The Royal Rumble match is easily one of the most exciting matches in all of sports entertainment. For decades, the Royal Rumble match echoed with the thunderous stomps of thirty men vying for a shot at glory. However, the landscape shifted and WWE also introduced a 30-man battle royal for the female roster.
It is no surprise that the Women’s also got the Royal Rumble match because both the roster and the fans deserved this spot. The female roster of the WWE has developed so much in the past decade. From Money in the Bank briefcase and Survivor Series 5-on-5 matches to getting a Royal Rumble match and headlining WrestleMania, the women of WWE and the fans have gotten what they deserve.
When was the first WWE Women’s Royal Rumble
The first time WWE organized the Women’s Royal Rumble was in 2018. The 2018 event took place at the Wells Fargo Center, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 28, 2018. It was only the second time after 2006 that the Men’s Royal Rumble match was not headlining the eponymous pay-per-view. However, the spot was not given to a world title match this time around. Instead, the inaugural Women’s Royal Rumble headlined the 2018 event.
Who won the first WWE Women’s Royal Rumble
Asuka won the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018. The 30-woman match began with Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch. The two superstars alongside Charlotte Flair were the biggest names in the town. As Flair was the champion at the time, Banks and Lynch were the best names who could have opened the match, and so they did.
They were followed by the likes of Lita, Liv Morgan, Michelle McCool, Carmella, Natalya, Nia Jax, Beth Phoenix, Mickie James, Asuka, The Bella Twins, Bayley, Trish Stratus and more. The star-studded Royal Rumble did not fail to impress the fans, who stuck their eyes to the television set for almost an hour.
The Bella Twins eliminated Sasha Banks towards the end of the match and only Asuka was left in their way. However, only one of them could have won and thus, Nikki betrayed her sister. She was then going to eliminate Asuka but she was not ready for the Empress of Tomorrow. Asuka overcame Bella to become the first Women’s Royal Rumble winner. Later that night, former UFC fighter Ronda Rousey also made her WWE debut and made a statement for her WrestleMania arrival.
All Women’s Royal Rumble winners
| Year | Winner | Entry Number | Time spent | Eliminations | Runner up |
| 2018 | Asuka | 25 | 19:41 | 3 | Nikki Bella |
| 2019 | Becky Lynch | 28 | 13:20 | 2 | Charlotte Flair |
| 2020 | Charlotte Flair | 17 | 27:19 | 4 | Shayna Baszler |
| 2021 | Bianca Belair | 3 | 56:52 | 4 | Rhea Ripley |
| 2022 | Ronda Rousey | 28 | 10:16 | 4 | Bianca Belair |
| 2023 | Rhea Ripley | 1 | 01:01:08 | 7 | Liv Morgan |
Women’s Royal Rumble FAQ's
A. Rhea Ripley won the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble match after last eliminating Liv Morgan.
A. Yes. Since 2018, WWE has organized two Royal Rumble matches - one for the men and one for its female roster.
A. There has been a Women's Royal Rumble match since 2018.
A. Asuka won the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018.
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