WWE Raw Review December 26: Roman Reigns Retains US Championship Belt against Kevin Owens; Shield Sweeps Jeri-KO
Roman Reigns ends the year holding on to his US championship, after a brief reunion with Shield co-member Seth Rollins. Besting WWE Universal Champ Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho's interference led to some clean-up, courtesy of Shield.
Kicking off the last Raw of 2016 is Commissioner Stephanie McMahon, setting up a match between Rollins and Braun Strowman, while Reigns will be up against an opponent of her choice. Strowman, in preparation for his face-off against Rollins, throws a beatdown on The Shining Stars, Darren Young and Bo Dallas midway into their match.
His duel against Rollins, however, got cut off short as well, when Sami Zayn's music plays and blindsides Strowman by coming from behind, and retreats to the crowd before he could hit back. Jericho takes advantage by delivering two Codebreakers to Rollins, expecting him to be out for the Reigns vs. Owens match.
In what Forbes describes as the best match of the night, Owens was holding his own quite well against the US champ. As Chris Jericho tries to distract the referee, Rollins comes in to aid Reigns, delivering a Pedigree to Jericho outside the ring. Reigns finishes the match with a win, and in the spirit of their old Shield team-up, end up with Spears and Pedigrees everywhere.
As WWE Reports, the first tag team bout found Shaemus and Cesaro defending their Tag Team titles against former champs Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods of The New Day. The New Day's speed game worked for them at the beginning of the match, yet Shaemus' Brogue Kick to Woods ended the match in their favor. In another match, the Golden Truth's Goldust and R-Truth face the harsh truth of defeat against the tag team of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. Despite Goldust unleashing his fury after Gallows and Anderson rip off the head of the Dusty Rhodes-inspired stuffed bear Bayley gave him backstage, it was not enough to seal the deal, and Anderson pins him, ending the bout.
In the mildly-entertaining scuffle, Big Cass and a wheelchair-bound Enzo Amore meet up Rusev and Jinder Mahal on the ring. As fists and boots go a-flying, Amore reveals that the wheelchair is just a ruse, and joins in on the fray.
For the Women's matches, the first one had Nia Jax take apart a local talent names Scarlett, who sported a Sasha Banks shirt, in less than two minutes. In the next match, which had Women's Champ Charlotte Flair up against her rival Bayley, Dana Brooke joins in as a guest referee.
After showing footage of the previous match, which reveals the referee misseing Flair's raised shoulder, a No.1 contender's match ensues. Bayley takes out Brooke early on, which prompts for another referee to come in. Brooke comes back later on, however, just it time for her to make a quick three-count after Charlotte rolls up Bayley with her feet on the ropes.
In the Cruiserweight division, Neville proves his "King of the Cruiserweights" moniker as he dominates his match against current Cruiserweight champ TJ Perkins. Showing no respect, Neville weathered Perkins' attacks and ends the bout by reversing the Kneebar into a stack pin. He then calls out Rich Swann for a 205 Live match.
Swann, who regained himself from his 205 Live loss by beating Daivari in a singles match, accepts the challenge. The Champ then gets attacked from behind by Neville, delivering his signature "Red Arrow." Backstage, Jack Gallagher, sporting a three-piece regalia, slaps Daivari with a glove, challenging him to a duel after the former calls him a "scoundrel".
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