The Fiend defeats Daniel Bryan

WWE Royal Rumble January 26: Universal Title Strap Match

Per usual, the Fiend’s has a very good entrance. Daniel Bryan missed a suicide dive and The Fiend threw Daniel Bryan into the post. Wyatt has made good use of the strap throughout the first five minutes of the match. Escaping sister Abigail, Bryan got a high kick and a running knee for a two count. Launching himself from the top turnbuckle to the floor, Bryan got a flury of offense before Wyatt threw him into the stairs. Bryan would next use the strap to pull Wyatt into the post several times. After Bryan hit a high knee from the apron, Wyatt followed up with a clothesline regaining the advantage. Atop the German announce table, Bryan struck the Fiend in the groin several times before hitting a DDT.

No matter how much abuse Bryan commits, The Fiend keeps asking for more. The Fiend grabbed Bryan out of midair and hit sister Abigail for a two count. Eventually The Fiend would wrestle Bryan to the mat with the mandible claw, but Bryan countered into the Yes Lock using the strap for leverage. Breaking the yes lock, The Fiend whipped Bryan with the strap, went for sister Abigail, and Bryan rolled up the Fiend for a two count.

Bryan attempted to whip the Fiend with the strap, but it had no impact. The Fiend grabbed Bryan, locked in the mandible claw, and pressed Bryan to the mat for a three count.

Match Ratings

Six dimensions combine to make up the overall rating. Matches score ratings of 1-10 only if the match lasts for a minimum of 5 minutes.

1. Match Quality– Was the match well wrestled or sloppy?
2. Audience Engagement– Did the live audience care about the match?
3. Competitiveness– Was the match competitive or one-sided?
4. Stakes – Did the match matter?
5. Finish– Did the match end in a satisfying manner?
6. Performance: (1) Poor (2) Below Average (3) Average (4) Above Average (5) Excellent