Roman Reigns Successfully Retains Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Against Sami Zayn at Elimination Chamber

In the main event of tonight's WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, "The Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns successfully retained his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Sami Zayn in an absolutely spectacular bout.

Montreal is BOOING @WWERomanReigns out of the @BellCentre at #WWEChamber!!!@HeymanHustle #UndisputedTitle pic.twitter.com/WHV3bzO7Ve

— WWE (@WWE) February 19, 2023

 

What an entrance for Montreal's own @SamiZayn at #WWEChamber!#UndisputedTitle pic.twitter.com/6SEmlqnoUo

— WWE (@WWE) February 19, 2023

 

Montreal does NOT acknowledge The Tribal Chief at #WWEChamber!@WWERomanReigns @SamiZayn @HeymanHustle #UndisputedTitle pic.twitter.com/ayN0qmESv0

— WWE (@WWE) February 19, 2023

 

👊👊👊@SamiZayn just hit @WWERomanReigns with a Superman Punch at #WWEChamber!!! pic.twitter.com/6duukwXuWz

— WWE (@WWE) February 19, 2023

 

SAMI ZAYN KICKED OUT OF THE SPEAR!!!@SamiZayn is all heart in this #UndisputedTitle Match against @WWERomanReigns at #WWEChamber! pic.twitter.com/6fa54V2BjA

— WWE (@WWE) February 19, 2023

 

WHAT DID WE JUST WITNESS?!#WWEChamber #UndisputedTitle pic.twitter.com/aoiYZqgZYb

— WWE (@WWE) February 19, 2023

 

.@SamiZayn & @FightOwensFight stand tall at #WWEChamber! pic.twitter.com/Z5oMcRbdtr

— WWE (@WWE) February 19, 2023

Match coverage courtesy of Matt Boone of Rajah.com:

Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Championship
Roman Reigns (C) vs. Sami Zayn

Now we head to a quick commercial break. When we return, we head straight into the elaborate video package that tells the story leading up to tonight's highly-anticipated showdown between "The Tribal Chief" Roman Reigns and the former "Honorary Uce" Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Championship.

Once the package wraps up, we shoot back live inside the Bell Centre where the familiar sounds of the entrance music of Roman Reigns plays, as the Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion emerges and makes his walk to the ring first.

"The Tribal Chief" takes his time heading to the ring, and is getting one of the most lopsided crowd reactions, from a negative point of view, in a long, long time. He settles in the ring and poses with his two championships.

Now his music dies down. The crowd continues loudly booing. After a nice delay, the bad-ass, upbeat entrance music of Sami Zayn hits and the hometown crowd goes absolutely ballistic. He heads down to the ring and the fans sing along with his theme similar to the way they do with Seth "Freakin'" Rollins.

This has "moment" written all over it. Just completely all over it, folks.

We hear the ring announcer handle the final, formal ring introductions for the champion and the challenger. Reigns gets in Zayn's face on his introduction. He looks over and sees Zayn's wife and father and brothers and 17,000 hometown fans and starts smiling and pointing at them.

From there, the bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with our WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 main event of the evening. The crowd explodes at the sound of just the bell sounding.

Neither man moves for a good minute or two, instead soaking up the absolutely insanely wild crowd atmosphere. There's rarely been a crowd like this -- ever. Very few. Very, very few. The two are playing up the moment perfectly so far.

We hear loud "Ole!" chants. Loud "Sami!" chants. Loud "F*ck you, Roman!" chants. Sami smirks at the latter. He extends his arms out wide and looks at Reigns as if to say, "C'mon, Tribal Chief!" The fans start chanting some more as Sami points to each side of the arena as he talks trash to Reigns from across the ring.

The two finally lock up and the crowd pops huge for that alone. Reigns slaps on a side head lock and the fans begin loudly booing at that. He throws Sami down and taunts the crowd. The fans loudly boo and then break out in another "F*ck you, Roman!" chant.

Now the two lock up again and this time we see Sami slap a side-head lock on Reigns. The crowd pops huge for that and breaks out into loud "Sami! Sami!" chants. They've got 17,000+ in the palms of their hands tonight, wrestling fans. Let's see what they do with it. Let's see what WWE decided to do with this.

Reigns ends up escaping Sami's clutches and he again throws the smaller man down to the mat. The crowd boos and breaks out in yet another loud "F*ck you, Roman!" chant. The two lock up again and again Reigns slaps a side head lock on Sami.

Zayn escapes and knocks Reigns out over the top rope and out to the floor. He bounces off the ropes himself, builds up a full head of steam and hits a crazy dive over the ropes, crashing onto Reigns on the floor for a huge pop from the Montreal crowd.

Back in the ring, Sami continues to work over Roman. He climbs up on top of him in the corner and starts doing the ten punch spot as the fans count along with each shot that lands.

Reigns ends up catching Zayn coming off the top-rope with a big uppercut on the way down. Reigns takes over from there. The crowd gets on his case with loud boos and another set of "F*ck you, Roman!" chants. Reigns starts doing his trademark style, beating down Zayn slowly and methodically while talking trash to him all-the-while.

We see Roman beat Sami out to the floor where he takes him over right in front of his wife and family and starts beating him down and taunting him. He also taunts Sami's wife, who pleads with him and also tries yelling encouragement to Sami, to no avail.

"The Tribal Chief" continues pummeling Zayn and then brings him back into the ring where he delivers more of a beat down as he starts to kill the energy from the crowd. Just as this is happening, Sami shows a sign of life, leap-frogging Roman and then blasting Reigns with a clothesline that brings a loud roar from the crowd followed by another loud "Sami! Sami!" chant.

Zayn takes over from there, beating down Reigns and knocking him out to the floor. He follows him out and delivers more punishment and then rolls him back into the ring. He stops and kisses his wife for a big pop and then heads to the top-rope. Before he can do anything, Reigns runs over and blasts Zayn with a big shot and then climbs up after him.

Sami ends up hitting a sunset-flip into a power-bomb to bring Reigns off the top-rope the hard way. He goes right into the pin and gets a close two count. The crowd bought into that one a bit. Moments later, Reigns fights his way back into the offensive lead. He hits a standing choke slam and goes for the cover for a close near fall of his own.

We see Reigns pound the mat and wait for Sami to get up. When he does, Reigns charges at him but Sami ends up catching him and countering with an Exploder into the turnbuckles in the corner. Sami goes for a follow-up spot but runs right into a Superman punch counter from Reigns for another close near fall.

Now "The Tribal Chief" stalks Sami and waits for him to get up. When he does, he charges at him with a Spear attempt but Sami leap-frogs him and Reigns smashes into the corner. Sami takes Reigns out with another Exploder. Sami pounds the mat like Roman and waits for him to get up.

When he does, he charges at him and blasts him with a Superman punch of his own. He hits a follow-up kick and goes for the cover. 1-2....NO! The champ kicks out and the crowd goes nuts thinking that might have been it.

As Sami goes after Roman again, we see Reigns slides under the ropes and head out to the floor to avoid him. Sami slides out on the opposite side of the ring, runs around and dives through the ropes only to come out the other side of the ropes right into a big Superman punch from Reigns.

Out of nowhere we see Sami blast Reigns with a Spear through the barricade. Back in the ring, Sami avoids a Superman punch from Roman and counters with a Blue Thunder Bomb right into a pin attempt for a super close near fall.

Zayn tries pumping the crowd up even more than they already are. Reigns charges at him and the two sandwich the referee in the corner. The ref collapses and Sami goes to work on Roman. He hits his finisher on Reigns and covers him but there is no referee to make the count. The fans try and count for him but obviously that doesn't work. The fans loudly boo.

Sami goes over to check on the ref and he rolls out of the ring. Sami turns around and is met with a super kick from Jimmy Uso. Jimmy hits a second and a third one. He heads to the top-rope and comes off with an Uso Splash. He helps Roman Reigns over and puts his arm over Zayn. A new official runs into the ring and makes the count but Sami somehow kicks out. The crowd goes ape-sh*t.

We hear loud "Ole! Ole!" chants as Jimmy Uso settles at ringside and Sami and Roman start exchanging shots from their knees back up to their feet. Roman starts getting the better of him and he grabs Sami by the face and starts yelling "You understand me?!" at him. Sami fights back and starts to go wild on him in the corner.

He knocks Roman out to the floor and notices Jimmy Uso on the ring apron, so he turns and kicks him off. He turns around again and is blasted by Roman Reigns with a huge Spear. Roman goes right into the cover and nearly ends this one, but again somehow Zayn finds a way to kick out before the count of three. The crowd popped huge when Sami kicked out.

Roman Reigns yells "I tried to help you! This is how you repay me?!" as he and Sami Zayn both slowly get back up. Roman starts repeatedly slapping Sami in the face over and over again. Sami stands up and blasts Roman with a huge slap.

Roman goes for the Superman punch but misses Sami and hits the back-up referee with it. Sami hits Roman with one but then Roman hits Sami with one as well. Both guys are down and there is once again no referee in sight.

Now "The Wise Man" Paul Heyman is seen at ringside reaching under the ring and pulling out a steel chair. He hands it to Roman Reigns. Reigns goes to use it on Sami Zayn but turns around and sees a confused looking Jey Uso standing between he and Zayn. Uso smirks and stares at Roman.

He looks back at Sami. Roman yells at Jey and asks if he's backing Sami or asks if he's with us and The Bloodline still. He goes to hand Jey the chair the same way he did Sami. Jey hesitates. He looks sad and looks down at Sami. The fans chant "No! No! No!"

Jey grabs the chair and Roman walks over to Sami cocky and smiling. Jey grabs the chair and gets ready to swing it. He hesitates and stares. We hear Paul Heyman yell, "What are you waiting for?!" at ringside. Reigns turns and looks at Jey angrily. Roman says "You're wasting my time!" and then grabs the chair from Jey. He pie-faces him and yells "What's wrong with you?!"

Now Sami Zayn has recovered and goes to Spear the champ from behind. Roman side-steps him and Sami accidentally takes out Jey Uso with a spear. Now Roman starts relentlessly beating down Zayn with a steel chair as the fans boo. Reigns stalks Sami and lets out his war scream. He charges at Sami and blasts him with a Spear. 1-2-3. Roman Reigns wins and retains his Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Championship in a thrilling main event.

Winner and STILL Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion: Roman Reigns

Kevin Owens Makes Save For Sami Zayn In His Hometown Of Montreal

We see Jimmy Uso hit the ring after the match ends and he begins a post-match beatdown of Sami Zayn as the fans loudly boo. We then hear the familiar sounds of the entrance theme song of Kevin Owens.

The crowd explodes!

Out comes Montreal's other favorite son and he hits the ring and begins taking out Jimmy Uso and Roman Reigns. He hits a pop-up power bomb on Uso through the commentary table at ringside. He then heads over and grabs a steel chair as the fans chant "K.O.! K.O.!"

Kevin Owens slides the chair in the ring and slides under the bottom ropes. He picks the chair up but out of nowhere, we see "The Wise Man" Paul Heyman trying to attack Owens from behind.

Owens turns and stares at Heyman as the fans loudly chant, "You f*cked up!" at Heyman. Owens turns and takes out Heyman with a Stunner. Owens looks over and sees Reigns trying to get up in the corner. The fans loudly chant "Ole! Ole!"

Sami Zayn has recovered in the opposite corner, which Owens turns and notices. He backs up a few steps and Sami Zayn runs and charges at Roman Reigns with his kick to the face finisher in the corner. He flattens Reigns and leaves him laying.

Now Zayn turns and sees Kevin Owens. His theme hits and Owens exits the ring. Zayn watches him leave the ringside area. Roman Reigns rolls under the bottom rope and heads to the back as well. Sami Zayn stares at Kevin Owens at ringside from in the ring. The two nod their heads at each other as the fans in Montreal go absolutely bonkers.

The fans sing along with Zayn's theme as Sami leans on the ropes looking disappointed. Owens stops at the top of the stage and turns and looks at Zayn in the ring, almost looking as if he feels sorry for Zayn not getting the win and the big moment in their hometown.

Zayn thanks the crowd, who give him another loud pop and continue singing along with his theme. Michael Cole says we're officially now on the road to WrestleMania. He thanks us for tuning in and plugs the post-Elimination Chamber press conference coming up now.

That's how this year's Elimination Chamber premium live event goes off the air. A lengthy video highlight package recapping the entire event this evening airs and then the show goes off the air.

⚡ WWE Elimination Chamber Live Results & Coverage (February 18, 2023)

The following are the ongoing live results of tonight's WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event, courtesy of Matt Boone of Rajah.com [...]

— Caylon Knox Feb 18, 2023 08:28PM