50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE Royal Rumble
7. Nia Jax Outlasted 2 WWE Champs In 2019
It'd take until 2023 for Nia Jax to win many wrestling fans over. Her WWE return that year has led to a career-best run, and Nia should be patted on the back for improving herself in-ring and on the mic. She's a credit to the product now, not a meme-worthy hindrance who's always only one move away from disaster (for peers more than herself).
In 2019, Jax shut down R-Truth's entrance as #30 and entered the men's Royal Rumble match. That made her the fourth different woman to enter a male Rumble; Chyna had done it in 1999 and 2000, Beth Phoenix joined in come 2010, and then Kharma had a short cameo in 2012. Nia lasted just over 3 minutes, which is nothing to shout about. Or is it?
After all, her time in the match was longer than Bobby Lashley (13 seconds) and Jinder Mahal (30 seconds). Both of those guys had either been or would become WWE Champ. It's worth noting that Jax had also gone 12 minutes in the women's Rumble earlier the same night. She had a show to be proud of then. Going longer than Lashley was especially telling, not to mention unexpected.
WWE toyed with the idea of putting Nia in intergender situations over the next few months. She'd come nose to nose with Dean Ambrose before Jon Moxley finally told the company to sod off and joined AEW, and even took an RKO from Randy Orton during the Rumble itself.
All of this had to be a buzz for Jax, but it's the fact she went longer than two ex/future WWE Champions that stood out when binging.