Roman Reigns ensured Seth Rollins defeated CM Punk within the Steel Cage match to shut “WWE Raw.” Punk and Rollins were meeting within the ring for the second time this yr, following Punk’s win on the Netflix premiere of “Raw” in January, after Rollins had cost his rival the Elimination Chamber match – and thus a WrestleMania opportunity at WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
They’d eventually ascend to the highest of the cage within the match, battling at the highest before Punk sought to knock Rollins down; Rollins hung onto the cage, balancing himself on the highest rope to deliver a superplex to Punk all the way down to the ring and covering for a near-fall. They’d then exchange strikes in the midst of the ring before Punk hit a GTS to Rollins for his own near-fall. Punk sought to go for an additional GTS, just for Rollins to reverse out into an STF submission – hearkening back to Punk’s loss at Elimination Chamber – before Punk himself reversed the hold into an Anaconda Vice.
Rollins broke freed from the hold and hit a curb stomp, yet again with Punk kicking out, after which following up with one other GTS for Rollins to kick out. Punk sought to flee the cage through the door, but Rollins challenged him to remain and fight. Punk went for an additional GTS, but Rollins broke free and hit his own GTS to Punk for yet one more near-fall. He followed up with one other curb stomp, but Punk kicked out one last time, before Reigns made his surprise return to tug Rollins out of the cage. Because of this, Rollins technically won the match but would then receive a pair of curb stomps from Reigns onto the ground. Meanwhile, Paul Heyman had joined Punk within the ring and was consoling him in his loss, but Reigns followed him contained in the cage as officials pulled him away from Rollins. Reigns then leveled Punk with a spear to shut the show.
