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WWE Tribute to the Troops kicked off with Lilian Garcia singing the national anthem. After a short video honoring the veterans, we headed for Big E's match against Dolph Ziggler.
Big E vs. Dolph Ziggler at WWE Tribute to the Troops
Big E had the early advantage and hit three belly-to-belly suplexes, followed by a splash before Dolph escaped the ring. Ziggler blocked a Spear on the apron and hit the Famouser for a near fall.
Ziggler went for the eyes of the WWE Champ while the ref was looking away and hit a ZigZag. Big E caught Dolph off a dive from the ropes and hit a Big Ending for the win.
Result: Big E def. Dolph Ziggler
After the match, Robert Roode attacked Big E, but the WWE Champion took him out with a Big Ending before celebrating his win.
Grade: B
Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan at WWE Tribute to the Troops
WWE Tribute to the Troops continued with the next match on the card, and both Belair and Morgan seemed to be treating it like friendly competition. Belair got the first takedown and went for hold, but Liv came back with a big rollup.
Morgan got a rana before they both kicked each other in the face and went down. Belair was setting up for a powerbomb, but Liv tried to counter it before she was dropped face-first on the turnbuckles. Belair got the KOD and picked up the win.
Result: Bianca Belair def. Liv Morgan
Morgan went for a handshake after the match, and Belair gave her a huge before WWE Tribute to the Troops moved on to the main event.
Grade: B-
Roman Reigns vs. Shinsuke Nakamura at WWE Tribute to the Troops
Roman Reigns walked out with Paul Heyman, and Boogs was there with Nakamura, but the Usos were nowhere to be seen as the match kicked off.
Roman Reigns vs. Shinsuke Nakamura at WWE Tribute to the Troops (contd...)
The Universal Champ had the early advantage at WWE Tribute to the Troops but Nakamura got some stiff knees in the corner as Boogs played his guitar to hype him up. Roman took Shinsuke to the corner and laid down a barrage of clotheslines before we headed for a break.
Back on WWE Tribute to the Troops, Roman got a near fall off a uranage before Boogs interrupted the Superman Punch, distracting him with his guitar playing. Nakamura got the drop on Roman but then The Usos came in and attacked Boogs.
Nakamura took out Jimmy and Jey and saved Boogs but Roman caught him with a Superman punch and then the spear in the ring for the win. The Usos not interfering in a Roman Reigns match would shock even the referees at this point.
Result: Roman Reigns def. Shinsuke Nakamura
Roman celebrated his win in the ring as WWE Tribute to the Troops went off the air.
Grade: B
Episode grade: B
We got three matches that were rather unlikely to have been booked on either brand, with Nakamura and Ziggler facing the two top champs. It might have been a shorter special than most of us are used to but the main event was quite hard-hitting.
