WWE Royal Rumble 2021 1/31/2021

 WWE Royal Rumble 2021 1/31/2021

This show does not work with my schedule at all. I'll do the best I can though.

Pre-Show:

There was a segment with Carmella and Reginald regarding Reginald's talk with Sasha. Carmella wasn't happy about it and said he shouldn't do things without running it by her first essentially.

Charlotte and Asuka were interviewed in the back. Charlotte said she has a lot going on but knows shayna and Nia are going to cheat. Asuka says her opponents aren't ready for her.

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship - Asuka and Charlotte Flair vs Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler

Not too much of note happened early. Later on in the match, Nia got sunset bombed by Charlotte and powerbombed Asuka. Charlotte did a double natural selection on both opponents. Asuka did a butt bump off the apron onto Nia and got thrown over the announcer's table and Charlotte did a moonsault from the top that both Nia and Shayna failed to catch. Ric Flair came out and almost cost them the match and Lacey interfered too. Flair gave Lacey knucks and she nailed Charlotte, then Nia beat Charlotte for the win. This Ric vs Charlotte angle is really bad and this match wasn't anything good.

WWE Championship - Drew McIntyre (c) vs Goldberg

 Unbelievable that they are starting this show with this. Goldberg is wearing shorts. They had Goldberg come out then they did a video package about how this match came to be which was odd. They piped in Goldberg chants and besides the chants being obvious, the chants were still going on after the long video package.

Drew speared Goldberg and Goldberg threw him into the stairs. Then he speared him through the barricade before the bell rang.

Drew got in and hit a claymore. He tried another and missed and got speared twice after. Goldberg hit a jackhammer but only got 2. Goldberg missed a spear then took a claymore for the Drew win. This was short as expected but I thought Drew kicked out of too much. This was a waste for Goldberg and buried him some. 

They hugged after and Goldberg raised Drew's hands.

Sasha was interviewed. She said she will win regardless of the tricks tonight and said she will drink the champagne of Carmella's tears.

Smackdown Women's Championship - Sasha Banks (c) vs Carmella

 Sasha ran up the 2nd rope and armdragged Carmella early. Sasha and Reginald met on the apron and Sasha pulled him down, then Sasha got nailed. Carmella jumped on Sasha off of Reginald's back. Sasha got headscissor choked over the ropes by Carmella and Carmella posed outside.

Carmella put her in a chinlock. Sasha hit a meteora off the 2nd rope onto Carmella. Carmella tied Sasha's hair to the bottom rope and stomped on her. Sasha regained control and dropped double knees on her over the top rope. Carmella threw out Sasha and she landed in Reginald's arms. Then Sasha spinning headscissored him and the ref ejected Reginald.

Carmella then did a tope and did a header onto the floor. Sasha hit a delayed three amigos then Carmella got her knees up on Sasha's frogsplash. Sasha dove off the top and took two kicks from Carmella. Carmella went for something and got rolled into the Banks Statement for the Sasha Banks win.

This wasn't bad at all. The only botch was Carmella's dive but it looked cool.

Women's Royal Rumble

Bianca and Naomi were going for a piledriver and they both cartwheeled the other in a neat spot.  Shotzi debuted here in her tank. Billie Kay went up to her and Shotzi shot her cannon at her. Billie went up to Shayna with a picture of herself and Shayna punched it and hit her. Toni Storm then came out at #7 and Billie went up to her and got turned down. Toni hit a big german on Shotzi. Shayna flipped Shotzi over the top and eliminated her. Jillian returned at #8. Jillian agreed to team up with her and they worked together.

Victoria returned at #10. The Iconics reunited here and Royce did a widow's peak, then Victoria did it too. The Riott Squad eliminated Billie Kay, playing off their temporary alliance. Rhea Ripley came in at #14. Shayna did a hanging choke on Victoria then dropped her to eliminate her.  Ruby was trying to german Royce off the apron then Bayley slid under her and powerbombed her to eliminate her. Liv Morgan tried to hurricanrana Bayley over but Royce superkicked her and she fell out.

Torrie Wilson came in at #17. Everything she did looked awful. Dana Brooke got powerbombed on the apron by Rhea and was eliminated. Lacey Evans came out to Flair's music and wore his purple robe. Charlotte beat the crap out of her for it with the robe's feathers going everywhere. Royce was flipped backwards over the ropes and took a nasty split out. Mickie James came in at #19. Nikki Cross came in at #20. Alicia Fox came out at #21 and they called her a legend. R-Truth followed her out as he was being chased. He yelled "Wrong Rumble", realizing this wasn't the men's Rumble. Truth batted off the various people going after his title then during it Fox pinned him and became the 24/7 champ. Fox was eliminated soon after and pinned by Truth, who regained his 24/7 title.

Dakota Kai came in at #23. Dakota Kai took a nasty face bump on the apron from Rhea. Reginald caught Carmella and stopped her elimination. He apparently did it again but the camera's missed it and Tamina superkicked him in the face when she entered at #25. They gave Tamina and Rhea their own hoss vs hoss spot.

Naomi was eliminated but her body touches and her feet didn't. Naomi grabbed Bianca's long hair then pulled herself up with it. Lana came in at #26. Alexa Bliss came in at #27 and how that will work I am not sure. Bliss got beat down and the lights started changing. She teased changing forms but Rhea eliminated her. Well, that's one way out of that.

Ember Moon came in at #28. Tamina and Nia met up and Shayna wanted Nia to nail her and Nia refused. Then they went at it anyway and Shayna and Nia eliminated Tamina. Nia then threw horrible shots at Shayna and then eliminated her. Nia rushed at Lana and Lana ducked and eliminated her, then Natalaya came out at #30.

Shayna and Nia beat up Natalya on her way down then went back in and started nailing people. They left after throwing Natalya in. Natalya turned on Lana and threw her out and we get a final four of Charlotte, Rhea, Bianca and Natalya. Bianca took out Natalya who took a wild bump out. Bianca and Rhea teamed up to eliminated Charlotte. Bianca and Rhea did a dumb spot where they both hung on the rope getting close to touching and I think both of Bianca's feet actually touched. They both flew at each other trying to do something like a hair whip at the same time and went splat. Bianca ended up lariating Rhea out to win.

Look, this was a women's Royal Rumble. The girls are sloppy and  there for their gender only. There were your usual bad and ugly spots here but some of the returns and spots were interesting. It was hardly anything special workrate wise.

Bianca was interviewed after. She said she showed everybody and was legit crying. She then pointed at the Wrestemania sign and swung her hair around. 

Miz and Morrison went up to Bad Bunny in the back. Miz said they should collab. Bunny wasn't interested. Miz ripped Booker T saying he wasn't relevant and Booker T popped up behind him. Booker did his "Tell me you didn't just say that" line and they wished Miz luck.

They went back to the Royal Rumble kick-off desk. Truth said he has seen Foxes and this should be called the Royal Rumble farm. Rosenberg said he saw Cena and told Truth to look that way, then he low blowed him and pinned him.

WWE Universal Championship - Last Man Standing - Roman Reigns (c) vs Kevin Owens

 

They flurried on each other to start and takes a pop-up powerbomb soon after. Owens gets thrown into the steps on the outside and takes a big spear. Romans bangs him in the shoulder with the steps and a little later, Owens bangs his head off the steps and the monitor boards. Owens goes up into the stands  and Roman follows to bang his head off the monitors.

Someone left chairs up on the stands and they use them on each other. Owens gets thrown off high from the stands and through the tables on the floor, but Owens makes the 10 count. Owens stumbles around the Thunderdome. Then Roman RUNS HIM OVER with a golf cart out of nowhere. Super Kevin is okay though and gets back up and Roman tees off on him. Roman makes a comment to look to the skies for Owens' grandfather and Owens flips out. Roman gets slammed on an announcers' table then Owens jumps off boxes onto him on the table.

Kevin climbs on top of a fork lift and does a senton off of it through a table on Roman. There were clearly crash pads though.  They go to the stage and Roman spears Owens through the LED boards. Owens survives the count by rolling off the stage. Owens burns his arm on a light. Roman grabs handcuffs and they pound on each other with Roman winning. Owens comes back with a stunner and cuffs Roman to a light pillar. The ref starts counting as Roman is down and Roman throws the ref into the lights, knocking him out.

Heyman comes out and unlocks Roman and takes him a good 3 minutes to do it. During this, another ref comes out and won't count, blowing the whole spot. Reigns then guillotine sleepers Owens on the ground and wins.

They did too much here and couldn't really sell it like they should have then the ref blew the match by not counting.  I'm not sure where Owens goes from here since he has lost multiple times and I'm not sure that even if the ref thing was intentional that it would be enough for this one to continue.

Royal Rumble

 

 

Edge enters at #1. Orton is #2 and Edge runs up the ramp after him. Orton's face is now fully healed. They fight outside the ring and Sami comes in at #3 before they get in. Mustafa Ali comes in and they triple team Edge. Jeff Hardy is in at #4. Orton RKO's Sami and Ali, then is speared by Edge. Orton and Edge go at it again outside and Edge ddt's Orton on the table which doesn't break. Ziggler in at #6.

Carlito makes his return, Nakamura enters and Sami is thrown out by the New Day. Ali eliminates Xavier Woods and Big E throws him out over it. Ricochet entered and did a springboard twisting dive on a few people. Elias eliminated Carlito.

Damien Priest comes in at #14. They show Orton getting healed up in the back. Miz comes out and destroys Bad Bunny's DJ equipment which turned Miz face to me, because that song sucked. Miz held up Ziggler and Morrison springboard kicked him. Bad Bunny then comes out and Damien Priest eliminates Miz and Morrison. Bad Bunny then jumps off the top rope onto them. Kane came in at #18. He chokeslammed multiple people and eliminated Ziggler and Ricochet. Daniel Bryan was happy to see Kane and offered a hug, then after the hug, Kane chokeslammed him. Kane and Priest then went face to face and Priest eliminated Kane.

Corbin eliminated Nakamura. Otis came in at #20 and threw around everyone, then did his worm elbow on Priest. Corbin then took him out though. Dominik Mysterio came in at #21 and eliminated Corbin as Crobin swore revenge. Lashley came in at #22 and eliminated Dominik and Priest. Lashley and E had a hoss spot. The Hurricane came in at #23. He tried to chokeslams on Lashley and E and was thrown out hard.

Christian returned at #24. He helped eliminate Lashley. Edge and Christian hugged. Riddle wanted in and they beat him up. Christian rolled backwards and Edge caught him and dropped him on Riddle. AJ came out at #25 as Edge hits the 42 minute mark. Rey came in at #26 and they did a very blatant shill of a beer company. AJ almost went out but Omos pushed him back in.

Omos grabbed E from the floor and pulled him out, then threw him over the announcers table. Sheamus came in at #27. Rey tried a 619 on AJ but Omos grabbed his legs and threw him at the barricades. Cesaro came in at #28. Sheamus tried to make friends with him again and Cesaro giant swinged him. Seth Rollins came back at #29. Strowman then came in at #30.Braun threw AJ outside but Omos caught him. Braun took out Sheamus and Cesaro, then he threw out AJ on the side Omos wasn't at.

Riddle and Daniel Bryan got two little sections. Rollins eliminates Daniel Bryan. Riddle and Rollins had a nice section and Riddle ended up getting curb stomped out on the apron and was eliminated. Rollins, Braun, Christian and Edge were the final four. Rollins told Braun they are the future and Braun really powerbombed him. Braun took a 2v1 and ran through Edge and Christian. Braun tries to eliminate Braun, Christian helps then Christian and Braun both get eliminated. Edge then eliminates Rollins...but Randy Orton returns to the match after never being eliminated. Edge then dumps him out seconds later  to win which was kind of dumb. Edge wins from the #1 spot.

This wasn't a bad Rumble. Not a great one but there wasn't anything too bad here.

Overall thoughts: Good show. It wasn't perfect but it had a lot of totally fine stuff without too much bad stuff. There wasn't anything too bad except for the ref botch on Owens/Reigns.