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The Royal Rumble pay-per-view usually provides some of the best matches of the entire year for WWE. From classic bouts like Triple H vs. Cactus Jack or memorable Royal Rumble matches like the 1992 edition, there is so much to choose from. However, the 2021 edition would be the most unique with it being the first since the global pandemic and inside the ThunderDome.
Overcoming that obstacle was the amazing talent of the WWE roster. The top-class women's division was on full display with the Kickoff match, SmackDown Women's Championship Match, and Women's Royal Rumble match. The top champions Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre were given two huge encounters that were vastly different.
The quality of all these matches once again solidified why this may be one of the best rosters top-to-bottom that this company has ever offered. In this article, let's take a look at the star rating for every match at WWE Royal Rumble 2021.
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 (Kickoff Show) - RAW Women's Champion Asuka & Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships
Heading into WWE Royal Rumble 2021, there wasn't much build to the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships Match. RAW Women's Champion Asuka has been dealing with Alexa Bliss and her mind games, while Charlotte Flair has had Lacey Evans manipulating her father, Ric Flair, as a distraction.
Former WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler have even spent more time feuding with Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke than even going after the champions ahead of the Royal Rumble. Expectations were considerably low, but all four Superstars are undeniable.
This contest proved to be a bit clunky and slow out of the gates, but the ladies worked hard and provided plenty of action to entertain the WWE Universe. Just when it seemed like the bout was catching steam though, Ric Flair came down for a distraction, which led to Lacey Evans knocking Charlotte out with a foreign object.
The finish felt like it took the wind out of the sails of this WWE Women's Tag Team Championships Match at WWE Royal Rumble 2021. However, this contest did advance Lacey Evans and Ric Flair's storyline with Charlotte regardless of how one feels about it.
Star rating: **1/2
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 - Drew McIntyre vs. Goldberg for the WWE Championship
Outside of the Royal Rumble matches, the match with the most intrigue heading into this event was Drew McIntyre defending the WWE Championship against Goldberg. The interest had little to do with the expected match quality, but it was actually about what the result would be. Goldberg has made a new streak of beating defending champions, which had fans worried that Drew would be the next one on the chopping block.
This WWE Royal Rumble 2021 opener followed the formula of Goldberg's usual matches. There was action before the bell with the WWE Hall of Famer giving McIntyre a spear through the barricade. The WWE Champion sold this extremely well and created more vulnerability for his character. The near falls during the contest were greatly assisted by this beatdown.
Drew McIntyre came out hot with the Claymore, but Goldberg became the first Superstar since Brock Lesnar to kick out. The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion then dominated with spears and a jackhammer that only got him a two-count. McIntyre then avoided another spear and followed with another Claymore for the win and successfully defended the WWE Title at the Royal Rumble.
This encounter was short much like Goldberg's past battles. However, this was genuinely entertaining and exceeded low expectations. Drew McIntyre did not add another banger to his catalog, but he did defeat a former multi-time world champion and bonafide legend of the business at WWE Royal Rumble 2021.
Star rating: **3/4
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 - Sasha Banks vs. Carmella for the SmackDown Women's Championship
Ahead of WWE Royal Rumble 2021, the rivalry between SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks and Carmella has provided a strong encounter at WWE TLC and entertaining segments on TV. Carmella has used her sommelier to her advantage against The Boss, and it was much of the same here.
The SmackDown Women's Championship Match had good pacing that kept the action building throughout the duration. Reginald eventually got himself ejected after getting involved, which took the contest to the next gear. There were really good near falls, especially when it came to Carmella's consecutive superkicks.
The finish of this encounter left something to desire. Sasha Banks went from selling Carmella's offense to instantly locking on the Banks Statement for the win. This felt abrupt and gave fans a flat ending here at WWE Royal Rumble 2021 to another solid contest between The Boss and the former Mrs. Money In The Bank.
Many in the WWE Universe will question what is next for Carmella. The feud with Banks has legitimized her as a threat, but maybe a tier under the upper echelon. She has showcased her character work and in-ring ability immensely since her return and again at WWE Royal Rumble 2021. Sasha Banks has bigger fish to fry and may have a formidable challenge ahead at WrestleMania.
Star rating: ***
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 - Women's Royal Rumble Match
Since 2018, the Women's Royal Rumble Match has brought a lot of happiness and joy to the fans as more of a celebration of how far the women have come. The 2019 edition was used as the coronation of Becky Lynch, while 2020 had Charlotte Flair embarking on the path to reclaim the NXT Women's Championship. The 2021 event allowed WWE to create a new star.
The phenomenal roster of female competitors was on display in the Women's Royal Rumble Match and was wonderfully positioned to show the variety. The first three of Bayley, Naomi, and Bianca Belair set a strong base for the latter heights of this bout. Naomi looked great, and she brought us the first surprise of this contest, but there would be more.
Shotzi Blackheart, Dakota Kai, and Toni Storm from WWE NXT made their presence known during the Women's Royal Rumble. The legends were here in the form of Torrie Wilson, Alicia Fox, and Mickie James. Alicia Fox would win the 24/7 title during the match. However, Victoria was an underrated gem in this contest with the former WWE Women's Champion working hard in 15 minutes.
Billie Kay gave us our first narrative thread and was hysterically using her headshots to recruit help in the match. Her alliance with the returning Jillian Hall gave another surprise return, her IIconics reunion with Peyton Royce was nice and her fond attempts to impress Riott Squad made her endearing. She really shined at WWE Royal Rumble 2021.
There is a lot to say about Rhea Ripley's performance. The former NXT Women's Champion came in at #14 and dominated for over 33 minutes. She had the match-high 7 eliminations, which also second-most in the history of the Women's Royal Rumble. Ripley even got revenge on Charlotte Flair by eliminating her with Bianca Belair.
The EST of WWE put in an Iron Woman effort, setting the Women's Royal Rumble record for match time with 56:52. Bianca Belair was involved in a lot of interactions with Bayley, Naomi, Shayna Baszler, and others. Her athleticism displayed and allowed her to evade elimination on many occasions.
Belair's final sequence with Rhea Ripley was splendid and really helped elevate this entire match. The future of WWE was given the final two and had to have fans on the edge of their seats. This felt like one of the rare times where either winner would have been a satisfying pick. Belair's victory felt deserved and earned for her amazing effort here. Her post-match promo was the perfect cherry on top.
Star rating: ****
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 - Roman Reigns vs. Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Universal Championship
Roman Reigns has become the must-see act in all of WWE heading into this year's Royal Rumble. The Tribal Chief has been a commanding force on WWE SmackDown with special counsel Paul Heyman and cousin Jey Uso by his side. His feud with Kevin Owens has been one of the better feuds produced by the company and has furthered both men's characters.
This Last Man Standing Match gave the two WWE Superstars the absolute freedom to craft an encounter to be remembered. The action was high impact and hard-hitting throughout. Reigns and Owens fought all over Tropicana Field at WWE Royal Rumble 2021. This match was a brilliant choice to be inserted in between the Men's and Women's Rumble bouts.
Owens was thrown from the stands of the ThunderDome into a table and brought the battle backstage. Roman took things to malicious levels when he ran down KO with a golf cart. Owens would not stay down and fought back. He first gave Reigns a splash through a backstage announce table. The Prizefighter followed with a huge Swanton Bomb off a forklift onto Reigns, who was on two tables.
This was high octane, a thrilling spectacle that was gripping and had two stellar performers working extremely hard for the WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble 2021. However, the unfortunate miscue involving the handcuffs towards the end caused this match to fall apart.
This was crushing for this contest's quality, with the moments of Heyman frantically trying to free The Head of the Table feeling like an eternity. This was well on its way to being the match of the night at WWE Royal Rumble 2021, but those closing minutes with a very rushed finish, followed by Roman locking on the guillotine choke for the win brought this match's rating down to some extent.
Star rating: ****
WWE Royal Rumble 2021 - Men's Royal Rumble Match
The Men's Royal Rumble had a lot to live up to following a deeply satisfying and emotional Women's edition this year. Things would definitely be off to a charged start with the returning Rated-R Superstar Edge and Randy Orton coming in at No. #1 and No. #2. The two men fought before the bell, showing off their rich history and hatred for one another.
Much like the Women's Royal Rumble, the ring filled up quickly with eliminations being more spread out. However, unlike the ladies, the men's roster did not have the same stars from top-to-bottom. The middle portion of this Rumble particularly felt stale with so many performers who did not feel like they had any chance of being in the contest, let alone winning it.
There were WWE Superstars who made a good showing for themselves like Big E, Riddle, and the debuting Damian Priest. The former NXT North American Champion tied Big E and Seth Rollins with a total of four eliminations. He also went toe-to-toe with a few legends. Priest even tossed Kane over the top rope.
The surprise return of Christian will be the iconic moment of this Royal Rumble and the entire event. After seven years of being denied the chance to step back in the ring due to concussions, the former World Heavyweight Champion looked like he hadn't missed a day and brought a bolt of energy into this match.
Other Superstars who stood out had to be the returning Carlito, a funny cameo from The Hurricane, and Daniel Bryan. The former SmackDown General Manager was in there trying to get a piece of many different competitors. His interactions with Riddle were among the highlights and times that fans had to book their own dream matches.
The 2021 Men's Royal Rumble will be remembered for Edge, though. The Ultimate Opportunist became just the third man in history to go from the first spot to win the Royal Rumble Match. His endurance for a man who has been on the shelf for over six months is staggering and should be praised. Edge deserves this and is on his way to WrestleMania.
Star rating: ***3/4
A WWE Hall of Famer called out AEW fans HERE
