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The 2019 Royal Rumble is in the books, and while there were some issues (the show's obscene length being the most obvious one), it was an excellent show by WWE standards. In a rarity, the right decisions were made up and down the card for the most part (albeit with some wrinkles here and there), and the road to WrestleMania kicks into hyperdrive with the right players at the wheel.
The most important part of the Royal Rumble is to set that road up, and it did so admirably last night, unlike most of the Royal Rumbles that have come in the years since 2010.
Who got the most and least out of last night's big show? Let's take a look.
#1 Loser: Rusev
The completely bizarre booking of the United States Championship continues, as Rusev lost the title only a month after winning it. And who did he lose it to? Unfortunately, it wasn't to an up and coming star like Andrade 'Cien' Almas. Rather, he lost the title right back to Shinsuke Nakamura, after he had such a forgetful reign in the first place. The decision not only cheapens the title and likely keeps it in purgatory, but it severely dented the newfound momentum that Rusev had picked up towards the end of 2018.
The U.S. title still feels like the least important part of SmackDown's midcard division and it looks like it will remain so. Given what happened to Lana last night, this feud likely isn't over, but it's hard to care. This match felt like a filler in the first place.
We're likely headed to some kind of multi-man affair with the US title at WrestleMania, as usual. Hopefully that will kick things into a higher gear, but I doubt Rusev is the protagonist there.
#2 Winner: Asuka
In a surprising but pleasing decision, Asuka defeated Becky Lynch cleanly last night to retain the SmackDown Women's Championship, in a great show opening match. Forget her Royal Rumble victory a year ago or even her title win at TLC, this was the biggest win of Asuka's career. Despite those previous victories, Asuka had never scored a pinfall or submission win over a major A-list name on the main roster with a title on the line. Now she finally has.
After Becky Lynch called her a paper champion for weeks on end, it was exactly what needed to happen. The win legitimizes Asuka's reign, erases any doubts about her claim to the title, and puts the SmackDown women's division in good hands on the road to WrestleMania. It helped Becky, too, but we'll get into that later on.
It took far longer than we wanted it to, but Asuka became a made woman last night.
#3 Losers: The Bar
To the surprise of no one, The Bar's reign as SmackDown tag team champions came to an end at the hands of "the best tag team in the world". It's irksome, because everyone also knows that The Miz and Shane McMahon are only having a reign to set up a break up angle and a match at WrestleMania that is already the least interesting program for that show.
What made it worse was the continued overpowering of Shane McMahon throughout the match. He's one of the strongest booked characters on the main roster and it just feels weird each time, though we can give a nod of respect for his crazy stunts now and then, which have paid off in the past.
Oh well. It's not like the titles are going to experience bad matches in this reign. The SmackDown tag team division is still in a much better state than Raw's.
#4 Winner: Becky Lynch
They actually did it. And it was great.
The "injury" to Lana gave away the possibility even more, but it was still pleasing to see Becky Lynch make the surprise appearance. Everything was set up perfectly for her entrance, too. Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax, her two enemies, were the dominant presence in the match, and Becky Lynch threw a curveball into that equation.
She eliminated Jax, got a leg injury to milk the drama to maximum extent, and then eliminated Charlotte Flair in gritty and gutsy fashion to become the second woman ever to win a Royal Rumble match.
Now the path to MetLife Stadium is clear. Becky Lynch will certainly meet Ronda Rousey. But after that loss to Asuka, is her confidence everything it was? That was the wrinkle Becky needed in her story, and she got it and the Rumble victory last night. Everything was done perfectly.
#5 Loser: Finn Balor
For a while, this looked like it might become as thrilling as Lesnar's matches with AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan, but it didn't turn out that way. It was cut short. Despite playing up The Beast's past struggles with diverticulitis with an injury to his core, Finn Balor never felt as convincing of a challenger as the other two had at Survivor Series 2017 and 2018, respectively.
After Brock Lesnar kicked out of a Coup de Grace, he essentially no sold the manoeuvre and put Finn Balor in a Kimura lock for a quick submission win. It was a big let down for a match that felt like it was getting into a high gear.
Though I suppose Lesnar's heeling it up and disappointing everyone yet again could be done for a reason, because the next match determined where things would start going from here on until April 7th, 2019.
#6 Winner: Seth Rollins
It was what should have happened, and it happened. Seth Rollins won a dramatic Royal Rumble match to punch his ticket to WrestleMania 35. He hasn't officially declared who he would be challenging yet, but everyone knows that declaration is just a formality.
Brock Lesnar and Seth Rollins have history going all the way back to WrestleMania 31. Rollins is the clear fan favorite and Lesnar is someone that everyone would like to be rid of, at least in his current spot as champion. This has the potential to be the best WrestleMania title program in years if WWE books it all properly and ends it as it should in New Jersey, with The Beast slain.
We should normally be weary of such things, but after a well-booked show last night, maybe we can now be cautiously optimistic. Falling ratings and new competition will change attitudes quickly.
