Adam Pearce will challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at the WWE Royal Rumble

Adam Pearce will challenge Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at the WWE Royal Rumble

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Universal Champion Roman Reigns (with Main Event Jey Uso and Paul Heyman) kicked off this week’s episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown.

Reigns questioned Adam Pearce for not protecting Kevin Owens from the beating he took last week. Reigns said Owens cannot support his family now and Pearce is to blame. He also questioned Pearce about reserving a Gauntlet Match to determine Reigns’ opponent instead of allowing Reigns to choose his own opponent. Later in the show, Paul Heyman said he was able to pull a few sticks to add Adam Pearce to the Gauntlet Match. This was done although Pearce was opposed to this idea.

The Gauntlet fight ended with Pearce vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, but before they could stop, Nakamura was attacked by Reigns and Uso. Somehow, that was allowed and Pearce was knocked out with a kick in the face and then thrown over Nakamura, so it will be Pearce vs. Reigns at the Royal Rumble.

Results of the Gauntlet match:
1. Rey Mysterio defeated Sami Zayn with the 619 and jumped from the top
2. Shinsuke Nakakamure forced Rey Mysterio to knock to finish the armbar
3. Shinsuke Nakamura defeated King Corbin with Kinshasa
4. Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Daniel Bryan with Kinshasa
5. Adam Pearce defeated Shinsuke Nakamura, thanks to Roman Reigns and Jey Uso

Here is the updated card for the WWE Royal Rumble:

WWE Universal Championship
Roman Reigns (Champion) vs. Adam Pearce

WWE Championship
Drew McIntyre (champion) vs. Goldberg

Royal Rumble Game for Men
Participants announced: Daniel Bryan, Bobby Lashley, AJ Styles, Randy Orton

Royal Rumble for women
Participants announced: Nia Jax, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, Bayley

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