It was a excellent evening to be a former UFC champion at a really predictable and largely underwhelming Royal Rumble that felt like the reverse of anything the celebration was intended to be.
Ronda Rousey returned from a almost three-calendar year hiatus to earn the women’s Royal Rumble and Brock Lesnar, who misplaced the WWE championship earlier in the night, entered the men’s match at No. 30 and punched his ticket to WrestleMania at The Dome at America’s Middle in St. Louis on Saturday night time.
The Royal Rumble utilised to be about new stars ascending to get their WrestleMania prospect and or older expertise completing journeys to mountain top for the very first time. On Saturday night, WWE had two recognized principal eventers — and probably section-timers — win Royal Rumbles they certainly didn’t have to have to in purchase to get their respective match at WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium in April. It was all component of a night that just seemed to be missing its regular attraction. At least the doorway is continue to open for Bianca Belair and Big E to be in title matches at Mania.
Right here are 5 takeaways from the 2022 Royal Rumble:
Indignant Beast
Lesnar is no lengthier the WWE champion, but he’s a now a two-time Royal Rumble winner and on a collision system with Common champ Roman Reigns at Mania.
The minute the former UFC heavyweight champion entered the match it felt like a forgone summary he’d be the winner. WWE did give us Lesnar and a returning Drew McIntyre as the closing two in a callback to the 2019 rumble and the Beast strike Terrible Bunny with an F5. It was section of a stable finish to a mainly anti-climatic match — the major surprise entrant was Shane McMahon.
Omos appeared amazing, eliminating 3 persons and offering a chop to Ricochet that sounded like it would caved his upper body. It took 6 men, which includes a traveling Models – his previous tag team partner – to get rid of the huge 7-footer.
Johnny Knoxville’s visual appearance in the Royal Rumble was significantly less ha-ha than anticipated. The ridiculously dressed “Jackass Forever” star took down Sami Zayn, took a flurry of strikes from A.J. Types and a Frog Splash from Montez Ford. It was his storyline nemesis Zayn who removed him in a quick, pleasurable phase. He wasn’t the only celeb entrant has Bad Bunny entered at No. 27 and eliminated Sheamus and hit a Canadian destroyer on Riddle. He carries on to seem like a feasible wrestler when he’s in the ring.
WWE didn’t give us Rey and Dominik Mysterio in the ring together immediately after making up some possible father-son drama in the leadup. A person of the largest shockers may perhaps have been Mad Cap Moss eradicating No. 1 entrant Designs. They sooner or later bought theirs as McIntyre — who has a legit neck injury — eliminated both of those Moss and Content Corbin, who took him out in storyline at Working day 1. Maybe the biggest surprise of all was Kofi Kingston was not equipped to nail his once-a-year continue to be-in the Rumble location as his ft hit the floor when he was pushed from the top rope. It was symbolic of a match that just seemed to miss out on the mark. The place was Finn Balor?
The women’s Royal Rumble match felt exceptionally rushed — but it was continue to improved than the men’s outing for the reason that it did inform some tales. It did produce a single of the winners men and women had been hoping for when Rousey returned at No. 28 to finally remove SmackDown women’s winner Charlotte Aptitude to punch her ticket to a probable match concerning the two at WrestleMania.
Quick moments have been never supplied a probability and other people weren’t given a time to breathe. Sasha Financial institutions entered as No. 1 in complete Sailor Moon garb, but was eliminated really, extremely, rapidly by Queen Zelina proper in advance of Belair entered the match at No. 8 – a lot to the chagrin of the crowd. The two former WrestleMania headliners have been denied a minute in the ring.
Sonya Deville arrived down at No. 11 in her jacket so she could not be attacked, but went to the commentary table and not into the ring right up until she came in to eliminate a returning Cameron, Naomi’s previous Funkadactyls mate. Naomi, who has had her problems with Deville considering the fact that August, was upcoming and swiftly eliminated her. Deville did arrive back again to pull Naomi off the arpon to get her out of the match, but anything occurred so rapidly.
The group was not invested in this match for extended stretches, especially following Banks was eliminated. Outside of a several times from Belair and Rhea Ripley, it felt like couple performers were being seriously showcased or specified storylines to build off of.
Impression Knockouts winner Mickie James did occur as a result of the “forbidden door” with the belt all around her waist and her “Hardcore Country” topic to a major pop. Nikki A.S.H. came from the other facet of the ring to try out to reduce previous tag partner Ripley, who experienced a handful of selection words for her underneath her breath. Nikki afterwards attacked Mighty Molly ahead of she entered the ring because there can only be one particular superhero and quickly eliminated her. The Bellas spoiled a Riott Squad reunion right after Sarah Logan returned following a extended hiatus from WWE.
One particular awesome instant was the return of Ivory in her Appropriate to Censor attire, talking about wanting to cleanse things up in WWE ahead of currently being speedily removed by Ripley. Lita and Charlotte Flair had a solid confront-to-confront exchange. While it was entertaining to see a selection of the legends, getting not a single performer come up from NXT feels egregious.
Even with all that, WWE got the second it hoped for with Rousey, who arrived out in all black with “Baddest” across her upper body alternatively of her usual “Rowdy Roddy” Piper motivated gear. The former Raw women’s champion appeared fantastic, pulling off a quite wild arm bar above the best rope with Belair and even received to crew up with buddy Shayna Baszler, who was in the closing 4 with her and Flair.
Like every thing in this match, Rousey and Flair’s interaction for the end consisted of The Queen missing a kick and Rousey flipping her around the top rated rope to a roar from the group. Count on these two to probably satisfy yet again at WrestleMania, even with Becky Lynch retaining the Raw women’s title from Doudrop in a quite solid match. They instructed the tale of Massive Time Becky required to pull out each and every stop to conquer Doudrop, making use of a Manhandle Slam from the second rope to secure the 1-2-3.
Un-ending Contact
Seth Rollins as opposed to Roman Reigns had everything but a high-quality finish
Rollins fantastically ongoing the mind games, entering the ring to The Shield’s songs and dressed in total Defend garb and even delivered a Protect bomb to Reigns by means of the announce desk. He and most of the audience imagined he had Reigns beat right after a Buckle Bomb and then a Stomp, but the Tribal Main was just in a position to get his arm up in time. The frantic paces turned methodical in Reigns’ favor till Rollins countered a spear with a Pedigree top to a different late kickout from the Head of the Table. There was a tiny little bit of a Batman-Joker sensation to this story with Rollins laughing at Reigns each time he should have been crushed down.
This outstanding match was booked to an incredibly awkward and anti-climactic end. Reigns put Rollins in the guillotine choke. The challenger was equipped to get in the vicinity of the ropes and appeared to have handed out before fully achieving them. Referee Charles Robinson lifted Rollins’ hand and it grabbed the robe as it fell back again down. Reigns refused to crack the keep and lost the match by using disqualification, but retained his title.
The Common champion then snapped, beating Rollins down with chair shot immediately after chair shot – such as a symbolic one particular to the back – as he was seriously booed. I have an understanding of the tale WWE is seeking to convey to right here, Reigns’ “God Mode” is not as powerful as it at the time was and Rollins deserved the beating for his arrogance and previous steps. Reigns blamed Rollins for not allowing him get the maintain off. Nevertheless, WWE’s lack of ability and reluctance to reserve thoroughly clean or decisive finishes in massive pay-per–view matches is thoughts boggling and the group there enable them listen to it.
Heyman Hustled
Bobby Lashley 1, Brock Lesnar — many thanks to Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman.
Lesnar and Lashley’s extensive-awaited clash began with a German suplex contest which brought out a great seem of appreciation from The Beast immediately after he went traveling the initially time. Lashley, who missed Lesnar going by means of the barricade in a get in touch with back to Day 1, hit his opponent with two spears just before Lesnar turned the tide to choose him to Suplex Town. When Lesnar went for the F5 the to start with time, Lashley countered with the Damage Lock – but backed his opponent into the referee. He then strike the formal while delivering an F5. Lesnar had Lashley pinned but no a person to depend to three, so WWE secured him a little bit.
Then it transpired. Reigns delivered a spear to Lesnar out of nowhere and was given the WWE championship by Heyman. He smashed Lesnar about the head with it and remaining with his Unique Counsel back again at his side. Lashley crawled onto Lesnar and pinned him to be reunited with the WWE championship immediately after shedding it to Large E in September. The Heyman switch was probably the end to the match Reigns and Lesnar have been meant to have at Day 1 just before the Tribal Main contracted COVID-19. Lashley is probable headed to defending his title within Elimination Chamber or dealing with its winner subsequent. WWE has some time now to figure it out.
Grit beats It
This mixed tag match was mainly every thing we thought it would be. Maryse functioning from Beth Phoenix and The Miz accomplishing everything he could to secure her. They even experienced Maryse hit Phoenix with the brick she employed on Uncooked, so there was some story continuity right here.
What was not envisioned and was refreshed was letting the males and girls get actual physical with every other as frequently as they did. Phoenix electric power bombed The Miz and one place and Maryese hit a leading-rope hurricanrana on Edge. There was even a level where it seemed like the It Couple could acquire just after Miz hit Edge with a Cranium Crushing Finale. As a substitute it ended with Edge and Phoenix hitting a double spear to Miz and then the two offering simultaneous Glam Slams and pins for the 1-2-3. Let’s hope this isn’t the last we have seen in excess of Phoenix for a even though.
Greatest Winner: Roman Reigns
Greatest Loser: Sasha Banking institutions
Ideal Match: Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns
Predictions: 5-1
Grade: C-
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