The road to WrestleMania starts at the Royal Rumble, and ComicBook.com has all your live coverage right here! Tonight is the WWE’s annual Royal Rumble event, which kicks off at 8 PM ET. The card features two Royal Rumble matches, one for male competitors and one for women, along with three championship matches and a high profile mixed tag match featuring a group of current or future Hall of Famers. We’ll have full coverage of the Royal Rumble all night long, so be sure to follow along for a breakdown of all the action!
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Men’s Royal Rumble – Finale
Lesnar eliminates Orton and delivers an F5 to Big Bunny before eliminating him. He catches Riddle and throws him out of the ring. He throws out Shane McMahon, leaving him standing along with McIntyre. The two exchange big clubbing blows. McIntyre gets dumped out of the ring, leaving Lesnar as the winner of the Men’s Royal Rumble.
Well, I guess we’re getting Lesnar vs. Reigns at WrestleMania….again. We’ll find out for sure this week. The Road to WrestleMania officially begins.
Men’s Royal Rumble
Happy Corbin enters at #15 and goes after Theory and Mysterio. Corbin eliminates Ricochet after Ricochet backflips off of Corbin.
Dolph Ziggler enters at #16, with his fifteenth entry into the Royal Rumble. Corbin eliminates Mysterio. Sheamus enters in at #17 just in time to see Styles eliminate Ridge Holland. Sheamus goes after Styles, while Boogs enters at #18. Boogs carries Gable around like he’s a doll for a bit and then chucks him over the ring with a military press with one hand. Boogs looks really good in there.
Madcap Moss comes in at #19. Boogs meanwhile puts Ziggler in an overhead military press, but can’t finish the job. Madcap Moss and Corbin team up to eliminate Styles for the heat.
Riddle comes in at #20, while Corbin eliminates Boogs. Corbin and Moss have eliminated multiple fan favorites now. Drew McIntyre comes in at #21 sans sword. McIntyre was supposed to be out for longer, but he’s back and he dumps both Corbin and Moss out of the ring. McIntyre then leaves the ring and uses the steel steps to beat both Corbin and Moss.
Next up is Kevin Owens at #22. He goes right after McIntyre and the two exchange hockey punches before Owens lands a pop up powerbomb on McIntyre. He cannonballs Ziggler and then stomps on Riddle’s bare feet.
Rey Mysterio enters at #23. Kofi Kingston enters at #24 wearing Attack on Titan inspired gear. Kofi gets to the top rope, but Owens pushes him off and Kofi’s feet hits the ground. I have a feeling that’s not how that spot was supposed to go.
Otis enters at #25. Otis slams down McIntyre, while Sheamus tries to eliminate Mysterio.
Big E enters at #26. He gives Owens a Big Slam and then throws around Riddle. He gives Big E a splash in the middle of the ring, but Sheamus gives him a Brogue Kick.
Bad Bunny enters at #27. He gives Riddle a Destroyer. Sheamus almost eliminates him, but Bad Bunny reverses him when he pulls the ropes down on a Brogue Kick gone wrong. Bunny teams up with Mysterio to eliminate Ziggler but takes a stunner from Owens. Otis then eliminates Mysterio while Shane McMahon enters at #28. McMahon then eliminates Owens, which causes a mixed reaction.
Randy Orton comes in at #29 to a hero’s welcome (he’s from St. Louis after all.) Orton delivers an RKO to Big E and he and Riddle eliminate Big E. Riddle delivers an RKO off of Otis’s back to McIntyre. The pair then eliminate Otis.
The final entrant is Brock Lesnar.
Men’s Royal Rumble – Omos Makes an Impact
Angelo Dawkins enters at #10, followed by Omos at #11. Omos eliminates Dawkins and Ford, grabbing the latter out of midair. Crowd boos at the elimination of the Street Prophets. Omos chucks Styles into the ringpost and causes him to clear out of the ring.
Ricochet enters at #12. He gets a dropkick on Omos but is slammed to the ground. Ricochet and Theory double-team Omos to no avail.
Chad Gable comes in at #13. Gable rallies the forces and sends Priest after Omos. Omos eliminates Priest and the remaining wrestlers still can’t clear Omos out of the ring. Dominik Mysterio joins at #14 and jumps into the pile of wrestlers pushing at Omos. Styles finishes Omos off with another Phenomenal Forearm.
Men’s Royal Rumble – Johnny Knoxville Enters and Leaves
Montez Ford enters at #6. He shows off his athleticism and nearly eliminates Theory. Holland and Ford then square off, before Damian Priest enters at #7. Theory and Styles team up against Priest, but Priest nearly eliminates Theory.
Sami Zayn comes in at #8. He nearly eliminates Ford but is grabbed by Styles. Crowd is starting to get crowded – Holland, Priest, Styles, Zayn, Theory, and Ford are all in the match right now.
Next up is Johnny Knoxville, accompanied by multiple Jackass Forever cast members. Knoxville takes down Sami Zayn. He then lands a punch on AJ Styles, so Styles hits him with a rapid series of blows and a lariat. Montez Ford hits a huge frog splash on Knoxville and Sami Zayn finishes Knoxville with a Helluva Kick. Styles then eliminates Zayn.
Men’s Royal Rumble – Styles, Nakamura Open
It’s time for the main event – the Men’s Royal Rumble. AJ Styles kicks things off at #1 with Shinsuke Nakamura coming in at #2. Shades of NJPW here to kick things off. The pair put on a bit of a technical show before Austin Theory enters at #3. Theory levels both Styles and Nakamura. He almost eliminates Nakamura, before he gets pulled off by Styles.
Robert Roode comes in at #4. He delivers spinebusters to Nakamura and Theory before facing with Styles. There’s a TNA chant before Styles eliminates Roode with a Phenomenal Forearm.
Ridge Holland comes in at #5. Meanwhile, Styles eliminates Nakamura, while Holland confronts Theory.
Miz and Maryse vs. Edge and Beth Phoenix
It’s our second-to-last match of the night, with Edge and Beth Phoenix set to battle Miz and Maryse in a mixed-tag match. The crowd is hot for Edge and Phoenix. Maryse and Phoenix kick things off, but Maryse quickly runs out of the ring and ends up on top of Miz outside of the ring. Miz confronts Beth, and Edge goes right after him. However, Maryse distracts Edge and gives Miz an opening to take charge.
Miz delivers a series of It Kicks, but Edge gets a roll-up and a near fall. Miz hits a Neckbreaker for a near fall on Miz, all the while taunting Beth Phoenix. Miz distracts the ref so Maryse can slap Edge, so Beth Phoenix briefly chases Maryse with a chair before getting called back to her corner. Edge finally makes the hot tag to his wife and Beth Phoenix proceeds to brutalize Maryse. She gets a 2-count, but the pin is broken up by Miz. Beth confronts Miz and puts him in the corner before landing a series of punches and kicks. However, Maryse hits Beth in the back with a loaded purse. She can’t put Phoenix away, though. The two exchange counters and both hit the mat when they simultaneously land clotheslines.
Maryse tags in Miz, but Edge takes the hot tag. After a series of clotheslines, Edge goes to the top rope. Phoenix then powerbombs the Miz, followed by an elbow from the top rope by Miz. But Miz kicks out at two. Maryse pulls Beth off the ring and slams her on the steps. Edge goes for a spear, but gets distracted by Maryse. Maryse then lands a hurricanrana on Edge and a DDT on Phoenix. However, a Skull-Crushing Finale isn’t enough to finish off Edge. When Phoenix gets back into the ring, her and Edge hit a double spear on Edge. Both Edge and Phoenix then hit Glamazon Slams on their respective opponent, with Edge pinning Miz for the victory.
WWE Championship Match: Brock Lesnar vs Bobby Lashley
We’ve got ourselves a “Big Meaty Men Slapping Meat” match, as Bobby Lashley finally gets his shot at WWE Champion Brock Lesnar. Honestly, this could be a WrestleMania match, as both Lesnar and Lashley are celebrated MMA fighters with a long list of accolades in the Octagon and in the WWE. Lashley is accompanied by MVP, while Lesnar is accompanied by Paul Heyman.
Once the bell rings, the two immediately lock up in an attempt to gain some leverage. Lesnar swings behind Lashley and lands a German Suplex, grinning as he does it. However, Lashley hits a suplex on Lesnar, which honestly might be the first time I’ve seen that in a WWE ring in a long time. Lesnar hits Lashley with a second suplex, drawing blood this time. Lashley kicks Lesnar and pummels him, and then counters an F5 with a spear. Lashley hits a second spear, which forces Lesnar to retreat out of the ring. Lashley follows and tries to spear Lesnar again. However, Lesnar dodges and sends Lashley through the barricade. Lashley recovers and throws Brock into the ringpost. When they return to the ring, Lashley runs into a ringpost and gives Lesnar an opening for another suplex. Lesnar hits a second suplex as Lashley is dazed, and then a third. The crowd seems less than thrilled as Brock stands over Lashley and hits him with a fourth suplex.
Lashley is slow to get up, so Lensar hits him with a fifth suplex. Lesnar goes with an F5, but Lashley slips out and hits Lesnar with the Hurt Lock. Brock is turning purple as he’s stuck in the middle of the ring, but he rushes Lashley into the ref. Lesnar then hits Lashley with an F5, but the ref gets in the way and is knocked out of the ring. While Lesnar covers Lashley for 5+ seconds, the ref is out cold. Then Roman Reigns comes out of nowhere and spears Lesnar.
Surprisingly, Paul Heyman hands Reigns the WWE Championship. Reigns uses it to hit Lesnar, which gives Lashley an opening to pin Lesnar, as a new referee makes it to the ring. Reigns leaves with Heyman in tow, while Bobby Lashley is your new WWE Champion.
WrestleMania Sign on Fire
We were expecting some fireworks at the Royal Rumble, but we weren’t expecting actual fire. However, after the pyro went off to celebrate Ronda Rousey’s victory in the Women’s Royal Rumble, parts of The Dome at America’s Center were evacuated when the iconic WrestleMania sign caught on fire. You can see video of the sign melting below:
The lowered WrestleMania sign was visible in the crowd during Becky Lynch’s match against Doudrop, but the fire was extinguished and the sign raised once more in time for the Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley WWE Championship match.
Becky Lynch vs. Doudrop
It’s time for our second championship match, with Becky Lynch facing off against Doudrop for the Raw Women’s Championship. Becky comes out wearing literal goats on her jacket, but Doudrop has the early advantage through sheer strength. Becky’s strategy seems to be mostly keeping out of bad positions, with Lynch leaving the ring three times in the early parts of the match. Lynch gets the momentum back when she dodges a cannonball outside of the ring, leading to Doudrop running into the steel stairs.
Doudrop briefly gets a hold on Lynch when Lynch attempts a crossbody, but Lynch transitions to a chokehold and nearly puts Doudrop down. Doudrop gets back to her feet and throws Lynch into a corner, but Lynch dodges out of a shoulder rush and then Lynch hits a dropkick. However, Doudrop kicks out at 1.
Lynch seems shaken by Doudrop brushing off her offense, especially when Doudrop hits Lynch with multiple slams. Lynch kicks out of a cover at 2.
We’ll note that the crowd is pretty quiet for the match, but that’s partially because the Wrestlemania sign caught on fire and multiple sections were evacuated. You can actually see the Wrestlemania sign on the ground, as Becky hits a Disarmer on Doudrop but fails to submit.
Doudrop tries to hit Lynch from the top rope, but Lynch gets the shoulder up. Lynch then hits a Molly-Go-Round on Doudrop, but once again can’t get the pin. Lynch then hits Doudrop with a series of headbutts and then bounces Doudrop’s throat off the top rope. Lynch then hits a leg drop on Doudrop from the top rope while Doudrop is hanging off the top rope, but still can’t get the pin. Doudrop counters a manhandle slam and then gets a near fall on Lynch.
Doudrop heads for the top rope, but Lynch gets to her feet and grabs Doudrop by the throat on the middle rope. One manhandle slam from the middle rope later and Lynch remains the Raw Women’s Champion.
Ronda Rousey Points at WrestleMania Sign
It wouldn’t be a Royal Rumble without the winner pointing at the WrestleMania sign, so enjoy this image of Ronda Rousey pointing after winning the Women’s Royal Rumble match.
Women’s Royal Rumble – Winner
Charlotte eliminates Lita, leaving only five left in the ring. Charlotte then takes out Rhea Ripley, leaving her in the final four with Shayna Baszler, Ronda Rousey, and Bianca Belair.
Charlotte survives a couple of close shots, but is nearly eliminated by Belair. Shayna stops the elimination, and then Charlotte eliminates both Baszler and Bianca Belair.
Charlotte and Rousey are the final two. Rousey manages to grab Charlotte and chucks her out of the ring, thus winning the Women’s Royal Rumble. Charlotte doesn’t look thrilled, especially as Rousey can pick her opponent. Looks like we know who Charlotte will be facing at WrestleMania.
Women’s Royal Rumble – Ronda Rousey Returns
Ronda Rousey makes her appearance at #27. She pummels Nikki ASH and then hits a double guillotine on Nikki ASH and Nikki Bella. Rousey eliminates Nikki ASH, but Brie Bella eliminates her sister, getting revenge for her last elimination in the 2019 Royal Rumble.
Shotzi enters at #29. Meanwhile, Rousey eliminates Brie Bella and then turns her attention on Rhea Ripley.
The final entrant is Shayna Baszler. Rousey is thrilled to see her old friend but the two are interrupted by Charlotte Flair.
Rousey eliminates Shotzi and Natalya. When Rousey takes aim at Belair, Natalya tries to get revenge on Rousey, but is eliminated again.
WWE Royal Rumble – More Legends Enter
Alicia Fox enters at #21. Foxy looks great and clears house for a hot minute, but Rhea Ripley shuts her down in a hurry. It’s a pretty full ring once again – Natalya, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Charlotte Flair, Brie Bella and Mickie James are all in the ring with Fox.
Nikki ASH enters at #22. She sneak attacks Rhea Ripley, but fails to eliminate her. Nikki manages to escape through the middle rope, and then hops back in while Ripley is distracted by Charlotte.
Summer Rae enters at #23 and immediately takes aim at Natalya. The two exchange slaps before Summer Rae kicks Natalya in the face. When Charlotte levels Summer Rae, Natalya eliminates Rae. Charlotte nearly eliminates Natalya, but Natalya survives again.
Nikki Bella enters at #24 and pulls Belair off of Brie Bella. Belair takes some tandem offense from the Bellas, and then Nikki Bella eliminates Alicia Fox.
Coming in at #25 is Sarah Logan, a definite surprise entrant. She takes out the Bellas and shares an emotional reunion with Liv Morgan. However, the Bellas quickly eliminate Logan and then Liv Morgan. The Bellas rub it in on Liv and Sarah as they exit.
Coming in at #26 is Lita. The crowd has a big pop for Lita, and Lita scores an elimination on Mickie James. Lita faces off for a moment against Charlotte Flair before Mighty Molly Holly enters at #27. Molly never gets in the ring as Nikki ASH takes her out and throws her into the steel stairs. Nikki then pulls Molly into the ring and chucks her out to score the elimination.
WWE Women’s Royal Rumble – Charlotte Flair Enters
Charlotte Flair targets Rhea Ripley and then eliminates Aliyah. She chucks Naomi out of the ring, but Naomi manages to do a handstand to prevent elimination. Sonya Deville spoils that by pulling her fully out of the ring. Naomi is eliminated by Sonya Deville and Charlotte.
Ivory enters at #18. She has a mic and proceeds to berates the field. Rhea Ripley chucks her out of the ring, mic still in Ivory’s hand.
Brie Bella comes in at #19 and brings out the Yes Chants before Natalya grabs her and nearly succeeds in tossing her out. Brie Bella survives, while Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley target Charlotte Flair.
Mickie James come in at #20 wearing the Impact Knockout Championship around her waist. Michelle McCool tries to target her, but James hits McCool, Rhea Ripley, and Liv Morgan with moves, before eliminating McCool.
Women’s Royal Rumble – Naomi vs Sonya Deville
With Cameron eliminated, Naomi enters the ring at #14. Naomi checks on Cameron and then jumps into the ring to beat down Deville. Naomi eliminates Deville in a pretty one-sided affair.
Coming in at #15 is Carmella. Corey Graves puts over his wife on commentary, and Carmella takes her time to flirt with him instead of helping her tag team partner Queen Zelina. It’s a pretty full ring – Aliyah, Liv Morgan, and Michelle McCool are all still in the match, along with Naomi.
Coming in at #16 is Rhea Ripley. She grabs Carmella and tosses her into the ring, but is then subjected to a three on one attack by Camella, Zelina, and Natalya. Rhea scores a double elimination on Carmella and Queen Zelina (the reigning WWE Women Tag Team Champions) and then cleans house before the arrival of Charlotte Flair at #17.
WWE Women’s Royal Rumble – Sonya Deville Enters
Michelle McCool scores the next elimination, knocking out Dana Brooke. (Reggie saved Brooke from one elimination, but wasn’t around for the second one.) BTW, we neglected to mention that Zelina Vega came in dressed as Madara Uchiha from Naruto. We stan our anime queen.
Sonya Deville enters at #11. She doesn’t immediately enter the ring, as she instead takes a seat at the commentary table and joins the commentary team. Natalya enters at #12. Natalya makes a statement by almost eliminating Bianca Belair and Tamina, but Belair hangs on to the ropes. So, Natalya eliminates Tamina, but Belair is still in.
Cameron enters in at #13. Upon discovering that Cameron was once Naomi’s tag team partner, Sonya Deville enters the match and eliminates Cameron.
WWE Women’s Royal Rumble Match – Sasha Banks Eliminated, Michelle McCool Enters
Aliyah enters in at #5. She and Banks goes toe-to-toe for a bit, but Aliyah manages to stay in the ring despite a near miss.
Liv Morgan enters at #6. She targets Banks, but Tamina surprisingly rescues Banks from getting tossed out of the ring. Liv points at the Wrestlemania ring and pops the crowd, but doesn’t land an elimination before Queen Zelina enters in at #7.
We get our first shock elimination after Zelina takes out Sasha Banks with some help from Tamina.
Bianca Belair enters at #8. Things are getting crowded with Liv Morgan, Aliyah, Tamina, and Zelina all in the ring with Belair. Add Dana Brooke to the ring, as she enters at #9, accompanied by Reggie. We get a near miss with Liv Morgan nearly scoring a double elimination on Belair and Aliyah, but all three remain in the ring as Michelle McCool enter the ring at #10.
WWE Women’s Royal Rumble Kickoff
Welp, it’s time for the first of two Royal Rumble matches. The women are kicking things up, and Sasha Banks is entering as the first competitor. Sasha Banks came out in a Sailor Moon-inspired outfit, complete with the hair orbs. Melina comes out at #2. Sasha Banks looks thrilled to see Melina, and so does the fans. While Banks has a massive grin on her face to kick off the match, Melina looks to be on the verge of tears as she steps foot in a ring. However, Melina doesn’t last long as Sasha tosses her out of the ring, earning the first elimination.
Coming in at #3 is Tamina. Banks meets Tamina outside of the ring with a pair of knees to the face. Banks chucks Tamina into the ring but can’t throw her out. Tamina powerbombs Banks, but Sasha follows up with two more knees to the face. Neither have much of an advantage as Kelly Kelly enters at #4.
Kelly Kelly targets Tamina at first, but Tamina quickly puts her on the mat with a blow to the back of the hands. Kelly Kelly then attempts a high risk scissor lock on Sasha, but gets chucked out of the ring. Sasha now has two eliminations.
WWE Universal Championship Match- Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins Finish
The action continues as Roman Reigns hits a spear to Seth Rollins outside of the ring. Reigns tossed Rollins back inside the ring, but Rollins countered a second spear with a pedigree. Rollins went for a cover, but Reigns kicked out.
Rollins went for a curb stomp, but Reigns countered and hit a spear. Surprisingly, Rollins started to laugh on the mat once again and offered Reigns a Shield face bump. Reigns seems visibly agitated by Rollins’ continued antics, and then hit Rollins with a guillotine clutch. Rollins went for the ropes but seemed to pass out just short. When the referee went to check on Rollins, his arm hit the ropes. Reigns refused to break the hold even after referee Charles Robinson counted to five, so the ref disqualified Roman from the match. We’ll note that even though Roman Reigns lost by disqualification, he remains the Universal Champion as a Championship can only change hands via pin or submission.
Reigns kept the hold even after the match was older and then had to deal with the chants of “Roman sucks” from the crowd. Reigns decided to make a Shield callback of his own by grabbing a chair and beating Seth Rollins with it, evoking Rollins’ own chair attack to end the Shield. Reigns brought out a second chair and literally broke it over Rollins’ back.
WWE Universal Championship – Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins
With Seth Rollins decked out in full Shield gear, Rollins quickly took control of the match, playing to the crowd and hitting two consecutive suicide dives. While Reigns briefly took control with a big slap to the face, Rollins kept the hits coming with a Shield Bomb through the announcer’s table.
Seth continued to keep momentum on his side with a flog splash before getting the first near fall of the evening, countering a spear and hitting a curb stomp. However, Reigns kicked out at 2 and 3 quarters. However, Reigns managed to land a big clothesline afterwards. Reigns followed up with some ground and pound and then a powerbomb to get a near fall of his own.
Reigns and Rollins exchanged some trash talk, with Rollins’ signature laugh spurring Reigns to attack once again. Rollins briefly caught Reigns in a triangle lock, but Reigns powered out of it with a slam to the mat. The action moved to the outside of the match for a time, but Reigns landed a second Superman punch and followed it up for another cover for another near fall.
Seth Rollins Evokes Shield in Royal Rumble Opening
Seth Rollins surprised the fans with a full Shield entrance to kick off the Royal Rumble. With his opponent Roman Reigns already in the ring, Rollins kicked things off with a callback to their time as Hounds of Justice. Rollins had it all – he wore all black with a tactical ring, came in through the crowd, and used the Shield’s entrance music (which Reigns famously kept when the Shield broke up). While the fans loved it, Reigns was not amused at all.
As an interesting note, Pat McAfee mentioned Rollins and Reigns’ longtime staplemate Dean Ambrose by his current ring name – Mox. More intrigue and hints of a Forbidden Door there.
WWE Universal Championship Match Kicks Show Off
We’re opening with a banger, as Roman Reigns will defend his Universal Championship against Seth “Freakin” Rollins in the opening match of the Royal Rumble. There’s a few factors to consider with this match – Rollins has beaten Reigns multiple times for various Championships, and the Usos are banned from ringside. Both of those factors favor Rollins, along with the fact that Reigns just broke the record for longest reigning Universal Champion. Don’t be surprised if we kick the show off with a title change, although it’s always hard to bet against Roman Reigns.
Royal Rumble: Possible Surprises in the Men’s Royal Rumble
There’s only a handful of slots left in the Men’s Royal Rumble, so there’s not as much room for possible surprise entrants, especially as WWE mainstays like Cesaro have yet to officially declare for the match. If either Brock Lesnar or Roman Reigns lose their match, expect to see them enter the Royal Rumble as a “surprise” entrant.
The most likely surprises will be some faces from NXT, which serves as a developmental brand for the show. The three most likely Royal Rumble participants from NXT are LA Knight (who will likely be called up in the near future), current NXT Champion Bron Breakker, and former NXT UK Champion GUNTHER (who most fans will know as WALTER, as he recently had his ring name changed.) Other NXT possibilities are Tomasso Ciampa and Pete Dunne, who are both fan favorites from NXT.
We should also acknowledge the elephant in the room – Cody Rhodes. Rhodes famously left the WWE several years ago and helped launch AEW, a rival wrestling promotion that has generated a ton of buzz (and ratings that rival Monday Night Raw’s.) Rhodes is one of AEW’s biggest names, but he’s currently working for the company without a signed contract. Technically, that makes Rhodes the biggest free agent in wrestling and some fans are wondering if he will make an appearance at the Royal Rumble. Now, all the evidence points to Rhodes re-signing with AEW and the WWE isn’t exactly known for collaborating with other wrestling companies, but a shock appearance by Rhodes would certainly break the wrestling internet and defy almost every expectation and presumption we have about the company. Don’t hold your breath on Cody Rhodes appearing in the Royal Rumble, but don’t count it out entirely either. After all, Vince McMahon is known for doing what’s best for business.
Watch the Royal Rumble Pre-Show
The Royal Rumble Pre-Show is officially underway and you can watch it live down below. Currently, there’s no Royal Rumble pre-show match scheduled, but you can watch a team of experts (which includes WWE Hall of Famers Jerry Lawler and Booker T) talk about the upcoming show.
Royal Rumble: Possible Surprises in the Women’s Royal Rumble
One of the best parts of the Royal Rumble is that the WWE usually lines up a few surprise participants in each match. Between big names returning from injury to hot free agent signings to call-ups from the NXT developmental system, the WWE usually gets the whole wrestling world talking about the show by the end of the night
This year, the WWE already announced that the Women’s Royal Rumble would feature several former stars, in part because the WWE released a ton of female talent over the past year. One of the biggest surprises already announced is the return of Mickie James, a former Divas Champions who currently works for Impact Wrestling, a rival promotion to the WWE. James is the Impact Knockouts Champion, and her appearance has many fans wondering if the WWE could bring in talent from another company to generate some buzz. Another “surprise” already spoiled is the return of Sasha Banks, who came back from injury during last night’s Smackdown and declared for the Royal Rumble. Banks’s return was likely announced to prevent it from overshadowing a different “surprise” return.
Of course, the biggest surprise for the Women’s Royal Rumble was already spoiled, as news broke last week that Ronda Rousey would be returning to the company after a lengthy absence. However, there’s a handful of other big names that might come back for the match, specifically Paige, Bayley, and Asuka. Paige was forced to retire several years ago due to a series of neck injuries but allegedly was cleared for a retun to the ring. Meanwhile, Bayley and Asuka have both been off TV to rehab from injuries. The return of any of these three would be lead to a big audience reaction, especially Paige as she’d immediately jump to the top of either women’s divisions with a ton of fresh matchups.
Royal Rumble Surprise: Bad Bunny is in St Louis
Well, we might have our first Royal Rumble surprise. The WWE just posted a picture of rapper sensation Bad Bunny meeting the Undertaker, confirming that both are in St. Louis for the Royal Rumble. Whether this means that Bad Bunny could show up as a surprise entrant for the Men’s Royal Rumble remains to be seen, but we do know that Bad Bunny has some wrestling chops. After all, Bad Bunny was the star of a tag team match alongside Damian Priest against The Miz and John Morrison at last year’s WrestleMania. Who could forget that amazing Canadian Destroyer?
We’ll just note that Priest doesn’t have a storyline heading into WrestleMania. Could a Royal Rumble appearance set up a showdown between these former tag team partners?
Royal Rumble Participants:Men’s Match
The men’s Royal Rumble may be in for some surprise appearances. “Jackass” star Johnny Knoxville was the first one to announce his Royal Rumble participation on New Year’s Day. Many of the participants only recently have been announced.
Of course, the WWE likes their surprise entrants. But here’s the lineup that’s been confirmed so far for 2022.
Royal Rumble 2022 – Men’s Participants
- Johnny Knoxville
- Angelo Dawkins
- Montez Ford
- Austin Theory
- Rey Mysterio
- Dominik Mysterio
- Sheamus
- AJ Styles
- Damian Priest
- Big E
- Baron Corbin
- Madcap Moss
- Sami Zayn
- Kofi Kingston
- Kevin Owens
- Omos
- Randy Orton
- Riddle
- Chad Gable
- Otis
- Dolph Ziggler
- Bobby Roode
Royal Rumble Participants: Women’s Match
The Women’s 2022 Royal Rumble match will heavily rely on the returns of legends. There have also been reports that Ronda Rousey could return to the ring.
As far as the contenders go, Naomi has something to prove having been repeatedly wronged by Sonya Deville. Bianca Belair is also a contender to win her second Royal Rumble. But never count out Ronda Rousey if she makes an appearance.
Here’s the full list scheduled for the Womens’ Royal Rumble match.
Royal Rumble 2022 – Women’s Participants
- Carmella
- Dana Brooke
- Nikki ASH
- Zelina Vega
- Tamina
- Rhea Ripley
- Charlotte Flair
- Aliyah
- Naomi
- Natalya
- Shayna Baszler
- Shotzi
- Brie Bella
- Nikki Bella
- Lita
- Kelly Kelly
- Michelle McCool
- Summer Rae
- Mickie James
- Bianca Belair
- Liv Morgan
Royal Rumble – Stories to Watch
Since the Royal Rumble marks the official start to the Road to WrestleMania, there are a few key stories you should keep an eye on.
The biggest story is the inevitable collision course that Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar are on. Both hold the top titles in the company and have been circling each other since Summerslam last year. It seems inevitable that the pair will face one another in the main event at WrestleMania for a third time. The big question is not whether these two will meet, but how will they get there? Will either Roman or Brock lose their respective championships at Royal Rumble? Or will we get some sort of title vs. title match? Tonight’s results will go a long way in determining the stakes of WrestleMania.
The other big storyline is the potential return of Ronda Rousey. While Rousey no longer holds the star power she did when she was UFC’s biggest name, she still attracts a lot of mainstream attention. It’s all but certain that Rousey will return at the Royal Rumble to kick off a second run with the WWE. The obvious opponent for Rousey is Becky Lynch, as the two were rivals during Lynch’s rise to superstardom back in 2018. However, it remains to be seen if WWE fans will accept Rousey as a face, or if we’ll get another case of fans cheering whoever her opponent is regardless of alignment.
Royal Rumble 2022 – Past Winners
The big draw for the annual Royal Rumble match is that the winner of the 30-person over-the-top battle royale is guaranteed a championship match at WrestleMania. Oftentimes, the winner of the Royal Rumble is granted a match in the main event of WWE’s biggest competition (or a main event, as WrestleMania is now two nights), which means that they’ll have a solid 2+ months of buildup for the match. The Royal Rumble can be a star maker, especially for recent winners like Bianca Belair.
Here are the winners of the past few Royal Rumble matches:
2021: Edge, Bianca Belair
2020: Charlotte Flair, Drew McIntyre
2019: Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins
2018: Shinsuke Nakamura, Asuka
2017: Randy Orton
Royal Rumble – Match Card
This year’s Royal Rumble event features only six confirmed matches, in part due to the length of the actual Royal Rumble matches themselves. This year’s Royal Rumble event will feature the following bouts:
- WWE Championship Match: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Bobby Lashley
- WWE Universal Championship Match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Seth Rollins
- Raw Women’s Championship Match: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Doudrop
- Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. The Miz and Maryse
- Men’s Royal Rumble Match
- Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Royal Rumble – How to Watch
The Royal Rumble is a great time to jump into wrestling, whether you’re a newcomer to wrestler or just a lapsed fan. If you live in the United States, you can find the Royal Rumble on Peacock, NBC’s streaming platform that hosts all of the WWE’s event and library. Those who live outside the US can subscribe to the WWE Network, which hosts WWE events and content internationally. Be sure to get signed up for either Peacock or the WWE Network by 8 PM ET, which is when the show kicks off.
The pre-show, which kicks off at 7 PM ET, can be viewed for free on WWE’s YouTube page.
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Via WWE and @megastarvibez
