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The two men who will battle for the WWE World Heavyweight championship at WrestleMania came to blows on the Mar. 14 edition of Raw. Triple H had just wrestled for the first time on Monday night in two years, earning a hard fought victory over Dolph Ziggler, when Roman Reigns appeared for the first time since Feb. 22.
What followed was an inversion of what happened after the Big Dog's match against Sheamus three weeks ago, with Reigns catching a weary Game off guard and proceeding to beat him within an inch of his life.
Well, this looks familiar! #RAW @WWERomanReigns @TripleH pic.twitter.com/fv6fJKN4wA
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) March 15, 2016
Haitch stumbled away, but Roman continued the pursuit backstage. After busting him open with a thrown table, Reigns continued to assault the champ with whatever he could get his hands on, including a full trash can and a flat screen monitor, until his cousins Jimmy & Jey Uso, Jack Swagger and Mark Henry calmed him down.
.@WWERomanReigns just left a path of destruction through the #RAW locker room as he chased @TripleH. https://t.co/6c0OAdKiML
— WWE (@WWE) March 15, 2016
This was the big moment Creative put together to welcome their top babyface back from nasal surgery. Unfortunately, one really excited woman in the front row aside, the Pittsburgh crowd didn't seem all that moved by it. The response wasn't as awkward as the cheers Hunter got for dismantling Roman in Detroit, but also wasn't what you'd ideally wish for a returning hero.
Tonight's show was a return to the unhinged Reigns of TLC, but was it too little too late? We'll know more as WWE winds its way through a few more tough towns on the way to Mania.