Roman Reigns has been the head of the table over on SmackDown for a minute, but lately, his rule has been questioned quite a bit thanks to the returning Jimmy Uso and the ever formidable Cesaro. Despite often being outnumbered, Cesaro has taken on the entire Reigns crew and come out on top, and he goes into tonight for his first Universal Championship opportunity against Reigns. Both stars came ready to battle, and it didn’t take long for things to jump into overdrive.
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Cesaro was ready to go, while Reigns was already having a disagreement with Jey, telling him to find his brother. It seemed like Reigns was on his own for once, and he headed to the ring to get things started. Both stars were feeling each other out but locked up early, and Cesaro was the aggressor. They locked up for quite a bit and had to be separated by the referee.
They locked up again, and Reigns looked to have control again, and Reigns got the better of the next sequence, as Cesaro pushed Reigns but he delivered a shoulder tackle to Cesaro that grounded him. Another sequence followed and after a counter Cesaro got the better of the exchange with his own shoulder tackle, and they exchanged pin attempts and more counters. At that point, Reigns got out of the ring to regroup, getting some words of wisdom from Paul Heyman.
Reigns returned and then Cesaro locked him up, but an elbow and a whip to the corner put Reigns in control again. Reigns slammed Cesaro’s head into the turnbuckle, but a Springboard Uppercut to Reigns put a halt to his attack. Then Cesaro went for a swing but Reigns got ahold of the ropes and created some space.
Then Reigns whipped Cesaro over the ropes to the outside of the ring, and it looked to do some damage to Cesaro’s arm. Cesaro got back into the ring and hit Reigns with several Uppercuts, and then Reigns whipped him into the ropes and hit him with a clothesline. Then Reigns whipped Cesaro into the post shoulder first, doing more damage to the arm.
Reigns slammed Cesaro’s head into the announce table several times before rolling him into the ring for a pin attempt, but Cesaro kicked out at 1. Reigns then got a chin hold locked in, but Cesaro tried to power out of it twice, though after his arm seemed to have issues Reigns slammed him and cut that short. Reigns continued to dish out punches and kicks to Cesaro in the corner, but Cesaro fought back with punches until Reigns hit a big chop. Reigns then locked in a hold to wear Cesaro down, but Cesaro hit some elbows to break free, though that was cut short with a big attack from Reigns. Reigns went for the pin but Cesaro kicked out at 1.
Reigns kept up the assault and hit Cesaro with several moves followed by a pin but Cesaro kicked out again, this time at 2. Reigns set up for the Superman Punch but Cesaro ducked underneath and hit Reigns with the Pop Up Uppercut, getting him some time to breathe.
Cesaro went for more uppercuts in the corner, hitting 3 in a row and then a big kick to knock Reigns down, but a pin attempt had Reigns kicking out at 2 and a half. Then Cesaro locked in the Sharpshooter, but Reigns got ahold of the ropes and forced the break.
Cesaro launched himself over the rope and hit Reigns dead on, and then kept up the attack with another big move that left Reigns reeling. He then rolled Reigns in and launched off the top rope for a Crossbody and hit Reigns again, but Reigns kicked out of the pin. Cesaro went to the second rope but Reigns fought back and hit some punches, though Cesaro cut off that attempt by slamming Reigns into the post.
Cesaro went to grab Reigns but Reigns countered with a big punch that left Cesaro dangling over the ropes. Reigns then stretched the arm over the top rope and kicked Cesaro in the face so that he would hang from the rope, doing a lot of damage to Cesaro’s already injured arm.
Reigns then slammed Cesaro into the steel steps, doing even more damage. A pin attempt didn’t succeed though, as Cesaro kicked out. Reigns was looking pretty cocky, but Cesaro punched him in the face. Reigns went for the bad arm again, slamming it multiple times and wrenching it over his shoulder. He kept up the attack but Cesaro bought some time with a headbutt. Reigns went for the pin but Cesaro kicked out, and Reigns was shaking his head in amused disbelief.
Reigns kept up the attack and hit Cesaro with several knees to the face, and then he hit Cesaro with even more punches, and Cesaro looked rough laying on the mat. Reigns taunted Cesaro. a bit more and hit a headbutt, followed by more kicks in the corner. Reigns then got in the referee’s face, and Cesaro hit him in the face with an elbow and an uppercut followed by a kick, but Reigns kicked his arm once more, though Cesaro clotheslined Reigns.
They then exchanged punches and headbutts, and Cesaro hit a huge uppercut, and then one more, and then a flurry of kicks to Reigns in the corner. Cesaro went to the second rope again and then lifted Reigns up for a Superplex. He pinned him but Reigns kicked out at 2 and a half. Then Cesaro dished out even more punishment with a stomp, but Cesaro’s arm gave out when he went for the Neutralizer. Reigns countered and locked in a hold on Cesaro’s bad arm, but Cesaro rolled through it.
Cesaro went for a springboard uppercut but Reigns caught him with a Superman Punch, though Cesaro kicked out at 2. Cesaro managed to get back on his feet, though Reigns locked in the Guillotine. Cesaro powered through it and lifted Reigns and slammed him to the ground. Reigns broke through a Sharpshooter once, but Cesaro hit a few punches and locked it in the second time, and Cesaro kept him from getting ree by transitioning into the Crossface.
Reigns was in and had nowhere to go, and Cesaro put his foot on Reigns hand. Reigns got free and hit Cesaro with forearms to the face, Reins then picked him up for a PowerBomb, but Cesaro kicked out at 2. Reigns looked confused and went at Cesaro again but Cesaro got free only to have Reigns lock him in the guillotine again.
Cesaro lifted Reigns and slammed him but Reigns didn’t completely lose his hold, and got him back into it. The count started but Cesaro went to break the grip of Reigns and managed to lock in the hold again. That was the final time, as the referee called it, but Cesaro did not tap, only passed out.
Then Jey Uso came to the ring and started attacking Cesaro, though they were interrupted by Seith Rollins, who started attacking Cesaro after a face-off with Reigns. He slammed him into the steel steps and then sent him over the announce table. Rollins then went after Cesaro’s arm with a chair, and slammed it into the post. Rollins then hit a Curb Stomp on Cesaro to close out the event.
Here’s the full card for WrestleMania Backlash:
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs Drew McIntyre vs Braun Strowman
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs Bayley
Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs Asuka vs Charlotte Flair (Triple Threat Match)
Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs Cesaro
SmackDown Tag Team Champions Dirty Dawgs vs Rey Mysterio and Dominick Mysterio
Damian Priest vs The Miz (Lumberjack Match)
Are you excited for WrestleMania Backlash? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things WWE with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!
