Here are your quick and dirty, editorial-free WWE Royal Rumble results for January 28, 2018. The show was headlined by the Royal Rumble match, the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble, and matches for the WWE and Universal Championships. Be back here tomorrow for the complete Best and Worst of WWE Royal Rumble 2018 column.
WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Kickoff Results:
1. Kalisto, Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado defeated Jack Gallagher, Drew Gulak and TJP. Kalisto won the match for his team by hitting a Salida del Sol on TJP.
2. The Revival defeated Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. Dash Wilder pinned Anderson after a chop block.
3. United States Championship Match: Bobby Roode (c) defeated Mojo Rawley. This was a United States Championship open challenge match. Rawley answered the challenge, and was pinned following a tornado DDT.
WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Results:
1. WWE Championship Handicap Match: AJ Styles (c) defeated Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn Styles countered a pop-up powerbomb into a roll-up on Owens to retain the Championship. Despite this, it appeared that Zayn was the legal man and had not tagged Owens in.
– Owens and Zayn confronted Shane McMahon about the finish backstage, claiming he couldn’t let another referee screw them out of the championship. When asked if he’d seen the finish, McMahon smiled and answered, “yep.”
2. Smackdown Tag Team Championship 2-out-of-3 Falls Match: The Usos (c) vs. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin The Usos won the first fall with a double superkick on Gable. Jey Uso quickly rolled up Benjamin in a small package to win the match in two straight falls.
3. Shinsuke Nakamura won the men’s Royal Rumble Match. Surprise entrants included NXT Champion Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas, Sami Zayn (after Zayn and Owens attacked #10 entrant Tye Dillinger), The Hurricane, Adam Cole and Rey Mysterio. The final four was Shinsuke Nakamura, Finn Bálor, John Cena and Roman Reigns. Cena eliminated Bálor. Nakamura was able to eliminate Cena with a Kinshasa, and was able to toss Reigns to the floor to win the match.
– During a post-match interview, Nakamura announced that he’d be challenging AJ Styles for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.
4. Raw Tag Team Championship Match: The Bar defeated Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan (c). Jordan was injured with an apparent (worked) concussion after being thrown into the ring post. Rollins had to fight The Bar alone, and Sheamus was able to connect with a Brogue Kick to win the match and regain the Tag Team Championship.
5. WWE Universal Championship Triple Threat Match: Brock Lesnar (c) defeated Braun Strowman and Kane. In a chaotic match that included Lesnar and Strowman shooting on each other, Lesnar hit Kane with an F-5 to retain the Universal Championship. After the match, Strowman stood in the ring screaming “YOU DIDN’T BEAT ME” at Lesnar.
6. Asuka won the Women’s Royal Rumble Match (in progress) Surprise entrants included Lita, Kairi Sane, Torrie Wilson, Molly Holly, Michelle McCool, Vickie Guerrero, Kelly Kelly, Jacqueline, Ember Moon, Beth Phoenix, the Bella Twins and Trish Stratus. The final four were Sasha Banks, Asuka and the Bellas. The Bella Twins teamed up to eliminate Banks, then Nikki betrayed Brie and forearmed her to the floor. Asuka was then able to kick Nikki off the apron to win the match and become the winner of the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble match.
– When the match was over, Ronda Rousey made her return to WWE and pointed at the WrestleMania sign.
If you haven’t already, listen to this week’s McMahonsplaining podcast where we preview the Royal Rumble and talk to Diamond Dallas Page.
[protected-iframe id=”77295b030660fdfeabccb2daf32edb61-60970621-10222937″ info=”https://omny.fm/shows/mcmahonsplaining/episode-24-diamond-dallas-page/embed?style=artwork” width=”100%” height=”180″ frameborder=”0″]
