12 WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Impulse Reactions
2. The Winner
"Nobody was ready for Asuka" yet again as the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' blew through the field en route to a relatively comfortable Rumble victory. It was predictable, but perfectly so. To protect her treasured undefeated streak she must remain just that, regardless of match caveats or other creative excuses for not preserving one of the most carefully-managed quirks in the industry today.
Better than just having her arm raised for all sign-pointing responsibilities, Asuka looked like a winner too.
She was unwavering against NXT frenemy Ember Moon, as 'bossy' as Sasha Banks when confronted with the fellow former Full Sail favourite and fearless in the face of both Nikki and Brie Bella in a suspenseful ending.
Best of all, her WrestleMania opponent remained a secret as her decision-making process was interrupted by somebody very special indeed. It was the ultimate show of disrespect, but Asuka refused to be overawed by the situation. Pawing away a golden handshake was one night one as powerful as a punch in the face. She couldn't have looked cooler from the moment she arrived until the second the show went off the air.