Per the stipulation of the match, the championship can change hands on a disqualification. Miz takes full advantage of that as soon as the bell rings, slapping Ambrose in the face and getting the champion to go after him in the corner. The referee threatened to call of the bell, and Miz milked as much as he could out of it until Dean finally calmed down and backed himself off. The challenger countered a Wacky Line into his signature neckbreaker, and began to slow down the match. Miz maintained control for several minutes, squashing any attempts at a comeback with rest holds and a slow, methodical offense. Ambrose tried to build some momentum but Miz hit him with a running dropkick in the corner, followed by a second, then a third to cap off a trio of big running dropkicks. He followed up with a running clothesline between the ropes, but got caught on the apron and sent to the floor, the champion slowly climbing the ropes and diving to the floor with a suicidal clothesline on the way down!
Both guys barely made the ten-count, rolling their beaten bodies back into the ring, and it was Ambrose who recovered first with a Fisherman’s Buster for a close nearfall. He followed up with neckbreaker and climbed to the top turnbuckle yet again, but Miz caught him in the ropes and began kicking away at his compromised leg and knee. The champion came out of nowhere with a sunset flip out of the corner, but Miz percectly countered into the Figure Four, putting pressure on the injured leg. Ambrose eventually reached the ropes to break the hold, but the damage had obviously been done as he limped his way to the corner. Miz tried for a second Figure Four but it was countered into a small package for two. The challenger kept up his assault in the corner and somehow the turnbuckle padding came undone. Ambrose almost threw his opponent head-first into the exposed steal, but realized it would have gotten him DQ’d and stopped just in time, only to turn around into a running knee strike. The Miz began chopping down the champion with Daniel Bryan-style kicks, taking a bit too much time being cocky, and Ambrose rolled him up into a Figure Four of his own! It looked like Miz was going to tap out, screaming out in pain, but he barely managed to reach out to the bottom rope to break the hold.
Miz went for the Skull Crushing Finale but the champion rolled him up into another pin attempt. They went back in forth in a great exchange looking for finishing moves, and Miz realized he was going to lose the bout, telling Maryse to get up on the apron and slap him in the face. The referee saw it and threatened to call for the DQ, but instead threw Maryse out of the building to a huge pop from the crowd. While the ref was dealing with her, Miz took advantage and threw the champion into him, knocking the official from the ring. Thinking it was an intentional assault, the referee looked like he was going to throw out the match, but Ambrose went out begging him not to do it. With everyone distracted, The Miz connected with the Skull Crushing Finale from behind, picking up the win.
WINNER AND NEW WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION: THE MIZ
