Welcome to another edition of UnWrest Focus REWIND. This edition is going to look back to the first WWE Network event from Saudi Arabia that happened earlier this year (before I started this blog). The Saudi Arabia events have been surrounded in a LOT of controversy given the current political climate in Saudi Arabia and its treatment of dissenters and women. (Just check the news this week alone {October 2018} to get some insight as to why people have some issues with this country.) WWE is a for-profit organization and has decided to take the money rather than try to make any sort of statement as far as equality goes. Whether you agree or disagree with that stance is your position to take.
This post is simply going to look at the match the entire event was created around: The Greatest Royal Rumble Match. Keep in mind that a Royal Rumble event had literally taken place 3 months before. But this is going to be "The Greatest." What that means? I guess that means "The Greatest" amount of people as 50 men will be competing in this match for the opportunity to win a trophy and championship belt at the end.
With that in mind, let's get to the match as it is going to be a long one.
Greatest Royal Rumble 2018
April 27, 2018
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Greatest Royal Rumble Match
#1 Entrant is Daniel Bryan. Big ovation for Daniel Bryan.
#2 Entrant is Dolph Ziggler. Solid way to start off the match here. Two guys who can work a long time in the match and keep going.
The bell rings. These guys are going to be in it for the long run possibly. Bryan and Ziggler each try to eliminate the other multiple times. Ziggler gets a big dropkick on Bryan and tries to eliminate him. Here comes the count.
#3 Entrant is Sin Cara.
Big Asai Moonsault by Sin Cara early on. Powerbomb to Ziggler. Crossbody to Bryan. Good action so far here with Sin Cara bringing more high flying to the equation. Senton splash off the top rope by Sin Cara. Superkick by Ziggler. Sin Cara eliminated by Ziggler.
#4 Entrant is Curtis Axel.
Axel works on Bryan right out of the gate. Then he works on Ziggler. Not as fast paced as the Sin Cara sequence was. The count is on already.
#5 Entrant is Mark Henry.
10th Royal Rumble for the Hall of Famer. Henry takes his time getting to the ring. Axel attacks him as soon as he gets in. Henry picks him up, puts him on the apron, headbutts him, and eliminates Axel.
#6 Entrant is Mike Kanellis.
Yes. This guy is still in WWE and is one of the many people still employed that WWE doesn't use week after week. And just as soon as he gets in the ring, Henry eliminates him from the match. I do not think he broke Santino's record. Ziggler and Bryan work on Henry.
#7 Entrant is Hiroki Sumi.
Who is this guy? He's from Japan and is a sumo wrestler. I guess the Saudis wanted Yokozuna. Since Yokozuna is no longer with us, we get another sumo wrestler. (That's actually a true story about the Saudis wanting Yoko.) Henry dumps Sumi out of the ring in an impressive feat. Bryan and Ziggler eliminate Henry. Then Bryan almost gets Ziggler out, but Dolph hangs out as...
#8 Entrant is Viktor of The Ascension.
He comes in with a lot of steam going after both Bryan and Ziggler. Arm breaker over the ropes to Viktor by Bryan, and he uses Viktor's weight to eliminate him from the match.
#9 Entrant is Kofi Kingston.
Kofi hits both Bryan and Ziggler off the top rope. Boom Drop on Ziggler. Kofi is always fun to see in the Rumble.
#10 Entrant is Tony Nese.
And his 85 abs. Nese and Kingston have a nice exchange here. I'd say Nese is not used to working in front of these many people, but I'm not sure he's used to working in front of many interested people after SmackDown Live ends every week.
#11 Entrant is Dash Wilder (The Revival).
Backbreaker by Dash to Nese. Nese, Kofi, and Dolph are in one corner, Dash and Bryan in the other.
#12 Entrant is Hornswoggle.
What the hell? He pulls out Dash over the top to the floor to eliminate him. Shin Kick by Swoggle followed by a Samoan Drop. Graves says Swoggle may win because of his low center of gravity. Dear God almighty. Why not just get Zach Gowen in the ring? That way, you can't ever eliminate him since both feet have to hit the ground. That's just stretching things too far. Anyways, Ziggler and Nese team up to eliminate Swoggle and end this thankfully.
#13 Entrant is Primo Colon.
They say Primo has "flown under the radar." No duh. He's been on WWE TV about as many times as Bruce Prichard has been this year. Ziggler and Bryan continue to go at it as....
#14 Entrant is Xavier Woods
He plays the trombone running to the ring. Fun spot here as Primo dumps Xavier on the apron. Then, he dumps Kofi who lands on top of Xavier. Xavier is holding on for dear life on the ropes to avoid their double elimination. Primo works on his fingers. Xavier holds on and bites Primo's hand. Xavier climbs to the top rope with Kofi still on his back. Kofi jumps off Xavier's back and nails Bryan, Ziggler, and Primo with a crossbody. Both New Day members are still in this match. FUN sequence of events here. (That's what I said about Kofi. You can always expect this stuff from him in this match.) They do the New Day Rocks dance. Nese wants in on the fun. They pick up Nese and dump him to the floor, eliminating him and his 96 abs (He got 11 more while working in this match).
#15 Entrant is Bo Dallas.
Can you Bo-Lieve this? Bo goes to workon both New Day members. Bryan and Ziggler have been in the match for 20 minutes.
#16 Entrant is KURT ANGLE!
As J.R. would say, "Business is about to pick up." German Suplexes for EVERYONE! Bo Dallas and Primo dumped by Angle. Superkick by Ziggler to Angle. DOLPH GETS BELLY-TO-BELLY SUPLEXED OVER THE TOP TO THE FLOOR, ELIMINATING HIM! 21 minutes for Ziggler.
#17 Entrant is Scott Dawson (The Revival).
Bryan's body is hanging off the apron, but he gets back in the ring.
#18 Entrant is GOLDUST!
Royal Rumble #13 for Goldust. Big slam by Goldust to Woods. All six men are paired off. Diving knee strike by Bryan to Kofi. Bryan and Goldust now going at it.
#19 Entrant is Konnor (The Ascension).
The ring is starting to fill with bodies quickly as eliminations are becoming few and far between. Angle emptied the ring of a few guys, but it seems that just as quickly the ring has been replenished. Woods tries to double leg Angle. For a guy with a doctorate, that was a dumb thing to do to an Olympic Gold Medalist who won his Gold Medal with... (say it with me, folks) A BROKEN FRIGGIN' NECK!
#20 Entrant is ELIAS!
He plays his guitar coming out to the ring while everyone wrestles in the ring. "ELIAS is universal." Lol. He runs in the ring and ELIMINATES KOFI, KONNOR, AND XAVIER AT THE SAME TIME! Wow!
#21 Entrant is Luke Gallows.
A Good Brother is now in the ring. And he's on TV now too. Big shock. Bryan and Angle go at it in the center of the ring. YES! YES kicks by Bryan. Angle gets the Ankle Lock. OLYMPIC SLAM by Angle. ELIAS ELIMINATES ANGLE! Wow. (I know that only lasted a few moments, but we got to see Bryan and Angle go at it for a minute. This match can not be a failure now.)
#22 Entrant is Rhyno!
The Man Beast is here. Another guy who is often MIA in WWE. (This Rumble should be called The "Hey They Still Work Here?!" Greatest Royal Rumble.) Bryan's been in for 30 minutes. Keep in mind that this is just a few weeks removed from his return to in-ring action.
#23 Entrant is Drew Gulak.
Another 205 Live guy who is probably shocked to see eyes actually looking at the ring and not the cell phone (or backs to the concessions stand) after SmackDown Live.
#24 Entrant is Tucker Knight of NXT's HEAVY MACHINERY!
He's going right after Dawson. Knight shows off his power by holding up Gulak for a second. Gulak gets a sleeper in, but Knight eliminates Gulak to absolutely no reaction. (The power of 205 Live, folks.)
#25 Entrant is GLORIOUS! Yes. It's Bobby Roode!
Roode goes after everyone. Arena sounds muted somewhat. Roode dropkicks Goldust off the apron to eliminate him. :( . Dawson does the worst sell in the history of catapults seconds later. Roode flips him into the move. He pulls himself up the corner into the corner ringpost and somersaults himself to the floor to eliminate him. (Hey. I'm not saying I could do any better. I'm just saying I've seen a million better than this.) Cole: I think Dawson just eliminated himself. Graves (underbreath): Accidents happen. Wow.
#26 Entrant is Fandango.
The announcers continue to bicker at each other, going at each other for knowing it was Fandango and for Saxton's outfit. Graves wants PETA involved. This was more entertaining than this part of the match.
#27 Entrant is Chad Gable.
Knight misss a big dive at Gable. Gable continues to suplex everyone around the ring. He puts Knight on his shoulders and hits an Electric Chair Drop. Bryan and Gable go at it.
#28 Entrant is REY MYSTERIO!!!!
And he gets fireworks! Rey goes at it with Gallows. Rey gets popped up onto the shoulders of Gallows and flips him over the top to the floor. Rey now goes at Bobby Roode. Roode is in position. 619 stopped by Fandango. Fandango tosses Rey at Gable who catches him but eats a spinning DDT by Mysterio. The ring is filled...
#29 Entrant is Mojo Rawley.
He eliminates Fandango. Mojo was being semi-pushed at this point, but it would come to an end soon enough. Cole puts over the fact that Bryan is still in the match.
#30 Entrant is Tyler Breeze.
Breeze goes after Mojo. Breeze goes out to the floor into the arms of Fandango. He hasn't touched... Well, Mojo just pushed him to the floor, eliminating him. Bryan gets Yes Kicks on Knight. 43 minutes for Bryan. Gable suplexes Bryan. Incredible effort by Bryan here thus far.
#31 Entrant is BIG E.
He pulls out pancakes and throws them at Tucker Knight. Big Ending and the night ends for Knight as Big E eliminates the big man. Good effort for an NXT talent.
#32 Entrant is Karl Anderson.
Another Good Brother comes to the ring. Bryan and Anderson go at it. Spinebuster to Roode by Anderson (I know. Wrong Anderson!). Roode gets 619!
#33 Entrant is Apollo Crews.
Crews gets the enziguri and moonsault on Gable. Gable crashes hard on the floor being thrown out. (I still think Gable and Crews' music sounds too similar.)
#34 Entrant is SHOCK THE SYSTEM?! RODERICK STRONG! YES!
Roderick Strong of NXT's Undisputed Era is in the ring. Strong goes after everyone. Big dropkick to Elias. Strong is hitting backbreakers on everyone. HE LIFTS BIG E UP AND HITS A DOUBLE KNEE GUTBUSTER ON HIM! WOW! Rhyno goes to eliminate Strong, but Strong ... well, Rhyno puts himself over the top rope. Strong hits a knee to eliminate Rhyno.
#35 Entrant is Randy Orton!
Big ovation for Randy Orton by the crowd. Orton unloads on everyone with a bunch of strikes. Apollo flips at Orton into AN RKO! Goodbye Anderson. Goodbye Mojo. Goodbye what's left of Apollo. 3 eliminations in 10 seconds.
#36 Entrant is Heath Slater
One Man Band baby! He's got kids. Slater is going nuts. Slater goes after Elias. That's a joke in and of itself.
#37 Entrant is Babatunde
He's supposedly from NXT. (Um. I'm writing this in October. I've yet to see Babatunde show up on the show. Just saying.) 'Tunde seems to run the ropes well for a big guy. Bryan's chest is looking raw (and I don't mean the show either). That guy has taken some punishment.
#38 Entrant is Baron Corbin
He drags Elias out and rams him into the steps. Elias is still legally in the match by the way. Corbin beats up everyone. Deep 6 to Rey Mysterio. Corbin chokepushes Roode out of the ring to the floor, eliminating him. Seconds later, Strong gets eliminated. 'Tunde and Corbin are going at it now.
#39 Entrant is Titus O'Neil.
He runs down the aisle and... HE FALLS SLIDING UNDER THE RING! LOL! He gets up and is ok though. You can see Titus is po'ed as the announce team just goes insane laughing at this. All three can't contain themselves. Cole puts it over as one of the greatest moments in Royal Rumble history. (I agree with Cole on this. It reminds me of similar dives contestants on The Price is Right have done.)
#40 Entrant is Dan Matha (from NXT?).
Who?! He slows down coming down the ramp. They replay the slide again and again. Graves can't contain himself.
#41 Entrant is BRAUN STROWMAN!!! OH MY GOD!
Here comes The Monster Among Men! The crowd does the Braun roar with him. Strowman is in the ring. It's Strowman vs 'Tunde, and both Tunde and Matha are sent back to obscurity. Big E picks up Braun, but Strowman returns the favor sending Big E out. Slater gets thrown onto the other eliminated men on the floor to eliminate him. Gang attack on Strowman.
#42 Entrant is The Perfect 10, Tye Dillinger.
What? He's not #10? He comes in to help the others eliminate Strowman. But Braun just pushes them all away. Titus gets sent to the floor. Cole tells Titus to go back under the ring. (At this point, we get it Cole. Let the man be.) Goodbye Tye. (I didn't mean for that to rhyme, but it is likely to happen again some time. Dang it.) Orton dropkicks Strowman into position for a 619. Rey connects and RKO connects as well. Rey is eliminated by Corbin. Corbin gets dumped by Orton. Orton gets dumped by Elias! Elias is getting destroyed by Strowman. Bryan is on the floor somewhere as Strowman stands alone in the ring. (To be clear, Elias and Bryan are still in this match with Strowman.)
#43 Entrant is Curt Hawkins.
Oh boy. Curt tries to run away. Strowman chases him up the ramp and decks him. That was at least a 25 yard dash by the monster to catch up to and get Hawkins. Impressive. Hawkins gets entered into the ring. Strowman runs around the ring to deck Elias and Bryan (who Cole confirms are still in this). Elias gets sent back in. Hawkins gets dumped over the top to the floor. Elias avoids a shoulder attack by Strowman, who hits the ring post.
#44 Entrant is Bobby Lashley
Massive firework display for Lashley. Lashley goes to work on Elias. BIG RUNNING SPEAR INTO THE CORNER BY LASHLEY TO ELIAS. Knee to Lashley's face. They botch a sidewalk slam. Lashley eliminates Elias, and it's "The Day The Music Died" according to Cole. Lashley and Braun are going at it now. Bryan come in and hits the running dropkicks into the corner. He's still in this!!!
#45 Entrant is THE GREAT KHALI?!
Khali gets in the ring. Poor Bryan is stuck with giants. CHOPS for everyone. Poor Bryan. Strowman and Lashley team up to eliminate Khali. He's gone as quickly as he came in to the ring. Both men collide in the center of the ring running at each other. Dear God. Bryan's chest is literally shredded like a piece of raw meat.
#46 Entrant is Kevin Owens.
Owens runs down to the ring while everyone is down. CANNONBALLS for everyone! He runs into a superkick by Bryan. Bryan now has the record so far at 1:05:00. Pop-Up Powerbomb by Owens.
#47 Entrant is SHANE MCMAHON!
Kevin goes after Shane when he comes in. Some potato shots by McMahon to Owens. Floatover DDT by Shane McMahon. Bryan and McMahon lock eyes. They look at Owens. And it's a double Yes Kick attack by the former SmackDown Live administrative team.
#48 Entrant is Shelton Benjamin
Nice spot for Benjamin to get some spotlight in a thinned out Rumble environment this late in the match. He spears Shane and goes after him with punches. (GET ME ON TV!!! LOL. He doesn't say that for the record.) Spinning back kick by Benjamin. Strowman tosses Benjamin away when he tries to knee The monster. Owens tells everyone that they need to gang up on Strowman. They agree. All of them gang up on Strowman. Shane's taking a breather on the apron.
#49 Entrant is Big Cass.
Vince's passion project that self-destructed in front of his very eyes this past Spring. (Here's hoping Cass is able to work out whatever issues he has and lands somewhere on televised wrestling. He has a lot of promise, but he needs to work on some things professionally in and out of the ring. Don't take my word for it. Listen to a podcast of his where he admits that.)
Bryan and Cass have a feud going on. And Bryan gets assaulted by Cass. Strowman is down in the corner. COAST TO COAST by Shane McMahon! That never gets old. Strowman rolls to the outside, but he's still in the match. God this has been a marathon for Bryan and for the audience.
#50 Entrant is CHRIS JERICHO!!!
Keep in mind here that Jericho just finished a match in New Japan Pro Wrestling back in January and was in the process of hyping up a match with Tetsuya Naito around this time too. But Saudi money is Saudi money, and Jericho had said he was willing to work for WWE in the right circumstances. And stuff like what Jericho did in 2018 proves why he is one of the all-time greats in the industry.
The scarf is lit up, and this is WWE Jericho. Not New Japan Jericho. Owens is begging him to leave him alone. Lionsault connects on Owens. Codebreaker to Benjamin who gets eliminated by Jericho. Walls of Jericho to Owens. Big Boot by Cass. Lashley tries to suplex Big Cass. I'm not sure if Lashley meant to give Cass a brainbuster, but that's basically what happens to Cass when the suplex doesn't work. That looked sick, by the way. Bryan is going after Owens now. He tells Shane to get up. Bryan is going nuts in the ring. He tells Shane to go Coast to Coast. And here comes Strowman. Shane does go Coast to Coast... ALL THE WAY DOWN OFF THE TOP THROUGH THE ANNOUNCE TABLE THANKS TO STROWMAN!!!! WOW!
Lashley dives after Braun with a crossbody. Lashley is caught and thrown out by Braun. Codebreaker is caught. Jericho eliminated. Owens eliminated now by Strowman. Strowman and Bryan now. Bryan continues to try to get Strowman over. Big Cass with a big boot to Bryan. Bryan is eliminated by Cass. Wow. 1:16:05 for Bryan. That completely shatters previous Royal Rumble records. Cass gives Bryan the riot act, telling him to take out his trash.
Cass and Strowman are the final two in the ring. Strowman tells him to Get These Hands. Cass goes after Strowman. Strowman puts Cass on the top rope. Cass eliminated. BRAUN WINS!
Winner: BRAUN STROWMAN!
Match Grade: B. This was NOT The Greatest Royal Rumble Match ever in terms of quality. But what it was was a great exhibition by a lot of the talent in WWE. There were some noticeable botches in there, but WWE went out of their way to put on a good show for the Saudi crowd. The big things to take away from this were:
1) The performance of Daniel Bryan who played the Bob Backlund role from 1993. The guy who has just recently made his return and makes an impressive run in the Rumble before being eliminated near the end.
2) Braun Strowman was booked to be a monster. They didn't try to do anything too cute. Strowman was ganged up on like a monster/giant should be. And the monster survived to win the match.
3) WWE's roster is a ridiculous embarrassment of riches itself. So many of these guys on the roster are very talented, but there simply isn't enough TV to showcase them all. Still, the match proved that the Rumble format still works when you go to the bottom of your roster.
4) Titus O'Neil is a showstealer even when he doesn't mean to be.
Trophy Presentation by Vince McMahon and a member of the Saudi Royal Family. And you can see the smile and joy in the face of the Saudi leader giving the belt to Braun Strowman. Strowman holds the title up as festive music plays. Fireworks go off all around the stadium.
_ _ _ _
That does it for this massive edition of UnWrest Focus REWIND. One day, I may have to go back and watch all 30+ Royal Rumbles to see where this lands. But it is not that time yet. Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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