We get another backtage between Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. They watch footage of Vince’s return last week. Stephanie says she’s being tested, like she has her entire life. They console each other by making out.
Rusev and Lana come out to the ring for a championship celebration. Some representative tells them that Putin is proud of them, and he gets the “who are ya” treatment from the fans. They stand for the Russian national anthem, but Sheamus cuts them off and rushes the ring, chasing them off.
United States Championship
RUSEV (c) vs. SHEAMUS
They do official introductions, and Rusev basically starts dominating from the start. This goes on for a few minutes, mostly with a side headlock. Rusev hits a spinning kick as they go to break.
They’ve lost the crowd again after the break. Sheamus eventually comes back with a few kicks and a running shoulder tackle, but just as quickly as it started, he gets taken back down. Loud “you sold out” chants, even though he still hasn’t joined the Authority. Another few minutes of rest holds, before Sheamus came back and hit Ten Beats, followed by a shoulder tackle over the ropes for two. He tries for a Cloverleaf, but can’t get it around Rusev’s large frame. They end up colliding; both men down as the “boring” chants begin. They trade right hands as a random “E-C-Dub” chant breaks out. Rusev hoists the big man up, but Sheamus throws some elbows and reverses it with White Noise. “Ole!” chants now, from the fans. I don’t know.
Sheamus looks for the Brogue Kick – he is COVERED in sweat, by the way – but Rusev bails from the ring. Sheamus follows up by going high risk off the top rope to the floor, taking them both down. The challenger is up first, stomping away on Rusev and throwing him off barricades. Rusev rolls back into the ring at 8, and Sheamus is attacked from behind by Authority goons while the referee is distracted. Sheamus gets counted out at 10.
Winner: RUSEV
