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Royal Rumble kicked off with Goldberg coming out for the WWE Championship match with Drew McIntyre. The pre-show saw Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler defeat Charlotte Flair and Asuka for the Women's Tag titles with the help of Lacey Evans, among other shenanigans.
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Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Goldberg - WWE Championship match at Royal Rumble
McIntyre kicked off with a Glasgow Kiss and a spear before the match began after Goldberg said something to Drew. Goldberg sent Drew into the barricades with a spear of his own before they headed to the ring and the match began properly.
Goldberg went for an early spear and it was countered with a claymore before Drew got a near fall. McIntyre went for another claymore but this time Goldberg countered it into a spear. Goldberg hit the Jackhammer and Drew still managed to kick out of it.
McIntyre avoided another spear and hit the biggest Claymore yet and picked up the quick win over the WWE Legend at the Royal Rumble.
Result: Drew McIntyre def. Goldberg to retain the WWE Championship
Match rating: A
Sasha Banks (c) vs. Carmella - SmackDown Women's Championship match
Sasha started strong with an arm drag and Reggie interrupted her on the apron and paid for it by being knocked down. Carmella capitalized off the distraction and sent Banks into the announce desk before getting a near fall in the ring.
Banks hit a Meteora after getting out of a chokehold before getting hung up on the bottom rope where Carmella tied her hair to the ropes. Banks hit a double stomp and two amigos suplexes in the corner before Reggie interfered once more and was taken out before being sent away backstage by the referee at the Royal Rumble.
Carmella used the distraction to hit a huge dive through the ropes before getting a near fall. Banks got the advantage when 'Mella was talking to the referee and hit the third amigo suplex.
Sasha Banks (c) vs. Carmella - SmackDown Women's Championship match at Royal Rumble (contd...)
Carmella caught Sasha at the Royal Rumble with her trademark kicks, but Sasha reversed her pin attempt with the Banks Statement and made Carmella tap out, retaining the SmackDown Women's title.
Result: Sasha Banks def. Carmella to retain the SmackDown Women's Championship
Match rating: A
Xavier Woods and Big E were backstage and hyped for the Royal Rumble match tonight. Sami Zayn walked up to taunt them before Kofi Kingston showed up and the New Day made fun of Zayn instead.
We got Bad Bunny's performance of 'Booker T' before the Women's Royal Rumble match kicked off.
Women's Royal Rumble Match
Bayley came out at the #1 position and #2 was the returning Naomi. Naomi started off strong after Bayley taunted her and almost eliminated Bayley.
#3 was Bianca Belair, followed by Billie Kay at #4 while Naomi and Belair teamed up to try and eliminate Bayley.
Kay sat down at the announce desk and avoided the match before Shotzi Blackheart came in at #5 and shot her tank at Billie Kay.
Women's Royal Rumble Match (contd...)
Blackheart hit a missile dropkick on Bayley right away at the Royal Rumble before Shayna Baszler came in at #6. Baszler cleared the ring before Toni Storm walked out at #7. Shotzi was eliminated by Baszler before Jillian Hall came in at #8 and teamed up with Billie Kay.
Billie and Jilli took control for a bit before Ruby Riott came in and joined Kay's alliance. Victoria came in at #10 and hit some big moves before Peyton Royce joined her in the ring.
The IIconics were back together for a bit and did their pose before Victoria took out Royce with her finisher. Santana Garrett was #12 before Belair was almost eliminated.
Liv Morgan was in next and the ring was getting crowded before Rhea Ripley was in at #14. Ripley sent Toni Storm out of the ring and took down some others in the ring before Baszler eliminated Victoria.
Sanatan Garrett took a fall out of the ring thanks to a kick from Ripley before Charlotte came in at #15, halfway through the match at the Royal Rumble.
Women's Royal Rumble Match (contd...)
Charlotte went after Ripley at the Royal Rumble before Bayley eliminated Ruby Riott. #16 was Dana Brooke and she hit a huge dive from the top rope on the crowd before Peyton Royce saved Bayley by eliminating Liv Morgan.
Torrie Wilson returned at #17 and took out Bayley and Peyton Royce before Dana Brooke was eliminated by Ripley. Lacey Evans was out next in Ric Flair's outfit and Charlotte was speechless as she attacked Lacey and eliminated Royce shortly after.
Baszler eliminated Wilson before Mickie James came in at #19. Bayley was eliminated by Belair before James and Flair squared off in the ring. #20 was the returning Nikki Cross and she stormed the ring before Alicia Fox joined in.
R-Truth came out for no reason and in the midst of defending himself, Fox picked up the 24/7 championship. Mandy Rose was in next and eliminated Fox before Truth immediately rolled her up to take back the 24/7 title in two minutes and five secs of losing it.
#23 was Dakota Kai before Lacey Evans eliminated Mickie James at the Royal Rumble.
Women's Royal Rumble Match (contd...)
Carmella was in at #24 at the Royal Rumble before Ripley eliminated Kai and then Mandy Rose. Carmella almost got eliminated but Reggie saved her before Nikki Cross was sent out. Tamina came in at #25 and took out Reginald before Carmella was eliminated.
Naomi was sent outside but she fell on her back and used Belair's hair to climb back up. Lana came in at #26 and nearly eliminated Rhea Ripley. Alexa Bliss was in next and the ring started going dark but Ripley eliminated her before she could transform.
Ember Moon came in at #28, followed by Nia Jax at #29. Jax and Baszler eliminated Evans, Naomi, and Ember Moon together before facing each other. Jax eliminated Baszler and then chased Lana around the ring before being eliminated herself!
#30 was Natalya before Jax and Baszler came back in to take out Lana. Natalya turned on Lana and eliminated her before being eliminated herself and only Belair, Flair, and Ripley remained. Charlotte nearly went over the ropes before Belair rushed her and took her out at the Royal Rumble.
Women's Royal Rumble Match (contd...)
Ripley and Belair got caught up in the ropes at the Royal Rumble and managed to recover before getting back in and resuming the fight. Ripley was almost eliminated from the top rope before Ripley dodged the KOD but was still eliminated with a clothesline.
Result: Bianca Belair won the Royal Rumble match and is headed to WrestleMania
Match rating: A+
Miz and Morrison approached Bad Bunny backstage at the Royal Rumble and asked if he wanted to collaborate with them. He refused before the Miz and Morrison trashed on Booker T who showed up behind them and they made a quick exit.
R-Truth was tricked by Peter Rosenberg who pinned him by telling him John Cena was there.
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens - Last Man Standing Match for the Universal Championship at Royal Rumble
Both men started off strong and Reigns hit a Superman punch early on while Owens hit the pop-up powerbomb. The fight went to the ramp where Roman used the steel steps but KO hit a kick and took him down.
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens - Last Man Standing Match for the Universal Championship at Royal Rumble (contd...)
Owens sent Reigns into the LED boards at the Royal Rumble and then attacked him with the steel steps. Owens and climbed up the platform where he was thrown off, weeks earlier, before Reigns attacked him with a steel chair.
Owens got some steel chair shots of his own before Owens hit a stunner and Reigns replied with a Superman punch and tossed him down onto the equipment tables below. Owens got up at the count of nine and Reigns was shocked.
Owens went backstage where Roman crashed a golf caddy into him. Owens still got up and climbed up on some equipment, putting Reigns through an announce desk and then into a ladder.
Owens came across a forklift and climbed the raised platform, diving onto Roman with a senton through a table. Owens dragged him down to the ramp after Reigns beat the count and Roman speared Owens through the LED boards on the stage. Owens still managed to get up at the Royal Rumble.
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens - Last Man Standing Match for the Universal Championship at Royal Rumble (contd...)
Roman used a pair of handcuffs at the Royal Rumble to punch Owens before taking a stunner. Reigns was cuffed to the light fixtures. He was unable to get up and took out the referee before he could finish his count.
Paul Heyman came in to uncuff Roman and a new official was out. Reigns got free and went for the Guillotine on Owens and made him pass out. The referee counted Owens out and Roman picked up the win.
Result: Roman Reigns def. Kevin Owens to retain the Universal Championship
Match rating: A+
Men's Royal Rumble match
Edge was back yet again and was the #1 entry tonight, followed by Randy Orton. Edge ran up the ramp and attacked Randy during his entrance before draggin him to the ring.
Edge bounced Randy on the announce table before Sami Zayn came in at #3. Zayn attacked Edge and helped Randy hurt the injured arm. Mustafa Ali was in at #4 and joined Randy and Sami in beating down Edge.
Men's Royal Rumble match (contd...)
Jeff Hardy came out at the Royal Rumble and he too was taken down by Orton and co. before Randy hit RKOs to both Ali and Zayn. Edge hit a spear on Orton who rolled outside. Edge put Randy into the announce desk with a DDT before Dolph Ziggler came in.
Edge was hitting Orton with a steel chair and officials came out to stop him. Ziggler eliminated Hardy from the ring before Edge returned and was cornered and nearly eliminated by Ali, Ziggler, and Zayn.
Nakamura was in at #7 and Carlito returned to WWE after nearly a decade. Carlito hit a backstabber on Shinsuke while Randy Orton was being escorted backstage after being injured.
Xavier Woods was in next at #9 and Big E was in at #10. Sami Zayn was eliminated and John Morrison came in at #11. Ali eliminated Woods and Big E avenged him by eliminating Ali.
Ricochet was in next followed by Elias who eliminated Carlito. #14 at the Royal Rumble was Damian Priest from NXT and he eliminated Elias before the Miz came in at #15.
Men's Royal Rumble match (contd...)
Miz came in at the Royal Rumble and smashed Bad Bunny's DJ setup before heading to the ring. Bad Bunny came out to protest before Damian Priest eliminated both Miz and Morrison and Bunny hit a big dive on them.
Riddle was #16 and Daniel Bryan came in at #17. Kane made his return at #18 and hit a chokeslam on Edge before eliminating Ziggler and Riochcet. Team Hell No was reunited before Kane hit a chokeslam on Bryan too.
Priest eliminated Kane before King Corbin came in at #19, and Otis made his Rumble debut at #20. Otis was eliminated by Corbin before Dominik Mysterio came in at #21.
Mysterio eliminated Corbin before Dominik was eliminated by Bobby Lashley who came in next. Priest was eliminated too before The Hurricane came back at #23. Hurricane tried to chokeslam Big E and Lashley but they eliminated him instead.
Christian was in at #24 and eliminated Lashley with the help of Big E, Riddle and Bryan. Edge in Christian were reunited before AJ Styles came in at #25 at the Royal Rumble.
Men's Royal Rumble match (contd...)
Edge speared Styles at Royal Rumble before Rey Mysterio came in and Omos stopped AJ from being eliminated. Omos eliminated Big E from the outside and tossed him over the announce desk.
Sheamus was in at #27 and hit the Brogue Kick on Daniel Bryan. Mysterio was going for a 619 on AJ but Omos blocked it and helped AJ eliminate him. Cesaro was #28 and nearly eliminated Sheamus after reuniting the Bar.
Seth Rollins was back at #29 and was followed by Braun Strowman at #30. Omos saved AJ again from elimination before Cesaro and Sheamus were eliminated by Strowman.
Braun eliminated AJ and was speared by Edge and Christian. Seth Rollins stomped on Bryan and eliminated him before eliminating Riddle as well. Rollins, Edge, Christian, and Strowman remained.
Rollins tried to ally with Braun but Strowman took him down before Rollins dumped Christian and Braun out of the ring. Edge eliminated Rollins and it looked like he won but Randy came in with an RKO but Edge tossed him out, winning the match!
Edge won the Royal Rumble for the second time in his career and is going to WrestleMania!
Result: Edge won the Royal Rumble and is going to WrestleMania
Match rating: A+
PPV Rating: A+
We got a shockingly good first PPV of the year with Royal Rumble tonight. The matches were some of the best while we got plenty of returns and surprises including the return of Rollins, Christian, and Kane.
