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CHICAGO – At WWE Payback, Alberto Del Rio reclaimed the World Heavyweight Championship from Dolph Ziggler, capitalizing on his opponent’s recent concussion with a controversial and unrelenting assault that left the WWE Universe watching in discomfort.
Photos of the brutality | Watch Ziggler medical update
As the bell rang on a showdown two months in the making, Ziggler and Del Rio looked poised for a brutal conflict. However, from his first opportunity, it was clear that Del Rio would take full advantage of Ziggler’s recent concussion without remorse.
This was so much the case that the referee momentarily stopped the action early on, trying to ascertain whether Del Rio’s blows had further aggravated Ziggler’s recent concussion. Not waiting for an answer, however, Del Rio pushed past the official and continued the all-out assault. Seconds later, Ziggler found himself on the floor, showing visible signs that he was not 100 percent, but Del Rio would not relent.
The fevered encounter soon led to an altercation between Big E Langston and Del Rio, causing Ziggler’s heavy to be ejected from ringside by the official. Still, even that did not allow the titleholder to regain his equilibrium, as Del Rio again went to work on his Ziggler’s head, leveling him with a kick, then bouncing his skull off the canvas.
Nevertheless, as each excruciating moment passed, Ziggler would not give in, fighting back by locking on the Sleeper Hold. Del Rio countered by running backward and smashing Ziggler’s skull into the turnbuckle. When Del Rio went for the Cross Armbreaker, Ziggler countered with the heart of a true champion, yet he had no counter for the enemy within.
While the referee finally stepped in again to check on Ziggler, Del Rio attacked once more, targeting the champion’s head. Back in the ring, The Showoff wouldn’t go down, roaring back with the Zig Zag. But, rather than give him the win, it only served to hurt him further and set up the ruthless No. 1 contender to deliver one final kick to the head before pinning Ziggler and reclaiming the World Heavyweight Title.
Moments after the match, the new World Heavyweight Champion reemerged before the WWE Universe and faced a hostile Chicago crowd, still clearly in shock over what they has just seen from Del Rio.
Like every Money in the Bank Match winner before him, Dolph Ziggler cashed in his title contract at the moment that most favored him, defeating Alberto Del Rio on the April 8 edition of Raw to capture his second World Heavyweight Championship. At WWE Payback, Del Rio sensed a recently concussed Ziggler created a moment that favored him.
Though Ziggler was medically cleared to return to the ring, he was clearly not prepared for the lengths the No. 1 contender would go to get the “Big Gold” back around his waist.
While Del Rio has now laid claim to his forth World Title with his win over Ziggler, his unrelenting assault on Ziggler’s vulnerable skull has shrouded the new champion in controversy. Only time will tell what will happen when the veil is lifted.