Kalisto Wins the United States Championship on WWE Raw (Video)

Alberto Del Rio defends his United States Championship on WWE Raw against the man who defeated him last week, Slammy Award winner Kalisto of the Lucha Dragons!

John Cena’s injury may keep him from challenging Alberto Del Rio for the United States Championship, but last week he found a willing replacement in the high-flying Kalisto. The luchadore scored a surprise victory against the champ and earned a title shot for tonight, but can he win when the title is actually on the line? Before the match, Kalisto was more than ready to prove he was worthy of Cena’s endorsement.

But Del Rio had a few words of his own for the New Orleans crowd, taking credit for injuring Cena and promising to squash Kalisto.

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Kalisto’s amazing springboard into the ring signaled the start of the match and his first big title opportunity in the WWE.

Del Rio didn’t waste any time, jumping Kalisto right at the bell and taking the upper hand.  After dumping the luchadore the floor, Del Rio hit him with a double-ax handle from the turnbuckle, but he still doesn’t seem to be taking his opponent seriously. Kalisto fought back, nailed him with the spinning corkscrew, but got caught in a powerbomb by Del Rio.

After that flurry by Kalisto, Del Rio is more focused than ever, hitting him with a devastating clothesline out of the corner.  Kalisto fought back and went for a suicide dive to the outside, but was caught and driven missile-like into the barrier!

Back from the break and Kalisto goes for a flying crossbody off the top rope, only to be side-stepped once more by Del Rio who seems ready for all of his aerial maneuvers. In full control now, Del Rio is aggressively trying to put Kalisto away, hitting him with a big suplex and going to the top rope. But Kalisto recovers and nails him with a hurricanrana off the turnbuckle!

One spinning corkscrew and a tornado DDT later and Kalisto is going for the win..1…2…Del Rio kicks out and is right back in control! He goes for his finishing kick, misses, and Del Rio gets hit with a surprise kick by Kalisto! Kalisto to the top but Del Rio takes his legs out crushes him with a reverse superplex!

Kalisto goes for the Salida Del Sol but Del Rio reverses it and hangs him up in the ropes! Now he’s got him tied in the Tree of Woe, and is going for his stomp finisher, but Kalisto reverses it into another hurricanrana and nearly gets the three-count!  Del Rio’s in trouble, nails Kalisto with a boot and goes for a german suplex, but Kalisto catches him in a Victory Roll…1…2…3! Kalisto wins! Kalisto wins the United States title!

Travis’ Thoughts: Very good match that told the right story, that of Kalisto as the resilient, undersized underdog and Del Rio as the overconfident champ.  Kalisto has been on an incredible roll and this match gave him a chance to show off his Mysterio-esque offense. Clearly, that’s what WWE is building him up to be, but one has to wonder what this means for the Lucha Dragons. Does Sin Cara come back as a heel and turn on his old partner? And what about Del Rio? Does he fade into the background as part of the League of Nations? Or move up to challenge for the World title?