Cody Rhodes has finished his story. But it wasn’t the ending that the American Nightmare or the WrestleMania crowd were hoping for. Roman Reigns still reigns supreme.
On the weekend WrestleMania returned to Hollywood, both men arrived with entrances deserving of any cinematic masterpiece. While Rhodes entered in typically grandiose fashion, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when he hugged his daughter and gave his weight belt to Brodie Jr, the son of the late Brodie Lee.
Not that the champion was overshadowed, played to the ring by six pianos at the top of the stage.
Once the match finally got underway it was Rhodes who started the stronger, but Reigns slowed the pace and assumed control. A sight fans have become all too accustomed to in the last 946 days. To make matters worse for the American Nightmare, Solo Sikoa jabbed a steel chair into his ribs with the referee distracted.
From here the pattern of the match was set. Reigns zeroed in on Rhodes’ injured ribs, but a defiant Rhodes wouldn’t quit. Not only that, he rallied, reversing an attempt to drive him through announce table by sending Reigns crashing through the furniture.
Back in the ring, Rhodes scored the first serious near-fall of the match via a Cody Cutter. However, his momentum was brought to a halt by Sikoa who leveled the challenger with the weight belt. But this time, his interference didn’t go unnoticed with the referee sending him backstage.
In response, Reigns tried to use the belt but was spotted by the referee. Rhodes responded with a Super Kick and the Cross Rhodes, but the Tribal Chief dug deep and kicked out once more. It was then Reigns’ turn to force a near-fall, this time with a Rock Bottom, interestingly called as such by Michael Cole on commentary.
Remarkably momentum swung back to Rhodes who delivered a Pedigree, again only for a two-count, although fans wouldn’t have known it by Paul Heyman’s incredulous reaction at ringside. Not that Reigns was done, hitting back, literally, with a Superman Punch of his own.
With electricity in the air, the match continued. Each man believed that the victory was theirs to take. And so it was Reigns who was nearly the competitor to take it, breaking his rival in two with a vicious Spear, but Rhodes’ resolve remained unbroken.
Although it was again severely tested, as Reigns locked in the Guillotine, but remarkably the grandson of a plumber broke the hold. With the fightback underway, the referee got taken out and The Usos arrived to Superkick Reigns toward victory, hammering home their point with the 1D.
NOT SO FAST!!!@FightOwensFIght & @SamiZayn have arrived to counter @WWEUsos at #WrestleMania! pic.twitter.com/mwqQJ4R6aN
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2023
Solo Sikoa Makes The Difference For Roman Reigns
With the end seemingly neigh, SoFi Stadium came unglued as Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens jumped into the action from the crowd, delivering a Hullva Kick and a Stunner to the champion. Yet somehow, someway, Reigns survived.
With Reigns reeling, Rhodes delivered his father’s famous left jabs and elbow, following up with two Cross Rhodes, but as he lined up for a third Heyman climbed to the ring apron, making one final desperate attempt to save the gold. As the referee tried to talk the Special Counsel down, Solo Sikoa appeared and hit a Samoan Spike on Rhodes.
As the challenger attempted to gather himself he was again taken out with a Spear, however this time there was no coming back.
The record-breaking run of Roman Reigns continues.