At the Royal Rumble this past Saturday, WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes and challenger Kevin Owens battled in a grueling Ladder Match, but it was Owens who garnered widespread praise for his performance. Not only was he commended for the punishing bumps he took throughout the match, but he also played a crucial role in structuring it. While Rhodes and others involved received recognition, they redirected the spotlight to Owens, emphasizing that he deserved the credit.
Meanwhile, popular online content creator IShowSpeed made a surprise appearance in the Royal Rumble match, taking a devastating bump from Bron Breakker that quickly went viral across social media. WWE officials were reportedly thrilled with Speed’s involvement and are eager to collaborate with him again—potentially at WrestleMania. Plans are already in motion for WWE to release merchandise celebrating his Rumble appearance.
In the Women’s Royal Rumble match, Roxanne Perez, Liv Morgan, and IYO Sky earned significant internal praise for their endurance and standout performances. Perez lasted nearly 68 minutes, while Morgan and Sky each approached the 67-minute mark, solidifying their reputations as iron women of the match.
(H/T: PWInsider Elite)