Well, the 2016 Royal Rumble event has come to a close, and here's an update on the state of the fandom following it:
WE CAME OUT OF IT OKAY!
With the recent of history of this event overshadowing the entire Wrestlemania build, it's comforting to see that wrestling fans for the first time in two years aren't complaining en masse. What was the reason for this to happen? Read on to find out.
SPOILERS AHEAD: IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE RESULTS RUINED, DON'T READ ON!
If you've never seen The CC Network's video reviews of WWE events before, then my review system will be new to you. Matches are given star ratings in accordance with an average, accumulated score of 5 rating factors: Psychology (In-ring story), Move Variety, Crowd Reaction, Match Length and Pacing, as well as my overall enjoyment as a result of those factors.
The Royal Rumble Match itself is rated under different factors, with Surprise Entrants and Elimination Rate being used instead of Move Variety & Psychology. My Enjoyment and Crowd Reaction will remain.
A REVIEW VIDEO IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE CC NETWORK YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
Link will be available once uploaded.
Now time to get into the show. As I don't review the Pre-Show Match as part of the whole televised package, here's the result of that match:
Mark Henry & Jack Swagger def The Dudley Boyz, The Ascension and Darren Young & Damien Sandow in a Fatal-4-Way Tag Team Match to win two places in the Royal Rumble Match (7:58)
Mark Henry & Jack Swagger def The Dudley Boyz, The Ascension and Darren Young & Damien Sandow in a Fatal-4-Way Tag Team Match to win two places in the Royal Rumble Match (7:58)
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DEAN AMBROSE (c) def KEVIN OWENS IN A LAST MAN STANDING MATCH TO RETAIN THE WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP (20:21)
PSYCHOLOGY: 4
MOVE VARIETY: 4
CROWD REACTION: 4.5
MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 4
MY ENJOYMENT: 4.5
CORRECT PREDICTION?: NO
FINAL RATING: ****1/4
I mentioned after their matches at Survivor Series and TLC, that while Owens and Ambrose's matches are solid, they would need weapons to REALLY take advantage of both mens styles and create something great. That statement, through this match, was proven correct.
Both men were aggressive out of the gate, furiously beating each other down. From then on it was a battle of two rabid, and intense equals fighting to prove who was best. Momentum and offence shifted constantly, while the pace of the match remained fast and surprisingly consistent throughout, which allowed the big spots to slow it down towards the end. Even as the punishment of the big spots and weapon attacks were sold, both men didn't relent. This created unpredictability, as I had no idea who was going to walk out of the match as champion, which made its finish incredible considering how much Owens was in control throughout. The match played to Ambrose's strength of being seen as believable when beaten down, allowing for the fans to invest whenever he got back up, further adding to Owen's as usual great body psychology. His facial expressions, angry vocalisations and subsequent moves ensured that this match showcased the hell that these two were willing to put each other through for the sake of that championship. I will even give Michael Cole credit for emphasising the story of the match, as he had Owens thrown on top of him at the announce table, which resulted in him returning to commentary advocating Ambrose to smash Owens' head in with a kendo stick. Great stuff.
This match had few big spots in comparison to recent stipulation matches, but those moves made the match feel larger than life. Firstly, that Rolling Cannonball into the timekeepers area was unexpected, the back body drop through chairs looked painful, Owens had a chair slammed through his head, a Dirty Deeds was done onto a chair, Ambrose risked it all to elbow Owens through a table and Owens hit a great Fisherman Buster off the top rope through another table. While all that was great, they paled in comparison to the finishing move. Expecting a moonsault through chairs by Owens, the push by Ambrose sending Owens through the stacked set of tables was beautifully orchestrated and executed. Both men barely looked like they escaped this match... and even though I predicted a draw or no contest, it still rang out as a satisfying ending.
While there was no blood, selling/working of individual body parts and it being five minutes too short, this still packed the punch that I believed that these two could offer in a weapons environment. While we saw Ambrose test those waters facing Seth Rollins at Hell In A Cell 2014 and Money In The Bank 2015 respectively, it was great to see Owens in a non-traditional bout to show how varied and adaptable he is as a competitor. Both men may have come out of this one hurting, but they had the crowd invested almost for its entirety, and as a result, it kicked off the night with a bang.
Both men were aggressive out of the gate, furiously beating each other down. From then on it was a battle of two rabid, and intense equals fighting to prove who was best. Momentum and offence shifted constantly, while the pace of the match remained fast and surprisingly consistent throughout, which allowed the big spots to slow it down towards the end. Even as the punishment of the big spots and weapon attacks were sold, both men didn't relent. This created unpredictability, as I had no idea who was going to walk out of the match as champion, which made its finish incredible considering how much Owens was in control throughout. The match played to Ambrose's strength of being seen as believable when beaten down, allowing for the fans to invest whenever he got back up, further adding to Owen's as usual great body psychology. His facial expressions, angry vocalisations and subsequent moves ensured that this match showcased the hell that these two were willing to put each other through for the sake of that championship. I will even give Michael Cole credit for emphasising the story of the match, as he had Owens thrown on top of him at the announce table, which resulted in him returning to commentary advocating Ambrose to smash Owens' head in with a kendo stick. Great stuff.
This match had few big spots in comparison to recent stipulation matches, but those moves made the match feel larger than life. Firstly, that Rolling Cannonball into the timekeepers area was unexpected, the back body drop through chairs looked painful, Owens had a chair slammed through his head, a Dirty Deeds was done onto a chair, Ambrose risked it all to elbow Owens through a table and Owens hit a great Fisherman Buster off the top rope through another table. While all that was great, they paled in comparison to the finishing move. Expecting a moonsault through chairs by Owens, the push by Ambrose sending Owens through the stacked set of tables was beautifully orchestrated and executed. Both men barely looked like they escaped this match... and even though I predicted a draw or no contest, it still rang out as a satisfying ending.
While there was no blood, selling/working of individual body parts and it being five minutes too short, this still packed the punch that I believed that these two could offer in a weapons environment. While we saw Ambrose test those waters facing Seth Rollins at Hell In A Cell 2014 and Money In The Bank 2015 respectively, it was great to see Owens in a non-traditional bout to show how varied and adaptable he is as a competitor. Both men may have come out of this one hurting, but they had the crowd invested almost for its entirety, and as a result, it kicked off the night with a bang.
THE NEW DAY (c) def THE USO'S TO RETAIN THE WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS (10:53)
PSYCHOLOGY: 2
MOVE VARIETY: 2
CROWD REACTION: 2
MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 2.5
MY ENJOYMENT: 1.5
CORRECT PREDICTION?: NO
CORRECT PREDICTION?: NO
FINAL RATING: **
While The New Day are charismatic as hell, their matches on PPV have usually left me with a bad taste in my mouth. With The Uso's involved as well, I had a feeling this would turn into another boring encounter for The New Day to be part of. In some regard however, that premonition was unfounded.
In a match where the purpose was to prove how good The Uso's were to warrant the Tag Team Of The Year Slammy Award, The New Day stole the show from their opponents. Whether it was through their dominance in the ring or their gyrations and Xavier Woods actions outside the ring, the champs made their time on screen worth it. While The Uso's were in control early on, showcasing their intent to fight, they were overwhelmed by the numbers game and the sheer talent on show within The New Day's ranks. Woods in particular had the spot of the match with a nice Tornado DDT off the barricade to the floor, and got chants to play the newly christened "Francesca II", which he gleefully held off to the fans chagrin. That's not to say that The Uso's had a bad showing, their speed and power was on display for everyone to see especially with the Whisper In The Wind off the top rope to Big E and a catching Samoan Drop to Kofi were lovely spots. Their effort, while minimal, got the audience to somewhat respect them by the end, but The New Day were definitely the favourites in Orlando on this night.
The pace started off quite fast, but slowed as The New Day held control firmly in their favour, it's something we've come to expect throughout their matches over the last year, with a quick flurry towards the latter stages emerging as a result of Wood's attempts to interfere. While The New Day did dominate, their near falls towards the end, especially the kick-out of the Uso Splash due to a foot on the ropes was heart in the mouth stuff for the audience and myself. Much to their relief, The New Day showcased why they deserved to still be champions by tagging in while their opponents still believed Kofi was legal, allowing for a great catch into a Big Ending to have New Day escape with the titles.
I got this prediction wrong, not just in match result but in terms of the match quality as well. While it went a little too long and didn't capture the audience's imagination too much, it still showed why The New Day are the best team in the company. They entertained, even when not doing much. That says something. With that being said though, their matches do need to be amped up a bit in the future, as the formula is getting a little predictable after this many title defences. For a below average tag team match, this hit most of the right notes, so I can't complain too much.
In a match where the purpose was to prove how good The Uso's were to warrant the Tag Team Of The Year Slammy Award, The New Day stole the show from their opponents. Whether it was through their dominance in the ring or their gyrations and Xavier Woods actions outside the ring, the champs made their time on screen worth it. While The Uso's were in control early on, showcasing their intent to fight, they were overwhelmed by the numbers game and the sheer talent on show within The New Day's ranks. Woods in particular had the spot of the match with a nice Tornado DDT off the barricade to the floor, and got chants to play the newly christened "Francesca II", which he gleefully held off to the fans chagrin. That's not to say that The Uso's had a bad showing, their speed and power was on display for everyone to see especially with the Whisper In The Wind off the top rope to Big E and a catching Samoan Drop to Kofi were lovely spots. Their effort, while minimal, got the audience to somewhat respect them by the end, but The New Day were definitely the favourites in Orlando on this night.
The pace started off quite fast, but slowed as The New Day held control firmly in their favour, it's something we've come to expect throughout their matches over the last year, with a quick flurry towards the latter stages emerging as a result of Wood's attempts to interfere. While The New Day did dominate, their near falls towards the end, especially the kick-out of the Uso Splash due to a foot on the ropes was heart in the mouth stuff for the audience and myself. Much to their relief, The New Day showcased why they deserved to still be champions by tagging in while their opponents still believed Kofi was legal, allowing for a great catch into a Big Ending to have New Day escape with the titles.
I got this prediction wrong, not just in match result but in terms of the match quality as well. While it went a little too long and didn't capture the audience's imagination too much, it still showed why The New Day are the best team in the company. They entertained, even when not doing much. That says something. With that being said though, their matches do need to be amped up a bit in the future, as the formula is getting a little predictable after this many title defences. For a below average tag team match, this hit most of the right notes, so I can't complain too much.
KALISTO def ALBERTO DEL RIO (c) TO WIN THE WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP (11:30)
PSYCHOLOGY: 2
MOVE VARIETY: 1.5
CROWD REACTION: 1.5
MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 2
MY ENJOYMENT: 1.5
CORRECT PREDICTION?: NO
FINAL RATING: *1/4
Why did I doubt that WWE would put the title back on Kalisto? It seemed so obvious from the outset, and based on the way this match was going, it was a formality. Looks like my overanalysis of the whole match made me lose sight of what was truly important: the building of a new Latino star. That being said though, he had a rough time getting to the end of this one.
Del Rio flat out dominated from the first bell, wanting to highlight how weak his high-flying opponent was in comparison to him, controlling the momentum and pace of the match. Even though Kalisto got small chances to get some offence in, they were quickly muted. A fine example of this, being Kalisto's attempt to hit the Springboard Corkscrew Elbow move, only for Del Rio to swat him down like the "little mosquito" he claimed him to be in the build-up. Del Rio's antagonism for his diminutive adversary was on show throughout as he tried to remove his mask twice while the commentators condoned his disrespect to the wrestling culture he originated from. Del Rio also had the upper hand on the move front, with the incumbent champion hitting a Wheelbarrow Double Knee Gutbuster and a Reverse Suplex off the top rope to try and put his opponent away. While the pace did quicken as Kalisto got back into it, he also had the wherewithal to sell the result of Del Rio's beating whenever he stopped moving, allowing momentum and the pace to go with the flow of the matches psychology nicely. He nearly got the win off the Salida Del Sol but Del Rio's ring awareness stopped him from picking up the win. Del Rio went to the heel rule book to use an exposed turnbuckle to win, which predictably was his downfall.
While this match was solid, it was let down by a lack of crowd interest and a surprising lack of fluidity in its latter stages, with some of Kalisto's comeback moves either being botched or looking incredibly sloppy. While the match did build up to a satisfying end, it was too long, as by the time it ended, the crowd didn't really care for a result that was widely predicted beforehand. Overall, it was an okay match that delivered on its story and pacing, but left a lot to be desired by the rest of its contents. Definitely the worst match of the night, but that's pretty good news, as that means no matches that went below one star on the first show of the year. That can only mean good things, for sure.
Del Rio flat out dominated from the first bell, wanting to highlight how weak his high-flying opponent was in comparison to him, controlling the momentum and pace of the match. Even though Kalisto got small chances to get some offence in, they were quickly muted. A fine example of this, being Kalisto's attempt to hit the Springboard Corkscrew Elbow move, only for Del Rio to swat him down like the "little mosquito" he claimed him to be in the build-up. Del Rio's antagonism for his diminutive adversary was on show throughout as he tried to remove his mask twice while the commentators condoned his disrespect to the wrestling culture he originated from. Del Rio also had the upper hand on the move front, with the incumbent champion hitting a Wheelbarrow Double Knee Gutbuster and a Reverse Suplex off the top rope to try and put his opponent away. While the pace did quicken as Kalisto got back into it, he also had the wherewithal to sell the result of Del Rio's beating whenever he stopped moving, allowing momentum and the pace to go with the flow of the matches psychology nicely. He nearly got the win off the Salida Del Sol but Del Rio's ring awareness stopped him from picking up the win. Del Rio went to the heel rule book to use an exposed turnbuckle to win, which predictably was his downfall.
While this match was solid, it was let down by a lack of crowd interest and a surprising lack of fluidity in its latter stages, with some of Kalisto's comeback moves either being botched or looking incredibly sloppy. While the match did build up to a satisfying end, it was too long, as by the time it ended, the crowd didn't really care for a result that was widely predicted beforehand. Overall, it was an okay match that delivered on its story and pacing, but left a lot to be desired by the rest of its contents. Definitely the worst match of the night, but that's pretty good news, as that means no matches that went below one star on the first show of the year. That can only mean good things, for sure.
CHARLOTTE (c) def BECKY LYNCH TO RETAIN THE WWE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP (11:41)
PSYCHOLOGY: 2.5
MOVE VARIETY: 1
CROWD REACTION: 2
MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 2
MY ENJOYMENT: 2
CORRECT PREDICTION?: NO
FINAL RATING: *1/2
In the fifth consecutive result of the night I couldn't get right, the women of WWE's main roster once again put on a solid but unspectacular match. While this match should have been the intense culmination to a bitter feud surrounding ethics and friendship, it's surprising that it didn't really reach as high as it should have.
Becky Lynch is over, there's no doubt about that. The crowd in Orlando gave the Irish Lasskicker all the support in the world, while also giving Ric Flair the share of WOOOO's that comes with the territory. As for Charlotte, I get the feeling people respect her in-ring work but don't appreciate her subtlety as a heel. She follows an old-fashioned mind-set of working the opponent as slowly and as meticulously as possible, hoping to sway the audience more towards the face out of necessity. This fit with Charlotte controlling the pace, and consigning most of the matches eleven and a half minute run time to mat offence. However Becky's faster moves and submission attempts helped bring the final minutes back up to speed and give the fans something to cheer for. However the time could have been spent highlighting how much Becky had understood Charlotte as competitor, with both only showing that in countering each others moves before the finish.
In a more positive note, both Becky and Charlotte were nose to nose at the bell, bringing the tension to boiling point before the match began, and as expected the Nature Boy played his part, by Charlotte using her 66-year old father as a shield and having him plant a lip lock on Becky, which has drawn ire from fans and reviewers alike in the aftermath of this event. The finish, of having Charlotte baseball slide her Dad was nice, and the jacket over Becky resulting in a roll-up may be the most pathetic heel win in years, but it worked with the story. All I hope is that WWE builds a rematch between these two to follow on from here.
Overall, this match just wasn't aggressive, fast and intense enough for the crowd to become properly invested. This match felt like a placeholder for the Charlotte VS Sasha Banks match they teased after the bell. This wasn't a horrible match by any stretch, just look at the rating I decided on, but given the storyline, I expected much more. Lets hope Sasha Banks doesn't stop this rivalry from getting to a satisfactory conclusion, as this one is far from over.
Becky Lynch is over, there's no doubt about that. The crowd in Orlando gave the Irish Lasskicker all the support in the world, while also giving Ric Flair the share of WOOOO's that comes with the territory. As for Charlotte, I get the feeling people respect her in-ring work but don't appreciate her subtlety as a heel. She follows an old-fashioned mind-set of working the opponent as slowly and as meticulously as possible, hoping to sway the audience more towards the face out of necessity. This fit with Charlotte controlling the pace, and consigning most of the matches eleven and a half minute run time to mat offence. However Becky's faster moves and submission attempts helped bring the final minutes back up to speed and give the fans something to cheer for. However the time could have been spent highlighting how much Becky had understood Charlotte as competitor, with both only showing that in countering each others moves before the finish.
In a more positive note, both Becky and Charlotte were nose to nose at the bell, bringing the tension to boiling point before the match began, and as expected the Nature Boy played his part, by Charlotte using her 66-year old father as a shield and having him plant a lip lock on Becky, which has drawn ire from fans and reviewers alike in the aftermath of this event. The finish, of having Charlotte baseball slide her Dad was nice, and the jacket over Becky resulting in a roll-up may be the most pathetic heel win in years, but it worked with the story. All I hope is that WWE builds a rematch between these two to follow on from here.
Overall, this match just wasn't aggressive, fast and intense enough for the crowd to become properly invested. This match felt like a placeholder for the Charlotte VS Sasha Banks match they teased after the bell. This wasn't a horrible match by any stretch, just look at the rating I decided on, but given the storyline, I expected much more. Lets hope Sasha Banks doesn't stop this rivalry from getting to a satisfactory conclusion, as this one is far from over.
TRIPLE H (#30) LAST ELIMINATED DEAN AMBROSE (#19) TO WIN THE 2016 ROYAL RUMBLE AND WIN THE WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (1:01:44)
MATCH LENGTH/PACING: 4
SURPRISE ENTRANTS: 4
ELIMINATION RATE: 3.5
CROWD REACTION: 4.5
MY ENJOYMENT: 4.5
CORRECT PREDICTION: YES
CORRECT PREDICTION: YES
FINAL RATING: ****1/4
Ladies and gentlemen, this is what happens when a Rumble Match has a story going into it. It builds tension and excitement, which when built up over the long time that this specialty match offers, makes you feel on the edge of your seat when watching. In accomplishing that, WWE did something they've not done since 2010, and that's make a Rumble Match not only worth the time but also be in a good way, energy sapping to watch unfold.
PHASE 1 - Reigns And AJ Styles' Endurance Battle.
No eliminations had occurred for awhile in what was this Rumble's most monotonous and boring section as the action routinely focused on Reigns and Styles staying in, no one else really got much screen time. Titus O'Neil came in at #11 to resume normality by taking Goldust out. R-Truth was #12, giving this match its funniest moment by putting a ladder up and climbing for a belt that wasn't there. The crowd loved it, but Kane duly eliminated him for his hilarious stupidity. Kofi got his yearly elimination moment by using his New Day cohorts to lift him on their shoulders and put him back in the ring. It was fine considering the people with him, but too similar to last years to really be a standout in his repertoire.
At the end of this section, the surprise entry of AJ Styles and the subsequent crowd reaction is what was driving this match along. Outside of that, it wasn't looking all that impressive, with the wrestlers not showing intensity and desire to eliminate people. That would soon change.
PHASE 2 - The Wyatt Family Decimate The Field, Reigns Is Taken Out.
A limping Kevin Owens is #18, fantastically selling the effects of the Last Man Standing, and coming out to a solid pop. He goes right for Styles, Styles puts Neville in a Styles Clash position but Owens breaks it up and throws the popular debutant over the top rope. The crowd boo and chant Styles' name right until he exits. Great idea to have Owens do that, as the heat that would have ruined the whole match was muted. Dean Ambrose is #19, cue the madness as he brawls with Owens! Suddenly, #20 is Sami Zayn, who comes out to a great pop! Zayn goes right for a shocked and angry Owens, they brawl until Zayn throws Owens over the top rope to eliminate his great rival. Erick Rowan is #21, Neville and Stardust are taken out by Harper. Mark Henry comes out at #22 but is immediately overwhelmed by The Wyatt Family and eliminated, with Zayn following soon after.
At the end of this section, the inclusion of The Wyatt Family had sped up proceedings on the elimination and pace front. The match had been going for 35 Minutes at this point, which is pretty solid. The predictable but still great appearance of Sami Zayn and his elimination of Owens was sweet revenge to see, and luckily AJ Styles' elimination didn't spark the rejection of the match from the crowd that I expected. The assault on Reigns made the audience happy, allowing them to watch the rest of the match knowing they didn't have to focus on a guy they clearly didn't like. With that, the next entrant brought the house down.
PHASE 3 - Lesnar Claims Revenge... Sort Of.
Dolph Ziggler is #28 as he goes right for The Miz, who decided to finally enter the ring after Lesnar's elimination. Ziggler is nearly eliminated but barely survives. Ziggler misses the Superkick as Miz hits the Skull Crushing Finale in the first instance of a finisher being used all match outside of the Spear done to Rusev early on. Weird... really. Sheamus comes out at #29, all seems to be going well right as Roman Reigns returns to the match with a Superman Punch right to the Celtic Warrior's face. Boos loudly ring out as the fans voice their displeasure at the prospect of Reigns clearing house to end the match. He starts that off by taking Miz out, followed by Del Rio, decking his major adversary of the last year, Bray Wyatt in the face with a Superman Punch.
At the end of this section, action had really hotted up, with the tension at who would be the upcoming winner really starting to settle in. Lesnar's dominance and multiple eliminations was needed to amp the match up further, while the crowd got their fill of his suplexes. His elimination by The Wyatt Family did kill the crowd and the matches momentum a little, but Reigns returning while a negative for the crowd did give them reason to get back into it. With the pace increasing as this match reaches its conclusion, we enter the final stage.
PHASE 4 - The King Reclaims His Throne.
The klaxon sounds, as Triple H comes in as #30, the final entrant. Michael Cole is stunned as the crowd cheer loudly. He stares down with Reigns in the ring and both duke it out. Ziegler attempted to break it up but ate a Pedigree, the brawling continued as Wyatt intervened. Reigns powered out of a Pedigree as Sheamus nearly eliminates the champion. Jericho, who hadn't done much for awhile took Wyatt down and with a running bulldog and a lionsault. Ziggler then hit a Zig Zag on the recovering Jericho. Ziggler then hit a super kick to Triple H on the apron he dodges a second and takes The Show-Off out. We're now down to the final six.
Wyatt stares down Triple H in the centre of the ring, which draws gasps of awe from the crowd. Hunter tells Wyatt to go after Reigns, which he declines by slapping the taste right out of the COO's mouth. Triple H goes for a Pedigree, but Wyatt counters it into a Sister Abigail which is interrupted by Sheamus. Both men then take Wyatt out together, with the crowd voicing their displeasure. It was Jericho's turn to have a go at Triple H, as he hit the Codebreaker but Ambrose was situated behind him to eliminate Y2J, as revenge for the walkout that he did back at Night Of Champions.
We're now down to the Final Four: Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Sheamus and Triple H. It's Authority and League Of Nations versus the Blood Brothers. What a fitting way for this match to end. The story that's been built up through the last few months thus far comes to a head right before this match hits the hour mark. Reigns goes after Sheamus and takes him out with a Superman Punch, but Triple H lifts Reigns right over the top! Reigns title reign is over, as we are down to Ambrose and Triple H. The place is going banana's, not just because Reigns was eliminated, but the prospect of Ambrose winning is entering their heads. Ambrose fights valiantly, having already been through a war earlier on, and fights out of a Pedigree, nearly taking Triple H out in the process. Ambrose guns off the rope rebound but eats a patented face buster and Triple H throws Ambrose over the top rope to end the match just over the hour and become a 14-time WWE World Champion and a 2-Time Royal Rumble Winner.
Wow... after the mediocre to passable Rumbles of recent years, this was one to really sink the teeth into and we got good rewards. While the surprise entrants were predictable, as was the finish, the crowd still popped for it and really added value to a match that took its sweet time early on to really get going. For the first twelve to thirteen people entering, the match stagnated and didn't have too much going for it. Only when The Wyatt Family entered did this match really start to pick up on pace and eliminations to bring it to life. The story of the match was executed perfectly and the crowd didn't revolt at the result, and for the most part got into it.
Outside the first fifteen minutes or so, this match delivered on building the tension and excitement that a match of this magnitude needed. While it didn't have the all out star power that an Undertaker, Samoa Joe or even that Ronda Rousey prediction I made would have given, it still made for an entertaining hour of wrestling. Also, it was a great note to end the night on for me, as it was my only correct prediction of the night. Lovely.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thanks to the events of the last few years, I've come in dreading the Royal Rumble. While it usually has one standout undercard match, the Rumble Match itself usually joins the rest of the undercard in being either average or mind-numbingly boring. This year however, was a little different.
The Last Man Standing Match and Royal Rumble Match both are early Match Of The Year Candidates (when it comes to sole analysis of WWE's product), and they both made this show instantly memorable. The rest of the card, while lacking in potential that was unrealised, did still offer something up that was respectable, as no match went below one star, which for a Rumble event is a great thing to hear. Hell, even the commentary was solid, which makes me ponder why they can't get it right on weekly television. The debut of AJ Styles was moment of the night without question, and almost every match and confrontation opened up potential feuds going into Wrestlemania, many of which are still hard to nail down from a distance. All in all, this event exceeded expectations and did almost exactly what a Rumble event should do... well, you know, outside of the building of a new star part in this years case. While I support Triple H winning the belt for story purposes, I do wonder whether the prospect of seeing over 100,000 people booing Reigns and Hunter out of Cowboy Stadium in three months will be something that makes WWE regret this decision. We'll have to see how the booking handles it through Fast Lane first, before any assumptions are made.
I gave the 2014 Rumble a 3 out of 10, and the 2015 Rumble didn't fare much better with a 4 out of 10. The 2016 Royal Rumble event has put its recent brethren to shame and breaks the good/bad event cycle that ran from Wrestlemania 31 through to TLC 2015. We have with this event, the first above average start to the year for the first time in awhile. All I can say, is I'm very happy for that.
The Last Man Standing Match and Royal Rumble Match both are early Match Of The Year Candidates (when it comes to sole analysis of WWE's product), and they both made this show instantly memorable. The rest of the card, while lacking in potential that was unrealised, did still offer something up that was respectable, as no match went below one star, which for a Rumble event is a great thing to hear. Hell, even the commentary was solid, which makes me ponder why they can't get it right on weekly television. The debut of AJ Styles was moment of the night without question, and almost every match and confrontation opened up potential feuds going into Wrestlemania, many of which are still hard to nail down from a distance. All in all, this event exceeded expectations and did almost exactly what a Rumble event should do... well, you know, outside of the building of a new star part in this years case. While I support Triple H winning the belt for story purposes, I do wonder whether the prospect of seeing over 100,000 people booing Reigns and Hunter out of Cowboy Stadium in three months will be something that makes WWE regret this decision. We'll have to see how the booking handles it through Fast Lane first, before any assumptions are made.
I gave the 2014 Rumble a 3 out of 10, and the 2015 Rumble didn't fare much better with a 4 out of 10. The 2016 Royal Rumble event has put its recent brethren to shame and breaks the good/bad event cycle that ran from Wrestlemania 31 through to TLC 2015. We have with this event, the first above average start to the year for the first time in awhile. All I can say, is I'm very happy for that.
ROYAL RUMBLE 2016 GETS A 6 OUT OF 10.
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I've been Freddy Thomas, you've been people reading. This has been the 2016 Royal Rumble Review for The CC Network Blog and I'll see you next time.
