Intercontinental Champion Big E Langston def. Curtis Axel

BOSTON – Dubbed a “WWE Champion in the making” by former title holders like JBL, Big E Langston proved his Intercontinental Championship win against former champion Curtis Axel was no fluke, successfully defending the title against the third-generation Superstar at Survivor Series.

Certainly paving a path to becoming one of WWE’s most dominant Superstars, Langston defeated Axel on Raw after his Intercontinental Championship opportunity at WWE Hell in a Cell was cancelled due to Axel’s injury. Though the jury is still out for the long-term regarding Axel’s decision to ditch his manager Paul Heyman, at least in the short-term it looks as though the son of Mr. Perfect might have benefited from Heyman’s guidance.

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Langston showed no fear entering the ring at Survivor Series, immediately putting his power and speed on display. The power-lifting Superstar has been compared to WWE Hall of Famer Ron Simmons and other competitors known for utilizing their strength inside the squared circle, but Axel saw firsthand that Langston’s athleticism and agility may be more of an asset than his power.

Axel was no slouch though, taking advantage of Langston reeling on the outside of the ring. Executing a number of high-impact strikes to build momentum, Axel’s strategy quickly became one of keeping Langston at bay. Big E regained control by overpowering his challenger, but Axel channeled his father  and executed an impressive Perfect Plex.

Watch exclusive: Curtis Axel reacts to his match with Big E Langston

In recent weeks, Langston has showcased his abilities and at Survivor Series, he added resilience to his growing list of attributes. Axel attempted his match finishing neck-breaker, but Langston countered and  secured a victory following his patented Big Ending.