[intro music playing]
[dramatic music playing]
[announcer] The Texas Rattlesnake!
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
We all have something that drives us.
That lights a fire in our gut.
Burns deep in our heart.
And makes all of this
worth every single
second.
[announcer] Chaos, change, challenge, and opportunity.
This is the Royal Rumble.
So let me ask you,
what are you here for?
[crowd] Five, four three…
Hear that?
…two,
one.
Time's up.
[timer buzzes]
What you're walking into ain't no walk in the park.
This is a Royal Rumble.
[referee] Over the top rope, hit the floor, you're eliminated.
Whether you enter one or 30,
man, woman, big, small,
beast or queen, there ain't no opportunity bigger than this.
[The Fiend] Let me in. [laughs]
Wyatt?
[crowd] Yes!
So you think you're already on top.
Well, tonight you better be ready to open a can of you know what
on those coming for you.
The Man has come around to collect on one last debt.
[Cole] The one woman who Lynch cannot beat.
[Bryan] He can't break me. Not physically, not mentally.
[Cole] A strap match for the Universal Championship against The Fiend.
[The Fiend] You are in a whole heap of trouble.
[The Fiend cackling]
["Rumble" playing]
You're here to make history.
And to claim victory.
[Cole] Asuka, Rollins, Becky Lynch.
The Viper is going to WrestleMania.
You're here to show them other sons of bitches what you're made of.
We're in Texas.
[Cole] The starting line on the road to WrestleMania.
Where everything is bigger and badder.
[Cole] Brock Lesnar enters first.
Well, let me ask you one last time,
what in the hell are you here for?
♪ I'm here to rumble ♪
♪ I've got danger in my favor ♪
♪ Like a razor, I'm here to rumble ♪
♪ Diamond breaker, it's my nature ♪
♪ Get ready for thunder 'Cause I'm ready to rumble ♪
Now give me a "hell yeah."
[crowd] Hell yeah!
[announcer] And now WWE Super Card Season 6 presents
WWE Royal Rumble.
♪ I'm here to rumble ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ I'm here to rumble ♪
[Cole] Careers will be defined tonight,
Legacies will be written,
and dreams will come true.
Welcome to the 33rd Royal Rumble.
You are looking live at a jam-packed Minute Maid Park,
home to the Houston Astros in Houston, Texas.
Over 40,000 WWE fans will jam-pack this place tonight.
The road to WrestleMania starts now.
[bell rings]
[Hamilton] The following contest is a Falls Count Anywhere match.
In this match there are no count-outs or disqualifications,
and a pinfall or submission can occur
anywhere in Minute Maid Park.
[crowd cheering]
["The Truth Reigns" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Here comes the Big Dog.
[Hamilton] Introducing first, from Pensacola, Florida,
weighing in at 265 pounds,
Roman Reigns.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Roman Reigns is a man who has an unreal history
in the Royal Rumble event and the Royal Rumble match itself.
He was a winner. He set an elimination record at one point.
But that's later on tonight.
First, he has a very bitter and personal rivalry.
Hello again, everybody. Michael Cole, Corey Graves,
from Friday Night SmackDown on Fox, here at ringside.
And we kickoff my favorite event of the WWE WrestleMania season.
Buckle up, strap yourself in.
We are headed straight to Tampa, Florda,
to the biggest event in live entertainment.
Tonight, two superstars will punch their tickets to Tamps.
[Cole] Think about the possibilities in this match here tonight
between Roman Reigns and King Corbin.
Falls Count Anywhere.
We are joined at ringside by our Spanish announcers,
Carlos Cabrera and Marcelo Rodriguez.
[speaking in Spanish]
[Cole] Roman Reigns will kick off the night here tonight
at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.
Corey, think about the possibilities.
The falls in this matchup will count anywhere in this stadium.
[Graves] I think there's a very real possibility
that Minute Maid Park may be reduced to rubble
by the time Roman Reigns and King Corbin are done with one another.
[Cole] And imagine this,
one of these two men is gonna have to complete later on tonight,
and could win the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] Actually, both of these men will compete in the Royal Rumble match.
[Cole] I have a bad feeling
one of these two men isn't gonna make it to the match later tonight.
Roman Reigns set for action.
The Roman Empire in full force here at the Royal Rumble event.
[crowd cheering]
["King's Darkness" playing]
[Hamilton] And his opponent,
weighing in at 285 pounds,
King Corbin!
[Cole] His porters bringing him to the ring on the sedan,
but this rivalry has been brewing and percolating for months.
But last month, on SmackDown,
it took a disgusting, humiliating turn
with the aid of Dolph Ziggler.
Roman Reigns was handcuffed to the ring post
and this is what happened.
King Corbin promised to humiliate Roman Reigns
in front of the entire WWE universe,
and King Corbin delivered on his decree.
Roman Reigns bathed in disgusting dog food,
and in front of the eyes of the entire world.
[crowd booing]
And then King Corbin would continue the assault
leaving Roman Reigns not only physically battered,
but completely embarrassed.
Roman Reigns, you see him looking up there,
he's looking at the huge screen here at Minute Maid Park.
He just rewatched what happened to him last month.
You can guarantee it's just ticked off the Big Dog.
[Graves] That's exactly how King Corbin wants Roman Reigns.
Roman's fury can be his own worst enemy in a situation like this.
King Corbin is calculating,
he's wise.
[Cole] King Corbin doesn't seem to be in any hurry
to enter the ring to start this match against Reigns.
[Graves] Mind games, Cole. King Corbin is making the Big Dog wait.
Corbin realizes how angry Roman is.
-Reigns isn't gonna wait. -[Cole] Uh-oh.
[Graves] He goes right after King Corbin.
[Cole] And King Corbin's crew.
Roman Reigns looking to take out Corbin's personal security.
-Corbin goes after Reigns. -[bell rings]
You heard the bell ring.
Match is under way.
Falls Count Anywhere.
[Graves] Another in a series of well-laid traps by King Corbin.
[Cole] There are no disqualifications, there are no count-outs.
Corbin is driven shoulder first into the steel steps
by an irate Roman Reigns.
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] The disdain these two men share for one another is palpable.
The vitriol is through the roof.
[Cole] I mentioned before, this has been going on for months.
Many times King Corbin has gotten the upper hand,
and Roman Reigns looking to correct that wrong here tonight.
[grunting]
[Graves] The genesis of all this was the opinion of Corbin and some others
the Reigns had lost the locker room on SmackDown.
[Cole] King Corbin making up those lies.
Right after he won the King of the Ring Tournament.
[Graves] To be fair, Cole, has Roman found any allies he isn't related to?
[Cole] Reigns goes right back out after King Corbin.
Corbin with a right hand!
[Graves] Former Golden Gloves boxing champ,
reminding the Big Dog what it's like to get punched in the mouth.
[Cole] King Corbin one of the best athletes in WWE today.
Former Money in the Bank ladder match winner.
Of course, King of the Ring winner in the fall of 2019.
Roman Reigns a former World Champion.
With a headbutt right to the face of Corbin.
[Graves] A strong argument could be made
that if it weren't for Roman Reigns and his interference
King Corbin may already be Universal Champion.
Roman Reigns cost King Corbin the opportunity for that matchup.
[Cole] That is true,
but after he was provoked and poked by King Corbin.
Look at the intensity in the eyes of Reigns tonight.
[Graves] Big Dog always prepared for a big fight.
But tonight, you mentioned it perfectly,
the eyes of Roman Reigns a little more intense than usual.
[Cole] A big six man tag team match on SmackDown Friday night.
But Reigns did not really get his hands on Corbin in that match.
He's licking his chops to get to this moment here tonight.
Now Reigns-- Oh! Slamming Corbin. Cover.
Middle of the ring. And a kickout.
A two-count
before Corbin was able to survive.
Near fall for Reigns
in the early going of this Falls Count Anywhere match.
[Graves] Corbin's hurt badly off of that maneuver.
All the wind driven out of King Corbin's lungs.
Roman Reigns driving Corbin down.
[Cole] Corey, what does Corbin have to do to try to take out the Big Dog tonight?
[Graves] We've seen Roman Reigns excels in big fights situations.
At major events.
King Corbin needs to avoid the Superman Punch first and foremost.
Get out of there, King!
[Cole] Corbin back to his feet.
Went for the Superman Punch.
Sidestep by Corbin.
There it is!
Deep Six by Corbin. Cover.
Is it enough to put Reigns away?
Kickout at two and a half.
[Graves] To answer, King Corbin needs to do more of what he just did.
Lull Roman Reigns into a false sense of security,
hope that the Big Dog makes a mistake,
and Corbin can capitalize.
Reigns no stranger to the bright lights and the big stages in WWE.
Whether it be WrestleMania, whether it be the Royal Rumble.
This is Roman's wheelhouse.
But this could be Corbin's new kingdom by the end of the night.
[Cole] Yeah. King Corbin, many believe-- Oh!
For the past two years, the most improved superstar in WWE.
Now he's king of the entire WWE kingdom.
King Corbin didn't buy the title of king on eBay.
He earned it. He won the King of the Ring Tournament.
Which is prestigious.
[Graves] Now Corbin driving the steel steps
into the face of Roman Reigns.
Many Royal Rumble winners over the years
won the prestigious King of the Ring Tournament.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin
became the legend he is today at King of the Ring.
Corbin now clearing off the Spanish announce table.
Looking to do as much damage as possible to Roman Reigns.
[Cole] Sometimes an athlete just gets the number of another athlete.
Perhaps Corbin has Reigns' number.
[Graves] Corbin owns multiple victories over Roman Reigns.
Not too many superstars can say that anywhere in WWE.
Now bouncing Reigns-- Tried to.
Off the cowl of our announce table.
[Cole] Now Roman Reigns drives King Corbin into the announce table.
Reigns with a right hand, teeing off on Corbin right here.
Just a few feet away from us.
Corbin looking to retreat
out into the WWE universe at ringside.
[Graves] Tonight, Corbin's not gonna find any respite
on that side of the barricade.
[Cole] This is all totally legal.
Corbin could get pinned in the fifth row of Minute Maid Park.
[Graves] Roman Reigns in pursuit.
With a big right to Corbin.
Throwing haymakers now.
This has gotta be humiliating for King Corbin.
Being forced to be out there with the filthy WWE universe here in Houston.
[Cole] What are you talking about?
[Graves] There's no royalty from Texas.
And now, Roman Reigns
in the sea of WWE fans here.
Forty thousand at Minute Maid Park.
[Cole] Remember, pinfalls will count out here.
[Graves] Out here, the concession stand, in the men's room.
It can get really wild, really fast.
That's what we're seeing.
[Cole] Great overhead shot
as you look down on the competitors in this match.
Get his head!
[Cole] Falls Count Anywhere. So dangerous.
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] Corbin just trying to stay out of harm's way.
Stay away from Roman Reigns.
-Yeah, Roman! Yes, sir! -[crowd cheering]
Oh!
[Graves] Roman making his way back here towards ringside.
King Corbin needs to take a moment to recalculate, refocus
and retake the lead.
[Cole] Corbin has Reigns where he wants him.
Gonna plant Roman Reigns right on the German announce table!
The table buckling, monitors exploding.
[Graves] Get out of the way, guys, a cover could be on the way.
[Cole] Corbin gonna cover Reigns.
Right here in front of us! Shoulder down! A kickout at two and a half.
-No! No! -[man] Yeah, Roman!
[Graves] Corbin thought he might've had him.
We almost had the best seats in the house.
For what would be another monumental victory for King Corbin.
[Corbin yells]
[Graves] They're speaking German, King.
Guys, get out of the way.
[woman] Corbin!
[Cole] You see Corbin trying to contemplate what he is going to do next.
[Graves] A very dangerous situation out here at ringside.
[crowd yelling]
[Graves] This is not gonna end well for the Big Dog.
[crowd yelling]
[Graves] Corbin blocked by Reigns, Reigns, an uppercut.
Roman Reigns,
the right arm appears to have been injured when he was dumped on the announce table.
[Cole] Cocked and loaded.
Going for the Superman Punch. Blocked by Corbin.
Now Corbin driving Reigns through the Spanish announce table.
[Graves] That has to be it.
[Cole] Cover!
Almost had him. Reigns survived.
[Cole] King Corbin trying to figure out, "What do I need to do…
What?
…to put Roman Reigns away?"
[Graves] Reigns has withstood multiple agonizing impacts.
We're gonna take another look at this one.
King Corbin picking the Big Dog out of the air,
and then watch this impact. Boom!
Right through the announce table.
I'm as surprised as anyone that Roman was able to survive that.
This match as physical as we expected.
[Cole] Corbin very upset that he was not able to put Reigns away
at that point in time.
But he's gotta get back on the attack to have any chance here, Corey.
[Graves] King Corbin knows exactly what he needs to do.
Almost a smile on the face of Corbin.
[crowd whooping]
[Cole] Now dragging Reigns by his battle vest,
across the floor.
[Cole] Sending him back over the barricade.
[Graves] Roman Reigns is running on instinct alone at this moment.
Adrenaline only.
[Cole] Corbin having his way now. Big smile on his face.
[Graves] Big Dog's calling-- I'm sorry, King Corbin calling his shots.
[man] Right here!
[Cole] Not quite sure-- Did you notice what he was pointing at, Corey?
[Graves] I hope, for Reigns' sake,
Corbin wasn't pointing at the structure all of our cameras are positioned on.
[crowd yelling]
[Graves] Corbin and Reigns fighting over towards this massive structure.
The technical area.
[Cole] The official in tow.
The only thing the official is here to do tonight
is to count the "one, two, three" in this Falls Count Anywhere.
[Graves] It's become a matter of self-preservation for Roman Reigns.
Look at King Corbin go.
Battering Reigns.
[Cole] I'm not sure if Reigns is gonna be able to make it back to his feet.
Did you expect this type of performance tonight out of King Corbin?
[Graves] Absolutely, 100%, yes I did.
King Corbin declared that Roman Reigns wouldn't be able to compete
in the Royal Rumble match tonight,
and from the looks of it, King Corbin was telling the truth.
[security] Guys, duck!
[Cole] Look at Roman.
He can hardly stand, as he's driven into an equipment case.
Corbin as focused as I've ever seen him.
Understands what a victory to kick off…
[announcers yelling in Mandarin]
…the Royal Rumble event would mean.
That's our international row, we call it.
Where our international announcers are stationed.
[Graves] You're right, Cole.
Think of the momentum, the confidence boost it-- Uh-oh!
[Cole] Roman Reigns with a Samoan drop through the table!
[announcers speaking in Mandarin]
[Graves] Look at this once more.
Corbin thought he had things under control.
He's driven through the table by Reigns.
Roman bought himself some very valuable time.
[Cole] Roman needed that, Corey.
[Graves] You're 100% right, Cole.
[Cole] To use a baseball analogy, since we're at Minute Maid Park,
Roman Reigns needs a rally.
And perhaps the Samoan drop to Corbin will help him do just that.
Roman again with Corbin up on his shoulders!
Another Samoan Drop!
Into another international announce table!
Cover again! Hook through the leg.
Is it enough? And Corbin stays in it.
[Graves] The fact that this deep into the battle
Roman Reigns is still able to muster enough power
not once, but twice,
to drive Corbin through tables
is miraculous in and of itself.
But it's got to be equally as frustrating for the Big Dog.
How deep in his arsenal will Roman Reigns have to dig
to keep Corbin down?
[Cole] You have to ask the question with the other set of circumstances.
What does King Corbin have left to deliver to Roman Reigns?
[announcers speaking in Mandarin]
[Cole] You hear the international announcers,
their version of what is happening right there in front of them.
[Graves] This match has taken out so much
out of each man already.
As Corbin drives Reigns spine first into the equipment case again.
Corbin collapses to his knees.
Reigns collapses to his knees.
Look at this scene, look at the carnage before our eyes.
You mean to tell me that one or both of these men
expect to compete in the Royal Rumble match later tonight?
[Cole] Again, Corey, this is Falls Count Anywhere.
You could get a fall right on the steel steps.
Corbin is pulling his way up into the stands.
-Or is that the equipment area? -[Graves] The equipment technical area.
It's elevated quite a distance above ground level.
[Cole] Roman Reigns back on his feet.
Dragging his body to Corbin.
[Graves] Perilous situation for King Corbin.
-Reigns, steel chair-- -[Cole] Wait!
That's Robert Roode!
[Graves] Dolph Ziggler.
Corbin's buddies!
King Corbin's loyal allies.
[Cole] Roode and Ziggler stomping away on Reigns.
No disqualification.
Perfectly legal in this type of matchup.
King Corbin has Ziggler and Roode come to his aid.
Get up! Get up!
[Graves] This is technically legal.
Down the stairs.
Yeah, yeah.
[Graves] Oh no. Oh no.
Dolph Ziggler's got--
It's the Usos!
[Cole] The Usos, Jimmy and Jey!
Coming to Roman Reigns' aid.
[Graves] Playing field's been evened for the moment.
Roode, Ziggler, Jimmy and Jey Uso.
Throwing down.
[Cole] And now--
This is just chaos.
Roode, Ziggler, the Usos getting involved.
And I guess appropriately so, Corey.
Because they've been such a big part of this story
between Roman Reigns and King Corbin.
[Graves] Jimmy and Jey are Roman Reign's only allies left
on Friday Night SmackDown.
We're down one Uso.
Roman Reigns still down in the background.
Ziggler and Roode standing tall at the moment.
[crowd chanting] Roman!
[Roode] Get him over here.
They're actually in center field of Minute Maid Park.
You can see the outfield grass there.
-[Roode yells] -[Cole] Oh!
Gotta go.
-Bring him over! -Come on!
[Cole] Corey, this has just turned into a flat-out street fight brawl.
[Graves] This is madness.
[Cole] And now Roode--
Oh my God. Oh my goodness.
Oh no.
Robert Roode obviously with the worst of intentions.
[Graves] Right across the back, the spine.
Roode and Ziggler wanna make absolutely sure
that the Usos are no longer a factor
in this Falls Count Anywhere matchup.
Put him through it. Put him through it!
[Cole] What does Ziggler have in mind? Corey, what are they thinking?
[Graves] They've devised a nefarious plan…
Get him up!
…to take out…
This is Jey Uso with the--
-Oh my God! -[Cole] Oh God!
Where the hell did Jimmy Uso come from?
No!
[Cole] The Usos are back.
And now King Corbin back in the fray.
[Graves] Oh! Right onto the steel!
[referee] Here he comes. I see him.
[Graves] The playing field, once again, as close to even as its been.
Superman Punch delivered.
King Corbin is down.
[Cole] Roman Reigns back in the fight.
[crowd chanting] Roman!
[Graves] Cocked and loaded again.
[Cole] Reigns with another Superman Punch to Corbin!
[Graves] Corbin in no man's land right now.
[Cole] Yeah, and it's Falls Count Anywhere.
Which means Roman Reigns could pin Corbin right there.
In the outfield of Minute Maid Park.
-As we take another look. -[Graves] We mentioned the technical area.
Jimmy Uso made his way up to the scaffolding.
[Cole] Look at how high he was up above the ground!
[Graves] The Bloodline, the family, are wiling to risk it all for one another.
[crowd yelling]
[Graves] Now it's Reigns and Corbin again.
-[Cole] Don't do this, Roman. -[Graves] One on one. Corbin!
Bounced off those structures there. And again, Corbin!
Roman Reigns now taking out all of the anger, all of the frustration
that the Big Dog has suffered at the hands of King Corbin.
[crowd chanting] Roman!
-[Cole] And the "Roman" chants. -[Graves] No, no, no.
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] I think we've got a bad idea about what could happen.
Oh!
Corbin!
[Cole] Oh! The King can sit on his throne.
[Graves] That is no way to treat royalty.
[Cole] Oh no.
Could you imagine the humiliation.
King Corbin is in that.
There is a human being inside of the--
No. No, no, no! Oh no!
[Graves groans]
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] The Big Dog's mighty proud of himself.
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] Roman Reigns enjoying his handiwork.
Corbin thankfully made his way out.
[Cole] Oh! And now the right by Roman Reigns.
In a sea of WWE fans here at Minute Maid Park.
Corbin trying to retreat from Roman Reigns.
Yes, sir!
[Graves] It's almost like Reigns is enjoying himself now.
[Cole] Roman Reigns is feeling it.
Reigns strutting now toward Corbin.
And a big right hand.
[Graves] King Corbin's plan backfired.
And badly.
And another heavy right hand.
I don't know how King Corbin is even on his feet at this point.
It's a testament to the toughness of King Corbin.
[Cole] What about Roman Reigns? What about the toughness of Reigns?
We're over by the dugout here at Minute Maid Park.
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] Reigns is out here swinging heavy lumber like Jose Altuve.
[Cole] King Corbin could use a between the innings breather.
[man] Yeah, Roman!
[Cole] A steel chair right to the midsection by Corbin.
Now King Corbin looks to get back into this matchup.
[Graves] Uh-oh.
King Corbin just positioned Roman Reigns up on top of the dugout.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Right to the spine again by Corbin.
-[Graves] Homerun. -[Cole] Continuing to punish Roman Reigns.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] WWE fans showing their distaste, their dislike for the King.
[Graves] And again.
[Cole] [How much more punishment can Roman Reigns take?
[Graves] King Corbin's all too happy to find out.
Corbin--
Corbin had intentions of delivering an End of Days on top of the dugout.
Superman Punch!
Corbin down to a knee.
Reigns… spear!
[Cole] Cover!
[crowd cheering]
-[Graves] The Big Dog wins! -[bell rings]
[crowd cheering]
[Hamilton] Here is your winner.
Roman Reigns!
["The Truth Reigns" playing]
[Graves] Both of these gladiators worse for wear.
But somehow the Big Dog endures.
[Cole] Roman Reigns and King Corbin went through hell and back.
But it was worth it for Roman Reigns.
Falls Count Anywhere.
Which leads us to our next question, Corey,
what shape will Reigns and Corbin be in later on tonight
when they participate in the Royal Rumble match?
[Graves] I don't think either one of them is gonna make it, to be honest.
Roman Reigns, once his adrenaline wears off,
to have to muster up the power and courage to re-enter the Royal Rumble match,
to have to potentially encounter Brock Lesnar? Forget it.
This is where it comes down to family.
Jimmy Uso throwing caution to the wind.
Launching himself from our technical scaffolding.
Taking out Roode, Ziggler, and his twin brother Jey.
Neutralizing the playing field,
making it one-on-one once again.
Allowing Roman Reigns
to deliver a spear right down the third base line.
Flattening King Corbin.
Nearly cut Corbin clean in half.
[Cole] That is the way to kick off the Royal Rumble event.
The Big Dog wins Falls Count Anywhere.
As he takes out the King.
["The Truth Reigns" playing]
[crowd cheering]
-Dude, I'm so pumped for tonight. -Okay.
I really am. You know why?
-Because Houston's a good place for me. -Okay.
This is where I won my first Intercontinental Championship,
where I won the Universal Title,
and tonight I'm gonna keep the good string of good nights in Houston alive
by throwing Seth Rollins out of the Royal Rumble.
-Okay. -Yeah. Hopefully winning the whole thing.
-I just struck a nerve. -Yeah, you kinda did.
I can tell.
Listen, let's focus on the positive, not so much the negative.
The positive is, when it comes to Seth Rollins, I got your back.
The negative being, if you get in my way of my WrestleMania opportunity,
I'll go right through you.
You know, Joe, you told me that last Monday.
And it's every man…
It's clear that Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe will not be working together tonight.
But now it's almost time for the women's Royal Rumble match.
So please welcome my guests, Fire and Desire, Mandy Rose
and Sonya Deville.
Mandy, Sonya, as tag team partners,
how does it feel knowing that in the Royal Rumble match
it's every woman for herself?
We're not Kevin Owens and we're not Samoa Joe.
We're Fire and Desire, we're a team, we're together.
And if it comes down to us being the last two in the ring,
I can promise you I will not throw Mandy over the top rope.
I'll throw myself over the top rope and let my two feet hit the ground.
That's how much I care about my partner.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, NBA legend Kobe Bryant
perished today in a helicopter crash in California.
His 13-year-old daughter and seven others also were killed.
On behalf of our global WWE Universe,
we offer our condolences to Kobe's family
and the families and friends of all those affected by this horrific tragedy.
♪ I'm here to rumble ♪
["Rumble" playing]
[Tom] We are in Houston, Texas,
inside Minute Maid Park.
Over 40,000 members of the WWE Universe
have packed in to the home of the Houston Astros.
We are indeed on the road to WrestleMania.
Representing Monday Night Raw, I'm Tom Phillips.
Along with WWE Hall of Famer Jerry "The King" Lawler.
And SmackDown's Corey Graves.
King, you've been in four Royal Rumble matches.
You know what's about to go down on the women's side.
Well, I've never been in a women's Royal Rumble match.
-Fair, yes. -But you're right.
Royal Rumble matches are indescribable.
It's gonna be awesome.
A women's Royal Rumble match, that's what my idea of heaven is like.
I'm just glad Roman Reigns and King Corbin
left Minute Maid Park intact enough to let this match take place.
You're not kidding.
Let's head up to ringside for the beginning of this matchup.
[bell rings]
[Rome] The following is the 30-women Royal Rumble match!
In this match, two superstars will begin inside the ring.
Every 90 seconds another superstar will enter the match.
Eliminations will occur when a superstar is thrown over the top rope,
with both feet hitting the floor.
The last remaining superstar will be declared the winner
and will receive a championship match
at WrestleMania!
[crowd cheering]
["Spiteful" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[King] Here we go.
[Rome] Introducing entrant number one,
from Columbus, Ohio,
Alexa Bliss!
[Graves] Guys, you both know I never, ever bet against The Goddess,
but this is not a good spot to be in if you're Alexa Bliss.
She's gotta outlast 29 other women.
Are you kidding me?
[King] You're right.
It's the toughest spot to be in.
Some how, I got a feeling-- Look at the confidence on her face.
[Tom] Alexa Bliss entering her second women's Royal Rumble match.
Last year she had two eliminations,
lasted 12 minutes and 59 seconds,
with the more enviable number 26 position.
The 2020 women's Royal Rumble
is presented by WWE SuperCard Season 6,
now featuring over 70 new Royal Rumble cards.
It's the ultimate card showdown.
It is one of the rarities in sports entertainment
to see someone go wire to wire in this particular event.
It has never happened in a women's Royal Rumble match.
Alexa Bliss will look to change history here tonight.
[King] Who's gonna be two?
["Watch Me Shine" playing]
-[Graves] Wow! -[King] Uh-oh!
[Rome] Introducing entrant number two,
from Knoxville, Tennessee,
Bianca Belair!
[Graves] The EST of NXT.
One of the most athletic superstars on the entire roster.
With confidence, attitude, and swagger to back it up.
Bianca Belair has the conditioning to go very deep in this matchup.
[Tom] Here's the interesting thing for Bianca Belair,
coming off NXT Worlds Collide last evening.
Rhea Ripley retained her NXT Championship.
That means three weeks from tonight at NXT TakeOver Portland,
Bianca Belair will challenge Ripley for the championship.
Imagine if she goes into that event
with the Royal Rumble match victory in her back pocket.
♪ The pressure's building But know I will never fall… ♪
[Graves] Goddess doesn't seem to be too stressed.
I know there's been paranoia permeating the locker room at Raw and SmackDown
because of the less-than familiarity with some of the NXT roster.
There's not a ton of footage to prepare for
on someone like Bianca Belair,
if you're The Goddess.
[King] Corey, are you ready to rumble?
-[Graves] Been ready all weekend. -[bell rings]
[Graves] Here we go.
[Tom] Here we go, the 2020 women's Royal Rumble match is under way.
Alexa Bliss and Bianca Belair to start us off.
[Graves] And Bliss would be well-served not to try to match power with Belair.
[Tom] Early on was trying to get Bliss over the top rope
for an early elimination.
Again, you have to go over the top rope with both feet touching the floor
to officially be eliminated.
[Graves] The aforementioned athleticism possessed by Belair.
Gonna drive her shoulder right through Alexa Bliss' midsection.
[King] Belair's from my home state of Tennessee.
She was an All-American track star at the University of Tennessee.
[Tom] This is not good for Alexa Bliss.
Belair better be careful.
You don't wanna spend too much time on the ropes in a matchup like this.
Lest you take a fall to the outside and you get eliminated.
[Graves] Shot right to the face by Alexa Bliss.
[Graves and Phillips] Oh!
[Tom] Look at The Goddess fight back.
Come on!
[Tom] The five-time Women's Champion.
[Graves] Don't ever discount the spitfire that is Alexa Bliss.
[Tom] Whoa!
Belair's not having that.
King, have you ever seen what Bianca Belair does with her hair?
[King] Uh, I have, as a matter of fact.
-Big fan of that. -[Graves] I'm hoping we get to see it.
Just not at The Goddess' expense.
-Look at this. -[Tom] Wait a minute.
Was trying to get Bliss over the top rope.
-Oh! A backbreaker by Belair. -[Graves] Oh!
That's next level power possessed by Belair.
To be able to adjust mid-maneuver.
Wow!
Beautiful moonsault. Oh man.
[Tom] We're about to find out, who is number three?
-[timer buzzes] -[King] Come on down!
["Eye of the Hurricane" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[King] Are you kidding?
[Graves] I kid you not, King.
[Tom] Oh my God!
[King] Mighty Molly Holly.
[Tom] Mighty Molly Holly.
I guess we should just say Molly Holly,
was in the first women's Royal Rumble in 2018.
But returns tonight, King, as her superhero alter-ego.
-Mighty Molly. -[King] Mighty Molly.
This is great!
-[crowd cheering] -[King laughs]
[Tom] Where's The Hurricane at?
[King] I don't think he can be in this match.
[Graves] Now Molly Holly.
-[Tom] Uh-oh. -[King] Whoa!
[Graves] Nearly eliminated Bianca Belair right there.
[Tom] Molly looking for a big impact. Alex Bliss nearly sent through the ropes.
Remember, the rules dictate you must be sent over the top rope to the floor.
[King] They're double teaming Mighty Molly. Look at her.
-Oh! -[Tom] A double clothesline by Holly.
[Graves] Temporary alliance of necessity.
You'll see plenty of that tonight in the men's and women's Royal Rumble.
-It's every competitor-- -[King] Look out!
[Tom] On the top.
Molly trying to battle back against both Bliss and Belair.
-From the top. Cross body! -[King] Oh!
[Tom] From the two-time Women's Champion.
[King] Mighty Molly in all her glory.
[Tom] Might Molly feeling super here in Houston at the moment.
But the road is not gonna get any easier for any of these three women.
[King] Wait a minute.
[Graves] Trying to eliminate Bianca Belair as we await number four.
[timer buzzes]
[King] Who is it?
["Glasgow Cross" playing]
[Graves] Ah, Nikki Cross.
That smile on the face of The Goddess.
Because her friend and former tag team championship partner
is making her way to the ring.
[Tom] Bliss was able to breathe a momentary sigh of relief.
Gonna get some assistance from her friend Nikki.
But remember, it's every woman for herself.
[screams]
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] It's not impossible
to think that Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross could have to eliminate one another.
[King] I don't know.
[Graves] We're talking about WrestleMania. It's entirely possible. Oh man!
[Tom] Fire and Desire said they weren't interested in doing that.
At least Sonya Deville said that.
Now Belair and Holly coming in strong. Oh, Mighty Molly!
And Belair both over the top.
Oh, that's nice.
[Graves] Throw her over the top, Bliss.
[Tom] Oh, stop.
[King] Not gonna happen.
[Tom] Now Belair and Mighty Molly…
[Graves] Check the power out of Bianca Belair.
[Tom] Calls this the KOD, the Kiss of Death.
Now both Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss in trouble.
[King] Yes, they are.
[Tom] Trying to get Cross over the top here.
[King] Man.
-Nikki! Nikki! -Heavy blow there.
[laughs] You can hear Alexa Bliss, "Nikki! Nikki!"
"Help me!"
The Goddess has to be careful not to rely on Nikki Cross too much.
[Tom] Oh! And the drop-kick from Cross.
Now Bianca Belair nearly cutting Cross in half.
Such a powerful athlete.
-[King] Oh man! -[Tom] Sunset Bomb.
[Graves] Belair got spiked.
Mighty Molly takes out Bliss with a neckbreaker variation.
All four women are down right now.
[King] They are.
[Graves] And the field's about to get a little more crowded.
[crowd] Five, four, three, two, one!
[timer buzzes]
["Ravishing" playing]
-[crowd cheering] -[Graves laughs]
And the Royal Rumble has just become ravishing.
[King] Yes, it has.
Cut the music.
[music stops]
Houston.
[crowd cheers]
Welcome the greatest WWE superstar
in the world.
[King] Success has gone to her mouth.
And I have to say
it's a new year and I'm a newly-wed,
and I am better than all of you pathetic losers.
[crowd booing]
[King] She's taking it a bit.
I'm gonna win the Royal Rumble
for my hot, hot husband.
My Bobby Lashley.
[Graves] Who said romance is dead?
[Tom] Can you imagine if Lashley and Lana win their Royal Rumble matches?
[Graves] We'd never hear the end.
[King] What a kick!
[Tom] Back into this match.
A lot for Lana to atone for from last year's Royal Rumble.
She came in injured to the number 28 spot.
Becky Lynch took the opportunity--
[King] Oh!
Wait, Mighty Molly's in trouble.
[Tom] Trying to eliminate the legend, Mighty Molly Holly.
-Oh! -Over the top.
Could we see the first elimination of the women's Royal Rumble match?
Mighty Molly hanging on for dear life.
[crowd] Five, four, three, two, one!
[King] Who's next?
[timer buzzes]
["Reggaeton Generation" playing]
[crowd cheering]
-[Tom] Okay, wow. -[Graves] Uh-oh.
-[King] Uh-oh. -[Tom] Mercedes Martinez.
A woman who competed in both Mae Young Classic tournaments
on the WWE network.
Has spent 20 years in sports entertainment to earn an opportunity in WWE.
[Graves] We're about to see what Mercedes is truly made of.
We know of her accolades around the world.
But this is WWE.
This is the Royal Rumble match.
This could be overwhelming for a lot of competitors.
[King] You ever seen a look like that on the face of a woman before, Corey?
[Graves] Unfortunately, yeah.
[Tom] Oh! Plants Cross.
Mercedes Martinez trying to catch Alexa Bliss.
Bliss face-first into the canvas.
Such a powerful athlete.
Can she match power with Bianca Belair?
At least for a moment she appears to. German suplex.
And Lana from behind.
[Graves] Mercedes Martinez a relatively new arrival
as a full-time member of the NXT roster.
But wasted no time in making waves.
-[King] Whoa! -[Tom] The butterfly suplex.
Just signed, Graves, earlier this month,
her life-long dream,
and immediately has thrown her hat into the NXT ring.
Now has Lana on the outside, over the top rope.
[Graves] Mercedes looking to throw Lana out of the WWE ring.
[King] Look out, Lana.
[Tom] Martinez sweeps the leg.
-Trying to get Lana. -[King] Hold on.
[crowd chanting] Lana!
[Tom] Think Mercedes would find a different target.
Lana's doing this for love.
[King] Right.
-[timer buzzes] -[Tom] Who's number seven?
["Liv Gone Mad" playing]
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] If Lana's doing this for love
then Liv Morgan is doing this because she is karma incarnate.
[King] Oh, and she's on a mission right now.
[Graves] Live making a beeline.
I got a pretty good guess who she's gunning for.
Eliminates Lana!
[King] Wait a minute.
That took less than a second.
No!
[referee] You gotta go.
-No! -[referee] Come on, Lana.
You gotta go, Lana.
No!
Seen this before from Lana. She's about to throw a hissy fit.
[Tom] Hold on.
As satisfying as that was to eliminate Lana,
Liv Morgan has gotta focus on Mercedes Martinez now.
[Graves] Oh!
Trying to fight her way back into the ring.
Could be an ill-advised decision to climb up the ropes.
[Tom] Up to the top.
Lana eliminates Morgan.
That's right!
-[screaming] -[Graves] Oh no.
[Tom] This isn't done.
You've seen how much this has spilled over on Monday Night Raw.
[King] I don't know how they'll separate these two.
They need to get the cops in here.
-[Live screaming] -[referee] Let's go.
That's enough.
[Tom] The guttural screams coming from Liv Morgan.
[King] Watch out.
[Tom] Lana and Morgan trying to get each other outside.
While the action continues inside the ropes.
Here comes number eight.
[timer buzzes]
[King] Number eight?
["Golden Goddess" playing]
[Graves laughs]
[Tom] Settle yourself, Graves.
[Graves] I remember the first time
my dad took me to a Major League Baseball stadium.
And I feel the same way right now.
Getting to experience God's greatest creation
with the King.
[King] Mandy Rose, look at this.
[Tom] Oh my gosh.
Mandy Rose appears to be in a budding relationship with Otis lately.
[Graves] Hey, shut up, Tom.
We don't wanna talk about that now.
Let's just enjoy what is about to happen.
The inevitable WrestleMania path of Mandy Rose.
[Tom] Look at Nikki.
[King] Here she comes.
[Tom] A top rivalry between these two on SmackDown.
Mandy Rose thinks nothing of Nikki Cross.
-[King] Man. -Show her, Nikki!
[Graves] Oh.
[Tom] Meanwhile Mercedes Martinez is tied up with Molly Holly.
[Graves] Bianca Belair was very near getting eliminated.
[Tom] Look at the power of Mandy Rose.
[Graves] Uh-oh, Nikki's in jeopardy.
[King] She's in big trouble.
Blocked. Oh!
[Tom] Nikki Cross trying to battle her way back inside the ring.
And she does. Great job by Cross.
[King] Oh boy.
Nikki's gonna get down to some serious business.
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] Belair still struggling with Bliss.
A crossbody from Nikki.
[crowd] Five, four, three, two, one!
[timer buzzes]
["Never Back Down" playing]
[Tom] It's another superstar from NXT.
Candice LeRae, for the second year in a row,
is in the women's Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] You knew there would be a strong NXT presence tonight at the Royal Rumble.
Big time opportunity for Candice LeRae.
[Tom] That is the exciting thing tonight.
All three brands, Raw, NXT, and SmackDown
involved in these Royal Rumble matches.
That means a superstar from any of those brands
can have a guaranteed title opportunity at WrestleMania.
Now Candice LeRae.
Oh! The moonsault from the middle rope.
[Graves] Interesting strategy in a match like this from Candice LeRae.
If it works, why quit?
[Tom] So far we've only seen two eliminations.
Liv Morgan and Lana eliminated each other.
Much of the field still in play.
Holly over the top rope.
-[King] Oh! -[Tom] Holly eliminated by Belair.
[Graves] Chalk one up for the EST of NXT.
[King] Mighty Molly, thanks for coming.
[Graves] The Goddess--
[King] Whoa!
[Tom] The Goddess trying to eliminate God's Greatest Creation.
[Graves] Oh! What?
-Otis? -Otis?
Mandy never touched the floor!
The feet never touched the floor, the feet touched Otis.
[King] Mandy landed on Otis?
-Yeah, baby. -[Tom] That's a good man.
That is a good, good man.
Forget John Cusack in Say Anything,
that was the sweetest thing I've ever seen happen.
[Phillips laughs] Mandy Rose is still in this.
[King] That is amazing.
Look at Otis. He's so proud of himself.
[Tom] I don't wanna look, I can smell him.
[King] Oh man.
[Graves] Good for Otis.
And now Mandy Rose trying to eliminate Alexa Bliss.
[crowd] Four, three…
[Tom] Otis is blocking my view. He's as wide as a drive in movie screen.
-[timer buzzes] -Like a human eclipse.
["Square Up" playing]
[Tom] I'm curious to see how this plays out.
The other half of Fire and Desire, Sonya Deville.
She said earlier
if it comes down to it, I will not attempt to eliminate Mandy Rose.
[King] Look out.
[Graves] Fire and Desire, 2020 could be their year.
[Tom] Look at Deville.
A mixed-martial arts background.
-Firing off. -[Graves] Very proficient striker.
[crowd chanting] Otis!
[Graves] Sliding knee flattens Nikki Cross.
Sonya looking for a big elim--
[Tom] Oh! Whoa!
I believe Cross went through the ropes, not over the top, so safe for the moment.
Meanwhile, Otis is out here gyrating around.
All sorts of stuff.
I'm not entirely sure what part of his anatomy just shook our table.
I don't wanna find out.
I don't wanna know either.
-[Tom] Back inside. -[Graves] LeRae in trouble.
[Tom] LeRae in trouble.
Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose working as a team.
Trying to eliminate Candice LeRae, who's gone over the top rope.
[King] I don't think Sonya Deville is a big fan of this relationship
with Otis and Mandy as well.
[Tom] I think you're right, King.
It has not been the favorite of Sonya Deville.
Oh man!
[Graves] Brutal strikes from Deville.
[Tom] Oh!
Martinez able to duck and deliver a few rights of her own.
[Tom] Oh!
The two hardest hitting superstars in this match thus far.
Sonya just uncorking those kicks to the legs of Mercedes Martinez.
The single leg takedowns, and now Mercedes Martinez has a hold of Deville.
What do you think, is Otis gonna stand in front of us all night?
[Tom] Yeah, maybe. [laughs]
Crazier things have happened.
[grunts]
[Tom] Now it's Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville teaming up against Martinez.
[King] Whoa!
[Tom] Great combination, center of the ring.
But is it enough to eliminate Martinez?
[King] We're gonna find out right here.
[Tom] Mercedes Martinez eliminated by Fire and Desire.
[crowd] Five, four…
[Graves] That's teamwork.
Not gonna see a lot of it in this match, but use it when you can.
[timer buzzes]
-["The Next Voyage" playing] -Here we go.
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] She is one half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.
Kairi Sane.
Remember her counterpart, Asuka,
challenges Becky Lynch later tonight
for the Raw Women's Title.
[Graves] You realize what could happen?
If Kairi Sane wins this matchup,
and Asuka beats Becky Lynch later tonight for the Women's Championship,
we could see the Women's Tag Team Champs face each other at WrestleMania.
[King] You're right. I hadn't thought about that.
[Tom] Some of the mind games of Kairi Sane. Whoa.
-Come on. -[Graves] Look out.
[yelling]
[Tom] Kairi Sane on the move.
Oh!
[Graves] A spear takes down Bliss and Cross.
[Tom] Sonya Deville coming in to shut down Kairi Sane as best she can.
-Whoa! -[King] Are you kidding?
[Tom] Kairi Sane, great job.
She feinted like she was going over the top and caught Deville.
[Tom] Spinning backfist to Mandy.
[Graves] Sane with a running blockbuster.
[King] Kairi Sane definitely on a roll since coming in here.
This may stop her.
[Tom] Bianca Belair has tangled with Sane before on NXT.
Oh! And a great counter by Sane.
[groaning]
[Graves] Kairi Sane trying to dispatch Candice Lerae.
-[yells] -[King] Oh…
-Oh! -[Tom] An Alabama Slam.
Kairi Sane looking very strong right now.
-As number 12 is incoming. -[timer buzzes]
["Number One" playing]
[Graves laughs]
[Tom] It's the head baddie in charge
as the Insane Elbow finds its mark.
Here comes Mia Yim from NXT.
[Graves] Mia Yim continues to win over the WWE Universe
with gutsy, impressive performances week after week after week.
[Tom] Launches herself into the ring with a leaping neckbreaker.
Now Eat Defeat to Nikki Cross.
[Graves] Mia Yim a powerhouse in her own right.
Very technically sound.
Could make a major impact in this women's Royal Rumble match.
Look out, Nikki.
[Tom] Trying to get Cross over the top rope.
Can she eliminate Nikki Cross?
[man] Come on!
[Tom] Mia Yim shut down Belair.
Center of the ring with Alexa Bliss.
Plenty of superstars remaining in this 2020 women's Royal Rumble.
-[King] Look at this. -[Tom] Wow.
Cross trying to save her friend Alexa.
[King] She does.
If it weren't for Nikki, Alexa might be in the front row right now.
[King] You're right.
Uh-oh. And…
[Tom] Oh, Nikki Cross…
Over the top.
Oh! A straight right, but Alexa Bliss from behind.
-[Otis] Yeah! -[Graves] Oh.
A shove from Belair.
-Sent Bliss halfway across the ring. -[King] She's gonna try again.
[announcers] Oh!
[Tom] Used Bliss as a weapon.
[Graves] Belair's not finished yet.
[Tom] Alexa went over the top.
Alexa's security blanket just got eliminated.
[King] She's holding on to the hair.
[Graves] Oh no!
[Tom] Do whatever you can.
Oh!
And Alexa Bliss battles her way back in.
[King] Alexa Bliss holding on to the hair to save herself.
[Graves] Oh!
It's a pretty face!
-[Tom] Oh my-- -[Graves] Mandy Rose--
-Luckily Otis is there playing defense. -[Tom] Oh!
-Sonya Deville inadvertently struck Rose! -[King] Are you kidding me?
Hey!
[Graves] Bianca Belair trying to eliminate Sonya Deville.
Oh! Down go both Rose and Deville.
Otis is a lot of man, but not quite enough for that.
[crowd cheering]
[King] Look at the smile on the face.
[Tom] Otis is beside himself.
[Graves] He's beside a lot of people, look at the size of him.
[King] When he goes to the movies, he sits beside everybody.
[crowd] Five, four…
[Graves] Bliss in trouble.
[Tom] Nearly had Alexa Bliss.
[timer buzzes]
["Respectful" playing]
[crowd cheers]
[Tom] A woman who's called herself and underdog from the very beginning.
Dana Brooke.
Entering her third Royal Rumble match.
[King] Yeah. At some point, you wanna stop being considered an underdog.
You wanna make a statement, make waves.
This is a big opportunity for Dana Brooke to do just that.
[Graves] King, as you know, anything can happen in a Royal Rumble.
It could be anybody's night.
-[King] You're right about that. -[Tom] Uh-oh!
[announcers] Oh!
[King] Not a bad spot to enter in.
Except that number 13 is usually unlucky.
Dana Brooke entering at number 13.
Oh, and the enzuigiri there to Mia Yim.
Dana Brooke with a flurry of offense here.
As she bursts into the ring.
[screaming]
-[grunting] -[King] Oh man!
[Graves] A series of strikes by Mia Yim.
[grunting and yelling]
[Tom] Oh! A kick right to the top-- To the face, it looked like.
[Graves] They call that a forehead, Tom.
[Tom laughs]
Alexa and Bianca Belair have been in this match,
both starting at one and two,
for over 20 minutes now.
[Graves] Look at Belair, the power.
Candice LeRae in deep, deep trouble.
-Goodbye! -[Tom] There goes LeRae.
[Graves] Thanks for coming, Candice.
[Tom] And Belair…
-I believe that is her fifth elimination. -[King] Very good.
[Tom] Holly, Nikki Cross, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, and now Candice LeRae.
That ties the women's Royal Rumble record.
[King] Wow, very impressive.
-Look out, Kairi. -[Graves] Bianca would love…
Bianca would love to follow in the steps of Asuka and Becky Lynch,
and win.
I don't think this is a wise decision by Kairi Sane.
[King] Never go to the top rope when you're in one of these matches.
[Tom] Nice agility by The Goddess.
-[King] Oh! -[Graves] There goes Kairi Sane.
[Tom] Graves, that scenario you outlined is out the window.
But Asuka still has her Raw Women's Title opportunity.
-Later tonight. -[King] Wait. Look at this.
[Tom] Mia Yim looking to dump Alexa Bliss.
-[crowd] Two, one… -[King] Hang on!
[timer buzzes]
["What You Think" playing]
[announcers laugh]
[Graves] Here it is.
[Tom] Tamina, the powerhouse!
[King] You've heard "the worst is yet to come."
I think she just arrived.
[Tom] Graves, something you talked about on SmackDown recently, on Fox,
is that being the larger competitor often makes you a target.
Not necessarily a favorite.
[Graves] You'll see multiple superstars gang up against the larger competitor.
-[Tom] Oh! -[King] Good grief!
[Graves] You'll pay for it first.
[King] She almost kicked her head off.
Oh!
[Graves] Tamina is flattening everybody.
Belair out of the way just in time.
[King] Oh, this is a showdown.
[crowd cheering]
Come on. I'll put you over the rope.
Let's do it. What you wanna do?
Two of the most physically dominant women in all of WWE going at it.
Belair and Tamina.
[King] They're ready to rumble.
[Graves] Tamina went to the throat with a thrust.
Oh!
-[Tom] Whoa! -[Graves] Tamina over the top!
Great use of leverage.
Using Tamina's own momentum against her.
[King] Another elimination.
-[Graves] Bianca Belair is up to six. -[King] Oh!
[Graves] Owns the women's Royal Rumble match elimination record.
[Tom] Bliss with a nasty kick to the kidneys of Bianca Belair.
[King] No kidding.
[crowd] Five, four, three…
[Tom] Bliss trying to work on Belair.
-Brooke opposite side on Mia Yim. -[timer buzzes]
["Kombat" playing]
[crowd cheers]
[Tom] This is Dakota Kai of NXT.
A superstar that many in the WWE Universe don't even recognize
because of what she did recently at TakeOver WarGames.
Turning on her best friend Tegan Nox.
This is a side of her personality that many never saw coming.
[Graves] Talk about superstars that have educated feet,
Dakota Kai's got a PhD.
The captain of Team Kick.
She is a lethal striker.
[Tom] Whoa.
Now Dana Brooke testing her mettle against Dakota Kai.
Kai from New Zealand.
Competing here in this matchup for the first time.
Dakota Kai has shown a ruthlessness on NXT.
Connects with the kick in the corner.
[Graves] Oh! It's Mia Yim.
Courtesy of Alexa Bliss.
Dakota Kai trying to hoist Dana Brooke over the top rope.
Dana doing her best to hang on.
[King] The field is thinning out here.
[Graves] Still Alexa Bliss and Bianca Belair,
numbers one and two, still holding strong somehow.
We are halfway through the field of 30.
[crowd] Eight, seven, six, five, four, three…
[Tom] Brooke, Kai, Belair and Bliss remaining in the ring.
[timer buzzes]
[King] Who's next?
["So Cool" playing]
Oh boy.
[Graves] Now this is very intriguing.
Chelsea Green from NXT.
That is her representative, Robert Stone.
We hear last night, at NXT Worlds Collide, at the Toyota Center,
that Robert Stone is already lobbying for title opportunities
for Chelsea Green.
Talk about an opportunity.
[King] I don't trust that guy as far as I can throw him.
I'd shake hands with him, but I'd count my fingers afterwards.
[Graves] Chelsea Green dumps Dakota Kai on the floor.
[King] Oh no!
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] Now it's Chelsea Green knocked out by Alexa Bliss.
[King] Look out.
[Graves] Uh-oh.
And now Dana Brooke…
-Get out! -[King] Uh-oh.
-[Graves] Uh-oh. -[King] Oh no!
[Tom] The power of Dana Brooke.
Alexa Bliss able to keep herself inside the ring.
Over the top.
-[King] Watch it! -[Tom] Belair eliminates Brooke.
[Graves] And again there are two.
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] That is seven eliminations for Belair.
Bliss with three herself.
[Tom] Bliss and Belair began this matchup
and are the only two left at this very moment.
But unfortunately it's not gonna get any easier.
[King] Here we go.
-Uh-oh. -[Tom] Now Bianca Belair.
Can she eliminate one of the most decorated champions in WWE today?
[Graves] Standing takeover by Alexa Bliss keeps Belair down for the moment.
[Tom] Gotta be careful here, went through the ropes.
Still going up to the top.
Very dangerous circumstance here in a Royal Rumble match.
Off the top.
-[Graves] But the knees were up. -[Tom] Went for Twisted Bliss.
A great job by Belair, able to scout it.
[King] This could be it.
This could be it.
[Tom] Bianca Belair!
-Bliss-- -[King] Wait.
[Graves] Bliss has powerful legs, using them to hold on to Belair.
[Tom] Both women have gone over the top.
Out to the apron now.
[Graves] Both of these superstars on the verge of elimination.
[King] Get back in!
[Tom] Holding onto the hair again.
[King] Oh my goodness!
A tug of war with the hair.
Oh no!
-[Graves] There goes Bliss. -[King] Oh no.
[Graves] Bianca Belair is all on her own.
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] 26 minutes, 34 seconds for Alexa Bliss
in this Royal Rumble match.
Bianca Belair is now up to eight eliminations.
[Graves] Belair has a valuable few moments to compose herself.
Maybe take a short breather.
[Tom] It's not gonna be a long one.
Here comes The Queen.
[crowd cheering]
[King] I don't know if you know this,
but Charlotte Flair is my pick to win the women's Royal Rumble match.
[Tom] At the rate Bianca Belair's going, it'd be hard to best against her.
Graves, if there was anyone who could walk out of this
it would be Charlotte Flair, the ten-time champion.
[Graves] Born and bred for greatness.
The year was 1992.
Charlotte Flair's father, The Nature Boy, Ric Flair,
went the distance.
Capturing the WWE Championship in the process.
Can The Queen follow in those illustrious footsteps tonight?
[Tom] Remember, Charlotte Flair came down to the final two
last year in this event.
Ultimately, it was Becky Lynch who punched her ticket to WrestleMania.
[Graves] All the physical superiority we've seen
Bianca Belair display to this point
is about to be met.
[King] Corey, you gotta admit, Charlotte Flair, she is The Queen.
This is the Royal Rumble, and she's fresh.
[Graves] No doubt about it, King.
[Tom] Flair out of the corner.
Into the backbreaker earlier to Bianca Belair.
These have gotta be two of the best pure athletes
in this entire company.
[crowd whoops]
[King] Shades of The Nature Boy.
[Tom] Talk about raw power, athleticism, agility, strength.
[announcers] Whoa!
[Tom] These two women both have an overabundance of all those accolades,
all those qualities.
The Queen has experience.
[Graves] Look at Bianca Belair.
King, you've been in this type of situation. Oh!
-Face-first went Charlotte Flair. -[King] Wait a minute.
[Graves] King, it's clear Bianca Belair,
she's doing whatever she's gotta do to stick around
and survive at this point.
[King] Right. That last move really saved her.
It's about self-preservation.
[crowd] Three, two…
[King] Charlotte Flair, headfirst into that turnbuckle.
[timer buzzes]
["Amazing" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] Well…
All of a sudden Houston is feeling the glow.
We haven't seen Naomi in competition in months.
♪ Bring it to the floor… ♪
[Graves] The former SmackDown Women's Champion.
She is one of the superstars that can do incredible things in a match like this.
[King] Corey, are you feeling the glow?
[Graves] I sure am, King.
And so is the WWE Universe here in Minute Maid Park.
Unfortunately, I don't think Charlotte or Belair feel the same way.
[Tom] Flair rushing in on Naomi.
[King] Whoa!
-[Tom] Naomi goes right after Belair. -[Graves] Whoa.
Another amazing athlete joining the fray.
We were talking about Flair and Belair, you can't discount Naomi.
-[Tom] Oh! -[King] Look at this.
[Graves] A stalemate.
Some respect from The Queen to Naomi.
The two veterans trying to target in on the NXT superstar.
[King] Not a bad idea at all.
[Graves] Especially considering what Belair accomplished to this point.
Double suplex.
[Tom] Belair has been in this matchup for over 26 minutes.
She's had eight eliminations.
Setting the Rumble record on the women's side.
[King] Never trust a Flair.
[Naomi yells]
[Tom] Charlotte Flair zeroed in on Naomi in the corner.
As number 19 about to make their way down the aisle.
[crowd] Two, one.
[timer buzzes]
[King] This is so much fun.
["Glamazon" playing]
[Graves] It just got even better, King!
[King] Beth Phoenix!
[Graves] The Hall of Famer, the Glamazon!
[Tom] Beth Phoenix has locked eyes with The Queen, Charlotte Flair.
The Queen looks like she just saw a ghost.
[King] You're right, these two have locked it up more than once.
[Tom] Beth Phoenix was in the first women's Royal Rumble match.
Where she entered at number 24.
Now she goes after Charlotte Flair.
[Graves] Another one of the most powerful women to ever compete
in a WWE ring.
[Tom] This month is the ten year anniversary of when Phoenix made history,
the second woman at the time
to ever enter a men's Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] Look at Beth, just so strong.
Making it look effortless.
Naomi almost having her return spoiled.
[King] Incoming!
[Graves] Oh! And Naomi takes out Phoenix and Flair.
Meanwhile, Bianca Belair trying to get herself back up to her feet.
She has been in this match for over 30 minutes.
After entering at number two.
[Tom] Bianca should be savoring these few moments
while she's not a target.
-I spoke too soon. -[King] Yes, you did.
[Tom] Now Beth Phoenix.
Graves, we continue to talk about every next competitor that comes into the ring
is just as athletic if not more than the next one.
Talk about these four that are in here right now.
[Graves] These are four of the most impressive athletes in all of WWE.
That is undeniable.
Right now Beth Phoenix finds herself in a precarious position.
Belair would love to continue this streak she's been on.
This run of eliminating superstar after superstar.
[man] Let's go, Bianca!
[Graves] Flair has squared off with Naomi.
Phoenix has a hold of Belair, trying to eliminate her.
Belair's gotta be careful here.
-Before number 20 gets into the ring. -[timer buzzes]
[King] The hits just keep on coming.
["Take Cover" playing]
[Tom] It's Toni time!
Toni Storm from NXT UK.
[Graves] Former NXT UK Women's Champion.
World-traveled competitor.
Toni Storm would love to make an impact
and punch her ticket to Tampa for WrestleMania, tonight.
[Tom] Last night she challenged for the NXT championship against Rhea Ripley.
In Blackpool earlier this month,
she challenged for the United Kingdom championship.
This is a title hungry superstar in Toni Storm.
It is how she defines herself.
[Graves] Toni, as much respect as she has for this industry,
is in there with some of the hardest hitters, the best of the best.
Could be an overwhelming circumstance if you're not prepared for it.
[Tom] Bianca over the top.
Phoenix has gotta be careful, trying to get Bianca over the top.
[King] Look out!
[Tom] A kick right to the kneecap by Naomi.
Belair was able to withstand the effort from the Hall of Famer in the corner.
[Graves] Bianca's gonna want to get off the ropes, not go up.
-[Tom] Took out the-- -[Graves] Oh no!
[Tom] There goes Belair!
[King] I told you not to go to the top rope.
[Tom] Flair takes out Belair.
Thirty-three minutes and 20 seconds for Bianca Belair.
[Graves] There is nothing to be ashamed of.
What a performance by Bianca Belair.
You can see it in her eyes.
This is not the result Belair wanted.
[King] But look at Charlotte Flair. She should certainly be proud of that.
[Tom] Now Flair's gonna take care of business here with Beth Phoenix.
Phoenix trying to send The Queen over the top.
What an elimination that would be in this type of match.
[Graves] Sometimes it's about being opportunistic.
That's what Charlotte Flair was.
["Holla" playing]
[crowd cheering]
-[Tom] It's Kelly Kelly. -[King] Wait! Are you kidding me?
[Tom] One of your favorites, King.
[King] Oh my goodness! Kelly Kelly is back!
[Graves] Kelly Kelly was in the very first women's Royal Rumble.
Back in 2018.
She continues to have very good luck of the draw.
She entered at 19 that year, 21 here tonight.
[King] Corey, you told a story about you and your dad going to a baseball game.
I remember the first time I saw Kelly Kelly.
I asked her for a picture of herself
so I could tell Santa what I wanted for Christmas.
[Graves laughs]
[Tom] Into the corner again.
Beth Phoenix and Charlotte Flair are hung up on the top turnbuckle.
But it's Kelly Kelly who's got a hold of Toni Storm.
[King] Look at this!
Come on!
[King] "Come on" is right. Kelly Kelly is back.
[crowd cheering]
-[Tom] Oh! -[King laughs]
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] The former Women's Champion having a lot of fun tonight in Houston.
It's shut down by Flair.
[Graves] Queen didn't come here for fun.
The Queen came to earn her way to WrestleMania.
[Tom] Wait a minute. Beth Phoenix.
Trying to get one of the favorites out of this matchup.
[Graves] Look at the effort from Phoenix!
[Tom] Phoenix stomping away at The Queen.
Charlotte Flair hanging on for dear life.
[King] She's biting her hand!
[Graves] Smart move by The Queen.
Wrapping her legs around the middle rope.
Giving herself a little extra support.
But that hasn't caused Beth Phoenix to relent.
[King] Man.
[Graves] Beth realizes the threat posed to all the competitors by Charlotte Flair.
[Tom] Flair trying to tangle herself in ropes.
And Alexa Bliss, who's still in this matchup--
Sorry, that looked like Alexa Bliss because of the gear.
-Toni Storm still in the match. -[timer buzzes]
Trying to prevent Kelly Kelly from eliminating her.
["Blood Wolf" playing]
[King] Charlotte Flair hanging on for dear life.
-Uh-oh. -[Tom] It's about to get wild.
[King] Sarah Logan.
[Graves] Sarah Logan one of the most brutal superstars in all of WWE.
Entering her third women's Royal Rumble match.
[Tom] Sarah Logan declared recently she's done wrestling.
She's here to throw down.
[Graves] Sarah Logan was one of the handful of superstars
that was announced for this matchup.
Extraordinarily difficult to prepare for this women's Royal Rumble match.
[King] Charlotte Flair has no idea what got a hold of her there.
[Tom] Logan needs to be careful not to be too overzealous.
You've got some very accomplished veterans in the ring.
[Graves] Oh! And Logan's gone over the top rope,
has gotta be careful with Storm and Phoenix.
-[King] Oh! -[Graves] Charlotte Flair takes out Logan.
[crowd cheering]
-[Tom] That is two for Flair. -[King] Uh-oh! It's Kelly Kelly!
She's gonna try to eliminate The Queen.
[Tom] Kelly Kelly cannot do it in that instance.
[King] Oh no, Kelly!
[Graves] Almost like it just incited The Queen.
-[King] Whoa! -[Tom] Oh, ho!
Charlotte Flair took offense to the fact that Kelly tried to eliminate her.
[announcers] Oh!
[Graves] There goes Kelly.
[King] I'm not gonna repeat what she just called Kelly Kelly.
[Graves] King, you should look over and make sure Kelly's okay.
[King] Okay.
You okay?
[Graves] Beth Phoenix on the verge of not being okay.
[Tom] Three superstars try to take out The Glamazon.
[crowd] Three, two, one.
-[King] Oh. -[timer buzzes]
["New Foundation" playing]
[Tom] Beth Phoenix will at least be happy to see Natalya,
her longtime friend.
But again, there's no allies in the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] Yeah, but this is the closest thing to backup
that The Glamazon could hope for.
[Tom] Let's not forget, in the first women's Royal Rumble match
Natalya lived up to the measure of the women's Royal Rumble.
There's no friends. She eliminated Beth Phoenix that night.
[Graves] Clotheslines for everybody.
[Tom] Now Natalya coming to the aid of Beth Phoenix.
-[King] Yes, she did. -[Tom] See the back of the head of Beth.
[Graves] Beth may have suffered some sort of laceration.
The action has been furious
within the ropes of this women's Royal Rumble match
No shortage of history between Charlotte Flair and Natalya.
[Tom] Charlotte Flair's in a challenging position.
Look at this, both Phoenix and Natalya working together.
[King] Knew this was gonna happen.
[Graves] Got a hold of Charlotte.
[King] Look out, Queen.
-[Tom] Down goes The Queen. -[Graves] Up strong, in my opinion.
Should've taken Charlotte Flair the other way.
To the outside, not the center of the ring.
[Tom] Decided to try to inflict more damage.
Now Naomi's the one in trouble.
[King] Naomi's in big time trouble.
-[Graves] Naomi along the top. -[King] Get that other leg over.
[Graves] Naomi looking to weave herself within the ropes, smart strategy.
Desperate as it may be.
[Tom] Trying to cling to anything that will keep her legal in this matchup.
[crowd] Six, five, four, three…
[Tom] Number 24 on their way into the ring.
[timer buzzes]
["Fortune Rising" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] It is Xia Li for the second year in a row.
From NXT.
She's the very first female Chinese superstar
ever signed to WWE.
A lifelong combat sport athlete.
[Graves] No doubt.
Xia Li learned from her experience last year in the women's Royal Rumble.
See what changes, what alterations she brings this year.
[Tom] A huge boot goes up for Beth Phoenix,
who's taken a lot of damage here.
Keeps on coming.
But a big kick by Xia Li.
[Graves] Toni Storm able to avoid the leg sweep.
-Not the kick. -[Tom] Oh!
-[King] Xia Li putting boots to everyone. -[Tom] Now Charlotte Flair…
Slows down Xia Li.
[yells]
[Tom] There's the power of The Queen.
[King] Wait a minute. Out of the way there. Oh!
[Tom] Takes Flair off her feet.
[Graves] Speaks to the power Xia Li possesses in her legs.
Didn't get full extension on the dropkick
but was still able to take Charlotte Flair down.
[yells]
[Tom] Proficient in the art of Wushu, also known as Chinese kung fu.
Now trying to get Flair over the top.
Easier said than done.
-[King] Not getting-- Oh! -[Tom] Oh man!
[King] Let me introduce your face to that turnbuckle.
[Graves] Charlotte now picking up Xia Li.
Xia in danger of making a relatively rapid exit.
[Tom] Xia Li over the top rope, has gotta be careful.
Oh, Charlotte Flair already racked up three eliminations.
Bianca Belair, Sarah Logan, and Kelly Kelly.
[Graves] Beth Phoenix doing her best to toss Toni Storm to the outside.
[King] You have to remind me Kelly's not in here?
[Graves] I'm sorry, King. You can talk to her after.
[Tom] Xia Li holding on with everything in her being.
[crowd] Six, five, four, three…
[Tom] All the superstars back inside the ring except Xia Li.
-[timer buzzes] -[King] We got more.
["Making a Difference" playing]
[Graves] The business manager of Andrade, Zelina Vega.
King, we saw earlier tonight how happy Vega was to see Andrade
retain the United States Championship.
[King] I'll bet she's pretty happy right now
with the spot she picked to enter the women's Royal Rumble.
[Graves] Absolutely right.
A coveted position of number 25.
Now it's Zelina Vega.
Who competed in last year's Royal Rumble.
Drew number 11.
[Tom] Zelina Vega a lot more than just the business manager to Andrade.
She's a very talented, world-traveled in-ring competitor.
But I don't know if Zelina's ever encountered power like The Glamazon.
-[King] Whoa! -[Graves] Going after Phoenix!
Sent the Hall of Famer for a ride.
That was the number 25 spot
in the very first women's Royal Rumble,
from which Asuka secured her opportunity at WrestleMania.
[King] Beth Phoenix landed once again on the back of her head from that move.
She's out of it over there.
Uh-oh.
-Charlotte Flair in big time trouble. -[Tom] Whoa, Flair!
-[King] Phoenix is back. -[Graves] Phoenix, the assist.
The Queen could be out!
[Tom] Three on one!
[King] Oh no, The Queen!
Charlotte Flair trying to hang on.
[King] Somebody save The Queen.
[Tom] Phoenix, Natalya, and Xia Li.
Can they eliminate Charlotte Flair?
Now Naomi coming in from behind.
[Graves] I question Naomi's strategy.
Charlotte Flair was on the doorstep of being eliminated.
-[King] Still is. -[Tom] Still is.
[crowd] Six, five, four…
[Tom] This continues.
Charlotte Flair has got a moment to try and regroup. She's still in danger.
[Graves] I think exhaustion is starting to factor in for a lot of these women.
["Severed Head" playing]
[Graves] Here's a new face in the WWE Universe.
[Tom] NXT superstar Shotzi Blackheart.
A renegade mentality.
Wild, frenzied, and punk mindset.
[King] This is great,
getting to see so many of these NXT females here tonight. Awesome.
[Tom] Graves, I figure you love Shotzi Blackheart.
She gets her surname from Joan Jett and her band.
[Graves] You're wrong, Phillips.
[Tom] Oh.
[King] Look at this.
[Graves] Uh-oh, Naomi!
-[King] Naomi-- No. -[Tom] Wait, Naomi…
Naomi onto the apron.
[Graves] Naomi still fighting, but-- Oh!
[Tom] Whoa! Feet did not touch the floor!
[King] Are you kidding me?
[Tom] I kid you not, King.
[King] Oh, look out!
[Tom] But there's not way. No way.
Naomi's an amazing athlete, but this is impossible.
[Graves] Impossible, you're right.
[Tom] Somehow…
-[King] What can you do? -[Tom] She's still in this match.
-[King] Wait a minute! -[Tom] Wow.
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] Houston is feeling the glow.
Naomi is still in this one at the moment.
[King] Yeah, but how's she gonna get back to the ring? Look at that.
[Tom] Talk about zero margin for error.
Naomi had about three inches between her heels and the floor.
[Graves] Now she's gotta be extraordinarily careful.
She's out along the barricade.
I don't know where Naomi's headed.
She's gotta find a way back inside the ring.
[King laughs]
[crowd chanting] Naomi!
[Tom] Naomi very deliberately making her way across the barricade.
[crowd continues chanting]
[King] She's trying to make it to an announce table.
-Whoa! -[Graves] Hang on.
[Tom] Found Marcelo and Carlos, that's nice.
-Naomi appears to take a little time here. -[timer buzzes]
-["Fabulous" playing] -[Graves] I don't blame her.
[Tom] Here comes number 27.
Carmella.
The former SmackDown Women's Champion.
Continues having luck of the draw.
Last year she came in at number 30.
[King] Oh, Carmella! Wait a minute.
[Tom] Meanwhile, Naomi is measuring for whatever she's thinking about here.
[Graves] Naomi is doing the smartest thing of anybody right now.
She's surveying the scene.
Look at this! Take a ride on the 'Mella-go-round.
They're still going, King!
[Tom] There goes Natalya.
[King] I'm dizzy just from watching that.
[Tom] Carmella believes she's been overlooked and underestimated
for much of 2019.
Trying to change her fortunes in 2020.
And now Naomi's on our desk.
-[King] Easy. Where you going? -[Tom] Best of luck.
[Graves] Wherever she wants, King.
[King] What?
'Mella just doubled up on a bronco buster.
Just a natural selection.
[superstars yelling]
-Are you kidding me? -There's no way.
You can't do this.
[Tom] You're gonna jump that?
[Graves] Maybe that-- No.
You can't. There's-- Naomi…
No! You can't do it.
[Tom] Wait, look at this.
-[King] Oh! -[Graves] Glam slam in the ring.
Beth Phoenix just planted Charlotte Flair.
[Tom] Now Natalya going after Toni Storm and Flair.
Naomi's made it to the German announce desk.
She's going around the world.
[King] That's even further away from the ring.
[Graves] Oh no!
-[Tom] Charlotte Flair-- -[King] There goes The Queen!
-[Tom] No, went through the ropes! -[King] You're right.
[Graves] You're right.
This could be a blessing in disguise if you're Charlotte Flair.
On the receiving end of a beatdown from The Glamazon and Natalya.
[King] Beth Phoenix can't believe they didn't have Charlotte over the top rope.
But she was not.
[crowd] Two, one.
[timer buzzes]
[Graves] Naomi still trying to formulate some sort of gameplan.
["Chicane Boys" playing]
[Tom] Oh, now Tegan Nox has entered the fray.
From NXT, The Girl With the Shiniest Wizard.
The Welsh superstar who's been out for revenge against Dakota Kai
has gotta be disappointed Kai's not in this match at this point.
She'll get her hands on her Wednesday on NXT.
-[King] "The Shiniest Wizard"? -[Tom] Yes, sir.
Delivers the Shining Wizard better than anybody.
-[Graves] I take issue with that. -[Tom laughs]
-[shrieks] -[Tom] Wait a minute.
Oh! A big choke slam inspired by the Big Red Machine, Kane.
And, of course, the moonsault.
[Graves] If Tegan Nox wants inspiration from Kane,
use it in the Royal Rumble.
One of the most dominant figures ever.
[Tom] Oh! Another glam slam by Phoenix.
[Graves] I don't think the Big Red Machine has ever been glam slammed.
[announcers laugh]
[Tom] I can't believe the resolve of Beth Phoenix.
The Hall of Famer clearly took a nasty cut early on in this match.
There's a wild-eyed look in, Graves, our broadcast partner from NXT.
[Graves] Nothing should surprise you when it comes to Beth Phoenix.
One of the toughest competitors on the roster.
Male or female.
A Hall of Famer for a damn good reason.
[crowd] Two, one.
[Tom] Meanwhile…
[timer buzzes]
What's Naomi doing?
["You Look So Good To Me" playing]
-[King] She's still down on the-- -[Graves] Ha!
[Tom] Oh, uh-- No.
-[King laughs] -[Tom] No.
[King] Who's this?
[Tom] No.
[Graves] It's Santina.
What?!
She looks wonderful.
[King laughs] Wonderful?
[Tom] Beth Phoenix and Naomi are stunned.
As are all of us.
Because Beth Phoenix has some history with Santina, I believe,
in this very city.
[Graves] Oh my gosh.
-It's me. -[crowd cheering]
[Graves] I don't know if Beth realizes…
[King] I think she does.
[Tom] Yeah, clearly Beth has not forgotten.
WrestleMania 2009,
Santina Marella eliminated Beth Phoenix
to become Ms. WrestleMania.
[crowd cheering]
[King] Did history repeat itself?
It's me. Remember that, you bitch.
[Tom] Whoa. Santina's put on some weight.
[King laughs]
-[Graves] You can't say that, Tom. -[King] No.
[crowd cheering]
-[Tom] All right! -[Graves] Okay!
Thought about The Cobra!
Beth and Natalya did not flinch.
-[King laughs] -[Graves] Wait a minute!
[King] Whoa!
[announcers laughing]
[Tom] Santina eliminated herself?
[Graves] That's a Cobra-assisted elimination.
[Tom] Now Beth and Natalya have to emotionally move past that.
[King] I do too.
[Tom] That means we're about to see the final entrant into the Royal Rumble.
-[timer buzzes] -[King] Number 30!
Get in here.
["Loyalty is Everything" playing]
-[Tom] Oh my God! -[crowd cheering]
[Graves] Game over.
[Tom] The two-time NXT Women's Champion,
Shayna Baszler.
The woman who beat Becky Lynch and Bayley in the same night
at Survivor Series.
[King] And what a spot to enter, number 30!
[Graves] Baszler just threw the mouthpiece in,
but I think it's the other competitor who could be better served by it.
It's about to get ugly.
-Shayna went right for The Queen. -[King] No, no, no! Oh!
[Tom] Charlotte Flair is not eliminated from this matchup.
Is on the outside of the ring, both feet touched the floor,
but she went through the ropes, not over.
Baszler goes after The Queen.
A punch right to Natalya.
[Graves] One of the most dangerous women walking the planet Earth.
Shayna Baszler is gonna lay waste to the field.
-There goes Xia Li. -[Tom] There's one.
[King] Look out!
[Tom] Calls herself the Submission Magician.
An absolutely terrorizing superstar.
And now Baszler takes out Tegan Nox.
-[shrieks] -[King] Uh-oh.
[Graves] Uh-oh. Uh-oh!
The Kirifuda Clutch!
[Tom] Has her from a standing position.
Gets Vega over the top.
Cinching in the kill for the clutch!
[Graves] Zelina's not gonna last long before she falls asleep.
[Tom] Wait a minute, Shotzi Blackheart!
-[Graves] We saw this in NXT. -[King] Oh!
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
[Tom] Oh, and now Shotzi Blackheart could not best--
What is going on?
[Graves] Naomi with the hood from the--
[Tom] It's the cowl of our table, the Spanish announce table.
Naomi's building a bridge.
[King] This is ingenious.
Oh, no. That's got a slant to it.
[Tom] It's a little flimsy.
-It's not meant for this. -[King] She made it!
[Graves] Shayna Baszler in trouble.
Watch Carmella.
[Tom] Baszler tied up within the ropes.
Carmella tried to capitalize.
-[King] Oh! -[Tom] Carmella's eliminated.
[Graves] Uh-oh, Toni Storm…
[yells]
…getting familiar.
-[Tom] Now Toni's out. -[King] Toni!
[Tom] Wait, Naomi perched on the top rope.
I don't think Baszler realizes it.
-[Graves] Naomi's back in the Rumble. -[King] She does now.
[Tom] Off the top, now Naomi.
Went for the Rear View.
Now Baszler takes her out!
Baszler, in a matter of minutes, has seven eliminations.
-[King] You're kidding. After all that? -[Graves] Shayna's barely broken a sweat.
Let's be perfectly honest.
Shayna Baszler came in here like a jackal.
Just picking the bones of all the competitors before her.
[Tom] Now Shayna Baszler going after two of the best to ever do it.
Beth Phoenix and Natalya.
[King] Those punches.
[grunting]
-[Tom] Now Baszler-- Oh, wait a minute! -Come on!
[Tom] Double team!
-[King] Oh! -[Tom] Hart Attack!
Get out of here!
[Graves] Made famous by Natalya's father Jim "The Anvil"
and Bret "The Hitman" Hart.
[announcers yell]
[Tom] I love it!
-[Graves] Beth eliminated Natalya! -[King] What?
-You gotta be kidding me! -[Graves] Yes!
[Tom] Turnabout is fair play!
[Graves] It's every woman for herself.
[King] Beth Phoenix definitely on a mission now.
[Tom] Turnabout for the first women's Royal Rumble--
Now Baszler.
[Graves] This is WrestleMania on the line, but now The Glamazon in trouble.
[King] Oh!
[Tom] And now Phoenix--
-[Graves] Hang on! -[Tom] Phoenix trying to hang on.
Oh, wait, Charlotte Flair!
[Graves] Charlotte's still legal in the match!
Baszler and Phoenix are both over the top rope.
-[King] But they're not eliminated. -[Graves] They rolled back to the inside.
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] Uh-oh.
What are you gonna do?
-Uh-uh. No! -[crowd cheering]
[King] This is about to get good.
[crowd chanting] Shayna!
[King] Look at the emotion of Charlotte Flair.
She is literally shaking.
[Graves] Like a couple of lionesses about to do battle for their territory.
Baszler with a smile on her face.
[Tom] A dream showdown in the women's Royal Rumble match.
-Now Phoenix-- -[King] What?!
[Tom] Phoenix after The Queen.
Charlotte Flair's gotta be careful.
Charlotte Flair's hanging on.
And now Phoenix--
Phoenix over the top!
-[King] Oh! -[Tom] Has been eliminated by Baszler.
[Graves] Beth Phoenix lost her grip.
Baszler just needs to worry about The Queen.
-[Tom] Now it's down to Flair and Baszler. -[groans]
No! No!
[King] Baszler's got the boots.
No!
[Tom] Charlotte Flair trying to hold on.
[yells]
-[Tom] Now Flair-- -[King] Oh, no!
[Tom] Flair's gotta keep her feet off the ground.
[Graves] Charlotte has such tremendous upper body strength.
[Tom] Baszler, right behind-- Backing up from Charlotte--
-Charlotte Flair is going to WrestleMania! -[bell rings]
[Flair whoops]
[Rome] Here is your winner,
Charlotte Flair!
[King] I told you guys I was right.
This is awesome!
[Tom] She lasted 27 minutes, 19 seconds.
From the number 17 position.
And it was enough to punch her ticket to WrestleMania.
How sweet does this have to be, Graves,
coming in as the runner-up last year,
and this year making right on that moment?
[Graves] With a tear in my eye.
Charlotte Flair has earned an opportunity to reclaim her throne
at the biggest event in entertainment,
WrestleMania.
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] One of the three women who made history last year,
the first ever women's main event in WrestleMania history,
is going back to the show of shows.
It came down to the stretch.
Beth Phoenix eliminated by Shayna Baszler.
This out on the apron.
[Graves] It was an arduous path for Charlotte Flair,
who was able to clamp her legs around the upper body of Shayna Baszler.
Launching Baszler to the floor.
And earning a championship opportunity
at the granddaddy of them all.
[King] There it is.
-Yes! -[crowd cheering]
[King] The Queen overcome with emotion.
And for good reason.
What a night.
[Tom] It is full speed ahead to Tampa, Florida,
for Charlotte Flair.
The Queen has a guaranteed title opportunity
at WrestleMania.
Charlotte, congratulations on winning the women's Royal Rumble match.
You outlasted 29 extraordinary other competitors
to be the last woman standing.
Now you'll go on to face the titleholder of your choice
at WrestleMania.
Can you share your plans with us?
[scattered booing]
I can tell you this.
Since day one,
I have been a diamond cut to last!
[scattered cheering]
And whether any of you wanted me to win
or wanted me to lose,
tonight I reminded all of you
that this is my division.
[crowd cheering]
Woooo!
[crowd] Woooo!
[Tom] Tonight in Houston The Queen outlasts the field.
Pressure creates diamonds.
And now it is up to Charlotte Flair
to make good on her title opportunity,
whomever she chooses,
at WrestleMania.
[Graves] Charlotte Flair is built for this.
Charlotte Flair was bred for this.
We are talking about the pinnacle of sports entertainment.
The very peak of our industry.
And you want a diamond cut to last
shining at the top of the mountain.
[King] Right now I'm sure her dad, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair,
has tears of joy, tears of pride, running down his face.
I can assure you.
Woooo!
[crowd cheering]
[Tom] Congratulations to The Queen.
With a smile on her face,
Charlotte Flair is going to WrestleMania.
What a night so far.
And what a women's Royal Rumble match.
And congratulations are in order--
Stop talking. Stop talking. Really, just for two seconds.
I've got something to say about Roman Reigns.
Did you see what happened in that match out there tonight?
Roman Reigns is relying on that little Bloodline brotherhood.
He made an absolute mockery of that match.
Roman Reigns is so scared and terrified of me
that he had to go get his little henchmen to come and help him get the job done.
So you know what? Tonight, in that Royal Rumble match,
Roman Reigns cannot hide behind the Usos a second time.
So I'm gonna take Roman Reigns, and throw him over that top rope,
and I'm gonna be the one that goes on and main events WrestleMania.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Well, that was a classic case of revisionist history by King Corbin.
["Role Model" playing]
Here is your SmackDown Women's Champion, Bayley.
Bayley, the longest reigning SmackDown Women's Champion ever.
Today marks day number 247 of her current reign.
Corey, a very tough challenge tonight for Bayley
in the form of Lacey Evans.
It didn't get any easier
knowing Bayley just saw Charlotte Flair win the women's Royal Rumble match.
If Bayley makes it to WrestleMania as SmackDown Women's Champion.
what if The Queen challenges her?
[Cole] It's true.
Charlotte could challenge either the SmackDown or the Raw Women's Champion.
As Bayley makes her way to the ring.
That look on her face, the new attitude.
We will show you now how Lacey Evans earned her opportunity here tonight.
It was a couple of weeks ago on SmackDown.
Bayley in control of what was a very physical matchup.
[Graves] Lacey Evans, The Sassy Southern Belle.,
has been relentless in her pursuit
of tracking down and dethroning the SmackDown Women's Champion, Bayley.
And just that quickly, a Woman's Right put Bayley to sleep.
If that happens tonight in Houston,
Lacey Evans is your new SmackDown Women's Champion, period.
[Cole] Bayley a five-time Women's Champion here in WWE.
Part of the inaugural Women's Tag Team Champions
along with Sasha Banks, a Money in the Bank winner.
She cashed in Money in the Bank on the same night to win the championship.
Been quite the career so far for Bayley.
["Like A Lady" playing]
[crowd cheering]
♪ So traditional ♪
♪ It's unconditional ♪
♪ One, two, I'm marching… ♪
[Cole] We had an opportunity to see Friday Night SmackDown
on Fox this past Friday night, Corey.
A very emotional interview with Lacey Evans.
Where she talked about her rough upbringing
and the fact that she's trying to be a role model for that young lady,
her seven-year-old daughter Summer.
Lacey Evans talks about being a leader
and questioning the leadership of the current champion, Bayley.
[Graves] Lacey Evans has lead a very fascinating life.
A very mentally and physically strong woman.
Could very well be champion.
You know, Raw and SmackDown are broadcast in 27 different languages.
The WWE Network, of course broadcasting all over the world.
As Lacey Evans, with her daughter, husband in support here at ringside.
I was talking about the WWE Network broadcasting all over the world.
Some of the representatives of the announce teams are here tonight.
Including the Portuguese team of Marco Alfaro and Roberto Figueroa.
[speaking in Portuguese]
[Cole] And the Russian team of Moti Margolin and Zhan Pomerantsev.
[speaking in Russian]
[Cole] And the Japanese team of Shun Yamaguchi and Funaki!
[speaking in Japanese]
[Cole] The Hindi team of Obaid Kadwani and Shez Sardar.
[speaking in Hindi]
[Cole] Welcome the French team of Ray Rougeau and Jean Brassard.
[speaking in French]
[Cole] And the Mandarin team, Meng Ai and Sean Deng!
[speaking in Mandarin]
[Graves] I'm a little disappointed.
Meng Ai promised me an authentic astronaut suit last night.
Then the cops showed up.
[bell rings]
The following contest, scheduled for one fall,
is for the SmackDown Women's Championship.
[crowd cheering]
Introducing the challenger,
she is The Sassy Southern Belle,
Lacey Evans!
[crowd cheering]
And her opponent, from San Jose, California,
she is the SmackDown Women's Champion,
Bayley!
[Cole] When you talk about the challenger, Lacey Evans,
it has been a wild 12 months.
She was in the Royal Rumble match last year,
she had a tremendous rivalry with Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch,
over the summer she had the first ever women's match
in Saudi Arabia with Natalya,
and of course now a championship match
at the Royal Rumble event.
[Graves] We saw just a moment ago
Bayley trying to play mind games with Lacey right from the get-go.
Lacey's daughter Summer…
[bell rings]
…with a thumbs down for the SmackDown Women's Champion.
[Cole] That was a play off of social media.
Where Bayley took a photo out of context
to say that Summer was actually giving her mom a thumbs-down.
And Lacey backs Bayley into the corner.
What does Lacey Evans have to do tonight, Corey,
to dethrone Bayley?
[Graves] Lacey has to keep her emotions in check.
Right now they're focused.
She's delivering a beating to the SmackDown Women's Champion.
However, Bayley is a veteran. Cover!
[Cole] Bayley kicks out at one.
[Graves] Bayley is a veteran.
Bayley will wait for any mistake made by Lacey Evans
and capitalize on it.
[Cole] Lacey.
[Lacey yells]
[Cole] Number of knees driven into the shoulder of Bayley.
Again cover by Lacey.
Hook of the leg, and the champ kicks out at one again.
Lacey has questioned the leadership skills of Bayley
in the women's division on Friday Night SmackDown.
But there is the veteran instinct of the champion, Bayley.
[Graves] Bayley so highly skilled inside the ropes.
Any opening will be capitalized on.
Wait, look at this. Bayley looking to--
-What? -Watch that!
-Do that, it'll be over. -[Graves] Loosened the turnbuckle pad.
[Cole] Lacey Evans dumped out to the apron by Bayley.
Oh! Sweep of the legs…
by Evans.
Launches herself up over the top rope.
Delivers an elbow right to the midsection of Bayley.
Evans has quite the story.
-Hey, hey! Whoa. -[Cole] Oh.
-[Lacey] You serious? -[Cole] Bayley may have injured her knee.
-Stay here. No. -Come on!
Hey. Hey, look at me.
[Cole] Grasping her right leg.
-[referee] Okay. -Are we done?
[crowd yelling]
[Cole] Bayley landed awkwardly.
[Graves] If Bayley were unable to continue she would forfeit the championship.
Suckering Lacey Evans in.
A cheap right hand by Bayley.
Who apparently was never injured.
Oh! She dumps Evans on the top turnbuckle.
[Cole] And Bayley now with the upper hand.
[Graves] You mentioned at the get-go, Bayley just waiting for Lacey to--
[Cole] The champ with the elbow!
Make a mistake, cover, that's gotta be it.
Is it enough to put Evans away?
Kicks out at two.
[Graves] Bayley has put away many, many opponents with a flying elbow.
-It's your fault. -Knock it off. Cover her.
[Cole] The grit and determination of Lacey Evans as she kicked out.
But now the viciousness of Bayley.
[Graves] Relentless crossfaces to the challenger.
-[yells] -[groans]
[Cole] Bayley said earlier this week
that she was sick and tired of being a role model.
Sick and tired of inspiring young women around the globe.
That it was her time and her time to shine.
Cover by Bayley!
And a kickout by Evans again.
[Graves] That's all well and good.
Except Bayley and Sasha Banks both have to be concerned
that they crossed the line when it came to insulting Lacey Evans' family.
Her daughter Summer.
[Cole] Family means everything to Lacey Evans.
She talked a lot about a very rough upbringing.
[screams]
[referee] Knock it off.
[Cole] Forced her to join the Marine Corps.
Where she graduated at the top of her class.
A corporal by the age of 22.
Serving five years in the Marines.
Part of the Special Reaction SWAT team
when she was based at Parris Island.
Shut up, idiot!
[Cole] Bayley looks to silence Lacey Evans tonight.
[Graves] This isn't about strategy. Just trying to wear down Lacey Evans.
Lacey so strong, such a powerful competitor.
-[Lacey yells] -[announcers] Oh!
[Graves] Bayley, of course, always need to be wary of the Woman's Right.
[Cole] What is different about Bayley, Corey?
There's the obvious, the different look and attitude,
but is it that confidence?
Again, off the suplex.
Floats into the cover, kickout by Evans.
[Graves] I think it's the focus.
Bayley has finally cut away everything in her life
that she didn't feel is absolutely necessary to her own personal success.
She's not worried about the fans.
She's not worried about hugs and meet-and-greets.
I don't hear you now, you idiot!
[Graves] Bayley is fully confident in herself.
She is truly the top of the SmackDown women's division.
You can't argue while she's the champ.
[Cole] A beautiful look from the top of Minute Maid Stadium
here in Houston, Texas, tonight.
Home to the 33rd Royal Rumble event.
[Bayley yells]
[Cole] In the ring, the SmackDown Women's Champion, Bayley.
Defending against the challenger, Lacey Evans.
Who sends Bayley flying.
As Lacey tries to gain some momentum here.
Quickly Bayley wrestles her back to the mat.
Oh, no!
[Graves] Smart strategy.
Shut up!
No.
[Cole] I asked Lacey earlier how she plans to win the championship,
she says, "Determination."
What her life's been about.
Being a determined individual.
Fighting against all odds.
She's doing that tonight.
[Bayley yells]
[Cole] Oh! And a clothesline.
Bayley, cover.
To retain her SmackDown title--
And a kickout.
You know, 247 days as champion,
nothing to laugh at, Corey.
[Graves] I completely agree with you.
That's what drives Bayley.
Is that, despite that amazing statistic…
Come on, mommy!
…Bayley still feels disrespected.
[Cole] She feels overlooked sometimes.
She feels like she's in the shadow of the Raw Women's Champion,
"The Man" Becky Lynch.
[Graves] Hard to disagree with sometimes.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Lacey!
[Cole] Becky in action later tonight against Asuka.
Oh! And a high elbow catches Lacey in the chin.
Cover by Bayley.
Is it enough to put Evans away?
Kickout again by Evans at two.
[Graves] Bayley now mounts Evans and delivers the right hands.
Notice how close Bayley has remained to her opponent through most of this match.
Just not allowing Lacey any chance to capitalize.
Just smothering Lacey Evans.
The official checking on Lacey there.
Those wicked right hands by Bayley.
-[crowd chanting] Let's go, Lacey! -[Lacey groans]
[Graves] Right back to the rear chin lock.
I'm a big fan of this strategy by the SmackDown Women's Champion.
[Cole] Been a near perfect game plan so far for Bayley.
Again driving Evans into the corner.
[Graves] That had to be Bayley's plan. She had to expect a flurry from Lacey.
[Cole] Oh! And Lacey!
[Graves] Bayley let Lacey burn herself out.
But now the challenger with an opportunity.
[Cole] Lacey sent out to the apron. Almost got caught up there.
Now gotta be careful.
Oh! Big knee.
What a knee lift right to the chest of Bayley.
Up over the top.
Rolls Bayley through.
Shoulders down, for the title. And a kickout at two, near fall.
[Bayley yells]
[Graves] Elbow right on the jawline of Lacey Evans.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Lacey!
[Graves] Bayley, second rope.
Now mocking Evans with the salute.
[crowd booing]
[Cole] Went across body, nobody home as Evans ducked out of the way.
This could be the opening that Lacey Evans needs.
[Graves] Bayley got a little overconfident and paid for it.
See the fire in the eyes of Lacey Evans.
[Bayley grunts]
[Cole] Lacey firing out of the corner.
Now Evans building much needed momentum here.
Kick to the midsection.
[Graves] Driving Bayley shoulder first into the mat.
[Lacey yells]
[Cole] Running knee, and Bayley.
Lacey Evans is feeling it.
Could she be closing in on her first championship here in WWE?
Lacey can't offer Bayley any quarter at this moment.
[announcers] Oh!
[Graves] Evans needs to be relentless.
The pressure on the champion.
[Cole] Pinning Bayley against the bottom turnbuckle.
[Bayley groans]
[man] That would've hurt.
[Graves] Great catch by Lacey Evans.
[Cole] Made it look easy, didn't she?
Launching herself off the top rope.
Oh! And right into Bayley.
[Graves] Again, this deep into the matchup these things are gonna factor in.
Cover here-- Cover attempt.
[Cole] But Bayley, smart. Wisely rolls out of harm's way.
[Graves] This is what truly defines what it means to be a champion.
When you get this deep into the water…
[crowd] Oh!
[Cole] And then draw Evans in,
and attack!
Just like that.
[Graves] You get this deep into a matchup, this deep into the water,
your lungs start to burn.
Your legs get heavy.
There you see Summer, looking, cheering on her mother, Lacey Evans.
[Cole] That was an incredible sequence Bayley just put together there, Corey.
She rolled out of harm's way
to prevent Evans from going into cover,
then she sidestepped Evans and drove her into the barricade.
[Bayley yelling]
[Cole] Summer trying to hang on to her mom.
Oh! As Bayley drives Evans back into the barricade again.
[referee] Come on, inside.
[Graves] Gotta be a terrible feeling. Disturbing if you're Lacey's daughter.
Looking for the belly-to-belly. Smart move by Lacey, drop to her knees.
Shifting her weight.
[Cole] Bayley gonna try again.
Evans again able to prevent it!
[groans]
[Cole] Nice neckbreaker by Evans.
Lacey, standing moonsault.
Connecting to Bayley.
Now she looks to climb up to the top rope.
Can she do it here?
[Graves] Does Lacey have enough left to close the door,
capture the SmackDown Women's Championship?
[Cole] Now the real salute from the Marine.
Tope rope, moonsault, Bayley got her legs up!
And cover by Bayley!
To retain the SmackDown Women's Title.
-Grabs the tights, and Bayley wins! -[bell rings]
[crowd cheering]
[Hamilton] Here is your winner and still the SmackDown Women's Champion,
Bayley!
[Cole] I don't know how you cut it any cleaner than that.
A very impressive performance by Lacey Evans.
But Bayley just showed Lacey
and the entire WWE Universe
why she is the SmackDown Women's Champion.
[Graves] Lacey Evans was a moonsault away from winning the SmackDown Women's Title,
but Bayley able to prevail.
Her championship reign,
a record setting 247 days and counting now.
For Bayley, now she sits back and waits
and sees what Charlotte Flair is going to do.
The winner of the women's Royal Rumble.
Who will Charlotte pick to face for the championship at WrestleMania?
[Graves] Unfortunately for Lacey Evans,
she had a golden opportunity in her fingertips
and she may have blown it.
One of the things we've talked about is that Lacey Evans is a future champion.
I don't think there's any doubt. One day she will hold the gold.
I would agree.
A very impressive showing, nothing to be ashamed of.
However, Bayley removing a lot of doubt from a lot of doubters tonight.
Again, welcoming you into ringside, to the 33rd Royal Rumble.
Corey, we got some business to do.
Some thank yous for our musical groups.
[Graves] Want to send out a very special thank you to Zayde Wolf for "Rumble."
An official theme song of WWE Royal Rumble.
Available right now on Apple Music and Spotify.
[Cole] Corey, things are about to get weird.
Because coming up next,
"The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, the Universal Champion,
is going to defend against the challenger, Daniel Bryan,
in a strap match.
And this is about a renewed, a revived,
a very different Daniel Bryan.
[poignant music playing]
I've said on numerous occasions that the Yes Movement is dead.
Is dead!
But maybe, just maybe,
you guys brought it back to life.
[crowd chanting] Yes!
Yes!
I wasn't changed because of The Fiend, I was changed because of you.
It was your passion, your voice, your energy
that made me realize the person that I should've been
this whole time!
Yes!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!
-[haunting voices] Yes… -[ominous music playing]
♪ Hush, little baby, don't say a word ♪
[Cole] Oh my God, The Fiend!
♪ Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird ♪
♪ And if that mockingbird won't sing ♪
♪ Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring ♪
[music distorts]
[upbeat music playing]
[Wyatt] I had an absolute blast playing with Daniel.
[haunting voices] Daniel…
Daniel, he just wanted you to remember.
[ominous music playing]
[Bryan] I'm yours. Let me join the family.
-[crowd chanting] Yes! -[haunting voices] Yes…
[Cole] Bryan shedding the Wyatts' skin.
Trust me on this one, I'm not sure I wanna know.
But I'm with Daniel Bryan.
[upbeat music continues]
[haunting voices] Yes…
[dramatic music playing]
[Cole] Could it be?
Daniel Bryan is back.
[Bryan] Bray Wyatt likes to talk about changing people.
Guess what, he succeeded.
But I'm gonna change Bray Wyatt too.
And how do you beat somebody that disappears?
I challenge The Fiend to a strap match
for the Universal Championship.
-And he won't be able to run. -[laughing]
[Bryan] And he won't be able to disappear.
You never did learn your lesson.
You betrayed me.
Now it's time to pay.
[laughs menacingly]
[Cole] Now a Mandible Claw!
[The Fiend howls]
[dramatic music continues]
[Cole] Oh my God!
[Graves] Daniel Bryan asked for this.
Daniel Bryan demanded this.
And you won't be competing against me.
[in menacing voice] It's only fitting that he sign the contract.
[Wyatt laughing]
[dramatic music playing]
[crowd cheering]
[bell rings]
[Rome] The following contest is a strap match
for the Universal Championship!
Both competitors will be bound together
by a 13-foot strap tied around their wrists,
and the only way to win
is by pinfall or submission.
["Flight of the Valkyries" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] You know, The Fiend has changed many.
But in Daniel Bryan's case, perhaps for the better.
But, Corey, I have to ask this question.
If you're Daniel Bryan,
why the hell would you intentionally tie yourself to The Fiend?
[Graves] Obviously Daniel Bryan's thinking…
I don't know what the hell he's thinking.
Daniel Bryan has been changed.
You're absolutely right.
He is determined, he is focused.
Daniel Bryan believes he has figured out a way
to solve The Fiend.
That said, we saw how SmackDown ended.
We saw the footage from moments ago.
Where The Fiend nearly ripped the flesh off of Daniel Bryan's back
with the very strap that will be in play tonight.
[crowd chanting] Yes!
[Cole] The reason for the strap match
was The Fiend escaping through the ring a couple of weeks ago.
Bryan wanted to make sure that that does not happen tonight.
["Good Friendship Song" playing]
♪ We're really glad That you're our friend ♪
♪ And this is a friendship That will never, ever end ♪
[song distorts]
[crowd cheering]
["Let Me In" playing]
♪ Let me in ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Catching flies ♪
♪ In his mouth ♪
♪ Tasting freedom ♪
♪ While he dares ♪
♪ Then crawling back ♪
♪ Back to the top ♪
♪ Top of the stairs ♪
♪ Of the stairs ♪
♪ He won't see the sun again For years to come ♪
♪ He's broken out of love ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Like a cat ♪
♪ Without a care ♪
♪ Roaming freely ♪
♪ Through the streets ♪
♪ You could find him In amongst the pigeons ♪
♪ In the square ♪
♪ He won't see the sun again For years to come ♪
♪ He's broken out of love ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
♪ Heal ♪
♪ Catching flies ♪
♪ In his mouth ♪
♪ Tasting freedom ♪
♪ While he dares ♪
♪ Then crawling back ♪
♪ Back to the top ♪
♪ Top of the stairs ♪
♪ Of the stairs ♪
♪ He won't see the sun again For years to come ♪
♪ He's broken out of love ♪
[crowd cheering]
Introducing the challenger, from Aberdeen, Washington,
weighing in at 210 pounds,
Daniel Bryan!
[crowd chanting] Yes!
[Hamilton] And his opponent,
he is the Universal Champion,
The Fiend,
Bray Wyatt!
[Cole] It is about the Universal Championship.
There is the custom-made title.
With The Fiend's face adorning the front of that championship.
This is a strap match.
The official is now going to put this 13-foot strap,
one end on the wrist of Daniel Bryan,
the other on the wrist of The Fiend.
It has been nearly a decade since we've had a strap match in WWE.
Corey, there's a reason why.
Only pinfalls or submissions.
You cannot get away from your opponent.
And the strap can be used as a weapon.
[Graves] Daniel Bryan believes that the way to defeating The Fiend, Bray Wyatt,
is by stopping The Fiend from escaping.
There is no escape in this situation.
I question Daniel Bryan's decision
to tie himself to one of the most diabolical,
unholy beings we have ever seen.
[Cole] The clean shaven Daniel Bryan
was dragged down underneath the ring
and had all of the hair ripped out of his head by The Fiend.
The reason Bryan is the way he is today.
The Fiend tries to pull Bryan toward him.
We're under way, right hands from Daniel Bryan.
[Graves] There's no question, Daniel Bryan is fearless.
Whether or not that fearlessness is actually a benefit remains to be seen.
[crowd chanting] Yes!
[Graves] Yes Kicks out of the gate.
Daniel Bryan came prepared for battle.
No doubt about it.
[Cole] If you're Daniel Bryan, you have to put The Fiend away early.
Oh! And what a powerbomb!
That might have been Daniel Bryan's only opportunity.
The Fiend
perhaps the most
intimidating creature in the history of WWE.
Using the strap.
[Graves] The Universal Champion is going to savor this.
[Cole] Oof!
[Graves] This punishment being inflicted on the challenger.
[Bryan yells]
[Graves] Again and again The Fiend using the strap,
in a match that Daniel Bryan requested.
That Bryan asked for.
[Bryan yells]
[Cole] Goodness.
[Graves] The sickening sound of leather
being whipped across Daniel Bryan's flesh
over and over again.
[Cole] Now looking right in the eyes of the challenger, Bryan.
A headbutt to the nose.
[Graves] Again, Daniel Bryan, is he brave? Absolutely.
Is he wise?
I'm having my doubts as this match progresses.
[Cole] Something changed inside Daniel Bryan
when he had his first run in with The Fiend.
[The Fiend grunts]
[Graves] Something is changed in everyone that has to encounter The Fiend.
[Cole] Fiend sent outside the ring.
Daniel Bryan!
Kick right to the face.
[yells]
[Cole] Using full momentum.
-Oh! And driven into the barricade. -[Graves] Oh!
The Fiend just swatted Bryan away.
[Cole] Now into the post face first!
[boy yelling] Daniel!
-[man] Yowie wowie! -[The Fiend growls]
[crowd cheering]
-[screaming] -[crowd exclaims]
[Graves] The Fiend just continues to move forward.
Never relenting.
[Cole] Look at the welts building now on the back of Daniel Bryan.
As The Fiend continues flogging Bryan.
[Graves] Downright diabolical.
Oh my God! Across the chest of the challenger.
[Cole] Sick, sick individual.
Terrorized WWE for months now.
And now Reigns is the Universal Champion.
And this is the slow, methodical pace
that we've come to expect from the champ.
[Graves] We've seen The Fiend has an absolutely ravenous appetite
for inflicting punishment on his unfortunate opponents.
[Cole] The Fiend seems to enjoy
every bit of it.
[The Fiend grunts]
[Graves] Daniel Bryan hoisted up to the top turnbuckle.
-[Cole] Primal-- Oh! -[Graves] Oh my gosh!
[crowd exclaiming]
[Graves] This is agonizing to watch.
I can only imagine
what the feeling pulsing through Daniel Bryan's body is.
Oh no.
[Cole] Daniel Bryan's helpless, Daniel Bryan's hung up on the top rope.
Oh!
The thrashing continues.
[Bryan yells]
[Cole] Bryan trying just to get out of the situation.
Trying to survive, to protect himself.
But there is no protection.
As The Fiend continues to whip away at Bryan.
[Graves] I've gotta tell you, Daniel Bryan rues the day
he asked for this matchup.
No doubt about it.
[Cole] Look at Bryan's body.
[The Fiend laughing maniacally]
[Graves] The disturbed laughter from The Fiend.
[Cole] Is that what it was?
[The Fiend grunts]
[Cole] The Fiend planting Bryan again.
[referee] No, no, no!
[Bryan groans]
[Graves] Just demoralizing. Oh!
When you're in there with this evil man.
[crowd yelling and cheering]
[The Fiend grunts]
[Cole] What goes through his mind?
-[Graves] Where is his mind? -[The Fiend yells]
[crowd cheers]
[The Fiend yelling]
[Graves] The Fiend is toying with Daniel Bryan.
[Cole] Daniel Bryan trying to fight back. A couple kicks to the face of The Fiend.
Another headbutt drops Bryan to a knee.
Looking to put Daniel Bryan away with a Sister Abigail.
[Graves] Good night.
[Cole] Bryan able to make his way out.
A kick caught The Fiend and The Fiend may be stunned!
Bryan with a Running Knee!
Could be Bryan's opportunity!
Here's the cover for the championship.
And a kickout!
[Graves] We've seen Daniel Bryan deliver the Running Knee.
It's without a doubt been his most effective weapon against The Fiend.
[Cole] The question, Corey, is, was that it?
Was that the last rally, the last gasp for Daniel Bryan?
There was the connection to the face.
Bryan this close to winning the Universal Title.
The Fiend right back up to his feet.
Daniel Bryan though! Fiend sent over the top rope.
Bryan now in the ring.
Bryan's gonna go up top.
What does Bryan have in mind?
The Fiend may be in trouble.
Daniel Bryan launches himself into The Fiend!
And The Fiend is down!
And suddenly Daniel Bryan has the upper hand.
[Graves] Where is Daniel Bryan drawing this will from
to continue fighting?
[Cole] It's a fight for survival.
That's what it is for Daniel Bryan.
Oh! Attack or be attacked.
Punish or be punished.
-[man 1] Come on! -Come on, Bray!
[man 2] Come on, Daniel!
[Graves] Daniel driven into the steps.
The Fiend--
Daniel Bryan able to avoid.
[Cole] He slides through the ring-- Daniel Bryan drives!
He just threw The Fiend into the ring post!
And again The Fiend into the post!
[Graves] Over and over again.
Daniel Bryan utilizing the strap to his advantage.
Driving the champion into the ring post.
[Cole] Tremendous survival tactic by Daniel Bryan.
Also allows Daniel to buy a little time to perhaps regroup here.
[Graves] Look at this.
Daniel Bryan knew he was gonna have to take some high risks
to stand any chance.
It doesn't get much bigger than that.
From the top rope to the floor.
Flattening the champion.
Daniel Bryan once again!
[Cole] The Fiend was actually backtracking.
As Bryan delivers another knee.
Oh! And The Fiend exploding into a clothesline!
Turning Bryan inside out.
Get the hell away from here!
[The Fiend breathing heavily]
-[Cole] God, did you see that face? -[Bryan yells]
[Cole] That look?
[Graves] The Fiend just stared a hole through our souls.
But he's once again
consumed with punishing Daniel Bryan.
Look now, The Fiend continuing to just take out Bryan here.
Clearing off the German announce table.
Take another look at another rally by Bryan.
But just like that, The Fiend turned things around.
[Graves] The depravity of The Fiend obviously knows no bounds.
Unfortunately, Daniel Bryan is experiencing it first hand.
What on earth is The Fiend gonna do right now?
He's cleared off the German announce table.
And The Fiend
climbing on top.
He's still, of course, strapped to Daniel Bryan.
Universal Champion standing over a fallen challenger.
[crowd cheering]
[announcers] Oh!
Bryan went low!
No disqualification is a strap match.
It's pinfall or submission.
Down low again, and again!
Daniel Bryan fighting with everything he's got!
And now on top of the German announce table.
Daniel Bryan planting,
with a DDT to The Fiend!
[Graves] But at what cost?
Daniel Bryan landed back first
on the table as well.
For the moment, Daniel Bryan seems to be trying to devise some sort of offense,
some sort of plan.
[Cole] Corey, he had to do something.
He had to do something.
He's just trying to survive in this match.
A number of low blows, a DDT.
If necessity is the mother of all invention,
Daniel Bryan better get creative real quick.
Because Daniel Bryan needs something right now.
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] It is Daniel Bryan's turn
to use the strap to his advantage.
And now the whipping begins on The Fiend!
-[crowd exclaims] -[The Fiend grunting]
[Bryan grunting]
[Cole] Belting and walloping The Fiend!
[crowd chanting] Yes!
[Graves] Now it's Daniel Bryan with the absolutely crazed look in his eyes.
Told you The Fiend changes people.
He's forced Daniel Bryan to do this.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Bryan!
[Cole] I cannot believe Daniel Bryan has regained control of this match
in this manner.
[Graves] Listen, Cole the Yes Movement
beginning to rally behind the challenger again.
All hope was lost for the moment--
[Cole] Bryan getting The Fiend back in the ring.
Smart move by Bryan.
Realized he's had to get in the ring to go up top.
Or else risk having the strap get caught up in the ropes.
Now Bryan with missile dropkick!
The Fiend, right under the chin with both feet.
And a kip-up by Bryan.
Making a statement to the WWE Universe.
"I'm still in this thing!"
[Graves] I cannot believe what we're witnessing right now.
[The Fiend grunts]
[Cole] Yes Kick.
Followed by the strap.
Another Yes Kick.
And another lashing from the strap.
Thunderous strikes echoing throughout Minute Maid Park.
[crowd chanting] Yes!
[Graves] There's the blow, The Fiend is down.
-[Cole] The Fiend's back up. -[The Fiend] Come on!
[Cole] And asking for more!
[The Fiend yelling indistinctly]
[Graves] Right across the head of the champion.
A kick to follow.
Corey, The Fiend was begging to be kicked
and whipped by Daniel Bryan.
[The Fiend grunts]
[crowd chanting] Yes!
[Cole] Stomping away at The Fiend's face.
Trying to feed off the adrenaline of the WWE fans.
[crowd chanting] Yes!
[Cole] To rally behind the Yes Movement.
[crowd chanting] Yes!
[Cole] The Fiend can blame himself for the return of the Yes Movement.
Oh, Fiend grabbed him!
Out of nowhere, a Sister Abigail!
Cover by The Fiend!
Oh! And Daniel Bryan kicked out!
He kicked out!
How the hell did he kick out?
The Fiend snatched Bryan out of mid-air!
In a Sister Abigail.
And Bryan kicked out.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Bryan!
[Graves] But is Daniel Bryan still in this fight,
or is he just prolonging his own suffering?
[Graves] Fiend is talking to himself.
Take another look at this.
Otherworldly power by Bray Wyatt, The Fiend.
Snatching Daniel Bryan out of a dead sprint.
Planting the challenger.
But somehow Daniel Bryan is still in this fight.
[Cole] I respect the hell out of Daniel Bryan,
but I did not expect this fight from Bryan against The Fiend tonight.
[yells]
[Graves] Look at the wounds of this battle.
All over the back, all over the flesh of Daniel Bryan.
[Cole] Battered, bruised, beaten up.
Imagine what The Fiend is saying to Bryan.
Slaps The Fiend!
And a slap back.
Dropping Bryan to his knees.
The rebellious attitude of Daniel Bryan.
Oh no! Mandible Claw.
[Graves] Daniel Bryan on the top rope, but might as well be paralyzed right now.
[Cole] Maybe not, Corey.
Daniel Bryan looking to counter.
Bryan looking to counter.
[Graves] If Daniel Bryan could pass the champion's shoulder under his chin,
this triangle would be complete.
[The Fiend screaming]
[Cole] Now it's The Fiend screaming in agony.
As he has a Mandible Claw still locked into Bryan.
[Graves] Who's gonna relent first? Will Daniel Bryan have to break his hold?
Or will the champion?
[Cole] Bryan using tremendous core strength
to pull himself back up to the top of the rope,
but dragged back by The Fiend.
Brought down to one knee.
Daniel Bryan still in a Mandible Claw.
What's Bryan gonna do? Can he rally?
Down to the mat.
Daniel Bryan trying to trap the arm of The Fiend.
-Now the Claw's out! -[Graves] No way!
Daniel Bryan's almost there!
Looking for the LeBell Lock!
[Graves] Can he get it in?
The LaBell Lock, Bryan's patented submission maneuver.
He's got The Fiend in place.
He's got the strap to use at his disposal.
He's got it wrapped around the face of The Fiend.
The Fiend's in trouble!
And Bryan could be closing in on the Universal Title.
[crowd cheering]
Is The Fiend gonna tap?
Is The Fiend gonna tap in a strap match?
Now Fiend trying to struggle to get back to his knees.
Bryan trying to wrap his legs around the waist.
Now the right hands from The Fiend to Bryan.
Bryan covering up as The Fiend mounts him.
[Graves] Almost as though The Fiend's able to tap into
some psychological, supernatural power.
Broke the LeBell Lock without a great deal of struggle.
[grunts]
[Cole] It's almost as if every time Daniel Bryan shows a glimpse of offense,
a flurry of hope,
The Fiend punishes him more.
The Fiend dragging Bryan.
[Graves] Daniel Bryan looks all but helpless right now.
[Cole] Physically spent, emotionally exhausted.
Fiend, center of the ring with Bryan.
Went for Sister Abigail.
Bryan rolls him up for the championship. Shoulders down. Kickout by The Fiend.
Misses the clothesline, Bryan using his quickness.
With another knee!
-Another knee! -[Graves] No.
[Cole] For the championship!
[Graves] He's gonna do it!
[Cole] Hooks the leg! Fiend kicks out at two and a half.
Two. Only two, Bryan.
[Graves] This is unheard of.
But as each moment ticks by,
Daniel Bryan is making a believer out of more and more of the WWE Universe.
[Cole] Corey, we talk all the time about Daniel Bryan's guts and his true grit,
and his determination.
How he can always dig down deep, and he's never out of a match.
But I don't think anyone expecting this performance
by the challenger here tonight.
[Graves] No one, maybe, except for Daniel Bryan himself.
Maybe this is what Bryan knew all along.
[Cole] Can Daniel Bryan actually do this?
The Fiend!
Back to his feet!
Look of, "What do I have to do?"
With this.
Look at--
[Graves] The Mandible Claw once again.
[Cole] The Fiend didn't budge as he was getting lashed by Bryan.
Bryan again still trying to fight out, but the Mandible Claw locked in.
The Fiend going to plant Bryan.
Shoulders are down.
-The Fiend retains the Universal Title. -[bell rings]
["Let Me In" playing]
[Hamilton] Here is your winner and still the Universal Champion,
The Fiend,
Bray Wyatt!
[Cole] Merciless in victory.
♪ Heal, hurt… ♪
[Cole] You cannot take anything away from Daniel Bryan.
What an incredible, gutsy performance here tonight.
But in the end…
The Fiend reigns supreme.
♪ Tasting freedom ♪
♪ While he dares ♪
♪ Then crawling back ♪
♪ Back to the top ♪
♪ Top of the stairs ♪
♪ Of the stairs ♪
♪ He won't see the sun again For years to come ♪
♪ He's broken out of love ♪
♪ Hurt ♪
[song ends]
[crowd cheering]
[referee 1] Let me get some help in here.
-[man 1] What? -[man 2] What?
[man 1] He disappeared.
Take it easy. We're gonna get you some help.
Guys, let's get him to the back.
[referee 2] We need to get him out of the ring.
[referee 1] Take your time, Bryan.
[scattered cheering]
[crowd cheering]
[scattered chanting] Yes!
Here we go. Nice and easy.
Easy, Bryan, easy. We got you. Take your time.
Watch his back.
[crowd cheering and applauding]
[crowd chanting] Thank you, Daniel!
Whoa. Easy.
[referee 3] Nice and easy.
-[referee 1] Take your time, Daniel. -[man] Get up, Daniel!
-I'm okay. -[referee 4] You sure?
[crowd chanting] Yes!
["The Messenger" playing]
That is right. The next time WWE comes to you on pay-per-view,
streaming live here on the WWE Network,
is four weeks from this coming Thursday.
That's February 27th.
WWE Super ShowDown
from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
But we have a fantastic night
here tonight at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.
We have set an attendance record here in Houston, Texas,
for this stadium, 42,715 WWE fans.
It is the largest entertainment event in Minute Maid Park history.
Beating out Taylor Swift.
King, you and I were talking about this between matches.
There's a WrestleMania type feel in this arena tonight.
[King] You're right about that. It's electric.
It's been an awesome night.
It's far from over.
[Tom] We are indeed on the road to WrestleMania.
Something "The Man" knows all too well.
Coming up next it's the Raw Women's Championship.
The enigmatic Asuka is the last debt Lynch believes there is left to collect.
Becky has gone so far as to put her contract negotiations with WWE on hold
in an attempt to secure this match.
Can Lynch prove herself against The Empress?
[dramatic music playing]
[Lynch] I've been walking around for months now,
wondering what kind of a champion I am.
What it really means to be The Man.
Should I just be happy now that I've made all the history I said I would?
[Cole] She did it!
[Graves] The single hottest superstar in the industry.
[Cole] Taking this division to a whole new level.
The longest reigning Raw Women's Champion in history.
[Lynch] Should I avoid the one woman I can't seem to beat?
[Tom] Asuka and Becky Lynch.
First time ever, go one on one.
[Cole] Asuka in the center of the ring.
[Tom] And a tap-out by Lynch!
[Lynch] Powers that be, they're trying to protect me against Asuka.
because they don't think that I can win.
Maybe they're right.
[Cole] Asuka from behind!
[Asuka] Becky!
[speaking in Japanese]
This champion says that Asuka is the best in the world right now.
[in English] He knows!
[Asuka laughs]
[Cole] Becky Lynch just can't get by Asuka.
[Lynch] You've had my number.
But I need that to change.
[Cole] At the Royal Rumble Becky Lynch taking on Asuka.
Raw Women's Championship.
May the best woman win.
[screams]
[crowd booing]
[yells]
[screaming and whimpering]
-[screaming] -[medic] Open your eyes.
[Lynch yells]
[medic] I know that hurts. Come on.
[Lynch] I have tried to find an anger
to defend myself against you.
But, Asuka, when somebody puts their hands on me,
they arise a badness, a badness in me.
If I have to go down again, I am going down swinging.
But I swear to God, I am taking you with me.
So you can take my eyes, you can break my bones,
but at the Royal Rumble I am coming around to collect on one last debt.
And I will teach you what I know now.
You can't beat me anymore.
[crowd cheering]
[dramatic music playing]
[Asuka speaking in Japanese]
[in English] At the Royal Rumble
I'm gonna beat you! [laughs]
Easy-peasy.
[speaking in Japanese]
[in English] Becky is not ready for Asuka!
[Asuka laughing]
[crowd cheering]
["The Future" playing]
[crowd cheering]
♪ From far and wide And light years away ♪
♪ Cast from the shadows Now light my way… ♪
[Tom] It was last year at this same event
that it was Asuka who would tap out Becky Lynch.
But that very same night,
The Man would go on to win the Royal Rumble match.
And make her way towards WrestleMania.
Now Asuka's opportunity to derail
the longest reigning Raw Women's Champion in history.
Can Asuka do it again? Can she beat The Man?
[King] This match, as you said, has been a year in the making.
This is one that Becky Lynch believes that she needs.
She needs to be able to win this match here tonight.
[Tom] King, you talked about it on Monday Night Raw.
What is it like to step inside the ring
with that one rival that, maybe in your mind, you couldn't beat?
You just couldn't get past?
[King] Well, I've been doing this a long time.
There's been several rivals that I've come in the ring with.
The one that I can mainly remember here in the WWE,
Bret "The Hitman" Hart.
It seemed like he always had my number.
And it got to where, every time I got in the ring with the man,
he had a mental advantage.
Because I doubted myself.
And I'm afraid that might be the exact same thing
that Asuka has in advantage over Becky Lynch.
[Tom] Asuka continues to gain the mental advantage.
She's been taunting on social media, hashtag "AsukaTwoBelts."
Can walk out of here with two championships tonight.
Mocking The Man.
["Celtic Invasion" playing]
♪ Whoa-oh-oh-oh ♪
[Tom] 293 days as the Raw Women's Champion.
The all-time record.
The Man's been going around taking names,
and she decides who to free and who to blame.
And tonight there is one last debt to be paid.
[crowd chanting] Becky!
[Tom] King, what did you think about the move by Becky Lynch,
delaying her contract negotiations with WWE just to get this match?
[King] Without a doubt that shows you just how important this match is,
just how much this match means to The Man.
It's hard for me to even comprehend
how much this means to Becky Lynch.
It's gotta be eating at her inside.
It's gotta be all that she thinks about,
day in and day out.
[Tom] Asking herself, how do you define yourself as a champion?
Believes that Asuka has woken up something inside of her.
That, despite the green mist to the eyes,
now Becky Lynch sees very clearly what she has to do,
and it starts this evening with the Royal Rumble event.
[bell rings]
[Rome] The following contest, schedule for one fall,
is for the Raw Women's Championship!
[crowd cheering]
Introducing the challenger,
accompanied to the ring by Kairi Sane,
she is half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions,
The Kabuki Warriors,
Asuka!
[crowd cheering]
And her opponent,
she is the Raw Women's Champion,
"The Man" Becky Lynch!
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Becky!
[Tom] It was at this event last year
that Becky Lynch propelled herself towards history.
The first women's main event in the history of WrestleMania.
Tonight, she defends one of the championships that she won
that fateful night at WrestleMania.
Becky Lynch versus Asuka.
At the Royal Rumble.
[King] We've talked so much about how much this match means to Becky Lynch.
How badly Becky Lynch needs to win this match.
Be we're almost putting it out of our minds
about the possibility is there.
That it may not happen.
The possibility is there that Becky Lynch may lose this match tonight.
[Tom] Because the track record is there. Asuka has climbed that mountain before.
The other thing to keep in mind, King,
is that Kairi Sane, although she competed in the women's Royal Rumble match earlier,
is in the corner of her Tag Team Championship partner, Asuka.
It has been the mind games of The Kabuki Warriors as a whole
and individually that has really thrown Becky Lynch off her game.
You can see Lynch shooting a glance over at Sane.
[King] You can't help it.
I was in the ring for the contract signing.
Without a doubt, Kairi Sane walked around the ring,
made the major distraction,
and the next thing you know
that green mist is being sprayed into the eyes of Becky Lynch.
[Tom] Now Asuka looking for a pinning opportunity for the title,
and a kickout.
Went for a kick, and Becky Lynch able to evade it.
You mentioned the green mist,
that's something that Becky Lynch has gotta know is in the arsenal of Asuka.
But is there any way to even remotely prepare for it?
For when it's applied, even a little bit?
[King] No, if you get hit with it, if she sprays that in your eyes…
[Tom] Shoulders down.
Kickout by Lynch.
…your vision is impaired
and it's pretty much over.
-[Tom] Now Lynch-- Oh! -[King] Oh!
[Tom] Able to avoid the dropkick.
Comes in strong against Asuka.
Now Asuka to the outside.
Trying to regroup.
Champion's advantage to Becky Lynch tonight.
-Now on the move. -[King] Watch out!
[Tom] Caught up by Asuka.
-Oh! -[King] Oh man!
[Tom] Turned it around, and a shot to the arm.
[King] We've watched Asuka the last few weeks,
and there's a confidence there,
there's a feeling that she just knows that she'll be victorious here tonight.
[Tom] Now Asuka on the move.
Went for the hip attack.
-Becky Lynch able to sidestep it. -[King] Look at this!
[Tom] Now has caught Asuka in the ropes.
And look at this.
The dis-arm-her within the ropes.
[Tom] Only to the count of five then had to break it.
Now Lynch to the top.
Becky with the dropkick off of the top turnbuckle.
To retain her title.
To move past Asuka. And a kickout.
[King] I believe that dropkick
found its mark. Right to the arm.
The already, uh…
injured arm there of Asuka.
[Tom] Even Becky Lynch, you can see her shaking some life into the left arm.
Trying to smack some life back into the arm.
Both these superstars very gifted submission competitors.
Trying to set up for the dis-arm-her yet again.
Now it's Asuka to the outside.
Hey, knock it off, Asuka. Let's go.
[Tom] Now Asuka--
-Oh! Using the ropes! -[King] Oh!
[Tom] Just like that, Asuka has taken control.
-[King] Watch out. -[Tom] Using the ring to her advantage.
[King] Like I said, there's a look of confidence
in Asuka tonight.
It worries me for Becky Lynch.
[Tom] Something Becky Lynch has talked about.
Maybe Asuka should be the one doubting herself.
She's been the one conducting all these sneak attacks.
These blindside attacks, all these head games.
Is it Asuka that doubts herself, or is it Lynch?
[Lynch yelling]
[Tom] Both women tied up.
Now Becky-- Oh man!
That shot really found the mark.
The chin of Asuka.
[King] It buckled the knees of Asuka. Look at Asuka come right back.
Oh man!
[Tom] Asuka strong out of the corner. Going into cover.
[King] Watch out here.
[Tom] The kickout by Lynch.
Kairi Sane
trying to offer some encouragement to her fellow Kabuki Warrior.
[King] One thing I've noticed about the Kabuki Warriors,
it seems like whenever they have the advantage,
they're always smiling.
That's unnerving in itself.
[Tom] Now Asuka with a Shining Wizard.
Could this help her win the title?
And a kickout by Lynch.
Asuka's done a great job so far in this match.
She's kept the spacing very tight.
She's not giving Becky Lynch a lot of opportunities
to build momentum in this fight.
[King] She has got that arm wrenched up there.
[Tom] It's all about the Raw Women's Championship here in Houston.
At the Royal Rumble event.
[King] Kairi Sane…
[Tom] Now Becky Lynch again, trying to break free.
Doing anything she can to create little distance between her and Asuka.
Asuka came in strong but paid for it.
[King] Drop that foot. Oh!
She did get that.
[Tom] Becky Lynch out of the corner.
Becky Lynch always the fighter.
Double knees to the back of Asuka.
[King] Whoa! Face first.
[Tom] Off the bulldog. Great job by Becky Lynch.
Becky Lynch has a window of opportunity.
The low dropkick.
[King] Her's a cover.
[Tom] To the legs, shoulders down. Kickout by Asuka.
[King] You heard Becky Lynch say
if she goes down, she's gonna go down swinging.
[Tom] Becky Lynch back up to her feet.
Now in defense of her Raw Women's Championship.
Forearm shot. Now sending Asuka face-first
into the top turnbuckle.
-[Lynch yells] -[King] Look out.
[Tom] Sent out to the apron. Oh, now Becky Lynch.
[both yell]
-[Tom] Oh! -[King] Nice.
Let's go, in the ring.
[Tom] Kick right along the collar bone of Asuka.
[King] There you see. Look at Kairi Sane right there.
Getting Becky Lynch's attention.
[Tom] Whoa, King.
Thinking about the Bexploder.
Thinking about the Bexploder on the apron.
[King] The apron, that could do her in.
[Tom] Asuka saw it coming.
Able to avoid that.
[announcers] Whoa!
[Tom] Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Trying to rip Becky Lynch off of the apron with the German suplex.
[King] Lynch better hang on for dear life here.
[Tom] Now Becky Lynch…
[King] She got her?
-[Tom] Oh my God! -[King] My goodness!
Oh my!
[crowd cheering]
[King] How on earth? Watch this.
Oh my goodness.
Oh!
[Tom] Remember the championship rules.
The title can only change hands via pinfall or submission.
You have a lifeless Asuka on the outside.
Asuka's gotta get back inside the ring--
-But Becky Lynch-- -[King] Asuka's--
[Tom] Back on her with a dropkick.
[King] I'm shocked.
I didn't know if Asuka was gonna be able to get back to her feet.
[Tom] Becky Lynch wants a definitive ending to this match.
-But this is-- -[King] Here we go!
[Tom] The Bexploder!
King, this is one year of pent-up frustration,
a debt to be paid,
it's all coming out of Lynch right now.
[Asuka groaning]
[King] The badness that Becky Lynch talked about
is coming back.
But can she finish it?
Can Becky Lynch beat Asuka?
[Tom] Becky Lynch going to the top rope.
Wants a definitive ending.
Leg drop!
-On to the top. -[King] Maybe she can beat her right here.
Oh!
[Tom] Asuka able to kick out at the last moment.
[King] That was a fraction of a second away.
[Asuka groaning]
[referee] Can you continue?
[Tom] Becky Lynch came so close
to putting the ghosts of old to bed.
Now watch this. Again from the top rope!
With a leg drop. Got that.
[King] Watch how close this is.
[announcers] Oh!
[King] Man.
That's something that can just deflate your psyche right there.
[yells]
[King] It makes you wonder, "Can I beat this woman?"
[Tom] Will it only strengthen the resolve of Becky Lynch?
Oh no, here's a backslide to Becky Lynch. Oh, no, a kickout.
Asuka went for the kick herself.
Oh!
-[King] Oh no. -[Tom] Knee strike right to the face.
Asuka fighting through the pain in her arm.
Now trying to get Becky Lynch back to her feet.
Oh!
[King] Look at those strikes.
[Tom] A barrage of kicks.
But now Becky Lynch keeping Asuka close.
-Trying to set up for a suplex. -[King] Locked it.
[Tom] It's Asuka.
[announcers] Oh!
[Tom] Down onto the tailbone.
Cover to win the title.
And a kickout.
[King] Asuka came within a fraction of a second of winning this thing.
Watch how close this is. Oh!
[Tom] Just dumping Becky Lynch,
nearly captured the Raw Women's Championship right there.
Becky Lynch wisely going out along the ropes.
Trying to give herself a little space between her and Asuka.
So Becky Lynch can recuperate.
[King] Both of these superstars
have absorbed so much punishment in this match already.
[Tom] Wait a minute.
This longtime rivalry coming to a head here tonight.
Now Asuka-- Oh, wait a minute.
Was trying to set up on the apron.
Blocked it. Oh! Back elbow.
[Lynch grunts]
[Tom] Dangerous situation on the apron.
[King] Yes, it is.
What's Asuka thinking?
[Tom] Oh! A hip attack to Lynch.
Into the post!
Let's go, Asuka.
[yelling in Japanese]
[Tom] Asuka--
Asuka's gotta get Becky Lynch back inside the ring.
Title can only change hands via pinfall or submission
inside the ring.
[King] Here she comes.
A handful of Becky Lynch's hair. Oh!
[Tom] Becky Lynch not gonna back down that easily.
Asuka and her tied up along the ropes.
Oh! And The Man into the top turnbuckle.
Asuka's gotta continue to push this advantage.
Knock it off.
[King] One thing you can count on from Asuka.
She gets the upper hand, she knows what to do with it.
[Tom] Look at this, Becky Lynch hooked her leg inside the rope.
-She's trying to block this suplex. -[King] Smart.
[Tom] Oh! And hung up Asuka along the top rope.
And a kick to the back.
[King] Now Asuka's in a precarious situation here.
-[Tom] Wait a minute. -[King] What is this?
-[Tom] Look at this! -[King] Oh!
[Tom] Driving Asuka in to the canvas.
[King] That may do it!
[Tom] Oh! And Asuka kicked out.
Asuka!
[King] You can see the look on the face of Kairi Sane.
[Tom] Becky Lynch with a tremendous opportunity here.
[King] Watch this again. Oh.
Sends the back of Asuka's head right into the mat.
This is what you--
Becky Lynch has to know that that should've done it.
That should've finished Asuka.
But it didn't somehow.
This is when those doubts creep into your mind.
[Tom] Becky Lynch back to her feet.
Has to be asking herself, what do I have to do?
[King] Exactly]
[Tom] Oh! Caught.
Double knees to the face.
Asuka trying to scramble into a cover.
Shoulders down-- And a kickout.
-And now transition. -[King] Oh no!
This is bad.
[Tom] Into the armbar.
[King] This is real bad for Becky Lynch.
[Tom] The damage was done to that arm earlier on in the matchup.
To the left arm of Becky Lynch.
Now Asuka again in control with the armbar.
Over into cover.
Cover by Lynch, and a kickout by Asuka.
-And into the-- -[King] Do it again!
[Lynch groans] Oh no!
[Tom] Could it be the same fate as last year's Royal Rumble event?
But Becky Lynch gets her foot to the bottom rope.
She was on the rope.
[King] Oh man, just reaching out there, that saved the title.
[yelling in Japanese]
Off the ropes, let's go.
[King] Watch out!
[Tom] The German suplex by Asuka.
[King] Right on the back of Becky's head.
[Tom] How frustrated does Asuka have to be at this point?
Went for her best submission and Becky Lynch found a way out.
-[King] Look at this. -[Tom] Wow.
Look at these kicks right to the side of the face.
Oh man!
Lynch could be out.
[King] I think you're right.
Hey, back!
Back. Back! Keep it back.
Becky, can you continue?
[Tom] The official's trying to check on Lynch.
-[King] Becky looks unconscious. -[Tom] Seeing if she can continue.
[King] She may be out.
[crowd booing]
Watch these kicks. This is why.
[announcers] Oh!
[King] Right in the jaw.
That's like a heavyweight boxer getting his lights knocked out.
Right in the jaw.
[Tom] Lynch, you can see just crumpled and went down.
[King] I think the referee was gonna stop the match.
-Don't ring it! -No. No!
[referee] Can you continue?
[Tom] Becky Lynch doing everything she can to-- Oh!
But Asuka continues to fight her off.
-King, look at Lynch. -[screaming] Asuka! [grunts]
[Tom] Oh! Another kick!
-Down goes Lynch. Cover! -One, two--
[Tom] Oh! A kickout by Becky Lynch.
It appeared for a moment Lynch had been knocked out.
[King] How is Becky Lynch doing this?
She is, as you said, reaching down.
But you still gotta reach--
You gotta get that badness you were talking about.
Watch this. Listen to this.
-[thuds] -Oh man!
[Tom] That was a strike, King, that Becky Lynch welcomed.
She was screaming in the face of Asuka as that happened.
Now look at the smile over Asuka's face.
Now going for the Asuka Lock again.
Trying to cinch it up.
-Brings Becky Lynch to the canvas. -[King] Wait.
[Tom] Oh, wait a minute!
[King] Becky reversed it.
She did it. Can she lock it in?
[Tom] Trying to get the dis-arm-her. Trying to sit down on the armbar.
Shoulders down.
Shoulders down-- Kick out.
Going for the kick-- And now Becky Lynch!
Becky Lynch reaching out for the arm, trying to set it up.
Oh! Driven into the canvas.
[King] Asuka's doing everything--
[Tom] Cover!
Kickout by Asuka.
-[King] These two women are spent. -Asuka!
[speaks in Japanese]
-[Tom] Kairi Sane knows it. -[referee] Becky, can you continue?
[King] The referee asking Becky if she can continue.
[Kairi] Asuka!
-[King] Might need to ask Asuka the same. -One!
Two!
[Tom] The official's begun his count.
Both these superstars have until the count of ten
to get back to their feet
and continue in this championship match.
[King] Who is gonna be the first to get to their feet?
[Tom] What a match it has been for the Raw Women's Title.
Becky Lynch and Asuka, one year in the making.
[Lynch yells]
[both grunting]
[Tom] Now Asuka, look at these strong strikes.
The spinning backfist.
Becky Lynch trying to fight her away.
To the dis-arm-her-- Oh!
The official caught in a corner.
-Asuka-- Oh! -[King] Whoa!
-[Tom] The green mist, King! -[King] Whoa!
[Tom] Went for the mist!
And the dis-arm-her!
Do you give up?
[Tom] Dis-arm-her by Lynch!
[King] She got it locked in!
She's got it locked in!
Yes, there's a tap!
-[Tom] Debt's been paid! -["Celtic Invasion" playing]
[King] She did it!
[Rome] Your winner by submission, and still the Raw Women's Champion,
"The Man" Becky Lynch!
[King] She did it!
[Tom] King, we talked about coming into this matchup,
the green mist, if it was something that did get to Becky Lynch,
this thing would be over.
But Lynch saw it coming
and was able to avoid it at the last moment.
[King] Absolutely amazing.
Becky Lynch, you've done it!
And look where the green mist wound up.
All over the face of Asuka.
Watch this. I think that Becky Lynch kicks it right out of her mouth.
Oh yes! Look at that.
With the official hit in the corner,
Asuka saw an opportunity.
Boom! The shot right there to the midsection.
Out with the green mist.
Then a beautiful opportunity for Becky Lynch.
[bell rings]
The dis-arm-her.
Able to put down the nightmare that has been Asuka this past year.
[King] What a great victory.
Amazing.
Yes, you are The Man!
[Tom] Asuka, in the end,
did a favor for The Man.
Helped Becky Lynch see things clearer than ever.
You see that nod, King.
That nod of understanding.
That nod of recognition.
Asuka one of the greatest competitors in WWE today.
Becky Lynch took everything that Asuka had tonight at the Royal Rumble event.
[King] Becky Lynch looked Asuka right in the eyes
and said, "I did it."
And she did.
[Tom] The Man came around to the Royal Rumble event once again,
and the debt has been paid.
[dramatic music playing]
♪ I'm here to rumble ♪
[Cole] We are on the road to Tampa.
On the road to WrestleMania.
We kick off WrestleMania season tonight in the great city of Houston, Texas.
Which for the second time is hosting the Royal Rumble.
Forty-two thousand, 715 WWE fans on hand tonight.
♪ I'm ready to rumble ♪
-Yeah! -Do you feel it?
-Yeah! -[yells]
-It's WrestleMania season. -Uh-huh.
This Royal Rumble pay-per-view has been out of this world.
-Roman has reigned supreme. -Uh-huh.
-My better half has done her thing. -Okay.
The ladies always going heavy, and The Fiend is still--
Hold.
-You don't want that smoke, fam. -That's right.
But we still have the men's Royal Rumble match up next.
-Okay. -Ooh, baby.
♪ I'm ready! ♪
♪ Ready, ready ♪
Who will out stand 29 other superstars?
Will it be…
[beat boxing]
Hey.
I like that one.
[beat boxing]
The WWE Champion, The Beast, Brock
Lesnar!
Or, or, or, or…
[beat boxing]
Hey. Hey.
…the Intercontinental Champion,
Shinsuke Nakamura?
Or, or, or…
[beat boxing]
You can do that one? Hey.
Hey, hey.
Or will it be Samoa Joe
who will be cashing in his ticket for the main event match at WrestleMania?
-Or, or… -[clears throat]
[beat boxing]
Will it be our boy, Ricochet,
'cause it doesn't matter which number he draws,
because he's The One and Only!
Hm…
I don't know about that, fam.
Ever since he got kicked by Brock Lesnar on Monday Night Raw last week--
[yells]
He might really only have one and only.
[laughing]
H-Town, it's on.
Thirty men rumbling.
For the chance to be immortal!
-Uh-huh. -For the chance to be eternal.
For the chance to be forever.
Uh-huh.
The Royal Rumble match is next.
Uh-huh. Yeah!
♪ Can you dig it, sucka? ♪
["Can You Dig It, Sucka?" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Hamilton] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome special guest commentator,
WWE Hall of Famer
Booker T!
[Cole] Houston's own Booker T gonna join Corey and I at ringside
for the men's Royal Rumble match.
Tonight, WWE Royal Rumble is presented by WWE SuperCard Season 6.
Now featuring brand new Royal Rumble cards.
Eliminate your competition now on iOS and Android.
We have breaking news here tonight concerning the Royal Rumble match.
Lashley and Rusev from Monday Night Raw were supposed to be in the field tonight,
that will not happen.
They both arrived at Minute Maid Park earlier
and got into a huge brawl in the parking lot.
Neither man, luckily, was seriously injured.
However, neither man has been medically cleared
to compete tonight in the Royal Rumble match.
Which is a real bummer.
I thought Bobby Lashley could've gone deep and won the whole thing.
I thought Rusev was gonna win the whole thing.
After everything he's been through. Meanwhile, the Hall of Famer's here.
Booker T, from right here in Houston, Texas.
Joining us on commentary tonight for the Rumble match.
How you doing?
-How are you? -How you feeling? Corey, you too.
-You all right? -I'm good, Book.
[bell rings]
[Hamilton] The following is the 30-man Royal Rumble match!
[crowd cheering]
Two superstars will start in the ring.
Every 90 seconds another superstar will enter.
Eliminations occur when a superstar is thrown over the top rope,
with both feet hitting the floor.
The last man in the ring will be declared the winner.
And receive a championship match
at WrestleMania!
[crowd cheering]
["Next Big Thing" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Hamilton] Introducing entrant number one,
accompanied by Paul Heyman,
he is the WWE Champion,
Brock Lesnar!
[Cole] This is unprecedented tonight.
Never before in history has the WWE Champion
declared that he would enter the Royal Rumble at number one.
But Brock Lesnar has done just that.
My question to you is this, Booker.
If you're Brock Lesnar,
why?
Come on, a chance to make history.
A chance to go to WrestleMania.
-That chance, being that guy. Come on. -[Cole] Corey?
[Graves] At this point in his career,
Brock Lesnar doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.
But in The Beast's mind,
this is the final thing he has left to prove in WWE.
[Cole] Remember, the winner of the Royal Rumble
will main event WrestleMania.
[Graves] The stoic look of confidence on the face of the WWE Champion.
Brock Lesnar ready for battle.
A test of endurance he's not even experienced in the past.
[Cole] Brock Lesnar won the Royal Rumble match
back in 2003.
Let's see who he will square off with to start the Royal Rumble.
[guitar plays dramatic chord]
[crowd cheering]
Hello, I am Elias.
-[crowd cheering] -[playing dramatic melody]
Houston, we have a problem.
[crowd cheering]
But Elias is here to solve it.
See, in the ring we've got a brain-dead gorilla.
And his fat zoo keeper.
And they don't seem to understand
that there's a truth that you cannot deny.
It is a universal truth that I am sure everyone here knows.
And that is that WWE stands for…
[crowd] Walk With Elias!
I said, WWE stands for…
[crowd] Walk With Elias!
[Elias] Sing it, baby.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd singing] ♪ Walk with Elias! ♪
They're singing for me, Brock. You hear that?
Now I'm gonna sing for you.
I wrote a little song called "Sacrificial Lamb."
It would help me a lot if y'all could clap along.
[playing "Sacrificial Lamb"]
♪ The sacrificial lamb ♪
♪ Is heading to the ring ♪
♪ Before I do ♪
♪ I got one more song to sing ♪
♪ Brock Lesnar's pacing ♪
♪ He's ready to attack ♪
♪ Heyman, keep your damn mouth shut ♪
♪ Or I'll smash a guitar on your back ♪
Oh baby!
[Cole] Brock Lesnar has heard enough.
He's going right after Elias.
[Graves] Lesnar is incensed.
This was not a smart move, to incite The Beast, Elias.
-[Cole] Elias in the ring. -[bell rings]
The first two men will start the Royal Rumble for 2020.
Lesnar with a takedown. Hammering away on Elias.
[Booker] There's a time to entertain, there's a time to be serious.
Right now, Elias is not focused.
[Cole] Brock Lesnar is, however.
Elias, who began last year's Rumble at number one,
and didn't last long, may be on the same fate tonight.
And a German suplex!
Space City is becoming Suplex City.
[Graves] Some could say
that what Brock Lesnar's attempting to do is beyond confidence.
It's downright arrogance.
However, if anyone in WWE possesses the skill set
necessary to achieve this feat,
number one and winning the Royal Rumble,
it is Brock Lesnar, the greatest combat athlete in sports.
[Cole] Oh my God! Lesnar with a guitar across the spine!
[Booker] Talking about playing a tune.
[Cole] That is what The Beast is all about.
[Graves] Now Elias can write a new song about
"that time I jumped headfirst into a meat grinder."
That's what this is all about. There goes Elias.
[Cole] Elias eliminated by Brock Lesnar.
[Booker] That's what coming out here playing games will get you.
I hope everybody in the locker room took note.
I don't know how you can't take note.
You see Heyman showing everybody what this is all about.
This is what Brock Lesnar is all about.
[Cole] The WWE Champion.
And in eight more seconds, entry number three.
[Graves] Let's see if somebody else has a new tactic.
Try to get The Beast Incarnate off of his game.
-[Cole] Elias tried, it just didn't work. -[timer buzzes]
["Wrath" playing]
[Graves laughs]
[Cole] From Monday Night Raw, Erick Rowan.
And still carrying that thing.
Whatever it is.
It has bit Rowan over the past couple weeks
and drives him insane.
[Graves] I'm not worried about the cage,
I'm more excited about the amount of humanity
about to be in the ring, with only two competitors.
Look at the size of these guys.
[Booker] Yeah, check out the power walk.
That's a man that's looking to cause some trouble.
[Cole] Rowan entering his third Rumble match.
Brock Lesnar quickly--
Went for the waist lock.
-Erick Rowan caught him-- -[Graves] Oh!
[Cole] Eliminated by Brock is Rowan!
Brock Lesnar has eliminated the first two men he has faced
in the Royal Rumble match tonight.
[Booker] Wow.
[Cole] Dare I say it,
looked easy.
Erick Rowan was only in the ring for eight seconds.
As Heyman continues to gloat.
With the WWE Championship.
[Booker] Brock Lesnar's used very little energy
in these two guys right here.
[Graves] You're right, Booker.
This game is all about endurance.
Tonight, Lesnar had 29 other superstars
and at this point he's already taken care of two.
[Booker] Making an easy night.
[Cole] Entry number four.
[Booker] Brock Lesnar just had about 20 seconds to rest.
-[Graves] Next victim please. -[timer buzzes]
["Glorious Domination" playing]
[Cole] For the second time in his career,
it's Robert Roode entering the Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] Robert Roode is a veteran.
He's always very confident, very cagey inside the ring.
There's gotta be some trepidation in the mind of Robert Roode.
Realizing what he's about to experience.
[Cole] We saw Roode get involved in the Falls Count Anywhere match
earlier tonight between Roman Reigns and King Corbin.
Roode not in a hurry to make it to the ring.
Do you blame him?
[Booker] Normally, you come out four,
there's still a lot of action going on in the ring.
He's all on his own right now with Brock Lesnar.
[Cole] Trying to figure out, what do I do to survive?
At least until the next competitor comes out.
Roode ducks. Right hands to Brock.
Trying to drive the WWE champ back.
Brock, kick to the midsection.
Puts him into the corner.
Robert Roode caught him in the nose.
-[Graves] Roode to rely on quickness. -[Cole] Clothesline!
[Graves] Wow!
[Booker] Brock Lesnar keeping these guys real close to the body tonight.
-[Cole] F-5! -[Booker] Oh my goodness!
[Cole] Brock Lesnar has been glorious in his own right so far tonight.
Now The Beast just stalking his prey.
Robert Roode sent over the top rope and out of the ring.
-Brock Lesnar has eliminated three men. -[Booker] Wow.
[Cole] Once again, Heyman happy to gloat.
[Booker] Guys, you remember the last time something like this happened?
Where the first entry is still all alone at number five?
[Cole] It never has.
It's unprecedented.
[crowd] Six, five, four…
[Cole] The champion never voluntarily entered.
-Much less at number one. -[timer buzzes]
["Ain't No Make Believe" playing]
[Cole] Entering at number five.
He returned to Friday Night SmackDown a couple of weeks ago
for the first time in eight years,
John Morrison.
[Graves] This could be interesting.
We always talk about John Morrison and his parkour style.
His ability to utilize his environment.
Hopefully, Morrison has a completely different game plan for Lesnar
than anybody we've seen thus far.
[Booker] I think the best game plan for right now is just to stall.
Try to wait on somebody else to come out.
[Cole] Yeah, Booker.
John Morrison has more experience in Rumble matches than the previous three
who tried to get in the ring and face Brock.
Morrison's seventh Rumble.
Oh my God!
Morrison tried to catch him with a kick. The quickness of Morrison.
Brock Lesnar sends John Morrison over the top rope!
[Booker] Whoa!
[Cole] Four eliminations for The Beast!
-Nine seconds Morrison was in the ring. -[crowd cheering]
This has been an incredible, dominating performance
so far for Brock Lesnar.
[Booker] Talk about history, this might be the shortest Royal Rumble
in the history of Royal Rumbles.
[Graves] You're absolutely right, Booker.
Look at this inhuman power
possessed by Lesnar.
[Booker] The parkour worked out for it.
-[Booker laughs] -[Graves] He didn't land on his face.
Still a much shorter night than he would've liked.
[Booker] All these flippy guys,
you got a guy like Brock Lesnar, who's a ground and pound type of guy,
just take note.
That's the guy that's working in the main event every night.
[Cole] Paul Heyman very happy with his client.
Brock continues to rest.
Now we'll await number six.
The number six entry in the Royal Rumble.
[Booker] Is that 30 seconds of rest right there?
[timer buzzes]
[Cole] Actually about 85 since they're 90-second intervals.
-["New Day, New Way" playing] -This is interesting! Kofi Kingston.
He has a chance now at retribution.
Remember, Kofi Kingston lost to Brock Lesnar in about four seconds,
dropping the WWE Championship to him
on the debut of Friday Night SmackDown on Fox back in October.
Corey, he hasn't had a chance to get back at Brock.
[Graves] Kofi has been very open and honest.
He doubted himself in the past. Kingston is all business now!
[Cole] Kingston, a kick to the midsection.
Here comes Kofi Kingston!
Kingston going after The Beast. Look at Kofi go!
Picked up by Brock and driven into the corner.
This is history making appearance by Kofi Kingston.
He is now tied for second
in Royal Rumble history
with 13 appearances.
[Graves] We know Kingston has a history of making magic in Royal Rumble matches.
Kingston's gonna need magic tonight!
[Cole] German suplex!
[Booker] He's gonna have to disappear
if he thinks he's gonna get some help.
[Cole] Make himself invisible, right, Book?
Brock Lesnar just continuing to pummel the competition.
[Booker] I was wondering if Kofi learned anything from that last bout,
by just running in there.
Same thing here.
He's just, I think, a little too overzealous.
[Cole] He did get some shots in on Brock early.
But Brock Lesnar with a big old smile on his face.
Looking to eliminate Kofi Kingston.
Number seven entry will get into this matchup in five seconds.
[Graves] Is Kofi gonna make it the full distance?
-In between participants? -[timer buzzes]
[Cole] He does.
["Booyaka 619" playing]
-[crowd cheering] -[Cole] Number seven.
Rey Mysterio!
Who has his own score to settle with The Beast.
[Graves] Plenty of history, plenty of bad blood
between Rey Mysterio and The Beast Incarnate.
[Cole] Rey Mysterio has not forgotten what Brock Lesnar did to his son Dominik,
and the physical abuse that he put Dominik through.
Mysterio marches to the ring.
It'll be Kingston, Mysterio, and Lesnar in the Rumble match.
[Booker] Rey Mysterio better be very careful running in here,
because Brock Lesnar is not gonna take any pity on him
for any reasons in a match like this.
-[Cole] Mysterio is going down low. -[Booker] Wow!
[Cole] Brock Lesnar just shoves Mysterio away.
[Graves] Lesnar has simply overwhelmed every superstar in the ring tonight.
[Cole] Rey Mysterio, the man who won the 2006 Royal Rumble.
When he entered number two,
lasted over one hour and two minutes, the longest ever in a 30-man Rumble match.
[Graves] Right now Brock Lesnar is beast handling
two former World Champions at the same time.
Simultaneously.
This is unprecedented, this is unbelievable.
[Booker] Brock Lesnar checked in at number one for a reason.
To show everybody in the locker room that this is what you gotta contend with.
[Cole] He's questioned a lot about whether or not he's a fighting champion.
[Graves] Brock Lesnar showing that he is tonight.
-[Cole] I think Paul Heyman's words… -[Graves] What a suplex!
…made a lot of superstars angry.
That Lesnar didn't feel anyone was worthy to challenge for his WWE Championship.
[Graves] To this point, all Lesnar's done is prove Heyman exactly right.
[Cole] Two men with a lot of experience in Rumbles.
Kofi at 13, Mysterio with 11.
But a German suplex by Lesnar.
[Graves] Brock Lesnar is making this look easy.
If Brock Lesnar wins this Royal Rumble match,
does The Beast even bother defending the WWE Championship at WrestleMania?
[Cole] Great question, Corey.
[Booker] Brock Lesnar's put himself in a position to write his own ticket.
-By winning the Royal Rumble tonight. -[timer buzzes]
["New Day, New Way" playing]
[Cole] Kofi gets some backup.
Big E, the near-300-pounder.
Gonna march to the ring in his seventh Rumble appearance.
[Graves] I wanna see this.
[Cole] Big E and Kofi the current SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
Mysterio and Kingston…
[Big E] Let's go.
[Graves] Big E lending a little assistance to his New Day teammate.
Kofi Kingston, Rey Mysterio…
[Cole] Big E rallying the troops.
-[Graves] This is great strategy. -[Cole] Three-on-one.
Normally it's every man for himself, but you gotta go after The Beast.
Try to eliminate Lesnar.
Kingston, Big E, Mysterio, and Brock Lesnar fights out of it.
And Brock goes right after Big E. Trouble in Paradise!
[Booker] As tough as Brock is, the endgame is three guys against one.
Three always wins.
[Cole] Big E looking for the Big Ending!
The Beast off his feet!
Big E, Big Ending to Lesnar!
[Booker] You can tell Brock is getting a little fatigued.
[Cole] Dial it up!
[Graves] Houston's area code has changed to 619!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Brock's in trouble.
[crowd exclaims]
[Cole] Look at this now, Mysterio!
-[Graves] Oh no! -[Cole] Eliminated!
Elimination number five by Lesnar.
-Did you see that athleticism? -[Graves] Wow.
[Cole] Big E eliminated! Number six!
[Graves] Unbelievable.
[Booker] I don't know where Brock Lesnar found that gear at.
I said fatigued, but obviously I was wrong.
[crowd jeering]
[Cole] Brock Lesnar has eliminated six men so far in this Royal Rumble match.
[Booker] You look at the Universe, everybody's in shock right now.
[Graves] Keep the tally going.
[Cole] An F-5 to Kingston, who's eliminated.
Seven eliminations for Lesnar.
[Booker] Good night, Kofi Kingston.
[Cole] The record's 13 by Strowman.
Lesnar's almost halfway there. He's more than halfway there.
[Graves] Brock Lesnar just took on an assault
from the reigning SmackDown Tag Team Champions
and Rey Mysterio.
["Return of the Fire" playing]
[Graves laughs] This is gonna be interesting.
[Cole] The man we say pound-for-pound is more powerful than anybody in WWE.
Swiss Superman, Cesaro, entering at number nine.
Gets into the ring to square off with Brock Lesnar.
Cesaro trying to do what no one else has been able to,
eliminate the WWE Champion. Uppercuts!
[Graves] Oh!
[Booker] See that knee right there, right to the solar plexus.
[Cole] Lesnar now, what a suplex to Cesaro.
Cesaro back to his feet-- Cesaro eliminated!
[Booker] That knee was debilitating.
You get caught right there, just take everything out of you.
[Cole] Brock Lesnar has been in this match over 13 minutes.
And he has eliminated every single man who has entered.
Eight eliminations for The Beast.
[Graves] Cesaro connected flush with about a dozen uppercuts.
Lesnar just ate each one, smiled, and kneed Cesaro in the liver.
[crowd booing]
[Cole] And again a rest period for Brock Lesnar.
[Graves] We've said for years and years, anything can happen in WWE,
but I never in a million years imagined this would be a true possibility.
It's one thing to have bravado, for Heyman to make a ridiculous claim,
we are watching something we've never seen before.
[Cole] Corey, 33 Rumbles, this has never happened.
[timer buzzes]
["Set It Off" playing]
[Cole] Entering at number ten, Shelton Benjamin.
This is really interesting.
The former college teammates at the University of Minnesota.
Longtime friends, longtime training partners.
Shelton Benjamin and Brock Lesnar.
[Booker] I feel a little bad for Shelton in this position right now.
[Cole] He's a veteran, Booker. Ten Royal Rumble appearances.
[Graves] Certainly a healthy level of respect between these two athletes.
I got sort of a stupid question.
-Does Brock take it easy on Shelton? -[Booker] No.
[Cole] If Shelton expects Brock to take it anything less than 100%…
I am so happy to see you.
I want you to reunite with Brock Lesnar!
Heyman invited Shelton in for a hug, now he can stab him in the back.
[Booker] Don't fall for that, Shelton.
[Booker laughs]
[Graves] The former college teammates reunited here tonight.
-[speaking indistinctly] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Whoa.
Did Lesnar find an ally? This isn't a bad decision by Brock.
As they await entry number 11 into the Royal Rumble match.
Brock Lesnar with a German suplex to Benjamin!
Brock Lesnar turning on his friend, and he eliminates Benjamin.
The ninth elimination of this match.
[Graves] Lesnar is laughing about it.
[Booker] How gullible can Shelton be?
This is about business. This is about the Royal Rumble.
It's about winning and going to WrestleMania.
[Graves] Benjamin thought he could trust his friend.
[Cole] I wouldn't have blamed Brock for taking an ally for a few minutes.
Obviously, I didn't expect it to last very long.
[Booker] If you ain't cheating, you ain't trying. I understand.
-But Sheldon-- -[timer buzzes]
-God sakes! -["Shadows of a Setting Sun" playing]
[Graves] Oh, ho.
The Intercontinental Champion.
[Cole] The man who won the Royal Rumble two years ago, 2018.
[Graves] Don't forget the Great Liberator, Cole, Sami Zayn.
[Cole] Yeah, Sami Zayn.
Cheering Shinsuke Nakamura on,
as he makes his way to the ring to take on Brock Lesnar.
[Booker] You see what Sami Zayn is doing right now?
Straight to the back, because he knows exactly what's gonna happen to Shinsuke.
[Cole] Nakamura and Brock Lesnar both decorated champions in Japan.
Brock Lesnar missed with a right hand, now Shinsuke Nakamura.
The King of Strong Style trying to take it to the WWE Champion.
-Missed with a kick, but caught him. -[Graves] Oh!
-[Booker] On the temple. -[Cole] Lesnar's down.
[Booker] That temple shot right there is very deadly.
-[Cole] Nakamura coming-- -[Graves] Picked out of the air by Lesnar.
[Cole] Nakamura's eliminated.
Brock Lesnar has eliminated ten men.
Remember, the record is 13.
By Braun Strowman in the Greatest Royal Rumble.
Roman Reigns once eliminated 12.
But no man in history has eliminated ten straight opponents
in the Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] You also can't forget, Cole, Greatest Royal Rumble was 50 competitors.
[Cole] Shinsuke Nakamura had knocked Brock Lesnar down with a kick.
But Brock Lesnar was able to eliminate Shinsuke.
As we await number 12.
[Graves] Lesnar now with some very valuable time on his hands.
[crowd] Four, three…
[Graves] Able to rest slightly.
-Prepare for whatever's next. -[timer buzzes]
["I'm Coming" playing]
[crowd cheering]
-[Cole] This is a surprise! -[Graves] What?
MVP!
A former United States Champion.
A former Tag Team Champion.
[Graves] How does Lesnar prepare for somebody we haven't seen in WWE for years?
[Booker] I talk to MVP all the time.
He's a guy that's got a lot of unfinished business here in the WWE.
[Cole] He can make a name for himself again rather quickly
if he can eliminate Brock Lesnar in the Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] Lesnar is dancing.
-The WWE Champion is dancing. -[Booker] He's feeling it.
[Graves] Why shouldn't he be happy?
[Cole] He's eliminated ten men.
[Booker] MVP, he looks like he just came from a concert.
Where you going? Come back here.
Come back here. Don't walk away from me. I'm talking to you.
[Graves] MVP taking his time getting in the ring.
[Booker] That's very wise.
[Cole] Now chasing Heyman.
[Graves] I don't know if I've ever seen Heyman move that fast.
[Cole] Brock Lesnar's going to bring MVP in to the Royal Rumble match himself.
Wait a minute! MVP.
[Booker] Talk about a veteran, that's MVP.
He's got a whole lot to prove here.
If he can get Brock Lesnar over that top rope, he'll do it.
[Cole] You mentioned Wakanda, does that make Brock Lesnar Thanos?
-[Graves] An F-5 by Lesnar. -[Booker] You might be right.
[Cole] MVP's return may be short-lived.
Sent over the top rope, hits the floor!
Eleven eliminations.
Every man that has followed Brock Lesnar into the Royal Rumble match tonight
has been eliminated by the WWE Champion.
[Booker] Guess the vibranium didn't work out.
-[Cole] Number 13. -[timer buzzes]
["Limitless" playing]
[Cole] Oh yeah!
-[Graves] Yes! [laughs] -[Cole] Yeah!
The new North American Champion from NXT.
"Limitless" Keith Lee.
[Graves] I can assure you
Brock Lesnar has never encountered an athlete quite like Keith Lee.
[Cole] The man who went toe-to-toe with Roman Reigns
in an incredible Survivor Series.
He makes his first Rumble match appearance tonight.
[Graves] Keith Lee is a very unusual blend of size, speed, agility, and attitude.
[Booker] Yes, indeed. Big man, very agile.
Mobile, versatile, can do anything inside the squared circle.
[Cole] In baseball you'd call Keith Lee a five-tool player.
Keith Lee has it all.
He's gonna go toe-to-toe with The Beast.
[Booker] I call him a cleanup man.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] We hear the rumble at Minute Maid Park.
Lesnar almost looks surprised at the size of Lee.
[speaking indistinctly]
[Cole] Lee did not look intimidated in the least.
Lesnar on the attack first.
[Graves] Maybe a little bit of intimidation would serve Keith well.
[Cole] Keith Lee with a shoulder tackle. Brock goes down.
Wow! Keith Lee just buried Lesnar.
Brock with a look of shock on his face. Lee now a splash in the corner.
[Booker] Look at that move.
[Cole] The athleticism of Lee, the southpaw with the left hand.
Lesnar stunned. Lesnar's in trouble.
[Booker] Brock's dazed right now.
-Definitely-- -[Cole] Oh!
Both men are down in the middle of the ring.
What a collision between these two behemoths.
We now await the next entry.
[crowd] Four, three, two…
[Cole] Number 14 on the way.
[timer buzzes]
["I Am Stronger" playing]
[Cole] "The Monster Among Men" Braun Strowman.
Three huge men will be in the ring at the same time.
Lesnar has been in this match over 20 minutes.
Perhaps fatigue could be setting in.
[Graves] If Brock's going out, Brock's going out now.
[Cole] The man who won the 2018 Greatest Royal Rumble.
Eliminated 13 men that night.
And Braun Strowman "The Monster Among Men."
-[Booker] Whoa! -[Cole] Dropkick!
Lee went under the bottom rope, still in the match.
You gotta go over the top rope, with both feet hitting the floor.
[Booker] He's realizing what it's like to be in here with the big guy.
-With the big guns. -[Graves] Why's Strowman leaving the ring?
[Cole] Because he can do that!
[Graves] But why? The name of the game is to get everyone in the ring out of it.
[Cole] Strowman back in the ring.
Lesnar back to his feet. Braun follows it up with clothesline.
[Booker] Strowman is like a loose cannon.
Just mowing down everything in front of him.
[Cole] History between these two men as well.
Strowman just eyeing Brock Lesnar.
Will Strowman be the man to eliminate Brock Lesnar from the Royal Rumble?
Brock from behind, looking for a German suplex!
-[Booker] Oh man! -[Cole] To the monster!
Now to Keith Lee, are you kidding me?!
[Graves] Keith Lee dumped on the back of his neck
and another for Braun Strowman.
[Cole] This is an incredible performance.
Perhaps one of the greatest, if not the greatest,
in the history of the Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] I gotta agree. I don't know how you can disagree.
Not only because of the eliminations
that Brock Lesnar has procured to this point,
but the pure dominance.
Lesnar has annihilated every man that's stepped in front of him tonight.
[Cole] He's been absolutely awesome in this match, has Brock Lesnar.
Strowman back to his feet. Lee back to his feet as well.
-Brock Lesnar… -[Graves] Uh-oh.
[crowd yelling]
[Cole] Always wondered what it'd be like when these two big men squared off.
Strowman and Keith Lee exchanging blows.
Now Brock Lesnar from behind!
Takes advantage, eliminates two more men!
Thirteen eliminations for Brock Lesnar!
He's tied the Rumble record.
[Booker] Opportunity knocks. Brock Lesnar's on it.
You gotta love it.
We always talk about strategy, but Brock's throwing everything out.
-[Cole] That is opportunity. -[timer buzzes]
[Graves] Lesnar saw an opportunity and capitalized.
[Cole] The "One and Only" Ricochet from Monday Night Raw enters at 15.
We are halfway through this year's Rumble match.
This is Ricochet's first ever Rumble match appearance.
Remember what Brock Lesnar did to Ricochet this past Monday night on Raw.
Took him out. A kick, a low blow.
-[Graves laughs] -[Cole] Lesnar catches Ricochet.
Brock Lesnar…
[Graves] Backbreaker delivered.
Stopped any chance Ricochet had of starting with momentum.
[Cole] Is Brock getting a bit winded?
We're halfway through the match, he entered at number one.
[Booker] No way Brock can't be getting tired.
We wonder if Ricochet has come in at the right time.
Maybe he's caught Brock Lesnar at that moment.
[Cole] Brock one of the most well-conditioned athletes
in the history of WWE.
The history of combat sports, for that matter.
As he delivers another German suplex, this one to Ricochet.
[Graves] And The Beast is grinning.
[Cole] I don't wanna hear anybody
say anything about Brock Lesnar not defending titles,
not spending any time,
not wrestling when he needs to.
This has been an incredible performance by Brock Lesnar.
A career-defining performance tonight.
[Graves] You're talking about the greatest combat sports athlete in history.
-NCAA champion, UFC heavyweight champion. -[timer buzzes]
Multiple time WWE Champion and Universal Champion.
["Gallantry" playing]
-[crowd cheering] -[Cole] Number 16.
Drew McIntyre.
[Graves] I would add soon to be Royal Rumble winner.
You've got McIntyre staring a hole through the WWE Champion right now.
[Cole] McIntyre, last year, entered at the same spot, number 16.
He lasted over 20 minutes and came close to winning the event.
McIntyre now locked eyes with Brock Lesnar.
[crowd cheering]
I hope I'm not interrupting you.
That's why I'll let you make the first move.
Bring it to me, Brock. What have you got for me?
[Cole] Oh! Ricochet with a low blow to Lesnar.
-[Booker] Oh! -[Cole] Kick! Lesnar eliminated!
-McIntyre eliminates Lesnar! -[Booker] Wow!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Brock Lesnar lasted 26 minutes, 23 seconds.
But he was eliminated by a low blow by Ricochet.
Payback for Monday night.
Then McIntyre with a Claymore.
Heyman's in disbelief.
[Graves] A little teamwork. Chalk up the assist to Ricochet.
Boom! Claymore knocks the WWE Champion to the floor.
This place is still in disbelief.
[Cole] An incredible performance.
A record-tying performance by Lesnar.
He eliminated 13 men tonight.
Tying a Royal Rumble record.
Entered at number one, lasted 26 minutes, 23 seconds.
Ricochet turns his attention to McIntyre.
These two men now the only men remaining in this part of the Royal Rumble match.
As we await number 17.
[Graves] Wait, look at this power from Drew McIntyre.
[Cole] McIntyre eliminates Ricochet.
[Booker] A lot of the smart money was on Brock Lesnar,
but Drew McIntyre not too far behind at nine-to-two odds.
I'll take that any day.
[Graves] Look at this. This is horrifying strength from McIntyre.
Just throwing Ricochet nearly into the front row.
And McIntyre returned to stare at a fallen WWE Champion.
[Cole] Think about this, 15 men have been eliminated in this match.
By two individuals.
Lesnar, McIntyre.
[Booker] McIntyre's just gonna pick up where Brock Lesnar left off.
-The way it seems. -["I Came to Play" playing]
[Cole] Number 17 is The Miz.
A veteran of the Royal Rumble match.
Making his twelfth Rumble appearance here tonight.
[Graves] I'll tell you right now, Cole,
Drew McIntyre had better get over the fact that he just eliminated Lesnar.
McIntyre needs to focus on the guys who are still in this match.
Such as The Miz.
[Cole] McIntyre is not taking his eyes off The Beast.
Miz now trying to sneak in from behind.
Trying to go after McIntyre, but McIntyre felt him coming.
Miz the wily veteran.
-A former WWE Champion. Oh! -[Graves] Oh!
[Cole] What a kip-up by the tremendously athletic Drew McIntyre.
Who still will not take his eyes off the champion, Lesnar.
[Booker] Drew McIntyre said he was gonna main even WrestleMania.
I think he meant it.
-Three, two, one! -[crowd] Three, two, one!
[Booker] Good night, Miz!
[Cole] And now McIntyre going to eliminate the third individual.
Here tonight, McIntyre, three eliminations.
Lesnar, 13 eliminations.
As we await number 18.
[Graves] Drew McIntyre once again staring a hole through The Beast.
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] Drew McIntyre has never had a WWE or Universal Championship opportunity
in his long WWE career.
[Cole] Well, he better win tonight then.
[Booker] Trust me, you think about all the guys that came before you.
Drew McIntyre, he's focused, he's ready.
[Cole] As Lesnar exits the arena.
McIntyre is alone in the ring.
Awaiting number 18, in ten seconds.
The 2020 Royal Rumble match.
[crowd] Three, two, one.
[timer buzzes]
-["Phenomenal" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles.
Who's had some issues with Drew McIntyre.
Remember, AJ Styles provided us with one of the great Royal Rumble match moments,
back in 2016.
When he appeared on the scene here, Corey, in WWE.
[Graves] Now is no time to focus on history.
The Phenomenal one would love to step to the top of the mountain once again
at WrestleMania.
But AJ's path tonight runs through a very ready, motivated Drew McIntyre.
[Booker] It's not about a wrestling match tonight.
It's about getting that man over the top rope.
It's about winning.
I think that's what Drew McIntyre is thinking now.
[Cole] AJ Styles and company, The O.C.,
messing up a great match between Orton and McIntyre this past Monday night.
AJ Styles now goes right after Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre sends Styles into the corner.
Styles will sidestep Drew.
Out to the apron, AJ in trouble.
The forearm, not looking perhaps for the Phenomenal Forearm.
McIntyre ducks underneath it.
[Graves] Smart move kicking out the legs.
Kicks to the hamstring of the much larger McIntyre.
McIntyre, though, with a shoulder tackle.
McIntyre trying to shake off the pain from those strong kicks from Styles.
-Oh, look at this. -[Booker] Wow.
[Cole] The power of McIntyre,
but a well-placed knee by AJ Styles.
[Graves] AJ could be looking for the Calf Crusher submission.
I don't know how well that will serve him in this type of matchup.
[Cole] Take McIntyre off his feet, prevent the Claymore perhaps.
[Booker] Try to slow the big man down. You gotta somehow.
[Cole] Oh my God! Slamming Styles into the mat face first.
-Number 19 now is Dolph Ziggler. -["Here to Show the World" playing]
♪ The world… ♪
[Cole] For Dolph Ziggler a historic night as well.
He ties Kofi Kingston
with his thirteenth Rumble match appearance.
Number two all-time. Kane, of course, with 17.
The most prolific Rumble match performer.
[Graves] As we saw with Lesnar,
the more competitors that are in the ring, the harder it is to dominate.
McIntyre now has to worry about Ziggler and Styles at once.
You want the same damn thing!
From behind, Styles to the back of the knee of McIntyre.
Normally every man for himself, but sometimes it pays off
to have some temporary alliances.
[Booker] When the love affair is over, Ziggler and McIntyre--
Oh! Did you see that?
Now Ziggler with a cheap shot to Styles.
Ziggler who got involved in the Falls Count Anywhere match
earlier tonight with Corbin and Reigns.
Now McIntyre backs Dolph into the corner.
What a throw by McIntyre!
[Graves] That was outrageous distance.
About three-quarters of the way across the ring.
That is just a glimpse of what McIntyre's capable of.
[Cole] Wow. Wow.
[Booker] McIntyre is in great shape. I haven't seen him look better.
Right now he's just taking over.
-Oh! -[Graves] Wow.
[Cole] Number 20, two-thirds of the way through the Rumble, upcoming.
[crowd] Three, two, one.
[Graves] Look at this, Styles trying to hang on.
Styles trying to hang on and he's gonna have some help.
Karl Anderson of The O.C.
Styles' friend heading to the ring.
Draw couldn't have been any luckier for AJ Styles. Styles is--
[Cole] Styles out to the second rope, lands on the apron.
Still on the apron.
As Anderson was able to get to McIntyre.
To help Styles stay involved in this match.
[Booker] Now it's gonna be a who's who, it's a little bit more crowded in there.
You don't know who's gonna win now.
[yelling]
-[Cole] McIntyre, if you ask him-- -[announcers] Oh!
[Cole] Dolph with a Super Kick!
[Booker] Beautiful. Talk about alliances.
[Cole] Smart alliance. You wanna eliminate the biggest man in the match.
Which is McIntyre. There he goes.
[Graves] McIntyre, now Anderson, now AJ Styles and Ziggler.
They're all trying to eliminate Drew McIntyre.
Styles went right after Ziggler.
That was odd.
Now into Anderson, and Anderson with a Spinebuster!
[Graves] This is where egos can be detrimental in a matchup like this.
[yells]
[Cole] All alliances are bound to be temporary in a Royal Rumble match.
Look at this. Dolph Ziggler in danger of being eliminated.
[Booker] Even when you form an alliance, you still look over your back.
You still got one eye over your shoulder.
[Cole] Oh my God! Dolph hanging on.
Dolph hanging on. Both feet did not hit the floor.
Now Anderson with a kick to the face.
Karl Anderson trying to eliminate Ziggler from this Rumble match.
In ten seconds, entry number 21 in the Royal Rumble.
[crowd] Five, four…
[Cole] Dolph back into the ring, Styles as well.
-Who's it gonna be? -[timer buzzes]
-["Metalingus" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] No. No way.
[Graves] Oh my!
[Booker] You gotta be kidding me.
[Cole] The Rated-R Superstar!
Edge is here!
♪ A bitter place and a broken dream ♪
♪ And we'll leave it all behind ♪
♪ On this day, it's so real to me ♪
♪ Everything has come to life ♪
♪ 'Nother chance to chase a dream ♪
♪ 'Nother chance to feel alive ♪
[Cole] It's been nine long years.
Edge, who retired in 2011,
after triple-fusion neck surgery.
-Edge is back! -[Graves] He shouldn't be in there.
[Cole] Edge with a spear!
Edge with a spear!
[crowd cheering]
[Booker] How long did you say, Cole?
Nine years? Edge looks great.
[Cole] McIntyre bounced off the knees of Edge.
Edge now in position again, with a spear to McIntyre!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Now this is a Royal Rumble moment.
[speaking indistinctly]
[Cole] The man who won the 2010 Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] You can see it in Edge's eyes, the moment just got very real.
-[Cole] Styles, a Pele Kick! -[Booker] Oh man!
Right on the neck.
[Cole] Drops Edge to his knee.
[Graves] AJ not here for any nostalgia tonight.
-Oh! -[Cole] Spear by Edge!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] A spear fest at the Rumble!
If opportunity's the name of the game,
you are looking at the ultimate opportunist.
[Booker] What a moment, guys. What a moment here in the Rumble.
[Cole] an 11-time World Champion.
-A former king of the ring. -[timer buzzes]
The first ever Money in the Bank Ladder Match winner.
["King's Entrance" playing]
[Cole] I didn't think he'd make it back!
King Corbin is back!
[Graves] Thank goodness.
[Cole] The King, who lost a Falls Count Anywhere matchup,
a brutal match earlier tonight with Roman Reigns.
We all just had our feel-good moment, now it's time for the winner to arrive.
[Cole] Number 22, King Corbin, and he goes right after Edge.
He's got Dolph Ziggler, one of his buddies,
in the ring to help him out.
[Booker] I like everything about King Corbin.
[Cole] You're the only one. Here's Corbin now.
Oh! A Backbreaker Chokeslam.
As the knee is driven into the spine of Anderson.
[Graves] This is an inspiring performance by King Corbin.
[Cole] What are you talking about?
Brock Lesnar lasted 26 minutes, 23 seconds and eliminated 13 people.
[Graves] King Corbin was assaulted by Roman Reigns earlier tonight,
and still had the guts, the bravery,
to come out here and attempt to lead WWE to WrestleMania.
[Cole] Now McIntyre trying to eliminate Dolph Ziggler.
[Graves] Uh-oh!
[Cole] McIntyre looking for his fourth elimination of the night.
[Graves] Ziggler hanging on for dear life right now.
[Cole] King Corbin saving his buddy.
[Graves] He is but a benevolent king.
[Cole] AJ Styles sent over the top rope. AJ eliminated!
-AJ was eliminated by Edge. -[Graves] Wow.
[crowd cheering]
[Booker] Did not expect that.
A lot of good money was on AJ to win this thing.
[Cole] Right now Edge back in the corner, surveying the scene.
Number 23 will be on his way.
[crowd] Three, two, one.
[timer buzzes]
["We Up" playing]
-[Cole laughing] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] From NXT, Wednesday nights on the USA Network,
making his first Rumble appearance,
Matt Riddle.
The "Original Bro" has arrived.
[Booker] I'm the original bro.
[announcers laugh]
[Graves] He's the modern day original.
[Cole] He's got a team named The BroserWeights with Pete Dunne.
They battle in the Dusty Cup Final on NXT this Wednesday night.
[Graves] Don't be fooled by Riddle's laid-back demeanor.
Riddle in no particular hurry to join the fray.
This is a dangerous man.
Mixed-martial arts background.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] He loves to wrestle in bare feet.
King Corbin now.
[yells]
[Graves] Corbin on the receiving end of the bare feet.
[Cole] Riddle to McIntyre.
Now to Anderson.
Matt Riddle making his presence felt here tonight.
A great night for NXT.
You saw Bianca Belair's performance in the women's Rumble earlier on.
[crowd] Whoa!
[Cole] Bang!
Now Edge goes after Riddle.
-Riddle now-- Oh! -[Graves] Oh wow!
[Cole] Ripcord Knee.
[Booker] This is not about nostalgia tonight.
Edge has got a problem.
[Cole] No time for nostalgia if you're Matt Riddle
trying to make a name for yourself. Corbin eliminates Riddle.
[Booker] That is what you get coming out, messing around, playing games.
[Cole] King Corbin eliminating Matt Riddle.
[Graves] Riddle understandably disappointed,
but such is life in WWE.
This is the Royal Rumble. WrestleMania is on the line.
[Cole] Number 24 about to come into the match.
[crowd] Three, two, one.
[timer buzzes]
["Comin' For Ya" playing]
[Cole] Now Karl Anderson has a buddy.
Luke Gallows.
[crowd cheering]
[Booker] Look at Luke, that's what you call a power walk.
It's a guy that's serious, a guy that's intense.
[Graves] Luke Gallows will join Karl Anderson,
and we saw AJ Styles eliminated several moments ago,
but this is one of the most dominant tag teams WWE has seen in some time.
[Cole] Gallows with a big boot!
[Graves] No one is happier to see big Luke Gallows than Karl Anderson.
[Cole] It's almost been a tale of two Royal Rumble matches tonight.
The first was Brock Lesnar eliminating 13 people,
now the ring is beginning to fill up with superstars.
[Graves] They're elite-level superstars.
You got a WWE Hall of Famer in there. You got the King of the Ring.
[Cole] Look at that! Deep Six.
Delivered to Edge by King Corbin.
Gallows trying to eliminated Dolph.
-[Graves] Uh-oh! -[Cole] Ziggler survives again.
[Graves] Wait, McIntyre-- Oh no!
[Cole] King Corbin eliminated by-- Was that McIntyre?
[Graves] That was Drew McIntyre.
[Cole] Elimination four by McIntyre. The King's out.
Humpty Dumpty, the King's down.
[Graves] How dare you make that reference?
Right now Anderson and Gallows, The Good Brothers,
putting a beatdown on McIntyre.
Do we have to watch this again?
Drew McIntyre unceremoniously eliminating King Corbin.
[Cole] Everyone in the kingdom celebrating tonight.
And now-- Oh, there it is!
Magic Killer by The O.C.
[Booker] I tell you, Edge is taking a beating right now.
His decision to come back at Royal Rumble, I don't know if it was a good one.
-[Cole] Number 25… -[crowd] Three, two, one.
-Will be heading to the ring. -[timer buzzes]
♪ I hear voices in my head… ♪
["Voices" playing]
[Graves] There's someone The O.C. can't be too happy about seeing.
You don't wanna get on the wrong side of The Viper.
[Cole] Randy Orton.
One of the very few men who won multiple Royal Rumble matches,
2009 and 2017.
Orton entering his twelfth Rumble match.
[Graves] This past week on Raw,
Orton had a run in with all three members of The O.C.!
[Cole] RKO!
RKO!
[crowd cheering]
[Graves] Look at this! Rated-R, KO!
Orton and Edge!
Eliminating The O.C.!
[crowd cheering]
Holy shit, you look good!
You're all shredded.
-You're looking good! -You want him?
[Orton] I'd love to take him.
-You get him. -Okay.
[Cole] Former Tag Team Champions.
[Graves] Temporary reunion.
[Cole] Together again, as entry number 26 is on the way.
[timer buzzes]
-["The Truth Reigns" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Here comes the Big Dog!
Who won a falls count anywhere match earlier tonight.
Entry number 26.
Which is the latest entry slot not to produce a Royal Rumble winner.
[Graves] It's a great slot to be chosen.
But let's be totally honest here.
The Big Dog is banged up.
Roman Reigns is beat up, he is hurt.
He went through hell earlier tonight.
[Booker] Let me tell you something.
-We hurt every night. -[Cole] Oh!
-[Booker] A guy like Reigns relishes this. -[Cole] Oh! Bang!
-[Booker] Just the Royal Rumble-- -[Cole] Spear!
[Booker] A win means going to WrestleMania.
[Cole] 2015, Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble.
-Now he eliminates Ziggler. -[Booker] Wow!
[Cole] 2014, Reigns dumped 12 men over the top rope.
Now takes the fight to McIntyre.
[Graves] Could Drew McIntyre be the next one?
[Booker] I don't know. Smart money is on both these guys here.
Brock Lesnar was number one, number two was Drew McIntyre.
Number three was Roman Reigns.
-[Cole] This relentless assault now. -[Graves] Bang!
[Cole] Big shot by McIntyre to Reigns in the corner.
Roman Reigns just walked out of the corner after that chop.
[Graves] Reigns just shrugged off a hellacious Knife-Edge Chop.
[Cole] Roman Reigns won one Rumble.
-He's also been runner-up three times. -[timer buzzes]
Great performer in the Rumble.
-["Fight" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Number 27, the slot goes to KO.
Kevin Owens.
Who's been in a miserable mood as of late on Monday Night Raw.
Number 27 is where more winners have come in a Royal Rumble match than any other.
[Cole] And Owens…
Driving McIntyre back into the corner.
Goes after Randy Orton.
[Graves] Owens unleashing all of his recent frustrations
No shortage of opponents to do it to.
-[Cole] Oh! -[Graves] Clear the deck, cannonball.
[Cole] Owens-- Oh! Loves Houston, Texas.
He won his only Universal Championship here a few years ago.
[Booker] Talk about a guy that needs a win.
-A big win like this, that's Kevin Owens. -[Cole] Powerbomb!
Now Owens' kick right to the face of Reigns.
[Graves] Uh-oh! Here goes Reigns!
[Cole] Went for the pop-up powerbomb.
Reigns able to leapfrog.
-[Graves] Stunner! -[Cole] Wow.
Whoa. Keep your eyes on the apex predator.
Orton stalking Kevin Owens.
[crowd cheering]
And now a stunner to Orton!
Bringing back memories of the Rumbles' only three-time winner,
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
[Graves] Kevin Owens looking to eliminate Edge.
Spoil the return of the Rated-R Superstar.
Edge is in trouble.
-[Booker] Edge has to make his body heavy. -[timer buzzes]
[Cole] Number 28 now is going to make his way to the ring.
From Monday Night Raw.
-["Root Of All Evil" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Aleister Black.
♪ No man is ever truly good… ♪
[Graves] The Royal Rumble environment could be great for Aleister Black.
A very proficient striker.
Can turn the lights out with one kick.
[Cole] Black goes right after Kevin Owens.
Big shot by Owens.
Black off the second rope, will land on his feet.
Oh! With the unorthodox style of Aleister Black.
Now Edge from behind.
[Graves] Standing switch by Aleister Black.
Here comes Edge!
Ran right into a big knee, Edge dropped.
McIntyre from behind.
[Booker] Never seen Aleister Black in a match like this,
with so many guys are
[Cole] McIntyre with a Glasgow Kiss right to the face of Black.
-[Booker] Pow! -[Cole] He runs right into it!
[Graves] Fade to black.
[Booker] Educated feet, man.
[Cole] McIntyre dropped. Everyone's down except for Black.
[Graves] Take a look at this. Bang!
Such precision, such impact, and so sudden.
McIntyre's lights are still out.
Randy Orton had rolled to the outside, underneath the bottom rope.
He and Edge both still active participants in this matchup.
Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens doing battle.
-Someone else is about to join the fray. -[crowd] Five, four, three, two…
[Cole] Number 29.
-[Booker] Wow. We're almost there. -[timer buzzes]
["Destroyer" playing]
[Graves laughs] I love it.
-Samoa Joe. -[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Had a great Rumble last year.
Lasted nearly half an hour.
Booker T, at number 29,
how on earth do you bet against Samoa Joe?
[Booker] You can't.
Samoa Joe, that's another guy that's just looking for that one big breakout moment.
This could be it, the Royal Rumble.
[Cole] Joe, who's formed this alliance with Kevin Owens on Monday Night Raw.
Reigns and Orton in the corner.
Samoa Joe looking to eliminate and wipe everybody out.
[Graves] Samoa Joe nor Kevin Owens will help the other get to WrestleMania.
Tonight, this is about the Royal Rumble and a title opportunity.
[Cole] Joe sidesteps, runs into an elbow by Black.
-[Graves] Oh! Wow! -[Cole] Big step-up kick by Joe.
Meanwhile, on the other side,
you see Drew McIntyre
trying to eliminate Orton.
Orton, though, lands back on his feet.
Owens with a poke to the eyes.
Cannonball in the corner.
[Graves] Kevin Owens sacrificing his own body to injure his opponents.
[grunting]
-[Cole] Edge still in the match. -[Graves] Hang on.
[speaking indistinctly]
[Cole] So much for those alliances you mentioned earlier, Corey.
Joe and Kevin Owens going at it, center of the ring!
[grunts]
-[Cole] And KO! -[grunts]
[Booker] Wow.
An Atomic Drop by Samoa Joe.
Number 30's coming.
-The last entry in the 2020 Royal Rumble. -[crowd] Three, two, one.
[timer buzzes]
♪ Burn it down! ♪
-["Visionary" playing] -[Cole] Is it too late to change my pick?
Last year's Royal Rumble winner, Seth Rollins,
is flanked by his new team.
The Monday Night Messiah has Buddy Murphy and AOP walking out to the ring with him.
This is as close to bulletproof as a competitor can possibly be.
Last year, Rollins won this very match all on his own.
Now the Monday Night Messiah has returned to claim what's his.
[Graves] He's already the Raw Tag Team Champion
with Buddy Murphy after a shocking victory this past Monday night.
[Cole] It's only shocking if you don't understand how amazing the Messiah can be.
[Booker] Say what you want about Seth Rollins,
he got backup,
but he don't mind getting into a fight.
[Cole] Joe and Kevin Owens went under the ropes, they're still in this.
They go right after AOP, Buddy Murphy, and Seth Rollins.
The chaos, the brawl is on.
[Booker] Fast move.
[Cole] This has been brewing for weeks on Monday Night Raw.
[Graves] All coming to head tonight in Houston.
We got pandemonium at ringside, and look at Seth Rollins.
[Cole] There will be no more entries into this matchup.
Seth Rollins was number 30.
Now they drag Edge under the bottom rope. Edge is still in the match.
But driven into the barricade. Orton still in as well.
AOP having their way with Orton.
AOP, Murphy, and Rollins running roughshod over everyone.
-Randy Orton out now! -[Booker] Whoa!
[Graves] Randy Orton just eliminated, for the moment.
Courtesy of AOP.
Stopped Drew McIntyre in the middle of the ring.
[Cole] Randy Orton placed right into my lap here at ringside.
But Randy Orton is still in this match.
[Graves] Not eliminated literally from the match,
but from the equation at the moment.
-Rollins-- -[Cole] Orton still in this.
Booker's checking on Randy to make sure he's okay.
Randy came flying across our announce table.
Rollins with a stomp in the middle of the ring.
[Graves] The Big Dog has been stomped
by his once-upon-a-time brother, Seth Rollins.
[Booker] Get out of there.
[Graves Aleister Black now…
Trying to restore some order to the outside.
Orton could be hurt bad, guys.
The fact remains Rollins continues to dominate!
But Aleister lands a high kick.
Buddy Murphy once again paying dividends.
[Cole] Remember, all this is legal.
There is no disqualification in a Royal Rumble match.
Eliminated is Black now by Rollins.
-[Orton] You guys all right after that? -[Booker] Yeah.
[Graves] Seth Rollins can taste victory.
Can taste another Wrestle-- Oh!
[Cole] A stunner.
Another WrestleMania headline.
[Graves] Can you imagine if Owens eliminates Rollins? Caught by AOP!
-[Booker] Wow! -[Cole] Feet did not hit the floor.
Owens is still in this matchup.
[Graves] That's the best insurance policy I have ever seen.
Akam and Rezar.
Oh! And there goes Owens.
[Cole] Eliminated by Rollins thanks to the help of The AOP.
Uh-oh. Night-night, Seth!
Coquina Clutch!
[Booker] In the middle of the ring right now.
Buddy, come on now! This is ridiculous!
[Graves] Seth Rollins' Tag Team Championship partner.
[Cole] Murphy tagged by Joe.
Rollins, from behind, eliminates Joe!
[Graves] Owens and Joe eliminated by Rollins!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] McIntyre, Rollins, Reigns--
And now Samoa Joe gonna take out his anger on Buddy Murphy.
Now AOP. And Aleister Black's in the mix.
And Buddy Murphy! And Owens is back!
There is a brawl at ringside again.
[Graves] It has broken down.
Six competitors all trying to destroy one another.
[Cole] Somebody better get some security or officials.
Somebody to separate these guys.
[Graves] Owens, Black,
Samoa Joe, all eliminated from the Rumble match.
[Cole] None of the others are even involved!
Rollins is going, "Where are you going?" He's losing all his allies.
[Booker] His insurance policy just checked out.
[Cole] AOP and…
Buddy Murphy who helped Rollins eliminate some men in this match,
including Owens and Joe.
[Graves] Edge slowly making his way back into the ring.
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Randy Orton as well, has not been eliminated.
Randy Orton is still in this match.
Edge, McIntyre, Orton, Reigns,
Rollins is in the middle.
And the Monday Night Messiah may need a prayer right now.
Roman! You and me.
[Cole] Rollins saying, "Hey, Roman, remember our days in The Shield?"
[Rollins] We'll get rid of these guys,
throw them out, it'll come down to the two of us.
We can do this, all right?
For old time's sake.
[crowd cheering]
Come on. You and me. You and me!
Come on!
Please!
[Cole] Superman Punch!
[Graves] You got your answer, Seth.
[Rollins breathing heavily]
[Cole] Oh! What a Powerslam by Orton.
[Graves] Now the Monday Night Messiah is dinner in a den of hungry wolves.
[Booker] It's a moment right here, Corey.
-[Cole] Claymore! -[Graves] The Claymore kick, Book.
[Cole] And Seth Rollins dumped over the top rope.
That is the fifth elimination by Drew McIntyre.
We are now down to the final four
in the 2020 Royal Rumble.
Randy Orton,
a two-time winner.
Roman Reigns, who's won this event.
Edge, who's won this event, and returns here tonight.
And Drew McIntyre, who's never won the Rumble match.
All four squaring off for an opportunity
to main event WrestleMania.
[Booker] McIntyre promised he was gonna go to WrestleMania
and main event that event, so you gotta wonder.
[Cole] Rated-R, KO, plotting some strategy.
We've seen them work together earlier tonight to eliminate The O.C.
Now they go after Reigns and Drew McIntyre.
Better the devil you know than the one you don't.
Edge into the corner,
McIntyre hammering away on the Hall of Famer.
Roman Reigns sent to the post shoulder first.
[Graves] Backbreaker from Orton.
The Big Dog is down.
[Cole] Now from behind, goes after McIntyre.
[Booker] One thing about Randy Orton, he may not have one strategy,
but he knows how to win.
More important than anything.
[Cole] RKO by Orton!
Much like what happened Monday night on Raw.
Come on! Come on!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Edge waiting for McIntyre.
There's a spear by Edge.
[speaking indistinctly]
[Cole] If you're Edge and Orton, get rid of McIntyre,
get rid of Reigns, and bring it down to just you two.
-Oh! -[Graves] Double RKO.
[crowd cheering]
[Booker] That had to take everything out of Drew McIntyre.
[Cole] I still can't believe we are seeing Edge
in this Royal Rumble match tonight.
And as one of the final four men.
Oh boy, don't trust a snake.
[speaking indistinctly]
[crowd laughs]
[Cole] And there's Edge! Edge eliminates Orton!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Strike The Viper before he strikes you.
You wanna try that on me? I've been around too long!
-Too long! -[Orton groaning]
[Cole] And now we are down to three.
[Graves] And Orton's…
Ah!
[Graves] Orton's frustrated because he should've known better.
[Booker] He fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book.
[Cole] Reigns, Edge, and McIntyre,
all that remain.
One of these three men is going to main event WrestleMania.
[crowd chanting] Edge! You still got it!
[Cole] Corey, this is one of those matches you play on 2K.
Make up a fantasy match, Reigns versus Edge.
You get to see it here tonight,' live at the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] There is no way I thought I would see this!
Look at Edge and Reigns!
Unloading blows on each other!
[Cole] A big right hand!
[Booker] Big uppercut.
[Cole] Superman Punch!
[crowd booing]
[Booker] This is a new deal, Edge, nine years removed.
It's a new game.
-[yelling indistinctly] -[Cole] A new dog's running the yard.
[speaking indistinctly]
[Cole] Edge trying to pull to his feet, Roman Reigns is in position and ready.
[Reigns yells]
[Cole] The spear, Edge able to leap it.
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] Spear of his own!
[crowd cheering]
[Cole] Will Edge do it?!
Is Edge gonna eliminate Roman Reigns?
Roman over the top rope!
-Just hangs on! -[Booker] Whoa!
[Cole] Reigns just hangs on.
[Graves] Keep the pressure on, Edge.
[Graves] Reigns has gotta get back in the ring.
[Cole] Edge now.
Caught. Big kick to the midsection by Roman Reigns.
Reigns now struggling to get Edge over the top rope.
Edge in trouble! Is Edge gonna be able to survive?
Roman Reigns is gonna eliminate Edge!
Both now on the apron!
[Graves] Both men battling exhaustion this deep into the matchup.
Reigns already competed once tonight.
[Cole] Critical moment here. Reigns and Edge.
Exchanging blows out on the apron!
Which one of these men is gonna teeter?
Which one of these men is gonna fall to the floor below and be eliminated?
Edge just hanging on, barely.
And Edge is eliminated by Roman Reigns.
[Booker] Wow.
[crowd booing]
[Cole] We are down to two.
Edge lasted 25 minutes in this matchup.
Roman Reigns with a right hand to McIntyre.
Looking for the Superman Punch, and connected!
McIntyre down.
We're down to two men.
The final men in the Rumble.
[Graves] Here we go!
[Cole] Roman Reigns to eliminate McIntyre and win his second Rumble.
[Graves] Very few men have won more than one.
Roman Reigns looking to join the elite here tonight.
[Booker] Wow, there's a lot of power--
[Cole] Claymore!
Claymore by McIntyre!
-McIntyre! -[crowd cheering]
-Drew McIntyre's going to WrestleMania! -[bell rings]
-[crowd cheering] -["Gallantry" playing]
[Hamilton] Here is your winner!
Drew McIntyre!
[Graves] All I can say is it is about damn time.
[Cole] Drew McIntyre has never had an opportunity
at a WWE or Universal Championship.
He's going to get his chance after winning the Royal Rumble!
[Graves] There is a standing ovation are Minute Maid Park.
And deservedly so.
Over 40,000 fans standing in appreciation
for Drew McIntyre.
What an effort.
[Cole] For the first time ever,
Drew McIntyre wins the Royal Rumble.
But it was really, as I mentioned before, a story of two Royal Rumbles tonight.
Brock Lesnar, the WWE Champion,
entered at number one.
Lesnar had eliminated 13 men
before Ricochet and then McIntyre would take out The Beast.
[Graves] This seemed to propel Drew McIntyre's momentum
that he would hold on to throughout the night
and the closing moments.
Just when it looked like the Big Dog was headed to WrestleMania,
a Claymore to the chin of Roman Reigns,
and Drew McIntyre has finally earned
the opportunity that has eluded him for 13 years.
An opportunity to become champion at WrestleMania.
[Graves] A few short years ago
you never would believe Drew McIntyre would be main-eventing WrestleMania.
That is where Drew McIntyre is headed,
to WrestleMania.
A man who was once fired from WWE,
and fought, and he fought hard, to get back in this company.
To get back to WWE.
And now Drew McIntyre is on top of the mountain.
Now the question is, which champion will Drew McIntyre choose?
[Cole] At least for tonight, Drew McIntyre can celebrate.
Because Drew McIntyre's time is now!
Thank you for joining us, from Houston,
good night, everybody, from the Royal Rumble!
["Gallantry" continues playing] Royal Rumble!