The Allstate Arena was on its feet as the bell rang and the match was called on account of a count-out. This wasn't how a championship match was supposed to end. Hell, that wasn't how a Wrestlemania championship match was supposed to end. The fans who had paid exhorbitant amounts for their seats were ready to start throwing things to express their dissatisfaction.
And then, Shane McMahon ran down the ramp, pushing past Triple H and Ric Flair, soaring with a paper in his hand to the referee and ring announcer. All eyes were on him as he spoke loudly to the two, waving his hands and ranting. Finally, Lilian Garcia shook her head and said, with confusion, "It has been declared that their must be a bona fide winner. Therefore, the match will be restarted with no count-outs and no disqualifications."
Hunter screamed, but he didn't move. Ric started pushing him forward and he dug his feet in. "What the hell are you doing!" He was shoved forward without a word. "My title, my match, I win! I am not doing this! Where the hell is Bischoff?"
In the ring, Trish slowly stepped away from Batista and moved to the side. He turned towards her and nodded. She took that to mean that he could handle it and slipped out of the ring. Her head turned instantly to the opposite side of the ring, where Shane was rejoining his sister, Randy Orton, and Stacy Keibler. They all looked to her with a smirk, and she glared.
Eric Bischoff came storming to the ring, completing the chain of anyone who could even remotely be connected with the world title match. As he stopped at the end of the ramp, Shane came around, waving his undisclosed sheet of paper in his face. Bischoff rose the microphone and his voice was a devastating howl. "What the hell do you think you're doing," he demanded. "I'm the General Manager here. You have no right to restart a match!"
"I have every right," Shane told him, "and this paper says so. The hell with everything else going on, I'm still a part owner in this company, and I've got written permission from the Board of Directors to do as I see fit to make sure this show ends right!"
"I didn't get any call!" He moved forward and tried to snatch the paper from his hands, but Shane held back. "Give it to me!"
"You don't need it! The ref saw it and that's all you need for now! So, get out of here before I have security drag your ass out!" Shane looked past him to Hunter. "And get your ass in that ring before you're stripped of the title and I make Randy Orton a double champion at Wrestlemania!"
It was made very clear to those involved that Shane and Stephanie didn't give a damn who won this match. As far as they were concerned, Orton would be taking the strap off of someone by the next pay-per-view, so it didn't matter who came out of this match on top. They would end up on the bottom when it was all over. Besides, they had vowed that Batista would not leave Wrestlemania as a winner. He may not have had the strap, but a count-out still gave Batista the victory.
Fighting aside, the match was restarted as soon as Hunter was practically shoved into the ring. The bell sounded and Batista went straight for him. His attack was quick and powerful. His arms wrapped around Hunter's waist. He lifted him and slammed him flat onto the mat. He bounded back to his feet and his back arched as he screamed raggedly towards the more satiated fans.
When Batista turned back, Flair was sliding a sledgehammer into the ring. Hunter's hand found the hammer's head and he used it as a crutch to get back to his feet. He gripped the handle with both hands, ready for a full swing. The sledgehammer came flying from Batista's left and he reached out in time to grab the head, stopping the swing. He and Hunter stared at one another, then Hunter's eyes dropped as he tried to force the sledgehammer inside.
Batista jerked hard and the sledgehammer came loose in his hands. He dropped it to the mat, then rushed at him with a clothesline. Hunter ducked and Dave turned around for a boot in the stomach. He jumped and bent down. Hunter tried for a quick pedigree but was unable to get the arms locked before Batista shook free. He flipped Hunter over his back, using his shoulders to sail the man over his body. Hunter rolled to his feet and was able to duck another forearm before he was knocked down again.
On the outside, Stephanie pointed at Randy and Stacy, then jerked her thumb towards the ring. They started to climb inside and Trish jumped up, sliding into the ring. She ran around Dave and Hunter, then flew straight at Randy and Stacy as they were climbing into the ring. The momentum sent them all crashing to the outside. Shane and Stephanie jumped back, then Randy pulled back. Stacy and Trish stayed on the floor, rolling and fighting. They were still in the way when Hunter grabbed Batista's head and sent him sailing over the top rope.
Batista landed with his shoulder and part of his chest on the women's legs. Both scurried quickly away, moving just in time to avoid Hunter coming out of the ring and taking on the attack. He took the slightly addled challenger by the neck, stood him up, then hurled him into the steel stairs. Batista's shoulder hit hard and the top set of stairs toppled over. He fell to his side, then rolled to his back, holding his shoulder.
Randy took the opportunity to jump into the fray. His boots connected solidly with Batista's abdomen, keeping him on the mat. Hunter came over and shoved him out of the way. Randy stalked up, grabbed him by the shoulder and whirled him around. The two former partners stared at one another, glaring. "Come on!" Randy yelled at him, stepping back. Hunter lunged at him just as Batista got to his feet. He hit Hunter in the back and Randy moved out of the way of the falling champion.
Triple H went to his knees and Batista wailed down on his back with heavy forearms, then picked him up and tossed him back in the ring. Hunter rolled to his feet, but Batista was ready for him. Each time Hunter rose up, Batista knocked him back down. Fearing the end, Ric Flair climbed into the ring and jumped on Batista's back. Dave fell backwards, squashing Ric, then jumping back to his feet. When he turned around, it wans't just Triple H that he found to be standing in the ring.
The fight between the support systems had carried over to the ring. Stephanie and Trish were in the ring, both holding chairs, threatening to swing at any second. Ric had Stacy by the arms, and she was pulling herself away from him. Randy ran to snatch her away. Shane was climbing into the ring, heading towards the fighting women. And once again, that's where Dave's eyes landed, watching Trish as she stood up for him and what he deserved. She was sorely outnumbered, but she was still there as though there was no danger to her.
The slight moment of distraction was enough to give Hunter the upperhand. Orton had gotten Stacy away from Flair, but that only served to free him up to run in. He tossed a chair in and Hunter grabbed it. He swung to Dave's left and the big man rocked to the side. He swung to the right and sent him rocking in the other direction. Ric came in with another chair and nailed the challenger in the back. Batista went down to his knees, his back arched in pain.
Triple H took the opportunity to retain his title. He pulled Batista up and shoved his head between his legs. Both arms were hooked and he looked to the Nature Boy with a grin that said, "I am the fucking man!" He cinched onto Batista's arms tighter, making sure that he couldn't buck out of the hold yet again. Then, as quickly as he'd had him ready to go down, he stopped and his back arched.
He was careless of the people standing behind him, positive that even if Trish tried to do something, Shane and Stephanie would stop her. There was no love lost between him and the McMahon children, but they wanted Batista to lose, and that was a powerful motivator. Unfortunately, his delusions of his own greatness and deity worked against him.
One second they were screaming at each other, and the next, Trish and Stephanie swung their chairs… straight at Hunter's back. His body went rigid and Batista was able to pull himself away. Flair jumped into the ring, ready to lunge at Batista. He jumped and suddenly, Randy Orton was there. He caught Flair mid-leap and grabbed his head. The RKO took out the Nature Boy and Randy jumped to his feet. Stacy dragged the fallen sledgehammer to the center of the ring. As Batista wobbled backwards, gaining his footing, Stacy was able to lift the weapon just enough to slam the handle into Hunter's crouch. He bent forward and slowly dropped to his knees.
Batista stood up straight, clearing his head, then looked around the ring. The new regime that Shane and Stephanie McMahon had formed stood watching with huge grins, waiting for their champion to finish off the deed. Batista grabbed Hunter and jerked him up, then bent him over, forcefully shoving his head between his legs. In a fluid motion, he lifted him up, then planted him down on the mat. He rolled, pinned, and by the time the count was over, he could see Shane standing just to the side, holding his belt.
"Winner, and NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion… Batista!"
Dave got to his feet and took another look around the ring. They were all coming closer to him, and Trish reached him first. She reached out to him, but he focused on Shane, the only one coming directly to his face. Shane held the gold and he looked at Batista with a smirk. He flipped the belt, as though he were going to come at his head with it, then flipped it again so he held it by the strap. With wide grins, the men rushed into an embrace.
Shane stepped back and handed the belt over. As Batista flung it over his shoulder, Shane lifted his hand in the air. Stephanie rushed over and grabbed his other wrist, hoisting his arm up. Trish stood in front of him, her own title cinched around her waist, and leaned back against him. Stacy and Randy came around to either side of Shane and Stephanie, grinning.
Dave jerked his hands free and Trish turned to face him. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her in the air in a tight hug, then let her drop back down. Then, he went to the corner and climbed up, thrusting his newly won title into the air and taking his place as the new World Heavyweight Champion.
