WWE Royal Rumble 2018: 10 Things WWE Got Right

5. Finn Bálor's 'Iron Man' Rumble Performance

Finn Balor Shinsuke Nakamura
WWE.com

Every year, those laying out the Rumble like to pick someone who can fill the 'Shawn Michaels slot'. Typically, this is somebody fans respect, like Rey Mysterio or Chris Jericho, and usually, they're important to the writers. If being the Rumble's iron man is a sign of credibility with the bookers, then Finn Bálor has a great 2018 to look forward to.

Finn went 57 minutes and 30 seconds in this year's Rumble. Nobody lasted longer in the match, something the announcers made sure to mention every time it looked like the Irishman might be eliminated. When he was finally thrown over the top by John Cena, the boos were deafening, and not only because it was Cena.

Fans respect Bálor immensely. That will only make a heel turn (should that be the plan) all the sweeter when WWE pull the trigger. There's no doubt Finn was this year's MVP in the Rumble, and this was arguably more important to his main event aspirations than that ill-fated Universal Title reign in 2016.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.