At that point, Bryan backstage went to HHH and there was a loud screaming match between the two of them that was not caught by cameras. I’ve read people say that the two guys were using what happened and working a storyline backstage. There’s enough to be suspicious of every aspect. But every person backstage we contacted believed it was real, and there are some very perceptive people who have seen their share of worked shoots and attempts to fool the boys with backstage angles. All said the entire story as was going around was a shoot, and that Bryan and HHH got into a loud argument that nearly came to blows, that nobody had ever seen Bryan act that way.
At the time it was feared the injuries were worse because of how long it took for Bryan to get up, and the fact the left arm was just hanging there as Bryan was still trying to do his match. He was supposed to at one point do a skin the cat spot, but couldn’t (although he was able to pretty much do it on the second try) because he had no power in his left arm. Jerry Lawler noticed the problems immediately and was commenting on them. Under normal circumstances, this would have been cause for concern, but since they booked a very similar scenario with Ziggler the night before, and with HHH on Raw a few weeks earlier, it just came across like an effective idea that they are now beating to death.
As soon as he got to the back, Bryan made a beeline for HHH. He got in his face and was screaming about how in his entire career, he had never not finished a match due to injury and he should be able to decide if he could continue. But what’s weird to me is that if Bryan was hurt but scripted to win, given Orton was back suplexing him on the barricade, why didn’t they have Orton quickly miss an RKO, get put in the no lock, and they would have their finish and it wouldn’t mess up plans?
The WWE web site covered it like it was storyline, saying that HHH and Bryan almost came to blows as Bryan got in his face talking about his injuries he’d worked through and they had never stopped the match, cursing at him and that they should never stop one of his matches if he thinks he’s okay to go. HHH talked about working through a torn quad (in a match where he finished the match and did the finish planned), which it was noted actually made no sense because in trying to say he was tough and did what Bryan wanted to do, he was making Bryan’s point. Bryan brought up that this was supposed to be the most important win of his career and they took it away from him. Several backstage confirmed that they did appear they were going to come to blows, and Orton and Brian James jumped in to separate them. Eventually both calmed down, both apologized to the other, and said there were no hard feelings and it was just emotions. HHH did do a web site interview, acknowledged there was a confrontation, played it down, just said it was two guys passionate about the business, that they made up, but that he had to make the tough call. He said his job is to protect the talent and he will always make the call to protect the talent.