(7) ROMAN REIGNS vs. CODY RHDOES – Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match
The ring entrances began 45 minutes into the second hour, so this night shouldn’t go nearly as long as last night’s overall unless they wrestle to a 60 minute draw. As Cody soaked up the moment on the entrance stage smiling, he turned and looked right at a fan holding up a huge “Overrated” sign. Cody greeted his family at ringside including his wife Brandi and his toddler daughter. He hugged his daughter. He gave Jon Huber’s son his belt who was with Cody’s family in the front row. When Cody’s music stopped, fans were booing. It seemed to throw him off and surprise him, but maybe they were booing in anticipation of Reigns’s entrance. Ring introductions should clarify.
Then they went to the stage where six grand pianos played the Bloodline theme. Then the actual theme played and Reigns walked out with Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa, but not the Usos (losers!). Cole said Cody has never main evented WrestleMania, whereas this is the seventh time Reigns has main evented. He said he’s the first champion to defend the same title for three straight WrestleManias. He said it’s the 15th time a member of the legendary Anoa’i family has main evented “the greatest spectacle in sports entertainment.” Cole said only Pedro Morales, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, and Bruno Sammartino have longer reigns than Reigns. He said he walks among legends. Graves said he is in God mode and takes greatness to another level. Cole then listed the wrestlers Reigns has defeated in his title run, including “Bryan” and “Cesaro.” Graves said Reigns shot Cody “a dismissive look” which Cody noticed and which will motivate Cody.
Formal ring introductions took place next. Cody got a loud mixed reaction. Reigns got mostly booed. A loud “Cody!” chant broke out. Reigns signaled for the fans to quiet down. He lowered his hand. Fans booed. Reigns opened his hand and Heyman handed him the microphone. Reigns said, “WrestleMania, acknowledge me!” Fans roared with cheers and boos. He threw the mic down. Solo stood with his arms crossed, staring down Cody. Cody had a few words for Solo. When the bell rang two minutes into the fourth hour, fans cheered.
Reigns and Cody approached center-ring and stared at each other without a flinch. Reigns smiled and backed away and rubbed his hands together. Cole said there’s a big fight feel and a rumbling. Cole asked Graves how the Usos losing affected Reigns’s psyche. Graves said he’s not sure it did because Reigns remains the Tribal Chief. He said he does “big matches, big fights, big box office, big success.”
Cody put Reigns in a side headlock and then landed an uppercut. Reigns bailed out. Heyman told Reigns, “You’re not here. He’s here for you.” He said they all paid to see him, “so now smash him, my Tribal Chief!” Cole said, “Paul Heyman’s worth every penny.” Graves said even all-time greats can use a pep talk now and then. Reigns re-entered the ring and took control with two back elbows to the chest. Reigns circled the ring with his arm in the air. He bashed Cody across his neck with lariats in the corner. Graves said Cody will look for the crowd to energize him. Cody landed a high dropkick and went for the cover. He got a one count. Cole said Cody knew he wouldn’t win, but he wanted to send a little message.
Cody applied a wristlock. (Or was it a wristwatch?) Cody springboarded at Reigns with a Disaster Kick attempt, but Reigns caught him and then powerbombed him to the mat and scored a two count. Reigns tossed Cody across the ring and then waved down at Cody’s family in the front row. Reigns threw Cody out of the ring, but Cody held onto the top rope and pulled himself back in. (I won’t call it that gruesome name it’s usually described as.) Reigns tossed him right back to the floor and went on the attack, including a bodyslam on the ramp.
With the ref distracted by Reigns, Solo took a shot at Cody’s ribs with a chair. Fans booed. Reigns landed a slidekick at Cody and then threw Cody back into the ring and scored a two count. Reigns took over the match for a while as Cole. Graves said if Cody has a cracked rib, he might as well out of the ring and get counted out because you can’t beat Reigns at anything less than 100 percent. Reigns threw Cody to the floor and then cleared both announce desks at ringside. Cody countered Reigns and backdropped Reigns onto the announce desk, which collapsed. Cole declared, “Cody’s got a chance!” Cole yelled for Cody to get Roman into the ring.
In the ring Cody rallied, while still clutching his ribs. He landed his snap powerslam and then fired up and played to the crowd, who cheered. Graves said, “It feels we are on the precipice of history.” Cody landed a Cody Cutter and scored a dramatic near fall. “This was his chance!” exclaimed Cole. Graves said this might be Cody’s best chance in his life to finish the story. Cole said Reigns is in serious question. Cody stomped Reigns, who rolled ot the floor. Cody then dove through the ropes and knocked Reigns hard into the security barricade. Solo whipped Cody with a weight belt. The ref heard it and saw the belt and then ordered Solo to the back. The crowd roared with cheers. Solo threw a fit and smashed his hands on the ringside steps.
Both Cody and Reigns were down. Reigns grabbed Cody’s weight belt. The ref yanked it away from him. Cody kicked Reigns and then hit Crossroads for a near fall that popped the crowd. Reigns delivered a jaw breaker, a headbutt, and some clubbing blows to the back of Cody’s neck. Cole wondered if that was Cody’s only opportunity. Reigns threw Code over the top rope. Cody held on and pulled himself back in. Reigns grabbed him, though. Cody slipped free. Reigns came right back with a Rock Bottom for a near fall.
Reigns set up a Superman Punch and went for it, but Cody side-stepped it and hit a Pedigree for a near fall. “Oh my God, Roman did it again!” exclaimed Cole. Cody fired up and shook and played to the crowd, but also clutched his ribs. Reigns countered a Disaster Kick attempt with a Superman Punch and scored a believable near fall. Reigns reacted with dismay. Heyman sat in the corner as Heyman yelled, “He’s ready to be beat. He’s ready now!” Reigns yelled and went for a spear, but Cody leaped over him and sunset flipped him for a near fall. Cody then applied a figure-four leglock. Graves said that’s a move that won Dusty countless championships. Reigns’s shoulders were down for a one count on two occasions. Cole wondered how much Reigns had left.
They stood and exchanged punches that the crowd yelled along to with each blow. Cody yanked Reigns’s neck over the top rope. Cody leaped off the top rope, but Reigns speared him as he rebounded off the ropes. Cody kicked out. Fans gasped and stood and cheered. Reigns hung his head in his forearms. Reigns stood and pummeled Cody on the mat with a barrage of strikes. Cole said Cody might be out of gas. Reigns circled the ring while looking at the fans. Graves said he’s now angry.
Reigns then applied a guillotine mid-ring. Cody faded. The ref raised his arm. Cody held it up and stood. Reigns leaped and wrapped his legs around Cody’s body. “This is where the story ends,” said Graves. Cody pried his head out about 30 seconds later. Cole said he’s not sure anyone has broken that hold. Cody threw some punches. Cody kicked at Reigns, but he kicked the ref, who went down. (Now *that’s* a tribute to Cody’s father, Dusty). Cody clotheslined Reigns and stayed down. More than 30 seconds later, Cody stood, but he held his throat and gasped for air, selling the guillotine. The ref was still down.
Cody yelled for Reigns to stand. He then set up an inverted DDT, but the Usos attacked Cody. “Where the hell did they come from?” Cole said. “I’m not surprised at all.” The Usos gave Cody the 1D. The Usos dragged Reigns onto Cody. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens ran in and cleared the ring of the Usos. Reigns stood and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. KO gave Reigns a Stunner. Sami gave Reigns the Helluva Kick. “How sweet it is!” said Cole. The Usos brawled with KO and Sami at ringside and then into the crowd.
Cody draped his arm over Reigns’s chest. The ref cam e to and crawled over and made a slow count. Reigns kicked out just before the third hand slap. “And our main event continues,” said Cole. Fans chanted “Cody! Cody!” The anti-Cody fans either switched to pro-Cody or were overwhelmed by pro-Cody fans as this match progressed.
Cody and Reigns sat up and exchanged strikes. Cody countered a Superman Punch with a series of left jabs. He did the Bionic Elbow and then a Cody Cutter two times in a row. Heyman stood on the ring apron to yell at the ref. Solo then gave Cody a Samoan Spike. Reigns then speared Cody and scored a three count. Graves said just because they are in Hollywood does not guarantee a happy ending.
WINNER: Reigns in 35:00 to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
(What a story the told, and they had the crowd every step of the way. Did they do too many shenanigans with ref bumps and interference? Perhaps. This could have been a great match without any of that. But I do have to say I’m not against Reigns remaining champion. I also wouldn’t have been against WWE betting on Cody and going with him here. I’m curious if they changed their mind along the way, but I always sensed the finish of this match was in play.)
