Seth Rollins vs. Sami Zayn
The winner of this match enters the Royal Rumble and the loser is out. Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn can WORK. Seth picks up the pace with a clothesline and then a suicide dive to the outside as we head to a commercial break. Back from break and Seth is looking for a knee from the top, but misses. Sami hits the Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Zayn picks up Rollins and plants him with the Michinoku driver for another two count. Sami Zayn goes to the top rope, but Rollins stops him. Zayn pushes Rollins back to the mat, heads to the top, but Rollins moves out of the way. Rollins a Blockbuster for another near fall and then connects with a superkick. A Falcon Arrow drop Sami, but he still kicks out. Zayn hits a DDT from the ropes, but misses the Helluva kick.
Rollins goes for the Pedigree again, but Zayn back body drops Rollins over the top rope. Seth gets back in control, but Sami Zayn reverses it into a sunset flip power bomb. Rollins somehow manages to kick out. Sami hits the corner suplex and then sets up for a Helliuva Kick. Seth Rollins gets out of the way and hits a Pedigree on the apron. As Rollins is about to go for the pin, Triple H’s music hits. This allows Sami Zayn to pick up the pinfall.
What an excellent match and the right way to end it. I was a little thrown off by the logic here, as Stephanie McMahon did not want Sami Zayn in the match, yet her husband’s music hit. Either way, I understand and the music playing was an excellent way to continue to piss off Seth Rollins. You want to strip him of everything he has, making him a desperate man and one face who will reach another level of attitude and intensity. We are going to get that, even though I will miss Seth in the Rumble match. I do think something happens where he hijacks the match somehow and Triple H enters the Royal Rumble. Maybe, Seth Rollins gets payback and then eliminates Triple H, destroying him all over the arena. That would certainly pick up the intensity of this feud, one that has been stewing for months and months now.
Rusev, Jinder Mahal, Titus O’Neil and Braun Strowman vs The New Day, Enzo and Big Cass
After some speaking on the microphone, including an introduction to “Handsome Rusev,” we get ourselves a six man tag team match. With many of these men in the Royal Rumble, it was interesting to see WWE put Braun Strowman with them. You have to wonder what logic this is, instead of having him in with guys like Sami Zayn, Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker and others. It has been his development and introduction to former world champions that has made Strowman so interesting. This does absolutely nothing for me when it comes to the “Monster Among Men.”
Speaking of these guys, I love Rusev. I think he is so funny and comes off so natural on the mic. He gets such a good reaction, good or bad, and garners a few laughs when we have finally been given a chance to see his real personality. He is going to be a world or universal champion in 2017.
