Former WWE Referee On Brock Lesnar Busting Randy Orton Open During Match

Pic: WWE

Brock Lesnar defeated Randy Orton in the 2016 WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view, busting him open with numerous elbow smashes to the head. While Orton was bleeding profusely, Lesnar continued to pound him until the referees intervened. The match was won by Lesnar via technical knockout.

Mike Chioda, a former senior WWE referee, recently spoke with James Romero of Wrestling Shoot Interviews and confessed that he was stunned that WWE executives authorised the brutal ending.

“Brock gashed him open and I could tell there was something going on, but I didn’t know if it was really Brock towards Randy or if it was just Brock listening to what the office wanted him to do,” Chioda said. “Randy had a little bit of heat at that time. He gashed him open real bad over the forehead. You could tell he was going for it because he was just elbow to forehead. I was kind of shocked that they would do that because concussion protocol was still strong at that time.”

Lesnar continued to attack Orton after the contest until then-SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon arrived in the ring. Lesnar stepped in the way and hit Shane with the F5 in the process.

After the match, Orton reportedly needed 10 staples to repair a cut on his forehead. It was then rumoured that Lesnar and Chris Jericho had a backstage brawl, with Jericho apparently asking officials if the match's ending was scripted. When Jericho didn't get a straight answer, he became enraged and attacked Lesnar, according to reports. The two reportedly exchanged words before being separated by Triple H and Vince McMahon, who informed Jericho that the finish was pre-planned.

Chioda stated that he is still unaware of the circumstances behind the match's conclusion. When Lesnar and Orton didn't interact all day before the match, he suspected something was up.

“There wasn’t a fallout between Brock and Randy but they just didn’t talk all day, so something was going on,” Chioda said. “I don’t know if it was really from the office or Brock telling them how he wanted it. I don’t think Randy really had too much heat with Brock. He kind of knew what was coming, I think.”

Lesnar later defeated Orton in a rematch on September 24, 2016 at a WWE live event in Chicago. The match was billed as the first-ever Suplex City Deathmatch. They have not wrestled a singles match since then.