Kevin Owens Beats Roman Reigns, Will Fight Seth Rollins at Clash of Champions
Despite the best efforts of Raw general manager Mick Foley, Roman Reigns won't be challenging for the WWE Universal Championship at Clash of Champions on Sept. 25.
WWE universal champion Kevin Owens defeated Reigns on Monday night's Raw, meaning he will defend the belt against Seth Rollins in a singles match. Had Reigns prevailed, it would've been a Triple Threat match.
Rollins originally caused a disqualification when he attacked Owens.
But Foley ordered the match to be restarted. After Reigns and Owens resumed their battle, Rusev interfered to distract Reigns, which allowed Owens to hit the Pop-up Powerbomb.
WWE shared a photo of a victorious Owens standing with his belt at the top of the entrance ramp:
One of the criticisms regarding Reigns' overall arc is WWE's attempts to paint him as an underdog who's treated unfairly by those in power while simultaneously offering him title opportunity after title opportunity.
Here's a look at Reigns' matches on each pay-per-view since Survivor Series 2015, where the Reigns vs. The Authority story began:
| Tables, Ladders & Chairs | Sheamus (C) vs. Roman Reigns | For WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| Royal Rumble | Royal Rumble Match | For WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| Fastlane | Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose | For No. 1 Contender for WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| WrestleMania 32 | Triple H (C) vs. Roman Reigns | For WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| Payback | Roman Reigns (C) vs. AJ Styles | For WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| Extreme Rules | Roman Reigns (C) vs. AJ Styles | For WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| Money in the Bank | Roman Reigns (C) vs. Seth Rollins | For WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| Battleground | Dean Ambrose (C) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins | For WWE World Heavyweight Championship |
| SummerSlam | Rusev (C) vs. Roman Reigns | For United States Championship |
It's only natural for some fans to grow tired of seeing Reigns constantly in the world title picture every month. And WWE didn't help itself when Foley handed him the opportunity to potentially wrestle Owens at the next Raw PPV after he walked down to the ring to confront the champ:
Julie DiCaro of 670 The Score wasn't happy with the development:
That's why it's encouraging that WWE is relying on just Rollins and Owens to carry the main event at Clash of Champions. Having Reigns involved would've also further muddied the waters regarding Triple H's role in the grand scheme of things.
The King of Kings has yet to shed any light on why he helped Owens win the Universal Championship in the first place:
The simple explanation is that Triple H identified Owens as his protege in the same way The Authority previously took Rollins under their wings. Triple H almost certainly isn't working alone, though, and WWE addressed that issue in a cold open with Foley and Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon on the Sept. 5 edition of Raw:
It could be a case of misdirection. Whereas Stephanie would be the obvious figure of power working in concert with Triple H, Foley could be the true mastermind. What better way to deflect suspicion than by throwing multiple obstacles in Owens' way—knowing the odds are actually stacked in Owens' favor?
In the months leading up to the brand split, Raw felt stale, with each show following the same pattern. Triple H's return and Owens' title win were much-needed surprises, possibly ushering in a less predictable era for WWE's flagship program.
Owens vs. Rollins is a fresh matchup that should deliver an entertaining spectacle at Clash of Champions.
Meanwhile, Reigns can continue his feud with Rusev, which ended abruptly once Reigns again became a contender for the Universal Championship following Finn Balor's injury. Rusev and Reigns fought to a no-contest at SummerSlam in August after Reigns attacked Rusev before the bell.
It makes sense for The Bulgarian Brute to still be harboring anger toward Reigns, and Raw's main event set the stage for another PPV match between the two.
