Seth Rollins Retains World Heavyweight Championship Against Finn Bálor at SummerSlam

In one of the main events of tonight's SummerSlam pay-per-view, Seth Rollins successfully retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against former WWE Universal Champion Finn Bálor.

Match coverage courtesy of Matt Boone of Rajah.com:

WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth "Freakin'" Rollins (C) vs. Finn Balor

Another commercial break airs and then we shoot into the video package for our next match of the evening, which features Finn Balor of The Judgment Day challenging Seth "Freakin'" Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

When the package wraps up, we return inside Ford Field where The Judgment Day theme hits. The fans boo as Finn Balor slowly walks to the ring with almost an expressionless look on his face.

The commentators point out that Finn Balor has the word "SEVEN" on his shoulder, which was surgically repaired seven years ago when he was forced to drop the WWE Universal Championship after winning it.

Now the theme for Seth "Freakin'' Rollins plays and out comes the reigning and defending WWE World Heavyweight Champion as the fans loudly sing along with his theme. Rollins is wearing the same vest to the ring that he wore when he injured Balor's shoulder seven years ago.

From there, the bell sounds and the ring announcer handles the formal, drawn-out pre-match ring introductions for the champion and the challenger. After Rollins is introduced he throws the vest in Balor's face. Balor attacks Rollins from behind and then the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running.

We see some early back-and-forth action and then Balor jumps into the early offensive lead. He is very slow and methodical early on as he stalks and attacks the champ with precise offense. Rollins starts to show signs of life and he begins fighting from underneath.

Rollins knocks Balor out to the floor and then hits back-to-back-to-back suicide dives to splash onto The Judgment Day leader on the floor. Balor's mouth is busted open during this sequence. Balor fights back and takes over control of things again, focusing his attack on the arm of Rollins, the same area he was injured in seven years ago.

In another call-back from seven years ago, we see Balor hoist Rollins up and hit him with a buckle bomb on the barricade. Back in the ring he hits a sling blade and stalks Rollins waiting for him to get up. He runs into a super kick but brushes it off and decks Rollins and then slaps him in an armbar on the arm he has been working on throughout the match.

Seth powers his way out of it, hoisting Balor up while still in the hold and connecting with back-to-back buckle bombs. He heads to the top and hits a big splash for a close near fall. We see the two start to hit false finishes and then Damian Priest makes his way out.

"Senor" Money In The Bank settles in at ringside with his briefcase. This distraction allows Balor to nearly steal the win, but Rollins hangs in there. In another distraction, Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley come through the crowd. Balor then jaws with Priest on the ring apron. This allows Rollins to hit Balor with a Stomp. He goes for the cover but Balor kicks out.

Rollins heads out to the floor and takes all of The Judgment Day guys out. Back in the ring, he walks into a sling blade from Balor. Balor follows up with a Coup de Grace off the top-rope. He goes for the cover, yet somehow Rollins finds a way to kick out. The crowd erupted when Rollins kicked out that time.

We see Priest slide the briefcase in and distract the ref. Balor goes to pick it up but when he leans down, Rollins hits a Stomp to Balor face-first onto it. He covers him and gets the win. Afterwards, Rollins and Priest stare each other down intensely.

Winner and STILL WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Seth "Freakin'" Rollins

SEVEN YEARS IN THE MAKING!@FinnBalor is out for payback against World Heavyweight Champion @WWERollins at #SummerSlam! pic.twitter.com/XvmusuHJVP

— WWE (@WWE) August 6, 2023

 

Señor #MITB @ArcherOfInfamy has arrived at #SummerSlam and @FinnBalor capitalizes! pic.twitter.com/HX92RBs0ES

— WWE (@WWE) August 6, 2023

 

MAMI & "Dirty" Dom are here at #SummerSlam!@RheaRipley_WWE and @DomMysterio35 have arrived!!! pic.twitter.com/hKpm8YJcHT

— WWE (@WWE) August 6, 2023

 

World Heavyweight Champion @WWERollins contends with The Judgment Day at #SummerSlam! pic.twitter.com/mtZLOKmC17

— WWE (@WWE) August 6, 2023

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