'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Royal Rumble matches at the pay-per-view that just concluded were indeed very well received, but lest we forget, there were other big matches too! In fact, 4 matches on the card were title matches.
And the most surprising thing about the overall pay-per-view is that no titles changed hands on this fateful day. As always, I may not have inside sources, but I can certainly make an educated guess or two about what may have transpired at the show.
Be sure to leave a comment and let me know if you agree or disagree with my assessment here. I would love to hear your take even if it differs drastically with my own.
WWE booking is not a science, but an art, and hence, there are no absolutes when it comes to determining what is right and indeed, what isn't.
#5 The Champions have far too much momentum at the moment
Becky Lynch is clearly the hottest thing in sports entertainment right now and is a babyface Champion who actually gets a babyface reaction, which is a rarity in today's age. Asuka is incredible but honestly, she is in another division at the moment and for her to defeat The Man would have been a complete waste of time. And you can say the same for The Fiend, who is arguably the most protected character in all of wrestling at the moment, kicking out of multiple Seth Rollins Curb Stomps.
Even Bayley is on a great streak right now, really embracing the heel in her and she's become a lot more relevant in this new persona than she ever was as a babyface. For any of these Champions to lose right now would have absolutely halted all of their momentum immediately.
#4 The challengers just aren't ready yet
WWE has been searching for that elusive Latin American babyface who can be a crossover athlete and help WWE connect with the huge market that exists and demands yet another Eddie Guerrero. Humberto Carillo has all the attributes that it would take to reach the coveted spot, but as of this moment, I do not think that he's ready to topple a Champion like Andrade, who is a few rungs higher than he is.
Lacey Evans is a real-life superhero, having served in the armed forces, but honestly, she still has a long way to go in the ring before she's in the same conversation as a Bayley or a Sasha Banks or even an Alexa Bliss, to be quite honest with you. Even she is on her way to the top of the food chain, but it will take her a good while to get there.
Daniel Bryan is a former Champion but The Fiend is simply on fire right now, and a title change wouldn't have worked, to be fair.
#3 To have the titles change hands on a far bigger stage
What we do know for sure is that Saudi Arabia is becoming a more progressive country by the day, and at the last event, we had the first-ever historic match between two incredible women- Natalya and Lacey Evans. What we also know is that Super ShowDown is scheduled to happen in Saudi Arabia on the 27th of February and that it is a pretty big show for the company.
WWE loves to create history with every event and I think that if a title change were to happen at the show, it would be historic in its own right. And lest we forget, folks, WrestleMania is fast approaching and Charlotte Flair and Drew McIntyre are in line to be part of historic title matches, and honestly, a title change is far more probable on such a grand stage, in my opinion.
The Royal Rumble is one of the Big 4 pay-per-views, but it may not be big enough to warrant a title change.
#2 To not take the shine off the two huge Royal Rumble matches
Imagine for a moment that Daniel Bryan would have been able to solve the riddle that is The Fiend and come out as the victor in their clash for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Would this moment be remembered, when compared to the other headlines that emerged out of the Royal Rumble? Does it compare to the amazing return to Edge to the ring after so many years, accompanied by a thunderous pop?
The Royal Rumble matches were the featured attraction at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view and no title changed hands so as to not distract from what was the main agenda of the show. I think it was a pretty wise move because more than one massive story is told through the Royal Rumble matches, in my opinion. Whether or not Drew McIntyre and Charlotte Flair are part of more title changes in the days to come is yet another matter and honestly, remains to be seen!
Hence, no title changes!
#1 To actually make all of the reigns meaningful
The worst thing that you can do as a booker is to hot-shot a title or have it switch from one person to another, without giving a WWE Superstar the rub that comes from the Championship reign. Let's assume for a minute that Humberto Carillo had managed to defeat Andrade to become the new United States Champion.
It would have completely undermined and overshadowed Andrade's reign, who became the United States Champion not long ago when he defeated Rey Mysterio at a WWE Live Event at MSG. You could say the same thing for The Fiend as well, whose reign would have lost much of its sheen because the story right now is that he simply cannot be beaten by anyone at all, however hard they try!
Having these reigns stretch all the way to WrestleMania would help in building formidable Champions and the audience would actually look forward to a title change. 'Who can defeat The Fiend clean?' is a question that the WWE Universe will want an answer to, and WWE can provide the answer at WrestleMania 36.
For a current Champion to drop the title at the Royal Rumble would have been a total waste!
A WWE Hall of Famer called out AEW fans HERE
