[dramatic music playing]
[narrator] Life, no one really knows where it will take us.
Is it our own decisions that guide us, or does faith play the bigger role,
dictating the road we'll travel, which course we'll be steering?
-[Ross] Seven years in the making. -[narrator] What twist we must endure?
One thing is for certain, there is no certainty, no way to know.
And everything can change in an instant.
[Michael] A year and a half of his life, gone.
[narrator] In a flash, the things you hold close can disappear,
vanish like a lost thought,
lifelong trust can turn on you, blood can betray you.
And the future you foresaw, gone.
[Tazz] A family broken.
[narrator] Tonight is a pivotal point where paths collide.
[Tazz] The 30-men Royal Rumble matchup.
[Ross] The winner goes to the main event at WrestleMania,
the wrestle for championship gold.
[narrator] And while some men's dreams will be shattered,
no one's lives will ever be the same. One moment can change everything.
[Ross] Philadelphia, here we come!
[narrator] Tonight, fate will rear his head.
Destiny will play his hand.
-The road to WrestleMania begins tonight. -[music concludes]
[exciting music playing]
[narrator] And now, Raw and SmackDown present,
WWE Royal Rumble.
-[music continues] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] The 17,289 fans selling out the Wachovia Center here in Philadelphia,
We welcome you to the 17th annual
WWE Royal Rumble.
Hello, again, everybody, I'm Jim Ross, alongside Jerry "the King" Lawler,
and Jonathan Coachman. And gentlemen, this is a great atmosphere.
It's Philadelphia, it's the Royal Rumble, and what's your prediction, Coach?
Well, I'm gonna predict that Randy Orton goes on to win tonight,
but I'm also out here just to see the Dudley Boyz go down.
I wasn't about to watch it in the back. I got some serious issues here tonight.
And you got some sore ribs as well, huh?
-Oh, I got some broken ribs, King. -[chuckles]
I take you down to Michael Cole and Tazz from SmackDown.
Thanks, J.R.. And I cannot wait for the SmackDown end of things
to kick off here at the Royal Rumble in Philadelphia.
-Excited partner? -Oh, I'm amped up, Cole.
Philadelphia's amped up. Let's do it baby.
Let's check out our Spanish colleagues, just right next door to us at ringside.
[Carlos] Gracias, Michael Cole. Gracias, Tazz.
-[crowd cheering] -[speaking Spanish]
[speaking Spanish]
-[speaking Spanish] -[Carlos speaking Spanish]
-["We're Coming Down" playing] -♪ We comin' now ♪
-[crowd cheering] -♪ Come on ♪
♪ Uh, yeah, that's right ♪
♪ We putting it down… ♪
[announcer] The following contest is a table match
for the World Tag Team Championship.
Introducing first, the challengers, from New York City,
at a combined weight of 523 pounds,
D-Von, Bubba Ray, the Dudley Boyz!
[Ross] The Dudley Boyz, looking for their 18th Tag Team Championship,
the challengers tonight.
But, Coach, I hate to replay this footage, but last week, well, I think that--
I think it pretty much speaks for itself.
I'm gonna turn around, and when I count to three,
you better take your little table, and get on out of here.
-One, two… three. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Well, this looked like it really hurts. Oh!
[Jonathan] Well, J.R., I'm gonna be honest with you,
it didn't tickle, and it…
To be honest with you, it kind of hurts to talk here tonight.
But I'm here because it is the Royal Rumble.
-Can I see how those ribs-- -No, King…
What? [chuckles] What?
Aw, poor Coach…
[Jonathan] It's all about taking a cheap shot at the man in charge.
-[Jerry] What? -["Line in the Sand" playing]
[crowd cheering]
-[announcer] Representing… -Kill the music…
-Kill the music! -[music stops]
-[Ross] Uh-oh. -Kill the damn music!
Hey, Dudleys, what is it with you guys and championship matches?
I mean we whipped your ass at Armageddon. We kicked your asses all over Raw,
and we're about to beat your asses again tonight.
I mean you guys are the biggest three-time losers
since the Philadelphia Eagles.
-[Ross] Whoa. -[crowd jeering]
[Jerry] Wow.
[Ross] Man, those are fighting words for the Dudleys.
And the Dudleys, taking exception to those comments.
Ric Flair and Bautista, representing Evolution,
the World Tag Team Champions, and, uh…
And this is getting a very quick start here
in this tag team tables match, folks.
The only way this match can end is when one member of a team
is put through a table.
[Jerry] Oh, Bautista certainly didn't do anything to endear himself
to these Philadelphia fans here right off the bat, did he?
Whoa, did you see that?
[Jonathan] Guys, I had a long talk with Ric Flair and Bautista
before the night began.
And they have assured me… they have assured me,
that they will take care of business in a big way here tonight.
[Jerry] Well, here comes the business. This is about to pick up, ain't it, J.R.?
[Ross] It looks like to me, Bubba Dudley bringing that table
to the ring and that's what it's all about.
In this matchup, the Dudleys, looking to overcome unprecedented--
-Oh my! -[Jerry laughs] What a shot!
[Ross] What unique way, a novel way of utilizing the table.
[Jerry] Cleared across the ring, right into the ribs of Bautista.
Hey, you got some…
-[bell ringing] -…of the bandages left from your ribs?
[Jerry] Bautista may need them.
[Ross] The bell was sounded and the match is officially underway,
and Ric Flair trying to take this crowd out of it.
And certainly, Flair led the over 50,000 fans
in Charlotte last week,
at a big Carolina Panthers pep rally.
And right now, they have nothing to cheer about in Carolina.
[Jerry] Well, look at this, this match just got started seconds ago,
we already have a table in the ring.
And poor Mr. Flair maybe about to taste wood,
just like you did, Coach.
-[Ross] They're clear now-- Oh! -[Jerry] Oh, Bautista. Look out!
[Ross] Bautista saving the day for Flair by throwing that table out of the way.
[Jonathan] Well, right now, obviously,
not starting the way that we would've liked.
But rest assured gentlemen,
that this thing will end the way that we want it to.
[Jerry] What are you talking about, "We?"
[hesitates] What do you-- What do you mean "we would've liked"?
You part of Evolution or something?
[Jonathan] No, I'm not part of Evolution, but we have an understanding,
we have a professional understanding, we respect each other.
[Jerry] Oh, I see. Oh, look out. They're gonna
have a new respect for the Dudleys before this night's over, I'm afraid.
[Ross] No pinfalls, no disqualifications, or submissions, or count-outs,
only one way to win,
and that's to put your opponent through a table.
And that's what Flair's looking to do here with Bubba Dudley.
A hard knock, gets chopped by Flair,
and Bubba in a precarious position on that table.
[Jerry] Boy, those lefts and rights from Ric Flair. They had an effect--
Oh, but not that much of an effect. Look out!
[Ric groans]
[Ross] Ric's head bouncing off that table,
and Flair now in trouble,
Flair and Bautista, the World Tag Team Champions…
-Suck on this! -…kicking off, the 2004 Royal Rumble.
-[screams] -[Ross] And, Bati-- [hesitates]
Good grief, man. Bautista almost beheaded the 300-pound Bubba Dudley,
and then taking D-Von Dudley down as well.
[Jerry] Bautista is like a one-man wrecking crew right now, ain't he?
[Jonathan] Well, isn't that the way it's supposed to be, King?
-[wrestlers grunt] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Bautista stomping at Bubba Dudley.
This is a-- man, martial law, it's the Wild West.
And the referee, Charles Robinson,
can't pretty much see who goes through that table.
I'll tell you what, this is an exciting environment here tonight,
and we are grateful with you folks for being with us,
wherever you are around the world.
[Jerry] How many different countries are watching us right now, J.R.?
[Ross] Over 150 countries are watching the Royal Rumble.
[wrestlers grunt]
[Ross] This match can only end when one member of one team
is put through the table. That's it, that simple.
[Jerry] Well, during that long talk you had with Evolution, Coach,
did you tell 'em how that table felt when you went through it?
[Ross] Bautista rams that shoulder again.
This time into the ring post, earlier it was a clothesline.
[Jonathan] I didn't have to, King, because they're not gonna experience
the wood here tonight. I'm trying to explain that to you.
[Ross] Tag team titles have been defended at the Royal Rumble seven times
in Rumble history and exchanged hands only twice,
and both times, the Dudleys were on the winning end of that equation.
Yeah, so if history means anything, Coach…
[Jonathan] I really can't figure out
why nobody gives Ric Flair and Bautista a chance in this matchup.
And sure, it's the Dudley Boyz's specialty but this is Ric Flair,
-this is Bautista, guys, come on. -[Jerry] Oh, I realized that. Believe me.
I have all the respect in the world for Ric Flair.
I mean, this guy was wrestling when Baskin-Robbins only had…
-Whoo! -…two flavors. Let's face it.
[Ross] Ric Flair, the former 16-time World's Champion up on the top here.
-And what goes up… -[Jerry] Oh, look out!
…will come down. In an abrupt landing, goes Ric Flair.
And Flair, now back in a weakened state as the Dudleys…
[Jerry] Uh-oh, was it-- What is Coach doing?
[Ross] I don't have any idea, Coach is leaving us so…
[Dudley Boyz] 3D!
[Ross] That's not a bad thing
[Jerry] He's heading for the ring, J.R.
The Dudleys are setting Ric Flair up for the 3D…
[Jerry] Coach-- Look at Coach! He's climbing up on the-- Hey, Ref.
[Ross] Coach with the bad ribs and all that--
[Jerry laughing]
[Ross] And the Coach brought in-- from the outside, in, and there's those…
-[Jerry] Look at this! -…those damaged ribs!
The Dudleys did the damage last week on Raw.
The Coach…
[Jerry] The Coach may taste some more wood,
and then Flair might be next.
[Ross] And again, there's no disqualifications here,
only one way the match can end, and it's not-- Coach goes to--
Oh man, that's got to hurt.
[Jerry] Do you think maybe Coach was going down there to do an interview?
And now it looks like Coach is the one getting interviewed.
[Ross] I don't care what he was going down there for.
-I don't-- Hey, look out… -[Jerry] Look out…
[Ross] Flair from behind as D-Von had the Whassup.
But again, knocking Flair down.
Here comes Bautista back in, and Bautista-- Oh, look out.
-Oh, it's over! -[crowd cheering]
-[bell ringing] -[Ross] This match is over!
-[Jerry] What? -[Ross] That suddenly.
-["Line in the Sand" playing] -[Jonathan panting] And the winner…
[screams]
…of this match, and still the World Tag Team Champions…
Ric Flair and Bautista!
[Jerry] Coach barely able to talk, but…
[Ross] Well, Bautista and Ric Flair beat The Dudleys at The Dudleys' game
here in Philadelphia, winning this tag team tables match.
[Jerry] Man, did you see that, out of nowhere,
Bautista comes to single-handedly lift…
-[pants] Ric. Ric. -…and slammed D-Von.
-[Ross] Oh, come on. -[Jonathan] Another…
Another hard-fought victory.
[music stops]
No, what it was, was Evolution doing what they said they'd do,
put your ass through a table.
[shouts indistinctly]
-Evolution forever. Whoo! -[crowd cheering]
["Line in the Sand" playing]
[Ross] Ric Flair almost in an enraged state here.
How big a night will it be for Evolution?
-That's the question. -[Jerry] Well, you got that right.
I mean, this bodes well so far for Evolution.
We're gonna see Randy Orton. We're gonna see Triple H later.
Let's check out this one more time, though.
Like I said, Bautista, out of nowhere!
[Ross] Bautista was definitely the difference maker in this matchup,
dominating D-Von Dudley,
after dominating Bubba Dudley earlier. Bottom line, Evolution wins it.
Flair and Bautista are still the World Tag Team Champions.
[Jerry] What a match. I just hope Coach has some permanent injuries.
[music fades]
John, tonight you get the chance to live out a dream
by winning the Royal Rumble match, going on to WrestleMania XX,
and competing for the championship. The only problem is
29 other Raw and SmackDown superstars
stand in your way. Your thoughts?
The kid pumping up his shoes, that's who you got your money on.
Bet on anybody else, yo, your money gone.
I'm the franchise. I don't care if it's SmackDown or Raw.
Keep it official with the Mitchell & Ness Tug McGraw.
-[crowd cheering] -These 29 other dudes, they can't see me.
And tonight, the Royal Rumble goes to--
[crowd cheering]
-RVD. [chuckles] -[crowd] RVD!
[crowd cheering]
-[scoffs] -What's up, dude?
Oh, come on, man, that was cool.
-[laughs] -[crowd laughing]
That dude's a trip. Looks like he'd been talking to Mary Jane.
[dazedly] "I'm gonna win the Rumble, man." [laughs]
He think he's beating me tonight? He can suck my candy cane.
I'm cutting through competition, your boy is sharp as a knife.
Tonight, I'll win the Royal Rumble. Word, mother freaking life.
-[crowd cheering] -[rock music playing]
[Ross] Everybody wants a shot at the-- in the Royal Rumble for the--
to be in the main event at WrestleMania XX where it all begins again.
And we are in a frigid night here in Philadelphia.
Over 17,000 fans selling out the Wachovia Center,
but one more fan's joining us a little bit later tonight
because there's an invitation by Sheriff Austin for Mick Foley
to be brought to the Center, King, here tonight.
[Jerry] I've given up on Mick Foley. I think he's a devout coward.
I've seen more guts on his skeleton.
[imitating chicken clucking] Where are you, Foley?
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] I can't believe-- Is this gonna happen? I can't believe it.
["619" playing]
♪ Who's that jumpin' out the sky R-E-Y Mysterio? Here we go ♪
♪ When the mask out, the girls They pass out ♪
[bell ringing]
♪ The boys just black out Better tap out ♪
[announcer] …is for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship,
making his way to the ring from San Diego, California,
weighing in at 175 pounds,
the Cruiserweight Champion, Rey Mysterio.
Well, let's get things started SmackDown style, here at the Royal Rumble.
Rey Mysterio is set to defend the Cruiserweight title.
[Tazz] Oh, no doubt, no doubt.
[Michael] Mysterio set for action.
-[music concludes] -["Trailer Park" playing]
[announcer] And the challenger being accompanied by Nidia,
from Hanover, West Virginia, weighing in at 200 pounds, Jamie Noble!
[Michael] You know I cannot help but--
I can't hide my disdain for Jamie Noble.
Look at Jamie Noble, in my opinion,
feigning aiding his blind girlfriend down to the ring.
[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the…
Hold the horses, Cole. What's wrong with Jamie Noble?
He's helping his blind girlfriend to the ring, that's a bad thing?
[Michael] At least three times,
Jamie Noble has put his blind girlfriend in harm's way to try to win a matchup
including the night that Noble defeated Tajiri
to get to this match here at the Royal Rumble,
when he used his own girlfriend as a human shield…
-[bell ringing] -…to help defeat Tajiri.
[Tazz] Well, let's get to the action here.
[Michael] Cruiserweight title underway.
Former Cruiserweight Champion, Jamie Noble,
hoping to win the gold back here tonight at the Royal Rumble in Philly.
It's gonna be speed against speed.
Although-- Oh, look at this! Mysterio!
[Tazz] Rey going for 619 this early!
-[Michael] And Jamie Noble countered it. -[Tazz] Whoa, got caught! Oh!
[Michael] Again, despite both of these superstars
being Cruiserweights, two distinct styles here.
The high-flying tactics of Mysterio,
Jamie Noble more of a mat-based wrestler.
[Tazz] Jamie Noble definitely a mat-based wrestler.
Jamie Noble will--
Oh! Punch your lights out.
He's a tough cat. There's no doubt.
And that high-flying style of Mysterio
has been grounded early in the match.
[Michael] Over 17,000 here at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia
as the road to WrestleMania begins here tonight.
Cruiserweight title on the line.
And Rey Mysterio kicks out.
Looks like Noble has kind of pinpointed the midsection,
the abdominal region of--
Oh, wow! Of Mysterio, or maybe the back.
[Michael] Cover again. Hook to the leg and Mysterio rolls the shoulder out.
And you see Nidia looking on.
You know, I can only imagine what's going through that young woman's mind
every time she goes to ringside.
Look at Mysterio, may catch-- No.
[Tazz] Well, I mean, you know, Nidia is visually impaired.
I mean, you said she's looking on, Cole.
She's listening. How could she look on?
She's visually impaired.
[Tazz] You know what that means? That means she can't see.
[Michael] Another cover and Mysterio rolls out again.
Thank you very much, Dr. Phil. As you see--
[Tazz] No, Dr. Phil deals with relationships.
-You wanna give up? -[Michael] Well, Jamie Noble and Nidia
-have a relationship and what I was-- -[Tazz groans]
-[Michael] The point I was trying to make… -[Tazz] What?
…is Nidia, I still don't believe realizes what Jamie Noble has done to her…
-Come on, boy, quit! -…nobody has been able to get
to Nidia to explain to her exactly what her boyfriend is doing.
[Tazz] Well, people are minding their business, Cole.
You don't stick your nose in another people's relationships.
That's bad. That's what marriage psychologists are for.
And right now, the midsection is being abused by Jamie Noble
on Mysterio, with this abdominal stretch here.
[Michael] Mysterio trying to battle out, shot to the knee of Jamie Noble,
and a shot to the midsection. Jamie Noble, back to Mysterio.
-Runs across the ring. Look at this! -[Tazz] Whoa, whoa!
[Michael] Mysterio, great counter. Back to his feet quickly again.
[Tazz] I'm telling you, he's so explosive, Mysterio.
[Michael] And remember, Mysterio was beaten down by all three members
of the FBI just three days ago on SmackDown
and you have to wonder if that's gonna have to come into play here.
[Tazz] Oh, got caught right here, Mysterio-- Look at that spinning--
[Michael] Look at that, Rey Mysterio, the Cruiserweight Champion.
[Tazz] Got caught, maybe a suplex-- Oh, wham!
[Michael] There's the unique offense of Mysterio.
Into the cover, hook to the leg and Noble just gets the shoulder up.
Rey Mysterio just out of nowhere, he could hit you with a high-impact move
-and beat you. It's that simple here. -[Michael] You have to believe, Nidia--
Oh, and what a counter by Noble into the midsection.
[Tazz] Yeah, Mysterio went for that cross-- springboard crossbody
and right back to the midsection goes Jamie Noble.
Very smart. That's the way to become the new Cruiserweight Champion.
-Maybe this piledriver. -[screams]
[Michael] End could be near here, but Mysterio lands in his feet.
Jamie Noble, knee to the temple. And Noble with a shot to the head again.
[Tazz] Smart by Noble. Keep working on your opponent--
-[Michael] Wait a minute. Wait a minute. -[Tazz] Oh, what the heck.
-Nidia just grabbed the leg of Noble. -[Michael] Oh!
She had to think it was Mysterio.
-[Tazz] 619! -[Michael] And the 619 connects!
-And Mysterio… -[Tazz] Oh man, Noble's in trouble.
-[Michael] Rey Mysterio… -[Tazz] Springboard.
[Michael] Droppin' Da Dime across the back of the head, the cover.
[Tazz] One, two…
-Pow! -[Michael] Mysterio retains…
-[bell ringing] -…the Cruiserweight title.
["619" playing]
[announcer] Here's your winner and still Cruiserweight Champion,
Rey Mysterio!
[Michael] But, Tazz, you got to give an unintended assist to Nidia.
She grabbed the leg of her boyfriend, Noble.
I believe she thought it was Rey Mysterio.
[Tazz] Yeah. Possibly.
You know, Nidia's just going on hearing things in there.
I mean, she must have heard and thought it was Rey Mysterio's footsteps.
[Michael] This is another angle here. And look at this.
Nidia must've believed it was Mysterio. Jamie Noble couldn't believe it.
-And the distraction caught him. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Well, I guess that didn't help Jamie Noble here,
I mean, he didn't win the match,
but you can't blame Rey Mysterio for capitalizing.
Look at this, Droppin' Da Dime.
Can't blame Mysterio for capitalizing on that tag fall, right?
[music continues]
Nidia, do you realize what you just caused?
Baby, I just heard somebody coming…
Why didn't you just hold still?
[Michael] And Jamie Noble reading Nidia the riot act.
I think you heard Nidia say, "I thought it was Rey."
You know what you cost me?
-[overlapping chatter] -[Michael] Jamie Noble is irate at Nidia.
And look at Nidia, the poor girl is being addressed in public
by her boyfriend and she doesn't even understand why.
[Tazz] I don't blame Noble. I'd be upset too.
♪ Come on Who's that jumpin' out the sky ♪
♪ R-E-Y Mysterio? Here we go… ♪
[Michael] Ladies and gentlemen, coming up next here at the Royal Rumble
in Philadelphia. It is indeed a family tragedy.
-[rock music playing] -[Michael] It is Eddie versus Chavo.
Tonight, the end of one of SmackDown's greatest tag team
and the end of a close-knit family.
-["Viva La Raza" playing] -[crowd cheering]
-[Tazz] Los Guerreros in the house. -[Michael] The tag team champions.
-I love you, bro. -You do love me, holmes.
-[Michael] Latino Heat! -[Tazz] It's on fire baby.
[Eddie] You feeling a little froggy, holmes?
[Michale] Eddie and Chavo. ¡Viva la raza!
Este vato, man!
[Michael] Eddie and Chavo are one of the greatest teams in SmackDown history.
[tense music playing]
[Tazz] Tag team champions look extremely pumped up here.
[Michael] This may not be the night for the Bashams going in action
against Los Guerreros.
-And wait a minute! -[Tazz] Illegal switch by the Bashams.
Heads-up, Eddie! Watch the nightstick!
-Oh! -[Michael] Eddie went for the frog splash.
[Michael] Brutal nightstick to the skull.
The Bashams are gonna steal the tag team title.
-The Bashams steal the titles. -[bell ringing]
[pensive music playing]
[Chavo] Why did you do this to me, man? You lose the WWE Tag Team Championship.
That's not just yours, that's half mine, man.
-[Eddie sighs] -You make me sick.
I can't even… [scoffs] I can't even look at you, man.
Órale, Chavito. Pos órale, man.
I'm sorry, ese, vato.
-Who's the one that lost our titles? -[Eddie] I let you down, Chavo.
-Who's the one that got pinned up there? -[Eddie] I let my familia down.
-It's not about, "Hey, hey." -[Eddie] I give my heart out here.
How selfish can you be?
And if that is not what I have done lately, I apologize.
[Chavo] This is not about Eddie all the time, bro.
[tense music playing]
I know this is none of my business, but I'll be damned if I stand here
and let one of the greatest tag teams of all times self-destruct.
Now, listen, Chavo, I know I said last week
that it was Eddie's fault, but don't you think you crossed the line
just a little bit when you slapped Eddie?
-I'm sick of you. -[dramatic music playing]
[Chavo] Do you want me to apologize to Eddie?
If Eddie was in this ring right now, I'd slap him in the face even harder.
[Kurt] We're gonna solve this thing tonight.
Eddie, I want you to reach deep inside yourself
and I want you to do the right thing right here.
-Come on, Eddie. -[dramatic music playing]
[announcer] The following contest is for the WWE Tag Team Championship.
[Michael] This match maybe exactly what the doctor ordered
to help repair the fragile relationship with Chavo and Eddie!
-Chavo up over the top… -[Tazz] Sunset flip.
-[Michael] Doug Basham, shoulders gone… -[bell ringing]
-[Michael] The Bashams win! -[Tazz] Oh!
[Michael] And Chavo knocked out of the ring.
Eddie Guerrero coming to his nephew's aid, and now the assault on Eddie Guerrero.
[Tazz] Chavo grabbing a steel chair because Uncle Eddie Guerrero's in trouble.
-And Eddie… -[Michael] Chavo, do something!
For God's sake, Chavo, help your uncle!
[Tazz] The assault continues on Eddie Guerrero
and Chavo's sitting down!
[suspenseful music playing]
[Michael] don't think Eddie has any idea that Chavo was sitting outside
watching the assault.
-At least help him up, for God's sake. -[Tazz] Oh, hold on, what's he…
-Oh! -[Michael] Oh my God!
[Tazz] And now, Eddie's nephew beating the hell out of his uncle.
In the name of the Guerrero family, stop this!
[Michael] Chavo Guerrero has spilled the blood of his own family.
[Kurt] How are you doing, man? Are you all right?
Listen, I have some great news though.
I was told you it was you versus Chavo at the Royal Rumble.
[Chavo mockingly] That's your uncle.
Don't hurt him, he's your own flesh and blood. How could you?
[Michael] Chavo Guerrero betrayed his uncle.
He turned his back on his uncle, Eddie Guerrero.
And then he got his father involved.
¡Dame la mano, ese! You made me see the light!
[Chavo] You have no idea what it's like to work your ass off
and be held down by a member of your own family.
I wanna see myself kick Chavito's ass! ¡Le voy a dar en la madre, a ese wey!
[music concludes]
[groovy music playing]
[bell ringing]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Making his way to the ring, being accompanied by Chavo Guerrero Sr.,
from El Paso, Texas, weighing in at 213 pounds, Chavo Guerrero.
[Michael] Well, that's nice. That's real nice.
[Tazz] What?
[Michael] I'm glad Chavo brought his dad, Chavo Sr., out here tonight.
I'm sure Chavo Sr. is gonna be an innocent bystander
at ringside watching this matchup.
Maybe they're gonna double team, Eddie Guerrero,
like they did Thursday night on SmackDown. Maybe that's what this is all about.
[Tazz] Uh, don't you think you might be jumping the gun just a little bit?
-[Michael] "Jumping a gun"? -[Tazz] Yeah.
[Michael] Chavo stabbed his own uncle in the back.
Eddie's old brother, Chavo's father, beat the hell out of this man
two weeks ago,
and three nights ago on SmackDown, they cheated to a win tag team match.
[Tazz] All right. Well, it's a tragedy, no doubt about it,
but it's gonna be one hell of a match.
[Michael] It's gonna be a hell of a match, but this is more than a match.
This is a story about a family that has been destroyed,
-a family that's gone awry. -["Viva La Raza" playing]
[Tazz] I think you need some decaf, Cole, personally.
[announcer] And from El Paso, Texas, weighing in at 228 pounds, Eddie Guerrero!
[Tazz] Hah, look at that ride, baby. That's bad, man.
[Michael] But it is not a fun ride
in the lowrider tonight for Eddie Guerrero.
Earlier tonight on Sunday Night Heat, Eddie Guerrero put it plain and simple.
He will try to channel his Latino heat. He will try to channel his emotions.
He will beat Chavo Guerrero in the match tonight…
-[crowd cheering] -…and then he will beat Chavo up.
[Tazz] Well, that remains to be seen but I'll tell you, Eddie Guerrero,
he's got that bad Latino temper.
And that's where that Latino Heat credo comes from, Cole.
That remains to be seen.
Let's see if Eddie Guerrero can keep this temper.
AI think if that man there, Chavo, slaps his uncle in the mat one more time,
Eddie might snap.
[Michael] Thursday night on SmackDown, Chavo Guerrero pinned his uncle, Eddie,
after Kurt Angle got a thumb to the eye
and inadvertently Angle Slammed his tag team partner, Eddie Guerrero.
[Tazz] Pinned him with a Frog Splash.
His own move, his nephew with his own move and right in his own face.
[Michael] Yeah, and look at Chavo.
Chavo doesn't want anything to do with Eddie
at the outset of this matchup.
[Tazz] Yes, he does, Chavo wants something to do with it.
And he's being coached along, Chavo is, by Chavo Sr.
His dad is coaching him along. Take your time.
Chavo Guerrero will wrestle at his pace and that's smart by Chavo.
[Michael] Chavo Guerrero's dad, Chavo Sr.,
is Eddie Guerrero's older brother.
-[bell ringing] -[crowd chanting] Eddie! Eddie! Eddie…
[Michael] And there are the Eddie chants from over 17,000 here in Philadelphia.
The Eddie chants that have angered, Chavo Guerrero so much…
-[Tazz] Yeah. -…over the past few months.
[Tazz] Maybe he can get a few Chavo chant, "Chavo, Chavo."
[Michael] Maybe Chavo will get the "Chavo Sucks" chant,
if you know what I mean.
As Eddie and Chavo face off center of the ring to start this matchup.
[Tazz] This should be something to see here.
Not for nothing, two great athletes in their prime right here,
collar and elbow tie-up, jockeying for positions.
[Michael] Eddie and Chavo know each other so well.
At the ages of five and three, these two young men were wrestling
in their backyard of their home.
These two men grew up as brothers, not as uncle and nephew,
but really as brothers. They're so close in age.
[Tazz] Right now, just struggling for position,
struggling for leverage.
And there's that temper, that's what I'm saying.
[Michael] But Eddie's got to channel that temper here tonight if you agree.
-[Tazz] I do agree. -[Michael] Oh, and look at Chavo!
-[Tazz] Forget about channels. -[Michael] Again humiliating his uncle.
[Tazz] Yeah, well, now, Eddie is gonna snap. Forget it. That's it.
[Michael] But perhaps good strategy by Chavo to try to bring
-Eddie out of this game. -[crowd] Eddie! Eddie! Eddie…
[Tazz] Well, I think so.
Surely, Chavo knows his uncle and knows how to get his uncle to snap.
[Michael] You can see the emotion on the face of Chavo Guerrero.
I mean, you see real hatred in the eyes of Chavo Guerrero
as he stands across-- Look at Eddie.
Eddie wanted to fire off there with a right hand.
Referee Nick Patrick right in between them.
[Tazz] Talking about facial, the looks on the face,
look at Eddie's face. What do you call that look?
That's hatred. That's a look of hatred by Eddie Guerrero.
[Michael] Eddie Guerrero is wounded.
Eddie Guerrero, Tazz, is an uncle that has been stabbed in the back,
betrayed by his own flesh and blood.
I don't know if it's quite anger
or if Eddie is wrestling to try to understand
these emotions that he's feeling here tonight.
[Tazz] Well, Cole, that happens all the time where I'm from, in Brooklyn,
but you got to fight for it.
Well, I'll tell you what, give Eddie his props.
Nice drop toehold, folding over with that tight rear chin lock.
Right now, Eddie Guerrero's got Chavo Guerrero in a very tough spot here.
[Michael] Eddie Guerrero back to the corner by Chavo Guerrero.
Eddie Guerrero telling me a story earlier today--
-[Tazz] He doesn't talk to you. -[Michael] Oh! And a shot by Chavo.
[Tazz] He talks to you?
[Michael] That growing up, Chavo was really the spoiled kid.
Every time there was a fight, it was always Eddie who was wrong,
Chavo who was right, and it was always Chavo Sr.,
Eddie's brother, Chavo's dad,
who would punish Eddie whatever Chavo Guerrero…
[Tazz] Oh, look everybody's got their problems, Cole. Cry me a river.
You know what I mean? Let's just watch the match.
Enough with, "He had problems when he was five years old." Who cares?
Come on, these guys will be fine. Two world-class athletes going at it,
who's gonna win, Eddie Guerrero or Chavo? That's what we wanna see.
[Michael] But this is more than two world-class athletes
battling in the ring, Tazz.
This is about a family that is disintegrating.
[Tazz] No, I agree with-- Oh man! I agree with that.
I know it's a tragedy in the Eddie Guerrero's family,
but right now, look at Chavo.
[Michael] See the grin though, on Eddie's face
when he delivered that chop?
[Tazz] Grin? That's a straight up smile and laughter
-by Eddie Guerrero. -Huh? You think that's funny?
[speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] Chavo saying, "You think that's funny?"
[Tazz] Eddie Guerrero now,
he's feeling good right now, be careful, Chavo.
Watch your uncle, he's crafty, ain't no doubt.
[Michael] Like two boxers sparring, jockeying into position,
lock up center of the ring again between Chavo and Eddie.
Now, Chavo had the upper hand. Eddie shoots him off the ropes.
Chavo with a big shoulder knockdown and Chavo Guerrero--
[Tazz] Right back to the headlock, very smart.
[Michael] And another shoulder knockdown.
Eddie Guerrero back to his feet, stalemate early on!
I don't know what Chavo is all excited about.
It's a stalemate, here early on.
-And now, Eddie… -[Tazz] Oh, he's still-- I guess Chavo…
[Michael] Oh, what a chop and another chop!
And uncle and nephew exchanging chops center of the ring and…
-and welts blowing up… -[Tazz] Oof!
[Michael] And Eddie, thumb to the eye, lying and cheating and stealing
-is how you get it done. -[Tazz] I told you he was crafty.
And Eddie Guerrero, man, this ain't his first barbecue.
[Michael] But yet again, Eddie Guerrero with a clenched fist,
but he didn't quite pull the trigger and remember what Eddie said
on Sunday Night Heat, he wants to outwrestle Chavo here tonight.
"Not gonna beat him up until later on."
[Tazz] Well, Eddie Guerrero wants to prove he is the better wrestler.
I mean, it's just my opinion, I think Eddie's gonna snap eventually.
I think that temper is gonna come out.
[Michael] Eddie is like a volcano, he's like the lava boiling at the bottom
of a volcano and slowly making its way to the top
before it's just gonna explode and overflow.
[Tazz] Look, Kurt Angle made a good point about Eddie Guerrero's temper, Cole.
It's well-known in the locker-room.
Eddie's got a short fuse. He's got a bad temper.
[Michael] Sort of like you.
And look at this, Eddie Guerrero with the armbar on Chavo.
[Tazz] It's a reverse armbar on Chavo and if Eddie could pinpoint up that limb,
that body part, and work on Chavo's arm,
that'd be a hell of a strategy for Eddie Guerrero.
[Michael] Let me ask you a question. You see Chavo's dad--
Look-- Shoulders down.
Nick Patrick in perfect position. Chavo trying to bridge up there.
There we go! That was unique.
-And Chavo pops out. -[Tazz] Oh, look at this!
[Michael] Chavo Guerrero takes Eddie over the top rope
and both men outside the ring, up and over the top rope.
And who is worse for wear here, Eddie or Chavo?
[Tazz] Who's gonna get to a vertical base?
-[referee] One! -Nick Patrick, the referee…
-[referee] Two! -…now starting his count here,
and Chavo looks to be in better shape here.
[Michael] You see Eddie Guerrero may have caught his wrist
on that top rope. He's trying to shake some feeling back into it.
-[referee] Four! -[Michael] As Eddie Guerrero…
[Tazz] Maybe Chavo spotted that, Chavo could go…
-[Michael] Look at this. Look at this! -[Tazz] Oh!
[Michael] Why the hell did you do that for?
[Tazz] Well, he doesn't like his younger brother, Chavo Sr.
-[crowd jeering] -Get on him.
[Tazz] Oh, look at this!
[Michael] Chavo gaining the upper hand as the brawl spills out the ringside here.
Eddie, bounced off the announce table.
[Tazz] I'll tell you what, Chavo like a barracuda.
Chavo saw an opening, boy.
-He went right after it, man. -[Michael] Thanks to dad.
Good thing papa is at ringside. Here's the cover.
Thought he was going for the cover
but Chavo with those blows across the side of the head.
[Tazz] The crossfaces,
trying to crossface the head off of his uncle.
[Michael] And this crowd in Philly, really behind Eddie Guerrero.
[Tazz] Eddie Guerrero still…
[Michael] And Eddie again-- clenched fist again.
Does not throw the punch.
[Tazz] He's trying to stick to his game plan
and trying not to throw a punch.
Oh, nice single leg there, maybe a double leg.
[Michael] And Chavo throwing all kinds of blows,
trying to beat the pulp out of Eddie
and Eddie yet to throw a punch in this matchup.
[Tazz] Chavo's doing a good job at that.
Eddie's going for an armbar here and maybe a cross arm-breaker.
If Eddie can flatten out Chavo to his back. And there it is.
-[Michale] And he does. -[Tazz] He's got to extend that arm.
Chavo's gripping his own wrist to avoid the hyperextension of his elbow.
-Get out of there! -[Tazz] That's a cross armbreaker.
And it's a very, very dangerous submission move.
You could pop a joint right out of your elbow.
You could hear Chavo Guerrero saying, "Get him the hell off me," to the referee.
[Tazz] Chavo needs to try and stay off his back,
keep his hand clasped so his uncle can't extend that elbow.
[Michael] Or get to the bottom rope, which he just did.
[Tazz] I was just gonna say that, but you beat me to the punch.
[Michael] I was gonna ask you before, Chavo Sr.'s at ringside.…
[Tazz] You got a lot of questions.
[Michael] What type of advice do you think Chavo's dad has given him
over the past few days to head into a matchup with Eddie?
-[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa! -[Michael] Oh, look at this!
-[Tazz] Good question, Cole. -[Michael] Here we go, shoulders down.
He's got it-- No! Eddie Guerrero just kicked out.
[Tazz] Now, Chavo Sr., still barking out orders to Chavo Guerrero.
-Chavo ready to go for a vertical suplex. -[Michael] Oh! And connected.
And look at this!
This is what Eddie does on a normal basis.
[Tazz] Yeah, this is a triple vertical suplex.
You saw the Frog Splash last week by Chavo Guerrero
and Chavo is outdoing Eddie--
[Michael] But Eddie countered. Eddie countered, though.
-[Tazz] Nice counter. Oof! -[Michael] And now an elbow to the face.
Chavo Guerrero up to the second rope, Eddie Guerrero…
[Tazz] Swinging DDT here. Oop, countered.
[Michael] Eddie with a great counter, shot to the midsection.
Eddie Guerrero, headbutt to the shoulder.
-And another headbutt. -[Tazz] Oh, here we go.
Eddie, now, starting to fight a little dirty here,
getting a little nasty with those headbutts.
[Michael] Oh, and a great-- Now, Eddie is gonna show Chavo how it's done!
[Tazz] Oh, you know, there's nothing better than the original, Eddie Guerrero.
[Michael] In the home of the Philadelphia Flyers,
Eddie Guerrero is going for a hat trick!
And he got him.
[Tazz] "Viva La Raza" right there by Latino Heat.
-[crowd cheering] -[Michael] Eddie Guerrero is feeling it.
Eddie Guerrero out to the apron. Eddie Guerrero is gonna climb high.
[Tazz] Eddie Guerrero is feeling the froggy,
Chavo, you got to get your butt out of there.
[Michael] Can he do it here?
[Tazz] I don't know! Eddie's looking good here, Cole!
-[Michael] Frog Splash connecting! -[crowd cheering]
-[Tazz] One-- That's it. He got him! -[crowd chanting] Two, three!
-[Michael] Eddie's got Chavo! -[bell ringing]
-["Viva La Raza" playing] -[announcer] Here's your winner, Eddie--
[Michael] And Eddie Guerrero with the right hand for good measure
to his older brother, to Chavo's father.
[Tazz] Eddie Guerrero said he would stick to his game
and outwrestle Chavo and he did it.
Eddie Guerrero did do it, gotta give the man props.
[crowd chanting] Eddie! Eddie!
[Tazz] Hell of a match, not for nothing.
[chanting continues]
[Tazz] Oh, well.
[Michael] And a show of respect from 17,000, strong here in Philadelphia.
Eddie Guerrero controlling his temper throughout the matchup.
[Tazz] Well, Eddie said-- I guess Eddie changed his-- Uh-oh, wait a minute.
Look at the look in his eyes, Cole!
[Michael] Eddie Guerrero, Latino Heat, with a low blow and a right hand!
[groans]
-[Michael] And that volcano, I believe… -[Tazz] Oh man.
¡Órale, hijo de la chingada!
-¡Conmigo no chingas wey! -[Tazz] Uh-oh.
You thought you were going to get away with it?
No, ni madres.
[Tazz] He snapped, Cole. Here we go. Eddie Guerrero has lost it!
[Michael] The volcano that is Eddie Guerrero has erupted!
Latino Heat with the right hands hammering away on his nephew, Chavo!
[Tazz] Now, Eddie Guerrero going to his older brother Chavo Sr. here.
Oh, geez!
Grabbed him by the tie, he's trying to choke him out.
[Michael] Chavo Guerrero Sr.…
[Tazz] Tying him up, his lassoing him to that bottom rope.
[grunts]
-[Tazz] Chavo can't go anywhere. -[speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] And Eddie Guerrero choking the life out of his own brother.
[Tazz] Tying him up like a piece of cattle to that bottom rope.
[Michael] And this is the Latino heat,
that temper that Eddie Guerrero has warned people about,
and you see that Chavo has been split open here.
Because once Eddie lets his emotions out, there is no stopping Latino Heat.
[Tazz] Oh, I know that.
I know Eddie Guerrero very well for a long time.
He's damn near psycho when he snaps. And it's that temper, Cole.
[Michael] And now Eddie pouncing on his own nephew Chavo.
[Tazz] Eddie Guerrero trying to teach the younger Chavo Guerrero a lesson.
-[screams] -[Tazz] Chavo is in trouble here.
-[Michale] Eddie Guerrero… -[Tazz] Man! Oh God.
[Tazz] Just busting-- just going for that open wound,
as Chavo did to Eddie…
-[overlapping chatter] -[Tazz] Oh my God!
[Michael] Well, Chavo Guerrero indeed deserved this,
but if you could see the look on the face of Eddie Guerrero--
-Look at this. -[Tazz] What the hell is he doing?
[Michael] Eddie Guerrero taking this a bit too far.
[Tazz] Come on, Eddie!
[Michael] Trying to rip the eyes out of the head of Chavo.
[Tazz] Cole, he's dragging him to the damn middle of the ring
by his mouth and his nose.
[Chavo Sr.] What did you do to him, man?
-[Michael] Eddie Guerrero looks possessed. -What did you do to him?
That's your kid!
-[Tazz] Guerrero family just… -Look at how you left him.
-…imploding in front of us here. -[screams]
[Tazz] What's Eddie gonna do now?
-[screams] -[speaking indistinctly]
[Michael] Eddie Guerrero beating the hell out of Chavo
right in front of Chavo's father, Eddie's older brother, Chavo Sr.
-["Viva La Raza" playing] -[Michael] And did you hear Chavo Sr.?
He actually had the gall to say to Eddie,
"How could you do this to your own kid, to your own flesh and blood?"
What about the sins that Chavo Sr.
and Chavo committed against Eddie Guerrero?
What about those sins?
[Tazz] Eddie Guerrero, those eyes tell the story.
Eddie Guerrero, when he needs to be, can be a cold, cold dude, man.
That was vicious.
-[Michael] Eddie Guerrero… -[Tazz] Look at this. Whoa!
Look at this. Beautiful Frog Splash.
[Michael] Eddie Guerrero did what he said.
Eddie Guerrero beat Chavo Guerrero in the ring
and then Eddie Guerrero beat Chavo Guerrero up.
[Tazz] Beat him up right in front of his own father,
Eddie's own older brother.
Wow.
-[Michael] A family tragedy. It's over… -[Tazz] Yup, Latino heat right there.
-Yeah, no doubt. -…at the Rumble.
[music stops]
Chris, you earned your way into the Royal Rumble match,
then, of course, Paul Heyman named you the number one entrant.
What do you think your chances of winning the Royal Rumble match are?
Well, being the number one entry into the Royal Rumble
means that they're 29 men
-that I've got to go through… -[Ric] Whoo!
-…in order-- -[indistinct chatter]
-Whoa, whoa-- Back off, Flair. -Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
No backing off. You see Evolution just now?
Evolution just destroyed the Dudleys in their hometown, in their own match.
Chris, the Nature Boy, Big Dave, we're World Tag Team Champions.
We're Evolution. And Randy Orton is gonna go out there tonight,
and he's gonna win the Royal Rumble. And you know what?
Let me be the first to tell you,
'cause you know how I feel about you personally,
you maybe the greatest technical wrestler alive,
you're Chris Benoit, amen!
But, Chris, everybody knows you take second every time you go out there.
You grab that big brass ring, you pull it down,
but somehow it slides out of your hand!
It's not about you, it's about Evolution!
It's about the greatest tag team,
about the greatest Intercontinental Champion!
It's about the World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H!
It's about us. It's a good day. Have a drink, brother. Come on, man.
-[laughter] -Whoo! [laughs]
-Watch it, Ric. Watch it, I gotta… -Whoo!
-[crowd cheering] -Second best. [laughs]
-[indistinct chatter] -Whoo!
You know, not for nothing, Cole, I agree with Ric Flair.
I mean, I've said it a couple weeks back,
Chris Benoit, as greatest as Benoit is, and he is the end-all be-all
as far as greatness in that ring, in my opinion.
Chris Benoit cannot win the big one
and I pointed that out a couple of weeks ago, that's my view.
-I don't know, Flair just said it too. -[exciting music playing]
[Michael] Well, Benoit, the number one entry in the Rumble,
but ladies and gentlemen, coming up next, Brock Lesnar, Hardcore Holly.
-[Tazz] Oh, yeah. -[Michael] The WWE title is on the line.
Holly wants to win the WWE title and break Brock Lesnar's neck,
just like Lesnar did to Bob Holly a year and a half ago.
-[dramatic music playing] -[Michael] There is no fear,
there is no intimidation for Hardcore Holly.
-[inaudible] -[Tazz] He wants Lesnar.
[Michael] Hardcore Holly all over Brock Lesnar!
[Tazz] Here's the fight, man. Here's the fight.
[echoing] Brock, no! Brock, no!
That might be the end of it, man. Hardcore landed high and tight.
Brock, you broke my neck, you took 12 months of my life,
but you made one big mistake, you didn't finish the job.
-[Michael] Wait a minute! -[Tazz] Whoa, whoa.
That's Hardcore Holly!
[Michael] Hardcore Holly is back with a vengeance!
Brock, I'm not coming back to wrestle and I'm not coming back to fight.
I'm coming back to end your f--king career.
[Michael] Hardcore Holly hammering away on Brock Lesnar.
And Holly, hell-bent on getting retribution tonight.
[Tazz] Hardcore is one of the most confrontational men
I've ever met in my life. He don't back down from no one.
-He don't back down from no one. -[echoing scream]
[Michael] Hardcore Holly has completely lost it.
[Tazz] Hardcore, he's getting some of Lesnar now!
[Michael] It was Brock Lesnar who broke Hardcore Holly's neck a year ago
and Holly vows to make Lesnar pay!
[tense music playing]
[Hardcore Holly] We got business to finish.
I'm gonna do to him what he did to me.
[Michael] Can Holly survive the animal, Brock Lesnar, for the WWE title
at the Royal Rumble?
Brock, I'm gonna break your neck.
["How Do You Like Me Now" playing]
[bell ringing]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall
and it is for the WWE Championship.
Making his way to the ring, the challenger, from Mobile, Alabama,
weighing in at 234 pounds, Hardcore Holly!
[Michael] September 12, 2002 will be forever etched
in the mind of Hardcore Holly, the night Brock Lesnar broke his neck,
the night that Hardcore Holly's life changed forever!
Hardcore Holly realizes opportunities, well, don't knock more than once.
-["Next Big Thing" playing] -[Tazz] Here comes the pain.
[announcer] And from Minneapolis, Minnesota, weighing in at 295 pounds
is the WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar!
[Michael] Lesnar showed absolutely no remorse
the night that he broke Hardcore Holly's neck.
Brock Lesnar never apologized.
[Michael and Tazz] Oh!
-[Tazz] Look at Holly. Whoa! -[Michael] Holly wasting little time.
Knocking the champion off the apron, and here we go with the title on the line.
[Tazz] It didn't even start yet. Did it… Did it officially start?
[Michael] Not at all, but Hardcore Holly's been waiting…
-[crowd cheering] -…a year and a half for this moment.
And the champion with a knee,
battling back and then knocking Hardcore Holly down.
[referee] Get him in the ring, let's go!
-[Tazz] I mean, is there a… -[Michael] Oh my God. Look at this!
Going for the F-5! And Hardcore Holly countered.
The champion shoulder-first off the steel post.
[Tazz] But wait a second. [hesitates] Cole, did the bell--
When was this thing started? Oh man!
[Michael] This matchup isn't even underway yet.
As Hardcore Holly continues the assault outside the ring.
[Tazz] Hardcore Holly, though, trying to soften up Lesnar
before this thing officially starts, I guess.
[Michael] Trying to wear the champion down.
-[bell ringing] -[Michael] Now, the bell rings.
Hardcore Holly, going for the kill early.
-Hardcore Holly, top rope! -[Tazz] Heads up, Brock! Heads up!
[Michael] And Brock Lesnar, the Champion, moving out of the way,
and Hardcore Holly landed hard on the elbow.
[Tazz] Sure did. And Brock Lesnar playing possum now.
[Michael] Much like Eddie Guerrero in the match prior,
Hardcore Holly needed to channel his emotions here tonight,
I don't know if he did that.
[Tazz] Oh, Hardcore Holly might have snapped.
Nice, snap suplex, speaking of snapping, by the WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar.
[Michael] Can you blame Hardcore Holly for snapping
after he had his neck broken and had surgery to repair it.
-[Tazz] Well, he should've-- -[Michael] He had a hip infection.
His weight dropped to 170 pounds. Hardcore Holly's wife left him.
He lost money because of his injury.
Hardcore Holly never thought he'd be in this spot again,
and now he was a golden opportunity to win the title here tonight.
[Tazz] I think Hardcore Holly's strategy was to soften up the champion
and try to take that championship from him tonight.
And then, I don't know, maybe he wants to break--
[Michael] And look at Lesnar, quick cover, hook to the leg.
Shoulders! And a kick-out by Hardcore Holly
[Tazz] Now, Hardcore is in trouble because he's in a wrestling match now.
Well, Brock's got that arm trapped, that rear gutwrench in…
-[screams] -…and he's got a leg grapevine.
That's a bad position
when you're in there with the WWE Champion,
who's one of the greatest mat technicians we have
on SmackDown and possibly the WWE.
[Michael] One of the things you and I talked about earlier today
is the fact that Hardcore Holly cannot get into a wrestling match
with this former all-American from the University of Minnesota.
Holly needed to keep it a brawl and right now, Lesnar…
-[Brock shouts] -…wearing down Holly.
And look at the face, the exasperation in the eyes of Holly here.
[Tazz] Well, Hardcore Holly is caught in a trap here.
Again, he's trapped, he's locked up.
[Michael] And how do you get out of it?
[Tazz] You gotta try and turn to your stomach
but then you open yourself up for a rear naked choke possibly
or an armbar or something by a guy like Lesnar,
who's strong and so good on the mat.
[Michael] And Lesnar, though, hanging on for dear life
because remember, if Holly can get out of this thing,
Brock Lesnar is scared of Hardcore Holly.
Lesnar has been running from the challenger for months now.
[Tazz] Who said-- I didn't hear anybody say
that Brock Lesnar was scared of anybody.
-What are you talking about? -[Michael] Brock Lesnar-- Look at this!
[Tazz] It's that fisherman buster, a delayed fisherman,
that high cradle by Brock Lesnar!
[Michael] And connecting on Hardcore Holly,
the power of the champion.
And Lesnar on the attack with a kick to the head.
Here's the cover, hook to the leg and a kick-out.
He hid behind that restraining order Big Show had, and Hardcore Holly--
Look, shoulders down. Holly rolled his shoulder out.
[Tazz] Oh, back to that gut wrench again goes Brock Lesnar.
And at any time Brock wants, he could roll Holly to his back,
bridge his back and possibly go for a pin.
[Michael] Well, what does Hardcore Holly need to do
to get out of this, to reverse this thing?
[Tazz] Possibly get to a rope, that'd be the quickest and easiest…
[Michael] But he's in the middle of the ring.
[Tazz] He's gotta try and break the grip.
The hand grip-- The butterfly grip of Brock Lesnar.
And Lesnar's hands are so strong that's damn near tough to do
and that's probably why Holly's not trying to do it.
[Michael] Trying to get a vertical base here.
Holly trying to gain some leverage on the champion. Holly's up now.
[Tazz] Watch you don't get suplexed here.
Get a German suplex if you're Lesnar.
[Michael] Lesnar's got those huge arms locked in
around the waist of Hardcore Holly, and Holly, he's so strong,
pound for pound perhaps the strongest in the WWE.
Trying to battle out.
[Tazz] Holly maybe going for a stand and switch,
but no, now Holly turned belly-to-belly here.
Now, it's a bear hug by the bare strength of Brock Lesnar.
[Michael] By turning around into a bear hug,
it exposes the skull of Brock Lesnar.
And Holly's arms are open here.
[Tazz] Well, Holly is trying to punch his way out of this,
which it worked and I think that was smart by Hardcore Holly.
[Michael] And look at Brock Lesnar--
That's the suplex that you were talking about!
And remember, Hardcore Holly--
luckily the suplex hit the lower back that time--
Holly with enough wherewithal to get his head off the mat
or neck could've have been hurt there.
[Tazz] Holly don't look lucky to me, Cole.
I mean now, right now, the head and the arm are trapped.
Now, Lesnar changes this from a gutwrench to a head and arm.
With the grapevines in, I mean, Holly is in a lot of trouble here.
[Michael] Let me ask you something here.
It sure looks like sort of a rear naked choke.
Is this putting any pressure
in that surgically-repaired neck of Hardcore Holly?
[Tazz] That's a great point.
And that's exactly what it's probably doing.
Again, that wing, those arms, some people call it a wing, is a trap.
And Holly… And that could be preventing the choke out,
but I think that Lesnar is just trying to wear down, as you pointed out,
pinpoint on that surgically-repaired neck of Hardcore Holly.
[Michael] This is a predicament here for Hardcore Holly.
You see the referee, Brian Hebner, right in the center of the action
asking Hardcore Holly if he gives up here.
And Holly, perhaps with a last-gasp effort,
trying to break out of this.
[Tazz] Holly is just doing everything he can.
He's flaring his legs around and moving his hands around.
Holly knows that he's in a bad position.
[Michael] Lesnar is just trying to choke Holly out of here.
But honestly, as Holly tries to make it back to his feet…
[Tazz] He got to watch he doesn't get suplexed here again
with that head and arm grab, but again, Holly.
[Michael] Shot. Here comes Holly.
-[Tazz] Holly's got heart. -[Michael] Of course he does.
Hardcore Holly has a hell of a lot of heart,
he wouldn't ever come back from that injury if he didn't.
And look at this, an elbow, with the WWE title on the line.
Hardcore Holly with a clothesline. Big man showing his feet.
Ducks underneath the clothesline.
-Here comes Holly! -[Tazz] Oh!
[Michael] Knocking Lesnar down.
-[Tazz] A lot of explosiveness in that… -[Michael] Oh, what a dropkick!
[Tazz] …flying clothesline, now a great dropkick.
Look at this.
Will he go for the Alabama Slam?
[Michael] He connects! Hardcore Holly is gonna do it here!
-[Tazz] Oh my God! -[Michael] Covering him, Hardcore!
-Cover him for the title! -[Tazz] That impact was sick!
[Michael] And now, going for the full nelson.
-Perhaps. -[Tazz] Yup. That's right.
[Michael] If he can lock it in to try to break the neck of Brock Lesnar.
[Tazz] He's got it. Holly's got that full nelson locked in.
[Michael] Hardcore Holly and Lesnar makes it to the ropes.
[Tazz] Oh, break it, break it. He's out of the ropes now.
[Michael] And look at Hardcore sensing an in here!
[Tazz] He grapevined the hell out of Brock Lesnar with that full nelson.
[Michael] Trying to break the neck of Brock Lesnar.
[referee] Come on, hey!
[Michael] Hardcore still has it locked in.
Holly's gotta be careful he doesn't get disqualified here.
The title is on the line.
[Tazz] Holy can't win no title on the outside.
[Michael] Or if he gets disqualified.
[Tazz] You know, I respect the tenacity right now
-of the pitbull-like bear hug by Holly. -[referee] Two!
[Tazz] But you've gotta get in there Holly, gotta get in the ring.
[Michael] Holly back in the ring to break up the count here.
But if Lesnar's counted out, the title doesn't change hands either.
Lesnar trying to make it to his feet and the competitive champion
-back up to the apron. -Six!
[Michael] Hardcore Holly gonna make sure the champ-- Look at this.
-[Tazz] Back to it again. -[Michael] Going back to the full nelson.
[Michael] And Hardcore Holly made a mistake,
and did you see his neck snapped back off that top rope?
[Tazz] Again, the neck that was-- has been worked on a little bit by Lesnar.
And again, that surgically-repaired neck of Hardcore Holly.
[Michael] Hardcore Holly to his feet, Brock to his feet as well.
Hardcore Holly from behind, went for the full nelson again,
a great move.
-[Tazz] Underarm drag right there. -[Michael] And look at this!
-[Tazz] Oh man, here comes the pain! -[Michael] The F-5 connecting!
Holly walked into it.
Hooked to the leg, shoulders down!
Lesnar got him!
-[bell ringing] -["Next Big Thing" playing]
[Michael] And Brock Lesnar retains the title!
[announcer] Here's your winner and still WWE Champion,
-Brock Lesnar! -[Tazz] Wow.
[Michael] Lesnar wasted little time, getting out of Dodge with the WWE title.
[Tazz] Tell you what,
that was one physical smash-mouth styled match,
SmackDown style baby.
WWE champion, Brock Lesnar retains his title here in Philadelphia
against a very tough and able, Hardcore Holly. Wow.
[Michael] The champion retains the title and Lesnar getting out of town.
-[music stops] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Triple H getting ready for the last man standing match
for the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
And, King, this one, it's not for the weak of heart.
[Jerry] Oh, it's gonna get ugly, J.R.,
and there we see… there we see Shawn Michaels.
Looks as if he's… looks as if he's praying before this matchup.
[Ross] This is a slobberknocker. Seven years in the making.
[dramatic music playing]
[interviewer] Back in 1997, 1998, you two were the best of friends,
forming one of the greatest groups ever in the history of WWE.
[Triple H] D-Generation X rules
the wrestling world.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Shawn Michaels and Triple H, they're closer than a lot of brothers.
[Triple H] Shawn, I considered you a brother
and you never considered me anything but an underling.
I was your sidekick, right?
Who is The Showstopper?
Me.
[Triple H] But I was never a sidekick to you.
I was more like your kickstand.
I was the one that held you up when you couldn't stand up anymore
on your own.
[Jerry] I think Shawn is hurt. I think he's hurt bad.
[Shawn] When I went down with a broken back
and couldn't drag this wagon, yeah, you're right,
you picked it up and you ran.
[Triple H] Yeah. I grabbed the wagon, and, yeah, I started to drag it,
but I've been dragging it all along. Just finally you weren't around
-to stand in my way. -[Shawn] What do you wanna hear?
[crowd cheering]
[Shawn] That all the success that you all had while I was gone
-didn't bother me? -[Triple H] Shawn--
[Triple H] It burned a hole in you so bad, then what?
Four years later, it had eaten you up so damn bad
that you finally had to come back, that you had to drag your broken ass
out of bed and you had to come back here?
[Ross] Oh, Michaels for all the-- Will it be? Can it be?
-[Jerry cheering] -[Ross] Yes, HBK, my God. He did it!
[Shawn] I proved after four years that, still, I was better than you.
[Triple H] You beat me but who walked out of the ring, Shawn, huh?
-[Jerry] Oh, oh, oh my God! -[Ross] God Almighty!
-Triple H hit Shawn Michaels! -[Jerry] Get that away from him!
[Ross] Get that hammer away!
[Triple H] I was standing on my feet while you were taking a ride
in an ambulance.
I was the last man standing that night.
The Royal Rumble, I'll be the last man standing again.
[announcer] So, it's goes with Triple H and HBK.
-[thrilling music playing] -[Ross] Triple H is gonna defend
the World's Heavyweight Championship against Shawn Michaels.
[Stone Cold] This will be a last man standing match.
[Ross] You literally got to beat your opponent senseless
where that opponent cannot stand up before a ten count.
[Shawn] The only thing that's gonna make a difference is one second.
[Triple H] In that one second, I will prove that I am the best.
[Shawn] One second to you and me can last eternity.
But in reality, it's here one second…
-[grunts] -…and it's gone the next.
-[Ross] Shawn Michaels and The Game! -[Triple H] Last man standing.
[Shawn] We reached that level, haven't we?
[Triple H] Between you and me, it's always been about one thing
and that's who's the best?
[Shawn] The only thing that's gonna make a difference is one second.
[music concludes]
-[crowd cheering, applauding] -[bell ringing]
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest
is the last man standing match for the World Heavyweight Championship!
The only way to win this match is to incapacitate your opponent
to where he cannot enter the ten count.
-[crowd cheering] -["Sexy Boy" playing]
♪ I think I'm cute I know I'm sexy ♪
♪ I've got the looks ♪
[announcer] Introducing the challenger, from San Antonio, Texas,
weighing 225 pounds,
the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels!
[Ross] Shawn Michaels will challenge
for the Heavyweight Championship of the World,
but, King, perhaps for these two man about to engage his comeback,
it's even more important than being the heavyweight champion of the world.
[Jerry] Well, you're right, J.R..
Shawn Michaels and Triple H have had some classic confrontations in the past,
and I have a gut feeling that this is gonna be one for the ages.
These two men, as we all know, had been at one time closer than brothers,
but tonight, after seven years, it's come to this.
[Ross] Shawn Michaels has always had great success at the Royal Rumble.
In '97, he beat Sycho Sid to win the title.
In '98, he defeated The Undertaker in a casket match to retain the title.
This has been a great event for Shawn Michaels,
but it is so personal here.
It's about so much more than the richest prize in our business,
the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
-[music stops] -[crowd cheering]
["The Game" playing]
♪ Time to play the game ♪
[crowd cheering]
[announcer] From Greenwich, Connecticut,
weighing 272 pounds, the World Heavyweight Champion,
Triple H!
[Ross] And Triple H's track record in ten championship matches at the Rumble
is also very impressive.
Triple H defeated Cactus Jack in a street fight in 2000, King.
[Jerry] I realized that, Triple H--
I mean, the Royal Rumble is a special event for Triple H,
and look at him J.R., he's pumped, he's ready.
Shawn Michaels, I hope he said a nice, good, long prayer, he may need it.
[Ross] Pride and passion motivate both of these phenomenal athletes.
The question is, which man will survive the physical toll
that this match is about to dish out?
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Wow.
[Ross] A very in-your-face environment
with the Heavyweight Championship of the World on the line.
You can forget about pinfalls. You can forget about submissions
and disqualifications, and count-outs, King.
Only one way to win this last man standing match
and that is to, literally, physically destroy your opponent
until the opponent cannot stand for the referee's ten count.
[Jerry] Well, you know, with both of these individuals, J.R.,
it's gonna take some… It's gonna take some doing
to get either one of these guys that incapacitated.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] I'll tell you what, just watching these entrances here,
the way these two men came to the ring,
I got to give a little bit of a psychological advantage…
-[bell ringing] -…to Triple H.
The cerebral assassin. He's getting things started.
He's psyching out Shawn Michaels right now, if you ask me.
[inaudible conversation]
[Shawn] Well, I'll tell you, Shawn Michaels has been
in some big-match environments.
We'll find out who's psyched out or who's not.
It's like Triple H said,
It's always been about these two guys. Who's the best? Who's the better man?
Collar and elbow tie up, the bigger, stronger, Triple H,
but Michaels is trying to fight his way out of the corner.
Michaels has got to use a lot of speed and quickness…
-Come on, hey! -…and not let this match
get into a deliberate pace that Triple H can dominate-- physically dominate.
Come on! Come on!
[Ross] Michaels's got a handful of hair there,
trying to get the advantage.
The referee's here only to utilize that ten count--
A hard right hand from that thick right hand
of the 272-pounder, and Shawn Michaels fighting back.
Shawn Michaels has always been known for his brave heart…
-[crowd cheering] -…his competitive spirit.
[Jerry] Oh, and you called it, J.R., this is not gonna be a wrestling match
by any means.
These two guys want to hurt each other,
they got to literally destroy each other in this match.
[Ross] This is gonna be a knock-down, drag-out.
Again, not for the weak of heart, not a catch-as-catch-can classic
as we have seen these two men so many times.
-Last man standing. -[wrestlers grunt]
[Jerry]Let me tell you something, J.R.,
these guys are literally beating the hell out of each other
right of the bat here.
[Ross] You know, the pain threshold is got to be
one of the keys for this matchup.
Who can tolerate and withstand the most pain in reckless--
Triple H with a side headlock take-over,
and Michaels counters into the head scissors.
And again, don't worry about a pinfall.
[Jerry] Look at Shawn Michaels! Look at the strength.
[Ross] Michaels with that damaged back, almost--
stayed away from the game almost four years, away from the WWE,
we thought he had retired for good until he came back in SummerSlam…
-[Triple H groans] -[crowd] Oh!
…in 2002 and promptly beat The Game.
Darting out against the top again. Engaged at far side.
Facebuster.
And Michaels made a calculated mistake there.
Lowering his head, setting too early, and The Game capitalized.
[Jerry] Boy, and these kinds of mistakes-- that kind of mistake, at least,
can be deadly in a match like this.
[Ross] Well, in the great sports history of Philadelphia.
The World Heavyweight Championship has only changed hands three times
-in the city's history. -Come on, Hunter…
[Jerry] You got to go way back for some of those title changes, right?
-[Ross] Absolutely. And there's a Irish-- -[Jerry] Oh!
-[Ross] Far side, oh.
Man, what impact on that lower back of Shawn Michaels'--
That's always the question you ask yourself.
What really is the condition of Shawn Michaels back,
and what effect will that injured back have on any match
that Shawn Michaels competes in, especially, King, one like this?
[Jerry] Well, I don't know, J.R..
I don't know if that's a valid question anymore.
-Yeah, in the past, people wondered… -[screams]
…but I think Shawn Michaels has proven to everybody
that he is still or at least he is now a hundred percent.
Look at this shot though.
[Ross] You know, a hundred percent, you're gonna be hurt from that--
the impact velocity of that turnbuckle, of that Irish whip.
[Jerry] You got that right.
You know, J.R., you were talking about
this is all about who's the best.
Speaking of the best, these two men were part of the best--
as far as I'm concerned, one of the best things I've ever seen
in the WWE,
was D-Generation X
[Jerry] And then because of that injury, these guys went their separate ways,
and of course, Triple H has never looked back.
[Ross] Triple H scoring the most right hands and--
[screams]
[Ross] Nice single leg takedown by Shawn Michaels.
Putting a lot of torque on that leg of Triple H and…
-[Jerry] Oh, look at this! -[Ross] And Shawn Michaels now.
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Here's Ric Flair's burster.
[Ross] This is, uh, right off the Ric Flair DVD!
The figure-four leglock applied to Triple H.
And Shawn Michaels, if he could debilitate those legs of The Game…
-You can't stand on a broken leg. -[screams]
[Jerry] You got that right.
[screams]
[Ross] Triple H trying to-- he's in a bad place here.
In the center of the ring, with a figure-four leglock
expertly applied by the challenger for the heavyweight title.
[Jerry] Well, we've talked about the injuries in the past
to Shawn Michaels' back.
Triple H has had some problems with his legs in the past
and Shawn Michaels knows that,
maybe that's why he's going after this figure-four right here.
[grunts, screams]
[Ross] What a unique situation here because Triple H can't-- he can't submit.
If he tapped out right now, it's still irrelevant, it's…
[Jerry] The match-- The match will continue.
[Ross] He's got to be able to stand before the referee reach the count of ten.
And Michaels got to keep--
Now, Michaels gonna test the effectiveness of the figure-four.
-Michaels is-- -One!
-[Ross] Michaels… -[Jerry] Yeah, there it is.
-There's the first count coming up here. -Two!
[Jerry] If Triple H can't get to his feet, this could be over.
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] I've got a feeling, Triple H, he'll somehow--
he'll drag himself up if he has to eventually.
[Ross] Triple H back up to his very wobbly…
-[Jerry] Oh man! -[Ross] And a dropkick right to that leg.
Shawn Michaels going right back to that injured knee of The Game.
[Ross] Triple H not up for long and did you see that shot?
-One! -[Ross] A very sound strategy.
And the referee, the second count of the night.
[referee] Three!
[Ross] Shawn Michaels feeling the pain on the lower back with the story.
Right now is Triple H using the ropes to pull himself up.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Shawn Michaels went for a crossbody and it's like…
it's like a-- an unspoken word, The Game could feel it coming,
and these two men know each other so well.
[Jerry] Well, I'm gonna tell you something, J.R..
Talking about feelings, I got a bad feeling when we saw
that shot of Shawn Michaels face there, he was grimacing in pain.
That back may be more injured than we think
or that he wants anybody to know.
[Jerry] I think Shawn Michaels was hoping to try and buy some time there--
But oh, this is bad.
[Ross] And remember that neither man can be disqualified.
They can stay outside and fight as much or as aggressively as they choose.
-[Jerry] Now, wait a minute, what is… -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] The hell is going on here?
[Jerry] Triple H slammed the table right into Howard Finkel, that was good.
[Ross] Triple H is gonna try--
He's gonna try to incapacitate Michaels once and for all.
The finality of this environment on the outside, with those tables exposed.
[Jerry] Well, Triple H is The Cerebral Assassin,
you never know what is going through that sadistic evil mind of Triple H.
He wants to-- We do know one thing.
He wants to destroy Shawn Michaels here tonight.
[Ross] Hard right hands on Shawn Michaels, who can't even defend himself.
And now, The Game climbing on top of the SmackDown announce table.
[Jerry] You know what he's thinking. He's thinking Pedigree Shawn Michaels
right the hell-- right through that announce table.
[Ross] Michaels could be rendered unconscious here.
-Wait a minute. -[Jerry] He's making a suplex.
[Ross] Front face lock. Michaels counters.
Michaels with a right hand of his own, another right hand,
and now the champion is in trouble.
[Jerry] You know what they say, the best laid plans.
[Ross] Another right hand.
These men, teetering on-- upon disaster here.
Another right that Michaels connects with, right to the temple
of the World Heavyweight Champion.
[Jerry] I think these fans wanted to see Triple H getting knocked
through that table.
[Ross] Well, be careful what you wish for. I'll tell you that.
Well as I've known these two guys, they're… this is--
have to do anything to keep the other down.
That's what it's all about in this match, and Triple H thrown back into the ring.
Again, the referee's here only to utilize his ten count.
[Jerry] Everything goes here.
And here goes Shawn Michaels, another one of those…
one of those high-risk moves, you'll never what he's got in mind.
Oh!
[Ross] And The Game scored with a kick, and now The Game…
-Look at-- Oh! -[Jerry] Look out!
[Ross] Got knocked back over the top.
Inside out, over the top,
as The Game was attempting to hook up Michaels for the Pedigree.
Michaels could feel it coming and he just elevated the Champion
-over the top rope. -Two!
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Oh, lucky for Shawn Michaels.
That he was that close to the rope, just bought Shawn some more time here.
He was in a bad way.
[Ross] The referee is counting on the outside.
But The Game is up.
-[Jerry] Look at this! -[Ross] Oh, that was--
Nice head and shoulder fake.
-[Jerry] Oh no! Oh my gosh! -[Ross] Oh my God!
Michaels was trying an outside moonsault.
-Or a springboard crossbody if he want… -[indistinct chatter]
…and The Game had that-- he had it scouted like all the way.
Michaels pouncing and burning into the Spanish announce table.
[Jerry] Boy oh boy, if Shawn Michaels had hit that,
it would have driven Triple H's back right into that table,
and possibly could've won this thing for Shawn and--
Oh no, no.
[Ross] Oh, Shawn Michaels, he may have busted his nose
or his face wide open there.
Michaels is bleeding and bleeding profusely on the outside,
and the referee's count is in effect here.
[indistinct chatter]
[Jerry] Could he stop the match because of Shawn Michaels' bleeding?
He can't, can he?
[Ross] No, the referee, he's utilizing that count,
Michaels has got to get up before the ten count.
-Six! -[Ross] Oh, Michaels, he's…
-[Jerry] The referee is at six. -[Ross] He is badly cut.
[Jerry] Come on, Shawn!
[Ross] Referee up to six, seven… Michaels…
[Jerry] The referee stopped the count at seven. Shawn to his feet.
-[Triple H grunts] -[Ross] A hard right hand!
Come on, Hunter. Get him back on.
[Ross] The referee has got to get some separation here
-to utilize that count again. -[Jerry] Oh, check this out.
This is where Shawn went for that flying crossbody off the top.
Triple H ducked and Shawn's face-- like you said, J.R.,
Shawn's face was the first thing to hit that table.
[Ross] Man, what an ugly collision of that car crash
that Michaels has endured.
And again, no cover or pinfall but more beating
from that thick right hand of the Heavyweight Champion of the World.
And Shawn Michaels lying almost--
-[Jerry] Oh man. -[Ross] Good God Almighty!
[Jerry] And that… that beating… that beating that Triple H
-is administering is completely legal. -Two!
[Ross] The crimson mask covering the glazed-over eyes…
-Stay down! -…of the challenger, Shawn Michaels.
And Michaels so desperately wants to win this match.
[Jerry] I'm gonna tell you something, Shawn's in a real bad way.
I don't think he-- Look at him just reaching.
I don't even know if he knows where he's at.
Six!
[Jerry] He's looking for any kind of help.
[Ross] Michaels has got to get back to his feet and he has.
Somehow, someway, Michaels has willed himself back into this match.
This is a-- Michaels is an ugly mess in this last man standing match.
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] That could be it right there.
-[Ross] Here's how it all-- -One!
[Ross] Here's what started the downward slide
-from Michaels right here. -Two!
-He went for that springboard crossbody… -Three!
…and hit face-first into the Spanish announce table.
-Four! -[Ross] The referee is up to four.
Five!
[Ross] Triple H would love the referee to get to ten in a hurry.
-[referee] Six! -[Jerry] I'm gonna tell you something.
Shawn-- look at that face, I don't know if he's gonna be able to--
at least doesn't seem like he's gonna be able to recover from that--
going through that table.
Triple H, look at the look on his face.
He can't believe that Shawn is not only to his feet
but he's asking for more. He's saying bring it on!
[Ross] I can't believe the courage and the heart of Shawn Michaels,
back on his feet, and he's just defenseless here.
Right into those right hands.
[Jerry] And once again, be careful what you ask for.
-Shawn said bring it on and… -Two!
-…Triple H brought it. -[crowd cheering]
-[referee] Three! -[Jerry] Three.
[Ross] This may be it here. I don't know how a human being
-is gonna get up from this. -[Jerry] Referee's up to five now.
[Ross] Michaels has lost a lot of blood, he may have a concussion.
[Triple H] Stay down, Shawn!
[Ross] And Michaels somehow, someway, reaching down,
-and Triple H-- -Stay down!
[Jerry] Triple H is even telling him to stay down. Look at this.
[Ross] Michaels came to fight.
He came to prove he's the better man tonight.
Shawn Michaels came to Philadelphia
to win the world's heavyweight title again.
[Jerry] Yeah, but, J.R., look at Shawn Michaels right now.
There comes a time, sometimes--
-Oh, wow! -[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Well, maybe it's better to live to fight another day.
[Ross] Look at Michaels fighting back!
And The Game, I don't think, can really believe this,
that Michaels is back in it, and that right hand scoring big time.
The Game is in trouble.
Michaels is trying to fight his way back into this match!
Oh! Oh God, what a spinebuster.
-[Jerry] That'll do it. Right there. -[Ross] Driving the air out of…
Just drove the air out of Michaels, and again,
all that pressure in the lower back on a man that's lost so much blood.
-[Jerry] Oh, that's awful-looking. -[referee] Three!
-[Ross] Michaels' heart is still beating. -Four!
[Ross] That's the only thing I've seen moving, is his chest.
-And Shawn Michaels… -Five!
…may have fought his last fight against Triple H here,
but he--
Good God Almighty, Shawn Michaels is-- he's trying to pull himself up again.
[Jerry] I may have counted him out too soon, don't ever count out HBK.
[Ross] Michaels back up and right back down,
another thunderous right hand. And now what?
[crowd cheering]
-[Ross] Oh, God. -[Jerry] You're gonna get sick now, J.R.
-[Ross] I can see it now. -[Jerry] Look, anything goes.
[Ross] Triple H is getting an equalizer, he couldn't keep Michaels down
with his big right hand, so now he's gonna use a steel chair
on the challenger.
[Jerry] Right on the back.
[Ross] Right on that bad back and it's all legal.
[Jerry] Did you hear that?
[Ross] Good God, steel on his spine!
-And Triple H… -[referee] Two!
…indicating that's it's over.
[Jerry] It may well be.
[Ross] And I love Shawn Michaels' competitive spirit but I…
-I kind of hope it is over. -[referee] Four!
[Jerry] I think he's out.
-[Ross] The referee… -[referee] Five!
…cannot stop this match.
-Six! -[Ross] Six.
[crowd cheering]
-[referee] Seven! -[Ross] Look at this crowd.
They're trying to literally will Shawn Micha--
[Jerry] Look at this, Shawn Michaels's moving.
-[Ross] The referee is up to eight. -[inaudible]
[Ross] And the referee is up to nine and Michaels is off the canvass at nine.
[Jerry] I'm afraid though that Shawn may wish he never got up, J.R.
You know, what's coming now.
Triple H has laid that chair in the middle of the ring.
-He's ready for the Pedigree… -[Ross] Oh God Almighty.
-…on the steel chair. -[Ross] No. No, don't do this!
I mean, come on now. Really, enough is enough here.
-And-- Yeah. Oh, Michaels! God! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Michaels countered, Triple H tasted the chair!
[Triple H groans]
[Ross] The Game's head cracking up on top of that ring post.
That steel ring post smacking The Game right in the face.
[Jerry] Shawn Michaels with every ounce of strength that he had left,
pulled the legs up from under Triple H,
and Triple H went back-first right onto that metal chair.
-What's Shawn doing now? -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Shawn Michaels is-- I don't know, just a hideous mess.
[Jerry] He's got the chair in his hand but…
I don't even know if Shawn has the strength to lift that chair.
[Ross] Triple H has gotten back up to his feet and…
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Oh, God Almighty!
Michaels went deep, he might have won with a steel chair to the face
-of the heavyweight champion. -[crowd chanting] HBK! HBK! HBK!
[Jerry] Man, did you hear that slam? That was sick.
Listen to this.
Oh, God!
That sounded like a gun going off, J.R.
[Ross] Triple H tried to get his hand up but to no avail,
he got a full-on shot with that steel chair
right between the eyes. And now, the champion is--
He has been busted open.
The world's heavyweight champion is due in for his gut check.
[Jerry] What did you expect? Busted open with a hit like that
from that steel chair? It's a miracle his head is still intact.
[Ross] Who will have the greatest will to win?
Who is gonna be able to overcome the pain--
And Michaels, with that forearm shot,
taking down the champion.
Both men are down, the referee now will utilize the count on both men.
[Jerry] Shawn Michaels, I mean, he's a desperate man,
he just literally launched himself with what looked like
his last bit of effort that he has left.
-Five! -[Jerry] Both men are down.
-Six. -[Jerry] Six!
[Ross] Both men are down at six.
-Seven. -[Ross] At seven.
[crowd cheering]
-[Jerry shouting] What? -[Ross] Michaels's up. Michaels's up!
[Jerry] Up emphatically! Did you see that?
Michaels leaps to his feet. And, J.R., he's feeling it.
[Ross] Michaels with a new pop, and Michaels now
not only can taste his own blood
but perhaps he can taste the Heavyweight Championship of the World
with a big right hand,
but the champion is up and through an atomic drop.
Well, that'll scramble your eggs, and another right hand!
Down goes the champion!
-Down goes The Game! -Four!
[Ross] And the count is on The Game.
[Jerry] Shawn Michaels still staggering, he's looking for something,
-I don't know what. -[Ross] What the hell is-- Michaels…
Michaels on spaghetti legs, has lost a lot of blood,
climbing to the top.
[Jerry] Let's hope his prayers are answered here.
-[Ross] And… Michaels! -[Jerry exclaiming]
[Jerry] He hit it!
[Ross] The elbow to the heart of the champion and Michaels is up!
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Are we seeing a miracle here?
[Jerry] Listen to this crowd, 17,000 plus…
clapping their hands, stomping their feet,
they want to hear some Sweet Chin Music, J.R.!
[crowd chanting indistinctly]
[Ross] This capacity crowd of 17,000 on their feet and--
Oh, Michaels looking for the… looking for the Sweet Chin Music.
[Jerry] What a low blow. Did you see that, J.R.?
[Ross] And it's perfectly legal in this environment.
A blatant low blow that would have normally been a disqualification.
-But this match will continue. -Three!
-[Ross] Michaels with a low blow. -Four!
[Jerry] Well, it may continue. It may continue to the count of ten.
Five.
[Jerry] Once again, these men knowing each other's moves so well…
-[referee] Six! -…comes into play.
Triple H saw that Sweet Chin Music coming and…
[Ross] Triple H starting to stir, but can Michaels survive the low blow.
-[Jerry] Shawn's coming up too. -[Ross] Michaels-- Referee up to seven.
[Jerry] Watch this one more time.
I thought this was gonna be it and then-- Oh.
[Ross] Right hand, you saw the results of the right hand,
and now these men exchanging rights again.
And both men trying to do all they can to stand,
and they are, at least for now.
The Game sent for the ride and Michaels with the sleeper!
Oh, what a move, what a smart move by the challenger!
The sleeper applied by Michaels
and if he can effectively put The Game out,
The Game will stay down for ten at least.
[Jerry] Oh, he may stay down for ten hours
if Shawn Michaels-- he looks like he's got this thing cinched in.
[Ross] Michaels with a neck crimp, the carotid artery crimps.
[groans]
[Jerry] If you cut off the blood flow to the brain,
it's one good thing, it'll stop the bleeding momentarily,
but the other bad thing, it cuts off the oxygen to the brain
and Triple H could go right out.
[Ross] Michaels got that-- he's got that sleeper on tight.
And The Game now shoved down from the sleeper.
[Jerry] The Game is out, J.R., he's out!
-Two! -[Ross] The referee-- You hear the count.
-Three! -[crowd] Three!
[Jerry] I think this is the first time in the match that…
-Four! -…the referee is only counting Triple H.
-Five! -[crowd] Five!
[Ross] We're up to five, halfway there for Shawn Michaels.
-Six! -[crowd] Six!
[Jerry] That's it!
-Seven! -[crowd] Seven!
[Ross] Michaels is-- Can he pull it off here?
-Eight! -[Ross] We're up to eight.
The Game is stirring a little, maybe just on instinct. I don't know.
And Michaels now, waiting on The Game and--
-[grunts] -[Ross] Another hard right.
And The Game trying to create some distance here,
shoving Michaels away.
[Jerry] That's exactly all he's trying to do.
[Ross] But Michaels is relentless and down--
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Ross] DDT!
-Oh, what a car crash that was. -One!
[Ross] And now, both men are down.
-Two! -[Ross] The Game scores with the DDT.
[referee] Three!
-[Ross] And the champion is stirring here. -[referee] Four!
-[Ross] He's… He's at least coherent. -Five!
[Ross] Michaels isn't moving.
[Jerry] Triple H trying to drag himself up.
-He's in the corner. -Seven!
[Jerry] Now, the count is only on Shawn, count to seven.
[Ross] And now, Michaels is moving around.
Michaels… Michaels is back up and the match continues.
Man, this is…
[Jerry] It's a blood bath. How are these men continuing?
[Ross] We're talking about physicality, intensity.
-[grunts] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And another knife edge chop by Michaels.
And The Game is…
[Jerry] Every one of these blows
takes almost as much out of whoever delivers it--
-[crowd exclaiming] -[Ross] Oh! God!
[Ross] Man, that was a tremendous velocity.
And Michaels's in a-- Uh-oh.
A bad back and all.
Michaels on that top turnbuckle.
[Jerry] Triple H, superplex.
[Ross] Oh, turned around, turned into him!
Michaels countered. If The Game had hit that suplex,
you've got to believe, with Michaels' back in the condition it's in,
-it would have been over. -Three!
[Ross] But Michaels countered, but both men are down.
Four!
[Ross] And both men are up to a five-count.
-Five! -[crowd chanting] Five!
-Six! -[crowd] Six!
-[Jerry] This could do it. -[indistinct chatter]
Seven!
[Jerry] Once again, they're both stirring.
-Eight! -[Ross] Eight. The count is eight.
[crowd] Nine!
[Ross] And the referee says the match continues at a long eight-count.
[Jerry] Well, I think this match is to the point where both of these…
both of these men, Triple H and Shawn Michaels,
if they're on the mat when the referee is counting, they're gonna--
-[Ross] Uh-oh. -[Jerry] Oh, this could do it.
-[Ross] The Game hooking Michaels up. -[Jerry] Pedigree!
[Ross] Pedigree! God Almighty!
Pedigree is got to be it.
If The Game can get back to his feet,
I don't see Michaels getting back in this one.
Two!
[Ross] The bloody face of Michaels striking the canvass with great force.
And The Game trying to pull himself back up.
Five!
[Ross] The count is on both men as we speak.
-And now, it's only on Shawn Michaels. -[Jerry] Triple H is up.
-Seven! -[Jerry] Seven!
-[crowd cheering] -Eight!
[Jerry] I think, Shawn, you'd be wise to stay down.
-[Ross] Count is eight. -[Jerry] Nine!
[Ross] And count is nine.
[Jerry] And he's up, the referee said he got one foot up.
-The referee says he's up. -[Ross] Referee's discretion here.
It's a just enough call in that environment, let me tell you.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Ross] Oh, there it is! There it is!
[Jerry] Sweet Chin Music, how sweet it is!
[Ross] Shawn Michaels may have just kicked his way
into the World Heavyweight Championship if he can just get up!
[Jerry] How many times did we hear Shawn Michaels say…
-Four! -…this thing could change in a second?
-Five! -And it did!
One second, if Shawn Michaels can just get up!
[Ross] The Game isn't moving!
-Seven! -[Ross] Michaels is trying to stir.
-Get up, Shawn! -[Jerry] Michaels is getting up!
He's gonna make it!
-Nine! -[crowd cheering]
-[Ross] No, he couldn't get up! -[Jerry] What?
-Ten! Ring the bell! -[bell ringing]
-[Ross] Referee calls for the bell! -[crowd jeering]
[Jerry] What? What does this mean?
[Ross] Well, neither man could… could make their feet.
Ladies and gentlemen, as both men were unable to answer
the count of ten, the referee has declared
that Triple H is still
-the world Heavyweight Champion! -[crowd jeering]
[Ross] Well, there… there was no decision other than both men are down.
If you want to look at it-- and the referee signaling for some help
and I can concur with that.
Neither men could get up before the ten-count.
And if you want to look at it as a tie, then obviously you can't lose
the championship unless you're beat.
And in this environment, Shawn Michaels would have to get up, King.
-That's… -[Jerry] Well, I realized that.
These fans… These fans just felt that Shawn Michaels--
I felt Shawn Michaels had it as well.
[Ross] Michaels scored with that Sweet Chin Music.
It came out of a-- I mean… in a second.
A sudden second, the Sweet Chin Music scored.
[Jerry] You know, they're actually checking on Triple H first,
I mean, Triple H literally has not moved at all.
[Ross] Ric Flair and Bautista of Evolution, Triple H's teammates,
coming out to check on the world's heavyweight champion,
but this match has taken its physical toll, ladies and gentlemen.
[Jerry] And there's Triple H moving his arms.
[Ross] On both of these men.
Michaels laying in a pool of his own blood…
as is the world's heavyweight champion.
-[Ric] Let's go. -[Ross] Neither man could…
[Jerry] We said it, J.R., that this thing was gonna be brutal.
We said that this thing was gonna be ugly,
but I never dreamed it'll be like this. Check this out one more time.
-Change in a second, and it did. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] That changed the whole complexity of the match.
[Jerry] Watch this one more time.
[Ross] Unbelievable impact there, but the issue is--
And these fans are not-- they're not happy that Shawn Michaels didn't win
the World's Heavyweight Championship,
but Michaels had lost so much blood,
he couldn't capitalize on the Sweet Chin Music.
Well, this was one of those matches where each one of these guys gave it
every ounce of everything they have. I mean, look at this.
Look, Triple H is being carried out on a stretcher.
[Ross] I don't know how much more that any of us could have asked
from this two men physically than they gave us here tonight.
[Jerry] I can assure you that Triple H never in his wildest dreams
nor any of Evolution would have thought that Triple H
would leave this ring, in this match tonight, on a stretcher.
[Ross] Both men literally beating the hell out of each other to the point
that neither man could stand.
And Shawn Michaels and the world's champion
being taken out of here on stretchers.
[crowd cheering]
-Shawn! Shawn! -[Ross] Michaels…
[Jerry] Oh, look at Shawn Michaels.
[crowd clamoring]
[Jerry] Shawn Michaels is saying no, he don't want any damn stretcher.
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Look at this. Look!
[Ross] Michaels refusing to be carried out of the Royal Rumble.
-How much blood has this man lost? -[crowd applauding]
[Jerry] Yeah, but how much guts does that man have, J.R.?
-He's gonna walk out of here. -[crowd chanting] HBK! HBK!
[Jerry] One way or the other, he's gonna walk out of this arena.
[Ross] There's gonna be a lot of people that are gonna say
that Shawn Michaels should be the Heavyweight Champion of the World
after what we have just seen.
[exciting music playing]
[Ross] Thirty men are about to compete
to see who will be in the main event at WrestleMania XX, King.
[Jerry] Boy, look at those 30 superstars. I don't know!
Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Goldberg, who you're gonna pick?
[Ross] We're about to find out. Thirty men get it on, next!
[music continues]
[Michael] The 30-man Royal Rumble matchup.
[Ross] Fifteen Raw superstars!
[Michael] Fifteen superstars from SmackDown!
[Tazz] That's right! And the winner gets a shot…
[Ross] A title shot at WrestleMania XX.
Who wants to seize the moment?
[Kane] I will not be denied!
[John] People attack me, I'll throw them out.
[Jericho] This is my shot tonight.
[Kurt] I'm gonna throw 29 other superstars right over that top rope
and win the Royal Rumble for the first time in my career.
[music continues]
Chris Benoit, you will never get another shot
at the WWE title.
[Michael] Cena and his partner win, they're in the Royal Rumble match.
If they lose, they can't enter the Royal Rumble match.
[Benoit] This is my life.
You are the number one entry into the Royal Rumble.
[Benoit] And it's gonna take a hell of a lot more than Paul Heyman
to take away my dreams.
[Ross] This is a big-time moment here on Raw.
Who will be the 30th entrant in the Royal Rumble?
[Jerry] You'd be the odds-on favorite to win the Royal Rumble
if you're the 30th entrant.
[Ross] He's gonna throw him out! Goldberg wins!
Goldberg has got to be the odds-on favorite
to win the Royal Rumble match!
[Ross] Philadelphia, here we come!
[Michael] The Road to WrestleMania starts now!
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we are live now here at ringside.
I'm excited to have Tazz, calling this match with you.
I gotta tell you upfront, I'm pulling for Raw.
Well, I'm pulling for SmackDown. I'm a little nervous, J.R.
This is my first Royal Rumble match, you know what I mean?
You've done, like, what? A million of them, right?
Yeah, at least two. We're here in the warzone.
Looking like a destruction area here, ladies and gentlemen,
-as we send you up to The Fink. -[crowd cheering]
Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the Royal Rum--
-["I'm Back" playing] -[Tazz] What the hell?
[Ross] Oh, that music could only mean one thing and that is a…
[Eric] Get him out of my ring!
You know, I am absolutely confident that tonight,
a Raw superstar is going to win the Royal Rumble,
do you know why?
Because Raw has superior athletes.
Because Raw has better entertainers.
And in my case, Raw has a superior general manager.
Now, I know a lot of you people here may like Paul Heyman
because he used to run a couple of rinky dink little shows
in some run-down bingo hall!
[crowd jeering]
But the fact of the matter is Paul Heyman is a joke!
While my SmackDown counterpart is having soap shoved down his throat
by the superstars on SmackDown, I, on the other hand,
have the respect, the admiration, and the loyalty of everybody.
-I'm-- -["Extreme (The Wise Man)" playing]
The Raw… What?
[Ross] Well…
Well, Tazz, there's the general manager of SmackDown, Paul Heyman,
who obviously heard Mr. Bischoff's oratory enough.
[Tazz] Yeah, yeah. Heyman, I know very well.
He's my boss, my general manager on SmackDown, and I'm telling you,
I know Paul very well. He ain't happy about this.
-Look at his face. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Heyman and Bischoff have never seen eye-to-eye
in any of their previous lives or here tonight.
-[Ross] Is Heyman at a loss for words? -[Tazz] That's impossible, J.R.
That's not physically possible. [laughs]
[Tazz] What the-- Whoa!
-[laughing] Oh man! -[crowd cheering]
-[Ross] Heyman and Bischoff-- -[Tazz] Go get him, Paul!
-Uh-oh. -["I Won't Do What You Tell Me" playing]
[Ross] Oh my God!
-I'll tell you what this means. -[Tazz] What the hell, is that a…
-[Ross] Sheriff Austin is in town! -[Tazz] What the hell's going on here?
Oh, whoa!
[Ross] Somebody must be breaking the law around here.
And Stone Cold…
[Tazz] People are nuts on Raw. What the hell is going on here, J.R.?
[music continues]
[Ross] Seventeen thousand fans on their feet.
[music fades]
[inaudible]
[Ross] Well, a strong heartbeat with the arrival of the Texas Rattlesnake!
What I wanna know is what the hell is going on here?
-[crowd cheering] -[indistinct chatter]
I'm trying to sit back there, getting ready for the Royal Rumble.
And you guys are out here wasting everybody's time
like a couple of jackasses.
[crowd cheering]
And, might I add, in clear violation of the law.
-[crowd cheering] -[indistinct chatter]
I'm talking to you too.
So, what I wanna know is, who started it?
It was him. It was all him. It was all him. Please listen to me.
Don't stun me, I'll drink beer with you.
-[indistinct chatter] -It was all him!
Oh, you're saying he started it?
-He started it. -No, no!
-He started it? -Yeah, he started it!
-[Tazz] Uh-oh, watch out! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Stunner on Bischoff!
[Tazz] Wow!
Oh, that's good. At least the Raw GM got stunned, that's all good.
["I Won't Do What You Tell Me" playing]
[Ross] Well, that's what happens when you start a fight
-in Stone Cold territory. -[Tazz] No doubt, man.
Look, Heyman's gonna drink a beer with Austin. Oh, that's cool.
[laughs] All right, cheers. Yeah, it's all good.
[Ross] The Stone Cold law--
[Tazz] Oh, whoa! What the hell? Oh!
[Ross] Stunner on Heyman!
A stunner on Bischoff, a stunner on Heyman.
Stone Cold's law will not be violated here tonight at the Royal Rumble.
[Tazz] Stone cold don't give a rat's ass about anybody.
I'm feeling that.
[Ross] The general managers of both Raw and SmackDown have tasted
the Stone Cold Stunner from the Texas Rattlesnake!
[Tazz laughs] Wow! Explosive.
[Ross] I'll tell you, you don't-- you damn sure don't wanna break
Sheriff Austin's law in Raw territory.
[engine revving]
-[Ross] Oh, look-- -[Tazz laughs] This is nuts.
-[music fades] -[crowd cheering in distance]
[breathes deeply]
You know, this locker room is almost completely cleared out.
The Royal Rumble is about to start any minute.
We've heard from the number one entrant, Chris Benoit.
You're the number 30 entrant, Goldberg.
That gives you a pretty distinct advantage, doesn't it?
-[Brock] Number 30? -No.
Who cares what number Bill Goldberg is in the Royal Rumble?
Didn't you just witness Brock Lesnar retaining his WWE championship
by beating Hardcore Holly, one, two, three?
That's all that matters to me.
You should be conducting this interview with Brock Lesnar.
-You're done putting yourself over, Brock? -No, I'm not.
The last time you interrupted me in an interview,
you were, uh, the champion, what happened?
That's in the past, Brock.
What matters is tonight, after I go in the ring
and I smash every single person involved in that Royal Rumble…
and I get the opportunity to go to Mania to regain my title.
That's all that matters.
Ain't that right, Hardcore?
[crowd chattering in distance]
You know… [snickers]
…some people-- and I say some people--
have the nerve to call Mick Foley a coward.
[chuckles]
I don't think so.
[Ross] Well, that empty seat right there is earmarked for Mick Foley.
He was invited here by Sheriff Austin, Tazz.
Well, you know, J.R., correct me if I'm wrong.
[crowd chanting] Foley!
Didn't you say last week on Raw
that if Mick Foley didn't show up here tonight,
you would admit that Mick's a coward?
Reluctantly, I did say that, yes.
Well, Mick Foley is not here, so he's a coward, right?
Well, the only thing-- the night is not over.
-Okay. -He's got little time.
Come on, J.R. [falters] What time?
The match is gonna start, there's no time. Mick Foley is not coming.
-Okay. -Get it through your head.
-Then he's a coward. -So you said it.
-Yes, I did. -There you go, I give you credit.
-And it hurts me to say it. -It hurts me to see it and witness it.
-And hear you say it. -Mick Foley is a coward.
-Now, I said it. -Okay. I feel better now, thank you.
Well, what are your-- I know you have some keys to victory
and they're-- let's take at 'em.
[Tazz] I'm digging the sweater vest by the way, but--
First off, you got to try and hide, get in the corner, stay out of harm's way,
stay out of the line of fire.
Secondly, these matches are known-- these Royal Rumble matches--
to be long and hard.
So, stamina is gonna be a very important thing.
And third and finally, the higher number you have in this draw, you know,
the better your chances are to win the Royal Rumble match
and go to WrestleMania at a title shot.
-["Whatever" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[bell ringing]
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, the Royal Rumble match is about to begin.
Introducing the individual who received number one,
SmackDown's Chris Benoit!
[Ross] Well, in the 17-year history of the Royal Rumble,
only one man has started at the number position
and has gone coast-to-coast and won it. That was Shawn Michaels in 1995.
That's been a long time ago.
[Tazz] Yeah, well, Paul Heyman made Benoit the number one entry.
Benoit and John Cena both outsmarting Paul Heyman
and Paul Heyman… [laughs] …wasn't happy about it.
-[Ross] And here's the number two. -[Tazz] Who's this? Who's this?
-["Line in the Sand" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[announcer] And now, the individual who drew number two,
Raw's Intercontinental Champion, Randy Orton!
[Tazz] Yeah.
[Ross] Well, the third generation Intercontinental Champion, Randy Orton,
starting at number two, so certainly one of SmackDown's best
against one of Raw's best starting it out here.
[Tazz] I agree with that, J.R. I like Randy Orton.
This kid has got skills
and that's why he's Intercontinental Champion.
I'm digging Randy Orton, this should be outstanding,
to see Benoit and Randy Orton hook it up.
That's what's great about the Royal Rumble, man.
You see athletes you wouldn't see compete
normally against each other on Raw and SmackDown
go at it right here.
[Ross] It only happens one time a year.
And when the bell rings,
these men will have 90 seconds to compete one-on-one
before our third entrant.
We'll have a new entrant every 90 seconds
until all 30 men have entered the Royal Rumble match.
-And of course we know that… -[bell ringing]
…number 30 is Goldberg.
[Tazz] Well, you know, J.R., obviously, it's not about the Intercontinental title,
it's about who wins the Royal Rumble matchup.
The number one and number two going at it right now.
[Ross] This tradition in the WWE started in 1988…
Collar and elbow tie-up.
And remember, to win the match,
you must throw your opponent over the top rope
and that opponent's feet, both feet must touch the floor.
[wrestlers grunting]
[Tazz] You know, it could be
an all-Evolution Royal Rumble here tonight.
I mean, we saw the tag team champions Bautista and Flair were victorious.
I mean, Triple H retained the World's Heavyweight Championship.
Let's see, maybe Randy Orton will win this thing.
[Ross] Well, Orton's got a long way to go and so does Benoit.
You got to believe that Orton and Benoit have the--
[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross] The shortest odds on winning this matchup.
[Tazz] Nice snap suplex by the Rabid Wolverine right there
on Randy Orton.
[both grunt]
[Ross] Orton now trying to spin his way off of Benoit.
-Benoit doesn't give you much room. -[Tazz] No, no.
Chris Benoit, he stalks you in that ring, he stays all over you.
But this kid, Randy Orton-- I mean, he's doing the same thing.
He's all over Benoit, not giving him a chance to breathe.
Maybe Benoit's going out here. Let's see.
[Ross] Orton trying to elevate Benoit over the top rope.
Benoit with that crossface right across the nose.
[Tazz] Oh yeah.
[Ross] He can break your nose with that maneuver in that position.
-And don't think he won't do it. -[Tazz] No, he will do it.
Chris Benoit is a vicious, vicious competitor.
-Here we go, we got the countdown going. -[crowd counting]
[Tazz] Oh!
Our third competitor will be out here in less than five.
[Tazz] Who's it gonna be? Who is it?
-[buzzer blaring] -["MacMilitant" playing]
-[Tazz exclaims] -[Ross] Oh, the world's strongest man.
And we saw earlier,
Mark Henry was not happy about his order of entry,
which is number three, the 400-pound man--
-Oh, look at Randy Orton. -[Tazz] Uh-oh, maybe Randy's going, J.R.
[Ross] Mark Henry, the world's strongest man
gotta be considered, at least before this three draw…
[Tazz] Watch your back, Benoit and Orton. Oh!
[Ross] …one of the favorites here,
Mark Henry, at 400 pounds is gonna be very difficult, Tazz,
to elevate over the top all the way to the floor.
[Tazz] Yeah, he's got those big thick legs
and he just gave a big thick headbutt, that's gotta hit like a farm animal.
It's unbelievable.
Well, I agree, J.R., I think that Mark Henry could be a favorite.
-He's so damn powerful. -[screams]
[Ross] Mark Henry legitimately the strongest man in the world
and Benoit chopping upstairs, downstairs.
Mark Henry is so strong, there's not one man in this Rumble
that Mark Henry can't throw out. Quite frankly, there's very few pairs
that Mark Henry can't throw out.
[Tazz] Well, I agree with that. What about the Big Show?
I don't know, it might be little tough for Mark Henry.
And by the way, Big Show is my pick to win this whole thing.
[Ross] Well, he's-- That's a good pick.
Biggest man in the Rumble.
That's that André the Giant philosophy.
-The biggest man in the Royal Rumble… -[Tazz] Yup.
…more often than not wins it.
It all I think depends on the luck of the draw.
Benoit trying to chop down Mark Henry, and that's a lot easier said than done.
[Tazz] Oh, yeah, but Chris Benoit could get it done, man.
-He's well-conditioned. -[crowd counting]
[Tazz] And here we go, we got seven seconds, six seconds.
Who's coming out?
Who's it gonna be?
[Ross] Our fourth entrant, and Orton gonna lay low in that corner.
-["Green Mist" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Oh, the Buzzsaw.
[Ross] Tajiri making his way to the ring,
the three-time Cruiserweight Champion, Tajiri.
[Tazz] Hey, could you imagine if-- What if Tajiri won this thing?
Could you imagine?
[Ross] That would be big all over the country,
especially in Japan.
[Tazz] Well, yeah, 'cause he's from there.
Well, there's those feet.
The Japanese Buzzsaw kicking all over Randy Orton.
Uh-oh, the handspring elbow! Oh man!
-Wow! -[Ross] Tajiri knocking down Randy Orton.
But Benoit hooking up Tajiri, front facelock on Tajiri.
[Tazz] Nice, going behind, stand and switch, German suplex.
-[Ross] Oh man. -[Tazz] Beautiful German.
It's the hat trick coming.
Usually, Benoit goes for three but he nailed two.
Released too early.
[Ross] That back-release German had an ugly landing for Tajiri.
Benoit and Tajiri both down, as Randy Orton is, uh…
[Tazz] Well, I guess Randy might need some help,
he got that big ol' Mark Henry, trying to get him out of there.
Nice elbow drop there, and Benoit--
[Ross] Interestingly, the two Raw competitors are pairing off
against each other, the two SmackDown competitors--
[Tazz] Well, they're-- Oh, there goes Randy Orton!
-Oh man! [laughs] -[Ross] But Orton--
Mark Henry thinks he eliminated Randy Orton.
[Tazz] Yeah, turn around Mark-- Oh man!
[Ross] And Orton just got Mark Henry's attention.
Mark Henry took his eye off the ball there,
thought he had eliminated Randy Orton but it was not to be.
[Tazz] Yeah. Orton's having a hard time getting Mark Henry off his feet.
-[crowd counting] -[Tazz] Here we go, here's that ticker.
[Ross] Our fifth entrant, and the ring is beginning to fill up here
-as number five-- -[Tazz] Who is it? Who is it?
-[buzzer blaring] -["Protection" playing]
-[Tazz laughs] -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Oh, boy, one of SmackDown's bad boys.
[Ross] I think business is about to pick up here.
This is right down Bradshaw's alley. He's a ballroom brawler.
That's a glorified term for the Royal Rumble--
-[Tazz] Oh man! -[Ross] Oh God!
-[Tazz] God! -[Ross] A Clothesline From Hell!
-[Tazz laughs] Oh! -[Ross] Texan on Texan.
[Tazz] Thanks for coming! What a clothesline!
Oh my… [laughs] …God.
[Ross] Bradshaw pulverizing the opposition here,
but Benoit showing no intimidation, jumping right in Bradshaw's face.
[Tazz] Well, Benoit's loaded with intestinal fortitude.
A crossface, J.R.!
[Ross] Benoit countered the clothesline into the crossface.
[Tazz] Tapping out don't matter. A tap out don't mean squat.
You got to throw him over the top, Benoit.
-[Ross] And Benoit over on top. -[Tazz] Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
[Ross] Benoit in a precarious position here.
-[Tazz] Benoit's going! -[Ross] Benoit is going over!
-[Tazz] Bradshaw! -[Ross] But Bradshaw did!
-[Tazz laughs] Oh man! -[crowd cheering]
[speaks indistinctly]
[Ross] Benoit hanging on for dear life.
-[Tazz] Yeah, he's… -[Ross] Eliminating Bradshaw.
[Tazz] Benoit had the wherewithal to hang on there.
And as you pointed out, Bradshaw out. Shocked Bradshaw went out that quick.
Came in with a load of energy. Clotheslined the hell out of everybody.
[Ross] And I thought Benoit was a goner there.
He was teetering above the top rope,
but great athleticism and agility by Benoit,
great balance to land on the apron,
but Bradshaw was not so lucky.
[Tazz] Now, Mark Henry trying to get rid of Orton,
but Orton fighting back and Benoit looks smart.
Benoit going after one of those legs, wreaking those kicks of Tajiri.
Here's the count again.
[crowd counting]
[Tazz] Who is it? Who is it?
[buzzer blaring]
-[Ross] Our sixth entrant. -["Tusk" playing]
[Tazz laughs] Oh, Man Beast!
Rhyno, baby.
-[Ross] Rhyno… -[Tazz] Uh-oh.
…can put himself right on the map big time…
-[Tazz] He's coming, boys, he's coming. -…by winning the Rumble match.
[Tazz] There's no love lost between Rhyno and Chris Benoit,
that's for sure.
[Ross] Those kicks by Tajiri on the world's strongest man, Mark Henry.
-Chopping on those big thigh muscles. -[screams]
[Tazz] Yeah, uh-oh, uh-oh. Maybe a tarantula.
That's the biggest damn tarantula in the world coming.
Can't grab those powerful legs, though. Oh! [laughs]
[Ross] Spine buster by Rhyno on Benoit. What-- And what is that there?
[Tazz] Setting up for a Gore, J.R.!
-Oh! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Benoit avoided the Gore! Tajiri's been eliminated!
[indistinct chatter]
-[Ross] And Benoit… -[Tazz] Oh my God.
…trying to get Mark Henry…
[Tazz] Be careful, Benoit's gonna go!
-No, there goes Henry! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And Benoit eliminates the world's strongest man.
But look at Rhyno, ever opportunistic Rhyno.
[Tazz] Absolutely, good point.
Rhyno is trying to get-- and that's smart by Randy Orton.
-[Ross] Double team. -[Tazz] Trying to work
as a cohesive-- You know what, Rhyno? Get rid of Benoit.
[Ross] Headbutt by Benoit and Benoit is gonna use
every appendage he's got,
including that headbutt to save himself there.
-[Rhyno] Who's the man? -[crowd cheering]
-[Tazz] Oh! -[Ross] I didn't even see that.
[Tazz] I missed it too.
There was so much going on in there, I missed it.
And there goes Mark Henry, wow.
[Ross] Mark Henry temporarily blinded from Tajiri's Mist.
Got elevated over the top by Benoit.
We got three men now in this match at this time.
-And-- -[crowd counting]
[Tazz] Who's coming out? Who's coming out now?
This thing has been kicking off strong already.
-Who is it, who? -[buzzer blaring]
-["Live For The Moment" playing] -[Tazz laughs] Oh-oh! Sensei of Mattitude.
[Ross] Matt Hardy.
Matt Hardy thinks he's--- he should have a bigger role on Raw.
The way you do it is you win matches, and if you win this match,
you're in the main event in WrestleMania.
[Tazz] Well, I'll tell you what, V1 is going at it right now slogging down
on Randy Orton.
[Ross] Every man for himself here. No friends, only competitors.
[Tazz] Oh, nice duck under, got caught-- Side Effect! Yeah. Wow!
[Ross] Nice move by Matt Hardy, but the goal is to throw your opponent
-over the top rope. -[Tazz] Uh-oh!
-[Ross] And that's what Benoit-- -[Tazz] Holy cow, oh!
-[Ross] Benoit to Matt Hardy. -[Tazz] Uh-oh, now Hardy…
Did he touch-- Oh, no, no, referee Nick Patrick, SmackDown's finest.
He was just saying his feet didn't touch.
[Ross] Nick Patrick giving the safe signal meaning that…
-[Tazz] Right. -…Hardy is still alive in this match.
And a big headbutt by Rhyno on his former SmackDown teammate.
[Tazz] And one and two are still swinging down, man.
Randy Orton and Chris Benoit still going at it,
the number one and number two entries.
-[Rhyno grunts] -[Tazz] Oh man!
[Ross] Rhyno with a hard shoulder block.
[Tazz] Well, Matt Hardy used to be a SmackDown guy.
-You know that, right, J.R.? -[Ross] I knew that.
[Tazz] I actually deemed him the Sensei of Mattitude.
[indistinct chatter]
[Ross] Well, the Sensei of Mattitude would love to win the Royal Rumble match.
[Tazz] I'll tell you. I'm loving it, J.R. I'm loving calling this Royal Rumble,
this is my first one ever and I'm digging it, I love it!
Uh-oh, Matt Hardy might be going, though.
[Ross] Matt Hardy is hanging on the top rope.
Orton trying to elevate Benoit over the top.
-[Tazz] He's gonna go-- Oh. -[crowd counting]
-[Tazz] Who's gonna come out now? -[Ross] Our next competitor.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Holla If Ya Hear Me" playing]
[Tazz laughs] Big Poppa Pump.
[Ross] "Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner coming in at number eight.
There's only been four men that have drawn a single-digit number
that have won the Royal Rumble in the history of the Royal Rumble.
[Tazz] Look at the size of the Genetic Freak.
-[Ross] And Scott Steiner… -[Tazz] Oh my God!
…the Michigan all-American with those clotheslines.
[Tazz] The Steiner-Lines.
Oh, there's a T-Bone. Oh! Nice suplex.
[Ross] Steiner got underneath Randy Orton and grilled him with that T-Bone Suplex.
[Tazz] Yeah, here comes a trapped-up belly-to-belly suplex.
Ooh! Nice chop there by Rhyno.
[Ross] Bottom line here, you got to throw somebody over the top rope.
[Ross] You can suplex them all you want, and Steiner's great at it.
[Tazz] Well, you wanna weaken the man up.
There's another T-Bone right there, modified with a claw on the top.
You weaken the guy up and then you chuck him out.
[Ross] Steiner shoving the Sensei of Mattitude out of the way.
[Tazz] Nice go-behind. Watch out, watch out. Oh!
[Ross] And now, Steiner tastes his suplex himself.
[Tazz] Well, Benoit, I'm telling you, man,
he's got those fitness classes-- And the German!
Nice. God, I'll tell you what, this thing is just a rocket buster,
as you would say a slobberknocker. Same thing.
[Ross] Tazz, for the first time since the inception of the Royal Rumble,
there are no former Rumble winners in this match.
So, we're gonna crown a first-time winner of the Rumble match here tonight.
And it might not be Randy Orton because--
[Tazz] Uh-oh, uh-oh. He looks like he's going. That's right.
[Ross] Orton inches away from being eliminated by Matt Hardy.
[Tazz] Oh man, he's close, Randy's close!
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Orton hanging on.
[Tazz] Wow, great athleticism by Randy Orton there.
-[crowd counting] -[Tazz] Uh-oh, uh-oh.
-[buzzer blaring] -[Ross] And another suplex.
-And another entrant, number nine. -["Delirious" playing]
[Tazz] It's a big kid, man, right here, Matt Morgan.
-Big blue-chipper. -[Tazz] Yes, he is.
[Ross] Almost seven feet tall, over 300 pounds.
This young rookie in his first Royal Rumble obviously.
[Tazz] He's been a heavy at the times for our general manager, Paul Heyman,
and he helps out Brock Lesnar at the times
to beat the tar out of somebody.
And right now, Matt Morgan gunning with a powerbomb
-for Benoit. Oh! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Sit-down powerbomb by Matt Morgan, high-impact on Chris Benoit,
and the Sensei of Mattitude…
[Tazz] Watch out. Oh my-- Come on.
[Ross] …with big right hands to no avail, Tazz.
[Tazzz] What a big boot by this big Matt Morgan,
right in Matt Hardy's face.
[Ross] Well, how good is Matt Morgan gonna be
and what would it mean to his career as a rookie
if he could win this Royal Rumble match?
[Tazz] Suplex by Steiner there.
You see Randy Orton's got a big boot stuck in his throat by Matt Morgan.
[Ross] Morgan a big hoss, I'll tell you that.
[Tazz] Steiner-- Oh, shoulders right there by-- into the gut of Orton by Morgan.
[Ross] And now, Matt Hardy trying to get Steiner up and over.
-Morgan nailing Randy Orton. -[Tazz] Looks like Rhyno's gonna help.
-Steiner is in trouble, J.R. -[Steiner] Help me!
[Ross] Double team here
and Matt Morgan came in and nailed Matt Hardy.
I don't know, that was a rookie mistake.
[Tazz] Yeah, I agree with you on that. I don't know why Matt Morgan did that.
But you know what? The kid's in there, he's learning, he's tough though.
-He can get it done. -[Rhyno] Get up, Chris!
-[Ross] Rhyno-- -[Tazz] Ooh! What a chop by…
[Ross] Rhyno just spat on Chris Benoit which is not a very classy act.
[Tazz] Well, that's not nice. But he's a rhino. Rhinos do that.
-[crowd counting] -[Tazz] Who's next? Who's out?
-Who's coming? -[buzzer blaring]
♪ Stand back There's a hurricane coming through ♪
-["Eye of the Hurricane" playing] -[Ross] Well, there's your answer.
[Tazz] That's the guy you picked, right J.R.?
[Ross] The weather alert. No, I didn't.
[Tazz] That's what people tell me.
-But hey, who knows? -[Tazz laughs] He's got green hair.
-[laughs] I don't know, he's flying. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Oh my God, he can really fly.
[Ross] Crossbody by The Hurricane, the superhero as he likes to--
Well, he seizes up Matt Morgan.
[Tazz] Well, you better get some of those hero powers real quick.
Oh, that worked. I like that. [laughs]
[Ross] That's a powerful thumb to the eye, but Matt Morgan catching The Hurricane.
-[Tazz] The Hurricane's in trouble. -[Ross] Oh no!
[Tazz] He's flying! Oh, he shot through the air like a bird and a bee
and all those other sparrows. See you later, Hurricane.
[Ross] Matt Morgan just eliminated The Hurricane emphatically
from the Royal Rumble.
Not so sure The Hurricane didn't--
he might have hurt his leg there, I'm not so sure.
[Tazz] Oh, Matt Morgan not just smacking his TV,
but smacking The Hurricane around. Uh-oh, uh-oh, where's Matt Hardy going?
-[Ross] Oh! Oh, did-- No. -[Tazz] Oh, that was close!
-[Ross] Oh, that was a photo finish. -[Tazz] You ain't kidding.
[Ross] Matt Morgan almost eliminating Matt Hardy.
[Tazz] Well, now, Benoit-- Got a boot across the throat of Hardy,
and now Benoit fighting back on Rhyno.
[Ross] Randy Orton trying to retreat to the corner and get--
And of course, Randy Orton can't go over the top rope in the position he's in.
One of your points to victory, find the corner, he's not hiding but…
[Tazz] Well, you know, you got to, uh--
Let's see if the feet touched there, of Matt Hardy.
Check it out, let's check it out.
[Ross] Hardy hooking that top rope, let's…
-[Tazz] Oh, that-- Did it touch? -[Ross] I don't think so.
[Ross] Um, one of them might have, but both got to touch.
[Tazz] I'll tell you, that was a hair away there. That was close.
Where's Matt Hardy going? Watch out, Matt. Oh!
Trying to knock the-- chopped the block down.
[Ross] Matt Hardy trying to chop that leg and a chop block on Matt Morgan.
[crowd counting]
[Tazz] In three seconds, we're gonna have a new man out here, J.R.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Can You Dig It Sucka?" playing]
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Well, it's gonna be Booker T!
One of the favorites to win the Rumble match.
[Tazz laughs] Oh! I like Booker T.
-I like when he does that Spinaroonie. -[Ross] Booker T coming in at number 11.
[Tazz] Yeah, The Book, man!
Uh-oh, Steiner gunning right for Booker.
[Ross] Steiner and Booker T go back a long way, back to the WCW days,
and Booker T knows what it means-- or what would mean to win this match,
to get to headline WrestleMania against the champion.
[Tazz] That's what it's all about.
And that's why all these SmackDown athletes
and Raw athletes, these superstars are going at it tooth and nail.
Someone's gonna go to WrestleMania, Madison Square Garden.
And get a title shot, big time.
[Ross] And the eliminations have become few and far between here.
[Tazz] Yeah, no doubt… no doubt about that.
[Ross] The stakes are high, they couldn't be any higher,
you guarantee yourself a hell of a payday and the opportunity…
[Tazz] Scissor kick. Beautiful scissor kick by Booker.
[Ross] …to compete for the championship on the biggest stage of them all.
And now Matt Morgan pairing off with Chris Benoit.
[Tazz] I don't know if you wanna trade shots with Chris Benoit,
but Benoit is worn down, man. He was the first superstar out here.
[Ross] And Randy Orton, the second, and both are still alive.
I don't wanna say so well,
but they are alive in the Royal Rumble match.
[Tazz] And now, Rhyno-- Looks like Rhyno's trying to get rid of Matt Morgan.
That Morgan is just a big man.
He's just so-- He's got to be 6'10", 6'11".
[crowd counting]
[Ross] And we're here again, those 90 seconds are blowing by.
[Tazz] No kidding. They fly by.
-[Ross] The 17th Royal Rumble. -[buzzer blaring]
-[Tazz] Uh-oh. -[Ross] First time ever--
-[Tazz] Whoa! -["Slow Chemical" playing]
-[Ross] Oh my God. Talk about a favorite. -[Tazz] Oh, great. You're kidding me.
[Ross] This hideous human being,
who has the record for the most eliminations--
-Steiner just got eliminated. -[Tazz] What did you say?
Business about to pick up, what'd you say, J.R.?
[Ross] You're damn right, through hell fire and brimstone.
[Tazz] I hear you.
[Ross] This man has the all-time record for most eliminations in the Royal Rumble,
eleven!
In 2001-- Let's take a look at Steiner.
Steiner gets eliminated by Booker T!
[Tazz] Well, I guess, Kane just scares the hell out of me.
There's a goozle.
Benoit is going up and now he's going down!
[Ross] Chokeslam on Benoit!
-[Tazz] Uh-oh. -[Ross] And Matt Morgan--
Oh, and Matt Morgan, you can tell how big he is.
[Tazz] That kid's got to-- Going for a powerbomb. Uh-oh.
-[Ross] And Kane powered out of it. -[Tazz] He backdropped out of it.
Uh-oh, going for a goozle here!
[Ross] It's seven-footer on a seven-footer here.
-[Tazz] Look at this! -[Ross] And what a chokeslam!
-The hell that was! -[Tazz] A powerful-- Side Effect?
Oh, didn't work, Hardy.
[Ross] Matt Hardy just got overpowered there.
And Kane with a sidewalk slam on Matt Hardy.
-Rhyno! Oh! -[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross] No more the Gore! Orton tried the RKO…
-[crowd cheering] -[Tazz] Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh!
[Tazz] Randy Orton is gonna get choke-slammed. Oh!
[Ross] High-impact chokeslam, and Kane is the bull of these here woods,
right here and now before 17,289 in Philadelphia.
[Tazz] Oh, what an uppercut right there by Kane.
This guy scares the hell out of me, J.R., I'm telling you.
-[crowd counting] -[Ross] He's a dominator.
-There's no doubt about it. -[Tazz] Who's next? Who's next?
-[buzzer blaring] -[Ross] The man--
-He buried his own brother The-- -["Rest in Peace" playing]
-[crowd roaring] -[Ross] What the hell?
-[Tazz] Uh-oh. -[Ross] What the hell is that?
I buried you alive!
-[Ross] That gong can mean only one thing. -There's no way!
-[Tazz] Yeah, I know-- -[Ross] And the blackout can mean--
-Wait a minute, Booker T-- Oh! -[Tazz] Whoa!
-[crowd cheering] -[Tazz] That is huge.
[Ross] Kane was totally, totally predisposed by that--
[Tazz] Wait, what the hell is going on? It's Spike now.
-[Ross] Spike-- -["Ollie Stalefish" playing]
[Tazz] We heard the--
[groans]
[Tazz] I think Kane is thinking that Spike sounded off that gong that--
-[Spike screaming] -[Tazz] Uh-oh.
-[Ross] Oh my God. -[Tazz] You ain't kidding--
[Ross] Oh, Spike Dudley. Don't do that out here.
-[Tazz] Oh, Spike, Spike! -[Ross] On the steel!
Little Spike Dudley with a splat on the steel ramp way.
Kane has been eliminated after being totally taken out of his game
from The Undertaker's gong.
His own brother, who Kane buried at the Survivor Series.
And now, look what Kane has done to Spike Dudley.
[Tazz] Spike is roadkill on that entrance ramp there.
Whew!
Well, Matt Hardy now-- Randy Orton trying to get rid of Matt Hardy.
[Ross] Spike Dudley was--
Uh-oh. He was incapacitated last week.
I'm not so sure Spike's gonna be even able to compete here tonight.
Obviously, after what we have seen Kane do to him-- Matt Hardy now.
-Take a look at this. -[Tazz] What was with those gongs?
I thought Undertaker was gonna come out.
-[Tazz] Oh my gosh! Spike's head just… -[Ross] I can't s--
[Tazz] Remember, Undertaker was-- as you pointed out--
was buried by Kane at Survivor Series.
-[Ross] Buried alive. -[Tazz] Yes, yes, I know.
[Ross] By his own brother.
And that, obviously, has taken Kane right out of his game.
Kane totally distracted when he heard his brother's gong.
-[crowd counting] -[Tazz] Well, who's gonna come out now?
What else can happen out here?
-[buzzer blaring] -[Ross] Booker T very opportunistic there.
["U Look Fly Today" playing]
[Ross] And here comes a man that-- Here's another man, super heavyweight.
[Tazz] You ain't kidding.
Super heavyweight from the word go, Rikishi.
He's got that big butt, that big rear end with all that weight.
Damn near 400 pounds, about 350 actually.
It's gonna be tough to get over that top rope.
[Ross] I think he's probably a…
-[Tazz] Uh-oh, uh-oh. Oh! -[Ross] Uh-oh. Rhyno!
Benoit eliminated Rhyno over the top. And now, Rikishi is in.
-It's like Rikishi is on a… -[crowd cheering]
-[Tazz] Oh man! -[Ross exclaims] In those--
In those Toledos, he's about 400 pounds in my book.
-He's a big son of a gun, let me tell you. -[Tazz laughs]
-[Ross] Rhyno eliminated by Benoit. -[Tazz] Uh-oh.
-Look at this! Stinkface on Matt Morgan! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And welcome to the Royal Rumble, rookie.
[Tazz laughs] Welcome to Rikishi's ass, rookie.
[Matt Morgan screams]
[Ross] Rhyno dis-- Take another look. Here's how Rhyno went out.
It was courtesy of the number one entrant, Chris Benoit.
[Tazz] Benoit still hanging on, so is Randy Orton.
Now, Rikishi singled out Matt Morgan here.
[Ross] Rikishi certainly has the pedigree to win this match.
He has the genetics, let's say.
-[Tazz] Genetics? Well, you know-- -[Ross] He's got a big ass.
He's 400 pounds. How are you gonna get him over the top?
[Tazz] I never heard the word "genetics" and Rikishi
put in the same sentence, but that's all right.
[Ross] But then again, Mark Henry got the Green Mist and he's gone.
[Tazz] Yup, yup. Mark Henry's out of this thing,
and Matt Hardy received a big back elbow by Booker T there a moment ago.
[Ross] Benoit eliminating Mark Henry. Let's see if Benoit can do the same magic
on the next big super heavyweight, Rikishi.
And Benoit hammering at the number two entrant, Randy Orton.
Matt Hardy and Booker T paired off in the far corner.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Final Force" playing]
[Tazz] Who's this?
Oh, this… this guy can do a pasta, right?
René-- He's the French guy, right?
[Ross] He's 20 years old.
We're halfway through the Royal Rumble at entrant number 15.
[Tazz] He's not to be confused with the other American-French guy
you guys have on Raw, right?
[Ross] That's Rob Conway. He's a French sympathizer.
[Tazz] He's an American-French guy.
-Uh-oh, uh-oh, st-- -[crowd cheering]
Going for Twist of Fate Matt Hardy was.
[Ross] And René Duprée in his first Royal Rumble match.
At 20 years of age, could make some history here
and become the youngest man to win this contest.
-Matt Hardy hung up.
-[Tazz] Oh man! -[Ross] And Matt Hardy down!
[Tazz] That was beautiful by René Duprée.
Oh, he's showboating.
-Turn around! [laughs] -[Ross] Nice little dance.
-[Tazz] Rikishi! -[Ross] But it's not time to dance!
-[crowd cheering] -[Tazz] Oh, only Rikishi dances.
[Ross] No dancing, no romancing, and Rikishi taking out René Duprée,
and Booker T trying to capitalize here.
It was Booker T, who capitalized on Kane earlier, Tazz.
[Tazz] Well, that's that veteran instincts of Booker T.
Booker T knows what it takes to get it done.
Take advantage of an opportunity when you see an opening.
That's what makes you successful in this industry.
[Ross] Booker T, the veteran from Houston, Texas,
competing in his third Royal Rumble match.
[Tazz] You know, kudos, J.R.
Big-time kudos for Randy Orton, number two,
and Chris Benoit, number one.
-They're still in this bad boy. -[crowd counting]
-[buzzer blaring] -["Derailer" playing]
[Ross] Number 16.
-[Tazz laughs] -[Ross] It's a big man from SmackDown.
-[Ross] Six-seven, 350, the A-Train. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And the former Pittsburgh University offensive lineman
hammering away on Rikishi. And I tell you what, I admire A-Train.
He went for the biggest man of the contest.
[Tazz] Yeah. Oh, no doubt,
A-Train did not slow down, going after for Rikishi.
And again, Booker T trying to hit someone from behind,
but now Rikishi turning the table. Uh-oh. Matt Morgan got hung up there.
-[Ross] And Chris Benoit-- -[Tazz] He's gone!
[Ross] Benoit again eliminating a much larger opponent,
this time, the near seven-foot Matt Morgan.
[Tazz] And now, look at this, A-Train just getting out here.
Finds himself in harm's way with Booker, Rikishi and Benoit trying
-to get out A-Train. -[wrestlers grunt]
[Ross] Randy Orton was almost gonna try to--
Oh, Booker T and Rikishi double teaming A-Train,
as Orton and Benoit square off again.
-And now, Orton and… -[Tazz] Oh my God!
-[Ross] Throws Rikishi! -[Tazz] Wow!
Randy Orton-- Man, I'm digging Randy Orton.
-Whoa! -[Ross] Booker!
Randy Orton just-- Oh man, what a pair to draw to.
Orton just eliminated Rikishi. Within seconds, Orton eliminates Booker T.
[Tazz] I told you, J.R. It could be an all-Evolution Royal Rumble.
Randy Orton can win this thing.
[Ross] You know, almost a ring full of guys
and now we're down to three.
And the A-Train hammering on the number one entrant, Chris Benoit.
[Tazz] Yeah, you're down to three, J.R.
And two of those three are number one and number two
that were coming out here earlier tonight.
-[crowd counting] -[Tazz] Who's next? Who's coming out?
-[Ross] Benoit sent for the ride. -[buzzer blaring]
-[Tazz] Oh! -["Heroes" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Ah, it's Shelton Benjamin, number 17.
[Tazz] Yeah, one half of the world's greatest tag team.
Oh, Shelton going right after Randy Orton.
[Ross] I got a lot of respect for Shelton Benjamin as an athlete.
He may be as good a pure athlete as we have ever seen
-over his career over in the WWE. -[Tazz] J.R., sorry to interrupt.
I think we lost A-Train in this thing,
during the entrance of Shelton Benjamin.
-Yeah, A-Train is gone. -[Ross] A-Train putting up a good fight
but I was so focused on Benjamin coming in--
I apologize, folks.
I missed the A-Train going over the top.
-[Shelton] Come on, you son of a bitch. -[Ross] And look at--
[Tazz] Shelton. Yeah, he's measuring up Randy Orton here.
-This guy could-- Oh, look at this! -[Ross] Oh, Shelton--
-[Tazz] Oh man! -[Ross] Randy Orton capitalized.
Benjamin went for the big kick there.
This Randy Orton is an impressive SOB out here. Wow!
[Ross] Going back to the first two men that…
-[Tazz laughs] -…started the Royal Rumble match.
-We're over halfway through. -[screams]
[Ross] Number one and number two entrants,
Benoit and Orton, respectively, are still alive.
[Tazz] How impressive. Look at this, back suplex.
How impressive is this?
[falters] Over 26 minutes, Orton and Benoit had been in there
knocking heads smash-mouth style, wow!
[Ross] Reversal-- Oh, no.
-[Tazz] Oh, heads clocked, heads clocked. -[Ross] Heads cracked there indeed.
-[crowd counting] -[Ross] Orton and Benoit both down.
[Tazz] Well, whoever comes out is gonna have a great opportunity
-to capitalize-- Yeah, capitalize. -[Ross] Huge. Absolutely.
[buzzer blaring]
[Ross] Somebody's got a big break here with--
-[indistinct chatter] -[Ross] What the hell? The hell is this?
[Tazz] Oh, that's the C… [laughs]
Ladies and gentlemen, Ernest "The Cat" Miller.
[Tazz laughs] That's Lamont.
[Tazz] That's The Cat's little friend.
-["Somebody Call My Momma" playing] -[Tazz laughs] The cat.
[Ross] Ernest "The Cat" Miller.
Well, let's see if he can capitalize on…
[Tazz] What's up with Lamont? I mean, Cat is putting on the good foot.
Oh, he's gonna do a little dance out here, huh?
Oh, somebody better call his momma.
♪ Somebody call my mom-- ♪
-Come on, J.R. -[Ross] He can call his momma.
But he can't dance his way to the main event at WrestleMania.
[Tazz] Yeah, but he's got some quick feet.
[Ross] He's got to fight his way in, and now here this guy is…
[Tazz] ♪ Somebody call my momma Somebody call my momma ♪
-Come on, J. You're not even helping out. -[Ross] He's-- Well, I'm not--
He's an entertaining-- He's an entertaining guy.
I'll have to admit that but…
[Tazz] He is, look it. He's dancing, he's nutty, he's silly.
He's got the Elvis pants on. It's nutty. Look at him.
Lamont-- What is Lamont doing?
[laughs] Come on, J.R., can you scream like that?
-[Ross] Uh, no. -[Tazz] Come on.
-[Ross] Can't do it. -[Tazz] Can you dance like that?
-[Ross] Somebody call my momma. -[Tazz] Can you get down like that?
[Ross] No. I cannot.
[Tazz] If you grab your yam bag hard enough, you can scream like that.
-Uh-oh, oh! What the hell was all that? -[Ross] My God.
-[Tazz] Well, the wig's eliminated. -[Ross] That was the man's hair!
[Tazz laughs] The wig got eliminated, then Lamont, then the cat.
-[crowd cheering] -[Tazz] Good, enough with the dancing.
-I was sick of the dancing. -[wrestlers grunt]
[Ross] Well, we're back now to where we started.
-And the… -[Tazz laughs] What the hell is…
[Ross] We'll continue the wrestling portion
of the Royal Rumble match.
[Tazz] Yeah. Somebody better call his momma.
[laughs] And call him a taxi to the hotel.
The Cat's got plenty of time to call his momma.
[Tazz laughs]
[Tazz] That's the problem. [laughs]
[Ross] Randy Orton eliminating The Cat after Benoit took care of Lamont,
who I don't think was officially even in this match.
And now, Randy Orton,
the boy needs to make hay while the sun is shining, so to speak.
[Tazz] What the hell does that mean, J.R.?
-I'm from Brooklyn. -[Ross] It means " don't waste any time."
-[Tazz] Oh, I got you. -[buzzer blaring]
-["Medal" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Well, here's the man that guaranteed victory, Tazz.
[Tazz] Yup, that is him, dedicated it to our troops.
[Ross] That's exactly right.
The American, fighting men and women of our U.S. troops.
-Angle is in the ring. -[crowd] You suck!
[Ross] Kurt Angle has never won a Royal Rumble match,
but he knows what it's like to headline a WrestleMania.
[Tazz] He didn't just guarantee the victory.
Kurt Angle dedicated the victory he's gonna have tonight
to the armed forces, the men and women of our fighting arm forces.
[Ross] And we have seen some great matches,
including last year at the Rumble, between Angle and--
Oh, Benoit! Benoit lights you up.
[Tazz] Let me tell you something, J.R. Michael Cole and I have had
the opportunity to call many of Benoit and Kurt Angle's matches.
They have been stellar. No doubt.
[Ross] Benoit the-- chopping away on the 1996 Olympic gold medal winner…
-[Tazz] Oh! -…in freestyle wrestling, Kurt Angle.
-[wrestlers grunt] -[Tazz] Oh!
-[Ross] Angle scored that clothesline. -[Tazz] Whoo!
Man, oh man, our fans in the UK joining us
from Setanta Sports for the first time.
Got to be loving this action.
[Tazz] Kurt Angle is the only ever gold medal winner in the WWE.
And SmackDown's got him, J.R.
That's gotta bother you a little, don't it?
[Ross] I'm very respectful of Kurt Angle and his accomplishments.
[Tazz] But you'd wish you'd have him on Raw, right?
-[Ross] I would love to have him. -[Tazz] I don't blame you.
Can we-- You know…
[Ross] He can wrestle, man. He can wrestle.
[Tazz] Oh, no doubt. Kurt Angle, I wrestled him. I know!
-[Ross] And right now… -[Tazz] Uh-oh, uh-oh!
[Ross] Look at this, Benoit about to get out of here.
-It will be a… -[Tazz] Benoit is hanging on.
[Ross] Benoit has been so close on so many occasions.
-And he's trying to hold on. -[Tazz] Oh, no doubt.
[Ross] How much more does Benoit, and for that matter,
-how much more does Orton have left? -[buzzer blaring]
[Tazz] Who the hell is coming out now?
["You Look So Good to Me (The Runway)" playing]
[Tazz laughs] Could you imagine if this guy won?
Oh, look at-- Wow, that Jackie.
Imagine if Rico won this thing.
[Ross] Don't judge that book by its cover.
[Tazz] I know. He's a tough cat.
[Ross] Rico is a lot of tougher than he would like people to believe.
[Tazz] I tell you what, to wear pants like that,
you better be tough as hell.
Oh!
[Ross] That'll get your ass whooped in Muskogee, Oklahoma, let me tell you.
[Tazz] It'll get your ass whooped in Brooklyn too.
[Ross] But he is a tough guy, is Rico.
Former Las Vegas cop.
-[Tazz] Oh! -[Ross] He's a multi-level martial artist.
[Tazz] But right now, Kurt Angle, he's got Benoit cornered.
What's Rico gonna do? Oh, nice, right across the face.
Rico with Randy Orton there.
-[Ross] With the strength that Rico-- -[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross] That kick.
[Ross] Elevating to that second rope, scoring with a kick.
Well, stranger things have happened in the Royal Rumble
in the 17-year history. And Orton looks to be out of it.
[Tazz] Yeah, it looks like Rico is going for the crotch,
and Randy with a back elbow getting out of it.
-Then the switch-- German! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And the RKO by Orton on Rico.
[Tazz] Look at this, beautiful, textbook.
Second German suplex.
[Ross] Those German suplexes right on Kurt Angle,
the back of his head and neck and shoulders.
And now Orton after the RKO is gonna disqualify Rico.
[Tazz] Wow.
[Ross] Down to three now left and-- as this match continues.
[Tazz] And remember, Benoit just back suplexed three times on a man
with surgically-repaired neck.
And that man is Kurt Angle, playing possum!
-[Ross] No! -[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross] Angle-- Now, what a rush of adrenaline as Angle playing possum.
-[Tazz] Uh-oh. -[Ross] One of the two--
-[Tazz] Oh, trying to get Benoit out. -[crowd counting]
[Ross] And a sense of urgency here, but Benoit on that top rope.
-[buzzer blaring] -["This Is a Test" playing]
♪ This is a test ♪
[Tazz] Oh, this big cat from Raw, Test.
[Ross] He's another big man that can do some damage here.
-[Tazz] All right. -[Ross] Where the hell is he?
[Tazz] What, is he invisible now?
-[Tazz] Ooh! -[Ross] I don't know where he is.
-[Tazz] Well-- Oh! Nice! -[Ross] RKO.
-[Tazz] RKO, yeah. -[Ross] Orton got the RKO on Kurt Angle.
-[Tazz] Where the hell is Test? -[Ross] I have no idea.
[Tazz muttering indistinctly]
They could play his-- Play his music again.
[Ross] We're waiting on Test. If anybody…
I don't know. Looks like he's knocked out. I don't know.
Can we get a trainer in here?
-[overlapping chatter] -Shut up, you two!
-Trainer! He's out. -What's going on?
-He's been knocked out. -Is he gonna make it to the Rumble or not?
-I don't think so. -I don't think he is.
-What the hell are you doing? -[official] Test.
That's my number 21 entrance, you son of a bitch!
-[indistinct chatter] -All right, then you're number 21.
Get your ass to the ring.
Now!
-Trainer… -Get to the damn ring!
-[Ross] Who the hell is Austin talking to? -[Tazz] I don't know.
[Ross] Test has obviously been knocked out by someone.
And whoever knocked Test out is gonna be the 21st entrant.
-according to Sheriff Austin. -["Wreck" playing]
[crowd cheering]
-[Ross] Oh, what the hell? -[Tazz] Oh my God.
-[Ross] You-- Don't tell me. -[Tazz] No.
[Ross] It can't be.
[Tazz] Randy Orton's shocked and-- Son of a bitch!
-[Ross] Oh goddamn! -[Tazz] Oh man.
[Ross] It's Mick Foley!
Mick Foley is here and Orton can't believe it.
-[Tazz laughs] I'm shocked. -[crowd cheering]
-[Ross] Mick Foley fighting his ass off! -[Tazz] Whoa!
His fighting his ass something-- [chuckles] Look at Randy. Look at this!
-Oh! -[Ross] Mick Foley--
My God, he's not a coward!
Foley fighting for all he's got here.
It was Foley apparently who took out Test.
And look at Foley, with fists and the forearms
to the pretty face of Randy Orton.
[Tazz] Well, this arena, Philadelphia is exploding at the Royal Rumble.
Mick Foley, shocking.
[laughs] What the hell. I can't believe this.
[Ross] Mick Foley, obviously, took out Test.
-And Foley… -[Tazz] Whoa!
[Ross] Foley eliminating Randy Orton and himself!
[Tazz] Then himself. He eliminated himself.
[Ross] But Foley doesn't give a damn!
[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] But why would you eliminate yourself? I don't get that.
[Ross] I don't under-- Foley is a complex man, I don't know.
I have no idea why Foley did this.
I have no idea why Foley is-- let us all think that he was a coward.
[Tazz] Well, Mick Foley can't stand Randy Orton, right?
'Cause Randy Orton has called himself, the new Hardcore Legend,
so we know why Mick Foley wants to tear the face off Randy Orton.
That's pretty obvious.
[Ross] Randy Orton's head bouncing off the steel steps.
And Mick Foley…
[Tazz] Mick Foley is stalking. What he's gonna do with…
[Ross] Foley's got an ugly look in his eye.
[Tazz] I'll tell you something, Mick Foley can be dangerous.
-[Tazz] Look at this, the camera wire… -[screams]
…across the throat and eye area of Orton.
[Ross] Mick Foley choking the life out of Randy Orton.
Both men have been eliminated from the Rumble match.
Benoit and Angle had been left in the ring.
-[Tazz] Got a match going on here. -["Just Close Your Eyes" playing]
-[crowd cheering] -[Tazz] We got Christian.
[Ross] Christian will be the next entrant
but Orton is getting the hell beat out of him.
Talk about a kid getting taken to the woodshed.
[Tazz] Oh! Oh, there goes Orton.
[Ross] Randy Orton just-- pulled out.
-Mick Foley's got the steel steps. -[Tazz] Oh my gosh.
-Yup, Randy Orton is in trouble. -[Ross] Mick, don't do this.
[Tazz] Mick, it ain't worth it.
-Oh my God! -[Ross] My God Almighty!
-Oh my God! -[Ross] Oh God! Another chop!
-[Tazz] On fire-- Oh! Jeez! -[crowd] Oh!
-[Ross] God Almighty, stop it! -[Tazz] That is sick.
[Ross] We got officials down!
Foley was hit on the head, right in the skull!
[Tazz] J.R., you can't blame Orton though.
Out of nowhere-- Mick Foley wasn't scheduled for this.
He wasn't scheduled and he attacked him.
And now Orton's beating the hell out of him.
[Ross] How personal is this between Foley and Orton?
Officials tried to stop them, but there have been casualties there.
[Tazz] Tell you what, now I've seen some chair hits and shots in my day.
Randy Orton-- Oh, like a baseball bat across the face of Foley.
[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Oh, you can chant Foley's name all you want.
-I don't think Foley is gonna… -[Ross] Oh no, no.
-Foley's brains have already been smashed. -[Tazz] Ooh!
[Ross] Downstairs went Foley!
The right hand, and Foley now fighting back.
That's the Mick Foley that we know!
That's the Mick Foley that comes to fight, not bite.
[Tazz] Socko? What the hell?
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Foley pulling out that Mr. Socko.
[Tazz] That thing still alive?
[Ross] And I think that Orton's gonna taste it.
The Mandible Claw…
-[buzzer blaring] -…perfected by Mick Foley.
-[Tazz] So much c-- -["Brooklyn" playing]
-[Ross] Nunzio? -[Tazz] Oh jeez!
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Foley put the claw on Nunzio.
-[Tazz] Wrong place, wrong time. Oh! -[Ross] Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
Right on the groin with a kick by Orton.
[Tazz] Well, ever the opportunist, big up to Randy Orton
for what he just did there, smart, smart.
[Ross] Orton bought himself enough time to get the hell out of here.
Orton just saw his life, his career flash before his very eyes.
[Tazz] Uh-oh. Kurt Angle's in trouble out there,
but Mick Foley still stalking after Randy, and Mick--
Kurt Angle is in trouble, J.R.
[Ross] Christian and Benoit trying to put Kurt Angle out.
[Tazz] Oh, Kurt's gonna go. Hang on, Kurt!
-[Ross] Can Angle hold on? -[Tazz] Hang on, man!
[Ross] Angle's got a front facelock on the second turnbuckle.
[Tazz] Remember, he had that eye injury on SmackDown too, but Kurt, so tough.
-He's still out here fighting. -[grunts]
[Ross] Christian would like to get in the…
[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross] …in the hunt with the big dogs at the main event at WrestleMania.
He's got the chance if he can win the Royal Rumble match.
[Tazz] And Benoit is still in there, J.R. God, big-time toughness.
-Uh-oh, uh-oh, German suplex coming. -[screams]
[Ross] Man, talk about folding your body up like an accordion, Angle can do it.
-[Tazz] Uh-oh, look at this. -[Ross] First Christian and now Benoit.
[Tazz] Two of SmackDown's finest going at it right now.
[Ross] Benoit has been in this match, ladies and gentlemen,
-at this point, 38 minutes. -Throw him out, Kurt!
-[Tazz] Yeah! -[Ross] And Nunzio…
[Tazz] Yeah, Nunzio, J.R., by the way, just if you're counting.
He has not been eliminated yet. He hasn't been in the ring yet.
[Ross] That's one way not to get eliminated.
[Tazz] Well, that's part of my keys to victory.
You hide when you can hide.
And look at this, Christian is in trouble. Christian wishes he could hide right now.
[Ross] Christian holding on the bottom rope,
but if his feet touch-- No, they're not gonna touch this time.
[Tazz] Got some long-ass legs though, and he's got pink tights on.
-[crowd counting] -[Tazz] Who's coming out now?
[Ross] Some great Canadians have worn pink tights.
-That's another story. -[Tazz] That's a good point.
-But that was then, this is now. -[buzzer blaring]
-[Tazz] Who's coming out? -♪ Well… ♪
-[Tazz] Oh, my pick! My guy! -["Big" playing]
♪ Well it's the Big Show ♪
[Tazz] Yeah.
[Ross] Now, this is big business about to take off.
[Tazz] Bodies are gonna fly, my friend.
Oh, boy, the largest athlete in sports entertainment.
The largest athlete in the world is on his way to the ring.
[Ross] And he's number 24, perhaps even more accordingly.
There's no one in NBA, in the NFL,
there's not an athlete in the world as big as this man,
over seven feet, over 500 pounds.
-He's entering number 24. -[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross] If you talk about a perfect draw to win this thing,
the Big Show is there.
[Tazz] I'm telling you that's my pick.
How dominant-- Oh! [laughs]
How dominant at the end of SmackDown this past week was the Big Show.
Chucking Benoit over the top rope, chucking John Cena over the top rope.
The dominant Big Show is on a tear.
[Ross ] I'll tell you what, I can remember back in--
John Studd won the '89 Royal Rumble at entrant 27.
Yokozuna, another huge man, won in '93 at entrant number 27.
Big Show comes in at 24. You know, there's a little karma there.
The big guys getting those late numbers, they get an advantage.
[Tazz] And that's-- my keys to victory.
The higher you draw, the better chance you have to win.
And I'll tell you what, Christian needs a small army real quick.
[screams]
[Ross] That big, catcher's-mitt-sized hand of the Big Show.
-Good God, that's deep. -[Tazz] Oh! Just toying with him.
[Tazz] Big Show just toying around in there.
Just chucking Christian around, chucking everybody around.
[Ross] Big Biel, a frank Biel, a great Biel.
-[buzzer blaring] -[explosion]
-[Tazz] Oh Jeez! -[Ross] Good God.
-[crowd cheering] -["Break The Walls Down" playing]
[Ross] Well, the king of the world is here.
[Tazz] Yeah, I like Jericho.
[Ross] Former undisputed champion, Chris Jericho,
and Jericho going right for Kurt Angle.
[Tazz] Oh, no doubt.
Jericho going right after Kurt Angle, and Jericho used to be at SmackDown.
Why are you guys stealing all our guys for anyway?
-[Ross] Talk to Heyman. -[Tazz] Well, I'd rather not.
-[Ross] Anyway, Christian and Jericho… -[Tazz] Look at this.
…joining forces, they've been tag team partners on occasion
-[Tazz] Oh my God. -…but they're both headbutted.
The 7-10 split picked up by that massive head of the Big Show.
[Tazz] Yeah, no gutter balls here. That's not a head.
That's a melon, a watermelon.
-[screams] -[Ross] Those chops might be stinging,
-they might hurt… -[Tazz] Oh jeez!
…but you're not gonna eliminate the Big Show with a knife edge.
[Tazz] The typewriter-like head of the Big Show.
Jeez! Oh, look at Christian. He's relentless.
[Tazz] Still trying to get the big man out of this.
Jericho…
[Ross] Christian trying to mount the Big Show from behind.
[Tazz] Oh no, no, no!
[Ross] That's the idea right there, that's the André the Giant philosophy.
[Tazz] Yeah, because two SmackDown guys are helping.
Big Show's in trouble now.
[Ross] Every man trying to get the Big Show elevated over the top rope.
[Tazz] And this match is usually "every man for himself,"
but "let's get the largest guy out." That's my pick. Don't get rid of him.
[Ross] Big Show fighting his way out here. He is not an ordinary man.
He is extraordinary.
Just take a look at him, look at Benoit down, Christian down.
Angle and Jericho hammering the hell out of each other.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Heroes" playing]
-[Tazz] Well, here comes Charlie Haas. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] I knew that 'cause Shelton came out already and heard the music.
[Ross] Young all-American from the Seton Hall University.
Boy, he's got a chance to elevate his career right here.
[Tazz] Oh yeah, no doubt. No doubt. And Charlie Haas has got the skills--
And Jericho with that attack from behind on Haas.
[Ross] It's somewhat obvious that Jericho and Christian are working
in a tandem here. Double suplex.
[Tazz] But my point, J.R.,
the best person doesn't always win this Royal Rumble.
Sometimes it's the smartest person.
It's who's keen-- And talking about smart,
Nunzio sitting out there, that's pretty smart.
[Ross] Absolutely. And there's the luck of the draw.
You got to have some luck on your side
to win the Royal Rumble match. There's no doubt about that.
And part of this is drawing a high number.
-All these… -[Tazz] Oh, there goes Benoit.
-[Ross] Oh, Benoit-- -[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross] Oh! God, that was close. Oh, how close was that?
Benoit over the top rope but he made a U-turn.
[Tazz] There goes Jericho. Look at this, Christian trying to throw his friend out.
[Ross] Christian trying to fo-- He can't-- He tripped--
-[Tazz] Uh-oh. Oh man! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And Jericho has eliminated Christian!
I think that's the second year in a row that Jericho has eliminated
his weakling good friend Christian.
[Tazz] And they're friends. Like I said, every man for himself.
You wanna go to Mania and get a title shot.
That's the big one, baby.
And Jericho now hooked by my pick, the Big Show.
[crowd counting]
[Ross] Big Show, big enough to block out the sun and--
-[Tazz] Jericho-- -[Ross] Oh, but Jericho is still alive.
-Jericho on the apron. -[Tazz] Oof.
-Angle's still throwing people. -[buzzer blaring]
♪ I'm an ass man ♪
-["Ass Man" playing] -[Tazz] Billy Gunn!
[Ross] The returning Billy Gunn!
[Tazz] Billy Gunn, man, he's back. Been gone for a few months.
[Ross] A ten-year cross veteran in the WWE.
-[Tazz] Oh, Famouser! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Billy Gunn coming in at number 27.
-[Tazz] Oof! -[shouts indistinctly]
[Ross] And Billy Gunn on fire here with those right hands.
[Tazz] Billy Gunn looking sharp as a tack.
You know Billy Gunn used to be married to a guy, right?
[Ross] Yeah.
[Tazz] You've been married a bunch of times.
-You've ever been married to a guy? -[Ross] No.
[Tazz] Whoa, man!
Famouser on the Big Show. That's impressive.
[Ross] He took the Big Show down but that was wrong direction.
[Tazz] Yup, yup.
[Ross] Billy Gunn coming in at number 27.
[Tazz] Billy Gunn trying to get Jericho out,
Haas trying to get Benoit out.
[Ross] More men have won the Royal Rumble drawing number 27.
The most of any other number in the draw.
Let's see if Billy Gunn can get into that frequency.
-[Tazz laughs] Look at Nunzio. -[Ross] Nunzio, the brains of the FBI.
[Tazz] He's a goombah from Brooklyn, you know what I mean?
He's smart. [laughs] He's got a lot of stacks, huh?
He's got a load of stacks.
[Ross] He's laying in the weeds out there, ain't he?
[Tazz] Oh, we don't have weeds in Brooklyn, we have cement.
-[Ross] Oh, yeah, and huge… -[Tazz laughs]
[Ross] And Kurt Angle-- Gosh. Angle gets caught from behind.
Nice suplex by Jericho.
And the Big Show…
The Big Show is in a normal situation and a precarious one,
but he's a long way from the top rope.
You gotta get him up to get him over.
[Tazz] Yes. And that's tough to do! Suplex.
-[Ross] Benoit with a suplex of dreams. -[crowd counting]
-[Tazz] Oh, he'll just keep throwing you. -[buzzer blaring]
-[Tazz] Who's next? -["Basic Thugonomics" playing]
[Ross] Benoit knocked down.
[Tazz] The doctor, baby. Doctor of Thugonomics.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Well, this is an amazing young athlete right here, I'll tell you.
♪ Word life, this is basic thugonomics ♪
[Ross] John Cena wearing that late Tug McGraw jersey.
[Tazz] Oh, the Big Show is burning a hole with his eyes.
Look at those eyes into Cena.
[Ross] Big Show and Cena certainly have--
They both got a hell of a rivalry on SmackDown.
Big Show, the US champion
but this is not about the US championship.
-Look at him. -[Tazz laughs] Cena just spotted…
[Ross] I think Nunzio's tenure in the witness protection program
has just come to an abrupt end.
[Tazz] "You can't see me," Cena saying.
Oh man, Cena's interjecting Nunzio into this match.
Look at Nunzio, like a pimp!
[overlapping chatter]
[Ross] Nunzio, he's a tough son of a gun, I'll tell you that.
[Tazz] Well, the biggest and smallest man on The Doctor of Thugonomics right now.
[Ross] And look at Big Show.
Big Show would love to eliminate John Cena.
I mean, in this match and permanently from the WWE.
And Nunzio, I don't think that's gonna work.
[Tazz] Nunzio, you gotta drink a little bit more espresso.
Oh, marone mia. What a shot in the back with the chop.
-[laughs] Look at this. -[Ross] Man, that will…
that will move your spine in places it's not supposed to go.
[Tazz] It will shift your ass cheeks too.
[Ross] And look at Cena now.
[Tazz] Cena's firing up on the big man, on the Big Show.
-[Ross] And Cena-- -Look at Cena!
[Ross] Trying to get out the Big Show.
-[Tazz] And look, Benoit might be going. -[Ross] Benoit teetering on the far side.
-[crowd counting] -[Ross] There's help on the way for--
-[Tazz] Cena needs help. -[Ross] Cena and Jericho…
-[buzzer blaring] -["One of a Kind" playing]
[crowd cheering]
♪ One of a kind ♪
-[Tazz] Van Dam. -[Ross] Number 29, Rob Van Dam!
We know who's next.
[Tazz] Well, you might want to give Van Dam the home field advantage here
with his past, with his history from ECW.
But that might not help him against the Big Show here,
but Van Dam looking good. Whoa.
-[Ross] Van Dam, an amazing athlete. -[Taz] Dropped that spin kick there.
[Ross] Absolutely amazing athlete, maybe the greatest wrestler
to never be the World's Heavyweight Champion.
[Tazz] That could be, that could be. Reversal.
Jumping-- Yeah, leg lariat-- spinning leg lariat there.
[Ross] An ugly, ugly move, that'll lose you some teeth.
And Cena pugnaciously right back in the midsection of the Big Show.
[Tazz] Speaking of pugnacious there, Nunzio is a little pugnacious.
-[wrestlers grunt] -[Ross] Nunzio ought to be invisible.
Well, look, he was invisible for quite some time.
Oh, look at that.
Billy Gunn, great right hand on the Big Show.
[Tazz] But Van Dam might be getting thrown out there
for a moment by Benoit.
[Ross] And Benoit and Nunzio trying to take Benoit-- take RVD out.
[Tazz] Uh-oh. Maybe an FU… Maybe an FU by Cena on Angle.
-FU! There it is. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Cena's FU on Kurt Angle.
And remember, Angle guaranteed a victory tonight
and dedicated it to all our fighting men and women.
[crowd counting]
[Ross] Well, we're down to number 30 and that's no mystery.
-[buzzer blaring] -[Tazz] The odds-on favorite.
-["Invasion" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Mathematically speaking,
the odds-on own favorite, Goldberg, number 30.
Winning the number 30
at the top-rope challenge last week on Raw.
[Tazz] Yup, that's-- Oh!
-Spear! -[Ross] Oh God, a spear!
[Tazz] That number 30 is a trump card and that spear is a trump card.
-[Ross] Tremendous impact. -[Tazz] Come on, Angle.
-Oh, well, maybe not. -[Ross] Oh, Goldberg.
Jericho walked right into a hard right hand,
-[Tazz] Oh! -…and Goldberg smash-mouthing his way!
[Tazz] Oh man, Haas just got powerslammed.
[Ross] And this is-- Goldberg is on fire. Nunzio mounting Goldberg from behind.
[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Nunzio jump-- Oh! Oh, that was smart by Goldberg,
throwing Haas while Nunzio's trying to choke him.
[Ross] I can't believe that Goldberg threw off Charlie Haas
-with Nunzio on Goldberg's back. -[Tazz] Oh my God.
[Ross] And that's a big time snapmare. Let me tell you.
[Tazz] A lot of power. Nice kick to the dome
by Van Dam on Goldberg.
[Ross] That was a whole herd of snapmares.
Oh God!
-[Tazz] Oh! -[Ross] Oh, Nunzio.
[Tazz] Jeez, someone better call the cemetery.
[Ross] He may have had his sternum shattered.
-[Ross] Billy Gunn, number 27… -[Tazz] Gone!
Goldberg's clearing the field. Please help Nunzio.
He's done enough. Leave the kid alone.
[Ross] Good God, look at the strength…
-[Tazz] God, remember the neighborhood. -…the power of Goldberg.
[Tazz] Oh jeez!
[Ross] Goldberg eliminating Nunzio. Look at this-- these spears.
Look at this impact.
[Tazz] Goldberg came in in a rage.
-Oh, and that spear was sick. -[Ross] God.
Former defensive tackle for the University of Georgia.
-[overlapping chatter] -[Ross] There's no way.
-[Tazz] What the hell is Goldberg… -[Ross] He could put him in his…
-Wait a minute! Brock Lesnar! -[Tazz] Lesnar! Brock Lesnar!
-[crowd cheering] -[Tazz] F-5! An F-5 is coming. Yeah!
[Ross] Brock Lesnar assaulted Goldberg!
What the hell is this about?
[Tazz] I'm feeling that, baby.
[Ross] Lesnar is not in the Royal Rumble match.
[Tazz] Goldberg deserved it.
Big ups to Lesnar, planting his ass with an F-5.
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Brock Lesnar…
Goldberg never saw it coming.
[Tazz] That's the idea.
Brock Lesnar will get you from behind.
When you least expect it, Lesnar attacks.
-[Ross] These two, Goldberg and Lesnar… -[growls]
-…had words earlier-- -You're next, you son of a bitch!
[Ross] And I think you saw that.
Goldberg just called Lesnar a son of a bitch.
[Tazz] Well, Lesnar is a tough son of a bitch.
And that's-- Oh!
-[Ross] Oh, Kurt Angle! -[Tazz] Kurt Angle. Yeah!
[Ross] Kurt Angle has eliminated Goldberg!
[Tazz] Whoo-hoo!
-[Ross] And look at… -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Jericho trying to get into Angle.
Oh, the SmackDown guys.
[Ross] Man, I can't believe these turn of events.
Goldberg came out, was so dominating until he was assaulted
by a man that's not even in the Rumble match, Brock Lesnar.
[Tazz] Well, Goldberg picked the fight in my view
at the Survivor Series months ago,
and earlier tonight, they had words, Lesnar and Goldberg.
-[Ross] Oh, they're a… -[Tazz] Uh-oh, uh-oh.
[Ross] And look at this, I mean, back to the match at hand.
We have no more entrants.
One of the main event at WrestleMania,
the half of it, is gonna be one of these men.
[Tazz] Oh, my pick is gonna be gone. This ain't good.
[Ross] Every man trying to get the Big Show out.
[Tazz] Smart strategy.
Jericho, Benoit, Van Dam, Cena, all trying to get rid of…
-[Ross] And two referees-- -…the Big Show.
-[Ross] And the Big Show-- -[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross exclaims] Big Show shoving all these men down.
[Tazz] Watch out, don't be the first…
[Ross] Nothing but overpowering mass and strength
from the seven-foot, 500-pound-plus, Big Show.
-[Tazz] Oof! -[Ross] That's a huge head and--
[Tazz] Look at Cena-- I thought Cena was gonna-- Uh-oh. Oh!
[Ross] Oh, Angle clipped the leg of Big Show.
[Tazz] Yeah, that'll tear your knee right up.
-[Ross] Angle, that was a smart-- -[Tazz] Oh!
Jumping and sliding leg drop there.
Springboard-- Oh, moonsault!
-[Ross] The Lionsault by Jericho. -[Tazz] Uh-oh. This…
-[Ross] Van Dam up on the top rope! -…could be a Five-Star Frog Splash!
[Ross] Big time in Philadelphia, every man focusing on the Big Show here.
[Tazz] The Cena Five Knuckle Shuffle. Ooh, can't see me!
[Ross] Every man in the match trying to eliminate the Big Show.
Hitting the Big Show with all the heavy artillery!
[Tazz] Benoit's still-- Flying headbutt!
[Ross] The headbutt by the first entrant, Chris Benoit.
[Tazz] How the hell is Benoit still in this match?
[Ross] Over 52 minutes Benoit has competed.
[Ross] Kurt Angle playing the part of leader, saying, "Let's go."
Big Show's got to go.
[Ross] Kurt Angle trying to orchestrate the Big Show's exit here.
[Tazz] They might need a backhoe or something.
-[Ross] You know, a… -[Tazz] A forklift.
-[Ross] A wench, forklift. -[Tazz] Some kind of tugboat.
-[Ross] He's-- -[Tazz] Dead weight!
-[Ross] Dead weight! -[Tazz] It's a lot of weight!
-[Ross] Oh no. -[Tazz] They trying to--
Well, Kurt Angle, and Jericho, Van Dam and Cena just trying
to get him towards the ropes.
I'll tell you what, Big Show don't wanna go, he don't go.
[Ross] And Big Show getting-- I don't know.
These men are trying to get…
-[Tazz] Be careful. -…the Big Show up, and--
[Tazz] He could be playing possum, and he is.
[Tazz] Big Show laying in the weeds here.
-[Tazz] Oh my God! -[Ross] Oh my God!
Big Show eliminated John Cena, who may have ripped his knee!
[Tazz] Yeah, he tweaked his ankle and knee there.
Doctor Thugonomics is gone.
[Ross] And Van Dam trying get a flip there,
but no, it was blocked.
-The shoulder block. -[Tazz] Be careful, be careful, Van Dam.
Going for a monkey flip.
-[Ross] That ain't gonna work. -[Tazz] That bit him in the ass. Wow!
[Ross] Van Dam's monkey flip did not work on the big ape.
-[Ross] We're down to the final four… -[Tazz] Uh-oh, Big Show, there's my guy!
-…in the 2004 Royal Rumble. -[Tazz] Skinning the cat, though.
Jericho's gonna touch-- No. He's gonna try and skin the cat?
Yes, he is.
[Ross] Shades of Shawn Michaels in '95, and until-- Oh, the Big Show.
-[Tazz] Uh-oh. -[Ross] The Big Show teetering.
Jericho trying to-- the Big Show--
-No. -[Tazz] Hang on, Show. Hang on, big man.
[Tazz] Jericho is relentless, trying to get rid of the big man.
Uh-oh, uh-oh. Oh, look up!
[Ross] Oh, Jericho landing on the apron.
That's about the fourth time in this match that Jericho's been able to do that.
[Tazz] Shows how important, J.R., getting a title shot at WrestleMania is.
Look at the effort these men are putting into this.
[Ross] Jericho ripped the eyes and now goes downstairs to the knee.
[Tazz] Yeah, nobody home there.
Chris Jericho going bulldog.
[Ross] Bulldog by Jericho taking the Big Show down.
Four men left, the final four in the 2004 Royal Rumble.
[Tazz] We're deep in the fourth quarter too, my man.
And we're going for that…
[Ross] One of these four will be in the main event at WrestleMania.
-The Walls of Jericho, Big Show tapping. -[Tazz] That tap-out don't mean squat.
[Ross] Don't mean a thing.
You got to be eliminated only one way,
be thrown over the top rope,
both feet touching the floor.
Chris Benoit…
[Tazz] Kurt Angle still got some pepper behind those punches, J.R.
[Ross] …Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle and the Big Show.
-The four men remaining. -[Tazz] Kurt's trying to hang on.
Oh my God.
-[Tazz] Just manhandled. -[Ross] That's exactly all it was.
It was an ugly slug slam by the Big Show, effective for the 500-pounder.
[Tazz] Uh-oh. Uh-oh!
Jericho's gonna get choke-slammed right through this damn ring.
-[Ross] And look at him. Oh gosh! -[Tazz] Oh no! No!
[Ross] All the power on one arm, choke-slammed over the top to the floor.
-[Tazz] I'm telling you, man. -[Ross] We're down to three.
[Tazz] That's my guy. Big Show's gonna win.
[Ross] Kurt Angle now trying to nail the Big Show,
is doing that with the right hands.
-And… -[Tazz] Oh God. Whoa, God.
[Ross] Look out, look out, look out, sidewalk slam by the 500-pounder.
[Tazz] Damn near six-foot drop on that sidewalk slam.
[Tazz] The average man, that's like a three-foot drop,
Big Show's so humongous.
-[Ross] Benoit-- Oh, Big Show… -[Tazz] Oh man.
[Ross] He's gonna eliminate--
[Tazz] Well, Benoit put up a hell of a fight, J.R.
-Been in here for so long. Uh-oh. -[grunts]
[Ross] He can't. Y'all got to be kidding me.
-[Ross] Angle with a waistlock. -[Tazz] Well, Angle's done it before.
-[Ross] But not on this-- not this time. -[Tazz] Yeah, yeah, yeah, not tonight.
[Ross] Maybe not this night ever
because this could be the Big Show's moment to shine here.
[Tazz] Look at this.
[Ross] The winner of this match will face the champion in the main event,
and I said the main event, at WrestleMania.
-[Tazz] Oh, look at this, Angle Slam! -[Ross] A slam.
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] The power and technique.
[Tazz] And so different in this match, minutes-wise.
[Ross] Benoit somehow, he fights his way back in it.
[Tazz] The conditioning of Benoit is sick.
-How insane is the conditioning-- -[Ross] Oh, Benoit gets the Angle Slam.
[Tazz] I think that was an Angle Slam. He modified it a little bit, Angle did.
[Ross] The wolverine wrestling machine just tasted the Angle Slam
by the Olympic gold medal winner, who guaranteed a victory.
-[Tazz] Yes, to the American troops… -[crowd cheering]
…he dedicated the victory.
[Ross] By the looks of things, it looks like Kurt Angle is the man
that's gonna be in the main event at WrestleMania.
[Tazz] Kurt Angle might do that. Big Show might go-- Oh.
-[Ross] Oh, Angle… -[Tazz] Nope.
[Ross] Angle went after for the Big Show and…
[Tazz] Rolled through him. This is gonna be an ankle lock.
-Yes, I've seen Kurt do that before. -[Big Show screams]
[Tazz] Beautiful switch counter right there.
[Ross] The ankle lock. The Big Show tapping, but again,
it's a moot point.
You only can be eliminated one way, but Angle will break your ankle.
[Tazz] That's right. You use that submission
to injure that huge man,
so Big Show is a one-legged giant out there.
I like the strategy of Kurt Angle.
Even if you get to the ropes, it don't matter.
You can't break the hold.
[Ross] You know, a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest,
500 pounds or not--
and Angle as if about to snap that ankle of the Big Show,
who is writhing and screaming in agony.
[Tazz] And Kurt Angle will tear the ligament straight out of that leg,
that large leg of the Big Show.
[Ross] Big Show being tortured here.
-[Tazz] Whoa! -[Ross] Oh, Angle!
Kurt Angle eliminated but the Big Show was not!
-We are down to two! -[Tazz] The leg strength.
[indistinct chatter]
-[Ross] Angle can't believe it. -[Tazz] He can't believe it.
[Ross] Angle cannot believe it!
[Tazz] Kurt is so disappointed with himself.
-[crowd cheering] -Come on, Kurt.
[Ross] Angle cannot believe, after the ankle lock applied
[Tazz] Well, Kurt Angle doesn't usually wear his emotions on the sleeve,
but he's hot right now.
-Look at the leg power right here. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Kurt Angle was outmaneuvered by the Big Show.
That's impressive and rad.
Now, we're down to two, my man.
[Ross] We are at number one, Benoit, against number 24 entrant, the Big Show.
[Tazz] Look at this! Oh my God!
[Ross] Oh, and a big bad break for Benoit
because the Big Show came back in the ring.
He didn't go to the outside, a bad break for Benoit.
[Tazz] Good pickup, good call.
But a big-time sacrifice move by Benoit, and I respect that.
You got to sacrifice sometimes and put your balls on the table
and try to win this match, and that's what Benoit did there.
[Ross] Benoit is 90 seconds short of being in this conflict for one hour.
[Tazz] Imagine being the number one guy out here,
you're in there fighting every superstar in the roster,
and then you're finding yourself at the end of this bad boy
with the largest athlete in the world. That's not fun.
[Ross] I don't know if that's the fate of Chris Benoit--
[Tazz] Oh! Uh-oh.
[Ross] Benoit has been so close, but I think his chances just ran out.
-[Tazz] Look at his counter, counter. -[Ross] And-- Oh!
-[Tazz] Crossface counter. -[Ross] The crossface by Benoit.
[Tazz] Again, third time in the match, the Big Show's tapping.
[Ross] The Big Show tapping out but to no avail for Benoit,
but Benoit can damn sure weaken the 500-pounder,
ripping and tearing that shoulder after Kurt Angle applied the ankle lock.
[Tazz] Great point, but Benoit is gonna have to keep that thing off
for a long time to level the playing field
from amount of, you know, stamina that Benoit's got to be lacking
from how long he's been out there
and the size difference between both athletes.
[Ross] Benoit has never cared, as you know, Tazz,
about the size difference.
He could give a damn.
[Tazz] He don't give a rat's ass, there's no doubt about that.
-Look at the power. -[Ross] But it is what it is.
[Tazz] Yes.
[Ross] And when you got a 500-pound man that, with one arm,
just manhandled a man that's been in this match
approximately one hour.
And the record is past the hour mark, I am told.
The record is 64 minutes, held by Ric Flair in 1992.
This has got to be pure torture for Chris Benoit.
[Tazz] And you hear the people here in Philadelphia getting behind this,
showing respect for what both men--
No matter how you feel about either one of them,
shows how much respect they got to have
for what these guys are doing out here.
[Ross] The Big Show has been tortured
by some of the most deadly maneuvers in the game.
And now, look at the second rush of adrenaline there.
[Tazz] I just hate to say it, J.R.,
but Chris Benoit, as great as he is and as impressive this is,
Big Show-- Chris Benoit is not a giant. He is not the Big Show.
[Ross] Benoit has been close…
-Come to me, Benoit. -…on so many occasions.
He has gone almost the distance against,
now, a 500-pound man who is so hungry
to be in the main event at WrestleMania, and that's no pun intended.
I'm not joking about that.
[Tazz] Well, that's the reputation Benoit has.
-Close but no cigar. -Do you hear me?
-[Tazz] Can Benoit win the big one? -It's all over.
[Tazz] I don't know. I don't like his chances right now.
-He's going. That's it. -[Ross] That's it.
[Tazz] Hell of a fight Benoit put up.
-Great job! -[Ross] Where do you go from here?
You go to the outside--
-[Tazz] Uh-oh. -[Ross] And Benoit fighting.
[Tazz] Look at this counter. Front head-- Maybe a dragon front headlock.
[groans]
[Ross] Oh, the front facelock in that chancery position and Benoit--
-There he goes, there he goes! -[Tazz] He's going!
[Ross] Benoit-- Look at Benoit!
[Tazz] Benoit's hanging on to that head like a damn-- locking it pitbull-like.
[Ross] Benoit has been holding, and holding. He's holding.
The Big Show's teetering!
-The Big Show teetering. -[Tazz] Oh my God!
-[Ross] He's doing it! -[Tazz] He's gonna go, J.R.!
-[Ross] The Big Show! -[Tazz] Can he do it?
-Hang on, Show. -[Ross] Show is teetering!
-[Tazz] Hang on, Show! -[Ross] Benoit's holding on!
-[Tazz] Oh my God! -[Ross] Yes!
-[bell ringing] -[Ross] Benoit, Benoit has done it!
-[crowd cheering] -["Whatever" playing]
[announcer] Here is your winner of the 2004 Royal Rumble match,
Chris Benoit!
[Tazz] Benoit's going to WrestleMania, J.R.!
And he's getting the title shot.
[Ross] Chris Benoit, well over one hour of hell…
-[Tazz] Wow! -…has won the Royal Rumble match
before 17,289 fans!
And, yes, Chris Benoit's dream to headline WrestleMania has come true!
[Tazz] Chris Benoit has worked his ass off for 19 years
and the day has come. He earned it.
Got to give the man credit. Got to respect what he did.
[Ross] Nobody has earned this opportunity and worked harder than the Rabid Wolverine
from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Chris Benoit!
Write it down, Sunday, March 14th, WrestleMania XX,
Benoit will meet the champion in the main event.
[Tazz] Well, let's take a look at this amazing ending here
of this battle, this Royal Rumble. Benoit hanging on to that front facelock.
-He just never let go. -[Ross] Benoit-- He would never give up.
-He would never give up. -[Tazz] Look at this.
[Ross] He was relentless. He was focused. He was hell-bent!
[Tazz] That's impressive.
[Ross] Benoit would not take no for an answer…
-[Tazz] Wow. -[Ross] …and will grab the brass ring!
-Look at that. Jeez, he did it. -[bell ringing]
[Tazz] Hey, you know what, I said, "Benoit never won the big one."
He did it. Benoit did it.
[Ross] And his reaction, the expression on that athlete's face
tells a better story than we ever could.
-[music continues] -Yes!
[Ross] Chris Benoit has done it.
Chris Benoit will be at the main event at WrestleMania.
[Tazz] He won the big one, J.R.!
[Ross] Benoit is going to WrestleMania…
-[Tazz] He did it! He finally did it! -…to meet the champion!
Benoit has done it!
♪ Whatever you need, 'ever you've got… ♪
[song fades] you need, 'ever you've got… ♪