[2010-06-20-WWE-Fatal 4-Way] John Cena vs Sheamus vs Edge vs Randy Orton

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWE Champion John Cena vs Sheamus vs Edge vs Randy Orton - Fatal 4-Way 2010

 

Normally, I skip multi-man matches, but Sheamus wins the championship in this one so it piqued my interest. In the opening video package for the PPV, it says 25% chance of winning is the WORST odds a champion has ever faced that's why they call it a Fatal 4-way. Holy Hyperbole!

 

2010 is such an interesting year in WWE. WWE had been dominated by seven men since 2005. Three stars of the 90s (Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, HHH), one star of the Attitude Era (Edge) and the Chosen Three of 2000s (Cena, Batista, Orton). By June of 2010, 4 of those 7 men would be gone with two never returning (Batista returned for a hot second). This left the biggest power vacuum in WWE since Austin & Rock's departure in 2003. However, they were in an interesting position. They did not need a new guy. They still had Cena. What they needed was a new supporting cast. Honestly, I think that's what made this all the more difficult. That's why we had the flops that were Sheamus, Wade Barrett, Jack Swagger, Dolph Ziggler, Alberto Del Rio and The Miz. They could not push them ahead of Cena so they just became challengers. Whereas, in the previous years instead of being shunted down the card you could be paired with Undertaker or D-X and still feel like a big deal. By losing so many main eventers, but NOT losing Cena was the worst possible outcome in regards to creating new stars. CM Punk & Daniel Bryan are the obvious exceptions of this era. Part of it I think is there indy street cred gave them that core fanbase that would never desert them unlike the Swaggers and Sheamuses of the world. Then there is the fact that both one in a million talents in and out of the ring. Even in the strange professional environment of WWE, the cream does rise to the top. As much as I love Sheamus, I realize it is not obvious that you should like him.

 

We are doing stream of consciousness to save me some time. Cena is rocking the Orange with blue trim. I love how much of a Cena fanboy Jerry Lawler is. Cena/Sheamus pair off and Orton/Edge tarde fists. Pretty lame as Orton and Cena are left in the ring after 15 seconds of weak brawling. Cena vs Orton does seem to be getting a good reaction even though they met four straight times in late 2009. FU no, RKO, no and here comes Edge & Sheamus. I think Edge is a babyface now. I seem to recall an injury and him returning to defeat Jericho for the title. I don't know how Edge ended up on Raw and how Swagger won. Cena sucks as Edge & Sheamus double team. Now it is Lets Go Cena/Cena Sucks. Sheamus takes Cena down and Edge pulls Sheamus down with a cradle. HE IS THE ULTIMATE OPPORTUNIST DONT YA KNOW! Edge sends Cena flying over the top. This is boring. Orton knocks Edge off the top. Lots of weird staggering for a while before Edge hits a crossbody on Sheamus. I hate weird staggering in place. Orton sends Edge over the top. Orton hits a suplex on Cena bringing him in the hard way. There is no real story and they aren't doing high spots. Whats the point? Orton Stomp. Crowd entertains itself by chanting Lets Go Cena/Cena Sucks. That chant saved many a boring main event. Cena with some red hot punches! Cena fisherman suplex! Here we go! No FU. Irish Curse Backbreaker. In that short sequence, Sheamus/Cena has been the hottest pairing of this fatal4-way. Celtic Cross!!! Damn you Edge. Cena schoolboy. Orton clotheslines Sheamus. Double Hangsman DDT. Edge is a lot taller than I realize. Edge is grabbing his hair that means only one thing he is coming in for a HUG! Cena aint about dat Hug Life and here come the Shouldertackles. He is more about Five Knuckle Shuffles than Hugs. Now it is Orton finish run punctuated by the powerslam. Now Orton is doing his spaz thing before the RKO. Sheamus breaks that up. Cena sends Sheamus out. Orton pulled Sheamus off apron and also snaps Cena's neck off the top rope. Cena gets the STF on Edge. Striker there is no way out of this hold...yeah sure...Sheamus saves. It is a Fatal 4-Way. Sheamus pins Edge, good call! Way to go, fella! Sheamus targets the neck of Cena with about two minutes left in the match. Hey better late than never. Sheamus big clothesline to Edge. I wonder who is going to take the pin. My money is on Edge. FU push off into RKO! Sheamus shoves ref. that has been the best spot in the match. Crowd actually reacted. Best nearfall too. Orton kicks Sheamus out. Edge HUGS Orton. Brogue Kick! My brother would love this all these finishers. Sheamus covers Orton because Edge went out of the ring. Orton and Edge fighting on the outside. Orton sends Sheamus into the announce table. Edge hits a weak spear on Orton on the outside. Backstage, Nexus attacks the RAW mid-card. Did the big angle already happen? Yes it did based on commentary. Michael Cole freaks out and runs away. Nexus beats up everyone in the production truck. Nexus mobs Cena and gang attacks him Edge tries to save and he gets overwhelmed. Sheamus pins Cena to win the championship. Sheamus hightails it out of there before the Nexus can attack him. Well that does no favors to make Sheamus look like a champion. Wade Barrett hits Wasteland on Cena and Justin Gabriel hits the 450 on Cena. Sheamus tries to celebrate with the title on the entrance ramp but has to make a hasty retreat with Nexus coming at him.

 

I will say this about Nexus it was my thoughts in 2010 and watching it now my thoughts have not changed. Absolutely brilliant angle especially considering when over half of your main event roster is leaving. It was chaotic and really had a different feel at the time. The problem was not the angle or execution. It was the talent. At the end of the day, Heath Slater and Darren Young aren't the guys you want getting this over. Wade Barrett, I think had a chance, but was just too green at this point in his career. This is one of those sink or swim in the deep end of the pool and unfortunately this dude sunk like a rock. I think Nexus would have been the perfect vehicle to get an awesome talent like Sheamus over. Nexus costing Cena title and being aligned with Sheamus would have done wonders for both parties. Sheamus fits with Nexus. He was a young, new talent looking to overthrow the main event establishment. Match was terrible. Really awful. Just skip to the end.