WWE Royal Rumble: Kevin Owens Retains The Universal Title

Roman Reigns has had his sights set on Kevin Owens’ Universal Title for a while now, but as we all know wherever Kevin Owens goes, Chris Jericho is sure to follow. Jericho has prevented Roman Reigns from winning the belt in the past, which is why Raw General Manager Mick Foley ordered Jericho to be suspended above the ring in a shark cage during the Universal Title match at the Royal Rumble.

Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens both came down to a good reaction from the crowd, and Jericho was noticeably nervous as he looked at the shark cage in the middle of the ring. As soon as Roman Reigns’ music hit, it was business as usual as the Alamodome was quickly flooded with the sound of boos.

JoJo reminded us all that this contest would be a no disqualification match before kicking off the introductions. Roman Reigns received boos, and Kevin Owens received mostly cheers as he held up his Universal Title belt. Chris Jericho then took a deep breath and it looked like he was going to step into the cage, but he teamed up with Owens to beat down Roman Reigns instead.

Reigns quickly took control and slammed Chris Jericho into the cage before locking him inside. As the cage was ascending the bell rang and Kevin Owens attacked Roman Reigns from behind.

Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns then took the match to the outside and they fought through the crowd. Reigns slammed Kevin onto the Japanese announce table and Funaki looked like he peed his pants a little.

Reigns then brought Owens back inside the barricades and he slammed him into an announce table by ringside before Owens slammed Reigns into the steel steps. Owens then set up four chairs on the outside of the ring and he traded blows with Reigns at ringside before setting him up on the barricade and delivering a cannonball.

Owens continued to stack chairs on top of chairs before using one of the chairs as a weapon to attack Roman Reigns. Kevin Owens put Roman Reigns in a powerbomb position on the apron, but Reigns knocked him inside the ring, then he tried to suplex Owens into the chairs outside. It didn’t work. Neither man went through the pile of chairs, and the action returned to the inside of the ring.

Reigns took Owens down then he started setting up a table inside the ring, but Owens got him with the backstabber for a two count. Owens threw the table out of the ring. Roman Reigns planted Kevin Owens with a sit-out powerbomb, but Owens kicked out at two.

Up above the ring Chris Jericho cheered Kevin Owens on while Roman signaled for the Superman Punch, only for Owens to roll outside of the ring. Reigns then got him with the drive by kick.

The table was then set up on the outside of the ring, and Kevin Owens set up Roman Reigns then went to the top rope. Kevin Owens hit a frog splash from the top rope, to the outside, through a table as the crowd went wild. Owens rolled Reigns into the ring, but Roman kicked out.

Owens hit Roman with a chair inside the ring, and the momentum continued to swing back and forth with Reigns getting the upper hand, then Owens. The Universal Champion hit a superkick then slammed Roman’s face into a chair in the corner but Roman kicked out.

Up above the ring Chris Jericho called down to Owens and he dropped brass knuckles down to his best friend. Owens then used the brass knuckles to hit Roman Reigns with the Superman Punch, but Roman kicked out.

Kevin Owens set up a chair inside the ring and went for a powerbomb, but Roman Reigns countered and seth Owens through the chair with a Samoan drop. Reigns went outside to grab another table then he set it up in the corner while Owens rolled him up for a two count. Reigns kicked out then countered with a Superman Punch, which Owens kicked out of.

Roman Reigns tried to spear Kevin Owens through the table in the corner, but Kevin Owens reversed the move and hit a stunner. Owens then stomped a mud hole in Reigns.

Owens then went to the outside of the ring, and tried to prop Reigns up on the turnbuckle so he could suplex him into the pile of chairs outside. Unfortunately for Owens, Reigns broke free and hit him with a Superman Punch to send him falling into the pile of chairs on the outside.

Roman was going to throw Kevin Owens back inside the ring, but then he started to tear the announce table apart. Roman then lifted Owens up and he sent him through the announce table with a big powerbomb before bringing him back inside the ring.

Reigns was waiting for Owens to get up so he could take him down once more, but Braun Strowman came out of nowhere and destroyed Reigns. Strowman slammed Roman onto the announce table, then hit him with a powerslam through the table in the corner inside. Owens pinned Reigns to win the match.