2018 Royal Rumble Reax

Read on for my thoughts on last night's WWE Network special event.

-- Kickoff:
- Kalisto/Lince/Gran vs. TJP/Gallagher/Gulak:
Issa cruiser match.

It's crazy how many people are chanting for Gulak given the low viewership numbers for 205 Live.

Funny dab spot.

The lucha trio flying pretty high.

I like the heels' strategy here.

Haha I like Gulak being consistent about not wanting anyone going up top.

I love the ropewalking.

That wasn't bad at all!

- Charlotte on the panel:
Charlotte vs. Becky could be pretty good. Charlotte vs. Asuka would be solid, too. 

- Owens/Sami interview:
Ahh I love when these turn into burials of the questions.

I'm DYING. Do people intentionally send misspelled or lame questions?

I love when WWE lets wrestlers just have fun like this.

- Gallows/KA vs. Revival:
I definitely prefer The Club as faces.

Good tag work early.

These two teams match up well.

Good to see Revival get momentum.

Two really solid pairs.

Wow. Good win!

- Roode vs. Mojo:
Wow. Mojo with the advantage on such a talented veteran?

I'm liking this well enough so far.

I enjoy Bobby getting momentum.

Wow, Mojo. Getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren't we?

Not bad. Glad Mojo is getting an opportunity like this.

-- Royal Rumble: 
- AJ vs. Sami/Owens:
Ha. I like the mind games.

Good to try to wear AJ down, but he's pretty game.

Nice strategy going on here.

LOTS of tags here!

AJ is holding his own here!

Tough to win via submission against two opponents.

Sami's growing on me as a heel.

Pretty good work, but not the classic I was hoping for.

- Post-match:
Ahh looks like this is going to continue. Meh.

- Gable/Benjamin vs. Usos:
-- Fall One:
Smart start. Speed could be the key here.

Gable's always impressive.

I like the strategy from the heels.

More great tag work.

I'm liking the double-teams.

I like the Usos getting on a roll.

Nice counter to the big splash.

I'm really loving how Chad and Shelton work together. There's an extra urgency with them as heels, too.

This is off the charts!!!

Good first fall.

-- Fall Two:
Chad and Shelton are really smooth together. They're quite the team.

WOW. I would have expected this to go longer. I guess the Rumbles are getting more time, then.

- Men's Royal Rumble:
Balor vs. Rusev could be really solid.

I'm curious if Rhyno will outlast Slater.

I love Rusev as a character and wrestler.

Wow. Corbin wasting no time getting an elimination.

I'm not crazy about a Balor/Corbin feud.

Hahaha Baron not so happy about this loss.

I guess Slater's getting the Curtis Axel role of never making it to the ring and thus never being eliminated.

Based Elias. Fun stuff.

WHOA. I didn't expect the NXT Champion here. I guess that confirms that title's not a world title, though.

This is all pretty fun.

Everyone attacking Slater. I love it.

Good work from Bray.

Good guy Big E.

HAHAHAHAH Tye Dillinger doesn't even get that spot anymore. I like it.

OH MY GOD HEATH SLATER DID IT. YOU CAN DO IT, HEATH! YOU'VE GOT KIDS BAH GAWD!

Oh.... so much for Heath winning.

Elias might make it a pretty good way.

Sami vs. Nakamura is pretty cool.

Heck, Elias vs. Nakamura could be pretty fun.

Fun to see Cesaro on a tear here.

Mahal's doing alright for himself so far.

Seth could get it done here! He's impressive.

Hahahaha the annual crazy Kofi spot.

Fun stuff from New Day.

Wow. Mahal's not going to be happy about that.

Weird to see Wyatt and Matt work together.

Hahaha that didn't last long!

DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNN.

I hope Cena's doing something bigger at Mania than facing Elias again.

YESSSS!!!! I missed having fun random entrants.

 Oh that's a shame. I wanted more from Hurricane.

Kind of surprised to see Cole here.

Cole/Almas feud could be fun.

Orton vs. Cole could be REALLY fun.

Ahhhhh Almas lasted a pretty good while, though!

Titus might actually have a chance coming in this late.

Orton and Cena feuding yet again.

OH GOD MIZ COULD HEADLINE WRESTLEMANIA AGAIN! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

WWWWHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT I didn't expect Rey at all!!!

Damn, Rey vs. Almas or Rey vs. Cole could be good, too.

Rey's still got it it looks like.

Oh, boy. Roman might do it.

Glad The Miztourage are helping their man.

Ahh.... the dream for Miz was fun while it lasted.

HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Reigns tossing Rollins. I love it.

It's funny Goldust isn't a wacky nostalgia entrant.

Orton vs. Goldust could be cool.

BBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Stay away, Ziggler.

OH THANK GOD DOLPH ISN'T WINNING THIS ONE.

This is one hell of a final six.

Wow. This is wild!

Ahhh... maybe we'll still see Rey at Mania.

Imagine thinking Cena and Reigns suck. Wow. Good ol' Philly hipsters.

Balor could have one hell of a night.

This is really fun.

Balor is the MVP this year.

Cena and Reigns eliminating Shinsuke would be a huge heel moment to Philly. I think I'd be down for Roman winning.

Really good work with the final three.

Nakamura vs. Cena on PPV needs to happen.

Nakamura vs. Reigns is a really interesting combination. I expect both are headed to Mania main events.

I liked the triangle/powerbomb spot.

I'm REALLY enjoying Roman vs. Shinsuke.

One hell of a win. I really liked all of that.

- Post-match:
Oh God that sounds really boring from a character perspective.

- Col. Rumble:
OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING. Wrestling needs to be more goofy like this.

This is ridiculous in the best possible way.

Flair is perfect as Sanders.

Five stars!!!!

- Jordan/Rollins vs. Bar:
Nice start.

I see Jordan's injury is playing into all this.

Seth is in a handicap match right now.

Rollins definitely going pretty hard despite the disadvantage.

So much for Jason being a help here.

NICE ending.

- Brock vs. Kane vs. Braun:
Oh this is fun.

I love this kind of crazy clash of big brutes.

Yeah, Braun probably took too long setting up tables.

Braun winning would have made me very happy indeed.

I'm liking this a lot.

Braun looks like a beast even in defeat.

Kane might have just saved the champ there.

A bit of a flat ending. I'm ready for this reign to end.

- Post-match:
I hope Braun can rebound from this well. 

- Women's Royal Rumble: 
Good talents to start this off.

I like Becky vs. Sasha.

Wow, really? Saving Becky might come back to haunt her.

I was hoping for Absolution vs. Riott Squad at Mania.

YESSSSSSS good to see Lita again.

OH WOW. That's one way for the MYC winner to come back to action.

This is a big night for Kairi.

Ahhh it's good to see Lita in action.

Good work from Lita so far.

So much for Lita winning.

Or Kairi winning.

So how long until Torrie's in the Hall of Fame?

I'm mostly liking all this.

Really cool to see Molly again.

YES THE MOLLY GO ROUND!!!!

Wow. Lots of cameos here, as expected.

WOW. Surprised to see Vickie in action here.

Haha. At least it was pretty brief.

Vickie vs. Carmella at WM34???

So much for McCool winning. I wouldn't mind her returning more than this.

I was just about to say Becky had lasted quite a while. Oh, well.

Ember's here but Shayna isn't? Wow.

Naomi pulling a Kofi here.

WOW. Beth vs. Nia would be fun.

Can't trust anyone in this match, Beth!!

Fun work with Asuka.

I like the nod to Asuka vs. Moon in NXT.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO THE BELLAS ARE BACK.

Oh God please no Bella win.

SOMEONE SAVE US FROM THE BELLAS!

Oh how I've missed Trish Stratus.

Trish vs. Mickie is a nice trip down Memory Lane.

I'd watch Trish vs. Mickie at Mania again.

Man, Sasha vs. Trish would be good, too.

Dear God Asuka save us!!!!!

Banks vs. Asuka could be pretty great.

Asuka destroying the Bellas works for me.

Oh joy. Another Bella feud?

PLEASE don't let Nikki win!!

PHEW. Nice save.

- Post-match:
Oooooohhhhh.... interesting.

I'm excited for what all this could mean. Asuka vs. Rousey could be a hell of a fight.

More wrestling coming up.