The opening match of WWE Money in the Bank 2026 delivered an absolute war, as Roman Reigns successfully defended his World Heavyweight Championship against a resilient LA Knight inside the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
Setting the tone for the entire premium live event, Reigns and Knight wasted no time trading verbal jabs before locking up in the center of the ring. Knight immediately brought the fight to the champion, forcing Reigns to take a breather on the outside early on as the New Orleans crowd rallied behind “The Megastar.”
The bout quickly escalated into a brutal back-and-forth brawl. Knight showcased his explosive offense, countering Reigns with a leaping clothesline, a side Russian leg sweep, and a tilt-a-whirl powerslam before successfully connecting with the YEAH-ple’s Elbow for a close near-fall.
As the action spilled outside, the intensity reached a boiling point. Knight drove Reigns through the announce table with a thunderous powerbomb, following up by climbing to the top rope and connecting with a high-impact elbow drop that nearly shocked the champion.
Down the stretch, both competitors pulled out all the stops. Knight countered a spear attempt by catching Reigns and nailing the BFT, only for the champion to power out at the two-count. After escaping another flurry of offense, Reigns targeted Knight’s momentum, dropping him awkwardly across the top rope before following up with a pair of devastating Superman Punches.
Reigns sealed the victory moments later, connecting with a final, decisive Spear to secure the three-count and retain the World Heavyweight Championship.
Despite coming up short in a career-defining performance, Knight proved he belongs in the upper echelon of the main event scene, while Reigns walks out of New Orleans still holding the gold.
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