Charlotte Flair and Jey Uso reigned supreme on Saturday night in front of 70,000 fans in Indianapolis at World Wrestling Entertainment’s Royal Rumble.
Uso was something of a surprise winner in the men’s Rumble, which featured a lineup heavy on major attractions, pushing the returning John Cena off the ring apron to secure his first Rumble win, and a spot in one of the WWE title matches at WrestleMania 41 in Vegas in April.
Cena, who returned to WWE officially on Saturday night for his final year as an active performer, took the podium at the post-show press conference to declare he would compete in the men’s Elimination Chamber match in Toronto on March 1, where he vowed he’ll win and go on to win a record 17th WWE world title at WrestleMania 41.
Uso, meanwhile, did the unthinkable by winning the Rumble, if only because the card was so stacked with the likes of CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Cena and others.
Make no mistake, Uso is a major star in WWE, especially when it comes to his popularity with the fans. There isn’t a more popular performer, in fact, when it comes to crowd reaction right now than Uso.
But he certainly wasn’t a Rumble favourite going in.
Flair, meanwhile, returned from an extended absence due to injury to win her second Rumble, and first since 2020. The self-proclaimed queen made her return an emphatic one by winning the Rumble, to not too many peoples’ surprise honestly. Flair was one of the odds-on favourite to win the Rumble.
The only questions that remain now are who will the Rumble winners choose to face at WrestleMania in Vegas? Uso hinted after the match, and reiterated in the press conference, that he’s targeting WWE World Heavyweight champion Gunther, to whom Uso lost last weekend at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
A Gunther/Uso WrestleMania match seems all but certain following the Rumble, and should give fans a pretty entertaining bout. Will it headline either night of WrestleMania? That remains to be seen.
Flair wouldn’t tip her hat on Saturday night after the win, saying fans will have to tune into WWE programming to find out whether she’ll choose to face WWE women’s champion Tiffany Stratton or the women’s world champion Rhea Ripley? She was asked if she might go off the board and target one of the new women’s championships, the Intercontinental or U.S. titles, but it seems unlikely she would.
For my money, Ripley is the top of the card when it comes to women right now, and Flair isn’t one to settle for anything less than being the best.
McIntrye mad? Or just being awesome?
The internet exploded with rumours following the Rumble card after it was reported that Drew McIntyre was said to be angry following his elimination in the Royal Rumble. McIntyre, one of the favourites, was eliminated by Damien Priest, well before it was anticipated he would be.
McIntyre was said to be spewing expletives when he got backstage and left the building before the show was over.
While I love me some good gossip as much as the next guy, this is pro wrestling, and this is a new era, so I’m inclined to believe that McIntyre is just being true to his character and all of this was planned.
Either way, it should make for some interesting television.
Stratusfaction shortlived
Toronto’s Trish Stratus made another return to WWE on Saturday as part of the women’s Rumble, which also featured fellow Canadians Chelsea Green and Postmedia columnist Natalya.
Stratus entered at No. 25 and managed a single elimination when she tossed Candice LeRae over the top rope, but was herself eliminated by Nia Jax.
Green, meanwhile, entered at No. 5, and eliminated Lash Legend and B-Fab before she was eliminated by her own friend Piper Niven, which should make for interesting TV this week. Natalya entered at 18, was not credited with any eliminations and was eliminated by the returning Liv Morgan.
KO, Rhodes steal the spotlight
While the Royal Rumbles got most of the headlines on Saturday, the Undisputed WWE Championship match between champion Cody Rhodes and Canadian Kevin Owens stole the show.
Owens, arguably one of the best all-around talents in the entire industry, proved to be just the infusion of magic that Rhodes needed to reignite his championship reign, which had lost some of its momentum in recent months.
Owens and Rhodes, longtime friends who’ve wrestled countless times in their long careers, lit the place on proverbial fire with a banger of a ladder match.
It was equal parts violent and awesome. From the use of a mini ladder for humour to some absolutely crazy bumps to a bloodied Rhodes standing atop the ladder victorious, the match told an incredible story.
Both men owe one another a debt of gratitude for what unfolded. It was, as they say, an instant classic.
Royal Rumble results
Women’s Royal Rumble Winner: Charlotte Flair.
WWE Tag Team Championship: #DIY def. Motor City Machine Guns 2-1 in a two-out-of-three falls match for the titles.
Undisputed WWE Championship match: Cody Rhodes (c) defeats Kevin Owens.
Men’s Royal Rumble: Jey Uso.
Jan Murphy is a reporter and former editor with the Kingston Whig-Standard, a national pro wrestling columnist and still thinks John Cena should have won the Royal Rumble