The 2018 Royal Rumble was a show full of ups and downs, but more importantly, it was a show that encouraged excitement from a WWE fanbase desperately in need of it as it embarked on The Road to WrestleMania 34.
From unpredictable returns to shocking debuts, awe-inspiring showdowns and the tease of a much-anticipated championship clash, the first pay-per-view extravaganza of 2018 gave fans plenty to mark out over.
Delve deeper into the show’s most memorable mark-out moments with this recap of Sunday’s historic, potentially game-changing broadcast and relive what made the 2018 Royal Rumble the buzz-worthy extravaganza it was.
AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
The moment dream became reality and Shinsuke Nakamura eliminated Roman Reigns to win the 2018 Royal Rumble, fans clamored for the opportunity to see The Artist challenge WWE champion AJ Styles at WrestleMania.
Then the charismatic Japanese star announced he would do just that, and the giddiness of wrestling fans across the globe could hardly be contained.
And rightfully so.
Last competing against each other at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in January 2016, they delivered one of the best matches of that year. When they both wound up on the SmackDown Live roster a year later, fans longed for the opportunity to see the internationally recognized stars mix it up on the grandest stage in professional wrestling.
Nakamura’s victory on Sunday made that possible, and it was not lost on the audience, who should relish the chance to witness two of the best wrestlers of this generation square off under the WWE umbrella, something that would not have seemed possible as recently as five years ago.
The Debut of ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey
There is no bigger news story coming out of Sunday’s show than WWE’s signing of Ronda Rousey to a full-time contract, as first reported by Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (h/t Timothy Fiorvanti).
One of the most influential mixed martial artists in UFC history, Rousey is a legitimate mainstream media icon whose mere presence in WWE triggers interest in the company that otherwise may not have existed.
While many expected she would make an appearance in Sunday’s women’s Royal Rumble match, she waited until afterward to interrupt Asuka’s celebrations and greet Stephanie McMahon at ringside before making her intentions to appear at WrestleMania 34 in some shape or form.
Rousey’s arrival sparked a ton of social media activity and had WWE’s name, and the Royal Rumble event, in the headlines across mainstream news.
It is hard to ignore the significance of her WWE debut Sunday and the coverage it will warrant the promotion.
Asuka’s Historic Victory
The inaugural women’s Royal Rumble headlined Sunday’s pay-per-view extravaganza, and as predicted, Asuka continued her two-plus-year undefeated streak by eliminating Nikki Bella to win the first match of its kind.
The Empress of Tomorrow has been the definition of unstoppable force in WWE, defeating every Superstar in her path while simultaneously creating an aura for herself few can match.
She was expected to win Sunday’s match because that’s…
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