PPV Result: Seth Rollins def. Dean Ambrose (Retains his WWE Title)
Video: Match Highlights

COLUMBUS, Ohio — He did it, and all by himself. Seth Rollins, who shoved The Authority to the side and shouldered the load of beating Dean Ambrose on his own, fulfilled his promise by scaling a ladder and reclaiming his stolen WWE World Heavyweight Championship from the man who may go down in history as both The Architect’s greatest ally and bitterest foe.

Rollins’ feat was all the more impressive because the match was an uphill climb from the word go. Beginning with his win at last year’s Money in the Bank event, The Architect had rarely won a big match without the interference of Kane, J&J Security or some other agent of The Authority. Facing Ambrose alone — apart from placing all of the glory and the blame on the titleholder’s shoulders — essentially robbed Rollins of his right- and left-hand men. The Lunatic Fringe took full advantage of his old running mate’s handicap in the initial moments of the match, hammering Rollins with a crossbody, chops and — after Rollins made a potential early play for a ladder — a corner splash-bulldog combo that gave him an early advantage.

hat advantage didn’t last long once The Architect incorporated the anything-goes environment into his plans, however. He intercepted Ambrose mid-sprint for an STO into the turnbuckle, then took the fight outside the ring for the first time. There, The Architect used the loose rulebook to get his first sizable lead of the match, powerslamming Ambrose onto the floor and hurling him shoulder-first into the steps. With Ambrose down, Rollins again made a move for a ladder. Again Ambrose rallied, suicide-diving Rollins halfway up the ramp before using that same ladder as a weapon against his onetime brother in black, stopping Rollins’ own response suicide dive short by see-sawing the steel full-on into his face.