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WWE Royal Rumble 2023 is in the history books, and it was a memorable show capped off with an emotional ending. With regards to the Men's Rumble match, it was considerably better and more entertaining than the previous year's outing.
Cody Rhodes won the 30-man melee by last eliminating Gunther, who himself broke Rey Mysterio's record for the longest time spent in a traditional Rumble match, ignoring Daniel Bryan's performance at The Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018.
It is essential to reiterate that the Men's Rumble was far from underwhelming. Any criticism you may find on social media is primarily due to sky-high expectations heading into the Alamodome. However, there were a few mistakes and hiccups that could've further improved the match.
#5. Considering his return was announced, Cody Rhodes entering the final spot was a little underwhelming
Make no mistake, in the eyes of the management and wrestling fans, Cody Rhodes was the perfect person to outlast 28 other men at WWE Royal Rumble 2023 and book his ticket to WrestleMania 39. However, the company made a questionable move by announcing Rhodes' in-ring return in advance.
The belief was that WWE was satisfied with the surprises it had in store for its fans, and whether they delivered on that promise is up for debate. If they hadn't announced The American Nightmare's return, the ovation would've been much louder, and the eventual win would've felt more climactic.
Furthermore, the son of Dusty Rhodes has been presented as the perennial underdog. From a storyline perspective, it made more sense for him to enter the match earlier and go the distance. Either way, it is heart-warming for fans to finally witness the genesis of a new top star in Cody Rhodes.
#4. For the second consecutive year, Kofi Kingston failed to deliver a remarkable save in the Royal Rumble match
No one is to blame entirely for this error, but it makes the list solely due to hype and expectations. Kofi Kingston has been "The Royal Rumble" Highlight Reel for years. The veteran of The New Day finds innovative and creative ways to stay alive in Rumble, and fans have come to demand such efforts from him.
In the past, he used a chair as a pogo stick and a pancake as a launch pad and even took a massive leap of faith to survive. However, Kingston has failed to live up to sky-high expectations over the past two years. He was eliminated early last year when he botched a save.
This year, Gunther pushed him off the apron, and The Dreadlocked Dynamo landed too hard on the chair, causing him to fall with both feet touching the floor. The WWE Universe pushed the veteran to abandon the spot, and Kingston obliged.
#3. Rey Mysterio should have been a part of the Men's Royal Rumble match
This year, only 29 competitors technically competed in the Royal Rumble. Rey Mysterio was set to be the 17th entrant, but he didn't come out when his theme song hit. The next entrant was Dominik Mysterio, who donned his father's mask, providing fans with a clear hint of what may have transpired backstage.
The masked luchador never officially entered the match and was nowhere to be seen. This was nothing short of a letdown. The winner of the 2006 Royal Rumble could have added much depth to the field in the middle stages of the match-up. Furthermore, if he had entered, a confrontation with Dominik and the Judgment Day would have been inevitable.
From a storyline perspective, it would have made perfect sense for Rey to enter to eliminate his son. Unfortunately, that didn't occur, and it remains to be seen how WWE progresses with this narrative in the future.
#2. There was no "Monster push" in the Men's Royal Rumble
Most Royal Rumbles have two characteristic features. Firstly, there is a superstar who enters the fray pretty early and stays till the very end. This "Iron man" role was occupied primarily by Gunther, who drew number one and was the runner-up. It should be noted that Sheamus and Drew McIntyre also hung around for a long time, guiding traffic.
Second, a dominant competitor, usually a powerhouse, clears the field and racks up several eliminations in no time. This "monster push" - exemplified by Brock Lesnar's record-setting performance in 2020 or Kane's career-defining evening in 2001 - was absent in the 2023 Men's Rumble. Yes, The Ring General and Cody Rhodes each racked up five eliminations, but they didn't clear the house.
Omos had zero eliminations, while Braun Strowman had one elimination. The two heavyweights were prime candidates for the push, and they should've tossed over a handful of superstars.
#1. Brock Lesnar, Edge, and Bobby Lashley went too soon
Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley were the two men at the forefront of the 2023 Royal Rumble poster. Furthermore, both were built as favorites with their size advantage and mean streak. The animosity between them was blowing out of proportion and was set to come to a head in the Men's Rumble match.
However, their outings felt a little underwhelming. The Beast Incarnate entered at number 12, quickly eliminated 3 competitors, and battled Gunther. Moments later, The All Mighty joined and Clotheslined his arch-nemesis over the top rope upon a skirmish.
Lashley's fortunes weren't that bright as he was eliminated in under eight minutes by Seth "Freakin" Rollins.
WWE had Lesnar throw a fit at ringside to cover up for the shock value. However, one feels that the company booked this angle too early in the match; it should've been saved towards the latter end of the affair, where momentum usually picks up.
As for Edge, he was the biggest surprise entrant in the Men's Rumble and received one of the loudest ovations. However, his entire appearance lasted five minutes. He entered with a crazed look, speared through The Judgment Day, and eliminated Finn Balor and Damian Priest. Balor and Priest then returned the favor upon their elimination.
This led to a brawl which escalated to the point where Rhea Ripley and a returning Beth Phoenix got involved too. With retirement on the horizon, The Hall of Famer's potential final appearance in the match should have been longer and more eventful instead of a rushed movie sequence.
A WWE Hall of Famer called out AEW fans HERE
