Royal Rumble, Triple H rules in Orlando

The Royal Rumble delivered all the action and satisfaction WWE fans were looking for. Triple H was the surprise winner of the WWE title.

By Philip Rossman-Reich -
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The Orlando fans, like most watching the WWE around the world, had high expectations for the Royal Rumble.

The undercard was full of good matches that would captivate interest and set the tone, but all eyes were on the main event. The Royal Rumble match for the WWE Championship.

As one of the premiere matches on the WWE calendar, there were expected surprises entrants and killer moments (even some comedy). But there was also a palpable tension.

Roman Reigns came in the champion — the supposed hero of the soap operatic story in front of the WWE Universe and the guy everyone was supposed to cheer to defy the odds. In a way that is not capture on television or dubbed over on TV, Reigns was not the hero. The crowd was salivating over his eventual demise.

This was as much a heel as a face could be — the opposite of the New Day who are heels that everyone in the crowd loves.

Everyone cheered his near elimination. They booed him when the story angle had him carted off on a stretcher in the middle of the 30-man Royal Rumble match after getting attacked by the League of Nations stable. They booed when he returned and booed louder when it seemed like he would defy the odds.

Then No. 30 entered the ring. The countdown came and as was somewhat expected but still surprising, WWE executive Triple H entered the ring in his tights, spewing water at the ring and making it feel like 1999 again.

Everything would be OK.

Or maybe it would not. This is wrestling after all and there has to be some measure of suspense.

The old man, Triple H, held his own with the young fighters in the ring. He eliminated Chris Jericho and Bray Wyatt. He kept his storyline focus on Roman Reigns though. And when he finally lifted Reigns off the mat, over the top rope and onto the floor, the building went ecstatic.

It seems the WWE cannot push just whoever they want. Still the relief that the predictable finish of crowning Reigns the champion was as palpable as the frustration that he was the “chosen one” to begin with.

And there was real unpredictability throughout the night. Each match had a moment where things turned and the result seemed in flux. Placing Dean Ambrose, already going through a physically daunting last man standing match with Kevin Owens in the opener, in the final against Triple H had the building buzzing. Ambrose was always more put over than Reigns and the crowd had accepted him much more than they ever accepted Reigns.

Ambrose’s time will come though. For now, the WWE is still determined to make Reigns a thing. Even if the fans hate it and hate him.

The anger and frustration turned to jubilation as they cheered the greatest heels — the Authority and their “worst bosses ever” are supposed to be the easy villains — off the stage. Signs and chants of “Anyone but Roman” had been fulfilled.

The Royal Rumble put on one hell of a show at the Amway Center.

Full Results

Dean Ambrose defeated Kevin Owens for Intercontinental Title

This match really set the tone for the whole night and even before the main card began, it was clear this was going to be the best match of the night. It led up to the billing.

The pacing was a bit slow with two bruisers in Ambrose and Owens going up against each other, but the two went after it hard. They each got their big moves on each other and each had their moments. These two put on a great match.

After sending each through at least one table, Owens was preparing to send Ambrose through five chairs (a chair table set up or something), but Ambrose got up and hit Owens off the top turnbuckle and he fell into two tables he had set up earlier in the match.

The New Day defeated the Usos for World Tag Team Titles

The New Day are supposed to heals. They act like heals and are villainous like heals. Yet, everyone in the building cheered for them at every turn. “New Day Rocks” and “Fran-ces-ca” were heard throughout the match with the New Day teasing everything out.

The Usos are certainly capable tag teams and solid wrestlers. The two groups put on a great show. But this was all about the New Day. They are the star attraction and have a great energy to the way they fight and the way they carry themselves in the ring.

The match had a lot of drama to it but ended in typical New Day fashion. Or almost. Big E did a sneak tag on Kofi Kingston, catching Jay Uso in mid air as he tried to attack Kingston and slamming him down for the pin.

Kalisto defeated Alberto Del Rio for the United States Championship

Kalisto is a lot of fun to watch. He is high energy and high flying. And by all accounts this is not a match he should have won by all rights. Del Rio is a former WWE Champion with every advantage. This was a major push for one of the rising stars in the WWE.

There were a lot of crazy moves in this fight and both stars got their shots in before Kalisto finished the match with his Solida Del Sol.

This is his big push.

Charlotte defeated Becky Lynch for the Divas Title

Another great, well-fought match. Both Becky Lynch and Charlotte played their roles well and put on a great show for the fans. This is exactly why the Divas division has taken off from a competitive standpoint.

There was some chicanery from Ric Flair — including a distraction kiss on Lynch and Flair throwing his jacket coat on Lynch while she had a submission locked in. Charlotte eventually took over and won, eking out the victory over the former best friend.

The surprise though came after. Charlotte continued attacking Lynch after the bell rang only to see Sasha Banks come out. Banks appeared to be teaming up with Charlotte by attacking Lynch but soon turned on Charlotte, setting up the Divas feud that will likely last until WrestleMania.

Triple H wins the Royal Rumble for the WWE Title

The Royal Rumble really had it all, as it always seems to. It had a decent rhythm and plenty of exciting moments.

Reigns was obviously the focus — and the focus of ire — throughout the match. But it had plenty of pop.

The biggest pop of the night came from the debut of A.J. Styles, a wrestler from the Japanese circuit making his WWE debut. Styles went toe to toe with Reigns for a long portion of the match and had the loudest and largest pop of the night. Fans responded very positively to his debut.

Even though he did not win it, he was a highlight of the match. So too was the WWE debut of NXT star Sami Zayn, who immediately went head to head with Kevin Owens, his former tag team partner and rival in NXT.

Owens made plenty of enemies throughout the match, eliminated Styles before Zayn entered the match.

Brock Lesnar also got a huge pop when he entered the ring. He immediately began suplexing everything in sight and cleared the ring. He was a force to be reckoned with.

He eliminated the Wyatt Family before Bray Wyatt entered the ring. The Wyatt Family re-entered and eliminated Lesnar before leaving themselves. Bray would last to the final four, turning on Triple H who urged him to go after Reigns. There is clearly a feud brewing between Lesnar and the Wyatts for WrestleMania.

This match though was about Reigns though. It always was. He got pulled out of the ring and splashed through a table causing him to leave the match at one point. He ran back in and nearly outlasted everyone.

Reigns has been the main push as much as fans want or do not want him. And so it came down to him. Until it did not.

It feels weird to see someone at Triple H’s age and experience holding the title. And it may still lead to the inevitable match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania few seemingly want to see.

But pushing Ambrose up in the final two may have given the WWE its future. Or at least something new to sell to a fan base that is increasingly resisting the promotion’s efforts.

Overall though, Orlando hosted a strong Royal Rumble. One that shifted plenty in the WWE storytelling. It certainly was a reflection of how fans are feeling about the product right now with the frustration over which stars the division tries to promote.

The WWE will bring its road show back to Amway Center on June 26. By then, the effects of what happened Sunday will be more fleshed out. And maybe then the fans will be more excited about the promotion’s direction.

 

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