WWE Royal Rumble Coverage: The Animal Reigns Supreme

Even without a “crazy” Royal Rumble battle royal, this year’s Royal Rumble event was a success, thanks to a wild World Heavyweight title match that saw Brock Lesnar retain his title.

With Roman Reigns winning the Rumble, the stage is set and the driving lanes have been painted on the Road to Wrestlemania.

While the Philly-crowd was miffed that Daniel Bryan didn’t win the event, Reigns’ win is a huge step in a different creative direction that allows the youth of the company a bigger chance to grab the “brass ring.”

Matches:

Kickoff: Big E. Langston and Kofi Kingston w/Xavier Woods vs. Antonio Cesaro and Tyson Kidd w/Natalya Neidhart and Adam Rose: In a match that felt eerily similar to their last encounter early on, Kidd and Cesaro did the majority of the technical heavy lifting, while Kingston sold his tail off. After the action spilled to the outside, Langston tried to finish off Cesaro with an attempt at the Big Ending, but it was Kingston who tried to win the match after a tag (that the ref didn’t see) with a Top Rope Cross Body. After Kingston tagged in again, Cesaro and Kidd nearly got the win with a Superplex/Elbow Drop combination. After a few near-falls, Kidd locked in the Sharpshooter on Kingston, but Langston evened things up with a Belly-to-Belly. After Cesaro took out Langston with the Big Boot, Cesaro, now on the outside, nailed Kingston with European Uppercut, allowing Kidd to hit the Three-Handled Credenza for the win.

Viktor and Konnor vs. Road Dogg and Billy Gunn: A strike-heavy encounter that saw The Ascension in control when the New Age Outlaws weren’t going through the scrap books of their old moves. Although Gunn hit a beautiful Tilt-a-Whirl Sideslam on Viktor, he missed the Fame Asser and Konnor was able to make a quick tag, allowing The Ascension to hit the Fall of Man for the win.

Tag Team Champions Jimmy and Jey Uso vs. The Miz and Damien Sandow: A good back and forth between Miz and the Usos as Sandow wasn’t tagged in for a huge portion of the match, but still provided a lot of the drama and comedy. Miz couldn’t win the match by himself however as Jay kicked out of the Skull-Crushing Finale from both the Miz and later from Sandow. The Stunt Double’s help wasn’t enough though as Miz was pinned by a Top Rope Splash from Jimmy.

Natalya Neidhart and Paige vs. Divas Champion Niika Bella and Brie Bella: A decent and lengthy divas tag match that saw plenty of counters and double-team maneuvers. After Neidhart did the majority of the selling, Paige was unable to get tagged in, thanks to interference from Brie, leaving Nattie wide open to a Nikki Forearm and the Bella win.

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman vs. John Cena and Seth Rollins w/Joey Mercury and Jamie Noble: J & J security was hell bent on protecting Rollins, but Lesnar was on a crazy Suplex spree from the beginning. It was almost like a video game. Lesnar was that awesome. Looking to end the match with the Kimura Lock, Lesnar changed his gameplan and that’s what opened him up to punishment. After Cena powered out, Rollins hit both of his foes with his Double Knee and soon enough, Cena and Rollins began working on Lesnar. Cena then hit the Attitude Adjustment on Lesnar, but Rollins threw him out for the pin.

Lesnar kicked out at one and then threw Rollins out of the ring.

A segment later and Cena and Rollins began to tango, but Lesnar got right back into the back and hit Cena with a German before Rollins got involved again. Cena took advantage with a rare Michinoku Driver and got a near-fall, but Rollins fought back with a Blockbuster for a near-fall of his own.

With Lesnar back in the ring, Rollins was crushed with an F-5, but Cena made the save. With Cena still down, Lesnar set up the Spanish announce table, Cena caught him with three Attitude Adjustments, but he still kicked out. With Lesnar still down, Rollins took out Cena and then hit Lesnar with the Curb Stomp, but “The Animal” kicked out. On his feet later, the bionic Lesnar was up, but Cena went to work on him, using the ring steps and Spearing him through the barrier. Leans kept getting up.

Later with Lesnar on the Spanish announce table, Rollins hit the Elbow Drop from the top rope, keeping Lesnar on the outside, and allowing Rollins and Cena to duke it out in the ring. After Rollins escaped an AA, Cena hit his old Proto-Bomb finisher for another near-fall. Rollins wasn’t done yet though, as he hit his Turnbuckle Powerbomb for a near-fall of his own. Cena then locked in the STF, but J & J security attacked Cena and with Rollins, hit the Triple Powerbomb, but Cena stayed in it.

With medical personnel working on Lesnar, Cena took out Noble and Mercury with a double AA and almost won the match with the Attitude Adjustment on Rollins. After the two traded blows, Rollins nearly won the match with Curb Stomp.

After Rollins hit the 450 on Cena, Lesnar jumped back in and German Suplexed both Cena and Rollins. Rollins then used the Money in the Bank briefcase on Lesnar, but before he could hit the Curb Stomp, Lesnar hit the F5 for the win.

Royal Rumble:

Surprise Entrances:

#3 Bubba Ray Dudley
#7 The Boogeyman
#14 Diamond Dallas Page
The Rock

Cool Moments:

R-Truth and Bubba Ray Dudley hit the 3D on The Miz.

Bray Wyatt and The Boogeyman face-to-face.

DDP hits Diamond Cutter on Stardust, then a top rope variation of the move on Fandango and then another standard Cutter on Wyatt.

Kane sets record for career eliminations in Royal Rumble.

Big Eliminations:

Bray Wyatt eliminated Bubba Ray Dudley.
Wyatt eliminated The Boogeyman.
Rusev eliminated DDP.
Wyatt eliminated Daniel Bryan.
Kane and Big Show eliminated Ryback.
Dolph Ziggler eliminates Wade Barrett.
Ziggler eliminated Cesaro.
Big Show and Kane eliminated Ziggler.
Big Show and Kane eliminated Bray Wyatt.
Big Show and Kane eliminated Dean Ambrose

Final Four:

Big Show, Kane, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns.

Big Ending:

After Show and Kane eliminated Ambrose, Reigns was on his last leg and fought valiantly against the two giants. With Reigns almost eliminated, Show and Kane then began fighting amongst themselves, allowing Reigns to eliminate the both of them.

Not allowed to cherish the victory, Reigns was Chokeslammed, but was saved by The Rock, who hit the People’s Elbow on Kane and The Rock Bottom on Big Show.

Apparently, Rusev was never eliminated and Reigns quickly hit the Spear and threw out Rusev (who apparently went through the middle rope and just hung out on the floor for 25 minutes.) to win the Rumble.