WWE RAW results [November 26,2012]

PHOTOS | VIDEO

The time for sneak attacks and trash talk ended about halfway through Raw in the Cajundome when, following an increasingly heated back-and-forth, John Cena finally got himself a one-on-one match against Dolph Ziggler, courtesy of Managing Supervisor Vickie Guerrero.

Competing with a slight tear in his meniscus, Cena showed no signs of hesitance when he took it to Mr. Money in the Bank early on, sending Ziggler airborne with a series of hiptosses and headlocks, leaving The Showoff scrambling for separation only moments after the opening bell.

He found it after absorbing a painful-looking opening surge from Cena, planting the Cenation leader long enough for Ziggler to rally and potentially catch his second wind.

And boy, did he ever.

Ziggler surged back fast and furious against Cena, taking the fight outside the ring and hauling the 10-time WWE Champion into the steel steps before decking him with a clothesline and dropping elbows upon elbows on the prone sternum of the Cenation leader. Cena looked to turn the tide when he unleashed his signature shoulder blocks against Ziggler, but The Showoff stopped Cena in his tracks, thwarting the Five Knuckle Shuffle and executing a leaping DDT that left Cena splattered across the mat.

Dolph ultimately went for finesse over flash in his final attempt to put Cena away, leaping atop his opponent's back and locking in a sleeper hold that nearly put Cena to bed. The Cenation Commander-in-Chief countered with an STF, but Ziggler was able to reach the ropes and made Cena pay with a resounding dropkick to the face. Ziggler gave the WWE Universe its highlight-reel moment when he squirmed mid-fall out of the Attitude Adjustment and hit Cena with the Zig Zag. The Cenation leader managed a last-minute escape, though, before the referee could count him down.

But as straightforward and competitive as it was, the match's conclusion was nearly as bizarre as its origins. First, Cena seemed to aggravate his knee injury while attempting the Five Knuckle Shuffle. While officials attended to Cena, Ziggler attempted to tamper with the ring post and expose the bare steel of the turnbuckle, but AJ Lee quickly sprinted to the ring and cut Dolph's nefarious scheme short. This brought out Vickie Guerrero, who drew the ire of AJ and the attention of the referee to boot. With everyone distracted, Ziggler made his move and attempted to smash Cena with his Money in the Bank briefcase, but the injured Cena was ready for the cheap shot, dodging Ziggler's strike and finally executing the AA to silence The Showoff.

And then, of course, he kissed AJ again. Honestly, after a hard-fought win like that, who can blame him?