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INDIANAPOLIS — Sorry, Rusev. The honeymoon’s over. After celebrating his marriage to Lana for the better part of the last month, The Super Athlete suffered a bitter divorce from his United States Title courtesy of Roman Reigns, who left WWE Clash of Champions with Team Red’s star-spangled prize draped over his shoulder.
As a beaming Lana looked on from ringside, Rusev used his size advantage to manhandle the challenger for much of the match — a rare predicament for The Big Dog. It was when The Super Athlete miscalculated an aerial attack that Reigns found his opening and went on the offensive, hurling his momentarily-dazed foe into the barricade and the steel steps. As exhaustion began to set in for both competitors, Reigns executed a perfectly-timed Superman Punch that bought him enough leeway to set up the Spear.
The Super Athlete was saved, however, by a brief distraction from Lana, who left Reigns susceptible to a savage kick from Rusev that kept Reigns down for a two-count. Punishing Reigns with three more kicks to the spine, Rusev went for the Accolade, but Reigns was quick to his feet and even quicker to hit the Spear. In an attempt to force a disqualification win for her champion, The Ravishing Russian pulled the referee out of the ring before the three-count, prompting the official to eject her from ringside.
Rusev was ultimately able to lock Reigns in the punishing Accolade — a move The Big Dog’s all too familiar with — but with no more distractions and no potential for interference, Reigns was able to escape the hold and hit The Bulgarian Brute with a second Spear, this one keeping Rusev down for the count.
Rusev will undoubtedly look to regain his prize but, for now, Reigns is Raw’s proud bearer of Old Glory. Believe that.