WWE’s Bash in Berlin got things started with one of the marquee match-ups of the night, kicking off the event with the Undisputed WWE Championship match between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens. On SmackDown Owens had pointed out that Rhodes had a less than 100% knee, and Rhodes waved it off, but that did come into play during the match, which was close all the way through. At one point the knee did buckle, but Owens wouldn’t capitalize, refusing to hurt his friend for the sake of winning. Rhodes weathered the pain though and stayed in it, and would eventually pull off the win, retaining his Undisputed Title.
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Know All Your Moves
Rhodes and Owens locked up right away and the crowd was split down the middle between the two superstars. Owens got the first takedown, knocking Rhodes to the mat, and then after some alternating holds, Owens knocked Rhodes down again. Rhodes tried to go for the Cody Cutter but Owens saw it a mile away and pushed him away, shaking his finger at the Champion. Cody went for the big kick and Owens once again scouted it, pushing him aside and causing him to hit the mat.
Owens and Rhodes had a few contentious exchanges and then got in each other’s faces, and Rhodes threw Owens to the outside. Rhodes went for the suicide dive but Owens caught him and threw him into the ring apron and then hit a cannonball off the apron. Rhodes connected with a kick and then went for the dive again, and this time he got it, slamming Owens into the barricade and getting some energy from the crowd.
Back in the ring, Rhodes had Owens in a submission but Owens rolled to the bottom rope and broke the hold, but Rhodes didn’t give him much room to breathe, hitting with strikes and a knee to the stomach before going for a cover, but Owens kicked out. Rhodes then focused on the back of the leg, but Owens was back up and connecting with chops to the chest. Rhodes locked in the Figure-Four and had it right in the center of the ring.
Owens made it out of the move but was clearly hobbled, though that didn’t stop him from sending Rhodes to the floor and then hitting a frog splash. Owens got Rhodes back in the ring for a cover, but Rhodes kicked out. Rhodes built some momentum but Owens never let him get too far ahead, slamming him down. Rhodes then got the Cody Cutter to land and went for the pin, but Owens kicked out at just over 2.
Owens dropped Rhodes to the mat and then went for the cover, and Rhodes kicked out at 2. Owens stomped on the Champ and then went up top, but Rhodes caught him with some punches and chops. Owens brought down Rhodes with a huge slam and went for the cover, but Rhodes still kicked out.
The Knee Factors In
Rhodes would reverse a Stunner into a Cross Rhodes next, and then Rhodes got Owens up top but he reversed it into a huge slam. Owns crawled towards Rhodes for the cover, but after he got there Rhodes kicked out at 2. They traded strikes and then Rhodes went up for a move but his knee buckled at the weight. Owens then charged forward to target the knee but stopped himself, reminding everyone of what he said on SmackDown. Owens had the referee check on Rhodes and then Rhodes said hew as fine and started attacking Owens. Owens knocked the Champ down and then went to hit the ring apron slam but decided not to.
After rolling Rhodes into the ring Rhodes went for a roll up but Owens kicked out . Owens then hit the Stunner on Rhodes, but Rhodes came back with two Cross Rhodes in a row. Owens broke out and hit a Stunner and brought down the Champ, but Rhodes kicked out of the cover. Owens went up top and went for the Swanton, but Rhodes got his knees up and stopped him cold. Rhodes hit one more Cross Rhodes and that was enough for the pin and the win, retaining his Undisputed WWE Championship. After the match, despite hesitation, Owens eventually hugged Rhodes and their friendship remains, and Owens never turned on his ally. Now it will be Rhodes taking on Solo Sikoa.
WWE Bash in Berlin
- Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (C) def. Kevin Owens
- World Heavyweight Championship Match: Gunther (C) vs. Randy Orton
- Women’s Tag Team Match: The Unholy Union (C) vs. Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill
- United States Championship Open Challenge: LA Knight (C) vs. TBD
- Strap Match: CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre
- Mixed Tag Team Match: Damian Priest & Rhea Ripley vs. Dominik Mysterio & Liv Morgan
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