The Disturbing Truth Behind WWE's Biggest Winners
Shinsuke Nakamura and Asuka won the 2018 Royal Rumble matches on waves of optimism and hope. By the end of the WrestleMania event primed to crown them both Champions, the only waves left for either were the ones 'The King Of Strong Style' moved his family across the world to surf upon and the tears flooding the face of the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' as she absorbed her first defeat.
It was perplexing in the extreme. Why would WWE tee up Nakamura so sensationally if the intention was to turn him heel and immediately send him hurtling towards the midcard after yet more defeats? The New Japan legend had already been fed to Jinder Mahal the summer before, but much as AJ Styles' salvaging of the WWE Championship was an undoing of that, so to was Shinsuke's Rumble win to be of this. Was the heroic and hard-fought 44 minutes spent in the shot-clinching Battle Royal really worth it?
Likewise, what could possibly be conceived of Asuka's post-Rumble failings that rendered her history-making victory actually worth it? She'd won the Royal Rumble match because up to that point, she was a relentless winner. An NXT unbeaten streak had travelled with her to the main roster in a rare showing of blanket support for a black-and-gold project...until it came face to face with WWE's perpetual pet project. Charlotte Flair was already beginning to get the "Roman Reigns" barbs before she went over the sentimental favourite in what was otherwise a very well-recieved WrestleMania battle. But both Rumble winners - progressive choices, success stories of brave booking - were put to the sword on the 'Grandest Stage' in an act of rather needless preservation from WWE.
Was this telling of the real fate of the "winner" in the modern era?
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