WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Results: Biggest winners and losers

Well, that was certainly a mile a minute ride. We're officially done with WWE Royal Rumble 2018 and it was an all-Japanese affair as Shinsuke Nakamura and Asuka won the Men's Royal Rumble match and Women's Royal Rumble match respectively.

The first WWE pay per view of the year was a bit of a mixed bag this time around. There were only four other matches apart from the two Rumbles and the show felt weirdly paced. We had the two Smackdown Live matches followed by the Men's Royal Rumble and then the two Monday Night Raw matches before the Women's Royal Rumble wrapped things up for the night.

A raucous Philadelphia crowd certainly played its part in making the atmosphere one to remember and there were a lot of good moments mixed in with some bad ones as well. So, without any further ado, let's get into our list of the biggest winners and losers from WWE Royal Rumble 2018:

Loser #4 - Baron Corbin

Damn, you really have to feel for Baron Corbin. At this time last year, he eliminated Braun Strowman from the Royal Rumble and looked set to become the next thing in the WWE. Instead, it has been twelve months of frustration for The Lone Wolf.

After some weak performances, the 2018 Royal Rumble was a big chance to turn things around but instead, he was eliminated in short order by Finn Balor and threw another typical temper tantrum on his way to the back.

2018 doesn't look like it will be any better than 2017 for the big man.

Winner #4 - Nia Jax

I'm actually a little surprised with how well the WWE managed to make Nia Jax look in the Women's Royal Rumble considering the fact that monsters like The Big Show have always ended up flattering to deceive.

Jax put on an awesome display of strength and power, completely dominating proceedings until she was finally eliminated by the combined efforts of every other competitor in the match.

Props to the WWE for giving her a chance to showcase her skills and build some much-needed momentum following the end of the atrocious love angle with Enzo Amore.

Loser #3 - Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin

What the bloody hell happened in the WWE Smackdown Live Tag Team Championship match? Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin came into the encounter against The Usos as betting favourites and ended up being firmly buried.

In a 2 out of 3 Falls match, Gable and Benjamin put in a fine effort for the majority of the match but the ending sequence completely undid all that good work and cemented the duo's place on this list.

The Usos picking up the win isn't the issue here, in fact, I'm glad that they did. But, the fact that Chad and Shelton didn't even win a single fall means that they will not be taken seriously as contenders ever again.

Winner #3 - Finn Balor

Every year, we have someone who is the unofficial Iron Man of the Royal Rumble. You know, the guy who stays in the match for the longest amount of time but almost never wins the whole thing himself. For the 2018 Men's Royal Rumble match, that man was Finn Balor.

Coming in at No 2, The Irishman lasted over 55 minutes and made it all the way to the final four before finally being eliminated by John Cena. It was a herculean effort made all the more impressive due to the fact that this was The Demon King's first-ever Royal Rumble appearance.

This could be the start of something big for The Balor Club and its leader if the WWE plays its cards right.

Loser #2 - Seth Rollins

Man, Seth Rollins really has some rotten luck, it has to be said. He was enjoying a successful Shield reunion but Dean Ambrose picked up a long-term injury and all that momentum drained away. He then got stuck with Jason Jordan.

But, Rollins actually made things work as the unlikely duo became WWE Raw Tag Team Champions, but then a rumoured back injury for Kurt Angle's son might very well be the reason they lost their titles at the Royal Rumble with JJ barely even wrestling in order to protect his back.

On top of all this, The Architect was actually enjoying a good Royal Rumble match until he was unceremoniously dumped out by none other than Roman Reigns. Ouch!

Winner #2 - Asuka

It's great that Rousey didn't steal Asuka's Rumble win

Was there ever any doubt that Asuka would be walking away from the 2018 WWE Royal Rumble as the winner? Well actually, yes. There was quite a bit of doubt considering that Rona Rousey was rumoured to make her long-awaited WWE appearance at the event.

While Rousey did make her way to the ring, it wasn't until Asuka had already won the Rumble and this is exactly what most WWE fans want to see.

The "Empress of Tomorrow" fully deserves this victory and we're glad the WWE gave her the W.

Loser #1 - Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens

Uff, this was quite a rough night for Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. First, they couldn't get the job done in a 2 on 1 Handicap match for the WWE Championship against AJ Styles despite dominating the encounter.

The match itself was quite good, but it made the best friends look like idiots, the way that they ended up losing that bout. But, things got even worse during the Men's Royal Rumble match.

As Tye Dillinger was making his way to the ring to enter at No 10, he was ambushed by Kami. Zayn took Dillinger's place and instead of anything noteworthy happening, he was quietly eliminated by Shinsuke Nakamura.

Winner #1 - Shinsuke Nakamura

Who else was going to be the biggest winner from WWE Royal Rumble 2018? Shinsuke Nakamura fulfilled his destiny and punched his ticket to Wrestlemania 34 after outlasting the likes of Finn Balor, John Cena, and Roman Reigns.

This is by far the biggest moment of the King of Strong Style's career and I can't wait to see AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship in New Orleans.

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