After a brief hiatus the Mirror’s WWE column is back and the road to WrestleMania contours to intensify. Every superstar is on their A-Game as they look to gain the upper hand on their opponents before competing at the Showcase of the Immortals.
Roman Reigns made his biggest statement after a brutal attack on Brock Lesnar at Madison Square Garden earlier this month, but this Friday on SmackDown, Lesnar struck fear into his opponent’s heart in the only way he knew how.
Kevin Owens provided one of the biggest swerves in recent memory on Raw as he continues to agonise the legendary Stone Cold Steven Austin. Following his devastating neck injury on SmackDown this month, Big E provided fans with an update which really put things into perspective.
Kevin Owens completely fools the Chicago crowd
This week’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from Chicago, notorious for their raucous crowds. The show began with the sound of the famous glass smash, which is synonymous with only one person.
The audience went wild, thinking they were going to get a glimpse of the great Stone Cold Steve Austin. But their joy soon turned to disappointment as Kevin Owens walked out, dressed as the WWE Hall of Famer.
He sported Stone Cold’s gear, including the knee braces and even wore a bald cap. He saluted the crowd in a way that resembled Stone Cold, before berating the three-time Royal Rumble winner on the microphone. Owens then demanded a man at ringside enter the ring and give him a beer, another thing that optimises Austin, before delivering a devastating Stone Cold Stunner and poured the cold beverage all over him.
The crowd continued to boo and Owens left the ring after ending his promo with his adversary’s famous line of “That’s the bottom line, because Stone Cold said so.” How will Stone Cold respond? Or will he wait until his appearance at the KO show at WrestleMania?
A rampaging Brock Lesnar sends Roman Reigns scrambling
Roman Reigns made an emphatic statement after assaulting his WrestleMania opponent Brock Lesnar at Madison Square Garden with the steel steps, even drawing blood from The Beast. Since then Lesnar has wanted to get his hands on the Tribal Chief, demanding that he is coming “for his blood”.
On Friday Night SmackDown the Universal Champion opened the show alongside his cousins The Usos and Paul Heyman. After initially being told Lesnar would not be at the show due to travel issues, Roman claimed his opponent was making excuses to not face him, before promising to “smash” Lesnar at WrestleMania and become the WWE and Universal champion.
However, Paul Heyman, after just confirming Brock would not be at SmackDown, revealed he would be there after all and Reigns wasted no time in trying to leave the arena to escape his opponent's clutches. As he and his family got into a car backstage, the camera panned to a giant forklift, which was being driven by none other than the WWE champion.
He proceeded to use the sharp prongs to smash through the car windows with Reigns, the Usos and Heyman still in the car! Somehow the quartet managed to avoid disaster and found another vehicle, but Lesnar went after them again, this time on foot.
As they drove away, Lesnar ripped one of the car doors off and proceeded to roar in frustration. The powerhouse only needs to wait two more weeks until he is able to get his hands on the Head of the Table, and you don't want to miss it.
Big E injury update
WWE star Big E says he is very fortunate to be alive after suffering a broken neck. The grappler, real name Ettore Ewen, was involved in a scuffle outside the ring with Ridge Holland during a tag team match on SmackDown on March 11, which also included Kofi Kingston and Sheamus.
The former rugby player attempted to deliver a belly-to-belly suplex to the 2021 Money in the Bank winner, but unfortunately the move was not executed correctly dropped Big E on his head. The former WWE champion did not suffer any damage to his spinal cord and was told he does require surgery, but he did also receive some news which he was very thankful for.
He tweeted: “Had my first doctor’s appointment and learning (because of the C1 fracture) I narrowly escaped a stroke, paralysis or death is very sobering. Life feels even more precious and valuable now.” Big E, who will now miss WrestleMania, thanked fans for the outpouring of love he has received.
“Everyone here has been great. For real, it’s meant a ton to me that so many of you have been so kind and reached out or stopped in to see me,” he said. “I feel like I sound like a broken record, but I’m very grateful and I’m gonna be alright. It’s a blessing.”
