The Road to Wrestlemania kicks off with the Royal Rumble pay per view, where history was made in Philadelphia, PA.
WWE Championship Match
AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (two on one handicap match)
Winner:
At the beginning of the match, Zayn and Owens utilize frequent tags, partially because they’re staying fresh but mostly just because they can. Throughout the match, they employ distractions for one another so the illegal man get get a cheap shot or two in. Styles hits the Phenomenal Forearm on Zayn, but Owens breaks up the pin. AJ seems to be handling the two on one pretty well, finding counters to the double team.
When Sami barely misses the tag to Owens, AJ tosses Zayn out of the ring and gets a roll-up on Owens, but Owens wasn’t the legal man. This unexpected ending allows this rivalry to continue without AJ losing the title to Owens and Zayn. The best friend duo worked really well together, and its not a surprise that these three men put on a great match.
Kevin and Sami try to confront Shane about the mishap backstage, asking if he saw that. Shane simply says “yep”. This was great because it furthers the story between Shane and Daniel Bryan without interrupting the match.
Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match
The Usos vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable (best two out of three falls match)
Winners:
Early on, Benjamin and Gable cut the ring in half, isolating Jimmy from his brother, Jey. They control the first part of the match, but as soon as Jey gets the hot tag, he takes out both Gable and Benjamin. Gable moonsaults out of the ring, taking out both Usos. The Usos tag in and out throughout the match, confusing their opponents and allowing them to get the first fall.
Gable and Benjamin attack Jimmy Uso outside the ring, but out of nowhere, the Usos get a roll-up pin on Chad Gable, leaving Gable and Benjamin shook. While it’s unsure where this feud will go next, it was smart for the Usos to win the quick second fall quickly, as they had seemingly used up all of their finishers in the first bout.
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Match highlights:
The match takes place before the women’s rumble, allowing the women to main event in their first ever Royal Rumble
“If it wasn’t Rusev Day, he wouldn’t know what day it is.” -Corey Graves
Andrade “Cien” Almas makes his main roster debut!
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn attack Tye Dillinger, and Zayn takes his place in the match
Everyone beats up Heath Slater on the way to the ring
Kofi is almost eliminated by Jinder Mahal, but is saved by one foot on a plate of pancakes
John Cena is welcomed into the ring by Elias, Almas, Nakamura, Balor, and Rollins
The Hurricane briefly enters the Rumble
Adam Cole (baybay) joins the rumble!
Rey Mysterio returns!
Seth Rollins delivers a Curb Stomp to the Miz and Seth and Roman double powerbomb the Miz out onto the Miztourage
Roman Reigns eliminates Seth Rollins!
Dolph Ziggler returns at number 30
John Cena eliminates Finn Balor and is hounded by boos
Shinsuke Nakamura eliminates Roman Reigns!
From the surprise debuts of Andrade “Cien” Almas and Adam Cole to returns from the Hurricane, Rey Mysterio and Dolph Ziggler, this year’s Rumble was full of surprises. The battle royal incorporated comedy (*cough* pancakes) and shocking turns (Roman gets rid of his Shield buddy Rollins), and just when it looked like John Cena or Roman Reigns could win, Nakamura pulled off the victory.
Having Shinsuke Nakamura win the men’s Royal Rumble was a great surprise to many fans (I called it though). He laid low the past few months, which reduced suspicion of a collision between him and AJ Styles. This was the perfect way to begin this feud, and it’s no doubt that this match deserves to main event Wrestlemania.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match
Jason Jordan and Seth Rollins vs. The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro)
Winners: Sheamus and Cesaro
At the start of the match, Cesaro and Rollins take turns with the advantage. When Rollins goes for the tag, Cesaro sidelines Jason Jordan by sending him face first into the post, giving Sheamus the upper hand in the ring. Jordan lays outside the ring for some time, leaving Rollins alone in the ring as he is attacked by the Bar.
Despite being left on his own, Seth Rollins handles both members of the Bar, the advantage going back and forth between the two teams. Jordan tries to come back into the match, but he can’t do it—he has to tag out. Rollins is on his own, and he can’t make it any longer.
As the Bar regains the tag championships, fans are left wondering what the future holds for the fallen team of Jordan and Rollins. Sheamus gets to win the title on his birthday, too. That’s fun.
Universal Championship Match
Brock Lesnar vs. Kane vs. Braun Strowman
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Almost as soon as the match starts, Braun Strowman has cleared the ring of Lesnar and Kane. He’s bringing out the chairs, stairs, and tables. He angles a table in the corner, and after two German suplexes, Braun turns it around and sends Lesnar through a table in the center to the ring. Kane sends Strowman through the table.
Strowman continues to throw Lesnar around like a toy for a bit, and it seems like Lesnar, Kane, and Strowman are just taking turns throwing each other through/onto announce tables. When one man gets up, he takes another out. After a mess of giants just throwing giants around, Lesnar gets the pin on Kane. He leaves as Braun is screaming “you didn’t beat me!”. This match was pretty predictable.
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Winner: Asuka
Match highlights:
This is the main event!
Legend appearances from Lita, Torrie Wilson, Molly Holly, Michelle McCool, Vickie Guerrero, Kelly Kelly, Jaqueline, Beth Phoenix, and Trish Stratus
Kairi Sane making her debut at number 6
Lita does a moonsault backflip onto Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch
Vickie Guerrero demanding the attention to all of the women by screaming EXCUSE ME
Vickie attacks Carmella with her own briefcase
NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon comes in at 23
Naomi walks across the barricade and uses a chair to wheel herself back to the steel steps and into the ring
Nia Jax comes face to face with Beth Phoenix
Nikki Bella returns at number 27
Brie Bella returns at number 28
Trish and Mickie meet again
Six women work together to eliminate Nia Jax
Sasha eliminates her best friend Bayley
Nikki eliminates Brie!
Asuka stands between Charlotte and Alexa as they hold their respective titles in the air
Ronda Rousey appears and attempts to shake Asuka’s hand. Asuka slaps it away and she points at the Wrestlemania sign
Ronda shakes Stephanie’s hand and skips out smiling
Giving Asuka this opportunity seemed a bit predictable, but it just further enforces her capability to defeat any competitor. She can remain undefeated—that is, until Wrestlemania, at least. WWE did an amazing job for the first ever women’s Royal Rumble, with a combination of Raw and Smackdown superstars going head to head as well as a combination of current superstars meeting legends.
Having Ronda Rousey appear just days after she said she was going to be out of the country was a cool surprise, and WWE was smart not to have her in the Rumble as it would’ve taken away from all of the other women. She seems to be a tough babyface, and it’ll be interesting to see what WWE does with her at Mania.
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