Dan The Wrestling Fan.

#272: Seth Rollins vs. Jey Uso, WWE Monday Night Raw (12/4/2023).

This is for Rollins’ World Heavyweight Championship.

They circle one another, before locking up intensely. Rollins has Jey against the ropes, and gives him a clean break. They lock up again, and Rollins takes control of the arm. Jey slips free and takes the back, until Rollins applies a side headlock. Big shoulder tackle by Rollins gets him a 1 count. Same sequence is repeated by Jey. Rollins attempts the Stomp, and Jey counters with a roll up attempt. They stare each other down, as we go to commercial.

Back from break, Rollins is attacking Jey on the apron, culminating with a kick to the head. Springboard senton, followed by a springboard moonsault by Rollins gets him a 2 count. Big chop by Rollins, followed by a Snap Mare/Kick to the spine combination. He nails a back suplex, and Jey kicks out. Rollins lifts him back up, and attempts a back suplex again, but Jey counters it. Rollins with several hard strikes to the back, and Jey fires back with a pop up neckbreaker for a 2 count.

Nice thrust strike by Jey sends Rollins into the corner. He follows up with a backbreaker, and Rollins is able to kick out. Step up enziguri by Jey, and he goes to the top rope. Rollins gives him one of his own, knocking him down to the apron. Rollins follows him there, and looks for the Pedigree. Jey blocks it, and lifts Rollins into the air. Rollins turns it into a sunset flip, into a buckle bomb attempt. Jey slips free, and hits him with a DDT on the floor.

Back from another commercial break, and both men are exchanging fisticuffs in the ring. The crowd is split between both men, as Rollins clotheslines Jey to the outside. Nice Tope to the floor, which sends Jey into the barricade. Rollins quickly returns to the ring, but Jey is right behind him to send him over the top rope. Jey with a Tope of his own, sending Rollins into the barricade. Fair play! Jey returns to the ring, and both men collide in the middle with crossbodies.

Jey with multiple right hands to Rollins, as the crowd chants along with “Yeet.” Kick to the midsection by Rollins, and a clothesline drops Main Event. Jey blocks a corner attack, and hits a midsection kick of his own. Thrust strike to the head, and a kick to the head. Rollins is down in the corner, and Jey pays homage to Umaga with a hip attack to Rollins head. He goes to the top rope, and misses an attack. Sling Blade by Rollins, Tanahashi style, and now he flies off the top rope with a splash. Jey kicks out.

Rollins attempts the Pedigree again, but Jey counters with a back body drop and a roll up for 2. They exchange superkicks, and Rollins hits a ripcord forearm. Jey with a superkick drops Rollins. He hits the Uso Splash from the top rope, and Rollins is able to kick out at the last second. Jey drags himself back to the top rope, but hee’s Rollins, who rushes up and hits a superplex into the Falcon Arrow! He covers, and Jey kicks out.

Rollins quickly grabs Jey, and hits the Pedigree in the center of the ring. He covers, and Jey kicks out again! Rollins is stunned. He goes for the Stomp, but Jey avoids it and hits the Spear out of nowhere! Rollins barely gets his shoulder up. Jey measures Rollins for the Spear again, but he kicks him in the face. Buckle Bomb connects by Rollins again, but Jey bounces off the ropes with another Spear! He lands another Uso Splash, and again Rollins kicks out! That was a fantastic sequence.

Jey lays against the ropes, staring a hole in Rollins. Superkick to the face, and he goes for the Spear, but Rollins jumps into the air to land the Pedigree! Stomp connects, and Rollins is able to get the pin to retain the World Championship. That was an awesome TV match. For all the discourse between WWE fans and AEW fans – which itself is completely stupid – this was the kind of match that would feel at home on an episode of Dynamite. Not too different from each other, are they?

Anyway, yeah, this was exciting. Not much in the way of a story or psychology, but that’s okay! This was a back and forth struggle between two great athletes. It was very even throughout, and Jey never looked out of place. There were some great nearfalls throughout this, especially at the end with the Buckle Bomb/Spear/Uso Splash sequence. That was outstanding, and even I bit on it, and I knew Rollins won!

Good stuff here, as Jey continues to grow as a singles star at this point.