Roman Reigns def. Big Show (Last Man Standing Match)

CHICAGO — Roman Reigns defeated Big Show in a brutal Last Man Standing Match at Extreme Rules by trapping his 450-pound opponent underneath the announce table, preventing him from answering the referee’s 10-count.

Reigns entered Chicago’s Allstate Arena with a lot to prove. In the weeks since Reigns’ loss in WrestleMania 31’s main event, Big Show cost him a No. 1 Contender’s Match and viciously assaulted him during WWE’s European tour.

The bruises from those beatings healed, but The Big Dog still had to demonstrate that he could overpower one of WWE’s most destructive competitors. However, under Last Man Standing rules, which require a Superstar to incapacitate his opponent to the point where he cannot rise to his feet before the referee counts to 10, Reigns had a giant task ahead of him. 

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Big Show asserted his size advantage from the opening bell, yelling “I’m a giant!” after repeatedly knocking Reigns over with ease. Big Show, winner of the second annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania, crushed Reigns’ attempts to employ tables and foreign objects early. He literally smashed a table in two by driving his fists through it, then snapped a Kendo stick over his knee like a twig.

Yet The Big Dog wouldn’t be intimidated, and evened the odds by pounding The World’s Largest Athlete with a chair, prompting the referee’s longer counts. First, the official counted to seven before Big Show could get to his feet. Then Reigns needed an eight-count after suffering a KO Punch.  Reigns countered with a Samoan Drop through a table that nearly knocked out both competitors.

Neither Superstar would stay down, though. Reigns endured a spear, a splash and a chokeslam through two tables. The 450-pounder, meanwhile, withstood a top-rope gorilla press slam, two Superman Punches and a Spear through the ringside barricade.

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When Big Show stumbled to his feet among the rubble of the barricade, Reigns realized he needed to get creative to keep his colossal opponent down.

With Big Show standing on the English announce table, Reigns sprinted to Spear him through the Spanish one. Then he flipped the still-standing table on top, sandwiching Big Show for a count of 10 to become the Last Man Standing.

Days before stepping into the ring against Big Show, Reigns admitted he could be knocked down, but wouldn’t be kept down. After battling through a KO Punch and literally crushing his much larger rival, made believers of everyone who doubted him.