WWE producer and former Champion hails success of Royal Rumble

An influential WWE producer, and former tag team champion, has praised the efforts of all those involved with Sunday’s Royal Rumble event on what was a somber weekend.

Shane Helms, a former WWE and WCW star, who now works as a backstage producer for the Connecticut-based company, took to social media after a successful night in Houston.

The show was packed with memorable moments and some surprising returns, not least Edge’s incredible comeback to the ring after close to a decade away.

It all came against a backdrop of sporting tragedy, following the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash at the age of just 41.

A reflective Helms hailed the contribution of all of those who played a part in the event that, he said, gave people a “break from reality.”

Sunday’s Rumble saw Drew McIntyre net himself a Wrestlemania date with – most likely – Brock Lesnar after he won the Rumble match itself.

Charlotte Flair was the big victor in the Women’s Rumble bout, while Bayley, Becky Lynch, and The Fiend Bray Wyatt all retained their world championships.

Read also: More WWE superstars pay an emotional tribute to Kobe Bryant