Roman Reigns Beats Drew McIntyre; Solo Sikoa Debuts

Roman Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre, extending his two-year run as WWE Common champion, and persevering with his run as Undisputed WWE Common champion. The match noticed the debut of Solo Sikoa, who pulled the referee out of the ring simply because it appeared McIntyre was going to lastly defeat Roman Reigns.

Following the match, Tyson Fury—who stopped a Cash within the Financial institution money in from Austin Concept—bought within the ring to sing with McIntyre and Principality Stadium. The stadium was fairly cranky, largely booing the second, however they got here round to sing “American Pie.”

WWE aired a “Damaged Desires” video bundle previous to the match beginning because the partisan crowd was solidly behind the hometown hero. Followers fiercely chanted “Oh Drew McIntyre!” to the tune of the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Military.”

Delivering historic moments at WWE Conflict on the Fortress ought to have been prime of thoughts in WWE for a lot of causes. Conflict on the Fortress’s predecessor was WWE SummerSlam 1992, the place the British Bulldog gained the Intercontinental Championship from Brett Hart in entrance of his dwelling nation inside the UK’s Wembley Stadium. With a large crowd available at Principality Stadium, the desk was set for WWE to copy a doubly historic win: A uncommon world title change in the UK, and the tip of Roman Reigns’ two-year run.

Seems, the one historical past WWE replicated at Conflict on the Fortress, was the historical past that has already existed for over 700 days. With completely predictable outcomes—the place the entire favorites went over—and no shock returns, Conflict on the Fortress got here off as extra of a home present.

Reigns has been a fantastic champion for WWE for the reason that day he gained the title. Reigns had a polarizing push-and-pull with WWE’s fanbase as The Huge Canine, however fortunately, his much-needed heel-turn unlocked a artistic windfall. Because the extra aloof, extra calculating, and extra dominant Head of the Desk, Reigns carried the corporate on his again.

Till his 2022 feud with Drew McIntyre, Reigns’ dominance as each a present and a curse.

Regardless of creating right into a gripping character, full with a gifted supporting forged within the Bloodline, Reigns’ world title challengers have been typically booked as one-dimensional underdogs whom few believed had an opportunity. This led to much less suspenseful world title matches that always felt inevitable. Reigns cleaned out the divisions many instances over, with each pay-per-view having the identical (anticipated) consequence. Reigns even beat Drew McIntyre in a SmackDown vs. Uncooked exhibition match at WWE Survivor Collection 2020.

In latest weeks, notably since Triple H took over artistic, Drew McIntyre has emerged as probably the most viable risk to defeat Roman Reigns since his reign started two years in the past. Reigns as soon as once more walked right into a world title match as a favourite, however solely a slight one at -160 in comparison with +120 for McIntyre.

Roman Reigns Continues Historic Title Run

Reigns not too long ago celebrated his 734th day as Common champion. With the Scottish-born Drew McIntyre wrestling in the UK, Saturday offered the proper alternative to dethrone Roman Reigns, particularly with Reigns successfully a part-timer.

WWE went into overdrive in build up its Conflict on the Fortress principal occasion, which emanated in entrance of over 60,000 followers. Previous to this principal occasion even being introduced, WWE’s pay-per-view return to the UK was already thought-about a large success by way of ticket gross sales.

WWE delivered in selling its principal occasion, airing a collection of vignettes chronicling McIntyre and Reigns en route certainly one of WWE’s greatest principal occasions in years. Not solely did Roman Reigns feud with Drew McIntyre, however every veteran prime star additionally had opps on the aspect. Reigns is within the midst of a extremely compelling feud with Kevin Owens, one which implicates honorary Uce (and Owens’ finest buddy) Sami Zayn. McIntyre, in the meantime, is at the moment feuding with Karrion Kross, who has additionally teased coming after Roman Reigns. This dynamic alone opened up the floodgates for doable match finishes. Kross, seated within the crowd, bought concerned within the match by throwing a water bottle at McIntyre.

Given how lengthy they’ve been uncovered to WWE followers, it’s virtually unimaginable to inform the tales of Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns with out sounding like a rerun. However by constructing to a historic pay-per-view, WWE succeeded in giving this principal occasion the extent of hype worthy of headlining a stadium present.

The ever-changing Triple H period was the cherry on prime of an already intriguing matchup. Steadily, however certainly, Triple H has carried out a lot of small-but-important adjustments to additional put his stamp on the brand new WWE. With the final decade outlined by part-timers, is Triple okay with having a part-time champion? Or is he extra eager to to have a full-time champion like Drew McIntyre? With Reigns celebrating two years as champion on SmackDown, it might have simply as simply have served as a sendoff of kinds.

However after an unpredictable world title match, Roman Reigns survived, alongside Solo Sikoa, with The Bloodline solely getting stronger.