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January is a huge month for WWE fans because the Royal Rumble pay-per-view decides two title challengers and kicks off the road to WrestleMania. The year normally begins with a bang as new stars are built on the way to, and during, the Royal Rumble. The prestigious pay-per-view usually comes at the end of the momth.
Throughout January, WWE fans were treated to some great matches. Championships were put on the line, and new contenders emerged. Some previous challengers also reentered the mix. Some titles even changed hands over the course of the month. New WWE Women's Tag Team Champions and WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions were crowned.
Following the Royal Rumble, Damian Priest made his debut as a RAW Superstar. He is already being built like one of the brand's most promising stars, as he was paired with Bad Bunny during his first night on the red brand. Likewise, it seems like Rhea Ripley, who was booked like a powerhouse in the Women's Royal Rumble Match, is set to join the main roster.
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Clearly, it was quite an eventful month. January was full of great matches, and here's a look at the five best bouts WWE offered this past month.
#5 WWE Championship match: Drew McIntyre vs. Keith Lee
At the very beginning of January, Keith Lee and Drew McIntyre clashed for the WWE Championship on RAW Legends Night. Since his move to the red brand last summer, Keith Lee has been one of the most buzzworthy names on WWE's red brand. He has become a stable fixture in the WWE Championship picture.
After he earned another shot at the WWE Championship, Keith Lee challenged Drew McIntyre for the title in the main event of Legends Night. The pair put on a great show, as both stars showcased the top level of talent that they possess. It was a competitive match that had several standout spots. But McIntyre eventually managed to retain the WWE Championship by pinning Lee.
At the end of the match, Drew McIntyre's celebration was cut short by the returning legend, Goldberg. He decided to challenge McIntyre for his WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. Goldberg's return overshadowed the incredible title match that ended this episode of WWE RAW, but it was one of the best bouts of the month.
#4 Men's WWE Royal Rumble match
In the main event of the show, the men competed in the annual Royal Rumble Match. In the build-up to this year's battle royal, it felt like the match could be anyone's for the taking. It was impossible to pick a clear frontrunner from RAW or SmackDown.
As the Royal Rumble drew closer, numerous stars declared themselves as entrants in the match. By the time the event started, most of the surprise entrants had already been revealed. Plus, the first two entrants, Edge and Randy Orton, had been announced prior to the event.
There were some great moments in this year's Men's Royal Rumble Match. Surprise returns from Seth Rollins, following his time on paternity leave, and Christian, who hasn't competed in WWE since 2014, made the match feel quite special. WWE Legends Kane and The Hurricane also had brief appearances.
Edge's win from the number one spot put him in the history books alongside a small handful of men in WWE. This victory also came on the eleventh anniversary of Edge's first Royal Rumble win back on January 31, 2010.
#3 No. 1 contender's gauntlet elimination match, WWE SmackDown
Following Roman Reigns' WWE Universal Championship match against Kevin Owens at TLC in December, "The Tribal Chief" was ready for a new challenger. A Gauntlet Match was set for the January 9 episode of SmackDown to determine Reigns' newest challenger.
Despite not having wrestled on television for almost seven years, WWE Official Adam Pearce was entered into match by Paul Heyman. Reigns' "Special Counsel" managed to pull some strings to get his way.
Sami Zayn was quickly eliminated by Rey Mysterio, who was in turn pinned by Shinsuke Nakamura. Daniel Bryan then entered to face the former WWE Intercontinental Champion. The pair battled back and forth for a few amazing minutes of in-ring action before Nakamura pinned Bryan.
The final entrant was Adam Pearce, and the WWE official was reluctantly escorted to the ring by Jey Uso and Roman Reigns. The duo attacked Nakamura and placed Pearce on top of him to give the official the win.
Fans were initially confused by this announced title match for the Royal Rumble. But Pearce later tricked Reigns by replacing himself with Kevin Owens.
#2 Roman Reigns vs Kevin Owens, Last Man Standing match, WWE Universal Championship
After a lengthy rivalry over the WWE Universal Championship that has been going since November 2020, Kevin Owens challenged Roman Reigns to his title once more at this year's Royal Rumble event. The two stars faced off in a Last Man Standing Match.
Originally, WWE Official Adam Pearce was scheduled to take on "The Tribal Chief", but he replaced himself with Owens. At the Royal Rumble, the pair engaged in an all-out brawl, as Reigns and Owens used the whole arena to their advantage.
Throughout the match, the competitors, especially Owens, took some huge bumps. At one point, Reigns threw Owens off the set of the ThunderDome. Owens himself put his body on the line when he jumped off a forklift onto Reigns. In the same match, Reigns mowed down his challenger in a golf cart.
The match ended after Paul Heyman freed Roman Reigns from the handcuffs that Owens used to attach the WWE Universal Champion to a lighting rig. Reigns used a Guillotine Choke on Owens to take him down, leaving him unable to beat the ten count.
#1 Women's WWE Royal Rumble Match
Although the women didn't main event this year's WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view, they did steal the show. The battle royal began with two former SmackDown Women's Champions, Bayley and Naomi.
The match featured many fantastic Superstars. There was more of an element of surprise because only half the entrants had declared their entry into the bout. (In the Men's Royal Rumble Match, fans already knew most of the competitors ahead of time.)
In the Women's Royal Rumble Match, fans saw a handful of returning WWE Legends, including Jillian Hall. She teamed up with Billie Kay for a fun few minutes. Hall of Famer Torrie Wilson and two-time WWE Women's Champion Victoria also competed in the battle royal.
This year's Women's Royal Rumble Match also saw a star-making performance from former NXT Women's Champion Rhea Ripley, who scored the most eliminations of the entire night. The final showdown between Ripley and the eventual winner, Bianca Belair was also one of the best finale in recent memory. Both women pulled out all the stops to deliver a thrilling conclusion to the match.
This match also made history, as Belair broke the Iron Woman record and became the first-ever African American woman to win the Royal Rumble Match.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
