WWE Wrap-Up

This week in WWE: Roman Reigns and Cesaro steal the show

This week in WWE: Roman Reigns and Cesaro steal the show
Reigns defended his Intercontinental Championship against Cesaro in the best match of the week. Photo by WWE.com

This is a weekly look at the action in the WWE:

 

Raw

Samoa Joe opened Raw explaining that he’s not impressed with The Shield, no matter how impressive they have been throughout the years.  He continued to instigate Reigns until he finally made his way to the ring, and the two proceeded to brawl in what turned out to be a trap. The Bar ran through to crowd and aided Joe in his assault on Reigns. Ambrose and Rollins raced down in attempt to save their brother, but the ambush proved to be too much as Joe and The Bar stood tall at the end of their brawl. Paige and Mady Rose defeated Mickie James and Bayley continuing Absolution's dominance in the Women’s Division. Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt shared a promo as animated as their on screen personas. The Mizterouge mocked Finn Balor as they traveled to the ring before Axel’s match against Balor. The former Universal Champion got the last laugh, though, when he defeated Axel vis his Coup De Grace.

Seth Rollins took on Sheamus in the first of three matches between those in the brawl in the opening segment. Michael Cole made a point to explain that no one else could get involved in any of these matches. Rollin’s Superkick and knee combo helped him seal the win. Due to Rich Swann’s indefinite suspension, a new Cruiserweight Fatal 4-Way between Neese, Alexander, Ali, and Daivari occurred to determine who will take on Drew Gulak in a number one contender match. Alexander won the match after hitting Daivari with a Lumbar Check. He will be facing Drew Gulak next week on Raw.

Roman Reigns defended his Intercontinental Championship match against Cesaro. The Swiss Superman worked Reign’s shoulder the whole match. The near falls were timed perfectly, but Reigns is THE BIG DAWG for a reason. A spear later, he defeated Cesaro to retain the Intercontinental Championship. Absolution, finally, gave Asuka the beating they’ve been threatening her with for weeks. The entire women’s roster came down to the ring to help Asuka, they have had enough of Absolution. Samoa Joe took on Dean Ambrose. Jason Jordan would stick his nose where it did not belong and cost Ambrose the win when he distracted the referee. One Coquina Clutch was all Joe needed to defeat The Shield Member. The ring crew reinforced the ring before the monstrous main event between Braun Strowman and Kane. As it turned out, the reinforcement was not really necessary as both men got counted out after brawling outside the ring. Strowman hit Kane with a Running Power Slam as Corey Graves wondered who will be facing Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble since there was no winner to this match.

Highlight of the night

Roman Reigns vs Cesaro was a really, really, great match. There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Cesaro is an extremely talented performer, but let’s stop pretending like that is not the case with Reigns as well. This was the most memorable TV match in a while.

 

SmackDown Live

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens passed out fliers for their Occupy SmackDown Movement, a protest to Shane McMahon. AJ Styles welcomed fans and explained why he cannot wait to defend the WWE Championship at Clash of Champions. The Singh Brothers came to the ring to ask AJ Styles to allow them to support him at Clash of Champions. Styles, of course, did not fall for their antics and beat them out of the ring, much to Mahal’s dismay. Charlotte took on Ruby Riott. Charlotte’s challenger at Clash of Champions, Natalya, interfered with the match causing it to end. Riott Squad began attacking Charlotte as Natalya watched. Naomi returned and raced down to save Charlotte. As the Riott Squad retreated, Carmella, Tamina, and Lana attacked them from behind. Bobby Roode gave Dolph Ziggler a taste of his own medicine when he interrupted his match and hit him with a Glorious DDT. He gave one to Baron Corbin, too, for good measure. The Bludgeon Brothers defeated another enhancement tag team. Before their match, it was announced that they will be taking on Breezango at Clash of Champions.

Zayn and Owens started the second hour with their Occupy SmackDown protest. Daniel Bryan came to the ring and addressed their “protest”. They tried to explain how Bryan’s 2014 Occupy Raw inspired them. Bryan explained that his protest was for the people, not like their protest. He announced, he too, would be a guest referee in their match at Clash of Champions against Orton and Nakamura. Rusev and Aiden English followed up last week's upset this week when they defeated the Tag Team Champions, The Usos. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens closed the show with shenanigans. Somehow, the referee got knocked out, and Daniel Bryan gave fans a preview of Sunday as he refereed the remainder of the match—which Kevin Owens won.

Highlight of the Night

Daniel Bryan inserting himself into the Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn match at Clash of Champions. Does it make any sense for their to be two refs? Absolutely not. This seems to be the beginning of the dissension between McMahon and Bryan, though. I would be lying if I were to say I was not intrigued.

How do they Compare?

Raw is on an absolute roll. The Shield anchored the show with three awesome matches. Strowman and Kane delivered an awesome brawl, and, with Royal Rumble still over a month away, it was fine that there was no decision. SmackDown, on the other hand, has a Pay Per View this Sunday with Clash of Champions. For a “Go Home Show,” this felt like major rehash of last week. Sure, Rusev and Aiden English picking up another win is cool, but it only makes sense to give them a couple of wins before losing on Sunday. Clash of Champions will be this year’s last Pay Per View, and I do not think it will be a proper indication of the good year WWE has had. Raw gets the win this week, and I think I am ready for another superstar shakeup, SmackDown needs it.

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Welcome to Houston, Nick! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.

The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.

For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.

“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”

As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.

Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.

He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.

Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.

It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.

You can watch the full interview in the video below.

And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.


*ChatGPT assisted.

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