Though he rejected John Cena‘s challenge last week, Roman Reigns was only prolonging the inevitable, as the two stars are now set to collide at WWE SummerSlam due to a shocking contract signing that ended with Cena getting his match.
During the planned contract signing between Finn Balor and Roman Reigns this week on Friday Night SmackDown, Reigns began the signing by saying that while someone like Cena might think Balor is beneath him, Reigns knows that the former NXT Champion is worthy to challenge him for the WWE Universal Championship. Still, Reigns warned that he will give “The Prince” a beatdown at SummerSlam. He then claimed that he will send Balor back to NXT before he signed the contract.
"I think you're worthy to catch this beat down at #SummerSlam."#SmackDown @WWERomanReigns @FinnBalor @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/erd4tWxDUY
— WWE (@WWE) July 31, 2021
Balor grabbed the contract and said that while Reigns must think pretty highly of himself, it’ll be Balor’s privilege to return to NXT, but with the Universal Championship. Before he could sign the contract, though, Baron Corbin came out of nowhere and ambushed Balor, slamming his head into the table before tossing him out of the ring and over the timekeeper’s barricade. Corbin then slid back into the ring and grabbed the contract, intent on signing it himself, when none other than John Cena came running down into the ring.
Cena quickly stopped Corbin from signing , and he threw the former King of the Ring out of the ring. Cena then picked the contract up off the ground. After he looked at a seething Reigns for a moment, Cena pulled a Sharpie out of his pocket and signed his name on the contract, seemingly locking in the match.
Is this even legal?!? #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/okdG8xsD5z
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) July 31, 2021
Backstage, a clearly angry Paul Heyman tried to convince Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville to declare the contract invalid and illegal because Cena’s signature wasn’t legally binding. Instead, Pearce confirmed the contract; he stated that because both signatures were on the paper, it was good enough for him. As a result, Cena’s match with Reigns is official.
IT'S OFFICIAL.@JohnCena will challenge @WWERomanReigns w/ @HeymanHustle for the Universal Championship at @SummerSlam! pic.twitter.com/ad8lROtA2A
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) July 31, 2021
