10 WWE Money In The Bank 2021 Impulse Reactions
3. Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Edge
At WrestleMania, the response for Edge suggested that the socially distanced live crowd had ignored the ropey booking along the way and just wanted to share their love for the man that had returned just months before a pandemic took the hit away.
On the go-home sold SmackDown, the live audience roared their approval for him in another touching acknowledgment, giving a post-Attitude Era WWE Champion an Austin pop.
Sadly for the Challenger, Roman Reigns is fairly used to being motivated by cheers for his opponent. Slowing things all the way down after a hot start, 'The Tribal Chief' seemed to relish dragging out his heat sequence with little more than a tight headlock. It got a little bit laborious as a result, but the live crowd stayed with Edge as he made several desperation comebacks.
If nothing else, this was expert in deploying its cutoffs. Every time the 'Rated-R Superstar' tiptoed closer to the dream, Reigns found a way to counter and/or survive.
A Superman Punch taking out the referee as well as the Challenger was a clue that the finish was en route, but the steel chair needed to be introduced somehow. The steel-assisted crossface triggered The Usos and a monster pop when the Mysterios neutralised them, but it Seth Rollins' interference was his saving grace this time.
An Edge spear drew his last dramatic two count before Reigns sealed the deal with his own version of the move after Rollins got involved again. Functional more than fun at times, this was another broad success story for the retaining Champion.
And then...