Trick Williams remains the WWE United States Champion after defeating Baron Corbin in a Steel Cage match on WWE SmackDown. The bout was designed to provide a final answer after the two men had repeatedly traded championship momentum, and it delivered a bruising conclusion that required Williams to survive nearly everything Corbin could throw at him.
Williams earned the pinfall only after a frantic final stretch involving cage climbs, attempted escapes, major near-falls, and the involvement of Lil Yachty at ringside. Corbin appeared to be on the verge of leaving through the cage door late in the match, but Yachty shut the door into Corbin's face. Williams capitalized with the Trick Shot, though even that was not enough to keep Corbin down. The champion ultimately had to deliver three Book Ends before scoring the winning three-count.
The result closes the book, at least for now, on a rivalry that had become one of the most contested United States Championship programs in recent weeks. This was the fourth time Williams and Corbin had met with the title at stake, with each encounter further escalating the stakes between the two.
A Championship Rivalry That Kept Turning
The road to the Steel Cage match was built around neither man being able to establish a lasting advantage. Corbin had previously taken the United States Championship from Williams at SummerSlam, changing the direction of Williams' title reign and putting Corbin in possession of the championship.
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Williams' immediate opportunity to regain the title did not go his way. Corbin also won the rematch, holding off the former champion before Lil Yachty's five-minute appearance with Corbin at Sunday Night's Main Event. That development did not end Williams' pursuit, however. He received another title opportunity against Corbin and made the most of it, reclaiming the United States Championship.
With the series effectively tied and bad blood continuing to build, the Steel Cage served as the proper setting for a rubber match. The stipulation removed the possibility of simply walking away from the confrontation and placed an emphasis on endurance. The cage also gave both wrestlers multiple paths to victory, as they could either escape the structure or keep their opponent down for a pinfall.
For Williams, the match represented the chance to prove that his latest championship win over Corbin was more than a quick reversal of fortune. For Corbin, it was an opportunity to restore the position he had held after SummerSlam and to show that Williams had not truly solved him.
Williams And Corbin Battle Above The Ring
The closing portion of the contest began with Williams attempting to climb his way out of the cage. Corbin cut him off at the top, leading to one of the most dangerous moments of the match. The two exchanged strikes while positioned high above the ring, each man trying to force the other into a vulnerable position.
Williams got the better of the exchange, sending Corbin retreating down toward the ring. Rather than following him immediately, Williams moved toward the other side of the structure and looked ready to complete an escape. Corbin was able to reach him before he could get out, applying a guillotine hold and dragging Williams back over the cage.
That intervention set up a huge superplex from Corbin, bringing Williams crashing back down into the center of the ring. Both competitors were visibly spent after the fall, but Williams recovered enough to make a cover. It was an opportunistic pin attempt after Corbin's own high-risk move, yet Corbin kicked out before the referee could count three.
The pace did not slow for long. Corbin again looked toward the cage as his exit route, climbing while Williams crawled toward the door on the opposite side. The simultaneous escape attempts made clear that neither wrestler was willing to risk another direct exchange if a quicker route to victory was available.
Corbin chose to climb back down, recognizing Williams' proximity to the open door. He dragged the champion back into the cage, preventing Williams from escaping. In the process, Corbin kicked the door into Lil Yachty at ringside, adding another layer of tension to an already chaotic championship fight.
Near-Falls Define A Relentless Finish
Williams answered Corbin's momentum swing with the Trick Kick. The strike gave the champion a clear opening, and Williams immediately attempted to end the match with a cover. Corbin kicked out, extending a contest in which both men repeatedly found a way to continue despite mounting damage.
Williams then prepared for the Trick Shot, looking to put Corbin away with his signature offense. Corbin had an answer, cutting him off with a lariat before driving him down with a chokeslam. The challenger was suddenly in control and began crawling toward the cage door, once again seeking to escape rather than remain in a position to absorb more punishment.
It was at that point that Lil Yachty intervened. With Corbin closing in on the exit, Yachty slammed the cage door into Corbin's face. The impact stopped Corbin's escape attempt and created the opening Williams needed. The champion connected with the Trick Shot and made the cover, only for Corbin to kick out again.
That kickout was one of the defining moments of the match. Williams had survived a chokeslam and seemed to have finally found the decisive combination after the door shot and Trick Shot. Corbin refusing to stay down ensured that the match would not end with a single dramatic burst, but instead demanded an even more definitive closing sequence.
Corbin fired back with Deep Six and covered Williams. In another reversal of momentum, Williams kicked out. Corbin then attempted to land End of Days, the move that could have ended Williams' reign and completed Corbin's return to the United States Championship.
Williams anticipated the attempt. He countered Corbin's effort by driving him into the steel cage, using the structure itself to halt Corbin's offense. Williams followed with a Book End, then delivered two more Book Ends in rapid succession. After the third, Williams covered Corbin and finally got the pinfall.
What The Win Means For Williams
Williams' victory was significant beyond merely retaining the championship. Corbin had represented a recurring obstacle throughout Williams' recent title story: the man who beat him at SummerSlam, won a rematch, and then lost the title back to Williams before receiving one final chance in the cage.
By pinning Corbin after three Book Ends, Williams did not escape the cage door or rely solely on the late Trick Shot. He defeated Corbin in the ring after countering End of Days and overpowering the challenger in the decisive exchange. That distinction matters after a rivalry built on shifting results and unresolved momentum.
The assistance from Lil Yachty was undeniably a factor in preventing Corbin's potential escape. Still, Corbin survived the ensuing Trick Shot, and the match continued until Williams earned the final pinfall. The champion had to withstand Deep Six and the threat of End of Days before finding the answer that kept his reign alive.
For Corbin, the loss is a difficult one after coming within reach of both an escape and a title-winning finishing sequence. He was able to neutralize Williams on the cage, pull him down with the guillotine, deliver a superplex, chokeslam him, hit Deep Six, and position him for End of Days. None of it produced the championship-changing result Corbin wanted.
Williams now moves forward as United States Champion having won the definitive fourth meeting with Corbin. The Steel Cage match gave the rivalry a violent and conclusive final chapter, with Williams proving he could survive Corbin's power, resist his escape attempts, and put him down when it mattered most.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.