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Royal Rumble 2018 was live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and it produced everything that was wanted by the WWE Universe. Both the Men's and Women's Royal Rumble match delivered a stunning show which had a perfect blend of entertainment and astonishing wrestling.
The first pay-per-view saw the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble headline the show and was a classic bout that catapulted the Women's Division to the top of the mountain. The show got fans excited and brought them to their feet, which definitely means that the Road to Wrestle Mania will be an exciting one.
#5 Asuka
'The Empress of Tomorrow' etched her name in history by winning the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble match. The Women's Royal Rumble brought the house down and delivered some fun spots with few call-ups and even legends returning for one final time. An honourable mention would be Sasha Banks who made a huge statement by being the Iron-Woman of the match.
Asuka entered the Rumble at No. 25 and eliminated Nia Jax, Ember Moon and Nikki Bella. 'The Empress of Tomorrow' won the Royal Rumble in her debut year in the WWE which only goes on to justify her greatness as an in-ring performer. 'The Empress of Tomorrow' deserved to win the Royal Rumble which sets her match against Alexa Bliss at 'The Show of Shows'.
Nobody is ready for Asuka!
#4 Braun Strowman
WWE did a fantastic job with the booking of 'The Monster Among Men', Braun Strowman who not only annihilated his opponents but literally made the Universal Championship match a solid entertainer. There may be conflicting opinions regarding the match by the critics but the bout felt like a championship match with three monsters fighting it out to prove their supremacy.
The spot where Strowman hit Lesnar with a knee and Lesnar instantly reverting with a punch to the face felt real and was very well received by the fans. Well, 'The Beast Incarnate' pinned 'The Big Red Machine' to win the match but, it cannot be denied that the focus of the entire match was Braun Strowman and he made the best of the opportunity presented to him. 'The Monster Among Men' has all the tools to become a main event superstar and genuinely seems to be the next big thing considering the way he annihilates his opponents. Logically, 'The Beast Incarnate' won the title but Braun Strowman won the 'war'.
#3 Finn Balor
There's no denying the fact that the superstar that enters the Royal Rumble at the first or second position is in for a long night. The same can be said for the first-ever Universal Champion, Finn Balor. The man entered at No. 2 and impressed the WWE Universe with his strong versatility in the ring by lasting around 57 minutes and eliminated 4 superstars. He was also the final four in the Men's Royal Rumble match and was highly acknowledged by the fans for his depth as an in-ring performer.
If the WWE still have second-thoughts regarding Finn Balor's popularity, then they definitely need to watch the Royal Rumble again to change their mind. 'The Demon King' not only displayed his ability between the ropes but also earned the tag of being the Iron-Man of the match. Finn has recently joined hands with his brothers from The Bullet Club and definitely has the momentum on his side. By lasting for more than 50 minutes, Balor proved how good he could be when provided with an opportunity.
#2 Shinsuke Nakamura
It is an exciting time for the Indy wrestlers in the WWE who despite being popular before entering this horizon have been accepted and acknowledged for what they bring to the table. Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the greatest in-ring performers of our generation and has constantly elevated the business with his strong style wrestling. His WWE career up until now may not be satisfying to the fans and the critics, but 'the King of Strong Style' silenced his doubters by winning the Royal Rumble on his debut at the PPV.
Nakamura entered the Rumble at no. 14 and went on to spend a good 44 minutes before his monumental win by tossing Roman Reigns over the top rope. The more satisfying thing is to see a fan favourite win the Royal Rumble this year which sets up a dream clash with AJ Styles at 'The Grandest Stage of Them All'. Overall, the match was a fine blend of entertainment and in-ring action with Nakamura's colossal win as the icing on the cake.
#1 Ronda Rousey
Well, the WWE fans never expected this iconic mixed-martial artist to close the show at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Despite being disappointed that Ronda didn't show up in the historic Royal Rumble match, it still feels satisfying that she has finally arrived in the WWE. The former UFC fighter not only made an appearance but made a gigantic statement by pointing out at the WrestleMania sign which definitely signalled her interest to go after a Women's Championship at the event.
'The Arm Collector' has raised the bar of women's revolution and has definitely brought much attention and viewership to the WWE Women's Division. By signing a full-time contract with the company, it genuinely seems like a legitimate possibility that she will be portrayed as the 'Brock Lesnar' of the women roster. Well, exciting times are ahead for the WWE and it was a great way to surprise the fans by having 'The Rowdy One' close the show with a huge statement that generated much curiosity among the fans to find out - what's next for Ronda Rousey?
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