The Road to WrestleMania will continue with the "Tribal Chief" ruling as king.
Sami Zayn came within a fraction of a second of ending Roman Reigns' dominant run.
However, when the final bell sounded at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada on Saturday night, the "Tribal Chief" remained being acknowledged as king. Reigns will now advance to WrestleMania in April to clash with Cody Rhodes, the winner of the 2023 Royal Rumble.
After several close calls that could have gone either way, things took a dramatic turn when Reigns backed his way into Zayn, squashing the referee in the corner. Zayn blasted Reigns with the Helluva Kick and would have gotten the pinfall victory had an official been present. That absence gave the opening for Jimmy Uso to interfere with a Superkick and Uso Splash on Zayn. Despite the onslaught, Zayn somehow managed to kick out to his Montreal hometown crowd's delight.
Moments later, after a second ref got knocked out, Jey Uso emerged and stood between Reigns, who had a steel chair in hand, and Zayn. Wanting to test Jey's loyalty to The Bloodline, Reigns handed him the chair. But as Jey hesitated, Reigns mushed him in the face in disgust. The moment created the opening for Zayn to recover enough to try a spear on Reigns, however, the champ swiftly moved out the way and the move dropped Jey instead. Reigns then punished Zayn with several chair shots and crumpled him with a spear to retain his crown.
Kevin Owens would save Zayn from post-match punishment, laying waste to both Reigns and Jimmy Uso in the process. KO then left a groggy Reigns in the corner of the ring for Zayn to finish with a Helluva Kick.
Here's how the entire WWE Elimination Chamber 2023: Reigns vs. Zayn went.
After Reigns' win, Jimmy Uso storms back into the ring and unleashes an onslaught against Zayn. But here comes Kevin Owens! He spears Roman Reigns and drops the champ with a Stunner. Another Stunner gets served up for Uso. KO puts Uso threw a table with a popup powerbomb and then leaves a groggy Reigns for Zayn to destroy with a Helluva Kick!
Reigns delivers another Superman Punch and gets up to ask Paul Heyman to hand him a steel chair. Reigns, with the chair in hand, is about to blast Zayn. However, Jey Uso enters the ring and stands in between Reigns and Zayn.
What's Jey Uso going to do? Reigns is trying to hand Uso the chair. He reluctantly takes it. Reigns stands in the middle of Uso and Zayn now. Reigns snatches the chair back and starts to mush Uso in the face. Zayn now recovers enough for a spear attempt, but Reigns moves out the way and Zayn spears Jey Uso!
Reigns backs Zayn into a corner, squashing the ref and knocking him unconscious. Zayn nails a Helluva Kick and would have gotten a clear pinfall had the ref been up to count. With no ref, Jimmy Uso comes running down and blasts Zayn with a Superkick and Uso Splash. A new ref comes in ... but Zayn kicks out!
Just when it looked like Reigns was taking a stand against Zayn's momentum, the champ misses a spear attempt and goes headfirst through the barricade. A powerbomb from Zayn seconds after that and he comes within a fraction of a second of becoming the new champ.
Zayn shocks Reigns with a Superman Punch of his own
Reigns charges across the ring for the Superman Punch but Zayn catches him in midair and delivers an exploder suplex. Seconds later, he goes for the Helluva Kick in the corner but Reigns shocks him with the Superman Punch.
He puts everything he can muster behind a clothesline to drop the "Tribal Chief." The crowd is back alive roaring.
A brief moment later, Reigns meets Zayn at the top rope for a superplex attempt but Zayn fights it off and delivers an insane sunset powerbomb for a near pinfall.
The hometown hero dives over the ropes and drops Reigns flat on his back to the crowd's delight, before unloading on the champ back in the ring with 10 unanswered punches atop the ropes. Zayn's family is in attendance and loving what they're seeing right about now.
The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion drops Zayn with a shoulder block and then brings his index finger up to his lips, motioning to the crowd that they shush before the "Tribal Chief."
They're staring each other down while the crowd is eating up every moment of it and becoming increasingly more unhinged in excitement. Reigns and Zayn have yet to lay a hand on each other and the Montreal crowd is loving the anticipation and buildup.
He was brave enough to take a stand against Roman Reigns and The Bloodline. Now, Sami Zayn, the Montreal hometown hero, will try to end one of the most dominant streaks the WWE has ever seen.
The moment Montreal and the WWE Universe has been waiting for is finally here, as Sami Zayn will look to end Roman Reigns' dominance and take the "Tribal Chief's" Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at the same time. Can he do it and go on to face Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania? We're about to find out!
Austin Theory retains U.S. Championship with assist from Logan Paul
Seth Rollins looked ready to take the title, preparing to unleash a Curb Stomp on Theory, when Logan Paul comes running down. He launches himself into the ring and clotheslines Rollins, before executing his very own Curb Stomp.
Ford just delivered a front-forward flip on Theory on one side of the ring and another onto Rollins on the opposite side. He then gathered them up together for another flip to wipe them both out. Ford then did get caught in a dangerous Curb Stomp from Rollins onto the outside mat. Theory took advantage and pinned Ford for the elimination. Referees and officials came out to help Ford, who fell to the mat, clearly shaken up from being faceplanted onto the outside of the ring. Down to Rollins and Theory.
Seth Rollins had Priest high up in the air for a powerbomb attempt when Ford flew off the top rope and landed a perfect Blockbuster to get the 1-2-3! We are down to Ford, Rollins and the champ Theory.
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