-[train brakes screeching] -[indistinct chatter]
[automated voice over PA] Next stop, Madison Square Garden.
-Stand clear, closing doors. -[bell ringing]
["Stand Up For Rock 'N' Roll" playing]
[Ross] This is the world's most famous arena.
Madison Square Garden in New York City.
[announcer] It is now time for the Royal Rumble.
[Ross] Welcome to the Royal Rumble.
There is not a person sitting down.
[Vince] Hulk Hogan and The Warrior.
[announcer] Oh, yeah! Flair did it!
[announcer 2] Shawn Michaels, the first man in
and the last man standing.
[Ross] Yes! The Royal Rumble 3:16.
-[bell ringing] -[Ross] Rock has won the Rumble!
-[Ross] Kane is going crazy here. -[Jerry] He's on a rampage now.
[Ross] The Game, The Game!
[Michael] Rey Mysterio is going to WrestleMania.
[crowd cheering]
♪ We're ready, so get ready ♪
♪ We're gonna rock, rock tonight ♪
♪ Stand up for rock 'n' roll ♪
♪ For rock 'n' roll, yeah ♪
-[Jerry] Every man for himself. -[Ross] Thirty men in the ring.
And the stakes couldn't be any higher.
-[bell ringing] -[screams]
♪ For rock 'n' roll ♪
♪ Stand up for rock 'n' roll ♪
[announcer] And now, the 21st annual WWE Royal Rumble.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] For the 21st time, we welcome you to the Royal Rumble.
But for the first time ever in HD.
You are looking live at a sold-out Madison Square Garden
in New York City, 20,798 fans
set to ride along with us
as start down the Road to WrestleMania.
[bell ringing]
The first contest for the 2008 Royal Rumble
-is a career-threatening match. -[crowd cheering]
If Ric Flair loses this match tonight, he will be forced to retire.
-["Also Sprach Zarathustra" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Justin] Introducing first, from Charlotte, North Carolina,
The Nature Boy, Ric Flair!
[Michael] On December 10th, 1972,
Ric Flair made his in-ring debut in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
He battled George Gadaski to a ten-minute draw.
Will tonight, 35 years, one month,
and 17 days later, mark the end of the Nature Boy's career?
Well, certainly, when you are talking about the Royal Rumble,
this is the night that changes careers, but for the Nature Boy,
this could be the night that ends careers.
It's unbelievable in here,
what's going down and the Nature Boy, what's going through his body
right now, I can't even imagine.
[Michael] And for Ric Flair, he said this past week on SmackDown,
if his career had to end tonight,
what a place to end it,
inside legendary Madison Square Garden.
And remember the edict by Mr. McMahon.
The next match Ric Flair loses, will be his last, forced to retire.
-Whoo! -[crowd cheering]
I want to tell you…
once again, what a great honor it has been
to wrestle all these years
in Madison Square Garden.
[crowd cheering]
They say there's no place like it anywhere in the world,
and I almost have to agree.
I had my first match here
in March of 1976.
[crowd cheering]
Long before most of you were born.
And I have to tell you…
I have to tell you that the level of respect
that you have paid me
all these years is unbelievable.
[crowd cheering]
And I want you all to know.
-I want you all to know-- -["I'm Comin'" playing]
[crowd booing]
♪ One, two, you hear the clock tickin' ♪
♪ Tick-tock, you're about to stop living ♪
♪ Tick-tock, I want you to remember me ♪
♪ Tick-tock, but the day Don't have no memory ♪
♪ I'm coming ♪
♪ Nobody could stop me Nobody could hold me ♪
-♪ Nobody control me ♪ -♪ I'm coming ♪
♪ I'm here to do my thing I'm here to bring the pain ♪
♪ I'm never ever gon' change Like Tropicana, I got the juice ♪
[Justin] And his opponent, from Miami Florida,
weighing 248 pounds, he is the WWE United States Champion,
Montel Vontavious Porter, MVP.
[Jonathan] You know, Michael, it was obvious that Ric Flair
was speaking from the heart right there, but MVP doesn't care about the heart.
MVP wants to increase his career and he can do that right here
tonight at the Royal Rumble.
[Michael] MVP is gonna learn something about heart in this match-up.
He's going to learn about passion, he's going to learn about the heart
of Ric Flair, and how this man has dedicated 35 years of his life
to this business. And perhaps teach MVP some respect.
[Jonathan] MVP has one goal tonight and one goal only,
and that's to end the career of the Nature Boy.
[Michael] Fans all over MVP.
From the get go, again, a career-threatening match-up.
If Ric Flair loses…
-[bell ringing] -…he will retire here tonight,
inside Madison Square Garden, and the match-up is underway.
You have to believe that Ric Flair would like to end this match early.
And the Nature Boy, mind games, the master of mind games,
the dirtiest player in the game over the years.
And MVP with a side headlock to start things off.
[Jonathan] And I can't even imagine the pressure that's going
through Ric Flair knowing that each and every time that he comes out…
-Whoo! -…that that could be the last match.
But if it is the last match, what a way to go out,
if it is in Madison Square Garden.
[Michael] Ric Flair said on SmackDown, Friday night, that he's not ready
to go home, that he's been tearing up VIP lounges
before MVP was born, and he's going to retire on his own terms,
in the Nature Boy's words.
-[Jonathan] Well, that's the Nature Boy's… -[Charles] One, two, three.
…terms, but not MVP's terms. MVP has been doing things
on his terms and he is really, really starting to increase
what he has done in--
Right now, MVP is…
[Michael] Slow pace to start this match-up as Ric Flair goes to work
on that left arm of MVP.
With Ric Flair really a global spokesman for this industry,
-he has become a global phenomenon. -Two, three.
[Michael] There's a disrespect and Flair's gonna make MVP pay.
The Nature Boy has had enough of MVP over the past few weeks.
[Jonathan] Yeah, Michael, but you gotta believe that Ric Flair
is offering everything he has tonight, because if he doesn't,
it could all be over.
[Michael] Ric Flair shoulder knockdown again to MVP.
Nice takedown by MVP, the United States Champion.
And MVP stalking the Nature Boy, Ric Flair.
[screams]
[Michael] Oh! And what a kick to the side of head
of the Nature Boy.
Ooh! Nice neckbreaker by MVP, into the first cover of the match-up.
-He hooks the leg, and a kick-out. -One!
[Michael] Near fall for MVP as we take another look.
Watch this. Oh! And that kick right to the face
as MVP begins to unload on Ric Flair.
-And that near fall, he almost turned it. -[Charles] One!
[Michael] Here's a cover again, and a kick-out.
In each near fall, you hear a gasp from this-- From our fans
here at Madison Square Garden.
You have to imagine what they're going through.
I mean, there are people I'm sure here in the Garden tonight
that saw Fic Flair's first match at the Garden back in 1976,
-as he mentioned earlier. -[crowd] MVP sucks!
[Jonathan] And if you're a fan of Ric Flair,
and certainly I have been for a long time,
it's hard to watch potentially his last match, each and every time
he comes out, because Ric Flair is the epitome of what sports
and entertainment is all about.
[Michael] And our fans not only on the edge of their seat here tonight
at Madison Square Garden, but watching all over the world
in places like the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Switzerland,
the Middle East. Ric Flair, a star the world over.
And there's a high elbow by the Nature Boy, Ric Flair.
Right to the knee, and this is where Flair becomes dangerous.
Tweaking the legs for the patented figure-four leg lock,
and MVP counters.
[Jonathan] And that was vintage Ric Flair going after the legs
and trying to get MVP down.
[Michael] MVP, the current United States Champion, Ric Flair,
a four-- Five-time, I should say, United States champ.
Going for the figure-four again! MVP rolls him up, rolls through.
Shoulder! And a kick-out at two.
[Jonathan] Well, Mike, you made a great point.
Ric Flair needs to have this match end as quickly as possible.
He doesn't want this thing to go very long.
[Michael] There's no doubt about the fact that MVP is perhaps
the better conditioned athlete. He's younger than Ric Flair.
Ric Flair, the Nature Boy, needs to end this match early.
He needs to end this match quickly.
The longer it goes, the better it is for MVP.
[Jonathan] Certainly, but experience is on the side of Ric Flair, no doubt.
[Michael] MVP said that it would be the greatest day of his life
if he can retire Ric Flair tonight in Madison Square Garden.
Irish Whip across the ring and Ric Flair goes for the ride off
the big back body drop.
And again, the United States Champion stalking Ric Flair,
almost seeming to have his way with the Nature Boy.
-[Jonathan] Oh! -[Michael] And a kick to the jaw.
It caught Flair flush on the cheek, the Nature Boy may be down and out.
-Here's the cover. -One!
-[Michael] Hook on the leg! -[Jonathan] This could be the end!
[Michael] This is it. Wait a minute.
No! No. No. No. No!
No.
[speaking indistinctly]
I heard you, you got three!
[Michael] And there's Flair, the match continues.
He may have him with a schoolboy, and a kick-out.
And there's the clothesline. To reset what happened.
Referee Charles Robinson realized that Ric Flair
had his foot on the bottom rope.
As he counted to three, he waved off the decision.
-[Charles] One! Two! -[Michael] Here's a cover again!
And a kick-out-- And restarted the match-up.
Kudos to referee Charles Robinson.
[Jonathan] You got to give a lot of credit to Charles Robinson
for realizing that the foot was on that bottom rope.
[Michael] And MVP. Oh! And look at this. Off the suplex, cover again.
-One! Two! -[Michael] Oh! And another kick-out
by Ric Flair, another near fall.
And does it begin to feel to you, Coach, that as this match
rolls along that we may be indeed watching the final match
of Ric Flair's career.
[Jonathan] Well, I certainly hope not.
Let's go, get down.
[Michael] Flair set up on the top turnbuckle.
And this is what happened as we look at the end of the match-up.
There you saw the boot glance off the jaw.
Now, watch this.
-One! Two! -[Michael] Referee Charles Robinson
in a count to two, before the count to three,
Flair got his foot on the bottom rope. The referee realized what happened.
He waved off his initial decision and the match continued.
And Flair in trouble. Superplex by MVP!
And the end may indeed be near for Ric Flair.
-Cover, hooks the leg. -One! Two!
[Michael] Shoulders down, and a kick-out!
[Jonathan] It's obvious that MVP will do anything to win this match.
And Ric Flair will do anything not to have his career come to an end.
[Michael] Well, MVP, he's the man who made this challenge.
-[Jonathan] Oh! -[Michael] Humiliating,
disrespectful slaps from the United States Champion.
And Ric Flair, the Nature Boy…
trying desperately somehow to stay in the match-up.
Trying to build momentum.
-[Jonathan] Oh! -[Michael] And both men knocked down.
This could be the turning point of the match here.
-First… -[Charles] One!
Two!
[Michael] Turning point of the match-up, perhaps the man to his feet first…
-Three! -…could build momentum.
And if Ric Flair is going to get beat, if he's going to be forced
to retire under Mr. McMahon's edict, I sure hope it isn't by
somebody who's brash and bold and self-confident as MVP.
[Jonathan] Well, you know, what they say,
"Everything must come to an end at some point."
But I don't think anybody in this building tonight--
[Michael] Look at-- Pull up again, shoulders down!
Flair may have MVP! And a kick-out at two.
Flair almost stole one.
[Jonathan] I don't think anybody in here wants it to end tonight.
-[Michael] Backslide. Backslide! -One! Two!
[Michael] Again, another cover and another near fall for Ric Flair.
One person wants it to end for Flair and that's MVP.
But Ric Flair showing that heart,
that passion as he stays in the match-up.
[Jonathan] What a feather in his cap it would be if MVP indeed, Michael,
-could end Ric Flair's career tonight. -Whoo!
[Michael] And Flair is firing up.
The confidence is coming back.
I believe MVP just struck Ric Flair
right in the Adam's apple! And the jaw off the knee.
And MVP shaking off the assault by Flair
and the United States Champion
perhaps closing in on another victory again.
Going for the Playmaker, that's how MVP beat Flair at
-the Night Of Champions! -[Jonathan] Here comes the figure-four!
[Michael] Going for the figure-four leg lock!
-And he's got it! -[Jonathan] And he's got it, Michael.
[Michael] The figure-four! The patented figure-four
that has won Flair championship after championship!
-[bell ringing] [Jonathan] And MVP is tapping!
[Michael] MVP has tapped out to Ric Flair.
["Also Sprach Zarathustra" playing]
[Justin] The winner of this match as a result of a submission,
the Nature Boy, Ric Flair!
[Michael] Ric Flair's career is still alive and well.
A standing ovation out of respect for the Nature Boy, Ric Flair.
[Jonathan] You got to give it to Ric Flair.
He did everything he had to do.
And for MVP, you know right now he's not a happy camper.
But Ric Flair's career continues, and it continues here
at Madison Square Garden.
[Michael] MVP is livid.
He believed he won the match-up earlier on.
But there is the legendary Ric Flair.
The emotion pouring…
from the face of the Nature Boy.
[Jonathan] What a tribute, Michael, a standing ovation…
at the world's most famous arena.
Whoo!
[Michael] For the world's most famous sports entertainer.
And this is earlier in the match-up.
And this is where we believed Ric Flair's career was over.
-But again, watch the left foot. -One! Two!
[Michael] At the count of two, to the bottom rope.
The referee realized he made a mistake.
And kudos to Charles Robinson for restarting the match-up.
And then the turning point, the Playmaker that defeated Flair
back in June by MVP was countered this time
into the patented figure-four.
And how many times over the years has Ric Flair made men tap out
-to the figure-four leg lock! -[bell ringing]
[Jonathan] There, Michael, you can see the emotion
on the face of Ric Flair because he knows he dodged another bullet.
-The career continues. -[Michael] Congratulations!
Congratulations to Ric Flair who will go on to fight another day.
It looks like Ric Flair's luck continues, huh?
But speaking of luck, that would bring us to tonight,
that would bring us to the luck of the Irish.
If you think about the Irish in Madison Square Garden,
you have to go all the way back to my grandfather
who promoted in the previous Madison Square Garden,
to my dad, one of the all-time great promoters
and Hall of Famers, to me.
And of course, then to other members of my family,
which would now bring me to you,
my only bastard son.
And your participation in the Royal Rumble.
You realize it's every man for himself, and you realize
that you can't trust anyone, I mean, anyone.
You can't even trust Finley.
You can't trust a soul out there.
But I expect you to win, you get that, huh?
You're my son.
Your last name is McMahon. I expect you to win.
-Well! Where you've been? -Finley!
-Prep talking over there? -Oh, yes, I'm kinda
getting him to go, you know--
Explaining you know, that you can't trust anybody
out there as I was trying to explain to the young man.
He's gonna-- Got me all excited to hear my last name.
-Well, he's nervous. -He is nervous.
You can't trust anyone.
Hey, what exactly do you mean by that?
What I mean by that…
is that you can't trust the little guy.
He may turn on you out there at the Royal Rumble.
-Well, I'll keep that in mind. -[chuckles]
Good luck to both of you.
-[chuckles] -Let's go.
[laughs]
["Stand Up For Rock 'N' Roll" playing]
[Ross] Indeed, a special night at the Royal Rumble match
in a special city, the City That Never Sleeps.
New York has been taken over with a fever, King, of the WWE.
Ladies and gentlemen, we're excited tonight to introduce
the newest member of the WWE broadcast team,
an old friend of ours, former NFL running back
we got to know this man
during our XFL days, veteran network broadcaster.
Please welcome to the WWE,
-Mike Adamle. -All right.
Hey, J.R. and King, it's good to be reunited once again.
And, how about it for the Nature Boy, Ric Flair?
Congratulations.
I'm pinching myself to see if I'm awake because I saw
his very first match back in 1976, right here in Madison Square Garden.
Unbelievable!
Hey, where would you rather be than right here, right now?
Spectacular crowd, unbelievable electricity.
And electric is the perfect word to describe the issues
between Chris Jericho and JBL.
Their rivalry has become very, very personal.
Take a look.
[JBL] For several months, there was
a campaign that someone was gonna come save us.
Well, that savior turned out to be Chris Jericho.
-[Jerry] Walls of Jericho! [laughs] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Jericho's got Orton right where he wants him!
[Jerry] We're gonna have a new champion right here.
[Ross] Hey! What the hell?
JBL just kicked Jericho right in the head,
-and the referee has called for the bell. -[bell ringing]
[Jerry] You got to be kidding me.
And it was Orton who threw Chris Jericho into JBL.
Well, that probably didn't help right there.
You can see the look on JBL.
[Ross] You can't tell me that shove out of the way was motivated revenge.
Jericho stuck his neck out to save us.
How is your neck, Chris?
Chris, I don't want to talk to you.
What I want to talk to are your children.
Your daddy, boys, look at him.
You see those marks around his neck?
You see what I did? Look at him, your daddy.
Your daddy is gutless, spineless.
Look at the coward that you call "Daddy."
Look at him, kids, look at him!
You see what I did to your daddy?
-Look at him! -[screams]
[JBL] Look at your children, Chris.
Tell them that their daddy is a coward.
-[crowd cheering] -["Break The Walls Down" playing]
♪ Come on, you know I got ya, yeah ♪
♪ One, break the wall down ♪
♪ Break down the walls ♪
♪ For those about to rock And what ya want ♪
♪ Baby, you know you're Judas, And I'm your priest ♪
-[bell ringing] -[Lilian] The following contest
is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, weighing in at 226 pounds,
Chris Jericho!
[Ross] Well, ladies and gentlemen, let me express
that Chris Jericho may me a lot of things.
He was the first ever Undisputed Champion.
He's a seven-time Intercontinental Champion.
He's also, I know for a fact, a loving father,
and I also know that Chris Jericho is no coward.
♪ You're livin' in the agony of defeat ♪
♪ I am the master of your whole heap ♪
♪ I am the pastor, flock ya like sheep ♪
[Ross] This has become a fiercely
personal matter as it relates
to Chris Jericho and JBL.
[Jerry] Well, anytime you have someone like JBL coming out
in front of the world and talking specifically to Jericho's children.
I mean, you know, absolutely calling them out
and telling them that their daddy is a coward?
-That's personal. -[crowd cheering]
["Longhorn" playing]
-[Jerry] Wait a minute. -[Lilian] And making his way to the ring,
from New York City, John Bradshaw Layfield.
[Jerry] They had to park the big limousine back at the backstage area or what?
[Ross] You're talking about JBL getting personal
with Chris Jericho, addressing Chris Jericho's small children.
That, in my estimation, was exactly what JBL intended to do
to get inside the head of one of the most babbling overachievers
in Chris Jericho that the WWE perhaps has ever seen.
[Jerry] Well, we heard Jericho himself say that
his own child looked him in the eyes and said, "Daddy, is that true?"
"Are you a coward?" And how do you answer that?
[Ross] I just can't imagine as a young man, sitting at home
and someone calling my father a gutless human being.
-[bell ringing] -[Ross] And…
referee Chad Patton calls the bell.
Look at the expressions.
JBL, and look at the rage in the eyes of Chris Jericho.
Oh, and now, both tie up.
[Jerry] Well, I think we all know that JBL's comments
were unfounded and certainly untrue.
And I think he may be on the verge of regretting
that he ever made those comments, what do you think?
Come on!
[Ross] I don't know about that. I know that it seems as if JBL
was somewhat tentative here,
at least here in the early boom,
if that first call and elbow tie-up is any indication.
On the other hand, it would seem
that Chris Jericho is so pent up with rage.
Turned out to have a conversation with Jericho
early today was an impossibility.
JBL has a most unique expression on his face.
[Jerry] Well, you can see the look in Jericho's eyes.
Well, the look in both of these competitors' eyes tell the story.
[Ross] Again, JBL goes for the ropes.
Referee's got no choice but to call for a break.
[Jerry] Both of these guys-- I mean, you look in…
you look in JBL's face-- Oh! He looks like
he's filled with contempt and hate.
Jericho was filled with rage, but now, here comes some rage from JBL.
[Ross] And JBL may be…
-[grunts] -[grunts]
[Ross] Modified rope-a-dope, but that's not gonna work as Jericho
opens up with right hands on JBL. And a takedown!
Jericho taking down JBL
-who covered up instinctively. -[Jerry] Oh! Look out! Look out!
[Ross] And now, to the outside. Jericho won't be there long,
right back in the fight, taking down JBL again.
We talked about this being extremely personal.
-[groans] -[Jerry] Wow!
[Ross] From a physical level of Chris Jericho
being drug around the ring a few weeks ago by JBL
with that personal message to "Look out, JBL, I'm deadly."
Clothesline from Hell! Walls of Jericho!
JBL has locked into him.
JBL left the ring because of severe back problems,
and Jericho may probably exploit that with the Walls of Jericho,
a maneuver that JBL cannot afford to be--
To find himself in, at least for very long.
-Well-- -[Jerry] Oh, what a shot!
[Ross] JBL was not safe and shaken from that baseball slide.
[Jerry] Oh, look out!
[Ross] And the security railing being exposed there.
[Jerry] If all of these actions
that we've seen from Jericho seem a little bit extreme,
you got to remember what JBL did to Jericho,
with that TV cable around his throat, around his neck,
dragging him around the arena.
[Ross] All those marks, remember, around Jericho's neck,
when we saw him back on Raw last week. Look at this.
-[Jerry] Boom! -[Chris grunts]
[Ross] And Jericho pulling everything out
with that baseball slide, then the ring steps,
then hurling him back in the ring to beat that ten count
the referee was utilizing.
Oh, Jericho's neck!
-[Jerry] Damn! -[Ross] That injured neck,
the larynx of Jericho badly damaged…
-[Jerry] Come on! -…several weeks ago at the hands of JBL,
and now, Jericho, hung by the neck, right off the top rope.
just dropped there by JBL. And that was a very strategic,
albeit physical maneuver by JBL.
[Jerry] Oh, man! There's that Clothesline from Hell.
And look at how high JBL launches Jericho into the air!
And then the clothesline to follow that up.
Oh, man!
[Ross] And again, we'd point out that Jericho's larynx
can't be healthy. It can't be a hundred percent,
as the Millionaire Mauler, JBL, continues to focus right on the neck,
the injured neck and larynx of Chris Jericho.
[coughs]
[Jerry] I was about to say earlier that Jericho has to control his rage--
Oh! And stay focused
and not make a mistake out of rage, and that's exactly what happened.
Jericho rushing in after JBL and then got hung…
-[coughs] -…on that rope on his throat.
[Ross] Jericho right here.
-[JBL grunts] -[grunts]
[Ross] And that's the reason Jericho is having a very difficult time
breathing and catching his breath.
JBL is highly intelligent,
there's just no doubt about that. Very effective.
-[grunts] -[grunts]
[Ross] Not a lot of wasted motion as it relates to JBL here,
in his first match,
in a one-on-one environment here on television
ever on, well,
-back on Raw, in years. -[crowd cheering] JBL!
[Jerry] Well, Chris Jericho could be as intelligent as he wants to be,
but when you're matched up against someone that's as evil as JBL is,
you don't know how much that intelligence is gonna help you.
-Let's look at this now. -[Ross] Wrapped around the neck
of Chris Jericho by JBL.
JBL at height leverage advantage at six-feet-six,
taking down Chris Jericho, and this sleeper is legal.
Jericho could be fading away.
[Jerry] I can…
certainly empathize with Chris Jericho here.
Unfortunately, in my career, I've never suffered an injury
to my throat or larynx, but you can only imagine
that once you've had that,
I mean, and then have somebody target it like JBL is doing now,
it's gonna make it difficult to breath, to swallow, to get air, to get oxygen.
[Ross] JBL has dictated a pace,
has slowed this thing down, making Jericho carry that 300 pounds
of six-foot-six frame.
But now, Jericho fights back up to verticality.
-[Jerry] Oh. -[Ross] And Jericho!
Who has shown no fear, and never shows any intimidation…
retaliates with a clothesline of his own.
Two!
-Three! -[Jerry] Check out JBL, watch his head.
Bam! Wow! Snap back, the impact of that,
and now, Jericho trying to follow it up with some big right hands.
-[grunts] -[Jerry] Oh, man!
[Ross] And perhaps the wrestling side of this confrontation
will begin to disintegrate with the emotional level
that these two men have come to the Madison Square Garden here tonight.
That was a heck of a move there
that Jericho got a shot in. Jericho back up!
And Jericho shakes the ring
as a result of his shoulder being driven into the steel ring post.
Jericho may have hit his head, I'm not quite sure.
-[Jerry] Go up-- Oh, yes. -[Ross] Uh-oh! Indeed, Jericho's--
His head has struck the ring post. You see the results!
And JBL is gonna capitalize…
-[referee] In the head! -[grunts]
…big time with those kicks right to the head!
-[grunts] -[grunts]
[Jerry] Man, oh, man! I'm telling you, this is bad.
You saw earlier,
and JBL is just like a shark, I mean, that smells blood here.
We saw earlier when he thought
Jericho's neck was hurt, he targeted the neck.
Now, he sees that his head's cut open and look how JBL is going after that head!
[Ross] JBL has a pronounced mean-streak.
A bully if you will, in many circles.
-And take a look at this right here. -[Jerry] That's his head. Oh, man!
[Ross] Jericho's head indeed
cracking the ring post, the results are evident.
And JBL now relentless with vile, hard kicks.
[Jerry] I don't know how Jericho will remain conscious
after his head slamming into that post like that.
[Ross] And we said earlier, that a bar fight may favor JBL,
and now that Jericho is injured,
JBL distinctively seems to be in the driver's seat,
-one would assume. -[groans]
-[Ross] But look at Jericho! -[Jerry] What a shot!
[Ross] Jericho showing great resiliency.
[grunts]
[Ross] Jericho again trying to quicken the pace.
The tenacious Chris Jericho!
[JBL grunts]
[Ross] The elbows by Jericho right to the sternum.
Again, a succession of high intact maneuvers!
-[Jerry cheering] -[Ross] And the Lionsault!
The springboard Lionsault.
[Jerry] Oh, man, Jericho is a mess!
If he's gonna win this thing,
-he needs to get it over-- Oh! -[Ross] Both men are over the top.
-The impact and momentum-- -[Jerry] I don't think Jericho--
I can't believe Jericho, already back to his feet.
How tough is this young guy?
[Ross] We said it was personal, scores to settle.
-[Ross] And that's it! -[Jerry] Look out here!
[Ross] The referee's got a two count to work with,
and JBL and Jericho obviously don't give a damn about--
-[Jerry] Oh, God! -[Ross] Wow!
-[bell ringing] -[Jerry] There you go!
[Ross] From downtown
on a steel chair shot by Chris Jericho to the face of JBL!
Right between the eyes!
[Jerry] I don't know what evil intentions JBL had
as he was uncovering that announce table,
but he got beat to the punch!
[Ross] Jericho a mess,
and JBL just got cracked with that steel chair.
[Jerry] The referee has rung the bell
but Jericho, he has no intentions of stopping.
Oh!
[Ross] Jericho throwing the chair on the face, directly in the face of JBL.
And now, Jericho in that mount position,
with the hard right hands as JBL tries to cover up.
[Jerry scoffs] Now, can you blame him?
Look out.
-[Ross] Uh-oh! -[Jerry] Uh-oh!
[Ross] Uh-oh!
[Jerry] Yeah! It's an eye for an eye!
[Ross] And Jericho giving JBL a taste
of what Jericho suffered through, just a few weeks ago.
-when Jericho was thrown around the ring. -[Jerry chuckling]
-Good grief! -[Ross] And now, Jericho punishing JBL.
[Jerry] Well, they say paybacks are hell, and right now JBL is…
[crowd chanting] JBL!
[Ross] Jericho has gone the extreme…
-[Jerry] Look at this! -…on JBL who is defenseless here.
I've never seen Jericho in this aggressive, nasty frame of mind!
Well, we've seen here tonight
-at Madison Square Garden! -[Jerry] Well, we…
[rock music playing]
[Jerry] We started this out by saying how prefect-- Look out!
[Ross] Jericho's not through!
-Jericho's not satisfied! -[grunts]
[Ross] Jericho's gonna do more than settle the score!
[Jerry] Oh, man! What a battle!
[Ross] I'll tell you one thing, if Jericho is sending JBL a message,
of things to come,
that message has gotta be received, loud and clear!
Good grief!
You don't talk to a man's children!
You don't try to end someone's career without paying a price,
and on this night, in Madison Square Garden,
JBL has paid a supreme price.
-[music concludes] -[crowd booing]
[Lilian] Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of this match
as the result of a disqualification,
-John Bradshaw Layfield! -[crowd booing]
[Jerry] Wow.
[Ross] And JBL, we called him the Millionaire Mauler earlier.
He looked like one, but he certainly does not look
like a winner at this point in time.
[victorious music playing]
A physical slobberknocker of a match-up…
that got completely out of hand.
[Jerry] Let's go back, check this action out
one more time as we said.
Oh! Chris Jericho already a bloody mess and…
-[Ross] I mean, this is-- -[Jerry] And boom! Oh!
-[Ross] We heard it, you saw it. -[bell ringing]
[Ross] JBL folded. That was a disqualification.
[Jerry] And Jericho wasn't through there.
Another chair-shot to the face of JBL.
[Ross] It was extremely obvious that Chris Jericho had one motive tonight,
and that was to maim JBL…
to settle a score two times over.
[Jerry] Well, you can't say that…
Jericho wasn't maimed as well in the process.
But, man, what a fight!
[Ross] This one was not without casualties.
-[Jerry] JBL victorious though. -[crowd cheering]
[music concludes]
Maria.
-Can I help you, Ashley? -Yeah, I just wanted to--
[stutters] Maria can't talk right now.
She is preparing for the first ever high-definition kiss cam!
Why anyone would want to see ugly, sweating Yorkers kissing
is beyond me, but Maria will do it.
You see that's my Maria. You ask her to do anything, she'll do it.
She can't say "no" to anything or anyone.
That's probably why she's still with you, Santino.
You can't talk to me like that, okay?
Let me save you the bother. Maria is not interested in you
or your booby magazine, okay?
I wish I could vote you out of the WWE, just like they did on Survivor.
Arrivederci! [grunts]
[upbeat music playing]
And, indeed, we are on the Road to WrestleMania,
tonight at the Royal Rumble with over 20,000 fans sold out here,
in Madison Square Garden.
God, what a night it's been, and what a night it's gonna be!
Well, it's gonna be a fantastic night as we go forward,
and we couldn't do it with our good friend's Airbourne
for "Stand Up For Rock 'N' Roll," the official theme song from Airbourne.
Thank you so much, because what a night this is going to be!
[Michael] You're exactly right, man.
Up next, the World Championship is on the line.
The Rated-R Superstar defends against ultimate underdog, Rey Mysterio.
A story spurred by the developing relationship
between the lovers, the World Champion Edge
and the General Manager, Vickie Guerrero.
[Vickie] Ladies and gentlemen…
the new World Heavyweight Champion,
Edge!
[Michael] The Rated-R era take four is upon us!
[Edge] There's one person that I really need to thank.
She brought me back to being the champion that I am today.
She is the love of my life.
Have I told you today how much I love you?
[Vickie] I love you more.
[music concludes]
-[upbeat music playing] -In the spirit of competition,
I decided to make a Beat the Clock Challenge.
Tonight's winner will go one-on-one
with your World Champion
at the Royal Rumble!
[Michael] 6:02 the time to beat set by Chavo Guerrero!
[Jonathan] Edge is gonna get his own hands dirty
in order to not have Rey Mysterio at the Royal Rumble.
[Michael] Hawkins and Ryder taking advantage of Mysterio.
The Animal taking out Ryder and Hawkins!
Batista's evened the odds for his friend Mysterio.
And Rey Mysterio closing in on beating the clock.
[grunts]
[Michael] And now, the assault by the World Champion
may have cost Mysterio a world title opportunity.
-Hey! -[Jonathan] No, wait a second.
[Michael] The Undertaker!
-What the heck is going on? -[Jonathan] What is going on?
[Michael] The clock is ticking away.
Undertaker's gone!
Edge is in trouble!
619!
Rey is gonna do it!
Here's the cover!
-He got it! -[bell ringing]
[Michael] Rey Mysterio will face Edge for the world title at the Royal Rumble!
[Vickie] As General Manager,
I would like to be the first to congratulate you, Rey.
[Rey] Thank you, Vickie.
I know we've been through a lot of stuff to date.
Vickie, I still care about you.
There's something that's really killing me.
What's up with Edge?
[dramatic music playing]
You don't know Edge! He loves me!
He makes me feel special.
[Rey] That's what you don't understand, Vickie.
Edge doesn't love you.
[Edge] How dare you tell the love of my life
that I don't love her.
[Michael] And the champion attacking Mysterio from behind.
[Edge] You may not want to accept that Rey, but it's a reality.
[Michael] Mysterio looking to try to fight,
but the odds are overwhelming!
[Edge] While we're at it, I got another reality for you.
[Michael] Edge's stalking Mysterio.
[Edge] At the Royal Rumble,
I will still be World Heavyweight Champion!
[Michael] The ultimate underdog, Rey Mysterio,
with the odds stacked heavily against him.
-[Ryder] Edge is the World Champ! -You can't do it!
You can't do it!
[music concludes]
["You Think You Know Me" playing]
♪ You think you know me ♪
♪ On this day, I see clearly ♪
♪ Everything has come to life ♪
♪ A bitter place and a broken dream ♪
♪ And we'll leave it all behind ♪
[Michael] It was at Armageddon,
late last year that Edge again became World Champion.
And this plan that has been set up months, and months, and months
between him and his lover, the General Manager, Vickie Guerrero,
came to fruition. Edge won the championship,
and the Rated-R Superstar will defend here tonight at the Royal Rumble.
[Jonathan] And wouldn't you think that it has,
really, for Edge, been such a success for last month or so.
And tonight, he's got a stiff test in front of him.
He knows how tough Rey Mysterio can be.
[Michael] Edge was pinned by Rey Mysterio, a few weeks ago.
Edge knows that Mysterio can beat him.
Hence the reasons he's stacked the deck against Mysterio
over recent weeks with Guerrero and his buddies,
Hawkins and Ryder, and of course, Chavo Guerrero.
And speaking of the General Manager,
here comes Vickie Guerrero and her assistant, Theodore Long.
And you know, many people saying, Coach, that…
Vickie Guerrero is the reason that Edge is still here,
-in World Wrestling Entertainment. -[Jonathan] Well, I would say that.
I think Vickie Guerrero has given the fans what they want.
I think Vickie Guerrero has given Edge the opportunity
and Edge is taking advantage of those opportunities.
[Michael] Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins,
buddies of Edge, instrumental in helping Edge
to win the World Championship back in Armageddon,
out here at ringside as well,
so it looks like the Ultimate Underdog, Rey Mysterio
gonna have his back against the wall yet again.
[Jonathan] Well, I think, you know, all three are not gonna get involved.
I think all three just want to come out and have a front row seat.
[Michael] Stop! What are you delusional?
They get involved every damn week! You sit out here with me and watch it.
[Jonathan] This is the Royal Rumble though.
[crowd cheering]
["Booyaka 619" playing]
♪ 619, 619 ♪
♪ Booyaka, Booyaka ♪
♪ That's my pueblo, that's my pueblo ♪
-♪ Booyaka, Booyaka ♪ -♪ 619, hey ♪
-♪ Booyaka, Booyaka ♪ -♪ That's my pueblo ♪
-♪ Booyaka, Booyaka ♪ -♪ 619, hey ♪
-♪ Booyaka, Booyaka ♪ -♪ Rey Mysterio ♪
-♪ Booyaka, Booyaka ♪ -♪ 619, hey ♪
[Michael] The number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship,
Rey Mysterio.
Another unique look from the greatest high-flyer…
in WWE history.
Almost looks like the helmet a knight would wear in battle
because Mysterio is indeed going into battle tonight.
[Jonathan] And, Michael, you may disagree with me,
but it seems like Rey Mysterio is walking
with a different kind of purpose than he normally does.
I think Rey realizes how big tonight really is.
[Michael] Of course, he does, he's a former World Champion.
He won the World Championship on the grandest stage in WrestleMania 22.
And Rey Mysterio has had huge success at the Royal Rumble.
Two years ago, Rey Mysterio won the Royal Rumble match.
He set a record for lasting over one hour and two minutes in that match-up.
Mysterio hopes to have another great Rumble here tonight.
[Jonathan] Which tells me that Rey knows what it takes
to step up to another level on this particular night.
Can Rey do it tonight? We're about to find out.
[music concludes]
[bell ringing]
This round set for one fall, is for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Introducing first, the challenger, from San Diego, California,
weighing 165 pounds, Rey Mysterio!
[crowd cheering, booing]
[Justin] And his opponent, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
weighing 250 pounds, he is the current
World Heavyweight Champion, the Rated-R Superstar,
-Edge! -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] It is indeed a big fight feel
here inside the place that's hosted more big fights than anywhere,
the legendary Madison Square Garden.
[Jonathan] And let's not forget, Michael, that it wasn't for Vickie Guerrero,
Edge wouldn't even be able to stand in the ring right now.
Edge was gonna leave the WWE a couple of months ago.
Vickie Guerrero talked him into staying, and I think it's turned out pretty good
for the World Heavyweight Champion.
[Michael] Well, according to Edge, this match-up's underway.
Edge is the current World Champion, a four-time World Champion,
a five-time Intercontinental Champion,
a 12-time Tag Team Champion.
And that man, Rey Mysterio, will not be bullied,
he's a former World Champion, an eight-time Tag Team Champion.
And in fact, these two men, Edge and Rey Mysterio,
were once Tag Team Champions together.
[Jonathan] And doesn't that seem so long ago…
the fact that these two men can't see eye to eye?
These two men absolutely do not get along.
[Michael] This is about the World Championship.
Inside Madison Square Garden at the Royal Rumble.
And Edge using his size advantage
and his power advantage in the early going.
And he'd love to wear Rey Mysterio down as you see him bending
those fingers back causing Rey to grimace in pain in the early going.
[groans]
[Michael] Rey Mysterio will use his feet as effectively as he does his odds.
And here's the high-flyer, the unique, offensive style
still caught Edge, manage to change direction
in midair off the slip off the rope, and still use it to his advantage.
[Jonathan] Do you think nerves really start to play a factor,
especially on the Royal Rumble? Knowing that if you win a match like this,
what is waiting for you at WrestleMania?
[Michael] Well, chances are that the winner of this match-up
will defend that title at WrestleMania.
As Edge, the World Champion…
locks up with Rey Mysterio, side headlock.
New York City fans surprise every time we're here.
Backers of Edge here tonight with respect for the World Champion.
But Rey Mysterio with a drop kick to the head,
here's the first near fall of the match-up, and a kick-out.
And Mysterio right back to the legs, and another quick fall for Mysterio.
The World Champion surprised…
although he shouldn't be by Mysterio's quickness.
[Jonathan] Well, Rey, obviously coming out in this match,
and wanting to get things started quickly,
so Edge understands that Rey is here, means business.
And Rey wants to leave, and plans on leaving
with that World Heavyweight Championship.
[Michael] Strategy in the match is simple.
Rey wants to keep the match at a quick pace,
Edge needs to slow it down like he is here now.
This is more of Edge's speed here.
This type of match-up. Kick to the mid-section,
and Mysterio sent through the bottom rope,
but Edge quickly on top.
But Mysterio hops right back to his feet.
-And there's the baseball slide. -[Jonathan] Oh, what a shot!
Come on!
[Michael] And look at this!
Hawkins and Ryder, referee distracted.
-And Hawkins and Ryder-- -[Jonathan] And see, not doing a thing.
[Michael] Yes!
Referee Mickie Henson made a great call.
I believe he's just ejected Hawkins and Ryder.
[Jonathan] But they didn't even touch Rey.
[Michael] It doesn't matter. He understood-- He didn't have to.
It was their attempt to go after Rey Mysterio,
and after what Hawkins and Ryder have done over recent weeks,
Mickie Henson did a great job there.
[Jonathan] You know what, Michael? It doesn't matter.
Edge could do it on his own.
-Oh! -[Michael] And there's Rey Mysterio,
Rey Mysterio going for the 619, and Edge ducked out of the way.
[Jonathan] Now, Edge needs to regroup,
-go to the outside-- Oh! -[Michael] And Rey Mysterio on the attack!
Mysterio cannot allow Edge to spend much time outside the ring,
because remember, the championship cannot change hands
on count-out or disqualification.
So, Mysterio must keep up the pressure as General Manager Guerrero looks on.
[Jonathan] And that gives Edge the much, much more of an advantage than Rey.
Rey knows what he has to do
to walkout here with the Championship--
-[Michael] Look at Mysterio! -[Jonathan] Oh!
[Michael] That seated senton off the top rope,
hooks the leg, two and a half here!
And a kick-out at two with the world title on the line!
And you saw that breath out of the lungs of Vickie Guerrero.
The general manager here at ringside, cheering her lover, Edge, on!
[Jonathan] And it's really great to see the love that Vickie has.
[Michael] Oh! Look at the balance of Mysterio, but Edge took advantage!
Right to the knee,
the injured, the surgically repaired knee of Rey Mysterio.
Remember, Mysterio missed ten months of action with that injured knee.
[Jonathan] Vickie Guerrero seems to be enjoying the pain
that Rey Mysterio is going through right now.
[Michael] Look at Edge, taking advantage right to the surgically repaired knee,
with Mysterio literally limping out of the ring, collapsing at ringside.
And if he can't use the leg,
it takes away all of Rey Mysterio's offense.
[Jonathan] And now, Michael, you're talking about the speed of the match.
Now, it's the speed that Edge would like to be at.
[Michael] Yes, slower pace where he can dissect Mysterio
and pick him apart.
That's why Edge is the Ultimate Opportunist,
looking to capitalize on the opportunity of Mysterio's injured knee.
[Jonathan] And, Michael, Rey right now is limping heavily,
that left knee is injured, and now…
Edge will methodically go after that left knee,
and that's why he is such a great Superstar.
[Michael] Well, he's the Ultimate Opportunist
-as I mentioned. -[Jonathan] Yes.
[Michael] He realizes that Mysterio missed ten months of action.
He had that knee repaired surgically in three separate places…
-[groans] -…after attacked by Chavo Guerrero.
And Edge right back to work on the knee.
[Jonathan] And if he continues to work on the knee,
you got to wonder how long Rey Mysterio can really go.
-[groans] -What do you say?
-What do you say, I stop it right now? -[Michael] Submission maneuver here.
Referee Mickie Henson in perfect position.
-He's saying no, he's saying no. -[Rey] No.
[Michael] We already saw one tap out here tonight,
MVP to the figure-four leglock.
Can Edge get Rey Mysterio to tap out with the world title on the line?
-[groans] -Come on, Mysterio, what do you say?
[Michael] I know we say, "You can never count Mysterio out,"
but it does not look good for the former World Champion.
[Mickie] All right, what do you say, Rey?
-[grunts] -[grunts]
[Michael] Mysterio.
The resilience in the heart of the number one contender.
But again, with a bad wheel,
Mysterio not able to use his offensive style,
that high-flying style.
[Jonathan] Certainly, when with that bad wheel…
[Michael] Oh! Enzuigiri!
…and with the disadvantage.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] I'm not sure who's gonna win this match-up,
but Mysterio showing he fights with the heart of a champion.
Literally on one leg, went for the 619, scoop slam by Edge!
-Into the cover… -[Jonathan] That's gonna be it!
…hooks the leg. There is two, he got it! No!
Kick out by Mysterio at two and a half!
[Jonathan] And, Michael, do you notice how much Edge is ahead of the game?
Edge is one step ahead of the game and right now,
Rey Mysterio is not.
[Michael] Edge doing everything he can
to twist, and bend, and move that knee into positions it shouldn't be in.
This has been Edge's target…
-What do you say, Rey? -…the surgically repaired knee.
And again, Mysterio with a huge predicament.
-[grunts] -[Mickie] What do you say, Rey?
[Michael] Look at the pressure that Edge is putting on the knee.
[Jonathan] Brilliant!
[Michael] You can see the force, just by looking at Edge's face,
the force that he's putting onto the knee.
[Bryn] A brilliant game plan, and you can see
the delight from Vickie Guerrero here at ringside.
[Michael] Mysterio battling back yet again.
The Ultimate Underdog,
who, remember, overcame the odds in a Triple Threat match
at WrestleMania to win the title.
"You can never count Mysterio out."
[Jonathan] Well, Michael, as you said before,
if you take away Rey Mysterio's knee, you take away his aerial offense.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio, and you can hear him here at ringside,
just said, "I cannot believe how much it hurts,"
that's what he ordered to Referee Mickie Henson, moments ago.
Mysterio cannot stand on his own power!
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And I think Edge realizes the end is near.
[Jonathan] And so does Vickie. Great athletes always know.
-[Michael] And Edge… -[Mickie] Hey, hey, hey!
[Michael] Edge…
[Jonathan] Well, what's he doing?
[Michael] Look like he's gonna try to expose
the surgically repaired knee and…
[Jonathan] Is that legal, Michael? I'm not sure.
[Michael] And look at-- And Rey Mysterio trying to battle back,
again Rey Mysterio trying to stay in the match-up.
[Jonathan] Trying to do what he can, but his obvious plan
right now is only one way.
[Michael] Look at Mysterio! Oh, and counter!
Bulldog face-first goes Edge, Rey went right back to the knee!
But can he gut it out?
Can Rey Mysterio gut it out one more time to win the title?
[Jonathan] Here's the problem, you see the agony on the face,
-he can't use that left leg. -Two!
Three!
[Michael] Take another look at the great counter by Rey Mysterio,
who stays in the ball game.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] But can Rey capitalize?
-Both men back to their feet. -[grunts]
[Michael] Rey with a chop to the forearms.
Almost desperation
coming from the veins of the number one contender.
[Jonathan] And, Michael, whatever game plan
Rey Mysterio had before he came into this match,
it's got to change, and it has to change right now.
[Michael] That's what Rey is so good at doing,
he can change the game plan on the fly.
We've seen him do it a number of times over the years.
Up over the top goes Edge, Mysterio rolls--
-[Jonathan] Oh! -[Michael] Boom! And he uses the good leg!
-The good leg to kick Edge in the head! -[Jonathan] That should be it!
[Michael] Here is the cover for the title! And a kick-out at two and a half!
Another near fall for Rey Mysterio, and you got to ask the question,
"Was this here the last gasp?"
[grunts]
-[Michael] Oh! -[crowd cheering]
[Jonathan] Well, honestly, Michael, as I watch this match unfold,
I don't think Rey has much left because of how much damage Edge has done.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio over the top, put down Edge again!
Quickly into the cover, hooks the leg.
Did he get him? No, again a kick-out!
Another near fall for Mysterio.
And you saw the frustration on the face of Mysterio
when Edge kicked out.
[Jonathan] The frustration is because, I think Rey knows deep down,
he doesn't have much left.
-[Michael] Rey Mysterio to the apron. -[fan] Come on, Rey!
[Michael] Mysterio, I don't know how wise this is on that injured knee
to try to climb to the top rope.
But again, desperation, perhaps setting in for Mysterio.
Edge is in trouble, Mysterio buys himself some time!
Top rope, measuring his man!
-Here comes Mysterio! -[Jonathan] Oh, the gut!
[Michael] Right into the gut! Here is the cover.
He's got him. No, and a kick-out by Edge!
[Jonathan] The kick-out,
and you wonder if Rey Mysterio may have injured that left knee
even more than it already was.
[Michael] The expression on Rey's face, his eyes under the mask, told the story.
So close, but yet so far from winning that championship.
Mysterio.
Hurricanrana bringing Edge through the second rope
as Mysterio with his unusual combination of hope and pain, tries to stay alive.
In comes Edge outside the ring!
Talk about unique and unorthodox. Mysterio didn't use his legs there.
He used his arms and his upper body to take Edge out.
[Jonathan] And, Michael, Rey's gotta get Edge back into the ring,
if he wants to win this match. Gotta get him back in!
[Michael] This is what I'm talking about. Can't use the beam, what does he do?
He invents something.
Belly baseball slide into that-- planting of Edge outside the ring.
[Jonathan] I'll give Rey credit. He is doing everything he can.
[Michael] Cover, cover, cover! Hooks both legs!
He's got him this time, no! And again, a kick-out by Edge!
[Jonathan] How many two, two and a half, two and three quarter counts have we had,
nearly becoming the new World Heavyweight Champion?
[Michael] Oh!
And that may have stopped Mysterio in his tracks.
Just as Mysterio was building momentum,
the train had start to roll on the tracks, he was derailed right here!
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And Edge measuring Mysterio.
Goes for the spear. Rey ducks out of the way!
Edge is in trouble. Here comes Mysterio.
Hurricanrana!
Dial it up, New York's got a new area code!
[Jonathan] And he's got Edge right where he wants him!
[Michael] 619 connecting!
Mysterio closing in on the championship.
I thought Vickie was in a wheelchair!
Here's the splash!
-He could get it, hooks the leg! Hey! -[crowd booing]
[Michael] How could Vickie do that?
[Jonathan] Well, now, Michael…
the general manager involving herself and quite frankly, Michael,
she is the GM, she can do whatever she wants.
And Edge looking to capitalize! 619 again!
-Go-- Hey! -[crowd gasping]
[Michael] And a 619 to Vickie!
Mysterio inadvertently,
as Vickie threw herself in front of the 619!
-[Michael] Spear! -[Jonathan] Oh! Spear in mid-air!
[Michael] A spear by Edge, hook of the leg!
-And Edge retains the title! -[bell ringing]
["You Think You Know Me" playing]
[Justin] The winner of this match and still World Heavyweight Champion
the Rated-R Superstar, Edge!
[Michael] Vickie Guerrero just took a bullet for her lover, Edge.
[Jonathan] Mysterio was closing in on the World Championship,
and Vickie threw her body in harm's way, she absorbed a 619,
the split-second reaction by Mysterio caught him.
[Jonathan] And as I sit here and I watch that,
it's the unconditional love that Vickie shows for Edge
each and every day.
And because of Vickie Guerrero, in my opinion,
Edge is still the World Heavyweight Champion.
[Michael] There is an old saying, which I think is appropriate here.
"Love hurts."
And Edge, as we said earlier, is the World Champion
because of his undying love from Vickie Guerrero.
[Jonathan] It's hard to imagine that Rey Mysterio becoming victorious
with the odds stacked against him like they are right now.
[Michael] A number of weeks ago,
Vickie Guerrero took a Tombstone Piledriver instead of Edge.
Tonight, it was the 619.
And here's the first time that Vickie got involved.
Mysterio closing in on the championship,
then Vickie yanked the leg of Referee Mickie Henson.
[crowd booing]
[Jonathan] Well, Vickie Guerrero, the General Manager,
but it was more than that.
Vickie Guerrero was certainly Edge's girlfriend--
-[Michael] Right there, Vickie Guerrero. -Taking that 619.
[Michael] Throwing her body in harm's way.
Protecting her lover, Edge.
And there's the spear, catching Mysterio in mid-air.
That split-second indecision by Mysterio may have cost him.
But the bottom line is this, Mysterio, a two-time victim tonight
at the hands of Edge and his lover, Vickie Guerrero.
[Jonathan] And Edge is clearly more concerned about the love of his life
than he is about the victory right now.
And that's the kind of relationship that these two have.
[Michael] It didn't look like Vickie needed a wheelchair before,
as she popped out and ran around the ring, but she apparently needs one now.
[Jonathan] Michael, how can you deny that Vickie needs a wheelchair
after that 619?
[Michael] I'm saying that, that's what I just said.
[Jonathan] Vickie is probably reinjured.
But I think if you ask her right now, she'd say, "It was all worth it."
[Michael] Edge retains the World Championship
here at the 21st Royal Rumble.
This is Vickie Guerrero protecting her lover, Edge,
and saving the world title.
Watch for-- You saw Rey's indecision.
Rey trying to figure out what had happened, and it cost him,
as Edge, the Ultimate Opportunist, took the opportunity again
to retain the world title,
the spear of Mysterio out of mid-air.
[Jonathan] And if I'm Edge, I'm thanking Vickie Guerrero here tonight,
because without her, I don't think Edge walks out here
the World Heavyweight Champion.
The GM really stepping up in their relationship.
Unconditional love.
[Michael] The fact of that matter is, Edge is walking out
the World Champion with General Manger Vickie Guerrero at his side.
-[music concludes] -[crowd cheering]
Awesome, man, awesome.
-Thank you. -Great job. Oh, yeah, yeah, definitely!
You know, I can-- One word, your word, "Whoo!"
-Uh-huh? -Yeah, thanks.
You're welcome. Uh, I was just gonna say that,
you know, after I win the Royal Rumble tonight,
I can only think…
of, you know-- I'm gonna have so much time on my hands,
between now and WrestleMania,
that I would just love nothing more than to--
Oh, oh, don't let me interrupt at all, I find this fascinating.
Go ahead. Go ahead.
No, no, no.
[scoffs] I'll see you later, Ric.
And you too. I'll see you too.
Can you believe that?
Loudmouth, obnoxious trash-talking, platinum-blonde hair
with a catchphrase? [scoffs] These kids today.
-[chuckles] -That gimmick will never work.
-[chuckles] Congratulations, Naitch. -Thank you.
-You did it again. -Thank you.
And you know what? After last year, you came so close,
strongest performance in years!
I know you're hungry for the world title. I know that tonight, no one
can beat you in your quest.
[Dave] Naitch!
Hey, Dave, how are you, man?
-Dave, I'm now on the Raw brand. -[chuckles]
-Yeah. -[chuckles]
[crowd cheering]
-What's up, guys? -Hey, champ.
This is a little awkward now. It's little awkward.
You know, I know I've said this to you many times, Ric, but…
for the love of God, man, put your pants on.
[chuckles] I'm not going out like this.
Listen. As far as tonight goes, the best man will win.
I agree. The best man will win.
-That's right. -Yeah.
Easy, easy, guys, guys.
I mean I think we can all find something to agree on.
The very best man will win.
And without a doubt, he's gonna be wearing the new HBK T-shirt,
available on WWEshop.com.
-There's one thing I hate, it's shilling. -[scoffs]
What? Wait, you don't think that was a good time?
-I think it was great. -Oh, here, you need this more than I do.
-Cover up, cover up. -[laughs] I love those guys.
[Ross] Ladies and gentlemen, we are in New York City.
Ate in my room last night, I had a perfect view
of that huge billboard at Times Square.
[Jerry] Well, without a doubt, the entire Big Apple has been a buzz
about the Royal Rumble and proof of the pudding.
Look at this, look around, over 20,000 people.
[Ross] And for the first time in Royal Rumble history,
the WWE Champ faces the Intercontinental Champ,
one of the most eagerly anticipated WWE title matches in recent memory.
-Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton. -["With Legs Like That" playing]
♪ Here she comes again Like Good medicine ♪
[Jerry] Wait a minute.
♪ My blood is flowing ♪
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Oh!
[crowd cheering]
What's up, all you stars and studs in New York?
♪ Just to hold her ♪
It so great to be here tonight.
And it's time for the first ever Royal Rumble Kiss Cam.
[Jerry] Oh, you got to love the Kiss Cam, J.R.
-[sensual music playing] -[Ross] You know I do.
-[Jerry] Oh, don't-- -[Maria] All right, you guys.
You better be ready. When I see you up there,
you better get to kissing.
[Jerry] Hey.
[Maria] All right. You two, you know what to do, kiss her.
There we go. Makes for a great evening. Very nice.
I like it a lot. Keep going.
-[Jerry] Oh. -[Maria] They were ready and willing.
Very nice.
Keep going.
All right, you two. Yes, hello, how are you doing?
Now, you kiss. Sweet. I like it. Ow, ow!
All right. Now, you're up there.
Come on, you two. Come on. Oh, very nice. [laughing]
Yeah, she tried, she tried very, very hard.
Thank you so much, New York!
-["Light a Fire" playing] -♪ Ooh, you better hold on tight ♪
♪ Cause I'm gonna love you nice I'm gonna do it right ♪
♪ Let me light a fire in you tonight ♪
[Jerry] It's Ashley.
Business is picking up on the Kiss Cam, J.R.
[Ross] Uh-oh!
♪ My eyes have never seen ♪
-♪ Someone who looks like you ♪ -[song concludes]
-What's up, New York? -[crowd cheering]
Maria, I'm sorry to have to come out like this,
but I really had to tell you something.
-I got a call last week from Hugh Hefner. -[Jerry] Uh-oh!
And he wanted to know
if you were interested in posing for Playboy.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[crowd cheering]
[chuckles] So, what do you think?
-Well-- -["La Vittoria E Mia" playing]
[Michael] Oh, please.
[Santino] Stop it.
Just stop it.
[Ross] What in the world?
[song concludes]
Obviously, you didn't get it earlier.
So, I'm gonna make it perfectly clear. The answer is no.
Nobody wants to see Maria with no clothes on.
-[Jerry] What? -[crowd cheering]
Maria, don't listen to these people.
Of course, they are going to cheer, they're from New York.
-They have nothing else to cheer. -[crowd booing]
-Mets, Yankees? Chokers! -[crowd booing]
"Ooh! A mosquito, I'm scared. Let's lose the playoffs."
Mets, Rangers, not even good enough to become chokers.
In fact, the only thing you have to cheer for is a football team
from New Jersey.
[Jerry] Oh.
-[crowd booing] -Whoo!
Whoo! Eli, Brandon, Plaxico!
They sound more like hairdressers than athletes to me.
The only thing giant about that team is the giant choke job
they are going to pull in the Super Bowl.
-Mark my words. Come on, Maria. -[crowd booing]
-[Ashley] Santino, wait a minute. -[crowd] Let's go, Giants!
Let's go, Giants! Let's go, Giants!
[Ashley] Let's go, Giants!
-[laughs] -[crowd] Let's go, Giants!
Nobody cares about the Giants!
-[Jerry] Why is Maria still-- -[Ashley] Santino, Santino, wait.
This is not your decision to make. This decision is for Maria.
So Maria, are you interested in doing Playboy?
[crowd cheering]
I don't know, I mean…
do you guys really want to see me pose for Playboy?
-[Jerry] Yes! -[crowd cheering]
Maria, these people are like sheep.
If were to ask them who would like hepatitis,
-they're all going to cheer. -[crowd cheering]
Look, Ashley,
I have a Royal Rumble to prepare for which I'm going to win
because I'm a winner.
We're going to talk about it a little more.
In the meantime, I have something for you.
My special friend, please come up to the ring.
-[Jerry] Who is this? -[Ross] A special friend.
Since you people like to see the boobies…
-[Jerry] Uh-oh! -…I got something for you.
-[Jerry] Oh! -And here it is.
-[Jerry] Boobies! Oh, no! -[crowd booing]
[Ross] Oh, Lord. I'm blind.
I'm blind.
[Jerry] Oh, my gosh.
[Santino] A gift to you.
[Jerry] I've seen better breasts in a KFC box.
Oh. Look at this. There you go.
Give it to him.
[laughing]
[Ross] No longer 19-0, ladies and gentlemen.
[Jerry] Ashley beating him with a rubber chicken.
♪ I'm gonna do it right ♪
♪ Let me light a fire in you tonight ♪
-[relaxing music playing] -[indistinct chatter]
-Help! Help! Help! -[tense music playing]
Help!
[sensual music playing]
One, two, three.
-I'll handle this. -[lifeguard screams]
[swimmer groans]
[announcer 2] WrestleMania live Sunday March 30th only on pay-per-view.
[chuckles] Wow! 20,000 plus fans, of course, Madison Square Garden
has been sold out for weeks and everyone in anticipation of tonight's
Royal Rumble here.
Another man who has been waiting anxiously with anticipation,
his name is Jeff Hardy.
In fact, that could be said that Jeff Hardy
has waited all his life for tonight's golden moment.
And has proven, certainly in recent weeks
if not his entire career, that he will do anything,
I mean, anything to make history.
[Randy] When I was young, my father
always told me I would be the greatest wrestler in the world.
The earliest memories would be growing up,
traveling with my father,
being in the locker room around all the guys.
I knew what I was meant to do, what I was born to do,
what I was bred to do and that's be a professional wrestler.
Tonight, you got your, your opportunity. Good luck, kid.
[Tazz] Well, this is Randy Orton's debut. I want to wish the kid luck.
-[Tazz] Oh, going for the roll! -[Michael] Rolls him over.
He's got him! What an upset.
-[Tazz] Wow! -[Michael] What a tryout for Randy Orton.
[Triple H] Randy Orton has every gift that a man can be given.
[Randy] I breathe wrestling, it's in my blood.
I have kind of a confidence that I carry about myself
because I know I'm good.
Nobody is better than me.
[Jerry] The man of destiny, Randy Orton.
[Randy] I am the evolution of this business.
Third-generation Superstar.
I want it all.
-[Jerry] Oh, my God! -[Ross] Randy Orton has done it!
[Randy] I am here standing before you,
the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in history.
Get a look at greatness. Have a look.
I am without peers.
It's not arrogance, it's destiny.
I pride myself on being Randy Orton, "Legend Killer."
["Don't Look Down" playing]
♪ Outside, it's raining ♪
[Jeff] My main concern is going out there and doing the one thing
that people are going to remember more than anything.
♪ Everybody's complaining ♪
♪ But I'm so happy, I could cry ♪
♪ Never needed a reason ♪
♪ To make this a better place ♪
♪ Even when there's no pleasing ♪
♪ Gonna put a smile upon my face Don't look down ♪
♪ Never let go, don't look down ♪
♪ You'll know all there is to know ♪
♪ Have you ever been lonely ♪
♪ Has the world brought you To your knees ♪
♪ Your dedication ♪
♪ And faith will set you free Never needed a reason ♪
♪ To let somebody in ♪
♪ It's surely gonna please you ♪
♪ Might even change the state you're in ♪
♪ Don't look down ♪
[Jerry] Jeff Hardy is absolutely fearless.
[Ross] Never saw a chance that he wouldn't take.
-[Ross] What the hell is Jeff? -[Michael] You got to be kidding me!
♪ You'll know all there is to know ♪
♪ Don't look down ♪
♪ Never turn away ♪
♪ Don't look down ♪
♪ No matter what they say ♪
[Jeff] So, Orton wants to send me a message.
I got a message for Orton.
[Jerry] Enough is enough, don't even, Jeff, don't even think about it.
Hey, Jeff! I kicked him where his appendix used to be.
And that's not the only place I'm gonna kick him.
[Jeff] I'm not only gonna take his WWE title, I'm gonna take him out.
-♪ Don't look down ♪ -[crowd cheering]
♪ Never let go ♪
♪ Don't look down ♪
[Jeff] There's lot of things that people have no idea that I'm capable of.
I will do whatever it takes to become WWE Champion.
♪ Don't look down ♪
[song concludes]
-["No More Words" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Well, ladies and gentlemen, wherever you are around the world,
I hope you can feel this special moment.
In the 45-year history of the WWE, 36 men have held the WWE title.
Can that young man, tonight, realize a lifelong dream
and become the 37th Superstar to successfully win
the WWE's most coveted championship?
[Jerry] And, J.R., the list is much, much shorter of WWE Superstars
who have held both the Intercontinental title
and the WWE Championship.
And Jeff has a chance to do that as well.
[Ross] Only two. The Ultimate Warrior and Triple H hold that distinction.
Jeff Hardy will join some very exclusive company.
Hardy, a four-time Intercontinental Champion…
a seven-time Tag Champion and no doubt he's carrying in his heart…
his brother Matt with him tonight.
Well, thanks to Randy Orton, Matt will not be able to compete
in the Royal Rumble.
-["Burn In My Light" playing] -[crowd booing]
♪ Hey ♪
♪ Hey, nothing you can say ♪
♪ Nothing's gonna change What you've done to me ♪
[Ross] Vince McMahon described Randy Orton, his heart,
incorrigible, fiercely competitive.
♪ Take what's mine ♪
[Ross] Yet, a scoundrel, on Monday Night Raw, about a week ago.
Behind those cold, blue eyes,
lies the aptitude of one of the most physically gifted,
natural competitors that I've ever seen in my career
in this third-generation Superstar.
[Jerry] Well, you talk about the evil eye, that evil look of Randy Orton.
But you know what? I got to be wondering
if Randy Orton maybe wondering if this is the last time he'll look down
and be able to hold that WWE Championship
or have it on his shoulder as he comes out to a WWE ring.
He's got to know that he is in tonight for the fight of his career.
♪ Now, it's time to shine ♪
[Ross] We know that Jeff Hardy is the ultimate risk taker.
If Randy Orton is the Legend Killer,
no doubt that man, Jeff Hardy, is the "Legend Thriller."
♪ I gave and you take and I waited For you, but I've made a mistake ♪
-♪ It's clear that your fear ♪ -[song concludes]
[bell ringing]
The following contest is scheduled for one fall
-and it is for the WWE Championship. -[crowd cheering]
Introducing first, the challenger, from Cameron, North Carolina,
weighing in at 225 pounds,
he is the Intercontinental Champion, Jeff Hardy.
[crowd cheering]
And from St. Louis, Missouri, weighing in at 245 pounds.
He is the WWE Champion, Randy Orton.
[crowd booing]
[Ross] And there is what it's all about, ladies and gentlemen,
as senior official Mike Chioda, holds up the coveted WWE Championship.
And, King, in your opinion, what would it mean
for the era of Jeff Hardy, what would it mean to all the great fans?
The WWE fans or to us? What do you think it would mean
if Jeff Hardy became the WWE Champion here tonight?
[Jerry] Well, first of all, you say the words here tonight.
It wouldn't be better place, it wouldn't be a more fitting
location to have that happen
than right here in the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden.
-But what would it mean to Jeff Hardy? -[bell ringing]
It would mean the fulfillment of a lifelong,
and I mean lifelong dream.
I mean, this young man we saw the video earlier.
He spent his entire life working towards this moment.
[Ross] This match may be about pacing,
because there's nobody that's entered a championship match
as a contender any harder
with any more momentum than Jeff Hardy has.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Hardy will tie up, Orton, trying to--
who has a 20-pound advantage in weight, trying to utilize that weight.
But Hardy is tenacious.
Both men…
exerting a lot of energy here at the early going to gain an advantage.
[Jerry] I'll tell you something, there's just…
Stop! Break it clean. Break it clean.
[Jerry] There's just a feeling, J.R., there's just--
I mean, there's something in the air, as this match gets underway here.
-I mean, the excitement… -[Randy grunts]
-…the thrill of having over… -[Ross] Oh!
-…20,000 great fans here inside. -[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Whoa! Inside Madison Square Garden.
There's something about the WWE, I mean, we knew it,
it's high definition era, it's like a new beginning.
-[Ross] Look out, here's a count. -[Mike] Two!
[Jerry] And what would it be like to have that young man,
Jeff Hardy, lead us into a new era?
-I mean, will that… -[Randy grunts]
-[Jerry] That can happen, J.R. -[Ross] Hardy again with a near fall.
Well, let's let this match unfold,
'cause right now, Jeff Hardy is the aggressor.
We're talking about pacing and Hardy likes to compete
at a quick pace and dictate a fast pace.
And Randy Orton with that-- Those long legs, just--
Good asset that Orton has been able to utilize.
-Hardy also holding on to-- -[Jerry laughing]
-[grunts] -[Ross] Well, now, it's Orton
with the clear-cut advantage.
The headscissors and that slows down Jeff Hardy, no doubt about it.
[Jerry] And look at the pressure that Randy Orton exerting
with just that simple maneuver-- headscissor. Oh, man.
-[Ross] The inverted atomic drop… -[Jerry screaming]
[Ross] …came out of quickness and the suddenness, and Jeff Hardy…
with that quick baseball slide-- Hooking the leg.
-And got a near fall. -[crowd booing]
[Ross] So, Hardy forcing the issue early. With a flurry of offense, quickly paced.
-[grunts] -[groans]
[Jerry] Well, I would think that it's probably Jeff's strategy
to try to get a quick pinfall as you said.
-[grunts] -[Jerry] Oh.
I mean, coming out here with this jumpstart attitude,
I mean, that's got to be--
I think it surprised Randy Orton.
-How's your boy now, huh? -[crowd booing]
-What's he doing now? -[crowd booing]
-Nothing! -[Ross] Orton is getting some of that--
If he was underestimating Jeff Hardy,
Randy Orton now has got to be feeling somewhat more confident.
-[Jerry] Oh, Orton wants to take-- -[Randy groans]
[Jerry] Take control of this match. He wants to get the upper hand
-and once he does that… -[grunts]
…he's gonna let everybody know he's got it.
[Ross] And Jeff Hardy with a clothesline that takes Orton to the outside.
-[Jerry] Uh-oh. Here we go. -And it's dangerous territory there.
-Oh, my God! -[Jerry] Oh, my God.
[Ross] Orton's head just snapped off the wall.
Orton's head just snapped off the security wall.
Look at Orton's neck.
-[Jerry] What an impact. -[Ross] This match could be over.
Jeff Hardy with great force and velocity.
[Jerry] The referee had to go out of the ring and check and see if…
Randy Orton is still conscious. Watch and listen.
-[crowd gasps] -[Jerry] Oh, my God.
[Ross] Here's another look. Now, look at--
[Jerry] The back of Randy's head. Ooh!
[Ross] Orton right back into the security wall
and Jeff Hardy's got to be aware now of the referee's count.
Hardy cannot win the championship. Look out!
-[Jerry] Oh! -[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Think the only thing Jeff Hardy is aware of is the fact
that he's got a dazed, he's got an addled Randy Orton,
-an addled champion on his hands. -[crowd cheering]
He's got to take advantage.
[Ross] But the issue is he's got to get Orton
-back in the ring. -[groans]
[Ross] Because as I was trying to say…
-[Jerry] Well, you're right. -…Hardy cannot win the championship
on a count out. Look at this.
-Look at that suicidal offense. -[Jerry] Oh!
[Ross] Hardy has a huge advantage.
He could have lost it there, throwing caution to the wind.
-Orton is trying to bide time. -Give it to me.
-What is Orton doing here? -[crowd booing]
[Ross] What's Orton gonna do, take his championship…
-[Jerry] Hey, look out. -…and go home?
-[Jerry] No! -[Ross] Here they are--
They are fighting right in front of us,
-exchanging blows. -[Jerry] Watch it.
-[Ross] Good grief. -[grunts]
[Ross] Jeff Hardy's got to get the champion back in the ring,
or the whole thing'll be academic.
-And-- -[Jerry] Whoa!
-[Ross] Good Lord! What a counter. -[Jerry] Oh!
[Ross] An amazing counter
by Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy left his feet to take a chance.
The high risk offense of Jeff Hardy just crashed and burned on that exchange.
What an athletic counter.
[Jerry] Boy, and ironically, look at this.
-Oh. -[crowd gasps]
[Jerry] Jeff Hardy drop kicked and landed right next to that
WWE title that he wants so badly. Is that an omen, J.R.?
[Ross] It is some irony, I'll tell you that.
And right now, Randy Orton has got to feel much more confident.
Orton has survived crashing into the security wall.
[Jerry] How he did that, I don't know.
[Ross] And now, it's-- Uh-oh, Orton.
-[Randy grunts] -[Jerry] Suplex on the floor.
-[Ross] Man. -[Mike] Three!
-[Ross] Oh. What… -[grunts]
-…what a sickening thud was… -[grunts, groans]
-…Jeff Hardy's spine… -Four!
…smacking the floor from that suplex. Orton looking for the pin now.
-The champion looking for three. -[Jerry] Whoa!
-[Ross] And got… a near fall. -[Mike] Two!
…did Randy Orton, the WWE Champion.
Orton can be very cold-hearted.
-As we have seen… -[groans]
…so many legends that Randy Orton has hurt,
-has insulted, has disrespected including… -[crowd booing]
…Jeff Hardy's own brother, Matt Hardy.
[Jerry] And look at this, Randy Orton,
I think he feels he's got everything securely in hand.
Now, he's methodically walking around and stomping
on every exposed part of Jeff Hardy's body.
-[Randy grunts] -[Ross] And Randy Orton now.
-That's a-- -[Jerry] Blatant choke. Good grief!
[Ross] Blatant choke. But, you know, Orton doesn't care.
He is a calculating, cunning individual.
-Randy Orton first of all… -[Jerry] Ooh!
…he'll probably give a darn if he got disqualified or not.
Even though you know he wants to pin Jeff Hardy
right here tonight in Madison Square Garden.
And he may do it here. There is a lateral press.
Hardy's legs unrestricted.
Hardy able to use those legs to kick-out.
[Jerry] I don't think there is any doubt in my mind that
Randy Orton wants to beat Jeff Hardy. You're right. He wants to--
-You believe in him? -[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] He wants to pin Jeff in front of these…
-No! -[indistinct clamoring]
[Ross] We talked about Hardy being the ultimate risk taker.
That one big risk
that was countered by the standing dropkick has really put Hardy
-in a predicament. And Jeff Hardy now… -[crowd cheering]
…fighting back.
Jeff Hardy's lifelong dream on the line here tonight,
-the WWE title is what's at stake. -[Jerry] Whoa!
[Ross] And Randy Orton, the reigning champion
just tasted the concrete at Madison Square Garden.
[Jerry] Boy, and you can see it in Jeff Hardy's eyes,
no sooner does Randy Orton hit the floor and Jeff Hardy starts to climb the ropes.
[Ross] What's Jeff Hardy thinking about here?
Jeff Hardy, you know he's thinking something--
-[Jerry] Oh! -[groans]
-[Ross] And Hardy leaping off the apron. -Come on, Hardy!
[Ross] Just a blind leap of faith
with that clothesline that happened to connect.
And down goes Orton, but so does Hardy. Hardy is down.
And remember, Hardy cannot win the championship
-without a pin or submission. -[Jerry] Check this out.
-[Ross] Look at this. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Hardy could've missed that just as easily as not.
-[Jerry] Oh, without a doubt. -[Ross] But that's not Jeff Hardy's style.
[Jerry] Oh, and Jeff Hardy's style
as we've seen, witnessed over the past few weeks.
-He's gonna be-- -[Ross] Here we go.
Here we go, the cover. A hook of the leg.
-Two! -[Ross] And another near fall.
[Jerry] Jeff's style is gonna be "win at all costs."
And it may cost him in the process, but he wants so badly to win.
[Ross] Hardy will physically abuse his own body
to win a contest, we know that.
[Jerry] Look out! Oh!
-[crowd gasps] -[Ross] And there is some physical abuse
right there in the steel ring posts, very unforgiving.
We saw that earlier in the Y2J-JBL match-up.
Those ring posts don't care.
[Jerry] You're right. This time, I think, yeah, Jeff's shoulder--
-[Ross] Here we got a cover. -Two!
[Jerry] Jeff's shoulder crashing into that steel ring post,
and now, look at Orton.
Grapevining the body of Jeff Hardy here.
[Ross] Jeff Hardy has worked all his life for this opportunity,
beating Triple H to become the number one contender at Armageddon.
A kid that has fought to get into the WWE.
And finally made it. Made his name as a tag-team competitor,
where in recent months, as we said earlier,
Jeff Hardy has been on that proverbial role
that only Superstars can dream about.
[Jerry] Oh, without a doubt, if it's anybody's time,
it seems like it's Jeff's. I mean, this is his moment
to shine here tonight, J.R., but can he do it?
[Ross] Hardy has been grounded very effectively
by what some people call the sinful son
of the WWE Hall of Famer, the WWE Champion, Randy Orton.
-[Mike] What do you say, Jeff? -[Ross] He can be so unforgiving and…
And that's not to say Orton won't take a shortcut.
The neck grip on Jeff Hardy. Hardy's got to fight back.
And quicken the pace. Hardy's gonna get back
into that high risk offense. Get the same movement again.
-And that's what Jeff's trying to do here. -[Randy grunts]
[Jerry] Oh! He moved in the wrong direction.
[Ross] What a powerslam and the cover!
-Man, Orton with a… -[Mike] Two!
…another amazing counter as Hardy tried to quicken the pace,
Hardy got caught on a powerslam, and now, Hardy again grounded.
And Orton gripping the neck and taking it at a nasty angle.
It had Hardy's eyes bugging out there moments ago.
[Jerry] You've certainly-- It's just that feeling that I have,
a gut feeling that I have personally
that we've sung the praises of Jeff Hardy, but,
man, you can never count Randy Orton out either.
I mean, we heard him say out of his own mouth.
He knows how good he is.
[Ross] Well, Orton's a third generation Superstar.
It's in his genes, it's in his blood, it's in his DNA.
It's in Orton to be a WWE Superstar and he is definitely that.
Another hard shot.
Orton may be well on his way to establishing himself
-as the greatest WWE Champion ever. -[Jerry grunts]
[Ross] And Jeff Hardy's got something to say about that,
but as young as Orton is,
it's just, to me, amazing how far Orton can go.
-Counting, he's the youngest… -One!
…he is the youngest man in WWE history to win the championship.
-Two! -[Jerry] Oh, I know, it's amazing how far
Orton has come.
-We saw earlier those pictures… -Three!
…of a young Randy Orton with Hulk Hogan and André the Giant
-when he was just a child. -[groans]
[Ross] Hardy blocks the right hand, scores a couple of rights of his own.
As Hardy again now, you can feel it, you can see it,
Hardy trying to quicken the pace.
It's all about pacing for Jeff Hardy, quicken the pace, take some chances.
That's what it's all about, one fall.
[Jerry] Look out! Here's a chance! It worked! He hit him!
[Ross] Went for the cover! He got it--
-[crowd gasps] -[Ross] Oh, my gosh! How close was that?
Wow!
Whisper in the Wind got Jeff Hardy a long two count.
And by that I mean the referee's hand was coming down for three,
we would've had a new champion in one more second.
[Jerry] Check this out one more time.
Oh, man. You can't hit it any better than that.
That's a Hail Mary and a reverse kick,
and now, Randy Orton in big trouble.
-Hardy! -[Jerry] Whoa!
[Ross] Both feet to the sternum.
Driving the air out of the WWE Champion.
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Oh, boy.
[Ross] And now you feel the momentum, just as we felt when this match started.
Hardy coming in with all the momentum.
And now, swung back to Hardy's favor, into Hardy's corner,
Jeff Hardy going for a chance, a high risk.
What are we gonna see here?
And Orton says, "We're not gonna see anything,
if I can help it." Orton rolling into the clear.
-Oh, my God! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Orton tried to get to the sanctuary of the ring apron,
but he couldn't get far enough away from Jeff Hardy.
[Jerry] As you said, I don't think there is any chance
that Jeff Hardy won't take.
Now, what's he contemplating?
-[Ross] Who knows? Only Jeff Hardy knows. -[crowd cheering]
This suicidal offense, it's more than high risk.
[fan] Oh, watch out, Randy!
-[Jerry] Oh, no! -[Ross] Oh, God!
A moonsault off the top turnbuckle, right onto the WWE Champion.
You talk about a blind move?
The leap of faith of Jeff Hardy, leaping to become WWE Champion,
had his back to his opponent.
Went up in the air and took a chance that he would hit the champion.
[Jerry] Watch this, Jeff Hardy changing direction
in midair to hit that drop kick
and then the incredible moonsault. Oh, wow!
[Ross] I'm not sure how much Hardy got of the champion,
where he got it,
-but obviously, enough to keep… -Yeah!
…Randy Orton, the WWE Champion down and Hardy got to be aware of the count.
This is a one fall match.
[Jerry] You gotta get Randy Orton in the ring.
-Seven! -[Jerry] Count's up to seven.
[Ross] And Hardy back in at eight.
-[Jeff screaming] -[Ross] Hardy back in at eight.
And this huge crowd of over 20,000 WWE fans here tonight.
Hardy got to think, just got a plan, but what is it?
[Jeff screams]
-[Ross] And there's-- -[Jerry] Twist of Fate? Oh, no, an RKO!
-[crowd gasps] -[Jerry] RKO! Oh, my God!
[Ross] A Twist of Fate counter, RKO.
-[Jerry] Oh, my God! -[bell ringing]
-[Ross] My God! The RKO outta nowhere! -["Burn In My Light" playing]
♪ Hey nothing you can say ♪
[Jerry] Oh, I don't believe it.
[Lilian] And still the WWE Champion,
Randy Orton!
[Jerry] How fast, how quick did that happen?
[Ross] The suddenness…
The snake-like suddenness of the RKO has bailed
Randy Orton out of one hellacious predicament here tonight
because it looked to be Jeff Hardy's night.
Hardy looking for the Twist of Fate
after hitting virtually every chance in the book,
but it was the RKO out of nowhere.
Quicker than the proverbial hiccup was the RKO.
[Jerry] I don't even know what to say about that.
I would've bet my house on Jeff Hardy tonight.
♪ Hey, nothing you can say ♪
♪ Nothing's gonna change What you've done to me ♪
[Ross] Take another look at Jeff Hardy, the drop kick.
Orton couldn't escape Hardy's high risk.
We thought this may do it here.
The moonsault had Orton in big, big trouble.
[Jerry] And this is after Jeff Hardy hit that,
-he went for the Twist of Fate here. -[Ross] Out of nowhere.
-Out of nowhere. -[Jerry] Look at that.
-Oh, man! -[Ross] Good golly, what a counter!
-[Jerry] Good grief. -[bell ringing]
[Ross] Orton with a-- You talk about fate.
And maybe Randy Orton indeed is the evolution of the WWE.
♪ I held my breath ♪
[Ross] Jeff Hardy's dream of becoming the WWE Champion
here at the Royal Rumble at the Madison Square Garden
has been quelled for now, thanks to a scintillating RKO.
What a matchup for the WWE's richest prize.
-[music concludes] -[crowd cheering]
[crowd cheering, applauding]
Over 20,000 fans here in Madison Square Garden
showing their respect for Jeff Hardy.
Randy Orton barely leaves New York City still WWE Champion,
but, Tazz, we are just a couple of minutes away
from the 21st annual Royal Rumble match.
The only match in WWE that affords the ultimate opportunity
to 30 WWE Superstars in a single night.
Well, you want to talk stats, check this out.
The past seven winners of the Royal Rumble match
have gone on to the main event of WrestleMania
and won the championship.
Let's break down the Royal Rumble match by the numbers.
[upbeat music playing]
[announcer] The Royal Rumble match. Thirty Superstars.
One winner. The prize?
A main event title shot at WrestleMania 24.
Twenty years of history.
[Tony] It is now time for the Royal Rumble!
[announcer] Twenty-one winners. A who's who of sports entertainment.
[Tony] It's over. What a Rumble!
[Ross] The Big Show is over. The Rock has won the Rumble.
[announcer] What makes this match so special? Let's count the ways.
Five hundred sixty-nine.
Since 1988, 569 Superstars have tried to win the Rumble, only to be eliminated.
Thirty-six.
The Rattlesnake holds the record for eliminating the most competitors.
[Ross] That has been Royal Rumble 3:16!
[announcer] Eleven. The Heartbreak Kid,
Shawn Michaels, will be appearing in his 11th Royal Rumble match.
The most of any Superstar in history.
Eleven is also the magic number for Kane, who eliminated a record 11 Superstars
in a single match.
-[Ross] Kane is going crazy here. -[Jerry] He's on a rampage now.
[announcer] And remember, the Big Red Machine
still has unfinished business entering his tenth consecutive Royal Rumble match.
Three. The split personalities of Mick Foley made three appearances
in one match.
[Ross] I don't believe it.
Mrs. Foley's baby boy is pulling a triple header.
[announcer] Two. The number of feet that must touch the ground
for the elimination to count.
[Ross] Shades of Shawn Michaels, 1995, Jericho stays alive.
[announcer] Not just one, but both feet.
One. The ninth wonder of the world, Chyna,
is the only woman to ever compete in a Rumble match.
Unfortunately, someone had her number.
-[Michael] Oh! And there goes Chyna. -[Jerry] Man!
[Michael] The Rattlesnake doesn't give a damn if you're a man or a woman.
[announcer] Sixty-two minutes, 12 seconds.
Rey Mysterio endured an hour, two minutes and 12 seconds
of fierce competition to make history
with the longest appearance in a Rumble match.
-[Michael] He did it. -[Jerry] No way.
[Michael] He did it! He did it! Rey Mysterio did it!
[announcer] Two seconds. The Warlord earned a dubious distinction
with the shortest time in the Rumble match.
[Tony] There's the beef is right, and there goes the beef.
What a surprise, Warlord out of there.
Three. Stone Cold reigns in Royal Rumble wins
with three grueling victories.
[Ross] Stone Cold is going to WrestleMania!
[announcer] And tonight, numbers mean everything.
Both the highs and the lows.
Number one, a definite disadvantage where time is not on your side.
Yet a number that has produced more winners
than the coveted number 30 spot.
[Vince] Can you believe this?
Michael's the first man in and the last man standing.
[announcer] In fact, the last out of the gate has only won once
in the Rumble's 20-year existence.
[Michael] The Undertaker has won the Royal Rumble match.
[announcer] So, which number brings the greatest of fortunes?
That would be the number 27.
Four men have won the Royal Rumble being the 27th selection.
Tonight, on the 27th of January,
will that number once again lead to success?
And remember, to whoever wins the Rumble,
since 1993, 73 percent of the winners have gone on
to win the big one at that year's WrestleMania,
and that is the most telling number of them all.
Tonight is the 21st Royal Rumble match.
Odds are this will be the greatest Royal Rumble yet.
If the numbers have proved anything, it's that anything can happen.
-It only happens once a year. -[Michael] Who will headline WrestleMania?
[announcer] There's only one Road to WrestleMania
and it begins at the Royal Rumble.
[Jonathan] We are live in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
Madison Square Garden is ready.
And they are ready, Michael, for the most unique match in the WWE.
[Michael] Let's take it up to our ring announcer
for our main event of the evening. This is the Royal Rumble match.
[Justin] Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce
the world's most famous ring announcer and voice of champions
-Michael Buffer. -[crowd cheering]
Ladies and gentlemen,
from the mecca of sports and entertainment
Madison Square Garden, New York City,
this is the moment the world has been waiting for.
The 2008 Royal Rumble.
The rules are as follows.
The Superstars who drew number one and number two will start.
Once the match begins,
another Superstar will enter every 90 seconds,
based upon the number drawn earlier tonight.
This will continue until all 30 Superstars have entered the ring.
The only way to be eliminated is to be thrown over the top rope
with both feet hitting the ground.
The last man in the ring will be declared the 2008 Royal Rumble winner.
And along with his triumphant place in history,
he will be awarded a championship match
-at WrestleMania 24. -[crowd cheering]
And now, the time has arrived.
Thirty Superstars shall enter this ring,
but only one will be victorious.
-Are you ready? -[crowd cheering]
Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA.
Are you
ready?
[crowd cheering]
For the sold out standing room,
only thousands in attendance here at the Garden
and the millions watching around the world,
ladies and gentlemen,
let's get ready to rumble!
[crowd cheering]
-["Rest In Peace" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And indeed what a way to start off the Royal Rumble match
with last year's Royal Rumble winner,
representing SmackDown, The Undertaker.
[Buffer] Introducing entrant number one, The Undertaker!
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And what's interesting about this gentleman
is that The Undertaker entered at number 30 last year
to win the Rumble match.
In order to make it two in a row, he's got to do it from spot number one.
[Jonathan] And history tells us that it's not impossible,
but it's very, very difficult to win from this position.
[Michael] Only a couple of times have Superstars gone
from number one to win the Royal Rumble match.
But if one man can do it, it's the man who's 15-0 at WrestleMania
and that would be The Undertaker.
[Ross] The Undertaker has the ability to take out Superstars, one at a time,
as they come to the ring every 90 seconds.
It will be most interesting to see who the Demon of Death Valley will face
as his opening adversary.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] This Rumble match is so important to The Undertaker.
A man who has been robbed out of the world championship time
and time again over the past year.
But with a win tonight he will guarantee himself
a championship match at WrestleMania.
[Tazz] Yeah, but from where I sit, The Undertaker's got
a long way to go, baby. Number one… [scoffs] …the worst spot to be.
[crowd chanting]
[Jerry] Well, there he is.
And I guarantee he's thinking about his opportunity.
Hang on, hang in there, win the Royal Rumble
and go to WrestleMania and face the champion.
[Ross] And no one has ever been better at WrestleMania than The Undertaker.
-[Jerry] Uh-oh! -["Sexy Boy" playing]
[commentators cheering]
♪ I think I'm cute, I know I'm sexy ♪
[Jerry] Oh, my.
♪ I got the looks That drives the girls wild ♪
[Buffer] Introducing entrant number two, HBK
The Heartbreak
-Kid! -[Jerry laughing] All right.
[Ross] Well, this is certainly some unique WWE irony.
The two men that finished the Royal Rumble last year
are starting the Royal Rumble this year.
[Michael] And it was one of the most classic endings
to a Royal Rumble match in history last year.
Two of the greatest Superstars in the history of WWE battling it out
for the opportunity to go to WrestleMania.
♪ Like they're on Cloud nine ♪
[Jerry] Well, this is going to be good. This is going to be great.
[Michael] And, J.R., we mentioned earlier that Shawn Michaels did go
from number one to win the Royal Rumble match
a number of years ago.
In fact, only one Superstar in history has gone
from the number two spot to win the Rumble and that was Rey Mysterio.
[Ross] Certainly, history can be made by Shawn Michaels
winning this Rumble, becoming only the second three-time winner.
-[bell ringing] -[Ross] These are two men
that we'll all see someday in the WWE Hall of Fame.
Undertaker would love to strike, Michaels has got to move and dart…
-[Undertaker groans] -…but it's not about pinfalls
-or submissions. -[Tazz] Well, that's right, J.R.,
and that's why you could see both Undertaker…
-[screams] -…and HBK going right out…
-[Jerry] Oh! -…and right away.
[Michael] And I was gonna mention, Tazz, you've been in Rumble matches before.
What's the strategy, especially right out of the box here?
[Tazz] Well, right out of the box is to try and eliminate
your opponent ASAP and avoid the top rope and getting chucked over it.
Because you're done once that happens.
[Jerry] The other thing you would like to do is
go ahead and eliminate your opponent here,
so that you'd just be sitting, waiting for your next opponent.
[Tazz] It's a good point, King, absolutely.
And let's not forget, Coach has been in Rumble matches too.
[Jonathan] But you don't need to ask me what needs to be done to win.
-[Tazz] Oh! -[Michael] I think lots of people
have forgotten Coach had a Royal Rumble appearance.
-[Tazz] Watch out. Oh! -[Jonathan] Obviously, I never won.
[Tazz] Well, Undertaker is in a bad spot--
I'm sorry, Shawn Michaels in a bad spot right here.
[Ross] You want to stay away as Tazz said from the top rope.
-Michaels is there! -[Jerry] Whoa, whoa, whoa!
[Ross] Michaels avoided the contact from The Undertaker, just barely.
Michaels back in the ring.
Now, The Undertaker in a precarious position on the apron
of the ring on the outside.
-[Jerry] And Shawn Michaels see it. Uh-oh! -[Tazz] Uh-oh!
-[Ross] Michaels trying to capitalize. -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
[Ross] We'll have our third competitor. Momentarily.
-[crowd] Five, four, three, two, one! -[Jerry] Who's it gonna be?
-[Jerry] Oh! -[buzzer blaring]
[Tazz] Who is it?
["La Vittoria E Mia" playing]
[Ross] Santino Marella, the former Intercontinental Champion
who is somewhat resistant about his girlfriend posing for Playboy,
-has got bigger things to worry about now. -[Tazz] Yeah. [chuckles]
[Jerry] It'll take a miracle for Santino,
another miracle for him to survive these--
-[commentators groaning] -[Jerry] Wow!
-[Tazz] Marone a mi. Santino's in trouble. -[Jonathan chuckles]
[Jerry] Get up, spaghetti breath.
-Wait a minute. -[Tazz] Oh!
-Thanks for coming. -[Michael] Oh, look at this! Look at this.
[Ross] Shawn Michaels, Michaels trying to capitalize.
[Michael] That's what you got to do in this type of a matchup.
You got to look for your openings and opportunity at every turn.
[Jerry] It's every man for himself, we've said it.
We've said it once, we've said it a thousand times,
-but you just saw it here. -[Shawn grunts]
[Ross] Marella gets eliminated quickly.
Now, the 90-second clock continues to roll.
Our fourth competitor of 30 in this every-man-for-himself
Royal Rumble match will be here in just a few seconds.
[Jerry] The old school Undertaker-- Oh! Look at that.
[Ross] And Shawn Michaels with enough wherewithal
and such a veteran-like maneuver to use The Undertaker's own momentum
against the Deadman.
[Michael] Shawn Michaels has got to put that six-foot-11, 300-pound body…
-[groans] -…over the top rope.
-[crowd cheering] -[groans]
[Tazz] Hey, what you wanna do is what Shawn Michaels is doing,
attempt, try to wear down The Undertaker,
which is a feat in itself before you can throw…
-[Jerry] Oh! -…the Deadman over the top rope.
[Ross] And maybe get some help.
-[Ross] The Undertaker has got to be the… -[crowd] Six, five, four, three, two…
-…I would vote on his chances… -[Jerry] Oh!
-…being so big-- -[buzzer blaring]
-[Ross] Whose number four? -["Land of Five Rivers" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] From SmackDown, the seven-foot-three, 420-pound
former World Champion, The Great Khali.
[Jonathan] And you have to consider this guy a favorite,
simply because of his size and strength
and how difficult he will be to throw over the top rope.
[Michael] And if anybody has an advantage it is Khali
who in the past has manhandled The Undertaker.
And the phenom realizes it and he's unloading
on the Punjabi Nightmare.
[Ross] Those hard shots from The Undertaker,
not having the…
-[Tazz] Oh! -[Jerry] Oh, man.
[Ross] …that that big right hand just had.
[Joey] And don't forget The Great Khali won a battle royal
to become World Heavyweight Champion. He's got experience in this type
of match-up, very successful experience.
[Michael] Great Khali just stomping away at The Undertaker.
[Ross] From the days of the great André the Giant, the bigger men,
the biggest men in battle royals have always had an advantage.
[crowd] You can't wrestle!
[Ross] Going over the top rope is what we're talking about here.
[Michael] Undertaker unloading with the right hands.
-[groans] -[Michael] Uh-oh!
[Ross] Look at how big Khali is.
The Undertaker, just a shade under seven feet tall.
-[Jerry groans] Hey! -[Michael] Undertaker with a counter.
It's unusual just to make a man like The Undertaker
look small, but Khali's doing it.
[Tazz] And let's realize Khali's much more fresher
than The Undertaker is at this point in the Royal Rumble match.
[Michael] Oh, went for the chop.
-[Jerry] Khali! -[Michael] Oh, my God!
-[Jerry] Khali is out! -[Michael] Khali is out!
[Michael] And Shawn Michaels tried to sneak up behind The Undertaker again
and eliminate The Undertaker who's eliminated Khali.
[Jonathan] I would consider that an upset,
simply because of how quickly The Great Khali was eliminated.
-[Tazz] That's huge that Khali's out-- -[buzzer blaring]
[Ross] Could be The Last Ride for Shawn Michaels.
-["How Do You Like Me Now" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Hardcore Holly hits the ring.
[Ross] One half of the World Tag Team Champions.
He's tougher than a two-dollar steak, no doubt about it,
but I got to say about The Great Khali,
being seven-three, where most of his body was over the top rope,
worked against Khali a couple of moments ago.
-[grunts] -[Michael] Indeed. And Undertaker.
Is this wise strategy, guys, to go after the fresher man
like The Undertaker is doing?
[Tazz] I think you have to. I mean, absolutely, I think The Undertaker
is doing the right thing especially with a heavy hitter
like a Hardcore Holly.
He can cause damage quickly and the Deadman realizes that.
[Ross] One can only imagine
what it would mean for an athlete like Hardcore Holly
to win the Royal Rumble match and headline WrestleMania
-against the champion of his choice. -[Jerry] Oh!
[Jerry] Well, and that's one of the great things about the Royal Rumble.
Anybody can win it and Royal Rumble--
Winning the Royal Rumble may be the only opportunity
that somebody would ever have to main event WrestleMania.
Look out here!
[Michael] Undertaker eliminated Shawn Michaels last year.
Will he do it again this year? Shawn just teetering on the top rope.
[Ross] Michaels holding on for dear life on the rope.
[Tazz] But Shawn Michaels scissoring Undertaker's arm.
[Michael] And Holly can take advantage, both of them in that precarious situation.
[Ross] Holly had a thorough, good shot at The Undertaker.
Boy, there's gratitude for you.
[Tazz] That's how a Royal Rumble match works.
[Jonathan] We got another one, guys.
[Tazz] I hope they don't stop beating him up. I love it.
-[crowd] Three, two, one! -[Michael] Entry number six.
-[Jerry] Uh-oh. -[buzzer blaring]
["Ain’t No Make Believe" playing]
[Joey] Take a look at this one half
of the WWE Tag Team Champions, John Morrison.
And I can tell you, last night, at an appearance,
the Tag Team Champions were mobbed by 500 frantic female fans
-who tried to climb in their limo. -[Michael] Well, that has absolutely
nothing to do with what's gonna happen here.
John Morrison is in deep, deep trouble.
[Joey] The whole point I was making is I think the champs
were up all night partying and that's not a good thing today.
[Jerry] Well, Morrison's getting mauled, but it's not by female fans right now.
[Tazz] You took the words out of my mouth.
[Jonathan] Well, you got to wonder if it was worth it.
-[Jerry] Hey! -[Michael] Well, remember Morrison's
a former ECW Champion in his own right.
You can't take it lightly.
[Tazz] No. Tremendous athlete also.
[Ross] That was a very athletic move by Morrison
to prevent himself from being eliminated.
-Being able to hold onto the ropes. -[Tazz] This is risky here.
Shawn Michaels going to the top rope to perform an offensive maneuver.
-That's very risky. -[Michael] Yeah, you want to stay away
from those top ropes! Oh, look at the elbow.
[Jerry] But it worked.
[Jonathan] You guys, let's not forget,
John Morrison went over the top rope, but both feet must hit the ground
in order to be eliminated.
-[Jerry] Hey, you hear that, guys? -[crowd chanting]
I think the band is being tuned up.
-[crowd] Six, five, four, three, two, one. -[Michael] Went for Sweet Chin Music.
-[Michael] Morrison countered. -[Jonathan] Oh, clear shot.
[buzzer blaring]
-[Michael] Entry number seven. -[Jonathan] Who's it gonna be?
["Bad Dream" playing]
[Jerry] What about Bob Holly? Was he eliminated there?
[Tazz] I don't know. Hometown boy is in the house, though, baby.
-[Jerry] Uh-oh! -[Joey] And if you ask most Superstars
what championship they would challenge when they win The Royal Rumble,
they would say the WWE Championship or the Heavyweight title.
But Tommy Dreamer's all consumed with once again becoming ECW Champion.
[Tazz] Tommy Dreamer getting extreme, baby.
-[Undertaker grunts] -[Ross] It's a big, big moment
for Tommy Dreamer from nearby Yonkers, New York.
And the arena that he grew up coming to watch the WWE in.
[Jerry] Man, Dreamer hit the ring and took it right to-- Took the fight to everybody.
He didn't avoid anyone.
[Michael] And then he ran into the boot of The Undertaker.
[Ross] Dreamer obviously a sentimental favorite,
here in the Garden as he should be.
[Michael] Morrison in trouble.
He's over the top rope, but on the apron and he hung Shawn up.
[Ross] Morrison again shows his agility by saving himself
out there in a real precarious spot.
[Tazz] Dreamer's trying to eliminate The Undertaker.
[Jerry] He got one of his legs over.
[Michael] And, Tazz, let me ask you a question here.
As the ring starts to fill up like this, now, how important--
How much more difficult it is as you see Holly close to be eliminated?
[Tazz] It's very difficult. You want to try and get your back to a corner.
So, you can't get jumped from behind, if you can.
But you got to stick and move.
But you got to watch your back at all times.
[Michael] Undertaker right now, in my opinion, is actually in a good spot.
[Ross] Undertaker a long way from the top rope.
Number eight will be joining us momentarily.
-[crowd] Three, two, one. -[Ross] Our eighth entrant is…
[buzzer blaring]
-["I Walk Alone" playing] -[Michael] Oh, yeah!
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] The man who won the 2005 Royal Rumble.
[Jonathan] And here's the man that I picked on WWE.com
to win it all this year.
[Michael] Batista, the Animal, the former World Champion
who vowed, Friday night, to win this Rumble match.
-[grunts] -[Jerry] Oh, man.
-Uh-oh! -[Michael] And remember the history
of last year between these two men,
the epic battles in cages and Last Man Standing matches.
[Jerry] Well, let's get ready to rumble. Well, look at Dreamer.
[Jonathan] Well, Tommy Dreamer obviously doesn't care about those.
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Whoa! Whoa!
-[crowd booing] -[Jonathan] There he goes.
[Ross] Well, now, Batista eliminates Dreamer.
And Shawn Michaels looks to be a little worse for wear
in more ways than one as Michaels jumps on the top rope,
The Undertaker standing free, which doesn't bode well
for the other competitors in the ring.
[Michael] Well, Holly and HBK have been in a stalemate--
-[Michael] Oh, spear! Wow! -[Tazz] Oh, poor Morrison.
-[Tazz] Oh, man, he got drilled. -[Michael] You think Batista is fired up?
[Jonathan] Guys, I know, it's every man for himself.
But with so many favorites already in this match,
would you consider teaming up
to get out a Batista or an Undertaker or an HBK?
[Tazz] I think that's a great idea if you can but, you know,
those allies don't last long.
They can change every second, more or less.
[Ross] And as Vince McMahon said earlier, "Who can you really trust?"
Absolutely no one at the end of the day in the Royal Rumble match.
-[crowd] Four, three, two-- -[Jerry] Holly is hanging on here.
-Boy, these 90 seconds fly by, don't they? -[buzzer blaring]
-[Jerry] Who is it? -[Michael] Hornswoggle.
-["Hes Ma Da" playing] -[Jerry] Oh, no!
[Michael] Mr. McMahon's illegitimate son.
[Joey] Yeah, but Hornswoggle looks all fired up.
[Jerry] Here's Horny!
[Tazz] He's a McMahon, for god sakes.
[Michael] Hornswoggle and Mick Foley won a tag team qualifying match
to get into this thing.
And what does Hornswoggle have up his sleeves?
-[Jerry] Hey, wait a minute. -[Ross] Shades of Jerry "the King" Lawler.
[Tazz] Oh!
[Jerry] I did that once, it works!
[Michael] Batista speared The Undertaker, shades of their rivalry from last year.
Unfinished business between Batista and The Undertaker
as Batista looks to eliminate his fierce rival.
[Ross] Five men-- Well, there are six active competitors,
just to say, Hornswoggle is…
-absent without leave under the ring now. -[Jerry] He went home.
[Jonathan] Well, J.R., you can't fault him because of the luck of the draw.
Finlay's not out here yet. So, really, Hornswoggle has no protection.
-[Hardcore Holly grunts] -[Jerry] Whoa!
[Michael] The great protector, Finlay,
who Mr. McMahon put in charge of protecting his son Hornswoggle.
Though the boss seems to be trying to drive a wedge between those two.
[Jerry] Oh, watch out here. Look out!
[Ross] Hardcore Holly hanging tough, taking on Shawn Michaels.
[crowd] Five, four--
-[Ross] Oh, Michaels. -[Tazz] Whoa! Whoa!
-[Jerry] Held on by one hand. -[buzzer blaring]
-["You Will Remember Me" playing] -[Michael] Entry number ten.
[Michael] From SmackDown, Chuck Palumbo,
who absolutely snapped on Friday night,
laid out Michelle McCool in a hospital
with an inadvertent elbow as he attacked Jamie Noble.
[Jonathan] Yeah, here is a man, Chuck Palumbo,
who has not been making any friends as of late.
[Michael] Chuck Palumbo the freshman, taking out Batista.
Batista's in trouble.
You see Undertaker and Batista in this match-up
and how much it means to them to get back to WrestleMania.
Both being locked out of the World Championship
on a number of occasions by Edge and Vickie Guerrero in recent months.
[Ross] Undertaker measuring John Morrison.
[Tazz] Morrison hanging on here.
[Ross] That's the third or fourth time that Morrison has done that.
[Tazz] He's got tremendous flexibility, does John Morrison--
Now, the Deadman has got Palumbo cornered.
[Ross] Morrison's got an advantage in this sort of match with his agility,
his flexibility.
Take a look at this.
[Tazz] Morrison hanging on here. That's very tough to do.
A lot of shoulder and hand strength.
[Ross] Morrison has a great, natural athleticism without fail.
[Michael] Uh-oh! Batista maybe in trouble.
[Joey] John Morrison in trouble once again, courtesy of Shawn Michaels.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Tazz] Look at this.
Morrison's got…
-[crowd chanting] -[Michael] Number 11 coming.
[Tazz] Now, Morrison is trying to reverse that.
It's Michaels who's gonna be flying over the top in a moment.
-A nice headscissors by Morrison. -[buzzer blaring]
-[Tazz] Who's up now? -["Wasteland" playing]
[Michael] And from SmackDown,
the archenemy of Chuck Palumbo, Jamie Noble.
You see him all taped up after the brutal assault
at the hands of Palumbo Friday night and Noble making a beeline.
[Tazz] And you are going through this Royal Rumble match
with a target on your body with injury, but here comes Noble. Look at this.
[Michael] But again, Noble's got to focus himself on the match-up
and not let his emotions for Michelle McCool,
focus on just Palumbo as he's doing here.
[Tazz] I don't think he can hear you, though. [chuckles]
[Ross] Well, Palumbo should be ashamed of his actions.
[indistinct chatter]
[Ross] I don't blame Noble. But Noble is in a distinct disadvantage.
-[grunts] -[groans]
-[Ross] Oh, hard kick. -[Michael] Eliminating Noble.
[Tazz] Well, to your point, Cole,
I think his emotions got the better of him, did Noble.
[grunts]
[Jerry] Well, that may have eliminated a few of his ribs.
[Tazz] Just what The Undertaker is. He saw the opportunity
to attack Palumbo from behind when Palumbo eliminated Jamie Noble.
Boom, he attacked that's smart by the Deadman.
[Michael] And referee Marty Elias, calling for the trainer
to come out here and aid Jamie Noble
after that vicious kick to those injured ribs.
[Ross] Six men in the ring,
but the seventh, Hornswoggle, is out of harm's way.
[Jonathan] Well, I think Hornswoggle may be the smartest man
in the Rumble so far.
[crowd] Nine, eight, seven, six, five--
[Michael] This is the entry number 12.
[crowd] Three, two, one.
-[commentators gasp] -[Tazz] Oh, Morrison!
[buzzer blaring]
-[Jerry] Morrison hangs on again. -["This Fire Burns" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] CM Punk just qualified for the Rumble match-up last night,
barely made it into this match-up.
[Michael] Yeah, but what about the mood Punk's in?
[Tazz] Oh, Punk is in a bad mood.
Unfortunately, CM Punk…
-[Michael] CM Punk-- -… lost his ECW Championship…
…to the new champion, Chavo Guerrero.
-[Jerry] Uh-oh! Oh, man -[Ross] Oh, man.
-Punk has not had a good week. -[Tazz] Oh!
-Punk is not happy. Oh! -[Ross] Good grief.
[Michael] What a clothesline, may have shattered the nose of CM Punk
and Michaels showing the scars
already from the match-up as he entered at number two.
[Jonathan] And Shawn Michaels almost went out right there.
[Jerry] Shawn Michaels at number two, Undertaker at number one,
and they are both still alive in the Rumble.
[Michael] Watch this clothesline. Feel this impact.
[Tazz] And again, that's the veteran instincts,
the savviness of The Undertaker
to nail a man while he is attempting one move
and capitalize does the Deadman.
[Ross] How was it The Undertaker and Michaels working together,
-I guarantee it. -[Tazz] Absolutely.
[Michael] Palumbo looking to eliminate a second man in the match-up.
-[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa! Nice. -[Michael] He hung on.
The referees were right there. Both feet didn't hit the floor--
[Tazz] Oh, there's that knee again.
[Jonathan] Michael, he didn't hang on that time.
-Palumbo is out. -[Tazz] Turn around, turn around. Oh!
-[Hardcore Holly groans] -[Michael] Shawn Michaels,
as you mentioned before, J.R.,
the wherewithal in the ring to see who's vulnerable
-and he goes right after that man. -[Jerry] Hey, hey, hey.
[Tazz] Oh, look at that.
-[Jerry] Shawn Michaels… -[buzzer blaring]
-…hanging on for dear life as well. -["Smoke & Mirrors" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Cody Rhodes, one-half of the Tag Champions,
making his first appearance ever in the Royal Rumble match.
[Michael] And, J.R., what's interesting about this,
you got both Tag Team Champions in the same ring at the same time here.
-Are they gonna work together again? -[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross] I don't think so.
I think it's gonna be every man for himself.
Especially knowing the personality of Hardcore Holly.
He's as much as said to Cody Rhodes, "Hey, if it's me and you in the Rumble,
Look out. It's every man for himself."
[Tazz] And besides that, you have the prize at the end of the tunnel, baby,
to go to WrestleMania,
main event WrestleMania, champion of your choice.
Hey! But friends are needed.
[Michael] Well, look what happened there. Cody Rhodes actually came
to the aid of his partner Hardcore Holly going after The Undertaker.
[Jerry] Well, I'm gonna tell you something.
Cody Rhodes right now, I don't care what you say about him,
he's got to have butterflies in his stomach the size of eagles
in the first Royal Rumble ever and now in the grasp of The Undertaker.
-But look at this kid. -[Tazz] Oh!
[Ross] Michaels and The Undertaker have been in this match over 18 minutes
-as we speak. -[Michael] J.R., I was gonna ask when does
the fatigue start to set in
for those guys who entered early, like Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker?
[Ross] I got to believe at any time, especially the punishment
that Michaels himself has taken.
[Tazz] It's not just the physical punishment either, guys.
It's the mental punishment. When you get to this match
like The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels,
you don't know who's coming after you next.
They know you're at your weakest point because you're more tired.
[Michael] Oh!
[Jerry] Well, you're right. And The Undertaker and Shawn…
-[buzzer blaring] -["Virtual Voodoo" playing]
…beat the heck out of each other for the first 90 seconds. Oh, boy.
[Ross] Here's where some business will pick up.
Three hundred and fifty pounds, the first man to qualify for the Rumble
-from Monday Night Raw, Umaga. -[Tazz] Oh, boy. Oh!
[Ross] Umaga's getting nasty in a hurry.
-[Jerry] Good grief. -[Ross] Big power, super heavyweight.
[Tazz] And the speed, J.R., the quickness of Umaga--
Uh-oh! Oh! Wow! That's impressive.
[Joey] Have you ever seen anyone absorb that many chops from Hardcore Holly?
[Ross] Umaga eliminates Hardcore Holly who entered at number five.
And look at Umaga, Just beating down Batista.
[Jerry] Check this out that big Samoan spike.
-[screams] -[Hardcore Holly groans]
[Tazz] You can hear the impact.
[Jonathan] And, guys, it's really where the luck
of the draw starts to come in. Umaga so fresh, so devastating,
the other guy starting to wear down that you can see it right now.
[Tazz] But if you notice as each athlete comes in
-and their number's called… -[screams]
…they aggressively go to work quick because you are fresh.
Whoa! Look at Shawn Michaels.
-[Michael] Oh! -[Tazz] You're fresh.
You want to go to town quick on someone who has fatigue in them.
[Michael] But they're fresh now, but we still have half the field to go.
So, how fresh are these Superstars gonna be in another 30 minutes?
[Tazz] Well, not as fresh.
[Jerry] Shawn Michaels needs to get away from those ropes.
[Michael] Entry number 15 coming.
-[crowd] Six, five, four, three… -[Ross] Shawn Michaels taking
a big chance here and that's out of your screen.
-[buzzer blaring] -[Jerry] Where is he going?
-["It Wasn't My Fault" playing] -[crowd booing]
-[Michael] Oh, man. -[Jerry] Uh-Oh!
[Ross] Not just another pretty face. It's the six-six, 300-pound Snitsky.
[Tazz] That guy is a big, psycho lunatic on Raw, what's up over there?
-Well, this Snitsky-- -[Ross] HD has given Snitsky's teeth
an entirely new personality.
[Joey] I feel like they'd share a subway called, "Snitsky at about midnight."
[Ross] I wouldn't share a Subway sandwich
-with Snitsky at midnight. -[commentators laughing]
-[Jonathan] I guess-- -[Jerry] Oh!
[Jonathan] I think it's pretty obvious
that this is the biggest Royal Rumble for its size that we've ever seen.
[Ross] I'd like to see Snitsky hook up with Umaga.
[grunts]
[Jerry] Oh, I think we have a very good chance of seeing it.
-[commentators] Whoa! -[Jonathan] Cody!
[Michael] Cody Rhodes looking to eliminate Snitsky.
[Ross] Cody taking a big chance.
[Tazz] That's a big chance. Exactly, J.R., by Cody Rhodes. Cody's hanging on.
[Michael] Sometimes you got to take chances
though in this type of a match-up.
[Jerry] Well, Morrison seems certainly intent…
-[Tazz] Yeah. -…on eliminating Shawn Michaels.
[Tazz] Yeah, no doubt, King. I mean, Morrison's hellbent on trying
to rid the Royal Rumble match of Shawn Michaels.
[Ross] I'll tell you what, King and I've been around long enough.
John Morrison looks like a young Shawn Michaels,
just look at him at a glance.
Athletically, the balance, you know,
I don't know about the heart and all that stuff.
As the day goes along, but Morrison's darn sure impressive
in this Royal Rumble match-up.
[Jerry] And he's got the cockiness of a young Shawn Michaels as well.
[Michael] Number 16.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Reality" playing]
Now, speaking of Morrison, here comes the other half
of the Tag Team Champions, John Morrison's partner, The Miz.
[Joey] And in theory, this would be an advantage to John Morrison.
[Undertaker groans]
[Joey] Morrison and Miz, WWE Tag Team Champions
and the one thing that Miz and Morrison have in common
besides being champions is that they both despise CM Punk.
-[Tazz] As you can see right here. -[Jonathan] Yeah, Joey,
what were you saying about arrogance and all that stuff?
I think Miz has just as much as John Morrison.
[Joey] It's amazing that their two colossal egos can coincide
and they are still WWE Tag Team Champions.
[Jerry] Oh, look at The Undertaker, now locking up there with Umaga.
That's gonna be interesting.
[Ross] Undertaker.
-[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa! -[Jerry] Here we go. No.
[Ross] Not this time.
[Jonathan] It'll take a lot more than that.
-[Jerry] Right. -[Michael] Maybe this is it.
[Ross] Here we go. Undertaker-- This could be big right here.
[Tazz] You got to attack Umaga's lower body.
[Ross] Eliminating Umaga will be huge in this--
in this type of match.
[Jerry] Over 400 pounds of Umaga hanging on.
[commentators laughing]
-[Tazz] Not pretty, but it's effective. -[Ross] Serious.
-[crowd] Five, four, three, two, one. -[Michael] Number 17.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Ain't No Stoppin' Me" playing]
♪ You can't rock with me ♪
[Tazz] Gold standard, baby! Right here.
[Joey] Shelton Benjamin, who is looking to hit the motherload.
He wants to be World Champion at WrestleMania.
-[Jerry] Look at this. -[Tazz] Check it out! Unbelievable!
-[Joey] Wow! -[Jerry] Wow!
[Tazz] Unbelievable!
[Joey] What athleticism by Shelton Benjamin
-who may be the best pure athlete. -[Tazz] Oh!
I don't think there's no doubt in that, Joe.
-I think-- -[commentators gasp]
[crowd gasps]
-[Tazz] Oh, you got to be kidding me. -[Jerry] What? Shelton's gone.
-[Tazz] What? -[Joey] I guess there is stopping
-Shelton Benjamin now. -[Ross] Sweet Chin Music,
just the turned the music off on Shelton Benjamin
who wowed us with his athleticism.
[Tazz] Shelton's dreams might have just been shattered.
[Joey] His jaw may have just been shattered.
[Tazz] I was just getting ready to say all this nice stuff about him.
Oh, Shelton's athleticism, amazing as you can see,
the vertical leaping ability, but look at the kick.
Shawn Michaels, Sweet Chin Music. Oh, my God.
[Jerry] Shelton never saw that coming.
[Ross] Never saw it coming is right.
[Tazz] Again, the craftiness, the experience of an HBK.
[crowd] Nine, eight, seven, six…
[Ross] Michaels and The Undertaker
were the first two men in this Royal Rumble.
-They have survived thus far. -[buzzer blaring]
-["Superfly'' playing] -[Jerry] What?
-[Tazz] Oh! -[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] You got to be kidding me!
-[Ross] The Hall of Famer. -[Jerry laughing]
[Ross] Back at the Garden.
-[Jerry] The Superfly. -[Ross] "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka.
-[Jerry] Oh, my God! -[Ross] And what an ovation!
A standing ovation from 20,000 plus.
[Jerry] The Hall of Famer Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.
[Ross] Jimmy Snuka in the Royal Rumble match.
[Jerry] One you got to watch out. Anything can happen in the WWE
if Snuka starts hitting those headbutts.
-[Jerry] Look at that! -[Ross] It staggered The Undertaker.
[Tazz] You don't see that much.
[Ross] Snuka's headbutts staggered The Undertaker
and Snitsky walked right into one.
-[groans] -[Tazz] Oh!
[Jonathan] What is The Miz thinking about?
-[groans] -[Joey] How about icing his chest?
[Jonathan] There you go.
[grunts]
[Tazz] I think it's safe to say that Miz and Jimmy Snuka
are two completely different human beings.
[Jonathan] I'm gonna say complete, I'm not so sure.
[Tazz] Yeah, different.
[Ross] Eighteen men have entered, Michaels and The Undertaker
-have been in this match over 25 minutes. -[crowd] Five, four, three, two, one.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Rowdy" playing]
-[crowd cheering] -[commentators] Oh!
[Ross] Oh, wait a minute. You got to be kidding me!
-[Tazz] They just keep on coming. -[Ross] Another Hall of Famer.
-[Jerry] I'm having flashbacks. -[Ross] The Hot Rod!
-[Ross] "Rowdy" Roddy Piper! -[commentators laughing]
[Tazz] That's gonna blow the roof of the joint!
[Ross] Piper came to fight!
[Tazz] How cool is this?
-This is awesome, man! -[Jerry] Look at this!
[Tazz] Go get 'em, Hot Rod. Oh, yeah. [laughs]
[Ross] "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, two Hall of Famers.
-[Jerry] Look at the look on Snuka's face. -[Ross laughs]
-[Piper and Snuka. -[screams]
[Joey] Here it is!
[Michael] "Piper's Pit" revisited.
[Jonathan] I don't think I've ever seen the Royal Rumble stop like this before.
-[Tazz] It's like parting of the Red Sea. -[commentators laughing]
[Ross] It's deja vu all over again.
Here in Madison Square Garden
with Roddy Piper and Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.
It was like-- It's as if time stood still for a few moments.
-[Tazz] It was surreal. -[crowd] One.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Burned" playing]
[Michael] From SmackDown, at number 20, here comes Kane.
And what a Royal Rumble history this man had.
Still holds the record for 11 eliminated men
in one Royal Rumble match.
[Tazz] And I was one of them. So, I know what you're saying.
-[Tazz] Uh-oh! -[Jerry] Whoa, whoa, whoa!
[Michael] There goes Piper and Snuka. Kane doesn't care who you are.
[Ross] Kane eliminates two Hall of Famers.
[Jonathan] And Kane has been in the Royal Rumble every year since 1999.
[Michael] A tremendous run for the Big Red Machine
making his presence felt here in the Royal Rumble match.
Kane went right to work as he entered the ring,
eliminated the two Hall of Famers.
[Ross] Kane is a former WWE Champion. Would love the opportunity
because as we have said, the winner of this match,
this one match earns the right to be in the main event at WrestleMania
against the champion of his choice.
[Michael] Undertaker measuring…
measuring brother.
-[Ross] Brother verses brother. -[Jerry] Here it comes.
-[Ross] Oh, no! -[Michael] Look at Shawn Michaels.
[Tazz] Very smart, very smart by The Undertaker.
-Michaels never saw it coming. -[buzzer blaring]
[Carlito spits]
I spit in the face of people who don't want to be cool.
["Bad Apple" playing]
[Jerry] I can't believe we are already up to our 21st entrant.
-[Ross] Shawn Michaels maybe-- -[commentators] Oh!
[Ross] That's disrespectful, but it's Carlito.
-[Jerry] It might be effective though. -[Ross] It's hard to say.
Michaels may be competing with a broken nose,
just from the looks of things.
And again, Michaels knocked over that rope.
Shawn Michaels continues to be so resilient.
-And with that great heart holding on. -[grunts]
[commentators] Uh-oh!
[Tazz] That was a little nuts right there. Wait a minute.
-[Joey] Nice counter. -[Tazz] Oh!
[Michael] Punk and Morrison worked together for a moment.
[Jerry] Backstabber. Oh, backstabber.
[Ross] Carlito, a second-generation star.
Oh, nice bulldog by another second-generation star in Cody Rhodes.
[Tazz] Cody Rhodes took the opportunity to hit those ropes,
spring off for the bulldog. Again, you don't see that type of maneuver
often in a Royal Rumble type match.
[Michael] And some of the young Superstars tremendous showing so far
in the Rumble match. Cody Rhodes,
-John Morrison. -[Tazz] CM Punk too.
-[crowd] Three, two, one. -[buzzer blaring]
-["Wreck" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Well, Mrs. Foley's baby boy…
-[Jerry] Uh-oh! -…made the driving from Long Island.
Mick Foley.
-Entrant number 22. -[crowd] Foley! Foley! Foley!
[Tazz] And Mick Foley cleaning house-- Oh, man.
Oh, man.
[Ross] Foley got a DDT on Kane.
[Tazz] A lot of bodies in this ring. Oh!
[Jonathan] You're right, you're right, Tazz.
You are at a point now where you really got to watch your back,
-watch where you are going. -[Tazz] Big bodies also, Coach.
Big bodies.
[Ross] This thing is really a start studded as this Royal Rumble,
this match now, with these men in the ring is just pretty damn impressive.
[Tazz] Look at this. Morrison with a tight kick.
[Jerry] And I think we're starting to see the length of time
that The Undertaker has spent in the ring starting to take its toll on the Deadman.
[Michael] And on Shawn Michaels as well.
[Ross] And let's keep our eye on Umaga. Fresh, he is near 400 pounds.
Is Umaga at this point in the match the favorite to win it?
[Tazz] It could be. His body is built for this type of match,
that lower-- that heavy lower body is vital in this type of match-up.
-[buzzer blaring] -Kennedy!
-[crowd cheering] -["Turn up the Trouble" playing]
[Jerry] Kennedy!
[Ross] Well, he's fresh. He's talented.
[Tazz] He's got to get in the ring and get to work.
[Ross] And Mr. Kennedy and Shawn Michaels
have had quite the battles in recent weeks on Monday Night Raw.
But Kennedy comes right toward the one half of the World Tag Team Champions…
-[Tazz] Oh! -…Cody Rhodes.
[Tazz] Kennedy's got a different approach
than other men that we've seen in this match.
Oh! He is picking his spots, not just going wild. I like it.
[Jonathan] Oh, wow.
[Ross] The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels have just passed
the 30-minute mark in this Royal Rumble match.
[Jerry] And The Undertaker just sits up,
but he's knocked right back down by Mr. Kennedy.
[Michael] Mr. Kennedy and The Undertaker
over the years have a tremendous rivalry as well.
[Jonathan] These guys I know have some-- It's every man for himself. Oh, wait.
[Michael] Undertaker with a second wind.
Look at the eyes, the integrity, the Chokeslam.
[Joey] Oh, the wind may have just rushed out of the body of Mr. Kennedy.
[Tazz] And there's a lot of wind in that body.
[Jonathan] Did The Undertaker just get a second wind?
-[Jerry] Looks like it. -[Jonathan] Maybe a third.
-[Ross] Undertaker's got momentum. -[grunts]
[Ross] And Undertaker's stacking them up like cord wood in the corner.
[Michael] Umaga and Snitsky.
[Tazz] Undertaker though he has the capability of pacing himself.
And he knows when to bring it up to that next level
and we're witnessing it right now.
[Michael] It's adaptation.
The Undertaker has learned to adapt during the years and change his style.
And Undertaker is still in this thing at entry number one.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Love Machine" playing]
[Tazz] Oh, man.
[Jonathan] And at 500 pounds, the quarter-ton titan,
Big Daddy V, is the heaviest competitor in a Royal Rumble match.
[Ross] Snitsky eliminated by The Undertaker.
-[Jerry] Whoa! -[crowd gasping]
-[Jerry] Whoa! -[Ross] What a shocker.
[commentators gasping]
[Tazz] You said something about shockers, huh?
[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Both, The Undertaker and Michaels.
[Ross] Kennedy eliminated Shawn Michaels
after Michaels had eliminated The Undertaker.
[Tazz] Throughout this whole Royal Rumble match--
[Jerry] Look out.
[Tazz] Throughout this whole Royal Rumble match,
every time The Undertaker hit an offensive move on someone,
Shawn Michaels tried to follow up.
-[Jerry] Wait a minute. Wait a minute. -[Michael] What the hell is he doing?
Oh, my God!
[Ross] The Undertaker just dropped a huge leg
out of just frustration and anger
on Snitsky on the SmackDown announce table.
[Michael] I'll tell you one thing right now, The Undertaker wanted
another world title opportunity
and I would hate to be any Superstar in that SmackDown locker room
after what happened tonight.
[Jerry] There, you see Snitsky eliminated and then,
it was Shawn Michaels who eliminated The Undertaker.
[Tazz] And then Kennedy took the opportunity, boom, to dump out HBK.
You got to give Kennedy credit.
[Ross] It shows you how impressive Sweet Chin Music is…
[Jerry] Whoa!
…as Michaels used it to eliminate both, Shelton Benjamin and The Undertaker.
[Jerry] Cody hanging on. Wait, wait, wait!
[Tazz] Look at this! He's got him! He's--
-His both feet have to touch-- -[buzzer blaring]
[Tazz] both feet have to touch the floor.
-["Some Bodies Gonna Get It" playing] -[Michael] Uh-oh.
[Jerry] Whoa!
-[Tazz] World's Strongest Man. -[Jerry] Here comes your new favorite.
[chuckles]
-[Joey] Somebody, reinforce the ring. -[Michael] The 400 pounder.
[Ross] At least 400 pounds.
And that follows entrant 24, Big Daddy V,
who's around the 500-pound mark.
[Michael] And this is interesting as well, J.R.,
because Big Daddy V and Mark Henry have forged this relationship,
led by Matt Striker in recent weeks. Will they work together?
And can you imagine, that will be a half-ton of humanity
working as a team to eliminate people.
-[Jerry] Hey. Hornswoggle! -[Ross] That's Hornswoggle.
-[Tazz] Forgot about him. -[Joey] Forgot about Hornswoggle.
[commentators laughing]
[Ross] Hornswoggle McMahon just helped eliminate The Miz.
[Joey] And right back under the ring went Hornswoggle.
[Michael] Great strategy by Hornswoggle.
[Joey] Stick and move, stick and hide.
[Tazz] Oh, God.
[Ross] Now, Miz is gonna have to live with the fact
that he was eliminated by Hornswoggle.
[Jerry] Yeah, but the only saving grace is
Miz was eliminated by a McMahon.
[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Watch The Undertaker taking out his rage, his rage on Snitsky.
-Check it out. -[Jerry] Yeah.
[Michael] That's what I'm talking about.
Undertaker wanted to have that championship opportunity so badly.
[Ross] Snitsky is just now getting to move around over there.
[Joey] Look at Big Daddy V, trying to muscle out two competitors.
[Tazz] I couldn't even see. It was two competitors.
Big Daddy V, both Morrison and Kennedy.
[crowd] Four, three, two, one.
-[Jerry] Now who? -[buzzer blaring]
-[Tazz] Number 26. -["Chavito Ardiente" playing]
-[Michael] The new ECW Champion. -[Tazz] Chavito!
[Joey] Chavo Guerrero, who arguably stole the ECW Championship
this past Tuesday, with Edge as his accomplice.
[Michael] And you see CM Punk, right away, going right after Chavo.
[Ross] CM Punk needs and wants to get a piece of Chavo Guerrero.
[Tazz] Well, you can't let emotions take the best of you here
like Jamie Noble did with Chuck Palumbo earlier.
-[Joey] As a side note, take a look at-- -[Michael] Oh!
[Michael] See you later, John Morrison. But a great showing
by one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions.
[Ross] Morrison came in at number six, eliminated by Kane.
Morrison in this match a long time. An impressive outing.
[Tazz] A moment ago, Kennedy was trying to figure out how to grab
one of the limbs of Big Daddy V, he couldn't figure it out.
-There was no instruction manual. -[Jerry chuckles]
[Michael] Mark Henry and Batista.
Mark Henry cost Batista the world championship
a couple of years ago, injuring his triceps.
Those two, back to work on one another.
[Jerry] I'm not sure, but right now, we may have
the most Superstars still in the ring at any given time in this Rumble.
-A lot of humanity. -[Tazz chuckles]
-[Jerry] A lot of flesh. -[Jonathan] Look at Hornswoggle.
[Tazz] Uh-oh.
-[Joey] Not this time. -[Jonathan] Oh, no.
-[Michael] Hornswoggle. -[Jonathan] Oh, he's in, baby.
[Michael] He's officially in. And he may--
[Jonathan] Oh, my God.
[Ross] How unfair is this?
[Tazz] Somebody help poor Hornswoggle here.
[Michael] And here he is, the great protector.
-[Jonathan] Finlay! -[Michael] Finlay, the great protector
with the shillelagh unloading on Big Daddy V and Mark Henry!
[Jerry] Finlay jumped the time clock, didn't he?
[Ross] I don't know if he was even gonna be next or not.
[Tazz] Is Finlay actually legal here right now?
-[Jonathan] I don't think Finlay cares. -[Tazz] I think you're right.
[Michael] If you saw Friday night on SmackDown,
the Great Khali put those big mitts on Hornswoggle,
Finlay stepped it up a notch, went into another gear,
the emotions flowed out of his body to protect Hornswoggle.
[Tazz] Well, Mr. McMahon said that you can't trust Finlay.
He told Hornswoggle that, but I don't know.
[Jonathan] I don't know but, Tazz, is he taking Hornswoggle back?
-[Tazz] Where are they going? -[Jonathan] Is Hornswoggle out
of the Royal Rumble match?
[Michael] I don't think Hornswoggle ever went over the top rope.
[Tazz] That's a good point. I don't know.
[Joey] And take a look at some of the humanity we still got in the ring.
We've got Umaga. We've got Big Daddy V.
We've got the World's Strongest Man, Mark Henry.
[Jerry] Don't forget Mick Foley.
[Tazz] We've got some size in this bad boy right now.
[Ross] And Mick Foley still in there. Let's not forget about Mick Foley. Umaga--
[Jonathan] Hey, guys, we are at the point of this match
that you got to start thinking about maybe teaming up and helping each other out?
[Tazz] Yeah, I think if you can.
[Ross] I've just been notified that Finlay has been disqualified
for using that shillelagh in the Royal Rumble match.
[Tazz] Coach, you mentioned teaming up and Big Daddy V and Kennedy,
-teamed up for a moment. -[Ross] Finlay jumped the gun,
didn't wait for his entry.
[Jonathan] I'll give Finlay credit for putting the wellbeing
of Hornswoggle ahead of his own Royal Rumble wishes.
[Michael] That's how much Hornswoggle means to Finlay
and we've seen that in recent weeks.
[Tazz] Threw away an opportunity to go to WrestleMania.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Don't waste my time" playing]
[Joey] Oh, Elijah Burke in his first Royal Rumble match-up
and perhaps the pugilistic proficiency
of Elijah Burke will keep his opponents at bay.
Elijah's gotta create distance between himself
and some of these monsters.
[Ross] Batista working on his 35th minute, 35 minutes for Batista.
[Jerry] Batista, I understand is the longest--
[Tazz] Wait, wait, hold on, Batista's on the outside.
Was he eliminated? I didn't…
[Ross] I didn't see Batista go over the top.
[Tazz] Maybe he fell from the bottom rope or something.
[Joey] Look at this, Kane and Big Daddy V, they've certainly had enough collisions,
colossal collisions.
[Jerry] Hey, hey, hey.
[Michael] Chavo, the man who took the ECW title from CM Punk.
[Tazz] Yeah, and now trying to take Punk out, and he does!
[Michael] Trying to steal the WrestleMania title
opportunity from Punk as well.
[Ross] What more can Chavo Guerrero do to CM Punk?
[Tazz] This is what happened to Batista. Let's check this out.
-[Ross] Samoan spike. -[Tazz] Okay, went under the bottom rope.
[Ross] That was a Samoan spike from Umaga on Batista.
Batista is still eligible. Batista has not been eliminated.
[Tazz] You have to go over the top rope and both feet must hit the floor.
[crowd] Six, five, four, three, two, one.
[buzzer blaring]
-["The Game" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Well, it's time to play the game.
And nobody wants to win the Royal Rumble match
any more than that man.
Who had to work his ass off to get back in it.
[Jerry] Now, here's your new favorite.
[Tazz] You're not kidding, buddy. The King of Kings.
[Jerry] The Game coming in hot. This is a daisy.
There's his first elimination.
[Tazz] If you're in this Rumble match, that's the worst man
you want coming out right now.
Uh-oh.
[Ross] The 11-time champion with a face buster on a 500-pound man.
-Triple H-- Look at this! -[Jerry] Look at this!
[Joey] You got to be kidding me.
[Ross] One man eliminating Big Daddy V,
-and that was The Game. -[Tazz] That's impressive.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Triple H has exploded here.
-And now, The Game and Mick Foley. -[Tazz] Oh, yeah.
[crowd cheering]
[Joey] You want to talk about history between Triple H and Mick Foley.
[Tazz] In this building. [chuckles]
[Ross] In the year 2000, we will never forget that.
-[Ross] Oh, my God. -[Jerry] What a crash.
[Ross] Oh, what a-- Crash is right.
Mick Foley and Elijah Burke have been eliminated.
[Jerry] That looked like a pileup out on I-95.
[Joey] Burke, in the wrong place at the wrong time.
[Tazz] Well, the Lie-95's not too close to here.
-[commentators chuckling] -[Jonathan] And just like that,
a lot of bodies are gone,
and it opens up a lot of space in the ring right now.
[Ross] Yeah, but look at the bodies that remain, Kennedy, Kane, Mark Henry,
Umaga, Triple H, Carlito,
Chavo, the ECW Champion.
There's a lot of beef and a lot of Superstar power
still left in this match-up.
[Tazz] Oh, you see that shot to the back of the head of ECW Champion
by the King of Kings? Nasty.
[Michael] Hey, guys, at this point it is anybody's ballgame?
[Tazz] I think, speaking of Game, I mean, I think that it might be
Triple H's ballgame here.
He drew a great number.
[Jonathan] A great number. And he's very fresh.
[Joey] I think Umaga's skull just struck the ring post,
not once but twice.
-[Tazz] Uh-oh. -[crowd cheering]
-[Ross] Triple H-- -[Jerry] Pedigree on Umaga.
[Ross] Pedigree to Umaga. Remember, The Game had to win matches,
and do everything he could to get back to the Royal Rumble…
-[Jerry] Who's number 30? -after being…
[buzzer blaring]
-[Ross] …prohibited from being in it. -["My Time is Now" playing]
[crowd cheering]
-[Jerry] What? -[Ross] Wait a minute.
What the hell?!
[Jerry] What is this?
[Ross] It's John Cena!
-John Cena! -[Jerry cheering] Oh, my gosh!
-[Ross] He's number 30! -[Joey] This is unbelievable!
-[Tazz] You got to be kidding me! -[Joey] Oh, my God!
[Michael] Triple H's expression told the entire story.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] The roof is exploding off of Madison Square Garden!
John Cena, the 30th entrant in the Royal Rumble match!
And yes, indeed, this has just picked up!
[Joey] All the action has stopped in the ring!
[Tazz] You got to be kidding me!
[Jerry] John Cena just told Triple H, "It's go time!"
[Tazz] Oof!
[music concludes]
[Ross] Cena, going right to the biggest man, Mark Henry.
[crowd cheering]
-[Jerry] Oh, oh! -[Ross] Down goes Henry!
-Down goes Cha-- Carlito! -[Jerry] Look at Cena!
[Jonathan] Carlito.
-[Jonathan] Are you kidding me! -[Tazz] Oh, my God!
-[Jonathan] And Chavo! -[Joey] John Cena's going nuts!
[Tazz] Look at this!
[Ross] Cena is an elimination machine!
[Joey] No way!
[Tazz] Well, I guess there's no ring rust on John Cena.
[Jonathan] Turn around.
[Joey] It looks like John Cena has totally recovered
from that torn pectoral muscle.
[Jerry] Wait a minute. Wait minute, guys.
Look at this.
Do you believe your eyes? Look at this confrontation!
What are we seeing?
[Ross] It's all about the WrestleMania main event!
Who's going to WrestleMania? Who's going to be in the main event?
The Game or John Cena?
-[Tazz chuckling] This is nuts! -[Ross] Big right hands!
Cena now at a disadvantage. But not for long!
-[Jerry] Look out! [groans] -[Ross] The counter by The Game!
The stakes get high.
-[commentators gasping] -[Ross] Umaga.
Never forget the dangerous Umaga.
This would shock the world if he won it all.
[Jerry] Somehow, I had forgotten,
that there was anybody else in the Royal Rumble match.
-[Tazz] Oh! -[Michael] Batista's in it!
We forgot about Batista outside the ring.
[Tazz] There goes Kennedy.
Timing is everything, and Batista picked his spot
eliminating Kennedy.
[Michael] Look at the stars that are left in this match.
[Ross] The stars are shining.
[Jerry] And there goes Umaga!
[Tazz] That's a big one.
Uh-oh. Speaking of big, a couple of big ones.
[Michael] We are down to four!
[Ross] Now, Kane. Kane going to try to load up.
-[Tazz] Oh, look! -[Michael] An Evolution reunion!
[Ross] Down to three! It's down to three!
The Game, Batista, Cena. Who's going to WrestleMania?
[Jerry] Oh, my gosh!
[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] This is absolutely amazing!
[Tazz] I'm getting goosebumps. This is nuts!
[Joey] Almost 21,000 of our fans on their feet.
[Ross] Batista has been in here, in this match over 40 minutes.
-Could that be the difference? -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Over 40 minutes of that man, the Animal.
-[Jerry] Uh-oh. -Both of you, down!
Come on!
[Ross] Batista said, "Come on."
-No fear. No intimidation. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] This is psychological warfare here.
[crowd cheering]
-[Jerry] Here we go! -[Ross] And now some physical warfare,
as it's every man for himself.
Who's going over the top rope?
Both feet must touch the floor.
The winner goes to WrestleMania in the main event against the champion.
-[Jerry] Look out. -[Ross] Oh!
[Tazz] See how smart Batista--
he nailed Cena then goes right after Triple H.
No wasted motion.
[Jerry] Oh, man, Batista taking control here.
[Ross] John Cena shocking the WWE world,
returning here tonight at the Royal Rumble.
-[Tazz] Oh, oh! -[Jerry] Whoa!
[Ross] Batista almost beheads both John Cena and Triple H.
[Michael] In 2005, Cena and Batista,
the last two men standing in that Royal Rumble.
[Tazz] Uh-oh. Oh!
[Ross] Power, velocity, intensity.
[Tazz] Timing though. Timing by Triple H.
-[Jerry] Pedigree, no! -[Joey] What a counter!
[Tazz] Oh, wow!
-[chuckles] That was really impressive! -[Ross] Big time spine buster!
A liver-quivering…
spine-jarring spine buster and now, Batista measures
both Cena and The Game.
[Tazz] Yeah, Batista's not rushing into it.
[crowd cheering]
-[Jerry] Whoa! -[Ross] Cena able to counter.
[Jerry] Now, look at this! Whoa!
[Ross] And The Game did take advantage and eliminates Batista.
[Jerry] Oh, my God, it's down to Cena and The Game.
Who's going to WrestleMania?
[Ross] Two proud,
Monday Night Raw Superstars, The Game and John Cena.
Both know what it's all about to headline WrestleMania.
And both of them cannot do it, only one can.
[Tazz] And I tell you what. You got to give Triple H some credit.
Point to that WrestleMania sign, that's what he's saying.
You gotta give Triple H credit.
He could've attacked John Cena right away,
once Batista was eliminated, but he waited.
[Jerry] Well, it's been Triple H's mission and his goal
to get to WrestleMania and be the champion.
It's been John Cena's mission just to get back from surgery.
-And he's back. -[Joey] Don't forget the history
between these two, who headlined WrestleMania against one another.
[Ross] Both men should be fresh
in the respect that The Game came in the 29th entrant, Cena, the 30th entrant.
This match continues until one man is thrown over the top rope
and both their feet touch the floor.
[grunts]
[Ross] The Game with a right hand, staggers Cena.
-This will be a fist fight! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] An intense, the physicality,
the emotion in the Garden is scintillating.
-[Jerry chuckling] This is great! -[Tazz] This is nuts, I love it!
-Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] The lightning rod, John Cena…
-able to counter The Game. -We are making this guy a bitch.
[crowd cheering]
-[Tazz] John Cena taking a lot of time. -[Jerry] John Cena, "You can't see me."
What about a little Five Knuckle Shuffle? Oh!
[Ross] Cena dropping the big hammer lock right hand into the face of Triple H.
Could the end be near?
Again, it's not about pins or submissions.
-[grunts] -[Ross] It's about eliminations.
And The Game counters.
Looking to attempt a Pedigree of Cena.
[commentators groaning]
[Ross] What a collision.
[Ross] Both men down, they cannot be counted out.
John Cena or The Game.
[Jerry] And it's down to just these two.
Cena at number 30, Triple H number 29.
Check this out. Double impact!
[Ross] Both these amazing athletes
having similar ideas, delivering thunderous clotheslines.
They had that collision.
[Joey] Just moments ago, John Cena countered the Pedigree,
and before that, Triple H countered the FU.
[Ross] It's all about the desire, the heart,
your soul wanting to go to WrestleMania.
[Jerry] FU!
[Ross] That's what these two men have!
The passion to headline WrestleMania,
but again, only one can-- And what a DDT!
And that may be the deciding factor there.
[Jerry] Certainly advantage to The Game right now, if he can just--
I was starting to say, "If he can just get the cover, "
but cover's not gonna do any good. You got to get John Cena
over the top rope.
[Ross] These men, somehow, someway, are able to stand, as The Game,
who rises first.
Cena, Cena now, in a precarious position.
Cena holding onto the top rope,
but The Game is so strong, so powerful.
With the heart and the soul to headline WrestleMania--
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Ross] Cena counters.
But not for long. Cena countered!
-[crowd cheering] -The power-- Oh, look at Cena's strength!
-[crowd cheering] -[bell ringing]
-[Ross] Cena does it. -["My Time Is Now" playing]
[Buffer] Ladies and gentlemen,
the 2008 Royal Rumble winner is…
John Cena.
[Ross] When we started this historic night, the last man,
I thought, that would headline WrestleMania
would be John Cena because I didn't think John Cena
was physically able to return to combat in the WWE.
And my, my, how wrong I was.
[Jerry] Not only did John Cena return, he has prevailed.
Unbelievable!
[Ross] So now, we know one half of the main event at WrestleMania.
-Look at this, the power of Cena. -[crowd cheering]
Triple H had it in his grasp.
-Cena with the will, and the strength. -[Jerry] Oh, man.
My God, the strength of Cena is superhuman on this occasion.
[Jerry] Superhuman is right. Look at this.
-Oh, how dangerous. -[bell ringing]
[Ross] A superhuman display of physical strength,
that mental toughest by John Cena.
And John Cena has won the 2008 Royal Rumble
in a huge, huge shocker.
[Jerry] John Cena will now go on to WrestleMania, but the question is
who, which champion will John Cena choose to face?
[Ross] John Cena returning, triumphantly, surprisingly, shockingly.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Ladies and gentlemen, one thing we know…
at WrestleMania 24, John Cena will be in the main event.
And he's coming for championship gold.
[crowd cheering] or championship gold.