The 5 coolest moments of the 2016 Royal Rumble Match
That was awesome. And that. And that. And that! Oh, let’s face it: For can’t-miss, rewatch-on-WWE-Network , tell-me-I-did-NOT-just-see-that moments, the Royal Rumble Match is tough to beat. And even though the conclusion of this year’s match is sure to draw controversy ( again [and again]), the contest itself had no shortage of moments that took the WWE Universe’s collective breath away. Here are five that particularly got our pulses pounding.
WWE Network: Relive the 2016 Royal Rumble Match in full
Let's get InZayn
Followers of WWE NXT already know that Sami Zayn is back in the mix after recovering from a shoulder injury that sidelined him last year. But The Underdog From the Underground didn’t keep his comeback to only NXT at Full Sail; he took a crack at the WWE roster — and the WWE World Heavyweight Title itself — by making his Royal Rumble Match debut. Plus, he made a beeline for — who else? — Kevin Owens, eliminating his estranged best buddy after only a few seconds. Olé!
WWE.com Exclusive: Sami speaks after Royal Rumble Match debut
The Beasts Incarnate
Anyone who thought Bray Wyatt staking his claim on Brock Lesnar this past Monday was a one-off was just fooling themselves: The Eater of Worlds prides himself on planet-sized statements, and he made the biggest one yet when he commanded his diabolical brood — all previously tossed by The Beast Incarnate — to return to the ring and help him expel The Anomaly from the Royal Rumble Match. And even with all the foreshadowing, the sight of Brock Lesnar laid low — again — by circumstances beyond his control was, perhaps, the most chilling of all.
Behold The King
On your knees, Big Dog: Stephanie McMahon promised Triple H would exact his vengeance on Roman Reigns when the WWE World Heavyweight Champion least expected it, and that turned out to be the No. 30 spot in the Royal Rumble Match. The Game ended up playing spoiler for Reigns’ dream run through WWE’s ranks, ousting The Big Dog before tossing Dean Ambrose and taking the WWE World Heavyweight Title for himself ... and his family.
Watch: The McMahon family celebrates after the Rumble Match
Second to last man standing
Dean Ambrose was not kidding when he said nobody could keep him down. In perhaps the biggest shock of the Royal Rumble Match, it was The Lunatic Fringe and not his brother-in-arms, Roman Reigns, who found himself the last entrant staring down Triple H for the right to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Once again, Ambrose was denied the ultimate prize, but he came the closest he has yet to reaching the brass ring, keeping The Game on the brink of defeat before getting tossed. So close, yet so far. For now…
The phenomenon begins
No more rumors, no more interviews, no more Instagram posts: AJ Styles is here. The former New Japan IWGP Heavyweight Champion officially arrived in WWE as the No. 3 entrant in the Royal Rumble Match. And The Phenomenal One didn’t waste any time making his mark, mixing it up with the WWE World Heavyweight Champion himself, notching two eliminations and lasting 28 minutes before being tossed by Kevin Owens. The former Intercontinental Champion sneered “Bye, AJ,” even as Chris Jericho was trying to eliminate him, but is it really goodbye? Is it?
Full story: Who is AJ Styles? | See his pre-WWE photos | AJ's first WWE.com interview
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