WWE ‘Royal Rumble’ Results In Roman Reigns Heel Turn As He Blindsides The Undertaker
The WWE Royal Rumble is over for another year. The 2017 Royal Rumble was arguably the most hyped for many years. With appearances from The Undertaker, for the first time in nearly a decade, Brock Lesnar, and Bill Goldberg, the WWE universe expected a huge night, but many were disappointed with the outcome of the main event. As soon as it was announced that The Undertaker would take part, he was installed as the favorite to win the Royal Rumble, but it was another SmackDown star who took the evening’s honors. Randy Orton entered the fray at No. 23, and went on to win his second Royal Rumble.
As reported yesterday in the Inquisitr, many had expected The Undertaker to win the 2017 Royal Rumble. It looked like the Deadman was set for victory, after he entered at No. 29, but it was not to be. As reported by SB Nation, the crowd went crazy as The Undertaker entered the ring for an epic stare down with Goldberg. Fans began to believe that the Deadman was set for Royal Rumble glory when he eliminated both Goldberg and Baron Corbin.
An Undertaker victory seemed certain when he eliminated Sami Zayn and Miz, but the 2017 Royal Rumble had a few more surprises up its sleeve. Roman Reigns entered the match at No. 30, and he had a major part to play in the outcome of the event.
Roman Reigns is a man that the WWE universe have not taken to their hearts. Reigns had lost his World Championship challenge earlier in the evening to Kevin Owens, and Reigns was roundly booed by the huge Alamodome crowd as he entered the battle royal.
Roman Reigns Heel Turn, He Blindsides The Undertaker, Setting Up A Match For ‘WrestleMania 33’
Reigns seems to be the man that the WWE universe loves to hate. To date, Vince McMahon has avoided the temptation to allow a Reigns heel turn, but it looks like that heel turn is now firmly on the cards. Reigns and The Undertaker have been virtual strangers on the WWE network. There have not been any confrontations, or even interactions between the pair, but all that changed at the 2017 Royal Rumble.
As reported in The Sun, many fans were outraged when Reigns entered the match at No. 30. Entering so late in the match gave Reigns a real shot at winning, and he had already had a world title match earlier in the evening. The WWE universe had expected to see legends Triple H or Kurt Angle enter late in the match, but that didn’t happen.
The 2017 Royal Rumble would have been a great time to introduce new blood to the wider WWE audience, but that didn’t happen either. Instead Reigns blindsided The Undertaker and eliminated him, much to the disgust of the WWE universe. Reigns and the Deadman then engaged in an epic stare down, one that confirms a Reigns heel turn and sets up a WrestleMania bout against The Undertaker.
Reigns went on to eliminate Chris Jericho and made it to the final two. Randy Orton eliminated Reigns to take the 2017 Royal Rumble title, but even that failed to calm a crowd united in their dislike of Reigns. Vince McMahon will be hoping that a Reigns heel turn will endear him to his detractors.
In other Royal Rumble news, John Cena defeated 2016 sensation AJ Styles to equal Ric Flair’s record of 16 World Championships. There is no question that the Styles vs. Cena bout was the match of the event. The quality was high and the result in doubt right up to the final moments. Cena looked dead on his feet after some huge hits from Styles, but he managed to snatch victory when he pinned Styles to take the title.
[Featured Image by WWE network]
