Tonight’s Royal Rumble made history as the headline match was for the WWE World Heavyweight championship. Did Roman Reigns overcome the odds, or do we have a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion? (Spoilers ahead.)
Pre-show:
Damien Sandow & Darren Young vs. The Ascension vs. Mark Henry & Jack Swagger vs. The Dudley Boyz
Whichever team wins this match gets guaranteed spots into the Royal Rumble match, which is odd, considering no one in this match has a shot of winning the title. Another odd thing about this match is that it’s one of the rare times we got to see Damien Sandow, who is teaming up with Darren Young. It makes a lot more sense for Young to team up with the other half of the Prime Time Players, but at least Sandow gets some screen time. Mark Henry hits Viktor with the World’s Strongest Slam for the win, and the guaranteed spot in the Royal Rumble match for him and Swagger. Winners: Jack Swagger & Mark Henry
Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens – Intercontinental Championship (Last Man Standing Match)
After weeks of Ambrose and Owens beating the hell out of each other, a Last Man Standing match was the best way for these two to settle the score. For those who don’t know the rules of a Last Man Standing Match, the objective is to keep your opponent off of his feet for a 10 count.
This match is off to a hellacious start, with Kevin Owens being sent over the announce table, right into Michael Cole (Cole’s glasses would be broken in the process). After Owens staggers Ambrose at the barricade, Owens hits him with the cannonball through the barricade near the timekeeper’s area. Some of the weapons we have seen so far include chairs, a kendo stick, and Michael Cole’s iPad.
Owens catches Ambrose off of a suicide dive attempt, rams him into the apron, then sends him into the stairs. Ambrose manages to get up after a count of 8, but Owens has dealt a lot of damage. In some down time, Owens stacks two tables outside the ring post. Owens unsuccessfully tries to suplex Ambrose through the tables, but Ambrose manages to hit Dirty Deeds. Owens gets up during the count, the Ambrose hits another Dirty Deeds, but this time, onto a chair. Right at the 9 count, Owens rolls out of the ring onto his feet to keep him in the match. With the way this match is going, it is going to be better than the Royal Rumble match.
Ambrose sets up a table and hits a diving elbow drop through Owens and the table. Somehow, both men get to their feet by a count of 8. Ambrose sets up… another table inside the ring. During the set-up, Owens yells “I hate you!” to which Ambrose responds with the same. Owens counters a superplex and drives Ambrose through the table instead. Then Owens hits the Pop-up Powerbomb, and Ambrose somehow gets up before the count of 10.
Owens has had enough, and sets Ambrose up on a row of chairs. Owens goes for a moonsault, and Ambrose pushes him into the stacked tables for the 10 count. Winner, and still Intercontinental Champion: Dean Ambrose
The New Day vs. The Usos – WWE Tag Team Championship
New Day enters without Xavier Woods, and starts a moment of silence for the loss of Francesa the Trombone. During the moment of silence, a trombone starts to play, and it’s Xavier Woods! Kofi and Big E are confused about Xavier, and wonder why he isn’t in mourning. Xavier says that he can’t mourn forever, and “has needs,” which leads to the introduction of the newest member of the New Day family: Francesca 2.
As great as New Day is, I am not going to get my hopes up for this match considering how strong the Usos have been booked over the last month, including multiple victories over the New Day.
Big E is about to drive Jey Uso through the barricade, but Jey counters into a superkick. While the referee is distracted with Kofi, Xavier hits a tornado DDT outside the ring. Occasionally, the numbers game has been helping the New Day, but the Usos have been doing a good job countering as much as they can. Jey Uso, after being thrown into the crowd by Kofi earlier, runs along the top of the barricade and jumps onto Kofi. Afterwards, Big E spears Jimmy Uso off of the apron, which is incredible to watch every time.
Kofi gets hit with a superkick, but Big E makes the blind tag in the process. Big E catches Jey Uso in mid-air, and hits the Big Ending for the victory, which is definitely not booty. Winners, and still WWE Tag Team Champions: The New Day
Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto – United States Championship
Probably the only good thing that has come out of this feud is that the fans are really getting behind Kalisto. Del Rio and Kalisto have had good chemistry in the ring so far, but this match has happened too many times in the last couple weeks to makes this interesting.
One of the pros about this match is that WWE decided to leave the League of Nations backstage, so that the focus can just be on these two having a great match. WWE might be hesitant with putting the belt on Kalisto because of all of the injuries as of late. Del Rio exposes a turnbuckle, but it is used against him and Kalisto hits the Salida Del Sol for the win. Winner, and NEW United States Champion: Kalisto
Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch – Divas Championship
Becky has been on a roll as of late, and the fans keep getting behind her, so she might be the biggest face of the Divas division.
The action goes outside the ring, where Flair plays his usual role as human shield for charlotte. However, for whatever reason, Flair decides to kiss Becky Lynch as a distraction, which definitely has some shock value, and the potential for a sexual harassment claim. Charlotte goes for a baseball slide, but Becky moves out of the way and Charlotte hits her father instead. Becky locks in the Disarmer, but Ric Flair throws his jacket into becky, preventing her from seeing. This leads to a spear from Charlotte for the win. Winner, and still Divas Champion: Charlotte
After the match, Charlotte is attacking Becky Lynch, and out of nowhere, Sasha Banks returns! Eyeing Charlotte the entire way to the ring, Sasha attacks…. Becky. Charlotte thought she just gained an ally in Sasha, but Sasha hits the Bank Statement, and makes a statement in the process. A Divas title feud is exactly where The Boss belongs.
Royal Rumble Match – WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Since there is so much happening in the Royal Rumble match, the recap will be who enters and who gets eliminated, as it happens.
- Entrant 1: Roman Reigns
- Entrant 2: Rusev
- Rusev eliminated
- Entrant 3: AJ Styles
- Entrant 4: Tyler Breeze
- Tyler Breeze eliminated
- Entrant 5: Curtis Axel
- Curtis Axel eliminated
- Entrant 6: Chris Jericho
- Entrant 7: Kane
- Entrant 8: Goldust
- Entrant 9: Ryback
- Entrant 10: Kofi Kingston
- Entrant 11: Titus O’Neil
- Goldust eliminated
- Entrant 12: R-Truth
- R-Truth thinks he’s in a ladder match
- R-Truth eliminated
- Entrant 13: Luke Harper
- The League of Nations drags Reigns out of the ring and beat him down
- Entrant 14: Stardust
- RIP Spanish announce table
- Entrant 15: The Big Show
- Titus O’Neil eliminated
- Ryback eliminated
- Entrant 16: Neville
- Kofi Kingston eliminated
- Entrant 17: Braun Strowman
- Kane eliminated
- Big Show eliminated
- Entrant 18: Kevin Owens
- AJ Styles eliminated
- Entrant 19: Dean Ambrose
- Entrant 20: Sami Zayn
- Kevin Owens eliminated
- Entrant 21: Erick Rowan
- Neville eliminated
- Stardust eliminated
- Entrant 22: Mark Henry
- Mark Henry eliminated
- Sami Zayn eliminated
- Entrant 23: Brock Lesnar
- Erick Rowan eliminated
- Entrant 24: Jack Swagger
- Jack Swagger eliminated
- Entrant 25: The Miz
- Luke Harper eliminated
- Entrant 26: Alberto Del Rio
- Braun Strowman eliminated
- Entrant 27: Bray Wyatt
- Brock Lesnar eliminated
- Entrant 28: Dolph Ziggler
- Entrant 29: Sheamus
- Miz eliminated
- Alberto Del Rio eliminated
- Entrant 30: Triple H
- Dolph Ziggler eliminated
- Bray Wyatt eliminated
- Chris Jericho eliminated
- Sheamus eliminated
- Roman Reigns eliminated
- Final Two: Dean Ambrose and Triple H
- Dean Ambrose eliminated
- Royal Rumble Winner, and NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H
Overall, this was a very fun Royal Rumble, but the ending was just about as lame as expected. My personal hope was to have Bray Wyatt win the match, but after the Wyatt Family eliminated Brock Lesnar, it looks like that is the feud for WrestleMania. All we can do now is tune in tomorrow night to Monday Night Raw to find out what happens next.
