WWE's Royal Rumble event is in the books, and fans are likely still buzzing about the final match of the night. That match saw Roman Reigns emerge victorious as the final Superstar in the Rumble, guaranteeing him a WWE World Heavyweight Championship shot at WrestleMania 31.
And while many are likely still debating the pros and cons of that move, the fact is that the rest of the Rumble card had some definite bright spots. Indeed, there were several moments that definitely lived up to the hype.
The Ascension vs. The New Age Outlaws
Many fans were likely not expecting too much from this match. The reason for that involves WWE's newest duo, The Ascension, which came out of hiding in Florida to totally underwhelm on the company's main roster.
The truth is, Konnor and Viktor were put squarely behind the eight ball when they began on Monday Night Raw.
Fans that knew them from NXT were surely happy to see them finally make it to WWE's flagship program. Those that didn't know them perhaps saw just another tag team on the scene, one that would probably be mixing it up with The Usos at some point.
But rather than play them as a powerhouse tag team with championship ambitions, WWE instead chose to portray The Ascension as rip-offs of The Road Warriors.
It was their primary talking point, one they used from the beginning. Instead of letting the crowd decide for themselves what to make of The Ascension, the comparisons to Hawk and Animal were forced onto the WWE faithful every time the new team was on the air.
So seeing The Ascension at the Royal Rumble was likely a moment that many were anticipating, if only to see how the pair would respond under the bright lights. But the fact is they looked surprisingly good. Of course, they were in the ring with the veteran New Age Outlaws, and it would actually be a little difficult to have a bad match under those circumstances.
But The Ascension gave as good as they got and finally looked like a hardworking tag team instead of a forced mimicked gimmick. This was the duo's chance to shine, and they took full advantage of it.
The Royal Rumble match
This may be a tough one for many fans, especially considering that the aforementioned Reigns walked out with the win and the hatred of the crowd. But there were other workers in the match that had some nice moments—moments that were far less controversial than the final one.
Diamond Dallas Page surprisingly entered the Rumble, the first of his pro wrestling career. DDP came in and looked as though he fit right in with the roster, carrying his weight against several Superstars. He did his signature diamond salute to the crowd, hit the Diamond Cutter and popped the crowd quite a few times during his run in the match. It was a nostalgic appearance but one that fans responded very positively to.
Bubba Ray Dudley also returned to the WWE ring during the Rumble match. The former WWE Superstar also fit right in again among his peers and even executed double-team moves with R-Truth that are usually reserved for Devon Dudley. The Rumble emanated from ECW country in Philadelphia, so Bubba got a huge reaction, and that equated to him delivering on every level in the ring.
Dean Ambrose was a favorite of many to win the Rumble and move on to WrestleMania 31, but of course, that did not happen. That does not, however, negate from the impact he made in the match and how good he looked against the field. He showed once again that he belongs on the main event stage, and this will surely not be the last time he appears on it.
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins
Reigns going over in the Rumble may have been a foregone conclusion to many fans, but the winner of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match was not. There were many variables in this one, and they all began with Seth Rollins.
Rollins was perhaps the underdog to win the belt. After all, it was the first time he stepped into the ring with Brock Lesnar. And considering John Cena's status as the company's top guy, there was every reason to believe that Rollins did not stand a chance.
But he stepped up in the match. Rollins held his own and looked good against The Beast Incarnate. Despite the size difference and the difference in the main event-level experience, Rollins proved he deserved the spot he had. It was the biggest match of his life, and Rollins delivered in a very big way.
Cena and Lesnar also came through on their part of the bout, as both men brought the intensity that they've been known for in the past. For the first time since he won the belt, Lesnar looked like the champion that WWE needed. Gone was the doubt and hatred from fans. The only thing that mattered was the three men in the ring and Paul Heyman living the emotion of it all on the outside.
This was the kind of championship match that WWE fans had been waiting on, the kind that could get them on their feet and remind them of how entertaining a big main event could be. It also set the wheels into motion for the future of the company.
The title is only as good as the focus that it receives from WWE. Until the strap comes back to a full-time performer, fans need to see the company give it proper respect, and the only way to do that is to feature it in high-profile matches with top-notch stars. And that is exactly what happened at the Royal Rumble.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2343529-wwe-royal-rumble-2015-contests-that-lived-up-to-the-hype
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