Alberto del Rio defeated Dolph Ziggler to become the new World Heavyweight Champion tonight at WWE Payback, live on pay-per-view.
During the match, del Rio worked over Ziggler's head, exacerbating his recent concussion. To continue the story, Dolph continued to sell the effects from the concussion throughout the match, as the challenger continued to kick him in the head despite loud protest from the hot Chicago crowd. There was even a spot where a WWE medic stopped the match to examine the champion, but del Rio continued the pressure with kicks to the skull.
Following the match, the new World Champion gathered a major heel reaction from the WWE Universe, and when he left the crowd chanted for Dolph Ziggler as the new WWE Diva's Champion, AJ Lee was shown crying at ringside. Del Rio then returned to the entrance ramp and cut a promo about how he deserved to be champion, and how he did it for the fans, despite their loud and obvious disdain for him.
There has been several rumors going around in the past few weeks that Dolph Ziggler or Big E Langston were in line for a major babyface turn. If this reaction carries into Monday Night Raw tomorrow night from Grand Rapids, MI that could very well be the case. Interestingly enough, the first ever major "double turn" – the famous Bret Hart and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin match at WrestleMania XIII – also happened in Chicago.
