def. WWE Tag Team Champion Daniel Bryan

Big E Langston tries to impress in his Raw debut match against WWE Tag Team Champion Daniel Bryan.

It was hardly the grand debut Big E Langston had hoped for when he stepped into the ring for his first sanctioned match at WrestleMania 29, suffering a tag team defeat to Team Hell No alongside Dolph Ziggler. But time heals all wounds, and the colossus found vindication the next night on Raw, defeating the de facto hero of the previous night’s contest in Daniel Bryan.

Team Hell No takes flight |  Goat Faces vs. Monsters?

The submission technician brought MetLife Stadium to its feet the previous night when he scored the deciding pinfall (not to mention vindication from  the previous year), but the next night belonged entirely to Big E. Bryan battered his monstrous opponent with everything he had, but Langston simply powered through the veteran’s offense, tossing Bryan over the ropes before plowing him into the mat with the Big Ending for a bone-shattering pinfall. 

Wade Barrett def. Intercontinental Champion The Miz

The Miz defends his newly won Intercontinental Championship against Wade Barrett the night after winning it at WrestleMania 29.

You can’t keep a big, bad Englishman down. Wade Barrett bounced back from his loss during the WrestleMania 29 Interactive Pre-Show in a big way, reclaiming the Intercontinental Championship from The Miz a little more than 24 hours after a pair of Figure-Four Leglocks robbed him of the title.

An “Awesome” Pre-Show victory |  Barrett's glorious payback

Miz strode into the IZOD Center still high off his upset victory from the previous night, but Barrett took it to the champion with ruthless abandon in a feral effort to reclaim his championship. The Awesome One regrouped quickly, seizing control and causing Barrett to suffer his third Figure-Four in two nights. But the bare-knuckle brawler powered back and Miz was left looking at the lights when Barrett let loose with the Bull Hammer, toppling the chatty champion and taking the Intercontinental Championship back in the process.

World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio def. Jack Swagger & Zeb Colter; Dolph Ziggler cashed in Money in the Bank on Del Rio to win the World Heavyweight Championship

Dolph Ziggler makes history by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract on Alberto Del Rio to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.

Much like the colors of Old Glory herself, Jack Swagger refused to run after Alberto Del Rio forced him to submit on The Grandest Stage of Them All, retaining his World Heavyweight Title in the process. The self-professed “Real American” did bring some backup for himself, however, when he faced The Pride of Mexico in a rematch on Raw: Zeb Colter.

Photos:  The Pride of New Jersey |  Dolph steals the show (and the title)

The former No. 1 contender and his curmudgeonly counselor put up a strong fight in a Handicap Match, but Del Rio triumphed again — not without emerging somewhat worse for wear. And that’s when the man who so often invoked “destiny” during his rise to prominence would soon feel the sting of fortune’s vindictive side.

With Del Rio hobbled by his opponents, a familiar promise to “show the world” roared through the loudspeakers and Dolph Ziggler struck, redeeming his battered Money in the Bank contract to make quick work of Del Rio and seize — at long, hard-earned last — the World Heavyweight Championship for his own. 

The Shield interrupted The Undertaker's tribute to Paul Bearer

Team Hell No come to aid Undertaker against a potential attack from The Shield.

With his immortal WrestleMania Streak extended to 21-0, The Undertaker came to Raw to pay proper homage to the legacy of Paul Bearer. With Bearer’s sacred urn finally returned to him, The Phenom picked up a microphone to pay his long-awaited homage to The Father of Destruction.

The Phenom defeats CM Punk |  Deadman walks at The Show of Shows

But the ceremony was short-lived, cut off by the crackle of static and the sudden appearance of The Shield, who made their boldest play yet by encircling The Lord of Darkness in apparent preparation to strike. The cavalry soon arrived in the form of Kane, who stormed to big brother’s aid with Daniel Bryan hot on his heels ( PHOTOS). Team Hell No quickly joined The Deadman to drive the “Hounds of Justice” back to their den, preserving the honor of Bearer’s memory and bringing the tribute to a triumphant end. As the man himself might say: Oh, yes.

Watch: Kane & Undertaker bring destruction

Zack Ryder, R-Truth & Santino Marella def. 3MB

R-Truth, Santino Marella & Zack Ryder face 3MB in a Six-Man Tag Team Match on Raw.

Notch one in the win column for Zack Ryder, R-Truth & Santino Marella, who knocked off 3MB in a high-spirited Six-Man Tag Team Match just one night after WrestleMania 29. Although none of the competitors got a chance to shine on The Grandest Stage of Them All, they certainly made up for it the next night with an infectious, high-octane energy that made the WWE Universe stand up and take notice. The match quickly devolved into all-out chaos, with each Superstar getting their shots in, but it was Santino who decided the bout with a Cobra straight to Slater’s mug, giving the odd trio a big win in the IZOD Center.

Photos:  Slater gets snakebit

Big Show disrupted the match between Randy Orton and Sheamus

Sheamus and Randy Orton face off on Raw until Big Show makes sure that his presence is felt.

With friends like this, who needs enemies? With Big Show having clocked The Celtic Warrior and The Viper at The Show of Shows with a pair of KO Punches to cost them their match against The Shield, the Orton and Sheamus had it out in a friendly(ish) contest to determine who would be the first to get a piece of The World’s Largest Athlete.

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Bolstered by a bizarre array of chants from the WWE Universe, The two former World Champions fought to a dead heat until Big Show emerged, taking Sheamus out and earning Orton the DQ win before getting his licks in on The Apex Predator himself. The giant went to work on The Viper with a vengeance, dismantling the former WWE Champion outside the ring before flattening him with a spear, leaving the commentary station – and Orton himself – in pieces.

Fandango def. Kofi Kingston via Disqualification

Kofi Kingston and Fandango go one-on-one on Raw until Chris Jericho crashes the party.

Now that Fandango has danced to victory on The Grandest Stage of Them All, what’s a little Raw match to the finicky Superstar who refused, for months, to set foot in the ring? With Fandango set to battle Kofi Kingston – ironically enough, the Superstar who was supposed to be Fandango’s first foe on Raw – the WWE Universe was ripe with anticipation as to how he would follow his star-making upset of Chris Jericho at WrestleMania the previous night.

Photos:  A perfect ten on The Grandest Stage |  Fandango's encore ruined

They may have to wait just a little bit longer. Fandango did, indeed, concede to fight Kofi, but the bout never got going once Jericho himself swarmed the ring and delivered yet another beating on the fox-trotting fiend with the unpronounceable name, locking him in the Walls of Jericho and refusing to let go. The win earned Fandango the DQ victory (not to mention an unusual moral win: the crowd was  singing his theme song), but it appears Y2J is not out of Fandango’s immaculately coiffed hair just yet. 

Greatest WWE entrance themes

Tons of Funk & The Funkadactyls def. Team Rhodes Scholars & The Bella Twins

Tons of Funk & The Funkadactyls face Team Rhodes Scholars & The Bella Twins in an Eight-Person Mixed Tag Team Match on Raw.

They didn’t get to throw down at WrestleMania 29, but Tons of Funk & The Funkadactyls took the extra day’s preparation and put it to good use against their intended opponents, Team Rhodes Scholars & The Bella Twins, in an 8-Person Mixed Tag Team Match. The big men and their booty-shaking valets triumphed over the brainiacs and The Bellas, putting their coordinated power strikes to good use against the scrappier Scholars in a tightly contested, highly unorthodox rumble.

Photos:  Crazy eight |  A battle of brains vs. boogie

With each Superstar and Diva getting a piece of the fray, the two tag teams rocked and rolled their way through the IZOD Center, but the big men triumphed with a double splash on an overmatched Sandow for their long-awaited victory. Consider it proof that funk’s roll cannot be stopped, merely delayed.

WWE Champion John Cena def. Mark Henry via Count-out

The main event match between WWE Champion John Cena and Mark Henry nearly blows the roof off the IZOD Center when Ryback attacks both competitors.

John Cena may have triumphed over his own personal demons at WrestleMania 29, but for a long time on Monday night, it didn’t seem like The Champ would be so lucky when he faced a very external foe in Mark Henry. Despite Cena’s dubious history on post-WrestleMania Raws, the 11-time WWE Champion was all smiles in the beginning (he even did a little dance). But The World’s Strongest Man quickly turned his mood sour, nearly planting Cena through the announce table.

Photos of the epic clash |  Feed him Cena?

The Champ rallied and struck Henry down enough to earn a count-out win, but the former World Champion wasn’t done, planting Cena with a World’s Strongest Slam. Henry looked like he’d be happy to continue until Ryback came to the rescue and drove him back … moments before turning his attention to Cena himself. With no inclination to his motives, Ryback struck Cena down, chopping The Champ down with a Meathook Clothesline before leaving him — and the WWE Universe, for that matter — Shell Shocked as Raw faded to black, Cena’s championship reign suddenly mired in uncertainty just hours after it began.

Editor’s note: WWE.com thanks what may have been the best crowd in Raw history in East Rutherford, N.J.'s IZOD Center for their participation in tonight’s show. Your enthusiasm was infectious and we’re glad you had fun. To Boston, as they say: “follow that.”

P.S.: You're right. That theme song is kind of catchy.