WWE cameras continued to roll after SmackDown ended.
When push came to shove, Paul Heyman stayed loyal to Roman Reigns and paid the price.
On SmackDown, the 58-year-old special counsel was viciously beaten by The Bloodline after refusing to acknowledge Solo Sikoa as his Tribal Chief. In a digital exclusive, WWE cameras followed Heyman after the show as he left Madison Square Garden on a stretcher. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis, announcer Corey Graves, producer Shane Helms, and other personnel accompanied the WWE Hall of Famer. Graves, spotting The Bloodline near the entrance, demanded they be held back to prevent another attack.
Once staff managed to get past The Bloodline and into the backstage area, they began loading Heyman into an ambulance. During this, Heyman briefly opened his eyes but appeared disoriented, staring blankly at the sky. WWE Producer Jamie Noble joined him in the ambulance as it left the arena.
Meanwhile, fan footage from the event captured The Bloodline standing defiantly in the aisle, raising their fingers to the sky and mocking the jeering crowd before finally exiting the scene.
The closing segment of SmackDown capped off a volatile evening at The World’s Most Famous Arena, which was to host a Bloodline Acknowledgement Ceremony to begin the show. However, it was interrupted by Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens, who sought retribution for the beating they suffered last week at the hands of Jacob Fatu.
After the good guys were ejected and order was restored, Sikoa returned to the ring with Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Paul Heyman to resume their ceremony. Sikoa formally introduced Jacob Fatu, and each member lined up to acknowledge the group’s self-appointed leader.
When it was Heyman’s turn, he emotionally fell apart as Tonga Loa produced a bag containing the sacred ula fala, the royal Samoan necklace synonymous with Roman Reigns and his status as The Tribal Chief. Despite the pressure, Heyman, whose on-screen loyalties have wavered in the past, couldn’t betray Reigns.
“Solo, I love you,” Heyman began, “and I acknowledge that you are not my Tribal Chief.” Heyman then threw down the microphone and braced himself for the worst.
Angered, Sikoa immediately struck with a Samoan Spike. Next, Jacob Fatu drilled Heyman with a flying headbutt from the top rope. He then joined the two Tongas on the arena floor, where they performed a triple powerbomb through the announcers’ table as Sikoa watched on.
Since seizing control of The Bloodline, Sikoa and his crew have been met with profane language and chants of “We Want Roman” in almost every building they appear in. After this latest crime against the Samoan dynasty, fans and residents of the Island of Relevancy will likely soon get their wish.
The only question remaining is when.
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