INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Facing his date with destiny, Cody Rhodes comes to the ring dressed something like Homelander with eagle wings on the back. Also, lots of fireworks.
A six-pack of pianists plays a classical version of the familiar Roman Reigns theme, which then switches to a normal version. Lots of fireworks for him too. He’s accompanied only by Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa, with no Usos.
Most fans in attendance are on their feet for the official introductions. There sounds like slight boos mixed in with Cody’s cheers and slight cheers mixed in with Roman’s boos.
Reigns asks for a mic to ask WrestleMania to acknowledge him before the match begins. The bell finally rings and we’re underway.
Rhodes looks to wrestle early, with Reigns grabbing the ropes to make the ref back him off. As they lock up, Rhodes is able to work the champ down to the mat with a side headlock, and he uses his brother’s dropdown punch to good effect. Reigns heads for the floor and regroups with Heyman.
When Reigns climbs back in the ring, he’s able to hit his foe with two straight back elbows, followed by clubbing shots in the corner. Rhodes hits a dropkick and covers ever so briefly, then tries to establish a wristlock.
A springboard adventure goes awry for Rhodes, who is caught and slammed by a powerbomb that earns Reigns a two count. A knee shot along the ropes sets up a nice suplex, and Roman laughs even as Cody kicks out.
Rhodes hurls the champ to the floor but gets yanked off the apron and hits the floor hard. Reigns chucks the challenger some way up the ramp (relatively speaking for this gigantic walkway) and slams him before briefly sliding back under the rope to break the ref’s 10 count. Roman beckons for Solo to head to the ramp side.
As Sikoa looks on, Rhodes catches Reigns off guard with a body slam on the ramp. They battle around the ring, with Cody scoring with some right hands. He sends the champ back inside while Sikoa quickly sneaks in a steel chair shot to the ribs that the ref can’t see. Crafty.
Reigns his his drive-by kick and returns to the ring for a two count. Cody connects with some right hands, but is thrown off his game when Sikoa grabs his foot, and an opportunistic clothesline by Reigns earns another near fall.
Roman can’t help but crack a wry smile as he clears off the announce tables, but his attempt at a piledriver backfires badly as Rhodes backdrops him from one table through another.
Back in the ring, Rhodes builds momentum with a flurry leading to a powerslam. There’s a Cody Cutter too, but Roman kicks out at two.
The champ is still down, and Corey Graves says Cody might never have a better chance to finish the story. Reigns goes to the outside, but Rhodes simply executes a suicide dive that knocks him back into the barricade.
Back into the ring goes Reigns, and Sikoa uses that time to hit Rhodes with his own weight belt. This time the ref hears it, and Solo is ejected from ringside. The fans enjoy that, but Reigns grabs the weight belt himself. The ref tries to grab it, and Roman eats a superkick, then Cross Rhodes. Once again, the Tribal Chief kicks out.
Graves calls that count two and nine-10ths. Reigns uses a jawbreaker to back Rhodes off him, then hits a headbutt and a clubbing shot to the back of the head to regain the upper hand. He sends Rhodes to the apron, then uses a Rock Bottom for a two count.
A Superman Punch is sidestepped, and Rhodes’ Pedigree still isn’t quite enough to end it. Cody punches himself in the jaw to keep focused, then draws energy from the crowd as he tries for a Disaster Kick … which is countered by a Superman Punch that still can only keep Rhodes down for two.
As Reigns rushes in for a spear, Rhodes pulls off a sunset flip for two. He then switches quickly to a Figure Four, paying homage to his late father. Reigns is far from the ropes but does flip the hold over, so now it’s Cody who has to reach out for a rope break.
From the apron, Rhodes tries to fight his way back inside. He finally guillotines Reigns on the top rope, but he misses off the top and runs right into a spear. It’s still not the finish, and Reigns seems agonized.
Michael Cole questions if Rhodes is out of gas as Reigns drops right hands on him. The champ locks in a front guillotine choke, and Rhodes looks like he’s fading. He raises his hand, but Reigns pulls guard and drops to the mat with the hold applied.
Somehow, Rhodes breaks free and starts raining right hands from the top. The ref takes a bump, then both men connect on clotheslines at once and are now both down on the mat.
Rhodes is the first one up, but before he can do anything, The Usos arrive and start attacking Cody, leading to a 1-D. They drag Reigns on top of Rhodes, but are chased away by Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. A stunner by KO and a Helluva Kick by Zayn both find the mark before the brawl with the Usos spills into the crowd.
Cody crawls over and throws his arm over Roman, and a groggy ref makes a slow count that only makes it to two before Reigns kicks out. Both men make it to their knees to throw right hands and headbutts.
It continues on the feet, where Rhodes is able to beat Reigns to a Superman Punch. His flurry lads to a Bionic Elbow and Cross Rhodes. He pulls Roman up for another, but Heyman is on the apron.
Suddenly, a hooded figure pops up and delivers a Samoan Spike — it’s a returning Sikoa. Reigns hits a spear and covers, and the ref counts to three. So close, but no dice for the American Nightmare.