The Road to WrestleMania charged through Royal Rumble 2019, where Seth Rollins won the Men’s Royal Rumble Match and Becky Lunch won the Women’s Royal Rumble Match to earn their right to step onto The Grandest Stage of Them All. Plus, Brock Lesnar defeated Finn Bálor, WWE Champion "The New" Daniel Bryan overcame AJ Styles, Miz & Shane McMahon captured the SmackDown Tag Team Titles, Shinsuke Nakamura recaptured the United States Title and so much more.
RAW Tag Team Champions, Bobby Roode & Chad Gable defeated Rezar (with Drake Maverick) & Scott Dawson. (Kickoff Match)
After Drake Maverick had a chat with Mr. McMahon about getting AOP back in Raw Tag Team Championship contention, The Chairman responded with an unconventional opportunity. Rezar, whose AOP partner Akam is currently harboring an injury, would team with Scott Dawson of The Revival on the Kickoff against current Raw Tag Team Titleholders Bobby Roode & Chad Gable in a match that, in theory, could get both AOP and The Revival in the title hunt.
As to be expected — given their total lack of experience — Rezar & Dawson did not get off to the hottest of starts, with Roode & Gable using their chemistry to keep Dawson at bay. The massive Rezar proved to be the great neutralizer, however, immediately imposing his will on Gable when he entered the bout. Rezar and Dawson were clearly still hesitant of the other as the match wore on, but they seemed to heed Maverick’s advice to “work together” in their attempts to corner Gable.
That gameplan completely changed when a totally fresh Roode came into the contest, though. Suddenly, Rezar & Dawson were reeling from Roode’s explosive offensive, and when a miscommunication resulted in Dawson nailing Rezar with a flying dropkick, the champions parlayed that momentum into connecting with their neck breaker-moonsault combo onto Dawson for a glorious victory! (Via WWE.com)
As to be expected — given their total lack of experience — Rezar & Dawson did not get off to the hottest of starts, with Roode & Gable using their chemistry to keep Dawson at bay. The massive Rezar proved to be the great neutralizer, however, immediately imposing his will on Gable when he entered the bout. Rezar and Dawson were clearly still hesitant of the other as the match wore on, but they seemed to heed Maverick’s advice to “work together” in their attempts to corner Gable.
That gameplan completely changed when a totally fresh Roode came into the contest, though. Suddenly, Rezar & Dawson were reeling from Roode’s explosive offensive, and when a miscommunication resulted in Dawson nailing Rezar with a flying dropkick, the champions parlayed that momentum into connecting with their neck breaker-moonsault combo onto Dawson for a glorious victory! (Via WWE.com)
United States Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura defeated UNITED STATES CHAMPION, Rusev (with Lana). (Kickoff Match)
After weeks of cruel mind games and calculated sneak attacks, Shinsuke Nakamura pressed his psychological advantage over Rusev on the 2019 WWE Royal Rumble Kickoff, reclaiming the United States Championship following an unfortunate collision between The Super Athlete and his wife, Lana.
Desperate after a combination of MMA-inspired holds and jaw-rattling strikes failed to fell The Lion of Bulgaria, Nakamura went into desperation mode, removing one of the turnbuckle pads with nefarious intentions. Noticing what the challenger was attempting, Lana leapt to the apron and alerted the referee, prompting a face-to-face between The Ravishing Russian and The Artist.
As Rusev charged at The King of Strong Style, Nakamura moved out of the way, putting The Super Athlete on a collision course with his wife, who was knocked to the floor at ringside. The distracted champion was then blindsided by a Kinshasa that scored Nakamura the pinfall victory and his second United States Championship.
This wasn’t the first time that Nakamura used Rusev’s marriage to his advantage. While The King of Strong Style interrupted The Super Athlete’s New Year’s Day U.S. Title victory celebration — one week after Rusev defeated Nakamura to attain the star-spangled prize — Lana was injured amid the chaos of the ensuing brawl. Nakamura saw fit to blame Rusev for The Ravishing Russian’s condition, making this title rivalry intensely personal for Rusev as he fought not only for the championship, but for the honor of his wife.
Ultimately, it was that chaotic night that gave Nakamura insight into how to pry Rusev’s United States Championship from his hands and begin his second term as President of Nak-America at Chase Field in Phoenix.
What’s next for Rusev and Lana following this disappointing loss? Will Rusev Day ever be as joyous as it once was? And how will Nakamura mark his second U.S. Title victory? Don’t miss SmackDown LIVE, Tuesday nights at 8/7 C on USA Network. (Via WWE.com)
Desperate after a combination of MMA-inspired holds and jaw-rattling strikes failed to fell The Lion of Bulgaria, Nakamura went into desperation mode, removing one of the turnbuckle pads with nefarious intentions. Noticing what the challenger was attempting, Lana leapt to the apron and alerted the referee, prompting a face-to-face between The Ravishing Russian and The Artist.
As Rusev charged at The King of Strong Style, Nakamura moved out of the way, putting The Super Athlete on a collision course with his wife, who was knocked to the floor at ringside. The distracted champion was then blindsided by a Kinshasa that scored Nakamura the pinfall victory and his second United States Championship.
This wasn’t the first time that Nakamura used Rusev’s marriage to his advantage. While The King of Strong Style interrupted The Super Athlete’s New Year’s Day U.S. Title victory celebration — one week after Rusev defeated Nakamura to attain the star-spangled prize — Lana was injured amid the chaos of the ensuing brawl. Nakamura saw fit to blame Rusev for The Ravishing Russian’s condition, making this title rivalry intensely personal for Rusev as he fought not only for the championship, but for the honor of his wife.
Ultimately, it was that chaotic night that gave Nakamura insight into how to pry Rusev’s United States Championship from his hands and begin his second term as President of Nak-America at Chase Field in Phoenix.
What’s next for Rusev and Lana following this disappointing loss? Will Rusev Day ever be as joyous as it once was? And how will Nakamura mark his second U.S. Title victory? Don’t miss SmackDown LIVE, Tuesday nights at 8/7 C on USA Network. (Via WWE.com)
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION, Buddy Murphy defeated Kalisto, Akira Tozawa & Hideo Itami. (Kickoff Match)
If the Cruiserweight Champion has proven anything during his extraordinary reign it’s this: anybody who can be defeated by Buddy Murphy, will be defeated by Buddy Murphy.
The musclebound Aussie beat not one, not two, but three of 205 Live’s most talented competitors on Royal Rumble Kickoff to maintain his grip on the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Kalisto couldn’t get it done, although he was the most creative combatant by a wide margin, utilizing his lucha background to use his opponents’ momentum against them and, in some cases, turn them into literal springboards for his own maneuvers.
Former champion Akira Tozawa was also no-go, despite a go-for-broke strategy that saw The Stamina Monster go high-risk at every possible opportunity, his war cries echoing through Chase Field as he threw caution to the wind.
Hideo Itami had the best strategy of the three challengers, playing into the quirks of a Fatal 4-Way by waiting until the competition had tired before making his move. He was gritty, too, kicking out of Kalisto’s Salida del Sol during a frantic scramble in the waning moments of the match.
Murphy’s raw power, however, was the deciding factor. The Best-Kept Secret escaped Itami’s Go to Sleep in a climactic slugfest with the hard-hitting legend, blasted his foe with several knees to the face — and then a few more for good measure — before quickly executing Murphy’s Law. That was enough to continue a reign of dominance that has long since passed a coincidence or a trend and is fast closing in on a law of nature. (Via WWE.com)
The musclebound Aussie beat not one, not two, but three of 205 Live’s most talented competitors on Royal Rumble Kickoff to maintain his grip on the WWE Cruiserweight Championship.
Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Kalisto couldn’t get it done, although he was the most creative combatant by a wide margin, utilizing his lucha background to use his opponents’ momentum against them and, in some cases, turn them into literal springboards for his own maneuvers.
Former champion Akira Tozawa was also no-go, despite a go-for-broke strategy that saw The Stamina Monster go high-risk at every possible opportunity, his war cries echoing through Chase Field as he threw caution to the wind.
Hideo Itami had the best strategy of the three challengers, playing into the quirks of a Fatal 4-Way by waiting until the competition had tired before making his move. He was gritty, too, kicking out of Kalisto’s Salida del Sol during a frantic scramble in the waning moments of the match.
Murphy’s raw power, however, was the deciding factor. The Best-Kept Secret escaped Itami’s Go to Sleep in a climactic slugfest with the hard-hitting legend, blasted his foe with several knees to the face — and then a few more for good measure — before quickly executing Murphy’s Law. That was enough to continue a reign of dominance that has long since passed a coincidence or a trend and is fast closing in on a law of nature. (Via WWE.com)
SmackDown Women's Championship: SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S CHAMPION, Asuka defeated Becky Lynch by submission.
Becky Lynch was ready for the moment, but not for the woman she had to beat. The two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion confidently walked into Chase Field, but Asuka whittled down her dreams of reign No. 3, proving The Empress is the immovable object who is looking more and more unbeatable with each passing day she holds the blue jewel of SmackDown LIVE.
Success, of course, breeds confidence — and Becky has had a lot of both lately, which explained why she all but preened around the ring in the match’s opening moments, while Asuka struggled somewhat to find her footing. The turning point for The Empress of Tomorrow came when she caught Lynch in the Asuka Lock while entangled in the ropes. It was a bit of cruel ingenuity that Becky quickly countered with a Dis-Arm-Her threaded through the turnbuckle, but the move nonetheless provided an important boost to the champion: Becky was vulnerable.
Becky was still dangerous, too. The harder the challenger hit, though, the more comfortable Asuka became. As each of Becky’s pinfall attempts came up short, doubt visibly crept across The Man’s face while Asuka rallied again and again with a smile that expanded by the second.
Still, for all the kicks to the face The Irish Lass Kicker absorbed (it was a lot of them), she proved difficult to put away. Champion and challenger attempted to turn each other’s moves against them — Asuka attempted a Dis-Arm-Her and Lynch plied an Asuka Lock — but The Empress had a little more in the tank — and a little more cruelty — than Becky. After The Empress finally cinched in her signature hold on The Man, Asuka bridged over Becky to torque the lock as hard as possible, forcing a stunning tapout from a Superstar who long since lost any semblance of quit she ever had.
The post-match images were worlds apart. In the ring stood Asuka, overjoyed at the result and seemingly validated by the long, hard road she had traveled to turn away her challenger. On the apron stood Becky, wordless, downcast and with more questions than answers as The Road to WrestleMania begins without her. (Via WWE.com)
Success, of course, breeds confidence — and Becky has had a lot of both lately, which explained why she all but preened around the ring in the match’s opening moments, while Asuka struggled somewhat to find her footing. The turning point for The Empress of Tomorrow came when she caught Lynch in the Asuka Lock while entangled in the ropes. It was a bit of cruel ingenuity that Becky quickly countered with a Dis-Arm-Her threaded through the turnbuckle, but the move nonetheless provided an important boost to the champion: Becky was vulnerable.
Becky was still dangerous, too. The harder the challenger hit, though, the more comfortable Asuka became. As each of Becky’s pinfall attempts came up short, doubt visibly crept across The Man’s face while Asuka rallied again and again with a smile that expanded by the second.
Still, for all the kicks to the face The Irish Lass Kicker absorbed (it was a lot of them), she proved difficult to put away. Champion and challenger attempted to turn each other’s moves against them — Asuka attempted a Dis-Arm-Her and Lynch plied an Asuka Lock — but The Empress had a little more in the tank — and a little more cruelty — than Becky. After The Empress finally cinched in her signature hold on The Man, Asuka bridged over Becky to torque the lock as hard as possible, forcing a stunning tapout from a Superstar who long since lost any semblance of quit she ever had.
The post-match images were worlds apart. In the ring stood Asuka, overjoyed at the result and seemingly validated by the long, hard road she had traveled to turn away her challenger. On the apron stood Becky, wordless, downcast and with more questions than answers as The Road to WrestleMania begins without her. (Via WWE.com)
SmackDown Tag Team Championship: Shane McMahon & The Miz defeated SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPION, The Bar.
At the onset of their partnership, Shane McMahon & The Miz seemed like an odd fit to everyone, including Shane himself. There was no way the pairing could work. But after weeks of emotional breakthroughs and trying to overcome Sheamus & Cesaro, however, “The Best Tag Team in the World” looked to prove they were as legit as any unit in the tag team ranks at the Royal Rumble event.
Decked out in matching baseball jerseys and showing love to Miz’s dad in the front row, Shane and Miz came out of the gates hot, with Shane-O-Mac immediately setting the tone by taking Sheamus down with a massive tackle. The A-Lister kept up that momentum, with both members of “Team Bestie” making it clear that they didn’t come to play.
Shane continued to throw caution to the wind early on, connecting with a massive leap onto Sheamus on the floor. That made McMahon vulnerable to Cesaro, who laid Shane out, which left Miz to fend The Bar off by his lonesome. The Bar proceeded to corner Miz with an onslaught of ground-and-pound, but that momentum would halt when Shane-O-Mac finally got back into the contest. Shane knocked both Sheamus and Cesaro down with an array of strikes, but Cesaro slowed down his flurry by intercepting the Coast-to-Coast with a signature Giant Swing.
The unlikely pair capitalized when the longtime partners suffered a rare miscue, though. Sheamus accidentally clocked his partner with the Brogue Kick, allowing Miz to plant The Celtic Warrior with the Skull-Crushing Finale to set Shane up for a decisive Shooting Star Press onto Cesaro. All smiles, the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions rushed to celebrate with Miz’s overjoyed and proud father at ringside.
Defying all odds and naysayers, Shane and Miz had done it. The experiment that was doomed to fail ended with the SmackDown Tag Team Championships on their shoulders, and it all just felt so right. (Via WWE.com)
Decked out in matching baseball jerseys and showing love to Miz’s dad in the front row, Shane and Miz came out of the gates hot, with Shane-O-Mac immediately setting the tone by taking Sheamus down with a massive tackle. The A-Lister kept up that momentum, with both members of “Team Bestie” making it clear that they didn’t come to play.
Shane continued to throw caution to the wind early on, connecting with a massive leap onto Sheamus on the floor. That made McMahon vulnerable to Cesaro, who laid Shane out, which left Miz to fend The Bar off by his lonesome. The Bar proceeded to corner Miz with an onslaught of ground-and-pound, but that momentum would halt when Shane-O-Mac finally got back into the contest. Shane knocked both Sheamus and Cesaro down with an array of strikes, but Cesaro slowed down his flurry by intercepting the Coast-to-Coast with a signature Giant Swing.
The unlikely pair capitalized when the longtime partners suffered a rare miscue, though. Sheamus accidentally clocked his partner with the Brogue Kick, allowing Miz to plant The Celtic Warrior with the Skull-Crushing Finale to set Shane up for a decisive Shooting Star Press onto Cesaro. All smiles, the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions rushed to celebrate with Miz’s overjoyed and proud father at ringside.
Defying all odds and naysayers, Shane and Miz had done it. The experiment that was doomed to fail ended with the SmackDown Tag Team Championships on their shoulders, and it all just felt so right. (Via WWE.com)
RAW Women's Championship: RAW WOMEN'S CHAMPION, Ronda Rousey defeated Sasha Banks.
Despite being brought to the brink of exhaustion by a determined Sasha Banks, Ronda Rousey remained Raw Women’s Champion at the 2019 Royal Rumble event, starting her Road to WrestleMania with a remarkable career first.
With 48,193 WWE Universe members on the edge of their seats, Banks and Rousey held nothing back in the early goings, with Rousey busting out Three Amigos — a signature maneuver of Sasha’s idol, WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero. Unshaken by Rousey’s “tribute,” Banks kept her cool and dodged a lethal right hand from The Rowdy One, who instead punched the ring post with such force that its digital panels went to static.
Banks’ offense intensified from there, taking the submission expert to the ground with an excruciating Armbar of her own that threatened to tear Rousey’s arm out of the socket. Banks then trapped Rousey in the Bank Statement, but Rousey broke the hold and hit Piper’s Pit, using that momentum to focus her attack on Sasha’s right arm. When the action spilled outside the ring, Ronda trapped Banks in her signature Armbar, forcing Sasha to tap. Fortunately for The Boss, submissions do not count outside the ring, so the match continued.
After managing to escape the Bank Statement once again, Rousey incapacitated Banks with a gutwrench powerbomb into a second Piper’s Pit, scoring the first pinfall victory in her combat sports career. With the Raw Women’s Championship on her shoulder, Rousey now looks ahead to WrestleMania … and whoever her next challenger might be.
Banks, to her credit, ultimately showed respect for the victorious Rousey, but her flashing of the “Four Horsewomen” hand sign affirmed that there’s unfinished business between Banks’ longtime allies and Rousey’s “Four Horsewomen” crew. (Via WWE.com)
With 48,193 WWE Universe members on the edge of their seats, Banks and Rousey held nothing back in the early goings, with Rousey busting out Three Amigos — a signature maneuver of Sasha’s idol, WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero. Unshaken by Rousey’s “tribute,” Banks kept her cool and dodged a lethal right hand from The Rowdy One, who instead punched the ring post with such force that its digital panels went to static.
Banks’ offense intensified from there, taking the submission expert to the ground with an excruciating Armbar of her own that threatened to tear Rousey’s arm out of the socket. Banks then trapped Rousey in the Bank Statement, but Rousey broke the hold and hit Piper’s Pit, using that momentum to focus her attack on Sasha’s right arm. When the action spilled outside the ring, Ronda trapped Banks in her signature Armbar, forcing Sasha to tap. Fortunately for The Boss, submissions do not count outside the ring, so the match continued.
After managing to escape the Bank Statement once again, Rousey incapacitated Banks with a gutwrench powerbomb into a second Piper’s Pit, scoring the first pinfall victory in her combat sports career. With the Raw Women’s Championship on her shoulder, Rousey now looks ahead to WrestleMania … and whoever her next challenger might be.
Banks, to her credit, ultimately showed respect for the victorious Rousey, but her flashing of the “Four Horsewomen” hand sign affirmed that there’s unfinished business between Banks’ longtime allies and Rousey’s “Four Horsewomen” crew. (Via WWE.com)
Becky Lynch won the 2019 Women's Royal Rumble Match.
You didn’t think that Becky Lynch was going to take her loss to Asuka and fade into the rearview on the Road to WrestleMania, did you?
The Man seized her destiny in the most emphatic way possible, persuading Fit Finlay, of all people, to sanction her entry into the match in place of the injured No. 28 Lana. Becky then fought her way through perennial rivals Nia Jax and Charlotte Flair to win the whole thing and earn an opportunity to challenge for a World Championship at WrestleMania 35.
If the ultimate story of the second Women’s Royal Rumble Match was one of vindication, the lead-up to it was a dead-heat scramble among a division overflowing with more talent and desire than the ring could contain. Before The Man made her dramatic entrance, the match played host to an array of ironwoman performances (Natalya entered at No. 2 and lasted some 56 minutes), surprise appearances (first-ever NXT UK Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley entered at No. 24 and notched three eliminations), odd occurrences (No. 20 entrant Zelina Vega hid under the ring to stave off elimination until Hornswoggle chased her into the waiting arms of Ripley), and astonishing feats of athleticism (NXT’s Kacy Catanzaro, who entered at No. 19, had perhaps the most amazing close-call in Royal Rumble Match history).
If there was any frontrunner to be found, it was Charlotte Flair, who joined the fray at No. 13 and earned four eliminations (No. 1 draw Lacey Evans, Tamina, NXT’s Xia Li and No. 30 entrant Carmella) en route to an appearance in the final four of the match. Joining The Queen were Nia Jax (No. 29) and Becky, but The Man’s mere presence changed the narrative. Lynch was toe-to-toe with the woman who knocked her out of the biggest opportunity of her career and the woman who replaced her, and her payback would not be denied.
Becky first eliminated Jax by yanking The Irresistible Force off the apron after Charlotte teed her up, only to suffer a cheap shot that left Lynch with an injured knee that almost gave Charlotte the victory via forfeit. Lynch, however, was unwilling to suffer a second defeat in the same night, and bulldozed her way into the ring, insisting she wanted to continue.
Charlotte obliged her fellow Horsewoman, toying with the hobbled Lynch and lining her up for the big boot that would finally put The Man down. With her last gasp of effort, Becky dodged the kick and landed one hard right to The Queen, sending Charlotte crumbling to the outside and bringing the match to an end.
The WWE Universe celebrated. Becky couldn’t quite believe it. And because no indication was given as to who, exactly, she’ll pursue at WrestleMania 35, Becky Lynch ended the Royal Rumble with an air of destiny about her.
She’s not just on The Road to WrestleMania; she’s the one driving. (Via WWE.com)
The Man seized her destiny in the most emphatic way possible, persuading Fit Finlay, of all people, to sanction her entry into the match in place of the injured No. 28 Lana. Becky then fought her way through perennial rivals Nia Jax and Charlotte Flair to win the whole thing and earn an opportunity to challenge for a World Championship at WrestleMania 35.
If the ultimate story of the second Women’s Royal Rumble Match was one of vindication, the lead-up to it was a dead-heat scramble among a division overflowing with more talent and desire than the ring could contain. Before The Man made her dramatic entrance, the match played host to an array of ironwoman performances (Natalya entered at No. 2 and lasted some 56 minutes), surprise appearances (first-ever NXT UK Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley entered at No. 24 and notched three eliminations), odd occurrences (No. 20 entrant Zelina Vega hid under the ring to stave off elimination until Hornswoggle chased her into the waiting arms of Ripley), and astonishing feats of athleticism (NXT’s Kacy Catanzaro, who entered at No. 19, had perhaps the most amazing close-call in Royal Rumble Match history).
If there was any frontrunner to be found, it was Charlotte Flair, who joined the fray at No. 13 and earned four eliminations (No. 1 draw Lacey Evans, Tamina, NXT’s Xia Li and No. 30 entrant Carmella) en route to an appearance in the final four of the match. Joining The Queen were Nia Jax (No. 29) and Becky, but The Man’s mere presence changed the narrative. Lynch was toe-to-toe with the woman who knocked her out of the biggest opportunity of her career and the woman who replaced her, and her payback would not be denied.
Becky first eliminated Jax by yanking The Irresistible Force off the apron after Charlotte teed her up, only to suffer a cheap shot that left Lynch with an injured knee that almost gave Charlotte the victory via forfeit. Lynch, however, was unwilling to suffer a second defeat in the same night, and bulldozed her way into the ring, insisting she wanted to continue.
Charlotte obliged her fellow Horsewoman, toying with the hobbled Lynch and lining her up for the big boot that would finally put The Man down. With her last gasp of effort, Becky dodged the kick and landed one hard right to The Queen, sending Charlotte crumbling to the outside and bringing the match to an end.
The WWE Universe celebrated. Becky couldn’t quite believe it. And because no indication was given as to who, exactly, she’ll pursue at WrestleMania 35, Becky Lynch ended the Royal Rumble with an air of destiny about her.
She’s not just on The Road to WrestleMania; she’s the one driving. (Via WWE.com)
WWE Championship: WWE CHAMPION, "The New" Daniel Bryan defeated AJ Styles.
“The New” Daniel Bryan had two goals coming into his WWE Title defense against AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble event: to retain his championship and to destroy the WWE Universe’s image of their “hero,” Styles. When the dust settled, Bryan was still clearly fighting for his dreams — just now by any means necessary.
The Phenomenal One was not looking to fade quietly into a night filled with Bryan’s slander and rhetoric, though, as he took the fight to the WWE Champion in the early goings. Bryan didn’t stay down for long, responding by targeting Styles’ arm and wearing it down in methodical fashion to gain control.
Despite Bryan refusing to relent, Styles rallied back with a wide array of offense that both accelerated the pace and slowed it down in an attempt to wear out Bryan. The momentum swung back and forth between the two, courtesy of stiff strikes and smothering submissions.
When both Superstars went down, Rowan shockingly arrived to ominously watch the contest from ringside. After the referee was inadvertently knocked down, Rowan finally acted, rushing into the ring to smash Styles to bits with a menacing chokeslam. Bryan then picked up the pieces like a vulture, pinning Styles as the referee recovered for the three-count.
After the contest, Bryan instructed Rowan to pick Styles up so that the WWE Champion could drop him with his patented Running Knee for good measure. The menacing giant then raised Bryan’s hand, leaving the WWE Universe to wonder what brought these two together. (Via WWE.com)
The Phenomenal One was not looking to fade quietly into a night filled with Bryan’s slander and rhetoric, though, as he took the fight to the WWE Champion in the early goings. Bryan didn’t stay down for long, responding by targeting Styles’ arm and wearing it down in methodical fashion to gain control.
Despite Bryan refusing to relent, Styles rallied back with a wide array of offense that both accelerated the pace and slowed it down in an attempt to wear out Bryan. The momentum swung back and forth between the two, courtesy of stiff strikes and smothering submissions.
When both Superstars went down, Rowan shockingly arrived to ominously watch the contest from ringside. After the referee was inadvertently knocked down, Rowan finally acted, rushing into the ring to smash Styles to bits with a menacing chokeslam. Bryan then picked up the pieces like a vulture, pinning Styles as the referee recovered for the three-count.
After the contest, Bryan instructed Rowan to pick Styles up so that the WWE Champion could drop him with his patented Running Knee for good measure. The menacing giant then raised Bryan’s hand, leaving the WWE Universe to wonder what brought these two together. (Via WWE.com)
WWE Universal Championship: WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPION, Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) defeated Finn Bálor by submission.
The unmatched agility and heart of Finn Bálor was not enough to conquer the raw strength of Brock Lesnar at WWE Royal Rumble 2019, where The Beast Incarnate retained the Universal Championship.
From the moment he earned this incredible opportunity in a Fatal 4-Way Match on Raw, Bálor was fortified by the power of belief: belief that he could reclaim the championship he never truly lost, belief that he could silence his critics and the belief that he could conquer The Conqueror. Indeed, there were moments throughout this match that Bálor Club members at Chase Field and around the globe truly believed that Bálor could unseat the nigh-unbeatable Lesnar.
Bálor mercilessly pummeled Lesnar with a flurry of strikes at the beginning of the match. He drove Lesnar’s midsection into the corner of an announce table, and then he did it again, momentarily taking the behemoth’s core strength out of the equation. He soared over the top rope onto the champion with a trio of gravity-defying dives. And to top it all off, The Extraordinary Man executed a picture-perfect Coup de Grâce on the supine Universal Champion in a moment that would have felled virtually any other opponent. Bálor believed in this fairy tale ending, and so did we.
But beliefs have little meaning on the pockmarked streets of Suplex City. Immediately after Bálor executed his finishing maneuver, Lesnar trapped the challenger in the Kimura Lock, forcing Bálor to tap out. Furious that The Extraordinary Man got as close as he did to ending his reign, Lesnar erupted after the bell, punishing Bálor with three German suplexes before putting a painful exclamation on the brutality with an F-5.
David gave it his all, but Goliath won this round. (Via WWE.com)
From the moment he earned this incredible opportunity in a Fatal 4-Way Match on Raw, Bálor was fortified by the power of belief: belief that he could reclaim the championship he never truly lost, belief that he could silence his critics and the belief that he could conquer The Conqueror. Indeed, there were moments throughout this match that Bálor Club members at Chase Field and around the globe truly believed that Bálor could unseat the nigh-unbeatable Lesnar.
Bálor mercilessly pummeled Lesnar with a flurry of strikes at the beginning of the match. He drove Lesnar’s midsection into the corner of an announce table, and then he did it again, momentarily taking the behemoth’s core strength out of the equation. He soared over the top rope onto the champion with a trio of gravity-defying dives. And to top it all off, The Extraordinary Man executed a picture-perfect Coup de Grâce on the supine Universal Champion in a moment that would have felled virtually any other opponent. Bálor believed in this fairy tale ending, and so did we.
But beliefs have little meaning on the pockmarked streets of Suplex City. Immediately after Bálor executed his finishing maneuver, Lesnar trapped the challenger in the Kimura Lock, forcing Bálor to tap out. Furious that The Extraordinary Man got as close as he did to ending his reign, Lesnar erupted after the bell, punishing Bálor with three German suplexes before putting a painful exclamation on the brutality with an F-5.
David gave it his all, but Goliath won this round. (Via WWE.com)
Seth Rollins won the 2019 Men's Royal Rumble Match.
It came down to Braun Strowman and Seth Rollins. One a physical marvel possessing all the tangible traits — power, speed and size — that it takes to make a WWE Superstar. The other an embodiment of all the intangibles that a WrestleMania main-eventer must possess. And as it has so often been over the last two years, the heart won out. Thanks to a grueling final push, Rollins eliminated The Monster Among Men to win the Men’s Royal Rumble Match, charting a course to a World Championship Match at WrestleMania 35.
Size vs. heart wasn’t just the story of the match’s conclusion, however. It was also a common thread throughout the entire wild, over-the-top rope contest. At various points in the match, giants and speedsters mixed it up, with a handful of truly unexpected interactions that showcased the little guy wouldn’t always be as helpless as he seemed. WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne was a surprise draw at No. 18, and he immediately made one of the more remarkable statements of the match, using his excruciating joint manipulation to muscle Drew McIntyre (No. 16; four eliminations) to his knees. Elsewhere, NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano (No. 6) eliminated a former WWE Champion in Jinder Mahal. Black-and-gold hellion Aleister Black (No. 21) sent Dean Ambrose (No. 14) over the top rope with his spinning Black Mass kick. And Cruiserweight-turned–SmackDown LIVE stalwart Mustafa Ali (No. 13) eliminated both his rival Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura, the 2018 Men’s Rumble Match winner who had recaptured the United States Championship earlier in the night.
Even Rollins himself ended up on the wrong side of a confrontation with a goliath. After he instantly eliminated Bobby Lashley (No. 26), The All-Mighty plunged Rollins through a table, where he lay unmoving for several minutes while chaos raged around him. Strowman (No. 27) largely picked up the pace in Rollins’ absence by racking up four eliminations, though even he was waylaid outside the ring for a stretch, where the night’s strangest entrant reared her (yes, her) head.
That would be Nia Jax, who bushwhacked No. 30 entrant R-Truth from behind to steal his berth after a disappointing exit from the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. Only the fourth woman to compete in a Men’s Rumble Match, The Irresistible Force didn’t hesitate to mix it up with her male contemporaries, eliminating Mustafa Ali and largely holding her own until a concentrated effort from Randy Orton (No. 29), Rey Mysterio (No. 25) and Dolph Ziggler (No. 28) finally sent her packing. (For what it’s worth, a close second in terms of bizarre interactions was the duet-turned-brawl between Elias and Jeff Jarrett at Nos. 1 and 2.)
Jax’s exit opened the door for Strowman to return, and The Monster Among Men quickly thinned the field by eliminating Ziggler and rising star Andrade (No. 19), who eliminated Orton in his own right. It was down to just Strowman and Rollins, and it quickly became clear the latter, who was still reeling from Lashley’s table attack, was staring down an uphill battle.
The Monster Among Men manhandled his opponent until Rollins finally managed to muscle him over the top rope and onto the apron for the climactic slugfest. Thanks to some deft maneuvering and a well-placed superkick, Rollins got Strowman to his knees, and a final Stomp brought Strowman’s forehead to the apron and his feet to the floor.
Rollins made a point on Monday to discuss how his passion and his heart had carried him through the wild ups and downs of the past two years. He said, in effect, it would always keep him going. It didn’t fail him now: Seth Rollins went the distance, and now there’s just one thing left to do. (Via WWE.com)
Size vs. heart wasn’t just the story of the match’s conclusion, however. It was also a common thread throughout the entire wild, over-the-top rope contest. At various points in the match, giants and speedsters mixed it up, with a handful of truly unexpected interactions that showcased the little guy wouldn’t always be as helpless as he seemed. WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne was a surprise draw at No. 18, and he immediately made one of the more remarkable statements of the match, using his excruciating joint manipulation to muscle Drew McIntyre (No. 16; four eliminations) to his knees. Elsewhere, NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano (No. 6) eliminated a former WWE Champion in Jinder Mahal. Black-and-gold hellion Aleister Black (No. 21) sent Dean Ambrose (No. 14) over the top rope with his spinning Black Mass kick. And Cruiserweight-turned–SmackDown LIVE stalwart Mustafa Ali (No. 13) eliminated both his rival Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura, the 2018 Men’s Rumble Match winner who had recaptured the United States Championship earlier in the night.
Even Rollins himself ended up on the wrong side of a confrontation with a goliath. After he instantly eliminated Bobby Lashley (No. 26), The All-Mighty plunged Rollins through a table, where he lay unmoving for several minutes while chaos raged around him. Strowman (No. 27) largely picked up the pace in Rollins’ absence by racking up four eliminations, though even he was waylaid outside the ring for a stretch, where the night’s strangest entrant reared her (yes, her) head.
That would be Nia Jax, who bushwhacked No. 30 entrant R-Truth from behind to steal his berth after a disappointing exit from the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. Only the fourth woman to compete in a Men’s Rumble Match, The Irresistible Force didn’t hesitate to mix it up with her male contemporaries, eliminating Mustafa Ali and largely holding her own until a concentrated effort from Randy Orton (No. 29), Rey Mysterio (No. 25) and Dolph Ziggler (No. 28) finally sent her packing. (For what it’s worth, a close second in terms of bizarre interactions was the duet-turned-brawl between Elias and Jeff Jarrett at Nos. 1 and 2.)
Jax’s exit opened the door for Strowman to return, and The Monster Among Men quickly thinned the field by eliminating Ziggler and rising star Andrade (No. 19), who eliminated Orton in his own right. It was down to just Strowman and Rollins, and it quickly became clear the latter, who was still reeling from Lashley’s table attack, was staring down an uphill battle.
The Monster Among Men manhandled his opponent until Rollins finally managed to muscle him over the top rope and onto the apron for the climactic slugfest. Thanks to some deft maneuvering and a well-placed superkick, Rollins got Strowman to his knees, and a final Stomp brought Strowman’s forehead to the apron and his feet to the floor.
Rollins made a point on Monday to discuss how his passion and his heart had carried him through the wild ups and downs of the past two years. He said, in effect, it would always keep him going. It didn’t fail him now: Seth Rollins went the distance, and now there’s just one thing left to do. (Via WWE.com)