Opening segment
- Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn come out and heel the crowd.
- AJ Styles interrupts, and Sami Zayn makes fun of him for being predictable. Zayn is really good here.
- WWE keeps scripting AJ Styles and it really hurts him. Zayn and Owens are the best at throwing to footage, particularly of AJ saying he'd face Owens and Zayn individually.
- Daniel Bryan comes out to make the match official, but AJ Styles does first.
- Backstage, Daniel Bryan tells Shane McMahon he wasn't actually going to sanction the match and Shane takes a little shot at him.
Chad Gable (w/ Shelton Benjamin) defeated Jey Uso (w/ Jimmy Uso)
5.5/10
- The early minutes are Gable dominating Jey Uso with amateur wrestling. Uso stops it for a while, but gets posted during the break.
- Uso is fighting one armed, and after teases of a dive from him and a moonsault from Gable, he connects.
- Gable with a rolling kick and the deadlift German Suplex for the win.
Backstage Crappenings
- I thought both Shinsuke Nakamura (KNEE. FACE) and Baron Corbin had fair promos for what they were. Nakamura challenges Corbin.
Naomi defeated Liv Morgan
- I loved the kick/dodge spot early in this match. One of the better spots I've seen on Smackdown in a singles match in a while. Liv uses the Matrix move and dodges kicks.
- This is really short. Liv hits a nice clothesline, but Naomi wins with a slingshot sunset flip.
- I want to see these two have a longer match.
- Riott Squad and Welcoming Committee, Becky Lynch get involved. Lynch ends up tossing Naomi over the top rope.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin
5.5/10
- A lot of stalling in the opening moments to lead to Corbin gaining the advantage over Nakamura.
- Corbin has a great counter into a Deep Six.
- Nakamura scores a triangle armbar and a big kick, but Randy Orton runs in with a GREAT RKO. The place goes nuts.
- RKO on Corbin!
New Day & Bobby Roode (w/ Big E) defeated Jinder Mahal & Rusev Day
5.75/10
- New Day enters the Royal Rumble and introduces Bobby Roode.
- This is really just a bunch of moves, but it was fun for what it was. Spinebusters, dives, signature hits.
- Xavier wins with the elbow drop.
- I think Bobby Roode has new white gear.
- Rusev Day is still incredibly over.
AJ Styles defeated Kevin Owens.
- Shane McMahon makes Sami Zayn go to the back. If KO or Zayn interfere in each other's match, they're fired.. Awkward commercial cut.
- Calf Crusher. Submission. Wow. Styles holds onto it a while.
Sami Zayn defeated AJ Styles
7/10
- Sami Zayn attacks AJ Styles before the bell, but Styles says he's good to go. Wouldn't it have made a little more sense to have Owens do some damage in the match to really sell it?
- Sami gets good offense, but Styles' comeback strike combo into the clothesline is one of my favorite.
- No one has ever hit a flying forearm quite like AJ Styles.
- AJ Styles randomly attacks Kevin Owens -- and the medics helping him. What a dick.
- This is great work. An outstanding super huracanrana and Pele hit for Styles.
- AJ Styles slides out of a superplex in a masterful manner to drop Zayn across the top rope.
- Styles attacks Owens AGAIN. THE BLUE THUNDER BOMB WON A MATCH THIS IS THE GREATEST NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR SPORT WE'RE OUT OF TIME!
- This match ruled.
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