[WWE intro music plays]
[narrator] Then.
-[Ric Flair] Whoo! -[The Rock] If you smell…
[narrator] Now.
[Roman Reigns] Acknowledge me!
-[Triple H] The King of Kings! -[John Cena] You can't see me.
[narrator] Forever.
Together.
[rock music plays]
[Michael Cole] The future path of WWE will be determined tonight,
in one of the most important events of the year.
For the second time, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida
hosts the Royal Rumble.
But this time around, the WWE superstars will perform
in front of live WWE fans, over 40,000.
We are sold out in the Sunshine City.
Let's shine.
Well, tonight marks the 1,245th day
of the Undisputed Champion Roman Reigns.
But the most dominant titleholder of the modern era
faces his toughest test
against Randy Orton, AJ Styles, LA Knight
in a Fatal 4-Way match tonight.
The women's World Champion, Rhea Ripley.
Winner of the women's Rumble could pick…
Who will she face at the WrestleMania main event?
We'll find out. Maybe it's Bianca Belair.
[ethereal music plays]
[seabirds squawk]
[Hulk Hogan] This place is special.
I spent most of my whole life around these parts.
Beautiful to look at.
Rich with wrestling history.
It's shaped some of the best.
So if you're doing a waltz down here
and kick the hornet's nest,
then you better be ready.
-[crowd] Four, three… -And not just any ready.
[crowd] …two, one!
Rumble ready.
["Make Way" by Aloe Blacc plays]
♪ Steady on my grind I got no time for playing games ♪
♪ Money on my mind I'm kicking as I'm taking names ♪
♪ The heat is on, get out the kitchen If you can't handle the flames ♪
♪ I'm hustlin', I was born to win
♪ Ain't never gonna change ♪
I know what it takes to win.
[announcer 1] Here he goes.
[Hogan] I also know nights like tonight are when names are made.
legacies primed,
and tickets punched.
[Cole] Who's gonna main event WrestleMania?
♪ Just wait and see ♪
♪ They gonna talk about me ♪
♪ And things ain't never Gonna be the same ♪
Unfortunately for a few,
you gotta go through him.
Your Tribal Chief in a Fatal 4-Way match.
-[Corey Graves] Orton, Styles, Knight… -[Knight] Yeah!
[Graves] …to challenge Roman Reigns.
[Reigns] I'm levels above everybody.
Oh, yeah.
Everybody loves a prize fight.
[Logan Paul] I'm back.
Did you miss me?
Your days as US Champion are numbered.
WWE Universe.
Let 'em hear you, brother!
♪ Are you ready? ♪
[Hogan] Clear a path…
because the Royal Rumble…
[Cole] Thirty men, thirty women.
Light 'em up, throw 'em over.
Who's going to main event WrestleMania?
…is here!
[Pat McAfee] Tonight, dreams come true, surprises are in abundance,
it's Royal Rumble, let's go!
[Cole] We are officially on the Road to WrestleMania.
♪ Legendary ♪
[dramatic music plays]
What you gonna do
when the Royal Rumble runs wild on you?
[buzzer sounds]
[announcer] And now, Cricket 5G
and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
present WWE Royal Rumble.
["Wild Child" by The Black Keys plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] We are 70 days away from WrestleMania!
And for the 37th time,
we welcome you to the Royal Rumble.
You are looking live at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Over 40,000 WWE fans here tonight.
And in the men's Royal Rumble match,
there are two men who are looking to finish their story.
First, the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes,
who looks to go back to back as a Rumble winner,
the first man to do that in 26 years.
But also hoping to finish his story tonight,
a man who has not been a part of WWE in a decade.
Ten years ago today,
CM Punk walked out of WWE in controversial fashion.
Tonight, he's back
for his first WWE televised match in a decade.
It is an historic night.
I've got boo-- goosebumps.
Michael Cole, Corey Graves at ringside.
There is something in the St. Petersburg air,
and I'm not talking about the sea salt.
It's the energy. It is tangible.
We are full speed ahead toward Philadelphia
for the biggest WrestleMania--
[Pat McAfee's music plays]
-[Graves] Two years in a row?! -[Cole laughs]
[Graves] I oughta-- [grumbles]
[Cole] However, this year, I knew all about it.
Pat McAfee is back!
[Samantha Irvin] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
your special guest commentator
for Royal Rumble,
Pat McAfee!
[Graves] What happened, Cole? Did this derelict
run out of college campuses to pollute?
I-- Unbelievable!
Two years in a row? I'm done.
Bring on 2025.
[Cole] The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN
setting records everywhere,
and now Pat McAfee is here tonight, ready to have some fun…
at the Royal Rumble.
[crowd cheers]
What happened? Did they give Boston Connor and Zito the day off
from babysitting or what?
[laughs] Hey, uh, can I actually--
Can I actually say it? Can I actually say it?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let's go!
To Samantha Irvin.
Hell, yeah. What an honor to be here.
I was just telling Cole how happy I am that you're back.
That's awesome of you. Very nice of you.
All I can hear is these people saying my name.
I love the WWE Universe.
What an absolute honor it is to be here.
-Go hang out with 'em. -It's going to be some night.
All right. Let's have fun. There's a lot to talk about.
Oh, is there ever.
[laughs]
[McAfee] Bruiser coming through tonight, Cole.
The Road to WrestleMania has started.
My schedule opened a tiny bit and magic is on the way.
[Cole] Let's go up to Samantha Irvin.
[McAfee] Hell yeah. Great pipes. Samantha Irvin's got it all.
[bell rings]
The following
is the women's Royal Rumble match!
This match begins with two superstars inside the ring.
Every 90 seconds,
another superstar will enter the match.
Eliminations 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 go on to main event WrestleMania!
[McAfee] Chills, Cole.
[Natalya's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] Well, entering the Royal Rumble at number one,
none other than Natalya.
[Irvin] Introducing first, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada,
Natalya!
[Cole] Corey, Natalya's seventh Royal Rumble match now.
There have been four wins from the number one spot
in Royal Rumble history,
including last year when Rhea Ripley went wire to wire.
[Graves] Well, it may seem that drawing number one could be a detriment,
but we are talking about Natalya,
one of the most experienced women on the roster.
a woman who is extremely proud of her legacy,
yet still, after all these years, competes night after night
with a chip on her shoulder.
This could be a big night for Natalya and the Hart Dynasty.
[McAfee] Yeah, a member of the last class of the Hart's Dungeon,
legendary training grounds.
And if she goes wire to wire tonight here in Tampa, that'd be phenomenal,
'cause I'm already sweating and tired just from walking to the ring.
[Cole] Natalya, a history maker.
She's fourth all-time in cumulative time in Rumble matches.
She's spent over two hours in Rumble matches in her career.
[crowd cheers]
[McAfee] You ever been in a Rumble, Cole?
[Cole] Indeed.
Hour. I've-- Sorry.
-[McAfee] An hour, huh? -[Cole laughs]
[McAfee] What is going on since I've been gone, Corey? An hour, this guy said?
[Naomi's music plays]
[Graves] And then he woke up. But wait, wait, wait, wait.
[crowd cheers]
[McAfee] Oh, I'm feeling it.
-[Cole] Our first surprise of the night! -[Irvin] Introducing entrant number two.
From Orlando, Florida.
Naomi!
[Cole] Guys, she's back!
[Graves] Absolutely incredible.
Yet another sight that we didn't know if we would ever see, Michael Cole.
We've already witnessed Hell freeze over in the last few months.
What could possibly be next?
Welcome back, Naomi.
[Cole] It was back in May of 2022
that Naomi had her last match in WWE.
She is back tonight at the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] You can see Naomi is feeling the energy, feeling the glow.
You can see the emotion in the eyes of the former women's champion
and a major threat to win this whole Rumble.
[Cole] Yeah, Naomi, a former two-time SmackDown women's champion,
a tag team champion as well.
She won a battle royal at WrestleMania in 2018.
She went on to win
the TNA Knockouts World Championship while she was gone.
-But what an ovation! -[bell rings]
[crowd chants] Welcome back! Welcome back!
Welcome back! Welcome back!
-Welcome back! -[Naomi inaudible]
[McAfee] This place is the greatest.
[Graves] Tropicana Field absolutely erupted with support
for the returning Naomi.
But now Naomi needs to compartmentalize the emotions,
focus on the task at hand,
and Naomi had better be in the best shape of her career.
[Cole] Well, 28 other women will enter the Royal Rumble match,
so a long road for both of these women to go through
in order to win this event.
And Natalya with a waist lock on Naomi.
[Graves] A lot of superstars enjoy when the ring is relatively empty,
as it is in the early goings of a Royal Rumble match.
You have more room to operate, more room to strategize.
You don't have to worry about other bodies all over the place.
[Cole] The problem is, you have to go about an hour to win this thing.
[McAfee] That's what I think. These ladies don't want to waste
any extra energy than they have to here, earlier than everybody else.
[Cole] Oh, Naomi dropping Natalya right on the top of her head.
And Natalya like, "Yeah, I guess Naomi didn't miss a step."
[Graves] I agree with your assessment, Pat, but the truth of a Royal Rumble match
is the more crowded the ring becomes, the more hazardous the situation is,
the higher the risk is of being eliminated by somebody
you're not focused on at that particular moment.
[McAfee] She can still do that. And Natalya can still do that.
[Cole] Basement dropkick as we await entry number three.
-[Graves] St. Pete is lit tonight. -[buzzer sounds]
[Damage CTRL's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] And from Damage CTRL,
Bayley heads to the ring for the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] You better tell the truth tonight, Cole.
[inaudible]
[Cole] Well, the truth is this.
The Royal Rumble, the one event that has eluded Bayley
throughout her illustrious career.
[McAfee] And Cole has loved to point that out as much as he possibly can.
[crowd chants] Bayley! Bayley! Bayley! Bayley!
[Graves] Bayley wasting no time
bringing the fight to the two other competitors in the ring.
Remember, it was Bayley who called her shot several weeks back,
saying that she would be the final piece of Damage CTRL.
She would win the women's Royal Rumble match
and challenge Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania.
-[McAfee] What's that, Cole? -[Cole] Oh! And Naomi dropping Bayley.
That's a version of what she calls the rear view.
[Graves] The Greco-Roman cheek lock.
[Cole] Oh! And there is the rear view by Naomi.
You mentioned Damage CTRL.
Last night on Friday Night SmackDown, Corey,
the Kabuki Warriors won the women's tag team titles.
Iyo Sky, of course, the current WWE Women's Champion.
[Graves] Last piece of gold that has eluded Damage CTRL
is the one held currently by Rhea Ripley.
-[Cole] Now-- -[McAfee] Such a beautiful thing.
Can project yourself to the main event of WrestleMania.
[Cole] Uh, alter your career.
Change everything about your life.
Remember, you're eliminated when you go over the top rope
and both feet hit the floor.
[Graves] In these Royal Rumble matches, you're going to see strange bedfellows.
Right now, Natalya and Bayley working together,
attempting to eliminate Naomi. It's an absolute necessity.
[Cole] There will be some teamwork, but for the most part,
it is every woman for herself in this matchup.
As we await entry number four.
-[McAfee] Got to play the game. -[crowd counts down]
[Graves] Jawbreaker by Naomi.
-Who's next? -[buzzer sounds]
[Candice LeRae's music plays]
[Cole] And a former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion.
Candice LeRae, part of the Monday Night Raw roster,
makes her way to the ring.
She has a handful of appearances in her career,
four to be exact, counting tonight, in the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] LeRae, one of the more tenacious competitors
in the women's division right now, just teeing off on "The Role Model."
[McAfee] Haymakers to start the Royal Rumble for Candice.
[Cole] You mentioned this earlier. Winning this matchup
can completely alter your entire career.
[McAfee] Everything.
Your entire family's life changes at the Royal Rumble.
Candice LeRae wins the Royal Rumble, are you kidding me?
[Graves] Smart strategy by LeRae, attacking the knee of Natalya.
[McAfee] Then the face. Kick her right in the jaw.
Candice LeRae is playing no games--
-Oh? Oh. Oh! -[Graves] Wow!
Combination offense from LeRae.
[Cole] Not only taking out Bayley, but Natalya as well.
And now turns her attention to Naomi,
who returned to WWE tonight.
As we take another look, great effort here by Candice LeRae.
[McAfee] Genius.
[Graves] Up and around we go.
Spinning head scissors by LeRae and a boot right in the face.
[McAfee] Right to the mouth there of Naomi.
[Graves] LeRae made the mistake
of attempting to celebrate a little too long
in a Royal Rumble environment,
which rarely pays dividends.
[McAfee] It feels like somebody's going to get you at some point.
[Cole] No eliminations yet in this matchup.
Thirty women will enter.
Last woman standing gets her choice
of what champion she wants to face at WrestleMania.
[crowd] Bayley! Bayley! Bayley!
[Cole] And we are seven seconds away from entry number five in this matchup.
[crowd] …three, two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
[sirens blare]
[Jordynne Grace's music plays]
[McAfee] Cops are here.
[Cole] And yet another surprise in this Royal Rumble.
TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace.
[Graves] This is the woman who defeated Naomi to become champion.
[Cole] And she's here tonight,
entering the WWE Women's Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] Pat, let me tell you about Jordynne Grace.
This woman has muscles in places you don't even have places.
-[McAfee] That's what I'm looking at here. -[Graves] An absolute powerhouse.
-[McAfee] What a beast! -[Graves] A specimen for sure.
[Cole] Jordynne Grace taking out everyone, and a German suplex delivered to Bayley.
-[McAfee] What? -[Cole] Spinning powerslam.
-[McAfee] This is the TNA champion? -[Cole] Yes. Candice LeRae.
[McAfee] TNA's got an absolute weapon as their champion.
[Cole] And Jordynne Grace delivering the slam
and now turning her attention to, as Corey mentioned,
longtime rival Naomi.
[McAfee] "Look at us."
-[Graves] There we go! -[Cole] Every woman for herself!
[Graves] You can exchange pleasantries after the match is over.
It is every woman for herself.
[Cole] And Naomi runs into a back elbow by Grace.
And Jordynne Grace powering Naomi up
and dropping her right on the back of her neck.
[Graves] My goodness!
[McAfee] Holy hell.
[Cole] What a display of power by Grace.
[Graves] Jordynne Grace appears to have been carved out of marble.
[Cole] Now, it's Bayley back up, gaining the upper hand.
[Graves] Natalya in a precarious position right now.
[Cole] And Grace from behind.
[McAfee] Grip really does get tested in a Royal Rumble.
Grip's a big deal. That top rope can save you.
[Graves] All three ropes can be your best friends
in certain circumstances.
[crowd] …six, five, four…
[Cole] Number six, about to enter the Royal Rumble.
[buzzer sounds]
[Indi Hartwell's music plays]
[Cole] Well, Candice LeRae is going to have an ally,
former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion
and of course, former NXT Women's Champion as well.
Indi Hartwell entering her second Royal Rumble.
[Graves] No one more relieved in this moment
than Candice LeRae, who has a moment of respite
as Indi Hartwell tees off on "The Role Model."
[McAfee] Freshest in the ring as well. What an advantage.
[Graves] Indi, one of the more powerful superstars
in the women's division, a true-- Uh-oh.
[McAfee] Ooh! Spinebuster!
[Graves] I didn't even have to say it. She showed us all.
[Cole] And now the double team with, uh, LeRae and Indi Hartwell.
Longtime friends.
You know, both LeRae and Hartwell, Corey, have talked about…
trying to seize the opportunity.
[Graves] I hate to be the one to let these two know,
but only one of you can go to WrestleMania if you win this match.
[McAfee] Never been two winners?
[Cole] Well, maybe you work together, eliminate everyone,
and then it's down to one-on-one.
[Graves] I don't know if I like that strategy.
[McAfee] You wouldn't want to help a friend out.
[Cole] We've never had two winners, but we did go to overtime one year
with Batista and John Cena
in the Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] Bayley now hanging on for dear life, as is LeRae.
[Cole] The officials there to make sure…
[Graves] Jordynne Grace utilizing her powerful legs,
trying to stomp LeRae out of the ring.
[Cole] If both feet hit the ground, you will be eliminated.
Bayley now out to the apron.
And able to pull herself back into the ring.
[Graves] Indi may have tweaked her ankle, delivering a stomp to Bayley.
[McAfee] With so many different people and angles of attack,
you can get injured at any moment.
[Graves] Pat, you know from gridiron. You're not paying attention
to someone beside you or behind you.
You step on an ankle, you're out for six, eight months.
-[McAfee] Boom! -[Cole] This'll be number seven.
[buzzer sounds]
[Asuka's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] Oh, oh, yes!
[Cole] Well, Bayley is not happy.
She's a bit surprised.
To get back to your point earlier, Corey,
Bayley, well, she's the one person without gold in the group of Damage CTRL.
[Graves] Wait, wait. Why is it okay to be excited
for Indi and Candice to be BFFs on the way to WrestleMania,
but Asuka, here to come to the aid of the leader of Damage CTRL,
that's a bad thing?
[Cole] Did you not see the look on Bayley's face?
-Nonetheless, Asuka-- -[McAfee] Straight to the sky!
[Cole] …won the tag team titles last night with Kairi Sane
on Friday Night SmackDown.
She won the Royal R-- Rumble event back in 2018.
[Asuka speaks indistinctly]
[Cole] It was the first ever women's Royal Rumble that year.
[Graves] Why is Bayley being tentative, Cole?
You would think Bayley would be ecstatic to have Asuka out here.
[Cole] Oh, we…
Oh, she tried to, uh, high-five Asuka there, and…
[McAfee] The hell's going on, Cole?
[Cole] Asuka wanted nothing to do with it.
-[McAfee] I thought they were friends. -[Cole] They're part of the same group.
[Asuka cheers]
[McAfee] Oh.
[Cole] Now, Asuka and Bayley trying to work together.
Now targeting Indi Hartwell.
[Graves] Now, your strategy that you wanted to apply
to LeRae and Hartwell
would work expertly for Damage CTRL.
Have Bayley and Asuka be the final two,
and then Asuka's already one half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.
Then she could step over the top rope--
-[McAfee] For Bayley. -[Cole] And now Indi Hartwell.
[Graves] Everybody wins.
-[Cole] Hanging on on the apron. -[McAfee] Bayley helping Asuka.
[Cole] Yeah, Bayley trying to keep Asuka in this matchup
and try to eliminate Hartwell, who delivers a right hand.
I mean, Bayley did l-- did look a bit tentative early on, Corey.
Oh, and a kick from Hartwell!
Asuka on the apron, and now Hartwell is eliminated!
[Graves] Look at that. Asuka kept Indi's attention distracted, if you will,
and Bayley capitalized. That's teamwork.
[McAfee] That is great teamwork.
[Cole] This will be number eight in the Rumble match.
[crowd] …one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Ivy Nile's music plays]
[Cole] Well, for the first time in her career,
the Pitbull from Monday Night Raw, Ivy Nile,
will enter the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] I think Ivy Nile--
Ivy Nile may be built for a matchup like this, the Royal Rumble.
She is compact, she is explosive and powerful.
[McAfee] "The Pitbull"?
[Cole] Asuka whipped into the corner, and Ivy Nile!
[Graves] That was a self-referential nickname, Pat.
-[Cole] Indeed. -[McAfee] Jeez.
Look at her. She's about deadweight-- Picking up Nao--
-[Cole] And the-- Look at Nile! -[Graves] Just muscling Naomi over.
[McAfee] Are you kidding me?
[Cole] Ivy Nile with a win over Valhalla this past Monday night on Raw.
Took Rhea Ripley to the limit a number of weeks ago.
Now turns her attention to the veteran Natalya.
-Ooh! -[Graves] Big forearm right on the chin.
[McAfee] Going for a choke-out there.
[Graves] Uh-oh, Candice LeRae looking like she could be in trouble right now.
[Cole] Yeah, Jordynne Grace trying to eliminate LeRae,
who falls back into the ring.
[McAfee] Naomi up on the top rope there, dangling.
[Graves] That is always a risky situation.
You usually want to avoid coming off of the ropes,
or standing on the ropes, or being too close to the ropes
in a Royal Rumble match.
Stay toward the center.
You want a shot, Cole?
[Cole] Well, Bayley's inviting me into the Rumble.
[Graves] It's your moment, Cole.
[Cole] She forgets I've already been in one Royal Rumble match.
No announcer's ever lasted longer than I have in their career in the Rumble.
-[McAfee] How long were you in there for? -[Cole] Uh, one minute, 24 seconds.
-Nonetheless-- -[McAfee] Wow! 84 seconds.
[Cole] This is number nine.
-[Katana and Kayden's music plays] -[Cole] She's a former tag team champion.
Lost the gold last night to the Kabuki Warriors, Katana Chance.
And this type of match may be built for her, Corey.
[Graves] I couldn't agree any more.
We've seen Katana partake in Royal Rumble matches in the past.
Her athleticism, second to none.
Katana's balance is otherworldly,
and I would have to think after losing her title last night,
Katana would want to have a memory of a goldfish.
Forget about it. Focus on this. Move on with your career.
[Cole] Well, looks like she's doing just that.
Kick to the midsection of Asuka,
one of the women who took the gold from her last night.
Chance, basement dropkick.
[Graves] I learned most of my sports psychology
from Ted Lasso, Pat.
[McAfee] Great place to learn.
What a big brain that person has. But look at Katana!
Well, Jordynne Grace says, "Excuse me."
[Graves] This looks like a mismatch if there ever was one.
-My goodness! -[Cole] Turned that into a back suplex.
[McAfee] The Pitbull with one as well, to Candice LeRae.
"Anything you can do, I can do better," says Ivy Nile.
Nile and Grace. Two powerhouses.
Powder kegs.
[Graves] Not a lot of real estate to work with inside the ring.
It's getting full in a hurry.
[Cole] Double vertical suplex here.
[Graves] I think Naomi may want to join the party.
No, Naomi is doing her own thing. Trying to dump Asuka over the top.
[McAfee] Look in the middle of the ring.
[Cole] What a display!
[Graves] If they held those suplexes any longer,
Pat would have had to take his shoes off to count.
[McAfee] Bingo!
I was getting real impressed. I got to the left pinky.
-And anytime you get there… -[Graves laughs]
It's impressive each and every time.
Yikes.
Big kick from Grace connects, rocking Ivy Nile.
And look like Asuka in trouble again.
[Cole] Yeah. Other side of the ring, Natalya trying to eliminate
the Empress of Tomorrow,
who, again, won this match back in 2018.
Number ten. A third of the way through the Rumble.
[crowd] …three, two, one.
[buzzer sounds]
-[Bianca Belair's music plays] -[crowd cheers]
[Cole] The EST of WWE!
Back in 2021,
Bianca Belair lasted almost 57 minutes to win this event.
It took place right here in Tropicana Field,
but there were no fans here. It was during the pandemic.
And tonight, Bianca Belair said she couldn't wait to perform
in front of over 40,000.
[Graves] Belair would love to feed off of the energy of the WWE Universe
here at the Trop, but I've got to ask Pat. In your opinion, you know the--
[Graves and Cole] Oh!
[Graves] …the old adage,
"It's hard to wake up and do road work when you wake up in silk sheets."
That going to be the case with the EST or is she just as hungry?
[McAfee] Bianca Belair is different. She's a winner.
[Cole] Bayley barely hanging on.
Dumped over the top rope and almost eliminated.
And now Bayley checking on Asuka.
-As we take another look. -[McAfee] Look at this!
[Graves] The EST with a double blockbuster on the bottom of your screen,
and just threw Katana for distance on top.
-[McAfee] And then a kip-up. -[Graves] Double-double feature.
[McAfee] She is everything that you advertised.
That is greatness.
[Cole] And now LeRae looking to try to eliminate Bianca Belair
who kicks LeRae away.
[McAfee] Oh! [laughs]
[LeRae groans]
[Graves] Belair doublestacking LeRae and Chance in the corner.
[audience counts punches]
[McAfee] This looks like two different levels of WWE 2K right now.
[Graves] Wait a second.
[Cole] Yeah, Bayley, who's had quite the rivalry
with Bianca Belair over the years.
Bianca ducks underneath.
And there's the power of the EST!
And Bianca putting on a show.
[Gravse] Hoisting Chance up high
and using Katana as a weapon.
[McAfee] Three superstars.
-[Graves] Tripled up! -[buzzer sounds]
-[Cole] Number 11. -[Kairi Sane's music plays]
And now Damage CTRL has all the numbers.
The other half of the tag team champions, the Kabuki Warriors, Kairi Sane.
[Graves] See, Cole, you've been speculating.
Everyone's been trying to drive a wedge in Damage CTRL,
but this plan is clearly falling together perfectly.
The only question at this point is,
would Bayley rather challenge Rhea on WrestleMania Saturday
or WrestleMania Sunday?
[Cole] Well, if Bayley survives, because Bianca Belair
has Bayley on her shoulders.
Kairi Sane from the top rope!
And down goes Belair.
[Graes] Belair certainly had her hands full with all of Damage CTRL.
Kairi, no exception.
What a shot from Sane.
-[Cole] And the tag champs. -[McAfee] Yes!
[Cole] Standing tall, middle of the ring,
and Bayley with a massive smile on her face.
[McAfee] Well, she's proud of 'em. Bayley's pumped about it.
[Graves] It's been a eventful 24 hours for all of Damage CTRL,
particularly the Kabuki Warriors.
The brand new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions
putting the work in on Belair.
[Cole] Well, Bianca Belair, who's had massive issues with Damage CTRL.
Cost her a number of weeks of her career.
Running bulldog by Bayley, double team by the Kabuki Warriors.
[McAfee] What advantage to have an entire team
in the Royal Rumble. Three-on-one right there.
[Cole] What happens if it comes down to those three, however?
[McAfee] Corey already made the suggestion that maybe the two champions
go ahead and bow themselves out for Bayley.
[Gravs] It only makes sense.
[McAfee] But Michael Cole, obviously you would hate that.
-[Cole] Well… -[McAfee] Why not go try to win 'em all?
[Cole] We'll just see how it all plays out.
[McAfee] Well, okay. Oh, okay.
-[Graves] Ooh! -[McAfee] Bayley with some power.
This has become quite a… juggernaut here.
[Graves] We're talking about the match, the company, the stadium?
-[Cole laughs] -[Graves] All the above?
-[McAfee] That's why-- -[Cole] The commentary team?
[McAfee] Such a good descriptor. Fights in all four corners.
[Graves] Fun word.
[Cole] Natalya, Naomi, and Bayley,
the first three in this matchup, still in the match.
Bayley, however, over the top rope, out to the apron.
Trying to hang on and maybe eliminate Candice LeRae.
All three members of Damage CTRL eliminate LeRae
[McAfee] Both members of The Way are on their way
out of the Royal Rumble first.
-[Cole] Nice. -[Graves] Well done, Pat.
[McAfee] Huh? Huh?
[buzzer sounds]
[Tegan Nox's music plays]
[Cole] Number 12 is the girl with the shiniest wizard.
Tegan Nox.
And now Natalya has an ally.
[Graves] What is that shiniest wizard actually pertain to, Michael Cole?
Like one of those pewter wizards like Dwight Schrute one from The Office?
[Cole] Well, maybe. Or the finishing move she uses. Nonetheless--
[McAfee] Harry Potter, right?
[Graves] Give credit to the great Muto.
[Cole] Yeah. Tegan Nox!
[Graves] He's in the WWE Hall of Fame. He invented the shining wizard.
[McAfee] You're damn right. You're damn right, Corey.
[Cole snickers softly]
-[McAfee] Keep it together, Cole. -[Graves] Look at the power of Nox.
[Cole] And Tegan coming into this matchup all fired up.
[Graves] An admitted lifelong fan of WWE Hall of Famer Kane,
delivering a chokeslam in the center of the Royal Rumble match.
[McAfee] The mayor would be pumped,
but I just want to say everybody that's come in
has been completely ready and dominant.
[Cole] Whoa! Just like Tegan Nox there.
You mentioned Kane.
No one in history has appeared in more Royal Rumble matches than Kane
at 18 in his career.
[Graves] Jordynne Grace spoiling Tegan's celebration.
-And look at this raw power. -[McAfee] What? What was that?
[Graves] My goodness!
[Cole] And now Natalya trying to save her friend Tegan Nox.
[Natalya grunts]
Oh! and a big discus clothesline takes out Grace.
[McAfee] Natalya checking in on Tegan now. "How are you doing? We okay?"
[Graves] I think Natalya should know better as a veteran of the game.
-Oh, okay! -[Cole] Wait a minute.
[Graves] Oh, no!
[Cole] Well, Tegan Nox turned things around.
-Eliminating Natalya. -[McAfee] Oh, no!
[Cole] Now Bayley eliminates Nox.
[McAfee] Now you're both out, Natalya.
This is your fault.
-This is your fault, Natalya. -That's your friend!
[McAfee] You got to feel terrible. Way to go.
[crowd counts down]
[McAfee] All Natalya's fault. Karma is so quick.
-[buzzer sounds] -[McAfee] Karma!
[Kayden and Katana's music plays]
-[McAfee] Your fault. -[Cole] And this is number 13.
And Katana Chance has some backup.
Kayden Carter, one half of the former tag champs,
on her way to the ring.
[Graves] Doesn't seem like Kayden's in any particular hurry to come help
her friend who's being mauled in the middle of the ring.
[McAfee] I don't think she saw it. It's a long ramp.
-Whoa, whoa, whoa! -[Graves laughs]
[Cole] And that's just an example of the athleticism of Katana Chance.
And now Carter and Chance go to work.
[Graves] That sort of breathtaking tandem offense
is what led Carter and Chance to the women's tag titles to begin with.
[Cole] And Asuka, who took the titles from Carter and Chance last night,
taken out.
Here comes Kayden Carter.
[Graves] Kayden Carter just looking to kick the paint
right off of Asuka's face.
[Cole] With that paintbrush with her boot, now look at this.
Asuka lifted up over the top rope.
Will she be eliminated?
Kairi Sane, out to the apron.
Kairi, did her feet touch the floor?
-[Graves] How is-- What is-- Wait! -[McAfee] No way!
Jessika Carr, official on the side,
is giving a thumbs up as if she was good.
[Cole] How did Kairi Sane not touch the floor?
[Graves] That is one of the most insane things I've ever seen.
-Oh, and now-- -[Cole] Now, now she's eliminated.
She couldn't hang on.
Tremendous effort by one half of the Kabuki Warriors.
[McAfee] Was it shoulders, abs? What is that?
-[Cole] And now Asuka eliminated as well! -[Graves] Oh, no.
[Cole] All members of Damage CTRL exc--
except Bayley have been eliminated from the Rumble.
-[Graves] Oh, no. -[crowd jeering]
[McAfee] Not as happy in Tropicana.
[Graves] How deep into this match can I change my bets?
[McAfee] Now, depending upon which school you go to, which state you're in…
[Graves] I'm asking you. You know all about that stuff.
[McAfee] Florida's a little bit different.
[Cole] Bayley was screaming something about, "What do we do about the plan?"
Number 14.
[Graves] Hot rod. Call an audible.
-[McAfee] How'd she keep her feet up? -[buzzer sounds]
-[Cole] She didn't. -[McAfee] Well, inevitably.
[Chelsea Green's music plays]
[Cole] Well, one half of former tag champs as well.
Chelsea Green, with a very unique Rumble outfit.
[Graves] Chelsea Green is a very unique superstar.
Chelsea's-- What, "uniqueness"?
-[Cole] Well… -[Graves] …to be celebrated.
[Cole] Well, listen. Last year,
she became the fastest ever eliminated in a Royal Rumble match,
a women's matchup, at five seconds.
And she may beat that record tonight!
[McAfee laughs] "Not tonight," she said.
[Cole] But she lands on the apron
and she's already lasted longer than last year.
And now Bianca sends her to the other side.
Chelsea hanging on yet again.
And good for her.
[McAfee] She learned.
[Cole] Oh!
Chelsea taking out Bianca!
How fired up is Green tonight?
And Jordynne Grace with a spinebuster.
[McAfee] Still in the match, though. Spinebuster, whatever.
Still in the match.
-[Cole] And now, Grace. -[Graves] Oh, wait a minute.
[Cole] The TNA Knockouts Champion and a powerhouse in her own right
wants to go toe-to-toe with the EST of WWE Bianca Belair,
who sends Grace out to the apron.
She hangs on, powers her way back into the ring.
[Graves] Elbow, right on the chin of Belair.
[Cole] And now Bianca Belair sent out to the apron.
And Belair survives, at least momentarily.
Both women on the apron now.
[Graves] Not somewhere you want to be in a Royal Rumble match.
-[Cole] Grace in trouble. -[Graves] No way.
-[Cole] Belair up on her shoulders! -[Graves] No! No!
Bianca Belair, KOD on the apron!
Jordynne Grace eliminated.
[McAfee] Wow!
[Graves] Hell of a performance tonight by Jordynne Grace,
representing her championship well,
but in the end, Grace was no match for the power of the EST.
[Cole] And now the longtime rivals
Bayley and Bianca turn their attention to one another.
We're now officially halfway
through the women's Royal Rumble.
-And Chelsea Green has a friend. -[Piper Niven's music plays]
Piper Niven, in her second Rumble.
Marching to the ring.
[Graves] Poor Chelsea's in all types of trouble.
[McAfee] Piper better hurry up and help Chelsea.
Yup.
[Cole] And now Carter and Chance sending Chelsea Green off the apron,
but Piper Niven catching Chelsea Green
and saving her in the matchup.
-Don't! -[both laugh]
[McAfee] Piper! Did you see that? She was joking with her.
She was gonna drop her. But she didn't.
[Cole] Yeah, former tag team champions, Piper and Green.
And now the powerhouse Piper Niven enters the fray.
[Graves] Katana Chance may stand no chance
against the power of Piper Niven.
[McAfee exclaims]
[Cole] Well, with the tag teams,
though Carter and Chance won the tag titles from Piper and Chelsea,
let's not forget that.
You see the time now of Naomi,
she entered this matchup at number two.
-Over 26 minutes-- -[Graves] Oh!
[Cole] …so far in this matchup. Bayley, over 24 minutes.
Bianca, over 11.
[McAfee] Piper Niven's wrecking shop.
[Graves] Headbutt by Niven.
[McAfee] Bayley with no friends in the match left.
[Cole] Oh! And what a back suplex by Piper.
[McAfee] Bit of an angle slam.
[Cole] And now with Naomi, caught out of mid-air
and slammed to the mat.
Piper Niven, just such a destructive force.
[McAfee] Certainly disrupted this entire thing here.
Making the rounds.
-Oh, Chelsea ended up taking it. -[Graves] That backfired spectacularly.
[Cole] And Naomi surviving there.
[McAfee] Big brain move by Naomi.
[Cole] Dragging herself out of harm's way. And now Kayden Carter,
very feisty individual.
Belair now goes after Pipen-- Piper Niven
and also Ivy Nile.
[McAfee] Gonna see this a lot tonight at the Royal Rumble.
Try to take out the biggest threat.
"Let's do this as a team."
[Belair] Pick her up. Pick her up.
[Cole] Bianca Belair barking orders.
[Graves] This is why, historically, the larger competitors
in the Royal Rumble matches haven't fared extremely well,
because they get ganged up on like this.
[McAfee] If you have power, you're a target.
-[buzzer sounds] -[Cole] This is number 16.
-Out of the field of 30. -[Xia Li's music plays]
Xia Li and the ever dangerous spin kick
enters the Royal Rumble matchup.
[McAfee] How about the swords?
She's leaving them. Okay.
Looking down through the statistics, fourth Rumble match of her career.
Last year, she lasted over 15 minutes in this event.
-[announcers exclaim] -[Cole] But do the same tonight?
[Graves] Highly educated feet of Xia Li on display for the world to see.
[Li] Let's go!
[Graves] Kayden Carter puts a stop to Xia's ascent.
[Cole] Xia very dangerous as a striker.
[McAfee] Fist, feet, slams. Xia's got it all.
[Cole] Nice throw by Xia, as Naomi now turns her attention
to Bianca Belair.
Chelsea Green perhaps looking for the UnPrettyHer,
and Xia Li, though, able to counter.
[Graves] Chelsea in trouble here.
[McAfee] Chelsea ends up kicking Piper, her friend.
[Graves] I believe that was completely unintentional.
[McAfee] She did it again.
[Cole] Oh!
Down goes Green.
Bayley still hanging in there.
[McAfee] I like that move in a Royal Rumble.
While you're spinning, all the body parts are weapons, as well.
[Graves] Walking--
[Cole] Look at Bianca. Bianca barely hanging on.
Belair dragging herself back into the ring.
Close to elimination that time was Belair.
[McAfee] Everybody's hitting a state of exhaustion, it does feel like.
Second wind are going to have to take over at some point.
Who will have the stamina for it?
[Graves] You're right, Pat. That's arguably the biggest factor
in succeeding in a Royal Rumble match,
is your endurance if you pick an early number.
[Cole] But it can be done. Rhea won from number one last year.
What about Gunther?
Almost going wire to wire in the men's matchup last year.
[crowd] …three, two, one.
[buzzer sounds]
[LWO's music plays]
[Cole] Number 17, Zelina Vega.
And look at this outfit!
[Graves] You have the same one at home, Cole?
[Cole] Yeah.
[McAfee] What do you-- What do you call it?
[Graves] He wears it in the pool with the dogs. I don't know, it's strange.
[McAfee] Drink a little whiskey.
[Cole] From the LWO, Zelina Vega
entering the Royal Rumble matchup, the fifth of her career.
A former Queen of the Ring, a women's tag team champion.
Vega, now, just trying to get into the match.
[Graves] Had a world of experience.
Vega from the middle rope.
[Cole] Oh! Meteora!
[McAfee] Perfectly-placed Meteora.
[Cole] And a nice knee by Zelina Vega as well.
Vega sends Naomi into Bianca Belair.
Unique offense from Zelina Vega,
who would love to make it to WrestleMania.
And Piper Niven misses wildly
and Vega looking to use her-- her quickness and…
[McAfee] And smacking Piper right in the mouth.
Didn't think it was a good idea as we were watching it.
That's why we're talking about it. Piper turns it around.
[Cole] Vega caught by Piper, couldn't quite get up over the top.
And now-- Oh! Zelina planting Niven!
[McAfee] What a reversal by Zelina Vega.
[Cole] Great move.
[Graves] Yeah, fantastic counter that may have saved Zelina from elimination.
Tornado DDT.
[McAfee] So quick, that maneuver.
[Cole] Zelina was going for the Code Red on Piper moments ago,
but wasn't able to pull it off.
[Katana] Hey, ready?
[Cole] And in less than ten seconds, number 18.
-[Graves] Oh, goodness. -[McAfee] In the face.
A little Hardy Boyz type.
[buzzer sounds]
[Alpha Academy's music plays]
[Cole] And from the Alpha Academy,
the heavily improved Maxxine Dupri
will enter her first Royal Rumble match.
[McAfee] She's been studying hard at the Alpha Academy, right?
[Cole] Indeed, Chad Gable of course, uh, the master teacher.
-And-- -[Graves] Whoa!
[Cole] Dupri barely able to take Bayley down, but effective.
-And now the-- -[McAfee] Shoosh!
[Graves] I actually asked Chad Gable about what he thought of Maxxine's chances
in this Royal Rumble match,
and he said, "All I know is that Maxxine will give it her absolute best."
-[Cole] Not quite sure how to take that. -[Graves] Nor was I.
[McAfee] That's a big part of the Academy, though.
[Cole] And now Maxxine sending Bayley flying across the ring again.
And again, another--
[McAfee] Shoosh! They were talking to you.
[Graves] Like when someone sets you up on a blind date,
and you ask what they look like. "They got a great personality."
[McAfee] We know what we're getting.
[Cole] That happened to me a lot in my life.
[announcers laugh]
[McAfee] They said, "Good personality?"
[Graves] I like the possum defense. Yeah, there we go!
Maxxine playing a little possum.
[McAfee] It's impossible
to go over the top rope if you lay on the ground, you see?
-[Cole] That would be your strategy. -[McAfee] Bingo!
-There's a Code Red coming. -[Cole] Again going for the Code Red.
Not able to deliver.
Bianca Belair! And now, a little bit of an assist.
[Graves] Again, temporary alliances aplenty in this matchup.
"Temporary" being the operative word.
[Cole] So Zelina and Bianca said,
"Hey, it worked. So maybe we try to eliminate Nia together."
-[Graves] Piper. -[Cole] Er, "Piper together."
[Graves] Yeah, I understand there are multiple destructive forces this year.
[Cole] Indeed, in this year's Royal Rumble match.
[McAfee] Hey, you're being one of them, Cole.
[laughs] Jeez!
-[Cole] And now Bayley with Maxxine. -[McAfee] What's that, boys?
[Graves] We do this thing sometimes. We talk together at the same time.
-I think it's like an anime thing. -[McAfee] You guys got such good brains.
[Cole] Kayden Carter trying to hang on. Piper Niven, with a right hand,
eliminates Carter.
[McAfee] You knew Piper was probably going to get at least one elimination.
[Cole] Number 19 on her way.
[crowd] …four, three, two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Nia Jax's music plays]
[Cole] I told you! I told you.
[Graves] You got a crystal ball over there, Cole?
[Cole] The Irresistible Force, Nia Jax,
my odds-on favorite to win this whole thing.
[Graves] I'm not going to argue with you for a moment, Cole.
We know how dangerous this woman is in any environment,
let alone a Royal Rumble match.
[Cole] Last year Nia Jax, Pat, entered this matchup at number 30.
It took 11 women to eliminate her, which is a record.
[Graves] I seem to recall Nia Jax, once upon a time,
competing in a men's Royal Rumble match as well.
[Cole] Back in 2019,
she was-- she was the first person to ever compete
in two Royal Rumble matches in the same night.
[McAfee] She came in, picking up bodies and putting 'em down,
but remember what we talked about earlier, to your point about last year.
[Graves] Oh!
[McAfee] Nia Jax is a target in this one.
[Cole] Oh, and there goes Xia Li.
[McAfee] But also a problem.
[Cole] Ivy Nile trying to eliminate Nia Jax.
Nia Jax, look at-- Just with one hand.
[Graves] Oh, my God.
[Cole] Bang! Ivy Nile, thanks for coming.
[McAfee] The Pitbull sorta barking up the wrong tree, I think we all agree.
[Graves] Two eliminations in extremely short order by Nia.
[McAfee] She's taking victory laps after every one, I love it.
[Graves] Like a million-dollar smile on a wrecking ball.
[Cole] Now nobody home as Piper Niven crushes Chelsea Green.
And Nia.
[Graves] Piper got out of the way again, and Chelsea got it twice.
[Cole] Now Piper looking to out-power Nia Jax.
[McAfee] Piper!
[Cole] Oh, poor Chelsea. I sorta feel bad for her sometimes.
[McAfee] She was eliminated in five seconds last year.
[Cole] She's been in a lot longer than that this time around.
[McAfee] Weekend at Bernie's happening in the corner for Chelsea Green,
but you're still in the match, Chelsea.
-Louis Vuitton's having a sale! Wake up. -[McAfee] Piper, it ain't gonna work.
You gotta get some of those smelling salts, I think.
[fan yells] Hey Nia! I told Bayley… [continues indistinctly]
[McAfee] We just heard somebody's thoughts there, I think.
[Graves] One guy.
And right now, this is where having a size advantage becomes a disadvantage.
Nia Jax, for the moment, became a target for the rest of the ring.
-[McAfee] And Chelsea Green is still-- -[Cole] Oh! Chelsea just about destroyed.
Piper, do your friend a favor,
pick her up and toss her out of the ring.
-[Graves] Whoa! -[McAfee] Oh, no. Oh, no! Oh, no!
-Oh, no, okay. Didn't get all of it. -[Grave] It was still effective.
Nia has just chucked Piper on top of Chelsea.
[crowd boos and cheers]
-[McAfee] One woman parade to-- -[Cole] Naomi!
-[McAfee] Oh! Chelsea again! -[Cole] Oh, no! Chelsea Green is a corpse.
[Graves] We're going to need a shovel to get her off the mat.
[Shotzi's music plays]
[Cole] We are now two-thirds of the way through the Rumble with Shotzi.
The ballsy badass on her way to the ring.
[McAfee] That tank, TCB.
[Graves] I'm not gonna lie, I'm curious what Shotzi would look like at Gasparilla,
happening on the other side of the bay, on top of a pirate ship.
[McAfee] That thing used to fire actual missiles on SmackDown.
You remember that? Cole almost lost his head.
There's a bunch of drunk pirates outside in Tampa.
-They'd love that. -[Graves] Whoa!
[Cole] Piper with a running crossbody to Nia Jax.
And now Naomi with a leg drop.
Shotzi going up to the top rope.
-[McAfee] Ball pit. -[Cole] Bang!
[laughs]
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] Not quite sure what Maxxine's doing, but…
[Graves] Shotzi's boots out of the Bruiser Brody collection.
-What the hell is that? -[Cole] It's the reverse caterpillar.
[Graves] So can we call it a different animal?
[Cole] The larva.
[Graves laughs]
You're going to make me pupa, Cole.
[laughs heartily]
Oh, my God!
[Cole] Oh, no! They're trying to eliminate Jax again.
[Graves] Oh, no. Oh, no!
[Cole] Everybody in the Rumble trying to get rid of Jax,
who just powers her way out of it.
Good luck stopping Nia Jax.
Corey, you and I were just talking about this last night.
Nia Jax has never looked as good as she has right now.
[Graves] Arguably the best shape of her career,
a motivated attitude,
and a very, very clear goal.
Nia wants to headline WrestleMania.
Unfortunately for Maxxine, she won't have the opportunity this year.
[Cole] And Bayley eliminating Dupri.
[McAfee] Two shooshes, a caterpillar.
[Cole] A nice performance for Dupri in her first-ever Royal Rumble match.
Piper now, eliminated by Nia Jax!
[Graves] Chelsea and Piper, thanks for coming.
And The Irresistible Force
showing the world why she's earned the nickname.
[Cole] She predicted she would win this match
and march her way to WrestleMania.
[Graves] I saw for a moment when she was visible onscreen,
Bayley appeared to be limping a little bit.
You know "The Role Model's" had knee issues in the past.
And Ka-- Katana is about to have some.
[Cole] Katana Chance tossed out of the ring by Nia.
[McAfee] I was about to say, I didn't think Katana's feet hit the ground yet,
but they have now.
[Cole] Number 21 on her way.
[crowd] …three, two, one.
[buzzer sounds]
-[Becky Lynch's music plays] -[crowd cheers]
[Cole] It is thunderous in here!
The 2019 Royal Rumble winner,
"The Man!"
-Becky Lynch! -[Graves laughs]
Here we go!
[Cole] She's making a beeline for Nia Jax.
[McAfee] You can feel the energy in here for Becky Lynch.
Becky Lynch.
[Cole] Nia and Becky's rivalry, it goes back years
to the night The Man was born, when Nia broke Becky's nose. Oh!
[Graves] In some way, Nia takes credit for the success and creation
that has become The Man.
[Cole] Becky Lynch now trying to climb to the top rope.
Nia Jax is in trouble.
Becky Lynch. Missile dropkick.
Down goes Nia.
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] Zelina trying to make something happen at the expense of Lynch.
Same for Shotzi. Same result.
[crowd chants] Becky! Becky!
[Cole] Becky taking out Zelina and Shotzi.
[McAfee] Becky is so electric.
This whole dynamic changed as soon as her music hit.
[Graves] Bexploder suplex to Bayley.
[Cole] Yeah, what a history between these two.
Two of Four Horsewomen.
[McAfee] Chelsea Green once again missing the intended target.
-[Graves] Chelsea must have slipped out-- -[Cole] Hey, look at this!
Becky-- I'm sorry, Corey.
But Becky using Nia Jax as a weapon.
[Graves] I got confused a few moments ago. I thought Chelsea Green was eliminated.
She was laying on the floor outside the ring, but…
[Cole] Still in the matchup.
Hanging onto the apron.
And Becky says, "Thank you."
Bang! "Goodbye."
[McAfee] Blessed her on the way out, though.
That was very kind of Becky Lynch.
[Cole] Number 22.
[crowd] …six, five, four, three…
-[Graves laughs] -[crowd] …two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Alba Fyre's music plays]
[Cole] The mysterious…
Alba Fyre.
[Graves] Her tag team partner Isla Dawn not competing tonight.
Alba making the long walk toward the ring.
[McAfee] What was that she was holding there? A staff?
[Cole] Yeah, I believe.
[Graves] There's been speculation that perhaps there's some dark artistry
happening behind the scenes involving Alba and Isla,
but no one's actually seen it with their own eyes.
[Cole] Alba a former NXT UK Women's Champion.
-[McAfee] If those things were-- -[Cole] Oh! Nice move.
[McAfee] …tonight would be a good time to use them.
[Graves] Don't know if anybody's attempted to cast a spell in a Royal Rumble match.
[McAfee] At least not documented.
[Graves] Papa Shango-style.
[McAfee] I like that. I don't think I fully understand it, but I like it.
-[Graves chuckles] Holy crap! -[Cole] Oh!
[Graves] Alba Fyre doubling up on Zelina and Shotzi.
[Cole] Take a look at the time in this match.
Naomi, who entered number two,
has been in this match over 42 minutes.
Bayley at number three, over 40.
Bianca Belair approaching the 30-minute mark.
[McAfee] Incredible stamina.
[Cole] Ooh, what a kick!
[McAfee] Alba Fyre almost eliminated Becky Lynch.
[Cole] Becky sent over the top rope to the apron.
[Graves] A relatively short night for The Man.
[Cole] Oh, and Nia Jax just flooring Alba Fyre.
[Graves] Almost unbelievably,
Naomi still holding strong inside the ring.
There goes--
[Cole] Fyre trying to hang on, and she does.
Pulls herself back into the ring.
[McAfee] Little bit too early of a celebration from Nia Jax,
but she's feeling herself.
What a performance thus far by Nia Jax.
[Cole] Incredible.
Same for Bayley and Naomi.
Naomi drives Bayley into the turnbuckle.
[Graves] I agree on those assessments.
And you'd be remiss to not mention the EST who's been doing her thing
for quite some time right now.
[McAfee] You're right.
-You were questioning the satin sheets. -[buzzer sounds]
-[Shayna Baszler's music plays] -[Cole] At number 23.
The Submission Magician Shayna Baszler,
one of the most prolific Rumble competitors.
She's historic at the Rumble.
Tied for most eliminations in a single Rumble with eight
with Bianca Belair.
[Graves] A stark contrast to the dark artistry
we were referencing, Pat.
This is a whole different kind of magic. This magic hurts
and everyone in the world can see it happen.
-[McAfee] The Submission Magician. -[Graves] Oh, my God!
[Cole] Baszler trying to break the arm of Fyre.
From behind, Bianca Belair. And Baszler!
-With a German suplex! -[McAfee] Wow.
[Cole] Bianca landed high on her neck.
[McAfee] Shayna Baszler posted earlier that she just bought a new Ford Mustang.
A lot of horsepower coming out of Shayna Baszler.
[Cole] Two-time NXT Women's Champ, two-time WWE Tag Team Champion.
And Baszler with a knee right into the face of Shotzi.
-[McAfee] She used to live by a code. -[Graves] Oh!
[McAfee] "I'll make you snap, tap, or crack."
Absolute… beast. Shayna Baszler.
[Cole] Shayna Baszler with 13-- I should say 14 career eliminations.
Third of all time. Rhea Ripley at 20.
More eliminations than any woman in the Royal Rumble match.
Shotzi with a crossbody to Becky.
[McAfee] Rhea went wire to wire last year.
A lot of opportunity to do things great, and she did.
Who's going to seize that opportunity this year?
[Graves] How satisfying would it be for Bayley to be the one
to eliminate Bianca Belair from the Royal Rumble?
Bayley pounding away at the fingers of Belair.
-[Cole] This is number 24. -[buzzer sounds]
-[Valhalla's music plays] -[Cole] Oh, my God.
I'm begging her to be wearing the antlers.
Please have the antlers on, it's been weeks.
-[Graves] Oh! -[Cole] Yes, yes, yes!
Valhalla's wearing the antlers.
-[McAfee] Yes, she is, Cole. -[Cole] That means she may win this thing.
-[McAfee] Because the antlers? -[Cole] Yes.
She's been antlerless for weeks now. She's got 'em back.
[Graves] Is there some sort of advantage to being half-deer?
-[R-Truth's music plays] -[Cole] Wait a minute.
[McAfee] Now this might be a reason she might win.
[Cole] What the hell?
[McAfee] What? Is R-Truth-- What's R-Truth doing?
[Graves] I'm not even sure he knows, Pat.
[McAfee] He's still looking for Tom and Nick, or…?
"Where's Nick?"
[Graves] R-Truth just asked, "Where are the guys?"
[Cole laughs]
Oh, Adam Pearce, the Raw general manager.
-[Valhalla] What are you doing? -Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hey, this is the women's Royal Rumble.
-I know! -You are in.
You are out.
So you're telling me all those are women in there?
Yes, that's why it's the women's Royal Rumble.
-They're all women. -What happened to your help last night?
[Cole] Valhalla is already eliminated.
-Can't believe this. -[Graves] Valhalla was here.
[Cole] Maybe she should've left the antlers at home.
[McAfee] You were telling me about these antlers.
[Graves] Whoa, whoa.
[Cole] Meanwhile, Valhalla is so upset at R-Truth. And can you blame her?
All that distraction may have cost her this matchup.
[Graves] R-Truth might have beef with the viking gods now, for all we know.
[Cole] What was he even doing?
[McAfee] I-- I do believe he was confused that there was women in the ring.
[Cole] I'm being told that Valhalla lasted five seconds.
[McAfee] It's okay.
[Cole] Truth, even though I guess, officially, was never in it, was 13.
[McAfee] Sorry, that viking just walked by me
and kind of, uh, scared the hell out of me.
-Five seconds? -[Graves] Ooh!
[Cole] Five seconds by Valhalla will now tie her with Chelsea Green
for the least amount of time ever in a Royal Rumble match.
[McAfee] How long did R-Truth last in the women's Rumble?
[Cole] Thirteen. That's what I just said, Pat.
[McAfee] I wasn't listening, the viking was staring at me with no antlers.
-[Michin's music plays] -[Cole] Number 25.
Michin entering her third Royal Rumble.
[Graves] Listen, I think this is a great opportunity for Michin.
We've seen what appears to be a little turmoil recently within the OC.
-[Cole] Oh! My God. -[McAfee] What? What? [chuckles]
[Graves] I'm telling you, Michin is highly motivated lately.
Recently took Iyo Sky to the limit in a championship match.
Michin's first of her career in WWE.
Oh!
[McAfee] Man.
Watch this.
[Graves] Right out of the gate, Michin creating fireworks.
Tornado DDT with a springboard.
[Graves] Oh, baby!
[Cole] Nia Jax is just bulldozing through people.
Nia Jax has looked absolutely incredible since entering this match.
[McAfee] Just a hip check to two adults.
-[Cole laughs] -[McAfee] What do you do?
[Cole] As opposed to the children that-- that appear in this matchup?
[McAfee] Well, that's what she made 'em look like, you see.
[Graves] Naomi connected.
Oh, I love this. Watch this.
[Cole] Oh!
And eliminated is Fyre.
[McAfee] The dark arts did not work this evening,
if they were attempting to use them.
[Cole] Naomi almost 50 minutes in this Royal Rumble match.
Bayley over 46. Bianca Belair, well over 30 minutes now,
a half-hour in the Royal Rumble.
-[Graves] Michael. Michael. -[Bayley] Hey, Michael!
-[Cole] Hi, Bayley. -Watch me win this.
-[Nia Jax yells] -[McAfee laughs]
[Graves] She's saying, "Hey, watch me win this."
[Cole] Well, she-- she may. I mean, maybe she will.
What is that for? I-- I'm actually helping you.
-[buzzer sounds] -[Zoey Stark's music plays]
[McAfee] Nia Jax was letting Cole know some stuff as well. Here we go!
[Graves] Things about to get a little more intense--
[Cole] Hey, Corey. This could be the dark horse.
-[Graves] I was about to say that. -[Cole] At number 26, Zoey Stark.
Last year, she lasted almost a half hour.
What a debut for Stark.
[Graves] And Zoey. Oh! My goodness, right on the money.
Missile dropkick to Michin.
[Cole] And Zoey Stark now with a clothesline to Naomi.
[McAfee] How is everybody
the most athletic person on earth, seemingly?
[Cole] It's going to be interesting to see if Stark and Baszler
actually work together in this. They've been a team as of late
as you take a look at the athleticism of Stark.
[McAfee] And the power of Stark right in the middle.
[Cole] I think you had that athleticism when you played football.
[McAfee] That'd be so cool. I wouldn't have played the position I played,
and I would have mattered.
But instead, we're talking about phenomenal stuff happening
in front of us.
[Graves] Zelina was looking for a Code Red
and instead finds herself in a Kirifuda Clutch.
[Cole] Zelina has attempted to use the Code Red a couple of times
in this matchup and it hasn't helped.
And now, Kirifuda locked in. Zelina though!
[Graves] Fantastic wherewithal by Vega.
[Cole] And Shayna Baszler up over the top,
holds onto the apron.
Zoey Stark tries to come to Shayna's aid.
[Graves] Zelina Vega, the LWO, showing the world how scrappy she can be.
[Cole] A dangerous move here, though.
-Oh, and Zoey Stark and Zelina Vega! -[Graves] Oh, no! My God.
I hate to say it, but thank God for Alba Fyre.
[McAfee] Yeah, and sorry about it, Alba Fyre.
Jeez, caught with a stray body.
[Cole] That was déjà vu to Shayna Baszler
being involved in a battle royal some time ago.
As you take another look.
[Graves] The kick from Stark made all the difference. Vega…
[McAfee] Like a hadouken right to her chest.
[buzzer sounds]
-[Roxanne Perez's music plays] -[Cole] Number 27…
[Graves] Okay!
[Cole] …comes our way from NXT,
Roxanne Perez,
who a week from tomorrow at NXT Vengeance Day,
right here on Peacock,
will face Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women's Championship.
[Graves] We constantly refer to Roxanne Perez as The Prodigy,
but trust me, the experience that Perez has gained
over the past several years, invaluable.
Nobody more proud of Perez's success
than the man responsible for her training, Booker T.
[Cole] Yeah, Booker, of course, on our kickoff panel earlier tonight.
The Hall of Famer also the voice of NXT
as Baszler's whipped into the corner, and Roxanne Perez with an uppercut.
[McAfee] NXTs are fun.
[Graves] And Roxanne Perez is holding the torch.
Look at Perez go! Around and around.
[McAfee] What was that? That's unbelievable.
[Cole] This is Perez's, uh, second Royal Rumble.
Got a little overanxious,
And the veteran, Bayley, trying to take advantage.
-[McAfee] Bayley is so crafty. -[Graves] Uh-oh.
[Cole] Can you imagine if Roxanne could eliminate Bayley?
Sending her across the ring.
[Graves] It's no secret the respect, professionally speaking,
that Roxanne Perez has for Bayley.
Bayley was one of the biggest inspirations in Perez deciding to follow her dreams
to become a WWE superstar.
[McAfee] Roxanne, student of the game.
Big fan, obviously, now doing her own thing.
-Sometimes your idols become your rivals. -[Graves] Uh-oh.
How about this? Case in point,
we've got former WWE Women's Tag Team Champions--
[Cole] And Baszler eliminated by Jax!
Nia Jax is putting on a hell of a performance tonight.
And now, Michin sent out by the Irresistible Force.
[McAfee] Nia Jax is a one-woman wrecking crew
in this Royal Rumble.
[Graves] No doubt about it.
[McAfee] Just a casual kick to the stomach.
[Cole] That's at least six eliminations if I'm counting right for Nia.
Maybe more.
-[McAfee] And now powerbomb! -[Graves] Uh-oh!
[Cole] Shotzi eliminated as well.
Nia Jax is cleaning house.
[Graves] This is unbelievable.
Nia Jax is cleaning house and making it look easy.
[crowd counts down]
[Cole] Number 28. That's eight eliminations for Nia.
[buzzer sounds]
[Jade Cargill's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] She's here!
[Graves] The storm has arrived at the Royal Rumble.
[Cole] One of the most sought-after free agents
in sports entertainment history,
Jade Cargill is on her way to the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] This woman has every tool you could want
to become a megastar in this industry,
but Cargill still has a lot of proving to do.
And Nia Jax looks all too eager to be the one to put Jade to the test.
[McAfee] Excuse me, wrestling Gods, create a perfect superstar.
Here's Jade Cargill.
[crowd cheers]
[both speak inaudibly]
[Cole] The Trop is shaking.
[crowd chants] Holy shit! Holy shit!
[Cole] And Nia and Cargill going after one another.
Jade Cargill with her WWE debut,
but it could be short-lived.
Maybe not! Look at this!
Are you kidding me?! Cargill taking out Jax!
[McAfee] Are you kidding me?
Earth-shattering!
[Graves] As advertised.
[McAfee] Again!
[Cole] And again, Cargill powering Jax up.
-[McAfee] No way! -[Cole] Can Cargill eliminate? She does!
Cargill has eliminated Nia Jax.
[crowd cheers]
[Cargill speaks inaudibly]
[Graves] I think Jade just told Nia, "I am that chick."
[McAfee] Oh, my word!
The impossible has happened.
[Graves] Oh, buddy.
When you're talking Jade Cargill, I don't know if anything's impossible.
[Cole] Now Bayley looking to eliminate Cargill from behind.
[Graves] And Cargill now standing toe-to-toe with Becky Lynch.
Listen, when you receive as much hype as Cargill has,
you're going to rub a few people the wrong way.
You're going to make a few enemies you didn't intend,
but right now, Jade Cargill is off to an incredible start
in the Royal Rumble match.
[McAfee] "Hey, Jade, how'd you debut in the WWE?"
"Oh, I don't know. Pulled an impossible feat."
-Hello, WWE. We have a superstar. -[buzzer sounds]
[Tiffany Stratton's music plays]
-[Cole] Entering number 29-- -[Graves] Oh, baby!
[Cole] Her first Rumble, from NXT,
the center of the universe, Tiffany Stratton!
[Graves] Royal Rumble, it's Tiffy time!
[Cole] The former NXT Women's Champion.
Tiffany Stratton going up high.
[Graves] From the top.
[Cole] And Stratton taking out everybody with a Swanton.
[Graves] And that's how you make an entrance.
[McAfee] What time is it, Corey?
[Graves] Tiffy time.
[Cole] Again, another look at the highly athletic Tiffany Stratton
with a Swanton.
[Graves] Cole, we-- we know how confident, borderlining arrogant,
that Tiffany Stratton can be,
now she's holding her own
with one of the biggest stars of the last decade.
[Cole] And planting Becky Lynch.
And now Stratton and Roxanne Perez,
two of NXT's finest going after one another.
-[McAfee] Ooh! -[Cole] And Perez sent down by Stratton.
And what a number, number 29, to enter for Tiffany.
[Graves] The field has thinned.
[McAfee] This next generation is…
-[Graves] Stacked. -[McAfee] Absolutely.
[Cole] Snapmare followed by the double boots by Stratton.
We have seen some incredible moments in this match tonight.
[McAfee] Yeah, Nia Jax got picked up and thrown over the top rope.
[Graves] I mean, listen, it could be argued
that Tiffany Stratton is one of the breakout stars of NXT
over the past several years.
Stratton has caught the attention of the entire WWE Universe.
Now the question is, what will she do with it?
[McAfee] I saw ten Tiffy Time signs out here.
[Graves] It's a thing, Pat. It's a hashtag and everything.
[McAfee] It's good alliteration too. People say I'm a big dumb-dumb.
-[Cole] A lot of people. -[McAfee] A lot of people.
From all walks of life.
[Graves] Uh-oh. Zoey Stark now in all types of trouble,
courtesy of The Prodigy Roxanne Perez.
[Cole] Final woman will enter the field here.
-Number 30. -[McAfee] Big advantage here.
[Cole] On her way.
[buzzer sounds]
[Liv Morgan's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] Ah, yeah!
Liv Morgan… is back!
Liv was taken out by Rhea Ripley,
a shoulder injury months and months ago.
[Graves] This has meant the world to Liv Morgan.
Liv loves the WWE Universe on a whole new level.
Loves competing inside the ring.
And look at the intensity on the face,
the emotions in the first few moments of her entrance washed away.
Liv knows it's time to go to work.
[Cole] And she does go to work with a Codebreaker.
[McAfee] Speaking of work, that's all Liv has done
since she's got in WWE.
Just get better and better and better and better.
[Cole] Listen, make no mistake about it. Last year in the Royal Rumble--
[Graves] Oblivion to Bayley!
[Cole] Oh! Liv Morgan was in the final two with Rhea Ripley.
She entered number two.
She went one hour, one minute, eight seconds.
An incredible performance by Morgan.
[Graves] Zoey Stark hanging precariously on the apron again.
-Oh! -[Cole] And eliminated!
[Graves] Man, Liv Morgan uncorked that right hand.
[McAfee] On Zoey Stark.
That's a big right.
-Thank you. -[McAfee] No problem.
[Graves] Liv loves to tell the world to "Watch me."
Liv would love nothing more than the whole world to watch her
at WrestleMania in the main event.
[Cole] I know Pat and I had one of the most incredible moments
of our career the night that Liv Morgan cashed in Money in The Bank
to become the SmackDown women's champion.
[Graves] Uh-oh.
[Cole] And Roxanne eliminated by Tiffany Stratton.
Loser!
[Graves] Tiffany making Roxanne's life hell,
even here at the Royal Rumble.
Not NXT exclusive.
There we see Iyo Sky, the WWE Women's Champion,
keeping a close eye on the proceedings,
knowing that she is ripe for the picking,
as is Rhea Ripley, the Women's World Champion,
keeping a close eye on every move in this one.
[Cole] And the winner of this matchup will get to choose
which champion she wants to face at WrestleMania.
We are down to seven women.
Belair, Morgan, and Bayley,
Naomi, Stratton, Cargill, and Lynch.
[Graves] Look at Bianca Belair in the back corner.
But look at Jade Cargill!
[Cole] The powerhouses, Belair and Cargill.
[Graves] This ain't a Spider-Man meme. This is the Royal Rumble.
-[Graves laughs] -[McAfee] Let's go!
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] And Bayley.
[Graves] Man, that is a showdown
that the WWE Universe has been dreaming about
since we announced the signing of Jade Cargill.
[McAfee] Two anomalies looking at each other face to face
here in the Tropicana, in the middle of the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] When you've got two superstars as unique
as both Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair,
it seems bizarre that they're nearly mirror images of one another,
physically speaking.
It's crazy.
Both insane athletes,
both with long, bright futures here in WWE.
Cargill now turning her attention to Naomi,
who is amazingly still in this, Pat.
[McAfee] It's phenomenal.
[Graves] Oh!
[McAfee] This match is running deeper and deeper.
You'd think the long-tenured ladies in the ring would be suffering,
but Naomi-- Oh! …shouldn't be messing with Jade, I don't think.
[Graves] Listen. It-- It makes me wonder
if everything that Jade is doing right now,
she wants Belair to see.
And if the EST is looking over her shoulder,
making Jade watch her.
[Cole] Becky Lynch was going for the Man-handle Slam.
It was countered by Cargill who now has Becky Lynch on her shoulders.
Becky now up to the top turnbuckle.
[Graves] And this is another sight to behold.
Cargill is just handling The Man with ease.
-[McAfee] Oh! -[Cole] A kick to the face.
-Becky hanging on! -[Graves] Uh-oh.
[McAfee] She just got a foot up to like seven, eight feet?
[Cole] Naomi taking out Cargill now.
A kip-up and I'm not sure how Naomi has this much energy
at this point in the matchup.
-Oh, and Becky eliminated! -[Graves] Oh, my!
[Cole] And Naomi as well.
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] How impressive is Jade Cargill tonight?
-[Cole] Naomi set a record tonight. -[Graves] Uh-oh! Liv in trouble.
[Cole] Naomi set a record, one hour, two minutes in this matchup tonight.
[McAfee] Look at the awareness of Jade there, Corey.
[Cole] Becky eliminated as well, so we are now down to five.
It's Stratton, Belair, and Morgan out on the apron.
[Graves] Stratton fighting with everything she's got.
The Codebreaker.
And Stratton now hanging on to Bianca's braid.
[McAfee] No way!
[Cole] Tiffany Stratton trying to eliminate Bianca Belair.
Bayley now eliminates both! We're down to three!
Bianca lasting 47 minutes, 47 seconds.
We are down to three.
Cargill, Morgan, Bayley.
[McAfee] Bayley would never miss an opportunity like that, ever.
[Graves] I think Bayley just realized the situation
and could feel the target growing on herself.
[Cole] Bayley in this match over an hour.
Naomi's already set the record in a women's Rumble
at an hour, two minutes, ten seconds.
Bayley could eclipse that, depending how long this matchup goes.
Cargill, Bayley, Morgan. We're down to three.
One of these women going to WrestleMania.
And Bayley now taking the fight,
but she's been in there much longer than both Cargill and Morgan.
And Bayley now, top rope, apron. Hanging on.
-Oh! -[Graves] Morgan!
Knee rocks Cargill.
[Cole] And now Liv Morgan.
Cargill trying to fight out of the predicament here.
[Graves] We know about the overabundance of heart possessed by Liv Morgan.
[McAfee] Oblivion attempt.
[Graves] Uh-oh, and Bayley now. Oh, no!
[Cole] Bayley trying to hang on to the apron,
trying to slip underneath the bottom rope. Can she do it?
Cargill and Morgan now. Jade Cargill with Morgan up.
Up and over to the apron.
[Graves] This is what we're talking about when we get excited
about the power of Jade Cargill.
But right now she's outmatched. She's outnumbered.
[Cole] But she's still hanging in there, somehow, fighting back.
[Graves] Oh, looking to skin the cat back inside,
but Liv put on the brakes.
[Cole] Cargill, still hanging on.
An impressive performance here by Jade Cargill.
Bayley kicked to the apron.
Morgan now to the midsection.
[Graves] Cargill stood straight up by that last kick from Morgan.
[Cole] Morgan!
Down goes Cargill with Oblivion!
-And Bayley eliminates Morgan! -[bell rings]
Bayley's going to WrestleMania!
[Bayley's music plays]
[Irvin] Here is your winner
of the women's Royal Rumble match,
Bayley!
[Graves] Say it again, Michael Cole.
[Cole] Bayley is going to WrestleMania.
[Graves] It seemed like a long shot. It seemed damn near impossible,
but it is reality.
"The Role Model" called her shot and it's high.
It's deep.
It's gone.
[Cole] Over one hour and three minutes.
Bayley not only sets a record,
but she wins the Royal Rumble for the first time in her career.
She adds a final accolade to her already Hall-of-Fame resume,
winning the Royal Rumble,
and now may have her first-ever singles match
at WrestleMania.
What a performance.
[Graves] Absolutely unbelievable,
some may say career-defining.
The field was stacked.
Here are the closing moments.
Oblivion eliminating Jade Cargill.
Bayley taking the opportunity to shove Liv to the floor
and Bayley can book her travel to Philadelphia.
[McAfee] So crafty, so clever,
so remarkable.
Say hello to WrestleMania, Bayley.
[Cole] A new women's Royal Rumble record.
[fireworks crackle]
[Bayley speaks inaudibly]
[Cole] One hour, three minutes, three seconds.
"The Role Model" climbing to the top of the mountain
on the final opportunity
as she was the last woman standing.
Bayley has won the Royal Rumble.
[McAfee] Who will she pick to meet at WrestleMania?
[Cole] Congratulations.
[Bayley's music continues]
[bold rap music plays]
♪ Ugh ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ It's a whole lotta ice on me ♪
♪ Don't, don't stand too close ♪
♪ 'Cause you don't if you say That you might know me ♪
♪ Pass ♪
♪ It's a whole lotta ice on me ♪
♪ Don't, don't stand too close ♪
♪ 'Cause you don't if you say That you might know me ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ It's a whole lotta ice on me ♪
[cheerful music plays]
[announcer] Let's get away.
Let's make it count.
Let's explore.
Let's shine…
in St. Pete Clearwater.
[Cole] The Royal Rumble is in St. Petersburg.
[McAfee] It is a beautiful place.
I have never stopped by,
the beaches are fantastic.
The sun was shining bright,
and this city loves WWE.
[Graves] Even better than the beaches, once the sun goes down, my friend,
you hit Central Avenue.
Pat, you and I could get in a lot of trouble.
[Cole] Want to remind everyone that tonight right here on Peacock
immediately following the Royal Rumble,
it is live, it is the Royal Rumble press event.
Hey, everybody. Cole and Graves at ringside.
And Pat McAfee joining us.
What a performance by Bayley.
Yes, what a phenomenal performance by Bayley,
but there was numerous superstars in that first Royal Rumble
that certainly did well for themselves in the long term.
It has been an honor to be here alongside you.
Bayley's at WrestleMania, Cole.
Well, coming up next, ladies and gentlemen,
the man who believes he should be Undisputed WWE Champion,
but he was a victim of The Bloodline at Crown Jewel.
Tonight, another opportunity
in the biggest match of his career.
No champion's advantage for Roman Reigns
in a Fatal 4-Way matchup.
Well, Royal Rumble action has not stopped.
When we return, the Head of the Table faces his most daunting challenge yet
as he defends the WWE title
against AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and LA Knight,
right after this break.
For our subscribers of Peacock Premium Plus,
let's take a look
at how this Fatal 4-Way match came to be.
[dramatic classical music plays]
[Reigns] Acknowledge me.
I'm gon' smash you,
I'm gon' stack you.
[announcer 1] This might be the end of Randy Orton.
[Reigns] Everybody wants to get down with the Tribal Chief.
[Cole] As Jimmy Uso beating the hell out of Styles.
[Reigns] I'm levels above everybody.
They think they just gonna show up and get the opportunity?
What'd you think was going to happen, huh?
There's consequences for everything.
This is my island of relevancy.
[Wade Barrett] LA Knight is on the precipice of creating history.
[Cole] BFT!
Jimmy Uso saves the match.
[Reigns] They ain't ever gonna chant your name.
They're not gonna know who you are.
I'm Roman Reigns…
[bell rings]
[Reigns] …and I'm the face of the WWE.
[Randy Orton's music plays]
[Cole] For the first time in a year and a half,
Randy Orton's back!
[Orton] Roman Reigns, you took 18 months from me,
so I am going to take everything away from you.
[Graves] Someone else who's had a few issues with The Bloodline lately.
[Knight] I'm not done till I own Roman Reigns' WWE championship.
Yeah!
[McAfee] Could it be?
AJ Styles!
[Styles] I am number one when it comes to getting his hands on Roman Reigns.
[Reigns] One man can't beat me.
Nobody can beat me.
-Congratulations. -For what?
[Nick Aldis] Because he's just earned himself a Fatal 4-Way match
with all three of these guys at the Royal Rumble.
[Knight] Let me talk to you.
The Bloodline took you out. The Bloodline took you out.
Does anybody remember 'em taking me out? Not I!
[pulsing pop music plays]
♪ Step in the arena ♪
♪ We ain't come to play ♪
♪ I can hear the crowd Hear them say my name ♪
[crowd] LA Knight, yeah!
♪ Just take a look in my eyes You see I'm ready to ride ♪
♪ I was born ready to fight I been ready my whole life ♪
[Cole] The 14-time World Champion.
Roman Reigns has held the world title for almost 1,300 days.
The only number that's going to mean anything is the number 15.
[Styles] You do realize there's other people
in this match with Roman Reigns?
LA Knight, Randy Orton, or anybody else gets in my way,
I'll drop them too.
♪ It was over before it begun ♪
♪ You ready? This was over before it begun ♪
[Reigns] I'm levels above everybody.
[Barrett] Roman Reigns is simply here to achieve immortality.
[Graves] It will be every man for themself
with the Undisputed WWE Universal title on the line.
[Randy Orton's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] Well, ladies and gentlemen, The Viper Randy Orton looking
to close in on history tonight.
If he wins this match,
he'll be a 15-time world champion,
one off the record
held by John Cena and Ric Flair.
And this is personal, Corey.
Randy Orton had a year and a half of his career cut short
because of The Bloodline.
[Graves] Eighteen months away
from the thing The Viper loves the most,
WWE.
Competing in front of the WWE Universe.
Feeding off of the energy that is running rampant right now
through Tropicana Field
as The Viper prepares for battle.
[McAfee] Eighteen months away from what he was put on this earth to do,
and I think during those 18 months,
some protein shakes, some workouts.
He looks phenomenal.
What is this guy? 275 pounds right now?
[Graves] The best shape of his illustrious career,
and Randy knows he needs to be.
[McAfee] Holy hell.
[Cole] Randy Orton has had a lot of success at this event.
He's a two-time Royal Rumble match winner
in 2009 and in 2017.
It's been over three years since Randy Orton has been a champion,
a singles champion here in WWE.
But many believe tonight's the night.
[McAfee] I mean, look at this. This guy is--
[Graves] Orton's legs are as big as my waist.
The guy is a monster.
[McAfee] Absolute monster, who's obviously a tactician.
[Cole] An amazing scene at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
It feels like WrestleMania season, doesn't it?
[Graves] No doubt about it. And I guarantee you,
as much as it means to the WWE Universe to see Randy Orton,
it means twice as much to him
to be in this match tonight
with the opportunity to reach the top of the mountain once again.
[McAfee] Anytime you get something taken away from you,
you gain a new perspective about it.
Every walk down that ramp,
every pose means a little bit more.
-[AJ Styles' music plays] -[crowd cheers]
[McAfee chuckles]
[fireworks crackle]
[Cole] Here's another man who missed a number of months of action
because of attacks by The Bloodline.
One of the best in the world, the Phenomenal AJ Styles,
who back in 2016, made his WWE debut in this event,
in the Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] I think it's safe to say that Styles has made
an overabundance of history since then.
Two World Championship reigns,
countless fantastic matchups,
and tonight AJ could add to that list.
[Cole] And Corey, I've known AJ Styles well over 20 years,
and I talked about this last night with you on SmackDown.
AJ's del-- Well, he's developed this inferiority complex
for-- for some reason over the past number of months,
and it seems, in a weird sort of way, that's what's driving him.
[Graves] I disagree with you, Cole.
I also have known AJ Styles for around two decades,
and this is not an inferiority complex.
This is AJ Styles looking within,
realizing that what he was doing wasn't working.
It got him hurt, it got him taken out by The Bloodline.
You don't do the same thing and expect a different result.
Styles is just tapping in to what's deep inside.
[McAfee] I have not known him for two decades,
but he's had three Hall-of-Fame careers.
[Graves] Amen.
[McAfee] Those at the very top very much know
how to drive themselves to greater things.
If he wants to feel an inferiority complex to win a championship,
do whatever you need to do, Phenomenal One.
Fill these out and get back in line.
I'm on break. [laughs]
Oh, yeah!
[tires squeal]
[engine revs]
-[Knight] Lemme talk to ya! -Want to shift gears?
-[drivers] Yeah. -Snap into a Slim Jim!
[man exclaims]
[both] Tear into the spice!
You're out of line!
Yeah!
[whimpers]
You want excitement? Snap into a Slim Jim. Oh, yeah!
-[LA Knight's music plays] -[crowd cheers]
[inaudible]
The game has changed, yeah!
And who did that?
[McAfee] Slim Jims are delightful.
And so is this man.
[Cole] We all love Slim Jims,
because this match is presented by Slim Jim.
Get savage with America's favorite bold and spicy meat stick.
Snap in to a Slim Jim.
[McAfee imitates Savage] Ooh, yeah!
[Graves] That was nice. That was pretty good, Pat.
[McAfee] You bring up meat sticks, I'm gonna go bananas.
Love Slim Jims.
[Graves] Well, here's a man in LA Knight who truly believes
that had it not been for The Bloodline, he would have dethroned Roman.
[crowd] LA Knight! Yeah!
[all cheer]
Yeah!
Yes! Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah!
Let's go! Let's go!
Yeah! Let's go!
[all cheer]
-[Roman Reigns' music plays] -[crowd cheers]
[McAfee] Oh, yeah!
I missed this.
I missed this, Cole!
[Cole] One thousand, two hundred, forty-five days.
Nearly three and a half years
as the Undisputed Champion.
[McAfee] The Tribal Chief still running
every city he walks into.
[Graves] You like to hear people talk about aura.
When it comes to aura,
the Tribal Chief is absolutely unmatched.
Roman Reigns tonight, unbothered.
And Reigns possesses such an aura
that oftentimes he will have a match won
before the opening bell even rings.
[McAfee] A lot of ones to the sky here in gorgeous St. Pete.
[Cole] During this championship reign,
Roman Reigns has defended in matches like Hell in a Cell.
[McAfee] What?
-[Cole] I Quit. -[McAfee] What?
-[Cole] Tables, Ladders & Chairs. -[McAfee] What?
-[Cole] Steel cage. -[McAfee] What?
-[Cole] Last Man Standing. -[McAfee] What?
-[Cole] Hell in a Cell. -[McAfee] What?
-[Cole] Extreme Rules. -[McAfee] What?
-[Cole] Tribal Combat. -[McAfee] What?
-[Cole] Triple Threat. -[McAfee] What?
[Cole] But never in a Fatal 4-Way match
where he has just 25 percent chance of keeping the championship.
[Graves] The important thing to remember in this matchup is,
much like a Royal Rumble match,
every man for himself.
It's not three against Roman,
and, in fact, Roman doesn't even have to be pinned or submitted
to lose his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship,
but the Tribal Chief looks ready for war.
[Cole] And he continues to march his way through history.
Only Bruno Sammartino,
Hulk Hogan,
Bob Backlund
have held world titles longer than Roman Reigns.
[McAfee] How many days, Cole?
[Cole] One thousand, two-hundred, forty-five.
[Graves] We love to hear the fans have discussions
about who's on your Mount Rushmore,
but when it comes to Roman Reigns, this man is his own mountain.
[Cole] We also love to hear the discussion from WWE fans
about, "Well, Roman Reigns doesn't defend every week."
"Roman Reigns only defends the title every couple of months."
-Here's what I say about that. -[fireworks crackle]
Beat him.
[Graves] I completely agree with you,
and while people may complain,
look at this stadium, Cole.
Look at the thousands upon thousands of WWE fans
in the Trop.
The millions around the world,
all here to experience Roman Reigns.
[bell rings]
[Irvin] The following is a Fatal 4-Way match
and it is for the Undisputed
WWE Universal Championship.
Introducing the challengers.
First, from St. Louis, Missouri,
weighing in at 275 pounds,
The Viper
Randy Orton!
[crowd cheers]
Next,
from Gainesville, Georgia,
weighing in at 218 pounds,
The Phenomenal
AJ Styles!
Next,
from Los Angeles, California,
weighing in at 240 pounds,
LA Knight!
[crowd yells] Yeah!
[inaudible]
[Irvin] And their opponent,
accompanied to the ring by his special counsel,
the Wiseman Paul Heyman,
from Pensacola, Florida,
weighing in at 265 pounds,
he is the Undisputed
WWE Universal
Heavyweight Champion,
Roman
Reigns!
[Cole] So here we go, ladies and gentlemen, at the Royal Rumble.
Roman Reigns defending the Undisputed WWE Championship
against three of the best in the world today,
Knight, Styles, and Randy Orton.
It is a big fight feel,
it is a big fight atmosphere.
Over 40,000 at the Trop in St. Pete ready to go.
[Graves] Think about the bravado of Roman Reigns.
Opting to enter last,
making all three challengers wait.
Making all three challengers stare at every step Roman took
on the way to the ring.
Knowing that they have an impossible task
of dethroning the Tribal Chief, the Head of the Table,
the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
[Cole] And already you can see the disagreements that are bubbling here
between Knight and Styles and most likely Orton as well.
These three have been, uh, involved in personal animosity for weeks now
leading up to this matchup.
And Roman Reigns realizes, "This could benefit me."
[Graves] Or perhaps not.
[Cole] Maybe not so fast.
[McAfee] Some politicking going on in here.
-[Graves] Uh-oh. -[Cole] Roman trying to escape.
And, uh, Styles and Knight and Orton gonna make him pay, gonna punish him.
Remember, first man to gain pinfall or submission
will win the WWE championship.
No disqualification, no count out.
[Graves] It's a smart move by LA Knight to bend the rules
right out of the gate.
You're not going to get disqualified, might as well use it.
[Cole] Roman Reigns, as he's had to for many years now,
needs to weather what will be an emotional storm
by all three of these superstars.
And Styles goes right after LA Knight.
[Graves] Remember, AJ Styles feels that LA Knight disrespected him
by stepping up
after The Bloodline had taken Styles out of the-- the situation.
[Cole] Corey, for years and years now,
Roman Reigns has-- has faced these battles,
all kinds of different odds like tonight in the Fatal 4-Way,
but he continues to be resilient in holding onto the championship,
which seems to give him the edge in a match like this.
[McAfee] I don't know 'cause it doesn't matter how resilient he is.
Anybody else can get pinned by anybody and it's over.
Roman Reigns is exposed this evening.
[Graves] That could certainly be argued,
but Roman Reigns possesses the same exact chance
as all four competitors in this matchup.
Twenty-five percent.
[McAfee] He's the champion! He deserves 26% at some point.
[Cole] Oh, what a clothesline by LA Knight.
[Graves] And listen, it was the wheeling and dealing of the Wiseman Paul Heyman
that got us here in the first place.
[McAfee] A power hungry Aldis, too.
[Cole] Nick Aldis, the general manager of SmackDown
who's, uh, butted heads with Roman Reigns.
[McAfee] LA Knight eyeballing AJ Styles.
Yeah.
-[Cole] AJ, uh… -[Knight] All right, I got something.
[McAfee] He's got something.
[Cole] Now Styles bounced right off our announce table.
And yet again.
And a third time.
And LA Knight having fun dribbling AJ Styles.
[McAfee] Yeah!
[Cole] Like Jimmy Butler does down in Miami.
[McAfee] Yeah!
[crowd] Yeah!
[McAfee] I mean, just playing basketball with AJ Styles' dome.
[Cole] Now Roman Reigns and Randy Orton again.
[Graves] Oh, God!
Orton gonna drop Roman Reigns right on the announce table, spine first.
[McAfee] Our Tribal Chief has been laid out here in front of us.
[Cole] Now, A-- LA Knight going to do the same to Styles.
How about that? That was pretty damn good, wasn't it?
[McAfee] Hey, comparing their work.
[Cole] Randy Orton, though, a kick to the midsection.
Remember, don't trust a viper.
And Randy Orton now going to-- LA Knight going to land on his feet.
And Knight now, bouncing Orton face-first off the table.
[crowd] Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Yeah! Yeah!
-[McAfee] Gee! -Yeah!
[crowd] Oh, yeah!
[Cole] It has been a tremendous rise in fame and popularity
for LA Knight here in WWE.
A groundswell of support
which has propelled Knight to where he is tonight.
[Graves] Here we go!
[Cole] Randy Orton dropping Knight right on the table.
[Graves] A little extra vitriol behind that one from The Viper.
[McAfee] LA Knight's been working for decades to get to this moment.
[Cole] And now, Reigns and Orton exchanging blows.
And Randy Orton going to drive the Tribal Chief into the steps.
[Graves] Pat, I want to ask you as a former pro athlete.
In your opinion, is time off a curse or a blessing for an injury?
[McAfee] Well, if it works, you say, yeah, it was a blessing.
If it doesn't, you say rust.
But Randy Orton's been doing this in his sleep since he was a child.
[Graves] Sure, but Randy Orton also missed 18 months.
AJ Styles missed several months.
Of the three challengers,
the one with the most ring time recently,
the one closest to the top of their game,
LA Knight.
I'm curious to see if that's going to be a factor.
[McAfee] I believe in momentum as well, and nobody has it more than LA Knight.
[Cole] And Randy Orton, now, with the, uh-- the classic Orton stomps
to the legs and knees of the champion Roman Reigns.
[Reigns groans]
[Cole] Orton just measuring.
Talked about this for-- for so long,
the absolute absence of malice when it comes to the WWE's Apex Predator.
Roman sent over the top rope to the floor.
[McAfee] You need that to get to the top, Cole. You know that.
[Graves] I would say there's no absence of malice
between any of these four competitors.
And here comes AJ Styles.
We have to mention the shape that AJ came back in after his injury,
maybe the best shape of Styles' phenomenal career.
[Cole] I had a chance to talk to AJ earlier today.
As Orton explodes out of the corner.
AJ said he's never been more focused than he has been recently.
Randy Orton, a powerslam!
[McAfee] Vintage Randy Orton.
[Cole] LA Knight misses wildly.
-[Graves] Put on the brakes-- -[Cole] Hang on!
And then the kick right to the face of The Viper.
Roman Reigns back into the mix.
LA Knight, though, side Russian leg sweep to the champ.
[Orton groans]
[Graves] LA Knight now stomping away at a downed Viper in the corner.
[Cole] This match, about as chaotic as we expected.
-Pinfall, submission, only way to win it. -[crowd yells] LA Knight, yeah!
[Cole] LA Knight into the corner.
AJ Styles runs into a clothesline on the apron.
[Graves] If you're AJ Styles, this is the last place you want to be
because this match can end in the blink of an eye
without you being involved.
[McAfee] Speaking of.
[Cole] Roman, cover to retain the championship, and a kick-out.
LA Knight is red-hot right now.
He has to try to cash in on that momentum.
[McAfee] Wanna talk about being red-hot? [chuckles] Guy with the red boots.
Roman Reigns has been red-hot for, what?
-[Cole] Three and a half years. -[McAfee] Bingo!
[Cole] If you want to go all the way back to late 2019,
that's the last time he was actually pinned
in a singles matchup.
[Graves] Pay attention to how deliberate Roman is
with each movement he makes inside the ring.
Reigns has his head on the swivel,
trying to keep an eye on each opponent
so that he doesn't get caught.
[Cole] Yeah, and this is the pace Roman likes,
slowing the pace down.
Every single movement means something.
[Graves] Roman will use his power, his body weight, to grind you down,
to wear you down,
and then Roman can tap into that next gear
and unleash explosivity second to none.
[Cole] And also trash-talk you,
get in your face, tell you all about it.
[Graves] Knight being battered right now by the Head of the Table.
[Cole] And Roman Reigns, oh! Down goes Knight, big clothesline.
[McAfee] Still throwing 105 on the tape.
[Cole] And there's the confidence.
There's the cockiness of the champion.
[McAfee] Well, he's not cocky. He's confident.
[McAfee] So when you say he's the best, it's a compliment. Okay?
How could you not be if you woke up and looked in the mirror and saw that,
and then you look at your resume
and realize you're the greatest of all time?
[Graves] Roman Reigns, an absolute thoroughbred.
[Cole] If I looked like that, I'd actually look in the mirror.
[McAfee] Smart for you to have a mirrorless house, Cole.
[Cole] And now, Styles.
[Graves] Here we see AJ Styles sneaking up on Roman.
[Cole] Yeah, the chop block to the back of the knee.
Now, AJ Styles picks a body part and goes to work.
[Graves] That was an almost uncharacteristic mistake
by Reigns, who got caught in the moment.
He was admiring his subjects here in the middle of his kingdom.
[Cole] Then again, Corey, remember, he's never been in a Fatal 4-Way
while defending the title. It's-- It's a different mindset.
You've got to have eyes in the back of your head.
Oh! And what a back body drop!
[McAfee] You were doubting your Tribal Chief there
for a moment, boys.
You don't think he and the Wiseman have read every book
about a Fatal 4-Way match?
[Cole] Oh, they've got a plan. There's no doubt about that.
[McAfee laughs] Yeah! Ones to the sky.
[Cole] There's a lot of ones in the air here at the Trop.
[Graves] Like a puppet master, Roman playing the WWE Universe.
Here we go.
[Cole] Locked and loaded!
Went for the Superman punch. LA Knight able to duck underneath.
Now, LA Knight delivering the right and left hands,
and he's got Roman Reigns reeling on his heels.
Down goes the champ.
[McAfee] LA Knight rolling.
[Cole] Down goes Roman again.
LA Knight with a DDT.
Randy Orton quickly back into the matchup
and he runs into a big slam by Knight.
[Graves] Hooks the leg.
[Cole] For the championship, and a kick-out again.
If Knight had pinned Orton, it would have been over.
Look at this back body drop and the height that AJ Styles got
before crashing to the mat.
[Graves] Another couple of feet, we'd have a sunroof on Tropicana Field.
[McAfee] And there's the DDT, spiking Roman right on his dome.
[Graves] And a powerslam for Randy Orton.
But now, AJ looking to make the climb to the top turnbuckle,
and LA Knight thwarted that plot.
[McAfee] Did he just punch a tooth out of his mouth?
[Graves] Entirely possible.
[McAfee] Big rights from LA Knight.
[Cole] It's interesting watching Heyman, uh, wander around ringside.
-Or waddle. -[McAfee] Heyman might need--
-[Cole] As he looks on at-- -[McAfee] What was that?
[Cole] …problem with, uh, Roman Reigns. And now, Randy Orton.
Knight whipped into the corner.
-[groans] -[Cole] Boot catches Orton in the face.
-LA Knight with a bulldog. -[McAfee] This isn't bad for Roman Reigns.
Letting the other three beat the hell out of each other.
Athleticism, absurd!
-Yeah! -[Cole] Superplex by Knight!
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] Incredible.
I'm going to disagree with you, Pat, because Roman could-- Oh, here we go.
[Cole] Yeah, Roman back into the ring trying to take advantage.
-[McAfee] Wiseman's going through it here. -[Graves] Is that concern on the face of--
-[Cole] Oh, got him! Got him. -[Graves] No way!
[Cole] Got him! For the title, for the title!
And AJ Styles fell into it.
Knight had Reigns won.
He had him beat!
[Graves] Unbelievable.
And again, in a match like this, make no mistake about it.
AJ wasn't trying to save Roman Reigns.
AJ was preserving his own opportunity to keep this match alive.
[Cole] Styles with a clothesline. Man, it was so close for LA Knight.
Now AJ Styles, knee right into the back of the neck.
[Graves] Uh-oh.
[Cole] And I think Styles may have hurt his knee.
Came down on it oddly.
[Graves] Listen, if anyone's willing to fight through the pain,
through the agony, it's the Phenomenal AJ Styles.
And remember, Cole, when Styles debuted in the Royal Rumble match,
who was alone in the ring?
[Cole] Oh! Mr. Reigns.
[Graves] So much history in this matchup,
and we could have a Styles Clash on tap.
[Cole] Styles, if he can hit this here, he may win the WWE championship
for the third time in his career.
-Styles Clash! -[Graves] Oh, my God!
-Oh, my God, no. -[Cole] AJ Styles for the championship.
It will end it!
And just saving it is LA Knight.
So we had a BFT. We had a Styles Clash.
[McAfee] Could you imagine if AJ Styles just became
our Universal Champion and dethroned Roman Reigns?
[Cole] We are on the Road to WrestleMania.
This is the 37th annual Royal Rumble event.
Beautiful St. Petersburg, Florida,
Tropicana Field.
This is for the Undisputed Championship.
Reigns, Knight, Orton, Styles, in a Fatal 4-Way.
[crowd cheers]
Yeah!
[Cole] Vintage Orton!
Come on, baby!
[Cole] Randy with a-- just a long career, a concern of shoulder injuries.
[Graves] R-- Randy's another one who knows what it means
to fight through the pain.
Suffer later, win now.
[Cole] And now, the Apex Predator is coiled and ready to strike.
[Graves] Keep your eyes on the back corner behind Orton,
who has no idea Styles is lying in wait.
[Cole] Styles, forearm delivered to the face of Orton.
Now, launches off the top rope, Randy Orton caught him!
RKO!
And that one wasn't out of nowhere.
Another RKO.
[groans]
[Cole] An RKO to Reigns!
[Graves] Out of the Superman punch, out of midair!
Cover him, Randy!
[Cole] Randy Orton for the 15th time in his career to win a world championship.
-And-- -[Graves] Oh, you got to be kidding me.
[Cole] Solo Sikoa just yanked the official
out of the ring, off the count.
Randy Orton had the championship won.
But there are no disqualifications.
[Graves] And Randy, focus on Roman, focus on Knight.
Solo's not in the match.
[Cole] And Solo Sikoa may pay.
Samoan Spike!
[yells]
[Cole] There's nothing anybody can do about this
because it's no disqualification.
[McAfee] Soon as we heard those rules, that there was no rules,
we knew The Bloodline was going to do something.
[Graves] For the past last several weeks, Solo's been doing everything in his power
to fix Roman's problem,
this 4-Way problem,
the three challengers at once.
-Better late than never. -[McAfee] Oh, no.
[Graves] But the tribal heir is stacking 'em.
They've been smashed, they've been stacked.
[Cole] Roman Reigns promised that they would be stacked tonight.
Knight and Orton in trouble, down and out.
Solo Sikoa now turns his attention to AJ Styles.
[Graves] This is going to be big-time impact.
[Sikoa yells]
[Cole] And Solo Sikoa.
Nobody home!
AJ Styles moving out of harm's way.
[McAfee] Oh, my! The force of Solo Sikoa.
-AJ Styles survives ruin. -[Cole] Oh, look at Roman Reigns.
Roman Reigns trying to make it back to his feet.
-The official's back in the ring. -[Heyman speaks indistinctly]
[Cole] Heyman begging Reigns to go for-- to go for the victory.
[Graves] And the official can't count
because both Knight and Orton's shoulders are on the mat simultaneously.
[crowd boos]
Roman is just savoring the moment.
[Cole] Roman still stunned.
-AJ Styles, Phenomenal Forearm. -[McAfee] Oh, no!
-[Cole] Everybody stacked up. -[Graves] Roman's stacked.
-[Cole] AJ Styles for the championship… -[Graves] Oh, my God!
[Cole] And a kick-out by everybody.
The entire pile kicking out.
[Graves] Let's look back. Moments ago,
Solo Sikoa obliterating the barricade.
AJ right on the money with a Phenomenal Forearm.
As circumstances would have it,
Reigns falls on the pile,
AJ makes the cover,
and Orton, Knight, and Reigns all simultaneously kick out.
This is nuts!
[crowd chants] This is awesome! [claps rhythmically]
This is awesome!
[Cole] The "This is awesome" chants at the Trop
for four of the best in the world,
battling it out for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
[McAfee] Yes, it is. This is awesome.
As the Wiseman's in tears.
And AJ Styles. Well, he was the last one standing.
[Graves] What's Styles thinking about now? [laughs]
[Cole] Anything he wants because there really are no rules
in this match.
[Graves] Get you an insurance policy, AJ.
[Cole] AJ Styles saying, "The Bloodline can do what they want."
"I'm going to do what I want."
[Graves] Fight fire with fire.
[McAfee] Saw this last night on SmackDown.
[Graves] Last night, AJ hesitated. Had a few second thoughts.
It's pedal to the metal tonight.
[Cole] Styles staring right across the ring at Paul Heyman,
who is begging AJ Styles, "Show mercy."
[Heyman] For the sake of humanity!
Have you no humanity?
[Cole] Roman had no clue where he is right now.
AJ Sty-- Oh! Styles, chair right to the midsection.
And now, AJ Styles teeing it off on the champion.
[McAfee] Roman getting beat down by AJ Styles.
No rules, the ref's only there to count.
[Cole] And now, turns his attention to the man
he believes has been standing in his way,
stepping through him, stepping over him,
LA Knight.
[Graves] This has got to be cathartic for AJ Styles,
mangling that steel chair across the body of the megastar.
[Cole] Styles in firm control right now.
And now, it may be Randy Orton's turn.
[Graves] I like this strategy from Styles,
inflict additional-- Oh, ho, ho!
[Cole] Randy Orton said, "Uh-uh."
The Viper struck.
Big uppercut knocks Styles out of the ring.
[Graves] I like where AJ's head was at.
[Cole] Spear!
[McAfee] We talk about explosivity, Corey.
[Graves] Yes, sir. There it was.
[Cole] But Randy Orton rolling out of harm's way
wisely after the spear.
And now, LA Knight with Roman Reigns
up and down, planting Reigns.
Dropping the elbow.
[Knight yells]
Is it LA Knight's moment?
Can it be Knight's moment?
[Graves] BFT-- No.
Oh, God!
[Cole] Oh, no. Oh, my goodness.
[Graves] Styles was on--
[Cole] Superman punch!
[Graves] On the top rope for the--
[Cole] And a spear to Styles!
Cover by Roman Reigns.
[crowd] One, two, three!
-[Cole] Roman Reigns does it again. -[bell rings]
[McAfee] Wow.
[Irvin] Here is your winner
and still the Undisputed
WWE Universal Champion,
Roman
Reigns!
[Cole] He has been unstoppable.
-[McAfee] Cole, you have to pay respect. -[Cole] He has been unbeatable.
[Graves] You have no choice, Michael Cole, I know it pains you,
I know we don't sometimes agree
with the methods that Roman employs,
but let's start talking.
God mode,
greatest of all time,
Roman Reigns just did it again.
[McAfee] And you could say Solo and The Bloodline helped, sure,
but there was a chair involved, there was an eye gauge involved.
[Reigns' music plays]
[Cole] We're gonna to take a look now at some of the action in this matchup.
Roman Reigns surviving here tonight
in this Fatal 4-Way at the Royal Rumble event.
[Graves] Here's a real turning point, Reigns delivering a spear to Orton.
LA Knight would look for another BFT
and inintentionally--
unintentionally cause Styles to get hung across the top rope.
Superman punch from the Tribal Chief
and a spear that nearly cut Styles clean in half.
-[bell rings] -[Graves] The bell rang.
God mode was engaged,
and still…
[Cole] At the end of the day, say what you want,
complain about it,
it doesn't matter.
Because Roman Reigns' record-setting 1,245 days
as your Undisputed WWE Champion continues tonight.
And Roman Reigns' march to WrestleMania is on.
[McAfee] Wow.
[Reigns speaks inaudibly]
-[Cole] Three and a half years. -[Graves] And counting.
[Cole] Well, the question is,
could Roman Reigns be the choice
of the winner of the men's Royal Rumble match later tonight?
Most definitely he will be
if this man, Cody Rhodes, wins.
In order to finish the story,
he must become the first man in 26 years to win back-to-back Rumbles.
["Wild Child" by The Black Keys plays]
[Belair] So much on the line here tonight.
I'm a nervous wreck.
You got this baby, okay?
[Mike Rome] Bianca Belair!
So, uh, we are WWE superstars
and we're husband and wife.
It's so much fun.
Bianca is a main event superstar, and me,
it's just trying to figure out where I fit in.
-[uplifting music plays] -[Belair] Life in the WWE is just crazy.
But we're both in this together.
And that's what makes us who we are.
♪ In this together ♪
[dramatic music plays]
[announcer 1] The ultimate fan experience…
the WWE experience.
Coming February 2024.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
[suspenseful music plays]
[announcer 1] The day for vengeance is coming.
[announcer 2] Dragunov, Williams,
a massive matchup for the NXT Championship.
["DArkSide" by Bring Me The Horizon plays]
[announcer 2] Who will punch their ticket to compete for the prestigious Dusty Cup
at Vengeance Day?
Two of the very best in the women's division
Valkyria, Perez
will tangle for the NXT women's title.
♪ Hey, I'm begging you to stay ♪
♪ My dark side won today ♪
♪ Can you talk me off the ledge again? ♪
[Cole] And the Royal Rumble's in St. Petersburg.
This was a little bit earlier tonight, Pat.
This was sunset here.
[McAfee] If you've never been, make the trip.
It is out of a movie how beautiful this place is.
And the vibes have been immaculate
since they found out that Royal Rumble is going to be here.
The Tropicana is electrifying.
[Cole] As we look forward to a week from tomorrow,
right here on Peacock, it is NXT Vengeance Day.
[Graves] We would like to take just a moment
to sp-- send some very special thanks
to our friends The Black Keys for "Wild Child,"
the official theme song of the Royal Rumble.
It's from the album Dropout Boogie,
and you can get it right now
on Apple Music and Spotify.
[Cole] And speaking of music,
the 2024 Grammy-nominated,
multi-platinum rapper and singer-songwriter
from Nashville, Tennessee Jelly Roll is in the house.
[McAfee] Absolute legend, Jelly Roll.
[Graves] Got to run into Jelly Roll backstage earlier for just a moment.
Talk about big energy, man.
Everything about Jelly Roll just lit up the room.
[Cole] And KO sort of looks like his brother.
Nonetheless, there's the challenger for the United States Championship,
the bodacious brawler,
the Prizefighter Kevin Owens,
who won a tournament to earn this opportunity tonight.
[McAfee] Both handsome, yeah.
[Cole] Up next, it's a match bound to go viral.
Social media megastar Logan Paul defends his United States Championship
for the first time against the fearless Kevin Owens
right after this break.
For our subscribers of Peacock Premium Plus,
let's get inside and look at what set off this rivalry.
[Logan Paul] To every hater who prayed on my downfall,
where are you now?
Don't y'all get it by now?
I'm the fastest rising star in WWE history.
I knock people out, me,
disruptor, entrepreneur, innovator,
actor, wrestler, boxer.
I am the Maverick Logan Paul.
[Kevin Owens' music plays]
[Owens] But as good as you are, you're not Kevin Owens!
[announcer] Broken hand and all, Kevin Owens is ready here tonight.
[Graves] Who is going to challenge Logan Paul at the Royal Rumble?
Broken hand, he brittle.
I ain't worried about this guy.
[Cole] Stunner!
[announcer] To book his place at the Royal Rumble to face Logan Paul.
[Paul] Ooh!
Congrats, Kevin Owens.
You get to face the greatest United States Champ in history.
-Logan Pa-- -[Cole] Oh! [laughs]
[crowd cheers]
[Owens] Your days as US Champion are numbered.
[Paul] Hey, Kevin.
This little black eye you gave me, it's not just a black eye.
It's evidence.
It turns out that little cast on your hand could be a liability.
'Cause if you roll up to Royal Rumble with that cast on,
excuse me, with that weapon on your hand, I promise,
I'm not just going to beat you in our wrestling match, no,
I am going to beat you in a court of law.
Wow, Kevin. [laughs] Thanks for inviting me on your show.
I would say I'm honored, but I'm not.
Three years ago, I came to my first-ever WrestleMania
and you embarrassed me.
I'm feeling it right now just like I was then.
The only reason that you were able to knock me down is because of that cast.
It's only going to take me one second to KO you, KO.
There isn't a punch you can throw that can keep me down for three seconds,
let alone knock me out.
I'm not going to have this cast on at the Royal Rumble.
In fact, you know what?
[Graves] Oh-ho-ho! Logan Paul with a sucker punch.
Nobody can survive that punch.
[Owens] There isn't a punch you can throw that can keep me down for three seconds,
let alone knock me out.
[Graves] KO won't stay down!
Is that it?!
And I'm putting an end to that joke at the Royal Rumble.
[crowd exclaims]
[crowd boos]
[Paul] It's my show now, Kevin.
Royal Rumble this Saturday.
I'm here, Kevin. I'm here.
-I'll see you in two days. -Yeah, you will.
I'll see you in two days, Kevin. Walk away, Kevin.
Walk away [bleeps]!
-[man 1] Whoa! -[man 2] Hey, come on.
[dramatic music plays]
-[man 3] Oh, my God. -[bleeps]
Bro, bro.
[all shouting]
-[man 4] Get out of here! -[bleeps]
I want all of it.
[Kevin Owens' music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] Well, ladies and gentlemen, Kevin Owens is looking to win
the fourth United States Championship in his career
in a match, Corey, that has become extremely personal, extremely emotional.
[Graves] Deeply personal, even more emotional
from a man who runs off of pure unbridled emotion.
Kevin Owens lives by the ethos, "just keep fighting."
And Owens knows he is a guy
that never necessarily fit the mold in this game.
Kevin Owens has had to fight and scratch and claw
for every opportunity that he's had.
And Kevin Owens looks at a guy like Logan Paul,
and while he acknowledges Logan's skill set,
Logan Paul is so deep under KO's skin,
he's going to need tweezers to get him out.
[Cole] Well, Kevin Owens, of course, "Fight, Owens, fight."
But he's got a broken arm he has to deal with here tonight.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, Royal Rumble is presented by Cricket.
With fast and powerful nationwide 5G coverage,
you can stress less and smile more.
And by Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League,
available February 2nd on PlayStation 5.
Actually, a broken hand that Kevin Owens is dealing with.
[Graves] It was re-aggravated at the hands of Logan Paul a week ago
on SmackDown, thrown into the steel ring post.
[Logan Paul's music plays]
[Cole] Now, it's interesting that Logan Paul,
the United States Champion,
who won the title beating Rey Mysterio
back at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia in November.
Pat McAfee, you should have a lot to say about Logan Paul.
A maverick, much like you,
arriving on the scene in WWE.
Many people didn't believe in you or him
when you first started to compete here.
Tell me what Logan Paul is going through, what you think about this young man.
[McAfee] He's much more handsome than I am,
and he did everything that I'm doing long before I did.
A true trailblazer on the Internet.
His mental toughness is obviously something that's going to have to be high
because he has rubbed people the wrong way his entire life.
But when you're an outsider
and you're trying to earn the respect of the WWE Universe
and the WWE talent,
you just want to earn your keep.
And Logan Paul, the fastest-rising superstar in history,
certainly feels as if he has done as such.
[Graves] Logan Paul's been very public and very proud
about the fact he's only been in this game a little over a year and a half.
Kevin Owens has quite literally dedicated his life to this business.
It eats at KO,
and Owens would love nothing more
than to leave Tropicana Field as the United States Champion
for the fourth time.
But make it even sweeter, at the expense of Logan Paul.
[bell rings]
The following contest is scheduled for one fall
and it is for the United States Championship.
Introducing the challenger,
from Marieville, Quebec, Canada,
weighing in at 266 pounds,
Kevin Owens!
[McAfee] Didn't even blink. Didn't move.
[Irvin] And his opponent,
from Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico,
by way of Cleveland, Ohio,
he is the United States Champion,
Logan Paul!
[Cole] Okay, let's talk strategy.
If you're Kevin Owens, Corey, how do you take the title
away from the Maverick?
[Graves] Kevin Owens needs to rely on his experience.
Kevin Owens has been in every situation one can fathom inside of a ring.
Logan Paul still has a long way to go,
and Owens cannot let the mind games of Logan continue deep into this matchup.
[Cole] Pat, how does Logan keep the title tonight?
[McAfee] I think for one thing, he's going to have to watch
for that right hand of Kevin Owens.
No cast tonight, but it is taped up.
[Graves] I agree with you. You mean, attack the injured hand of Kevin Owens?
[McAfee] Bingo. That's probably the smart play.
[Graves] I agree with that and I'd also say, Kevin Owens,
look out for the right hand of Logan Paul.
[Cole] Kevin Owens goes right after Logan Paul now.
Stomping away. And remember, Kevin's gotta be careful here.
Logan Paul has the champion's advantage.
Owens must pin or submit Logan Paul to win the title.
[Graves] Uh-oh. Owens cutting Logan off at the pass,
but Paul just a step too quick.
[referee] One!
[Cole] Logan Paul whipped into the barricade by Kevin Owens.
[Graves] I don't know that you want to get into a brawling contest
with the Prizefighter Kevin Owens.
As talented as Paul is,
as much of a great boxer as Logan Paul is,
outside the ring, this is KO's domain.
-[Cole] Oh! -[Graves] This is where KO thrives.
[Owens] This is my show!
[Cole] That's what Kevin Owens said, "This is my show."
He said to Logan Paul, "You're not one of us."
"You're protected, you're sheltered. You shouldn't be here."
Eight!
[McAfee] Logan Paul has heard that all before, obviously,
but Kevin Owens knows.
[Graves] I mean, Kevin Owens has to hear it in his own house.
Logan Paul has rubbed it in, on multiple occasions,
that KO's children are giant Logan Paul fans.
That has to eat at Owens.
One!
[McAfee] Kevin Owens had to buy Prime drinks for his house.
[Graves] Absolutely.
[Cole] Royal Rumble has been, uh, trending number one
in the United States all night long on X.
-[McAfee groans and laughs] -[Cole] And why not? An incredible show.
Still to come tonight, our men's Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] Right now, Kevin Owens just chopped Logan Paul in the soul.
[Cole] A German suplex and release by Owens.
And now, Logan Paul realizing he's in a fight.
[Graves] I know it's Gasparilla, this is kinda apropos.
"Clear the deck!" Oh?
[Cole] And KO with a smile on his face.
Paul rolled out of harm's way.
Kevin Owens now went for the cannonball.
Driven into the apron spine-first, and Logan Paul attacking the--
attacking the injured hand.
-[Graves] An expertly laid trap. But-- -Oh, he hurt his hand. I don't care!
-[Paul groans] -[Cole] Again, a bit cocky there.
[Graves] That's the problem.
Logan took a big step forward and then a giant one back.
[Cole] And a senton by KO right in front of the announce table.
Kevin Owens in control of the Maverick.
Kevin Owens in a mood tonight.
He's focused, wants his fourth US title.
-[Paul wails] Stop! -[McAfee] Oh! Jeez.
These chops echoing through the Trop.
[referee] Listen, that's enough.
[Cole] KO shaking off that injured hand.
Oh, and Logan Paul right-- attacking the hand.
And now Paul launching himself over the top rope.
He hit Owens hard in the back of the neck.
[McAfee] What a slingshot. Logan Paul is a freak athlete.
[Graves] You can say that again. You know, Pat, Logan told me on commentary
a few weeks ago on SmackDown
that he just recently began lifting weights.
-Oh, God! -[Cole] Oh, God!
He may have another broken hand.
-And again, back to the ring post. -[Graves] Oh, no.
[Cole] And Owens is screaming in pain.
[Graves] Kevin, you don't have to do this.
[McAfee] Once again, this is great strategy by Logan Paul.
[Graves] I mean, it is.
[McAfee] Only a year into this thing.
[Cole] Again, you can't take anything away from him.
He's not breaking a rule.
[McAfee] Like a fish to water, Logan Paul to this business.
[Graves] A savant.
Cat-like agility to the top turnbuckle.
[Cole] What a crossbody by Logan Paul.
[Graves] Oh, but not just that.
He turns it into the cross-moon combo.
Cover, and a kick-out by Owens.
[Paul grunts]
[Graves] Oh, looking for a kimura.
[Cole] Again, with the injured hand. Used to be a great move.
As you take another look at Logan Paul launching himself over the top rope.
[Graves] Big impact on the outside,
Logan Paul soaring through the sky at Tropicana Field.
[Cole] Crossbody, and he turns it into the standing moonsault.
The cross-moon combo.
[McAfee] That crossbody was three-quarters of the way across the ring.
[Graves] It was beautiful, and then Paul wasting no time
maintaining a-- a hold, a modified kimura.
[Cole] Look at this! Now going for the octopus.
Logan Paul has used this before in his matches.
This was made famous by WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki.
[Graves] But it was made more famous by Logan Paul.
[Cole] Logan Paul now trying to get Owens to submit here.
A couple of elbows to the midsection.
[McAfee] Say what you want, Logan's a student of the game.
Only gotten better. Works.
[Cole] And again, this has been tremendous strategy,
now trying to rip the tape
off the once-broken, and maybe broken again, hand of Owens.
[Graves] There's no way KO's hand isn't broken.
If it wasn't before the match, it is by now.
No doubt about it. Look at this.
Paul is mangling Kevin Owens.
At what point does our official need to step in and save Owens from his self?
-Because Kevin Owens won't quit. -[Cole] It's a good point.
Because Logan Paul doing everything in his power to-- Wait a minute.
[Graves] Owens grabbing the nose of Logan Paul.
[Cole] Well, Owens is-- He's scrappy. He's a survivor.
He'll do everything he can to stay in this matchup.
He's not going to give up. We all know that.
[Graves] A series of uppercuts from the Maverick.
[McAfee] Look at the welts on his chest too.
[Cole] Yeah, from the chops of Kevin Owens,
but Logan Paul doesn't seem to give a damn.
Leg drop.
A little cocky on the cover and Owens was able to kick out.
-[Graves] Look-- -[Cole] And now a slap.
[Graves] Owens will not stand for disrespect.
If KO has breath in his lungs,
he is swinging back when he feels disrespected.
[Cole] You're not going to show off.
You're not going to show off in front of Kevin Owens.
He's going to make you pay.
Gonna do everything in, uh, the fiber of his being
to fight back and stay in the match.
But to your point, how much can Kevin Owens take?
And when should the official start to think about his well-being?
[referee] One! Two…
[McAfee] Kevin Owens would rather his hand get cut off.
[Graves] Unfortunately, Pat, I think you're absolutely right.
KO is not a long-term planner.
KO lives in the heat of the moment,
but right now, the moment belongs to Logan Paul.
-[McAfee] 619. -[Cole] Yeah, went for a 619.
That, of course, used by Rey Mysterio,
who he beat for the title back at Crown Jewel,
and again showing that Logan Paul's a student of the game.
[Graves] Absolutely right. Took the words right out of my mouth, Cole.
Logan Paul picking up a little something along the way.
Just a tidbit to add to his arsenal.
[Cole] Oh, and the knees up to the back of Owens.
Owens went for another senton, and Logan Paul saw this one coming.
[Owens groans]
[McAfee] Another European uppercut, plethora of those.
[Graves] Uh-oh. Owens has Logan Paul's arms hooked,
could be thinking about a backslide.
-[McAfee] Oh. -[Graves] Uh-oh, uh-oh!
-[Cole] Oh! -[Graves] Yikes.
[Cole] Right to the back of Logan Paul's head,
knee connecting from Owens.
[McAfee] Jeez.
[Graves] That might have been KO's best shot
to this juncture in the matchup,
taking a lot out of Logan Paul.
But Owens is still feeling the effects of the attack from the champion.
[Cole] Ladies and gentlemen, we are on the Road to WrestleMania.
This is the 37th annual Royal Rumble event.
We are at the Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida,
over 40,000 in attendance tonight,
watching Logan Paul and Kevin Owens slug it out
for the prestigious United States Championship.
[Graves] Owens like a one-armed bandit.
-[Cole] Owens understands how-- -[Graves] Here we go.
[Cole] …important this title is.
And now Kevin Owens with a cannonball!
Dozen WWE Hall of Famers, more than that, to build this title,
and another cannonball by KO.
[Graves] Owens now making the climb to the top turnbuckle.
[Cole] Thing about Kevin Owens, you gotta love him. He works his ass off.
Kevin Owens now, top rope, frog splash!
-[Graves] That may do it. -[Cole] Cover, hook of the leg.
Oh, and Logan.
[Graves] Let me tell you this, if we get a replay, which we will right now,
watch Kevin Owens' right arm upon landing on the frog splash.
Owens crushed the champion,
but that momentary hesitation to fight through the pain
may have cost Owens the victory.
[Cole] You notice he had to use the left to hook the leg. Hesitated, to your point.
Logan able to kick out.
Now Kevin Owens again, looking to go up to the top rope.
I'm not-- not sure how Kevin Owens is still going here.
Again, trying to shake the pain out of the hand.
-Swanton, knees up! -[Graves] Oh, man.
Gnarly landing for Owens.
[McAfee] That's twice Logan Paul has baited Kevin Owens into something.
[Graves] Logan trying to capitalize on the mishap for KO.
[Cole] Nobody home as Kevin Owens moved out of harm's way.
Both these men trying to deliver bombs.
[referee] Come on, Logan, back in the ring.
[McAfee] Paul is bleeding, he's got bruises on his chest.
[Cole] He is a tough champion.
Kevin, come on, bring him back into the ring.
-[McAfee] Speaking of tough. -[Graves] Yeah, raking at the face.
[Cole] Paul hanging Owens up on the top rope.
[McAfee] I'd be honored for Kevin Owens to be my United States Champion.
[Cole] Oh, there it is!
Off the clothesline, Logan Paul has KO down and out.
He loves that slingshot.
He hit Roman Reigns with that in a title match.
-[McAfee] Wow! -[Cole] Frog splash! Cover to retain.
Hook of the leg, kick-out at two!
[Graves] I don't know if that was technically a frog splash.
This was more stylish.
Here we see this whipping lariat by Logan, and--
[McAfee] I believe it was just a full send, Corey.
[Graves] That works for me.
-Full send by Logan Paul. -[Cole] Like that.
You just created something.
[McAfee] I did not create that, that's a huge company,
but that's certainly what it looked like.
Full commitment from Logan Paul, our United States Champion.
[Graves] The champion is feeling it now.
[Cole] This has been a physical battle here tonight.
-[referee] Back in the ring. -[Paul] Hey, Corey Graves.
[Graves] I-- I don't--
You said that no man could suplex Kevin Owens.
Watch me.
-[Cole] You did say that. -[Graves] I did say it. Good luck, Logan.
-Oh. -[Cole] Or maybe not!
[Graves] Uh, I told you. I…
[Cole] Kevin Owens!
-Modified brainbuster. -[McAfee] Corey, describe--
[Cole] Now Owens crawling to the cover to win the title
and a kick-out at two.
Look what you started.
[Graves] Listen, I was trying to give our champion a little advice.
I have watched and called a million Kevin Owens matches
and I've never seen the man successfully superplexed.
[McAfee] Kevin Owens, very comfortable on the ropes.
[Cole] Spectacular scene here tonight.
[McAfee] Over 40,000-plus here.
[Cole] The Sunshine City of St. Petersburg, Florida.
Kevin Owens, Logan Paul for the United States Championship.
And Kevin Owens, kick to the midsection. Went for the stunner.
Paul working on the bad hand again.
Ooh, what a kick!
[Graves] Logan just punted the broken right hand of Owens.
[McAfee] Phenomenal form on that punt.
And now the big right hand of Logan Paul's getting exposed.
[Graves] Remember, it's titanium reinforced.
[Cole] Owens, super kick, right up under the chin.
KO went for the pop-up powerbomb.
[Graves] Looking for the stunner again.
[Cole] Bang! Right hand!
KO has been KO'ed by Logan Paul.
[Graves] Okay.
[Cole] Oh, Owens kicked out!
[McAfee] What? What?
Nobody's kicked out of the big right.
[Cole] Nobody at all. Logan Paul can't believe it.
And Corey, his most effective weapon was just taken away.
[McAfee] Actual titanium inside of his hand.
[Graves] It wasn't taken away, it was rendered ineffective.
See, I would--
-[McAfee] Is that Jeff? -[Cole] Come on now. Not this idiot.
This goofy moron from his entourage again.
[McAfee] This son of a bitch Jeff. That's Jeff! Cole, that's Jeff!
That's enough.
-Security. -Hunter, Hunter, get him.
[McAfee] Jeff in a white tee.
[Cole] Well, Official Ryan Tran,
who was the referee when Logan Paul and this goof beat Rey Mysterio,
now is going to do his job
and get security to throw this moron out of here.
[Graves] Pat, who-- [mutters]
[McAfee] That's Jeff. That's Jeff.
-[security yelling] -[Cole] He's trying to say he knows you.
[McAfee] To be clear, I've never met Jeff, but I've seen him on the Internet.
[referee] Let's go! Let's go!
[Graves] Can I deal with him? He's not that big.
-[McAfee] Yeah, but he's-- -[Graves] Logan from the top!
[McAfee] I don't know what's going on, but I know Logan just missed.
[Cole] Both men down, center of the ring, as the security now are ejecting…
-[Graves] Beat him up, take him out. -[Cole] Wait, wait, wait!
[Graves] Oh, this is great, these guys are going to deal with Jeff.
-[Cole] Grayson Waller, Austin Theory. -[McAfee] They're here to legitimize Jeff.
[Cole] They're not. They're here because they can't stand Kevin Owens,
and you know that.
-[McAfee] Look, he's-- -[Cole] Austin Theory, brass knuckles.
This is how Logan Paul beat Mysterio.
[Graves] Theory gave the knucks to Paul.
[McAfee] Austin Theory, the same old scumbag.
I see. This should be fair and square.
-[Graves] Oh, shoulders down. -[Cole] Owens rolling Paul up.
Paul able to kick out.
Logan Paul has brass knuckles.
Kevin Owens trying to rip the knuckles off the hand, and he does!
And now Kevin Owens has loaded up with the brass knucks.
-[crowd cheers] -Cover to win the championship.
Oh, no!
[McAfee] Oh, now the ref's got 20-20?
[Cole] Oh, damn it.
-[bell rings] -[McAfee] Oh, wow.
[Irvin] Here is your winner as a result of a disqualification,
and still
the United States Champion,
Logan Paul!
[Cole] That is a damn shame.
[Graves] This may sound a little unusual coming from me,
but I feel bad for Owens.
Kevin Owens wrestled a hell of a match,
fought a hell of a fight,
and in the end, Owens got caught in the heat of the moment
and paid for it.
But hats off to the United States Champion.
-Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa! -[Cole] Owens from behind. Kevin Owens.
Kevin Owens is ticked off and I don't blame him.
[Graves] And now Owens returning the favor.
[Cole] For all intents and purposes, KO got screwed here tonight.
[Graves] Did you see the look in his eyes, Cole?
[McAfee] I mean, I can understand why he is--
[Graves] Owens just lost it.
[Cole] I mean, that goof Jeff, and then Theory and Waller, and…
Kevin Owens now with Logan Paul up and down and through the table.
[crowd cheers]
[Kevin Owens' music plays]
[Cole] Fight, Owens, fight.
For yet another day,
the beaten and battered United States Champion, Logan Paul,
still holds the title.
But Kevin Owens made him pay.
[McAfee] Tough, tough ending for Kevin Owens.
Logan Paul's still the champ, but he's going to feel it tomorrow.
[Graves] Oh, no, no.
Get him back, get him back. Come on, come on.
[referee] Let's go, Kevin. No, let's go.
Come on, Kevin.
-[McAfee] Takes a Halls. -[Cole] Oh, he needed a cough drop.
[breezy music plays]
No surprise here.
I love St. Pete Clearwater
because every day is a beautiful day in the Sunshine City.
If you haven't soaked in all the sun-drenched moments
around these parts, that's a big miss.
So come on, let's get away,
let's get together, and make the most of every second.
You know I got to ask.
What you going to do
when St. Pete Clearwater runs wild on you, brother?
Let's shine.
[announcer] To kick off Royal Rumble weekend,
WWE and Boys and Girls Club of America
held their first ever WWE SuperSpaces club rebuild.
WWE also honored three local non-profits
as WWE's newest Community Champions.
["Habanera" from Carmen by Georges Bizet plays]
[Rhea Ripley] Around here, we have a saying.
No worries.
[crowd cheers]
Well, now you better start worrying.
[buzzer sounds]
[crowd cheers]
Ah, you'll be fine.
[Cole] You know, McAfee, I'm glad you're back for one night only,
but, uh, glad it's one night 'cause look at this mess.
Yeah, Logan Paul's body really did some destruction over here
to the table, Corey.
Well, you know, I cannot believe
that four weeks from tonight,
you and I are going to be
in Perth, Australia
for Elimination Chamber.
It is going to be incredible.
It's going to be here live on Peacock,
as we continue the Road to WrestleMania.
Toilets flush the opposite direction there.
["Gasoline" by The Weeknd plays]
♪ I'm pushing myself further ♪
♪ I'm just trying to feel My heartbeat beat ♪
♪ And I love it when you watch me sleep ♪
♪ You spin me 'round so I can breathe ♪
♪ It's only safe for you and me ♪
♪ And if I finally die in peace ♪
♪ Just wrap my body in these sheets ♪
♪ And pour out the gasoline ♪
♪ It don't mean much to me ♪
[Graves] Seventy days away from WrestleMania XL.
And guys, how cool is this?
For the fifth year in a row,
the fifth consecutive year,
the official WrestleMania weekend song,
from none other than our friend The Weeknd,
this year "Gasoline."
Thank you to The Weeknd. We will see you all in Philadelphia.
[Irvin] Ladies and gentlemen,
we are proud to announce tonight's attendance,
48,044!
[McAfee] Whoa.
[Irvin] A new Tropicana Field attendance record.
["Wild Child" plays]
[Cole] And we thank all of you for showing up here tonight
and then watching at home for the Royal Rumble.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, ten years ago today,
a bitter, angry CM Punk walked out of the WWE.
A decade later, the Second City Saint is back
with one goal in mind,
win the Royal Rumble and main event his first WrestleMania.
For the thousands in attendance and the millions watching at home,
30 superstars will compete in the 2024 Royal Rumble match
with a championship match in the main event
at WrestleMania on the line, right after this break.
Members of the WWE Universe subscribing to Peacock Premium Plus,
let's take a closer look at the Royal Rumble by the numbers.
[announcer 1] The Royal Rumble,
a stage where singular moments in time
become immortalized.
[announcer 2] It's Flair from behind.
Flair wins it.
[announcer 3] Rey Mysterio did it!
[Cole] Asuka, history-maker.
Drew McIntyre's going to WrestleMania!
[announcer 1] The Road to WrestleMania begins with 30 men and 30 women
vying for the chance of a lifetime.
A World Championship match in the main event of WrestleMania.
We've witnessed 1,310 superstars compete in this legendary event,
but only 34, a staggering 2.6% of participants, have won it all.
Twenty have gone on to win a World Championship at WrestleMania
including Rhea Ripley.
In 2023, Rhea Ripley made history,
becoming the first woman to enter at number one
and outlast the entire field.
The Eradicator broke the women's Rumble record
for most career eliminations with 20,
as Mami's marathon performance set the new women's endurance record
at an unprecedented one hour, one minute, and eight seconds.
Last year, the Ring General marched into the record books as well.
Gunther earned the distinction
of longest time spent in a traditional Rumble match
at an unbelievable one hour, eleven minutes, and 40 seconds.
Later entry into the match
significantly increases your odds of being the last one standing,
but no entry number has produced more winners
than the coveted number 30,
where five superstars have claimed victory,
including Cody Rhodes.
Cody made his triumphant return from injury last year
and blazed his trail to the main event of WrestleMania.
[Cole] The American Nightmare, one step closer!
[announcer 1] While the American Nightmare has vowed to finish his story,
winning back-to-back Rumble matches is exceedingly rare.
No superstar has won consecutive Rumble matches in 26 years,
a feat last achieved by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
The Texas Rattlesnake is the most accomplished
Royal Rumble competitor of all time
with three victories.
[Austin] Oh, hell yeah.
[announcer 1] We've seen countless mind-blowing returns.
[announcer 4] What? It's John Cena.
[announcer 1] This year will be no different when CM Punk competes
3,653 days removed from his last Rumble match.
Will this finally be the year the Best in the World
accomplishes his goal of…
[CM Punk] …main eventing WrestleMania.
[announcer 1] Thirty-four million, the number of social engagements
for the viral collision between Logan Paul and Ricochet last year,
holding the record for the most social moment
in Rumble history.
In the last five years,
60% of winners parlayed their victory into championship gold at WrestleMania.
This year, the Showcase of the Immortals takes over the city of brotherly love,
but there will be no love lost on the road to WrestleMania.
Sixty superstars will compete in two Royal Rumble matches
for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to headline WrestleMania 40.
["Wild Child" by The Black Keys plays]
♪ You got me runnin' Through the turnstile ♪
♪ You're gonna get my love today, yeah ♪
[buzzer sounds]
[Cole] Well, you know, the Royal Rumble is powered in part by C4 Energy,
the official eneg-- energy drink of WWE.
WWE and C4 have teamed up to create a legendary line
of three Ultimate Energy flavors.
Available st-- in stores nationwide and on Amazon.
C4.
Easy for me to say. It's been some night.
-[Irvin] The following is the men's-- -[Graves] Buckle up.
Royal Rumble match!
This match begins with two superstars inside the ring.
Every 90 seconds, another superstar will enter the match.
Eliminations 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 go on to main event
WrestleMania!
[crowd cheers]
[Jey Uso's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Irvin] Introducing the superstar who drew number one,
from San Francisco, California,
weighing in at 242 pounds,
"Main Event" Jey Uso!
[Cole] And again, winning from number one, guys,
not impossible.
Four people have done it in the history of the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] He may be "Main Event" Jey Uso,
but tonight he's also got to be iron man Jey Uso.
But look at this place, this is a vibe!
[Jey Uso's music continues]
[Cole] For the third time in his career,
"Main Event" Jey Uso's in the Rumble match.
[McAfee] Yeet!
Let's go, uce!
Let's go! Let's go!
Come on!
[Cole] And the Royal Rumble is presented by Cricket.
With fast and powerful nationwide 5G coverage,
you can stress less and smile more.
[Graves] Jey Uso, the time for smiling is over.
The goal remains the same,
win this and punch your ticket to Philadelphia.
[Jimmy Uso's music plays]
[Cole] Oh.
[McAfee] Oh, sh…
[Cole] Oh, my goodness.
[Irvin] Introducing entrant number two,
from San Francisco, California,
weighing in at 251 pounds,
Jimmy Uso!
[Cole] You know, guys,
this is really the first time
since Jimmy Uso cost his brother, Jey Uso, the Undisputed Championship at SummerSlam
that these two brothers are going to go face to face.
[Graves] Well, their relationship turned so toxic,
Jey ended up being moved over to Monday Night Raw,
while Jimmy has remained doing the bidding of The Bloodline.
This is… This is surreal.
[Cole] Can you imagine the emotions going through these brothers,
these twin brothers,
one of the greatest tag teams of all time?
[Graves] We know blood is thicker than water,
but is it thicker than a WrestleMania main event?
[crowd chants] Yeet! Yeet! Yeet! Yeet! Yeet!
[bell rings]
Yeet! Yeet! Yeet! Yeet!
[crowd continues chanting]
[inaudible]
[Cole] And here we go, big fight moment.
Jimmy and Jey starting things off in the 2024 men's Royal Rumble match.
[Graves] Jimmy and Jey Uso grew up fighting, fighting each other,
fighting side by side,
and now they're throwing down in the Royal Rumble.
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] And Jey Uso may eliminate Jimmy early.
[Graves] No yeet.
[Cole] Jimmy trying to hang on.
And now, a kick.
[Graves] Remember, Cole, it was last night
that Paul Heyman convinced Jimmy Uso to enter in the Royal Rumble match.
[Cole] Yeah, so he could win and then he could go on
to face Seth Rollins, not Roman Reigns, at WrestleMania.
[Graves] Correct. Bring more gold to The Bloodline.
Out of the way just in time. Here comes Jey.
[Cole] Superkick by "Main Event" Jey Uso.
[McAfee] This is so surreal, watching these two battle each other.
[Cole] It is, Pat, because for years and years,
they were among the greatest tag team, if not the greatest, of all time.
And the Uso splash.
Jimmy, though, of course, gets his knees up.
[McAfee] I mean, who's going to know you better than your twin brother? Nobody.
[Cole] Number three will enter this fray.
[crowd] …four, three, two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Grayson Waller's music plays]
[Graves chuckles]
The Aussie icon.
Hey, if we're going to have the Royal Rumble,
you need the Sydney King here.
And I'm the host of The Grayson Waller Effect,
so let's have one right now.
-[crowd boos] -[McAfee] Okay.
You got the Aussie icon here.
Yeah, I want to boo too.
No one cares about this sibling rivalry.
"Main Event" Jey Uso, you're a dead-set flop.
-[crowd boos] -[McAfee] Whoa.
[in mocking tone] "Yeet, yeet."
[normally] Mate, "yeet" is the most cringe thing I've ever heard.
You're coming out number one like you're going to do something.
No wonder they kicked you out of The Bloodline. You're blood--
-[Graves and Cole] Oh! -[McAfee] Speaking of getting kicked out.
[Cole] Waller never made it into the ring.
So he's still technically a part of the matchup.
[Graves] Have we ever had a talk show segment
in the middle of a Royal Rumble match?
That was-- might have been a first.
-Flatliner by Waller. -[Waller] No yeet, no yeet.
[McAfee] You gotta love the moxie of Waller.
Acknowledge no yeet.
-Let's get him. -Let's go.
[Cole] And now Waller going to work with Jimmy to try to put Jey away.
[Graves] A bit of a diplomatic approach to this fight.
[McAfee] As long as you're no yeet.
[Graves] And Waller acknowledged first. He said, "I acknowledge no yeet."
And then they started beating up Jey.
[McAfee] Grayson Waller obviously has all the physical tools.
-Phenomenal. -[Graves] I'll do you one better, Cole--
Or, I'm sorry, Pat. I would not be shocked to see Grayson Waller holding
a major title here in WWE sooner than later.
[Cole] Can you imagine if Waller wins the Royal Rumble
and then heads to his home country of Australia next month?
[crowd counts down]
[McAfee] "Sydney King," he said.
It'd be a homecoming for the ages.
-[Cole] Number four. -[buzzer sounds]
[Andrade's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
-[McAfee chuckles] -[Graves] Yes!
[Cole] Look who's back.
The roar is for Andrade.
After three and a half years,
Andrade's back in WWE!
[Graves] Former NXT Champion, former United States Champion,
one of the hottest free agents in the game,
and Andrade is back.
I run this now. You ain't nothing, mate.
[Cole] Grayson Waller saying, "Do you know who I am?"
And I think Andrade does.
Dropping Waller with a chop.
And now Grayson Waller trying to fight back.
-[Graves laughs] -[Cole] Oh, what a back elbow.
[Graves] Lightning quick.
[McAfee] Oh! Andrade looking better than ever.
[Graves] Look at the star power we have right now. We've got an Aussie icon
and a Mexican idol in the Royal Rumble match.
[Cole] Looking through some of the stats from years past, Corey--
[Graves] Wait, wait, wait! We're seeing shadows, Cole.
[Cole] Oh, double knees.
In 2019, Andrade lasted almost a half an hour in this matchup.
[McAfee] Welcome back.
[Cole] And Andrade now paying homage…
-[McAfee] How many Amigos? -[Cole] …to the late, great "Latino Heat."
He was going for the, uh, Three Amigos,
but Waller able to, uh, block.
[Graves] I think Andrade intended the third Amigo to be elimination.
[Waller yells]
[Cole] And Grayson Waller able to survive. And now…
[crowd] …seven, six, five…
[Cole] …we await the entry of number five.
[buzzer sounds]
[Carmelo Hayes' music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] Oh, baby.
[Cole] The spectacular Carmelo Hayes,
former NXT Champion,
enters the Royal Rumble for the first time in his career.
[Graves] We've been seeing a lot of Carmelo Hayes recently
on Friday Night SmackDown in opposition to Austin Theory.
And Grayson Waller!
[Cole] And look at Carmelo, gonna fly.
[Graves] Here's the thing about Carmelo Hayes,
Melo don't miss.
[Cole] And Jimmy Uso didn't either.
And neither did, uh, Carmelo with the superkick.
Now Carmelo nodding to "Main Event" Jey Uso,
perhaps gonna work together as a makeshift team for a bit.
[McAfee] Here we go.
[Graves] A little standoff here mid-match.
And I-- I'm surprised we don't see this more often,
all of the superstars surveying the situation,
all of them realizing the magnitude of this opportunity,
taking a moment to strategize and start again.
[McAfee] Just a reset in the middle of this thing.
[Cole] They turn their attention to Andrade.
And now, Waller comes flying back into the ring.
He wasn't eliminated. He went flying through the middle rope moments ago.
[Graves] Well, Carmelo Hayes just delivered the First 48.
And say, "See you, bye."
Grayson Waller is done, son.
[Cole] Yeah, Waller was eliminated that time.
Andrade, Jey, and Jimmy Uso, and along with Carmelo Hayes,
in the ring at this point in time.
[McAfee] Carmelo Hayes is a lightning bolt.
[Cole] Number six on his way into the Rumble match.
[crowd] …three, two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Shinsuke Nakamura's music plays]
[McAfee laughs] Yeah!
[Graves] You've been gone a while, McAfee.
I'd suggest you stay in your chair for this one,
lest you suffer the wrath of the king.
[Cole] This is a much different Shinsuke Nakamura than when you left, Pat.
[Graves] God, I hope he Mists you into blindness.
[Cole] I guess you can still dance, if you want.
And Shinsuke Nakamura.
[crowd and McAfee vocalizing Nakamura's music]
[McAfee] Listen to the people!
[Graves] Trust me, Pat, Shinsuke doesn't like you anymore.
[McAfee] What? How?
Everybody hates me, but Shinsuke has to like me.
[Cole] Shinsuke Nakamura, who won the--
Yeah, whatever, Pat. I get it.
Nakamura won the Royal Rumble event back in 2018,
when he lasted more than 44 minutes that year.
[Graves] Nakamura and Carmelo Hayes mixing it up.
[Cole] Oh, what a kick!
[Graves] Shinsuke, a master striker.
Sliding knee rocks Melo's world.
-[Cole] Nakamura-- -[McAfee laughs] Man!
[Cole] … in a Rumble for the sixth time.
[laughs] And Nakamura said, "No friends."
[Graves] Nakamura is a ronin. He operates on his own, answers to no one.
[Cole] And a kick to Andrade.
[Graves] A wayward samurai has been wreaking havoc
on Monday Night Raw recently.
[Graves] Guys, I'm not sure we're not seeing
the best Shinsuke Nakamura we've ever seen.
[Cole] I agree with you. Ask Seth Rollins about that.
Ask Cody Rhodes about that.
[Graves] Uh-oh, Carmelo Hayes now in all types of trouble.
[Cole] Number seven will enter the matchup.
[buzzer sounds]
[Santos Escobar's music plays]
[Cole] Oh, the emperor of lucha libre.
The man who knocked off Carlito last night on Friday Night SmackDown,
turned his back on Rey Mysterio,
none other than Santos Escobar.
[Graves] There's a lot of heritage happening in this Royal Rumble matchup.
Santos Escobar, a second-generation lucha libre superstar.
The same is said about Andrade.
[Cole] And Escobar will meet Jey Uso with a kick.
And Now Santos Escobar would love
to, uh, notch his name in the history books.
[Graves] Generational talent in the ring.
You got Escobar, you got Andrade, you got the Usos who grew up in this game.
[McAfee] And Shinsuke.
[Cole] One of the best in Shinsuke Nakamura.
[McAfee] I mean, this is a who's who.
[Cole] And Escobar, double knees.
And Santos Escobar, on the other side to Jimmy Uso.
[Escobar whistles]
[Cole] Jimmy and Jey started this thing. They're still in this matchup.
-[Graves] Oh! -[Cole] Oh, goodness!
[Graves] That was incredible.
[Cole] Knee to the midsection of Carmelo Hayes.
-And now these two luchadors. -[Graves laughs]
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] It makes sense that a shadow and a ghost
would, of course, stand side by side. Oh!
[Cole] Now, Escobar trying to turn his a-- attention around
and Andrade almost eliminating Santos Escobar.
Kick right into the midsection, and Escobar back into the ring.
[McAfee] Santos thought they were gonna be in this thing together.
Andrade said, "Uh-uh."
[Graves] I don't know that Andrade wants to answer to anybody.
Escobar, we've seen him running around with Angel and Humberto.
Last night, the arrival of Elektra Lopez from NXT.
-[Cole] Yeah, that changed the game. -[Graves] Sure did.
And maybe Andrade says, "I want to stand on my own two feet."
"Maybe I'm not interested."
[Cole] This is entry number eight now in the men's Rumble.
[buzzer sounds]
[Karrion Kross's music plays]
[Cole] Well, this is the man who, uh, has completely changed his fortunes
and put SmackDown on notice,
Karrion Kross, the head of The Final Testament,
along with Authors of Pain.
You see Scarlett, Paul Ellering as well.
[Graves] Look at the intensity etched on the face of the Harbinger of Doom.
Karrion Kross walking with purpose.
[McAfee] This guy freaks me out. Feels like he can do some real damage.
[Cole] Massive mind games and manipulation played last night
on both Lashley and the Profits.
[Graves] You know the aspects of life that are often dismissed
as conspiracy theories or too unbelievable to be real,
that is where the Final Testament exists.
That is what Karrion Kross lives for.
The dark side of humanity.
Oh, God!
[Cole] Jimmy Uso and Karrion Kross have formed a fragile alliance
right now in this match.
-[grunts] -[Jey groans]
[McAfee] No dap up, but certainly a little ass beating together.
[Graves] "We can stomp Jey together."
-Throw his ass over the top rope. -Just no yeet.
-Okay, no yeet. -No yeet!
-[Cole] Kross and Jimmy… -Take that, Jey.
[Cole] …punishing Jey.
[McAfee] Just wearing him down.
-[Graves] Ring is filling up in a hurry. -[McAfee] That's what I was about to say.
As the time ticks on here, there's a lot of bodies.
[Graves] Escobar in danger of being tossed over the top rope,
as is Carmelo Hayes.
And Andrade from behind, looking to dump Nakamura.
[Cole] Hayes hanging on the apron. Meanwhile, we're awaiting
the arrival of number nine.
[crowd] …four, three, two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Dominik Mysterio's music plays]
[crowd cheer and boos]
[Graves laughs]
[Cole] Well, I can never forgive this man
for what he did last year to his dad, Rey Mysterio.
Rey never entered the Royal Rumble match
after he was taken out in the locker room area
by his own son, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio…
of The Judgment Day.
Go ahead, Corey. With Andrade in the ring and Escobar in the ring,
go ahead tell me how Dominik's the greatest luchador of all time.
Go ahead, tell me that.
[Graves] I just hope that Dominik is allowed out on work release
by the time we get to Philadelphia for WrestleMania XV.
I'll-- I'll put in a call to his PO, and we'll-- we'll get things handled,
but right now, Dominik Mysterio doing the wise thing, taking his time.
Dom is surveying the entire scene, the whole situation,
and Dom will strike when the time is right.
[Cole] Dominik Mysterio, uh, no hurry to get into this matchup.
[McAfee] "Dirty" Dom!
[Cole] Oh, that's nice. Real nice, kid.
[Graves] Be careful, Cole.
You might end up getting traded for a honey bun.
[Cole] I do want to tell you this about Dominik Mysterio. He's wearing--
-[Graves] Uh-oh! -[Cole] Oh, look at that.
[McAfee] Jeez! Oh, man.
[Cole] Uh, Dominik's wearing purple-dyed cow skin boots.
[Graves] Those are cow-man boots, Michael Cole.
We've been through this before.
And I understand that Dominik actually dyed them
in his own toilet with pruno.
[McAfee laughs] Okay.
That's what we heard as well.
[Cole chuckles] You're ever the journalist, Graves.
-[Graves] Hey, listen, I got my sources. -[Cole] I'm sure you do.
Meanwhile, Karrion Kross has been, uh, pretty effective
so far in the matchup.
Looking to eliminate Shinsuke Nakamura now.
[McAfee] "Dirty" Dom's really been doing a lot of stuff that nobody likes
as of late, huh?
[Cole] As of late? How about for three years?
[McAfee] How about his whole life?
[Graves] You don't have to like it. You just have to respect it.
You have to appreciate it. "Dirty" Dom is a legit contender.
[Carlito's music plays]
[Cole] We're a third of the way through the Rumble.
[McAfee] Yes!
[Cole] Santos is in the ring.
Carlito has a score to settle.
[inaudible]
[Graves] Carlito coming up short last night on Friday Night SmackDown
against Santos Escobar.
You know Carli would love to even the score.
[Cole] Carlito actually made his first Rumble match appearance
all the way back in 2006.
Now, Escobar is in the match.
He went under the bottom rope, so he's still involved in the Rumble.
[Graves] This is yet another example of the sky-high IQ of Santos Escobar.
Highly educated in real life.
[McAfee] He could be described as a lot of other things too.
[Cole] We know how Carlito must feel about Dominik,
considering Carlito's friendship with Dominik's father, Rey,
and how Dominik feels about his dad.
[McAfee] Where's he going? What's he doing?
[Cole] Rey still out with a knee injury. Oh, I love it.
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] We've already had The Waller Effect. Why not a little snack?
[Cole] And Escobar sending Carlito out to the apron.
[McAfee] Dominik will take it, I guess.
[Escobar screams]
[Cole] Oh, yeah! Now, that's cool.
-[Graves] Oh, no. -[Cole] See you, bye!
[Graves] I guess the best universities in Mexico
couldn't provide Santos with the answer to an apple in the eye.
[crowd counts down]
[Graves] And the Final Prayer by Kross.
-[McAfee] Jeez. -[buzzer sounds]
[Cole] At number 11-- Karrion Kross may need a prayer.
[Bobby Lashley's music plays]
[Graves] Oh, baby!
[Cole] 'Cause here comes "The All Mighty" Bobby Lashley…
with a score to settle with Mr. Kross.
[Graves] God forgives, Bobby Lashley doesn't.
Look at the intensity on the face of this mountain of a man.
[Cole] Bobby Lashley's been-- Oh! A spear to Nakamura.
Lashley's been successful at the Rumble event.
He won a World Championship here a few years ago.
This is his sixth Rumble.
-[Graves] Oh! -[Cole] Oh, my goodness!
[Graves] Nearly put Andrade through the ring.
[Cole] Slam dunk.
And Dominik's like, "Uh-uh."
What a coward.
[McAfee] Ah, he did stop Bobby Lashley for a moment.
[Cole] Oh, and a spear to Dominik!
-[Graves] A moment's better than nothing. -[McAfee] A moment, a moment.
"Spears for everybody," says Bobby Lashley.
[Cole] Now Bobby gets to turn his attention to Karrion Kross,
who's been a major problem for him.
And-- Oh, Bobby Lashley just dumped Carlito off the apron.
[Graves] It was unintentional, but hey, those are the consequences.
[Cole] And a spear now to Kross.
[Graves] It is every man for himself.
[Cole] And Bobby Lashley dumping Kross out of the Rumble.
Now, everybody looking to try to eliminate Bobby Lashley.
This is smart strategy.
[Graves] It is a smart strategy, but we're talking about Bobby La-- Oh, no.
-[Cole] Goodness. -[Graves] Oh, no.
[Cole] Akam and Rezar, led by Paul Ellering.
The AOP, Authors of Pain marching out here.
[Graves] Over 600 pounds of pure destruction.
[referee] Listen!
[Cole] Bobby Lashley suffering a kick to the back of the neck.
Now, Nakamura and Andrade.
Lashley out on the apron.
Bobby trying to hang on.
[Graves] Carmelo Hayes joining the fray.
And now Kross.
[Cole] Kross eliminates Lashley, no disqualification in this match.
-Bobby's eliminated. -Over the top, both feet hit the floor.
[Cole] Not the way he wanted to be thrown out.
-But it-- it's legal. -[Graves] Uh-oh!
[Cole] Now Bobby going right after Kross, and The AOP out there as well.
And we've got a brawl underway.
[Graves] Akam and Rezar coming to the aid of Karrion Kross.
Bobby Lashley's hurt, but here come the Street Profits!
[Cole] Dawk and Tez, the Street Profits.
Melee ensuing.
[Graves] These two groups have had issues for weeks,
and it appears as though the issue is far from settled.
[Cole] And here comes number 12.
[buzzer sounds]
[Imperium's music plays]
[McAfee] Going to have to avoid some fighting.
-[Cole] Here's-- -[Graves] Oh, yes.
[Cole] First time in his career,
Ludwig Kaiser of the Imperium.
And, eh, Kaiser's been on a roll.
[Graves] The personification of elegance.
An absolute gentleman in every sense of the word.
-[Cole] Gentleman? -[Graves] That's right.
Have you ever had a conversation with Mr. Kaiser?
[McAfee] Guy has one percent body fat.
[Graves] Kaiser's also, much like Escobar, highly educated.
Living in-- most of his life growing up in a very high part of society.
You can learn a lot about how to culture yourself from Ludwig Kaiser.
Also, how to hurt your opponent.
[McAfee] I understand he knows which fork is the salad fork
and which one's supposed to be the other side.
[Cole] He really doesn't care about anybody except Vinci and Gunther.
[McAfee] Well, those are the-- That's normal for that type of--
I think. From what I've heard in documentaries.
[Graves] Are you implying that there's an elitism to Ludwig Kaiser?
[McAfee] Society? Oh.
[Cole] Nakamura trying to eliminate Carmelo Hayes.
[McAfee] He has good reason to peacock around, though.
Look at that guy.
[Graves] Carmelo Hayes.
[McAfee] Dangling with destiny.
[Graves] Inches away from disaster.
[McAfee] Andrade up on Jimmy's shoulders.
[Graves] I'm just enjoying watching Ludwig Kaiser do what he does.
I mean, an absolute master technician inside the ring.
And-- And quite-- And quite a delight to be around outside of it.
[buzzer sounds]
[Austin Theory's music plays]
[Graves] Speaking of delights to be around.
-[McAfee] Yeah! -[Cole] At number 13, Austin Theory.
A man who has a long history with our broadcast partner, Pat McAfee.
[McAfee] And I saw earlier he's the same old, same old Austin Theory.
He looks the part, he is the part.
And he'll let you know about it before you even think it.
[Cole] A two-time United States Champion, he won Money in the Bank.
And now, Theory entering the Royal Rumble match
for the fourth time in his career.
[Cole] Nice dropkick by Austin Theory.
Pat, you've been in the ring with the man, tremendous athlete.
[McAfee] Yeah, everything he does is explosive.
[Graves] Well, listen. Much like we refer nowadays to Austin Theory as the--
Wait a minute. I love this.
Ataxia!
We refer to Theory as the 150-million hitman.
Some people, Pat, would argue
that Austin Theory is responsible for most of your success.
[McAfee] That could make a lot of sense.
Obviously, I'm undefeated against him in matches,
but he wasn't doing stuff like this then.
[Cole] Pat was actually in the ring
the night that The Rock got 150 million views, not Austin Theory.
[Graves] Listen, I-- I'm a journalist, Cole.
I'm just referring the facts as I find them.
[McAfee] I didn't even know I was a part of a video that had 155 million views.
-Is that right? -[Cole] Yeah. You made history that night.
[McAfee] Amen, brother. You're damn right we did.
[Cole] Royal Rumble match continues.
[Graves] Andrade trying to muscle Nakamura.
[McAfee] You talking about when Austin Theory
got a People's Elbow? Two of 'em?
[Graves] I don't remember the details, I just know the numbers were huge.
-[Cole] This is number 14. -[buzzer sounds]
[Finn Bálor's music plays]
[Cole] Dominik's got backup.
[McAfee] Does he? He might be out of the ring.
[Cole] If he can hang on.
Finn Bálor of The Judgment Day,
one half of the tag team champions.
The tag champs, Bálor and Priest, will defend the titles
this coming Monday night on Raw against, uh, #DIY.
But tonight, Bálor has his sights set on a Rumble.
[McAfee] This Judgment Day has really run stuff around here, huh?
[Cole] Oh, yeah. You're lucky you're not around 'em.
[McAfee] I've been thanking the wrestling gods.
That's been the case for a while.
But you can't help but look at Finn and Dom and Damian.
[Graves] Uh-oh, there goes Melo.
[Cole] Carmelo Hayes eliminated.
[Graves] Finn coming to the aid of "Dirty" Dom.
[Cole] And now, Bálor and Dominik, allies,
get to double-team in the ring.
[McAfee] Such an advantage for The Judgment Day.
[Cole] Jimmy and Jey Uso, who, uh, started this match, are still in.
With Finn Bálor off the sling blade now going after Andrade.
[Graves] Dom putting in that work on Austin Theory in the corner.
Now Bálor and Andrade mixing it up.
Andrade trying to avoid elimination.
[McAfee] Finn with a couple of big stomps.
[Graves] Now Theory looking to muscle Dom over the top.
[McAfee] Dom was dangling. Shinsuke was dangling.
[Cole] And the Usos, Jimmy and Jey, have just gone
over, uh, 24 minutes in this match.
-[buzzer sounds] -[Cole] Now at number 15, we're halfway.
[Cody Rhodes' music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[fireworks crackle]
[inaudible]
[all sing along] ♪ Whoa-oh! ♪
[fireworks crackle]
[Cole] Twenty-six years ago,
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin
went back to back in Royal Rumble match wins.
Cody Rhodes hopes to do the same tonight.
[Graves] We are in Rhodes country, no doubt about it.
-The Tampa Bay area-- -[Cole] Oh! Cody Cutter!
[Graves] …once upon a time belonged to The American Dream.
And right now, the American Nightmare is setting St. Pete on fire.
[Cole] Yeah, Cody Rhodes and I talked at length about that earlier today,
and the importance of being in the Tampa-St. Pete area,
where it's-- Corey mentioned Dusty Rhodes--
[Graves] Fort Hesterly Armory.
[Cole] …was so important.
And Cody Rhodes said winning here tonight would mean so much to him,
so much to his family.
[McAfee] No, you a loser, dude.
[Graves] Right now, Dominik and Finn looking to play spoiler
on Cody's WrestleMania dream.
[crowd] …four, three, two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
-[Bronson Reed's music plays] -[Cole] At number 16.
-Big Bronson Reed marching to the ring. -[McAfee] On a-- On a mission, it appears.
[Cole] Well, Monday night on Raw,
Bronson Reed is going to go one-on-one with "Main Event" Jey Uso.
Reed says 2024
is the year of big Bronson Reed.
[Graves] Hard to argue.
Bronson Reed has been on an absolute tear.
[McAfee] Just so big, so fast, so explosive.
[Cole] Over 300 pounds.
[Graves] Terrifying power and mind-blowing agility and speed
possessed by big Bronson Reed.
[McAfee] The Judgment Day know that.
There's a target on Bronson Reed in a Royal Rumble.
[Graves] Absolutely.
Great counter by Reed.
[Cole] Bronson taking out both members of Judgment Day.
[McAfee] He's just a round ball of muscle, Bronson Reed.
[Cole] And now--
[Graves] Uh-oh, Ludwig Kaiser in danger of being tossed.
And Andrade trying to help the efforts.
Cody's wrapped up in that pile as well.
And look at Reed!
Bronson Reed just double Samoan dropped "Dirty" Dom and Finn Bálor.
[Cole] And meanwhile, Cody was just able to survive.
[Graves] Half of The Judgment Day was just on Bronson Reed's shoulders.
Or two-fifths if you count truly.
[McAfee] And you should.
[Graves and Cole] Oh!
[Cole] Andrade dumped out, and out of the Rumble.
[Graves] Hey, Andrade made a hell of a footprint
on his first night back.
[Cole] And Shinsuke and Cody Rhodes.
Remember, Nakamura warned Cody a number of weeks ago,
"When you least expect it, I'm coming back after you."
And it's tonight in the Rumble.
[Graves] Nakamura has made Cody Rhodes' life absolute hell recently.
-[McAfee] Jey Uso in the corner. -[Cole exclaims]
[McAfee] Shinsuke with a boot to the mouth of Cody Rhodes.
[The New Day's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] And at number 17, it is Kofi Kingston.
And Kofi making history, this is his 16th Rumble match tonight.
He moves into second all-time, only behind Kane who has 18.
[Graves] Kofi Kingston has become synonymous
with the Royal Rumble match over the last decade and a half.
And right now, Nakamura looking to spoil Cody's dreams.
[Cole] Oh, my God. Cody Rhodes in trouble up on the top rope
and able to survive.
Speaking of Kofi Kingston, Monday night on Raw,
he battles Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship.
[Graves] Listen, Kofi knows what it means to--
-Oh! -[Cole] Oh, Cross Rhodes!
Nakamura eliminated.
[Graves] Kofi knows what it means, that battle for the World Championship
at WrestleMania.
Who could ever forget the phenomenon that was KofiMania several years back?
[Cole] Yeah, one of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history.
Now Ludwig Kaiser trying to soften Kofi up
for the matchup Monday against Imperium's Gunther.
And Kingston trying to hang on.
Kofi dumped over.
[Graves] Uh-oh. Uh-oh!
[Cole] Kofi trying to eliminate Ludwig Kaiser here.
Kaiser hanging on.
Barely survives.
-Kingston, Kaiser! Goodnight. -[Graves] Oh, man.
-[Graves] Kofi got all of that one. -Let's go!
[Cole] Number 18 will now enter the Royal Rumble match.
[crowd] …two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Imperium's music plays]
[Cole] Well, speak of the devil.
[Graves] No, no. Speak of the… [in German accent] Ring General.
[in normal voice] The WWE Intercontinental Champion.
[Cole] The longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time.
Tonight marks day number 596 as champion.
[McAfee] Certainly dominant. Can you say that in English, though, please?
What is he?
[Cole] Gunther reading the riot act to Ludwig Kaiser for failing.
[Graves] I'll tell you what he is. He's disappointed
in Ludwig Kaiser's effort.
The Ring General!
[Cole] Kingston, who's got Gunther Monday,
goes right after the Intercontinental Champion.
Let's not forget-- Oh, my goodness! What a chop!
-[Graves] Oh-ho-ho! -[McAfee] Chopicana Field!
[Cole] Bang!
Uh, I don't know if that was wise, Dom.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.
Last year, Gunther entered at number one.
He lasted a record one hour, 11 minutes, 40 seconds
before he was eliminated by Cody Rhodes.
[McAfee] Well…
[Cole] Gunther has no friends unless they're named Kaiser and Vinci.
Now big Bronson Reed with Gunther up on his shoulders.
-[McAfee] And even they let him-- -[announcers chuckle]
[Gunther grunts loudly]
[Cole] Look at the power!
Man, he is so imprince-- impressive, is Gunther.
And the two men, the two finalists of last year's Royal Rumble match,
before Cody eliminated Gunther to win the whole thing last year.
[Graves] Kofi bringing the fight to the champion.
And Gunther, a rare misstep by the champion.
[Cole] Can you imagine if Kofi Kingston is able to eliminate Gunther here?
The momentum it would give him going into Monday night.
[McAfee] All it takes is one moment.
-Oh, jeez. -[Cole laughs] Oh, my goodness!
And now Kofi Kingston dumped out, caught on the top rope.
Kick to the back of the neck, and Kingston eliminated.
Gunther sending a message to Monday night on Raw.
[Graves] Was expecting at least a little of that Kofi Kingston Rumble magic.
-But not to be the case. -[buzzer sounds]
[Ivar's music plays]
[Cole] At number 19.
This man has been on an absolute roll over the last month.
From the Viking Raiders,
the 300-plus-pound Ivar storming his way to the ring.
[Graves] I have been absolutely blown away in recent weeks, Cole,
by the effort in the performances of this behemoth.
Ivar is a freak of nature
and twice as intense.
-[Cole] Yeah, Ivar-- -[Graves] Oh!
[Cole] What an incredible match. Stole the show this past Monday night
against Chad Gable of the Alpha Academy.
[Graves] Under no circumstance should a man that big
be able to move as quickly--
[Cole] Bang! Sit down.
[Graves] …as Ivar does.
[McAfee] He's not a man, he's a viking.
-[Cole] A cartwheel by Ivar! -[yells]
[Cole] And now Gunther trying to put Ivar in a sleeper.
[McAfee] It's going to be tough with that beard.
[Cole] How's the beard going to prevent the sleeper?
[McAfee] It's a protection to get to the neck.
You see?
[Cole laughs] You are one of the most foolish human beings.
[McAfee] It worked. Look, you see. Now he's dapping up-- No yeet!
[Cole] Bang!
[McAfee] Jimmy fell for it from a viking.
That's tough, uce.
[Cole] And Ivar and Bronson Reed.
They have quite the rivalry.
[Graves] I like to call this the Big E special,
big meaty men slapping meat.
[Cole] I saw Big E earlier today. It was great to see Big E.
[McAfee mimics Graves] "Love seeing big men with big meat
slapping off each other."
[Graves] Did you just become Braun Strowman?
[Cole] Collision, middle of the ring.
We're two-thirds of the way through the Rumble match.
[buzzer sounds]
[Bron Breakker's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] I-I-I--
[McAfee] Wrong-- Wrong Bron.
[Cole] I'm loving this!
Number 20, former NXT Champion,
Bron Breakker is here!
[Graves] Oh, baby, this has been a long time coming.
Talk about freaks of nature.
Freak athletes.
[Cole] Oh! And--
He was timed 23 miles per hour when he hits the ropes.
That's faster than Tyreek Hill.
[McAfee] That's speeding in a school zone, Cole.
-Look at the explosion. The intensity. -[Cole] Bang!
[Graves] That's just running through the damn principal's office
in your car.
[Cole laughs] And the power as well.
Intense, dominant, and now eliminates Jimmy Uso.
[Graves] Breakker was almost a little too intense for his own good.
[Cole] Oh, my goodness! Just planting Bálor.
-[Graves] This dude is special. -[McAfee] Look at Bron Breakker!
[Cole] Finn Bálor eliminated.
[Graves] Oh, my goodness.
[Cole] Oh, look at this.
Oh, I would pay for this.
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] Gunther and Breakker.
And Gunther looking to break Breakker here.
Breakker, though, lands on his feet.
And now powering up.
-[Graves] Oh! -[McAfee] What?
-[Graves] Gunther escapes out the back. -[Cole] Misses wildly.
Breakker with a spear, about cuts Gunther in half.
[screams]
[Graves] Bron Breakker unleashing the fury on the Royal Rumble match.
[Cole] Well, up next is number 21.
[crowd] …two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Omos's music plays]
[McAfee chuckles]
[Cole] Talk about a massive individual.
A colossus of a man.
Seven-three, 412 pounds,
Omos.
[Graves] Being led to the ring by MVP.
[Cole] A couple of years ago,
it took six men to eliminate Omos from the Rumble.
[Graves] I haven't seen Omos in person in a while.
-My God, he's bigger than ever. -[Omos yells indistinctly]
[McAfee] Seven-three?
[Cole] Yeah, 415.
[McAfee] I had no idea humans came like that.
[Graves] The guy's got hands like catcher's mitts.
[Cole] I like to describe them as frying pans.
-[Cole laughs] -[Graves] Probably more accurate.
[Cole] Jey Uso started this match, been in it over 36 minutes.
Rhodes over 11 minutes.
And Omos now looks to create total destruction and chaos.
He is just-- I cannot get-- Oh, my God!
How big this man is.
Look at-- Bronson Reed is a huge individual.
[Reed yells and grunts]
[Cole] He looks like a normal-sized human being
next to Omos.
-[McAfee] Omos is just laughing at him. -[Cole] Yeah. Bronson Reed eliminated.
[Graves] Big Bronson Reed. Thir-- 330-pounds plus.
One boot to the jaw from Omos. Night-night.
-[Cole] Ivar, oh! -[Graves] Oh, jeez!
[Cole] Bron Breakker about just cut Ivar in half.
And now eliminated
as we go now to, uh, entry number 22.
[crowd] …four, three, two…
[Graves] Let's see what you're made of, Bron.
[buzzer sounds]
[Pat McAfee's music plays]
[Cole mutters]
Well, good luck.
-Go ahead, buddy. -[Graves] What are you--
You came to ruin my night and get in the Rumble?
You're in the Rumble match. Go.
-[speaks indistinctly] -You can win the thing.
You could go to WrestleMania.
You could main event WrestleMania. Get 'em, Pat!
Come on, Pat.
-Go get 'em. -Get 'em!
-You could main event WrestleMania. -It's all you, baby. You got this.
-Get in there, Pat. -[Cole] Get 'em, Pat!
[Graves] Yeah, yeah!
[Cole] Come on, McAfee!
[Graves] You got this. What could go wrong?
[Cole] I would like to see a Gunther chop.
[Graves and Cole laugh]
[Graves] Oh, my God.
[Graves] Bron, I hope you got a few spears left.
Come on, all-pro!
[Breakker] What's it gonna be?
[Cole] Breakker played football too.
What is Pat doing?
[Graves] Carefully climbing over the top rope.
[Cole laughs]
Oh, wait a minute!
[laughs]
McAfee, uh…
[Graves] Wearing snakeskin boots.
[Cole] And just eliminated himself in 38 seconds.
Yes! Good job, Pat.
You know what that means? My record's still intact.
Your record's still intact. They won't let me 'cause they're afraid I might win.
I don't want to ruin everything for everybody.
-Bron Breakker-- -[McAfee] How big is that thing in there?
-[Graves] Seven-foot-three. -[Cole] Hey, thank you.
My record's still intact.
[McAfee] Shut up, Cole! Why'd you guys let me in there?
[Graves] I was hoping you got speared.
-[McAfee] Seven-foot-three? -[Graves] Yeah.
[Cole] Oh, wait a minute! Omos is eliminated by Breakker.
[JD McDonagh's music plays]
[McAfee] I shoulda done that. That coulda been me.
-[Cole] Coulda been, it wasn't. -[Graves] Next year.
[Cole] Meanwhile, Dominik just eliminated Bron Breakker!
[Graves] Oh, "Dirty" Dom.
And here comes JD McDonagh.
[Cole] And Dominik's got some backup.
-[McAfee] Oh, Cole? -[Cole] It's his fault!
[Graves] He said-- Omos, he said the worst stuff about you!
[Cole] Omos, he said that you were-- you were scared.
[McAfee] I never said that. I never said that!
[Graves] He said you're not that big in real life.
[Cole] Oh! Breakker spearing McDonagh.
I think he's mad.
[Graves] Is McDonagh-- Cole, I need a little clarification.
As the voice of Monday Night Raw,
is JD McDonagh still, in fact, in The Judgment Day?
[Cole] He is. R-Truth sort of misinterpreted the whole thing.
[Graves] It's-- It's tough to tell. I mean, you know, R-Truth.
[McAfee] Why'd you let me do that?
[Graves] Literally, I was hoping Gunther chopped you. I was--
Best-case scenario, "Dirty" Dom would've treated you like you were out in the yard.
[Cole] So, you were officially in the match for 38 seconds.
When I was in the match,
I was in for one minute, 24 seconds, which means I still hold the longest time
of any announcer in the Royal Rumble match.
[McAfee] Oh, shut up, Cole. Was Omos in there whenever you were in the--
Were you-- Did that-- 7'3", Cole!
[Graves] What's the matter, Pat?
You act like you just had a giant encounter or something?
[McAfee] That's not a real human!
[Cole] Gunther and Cody Rhodes, again, the two final men from last year.
-[Graves] Uh-oh. -[Cole] And Gunther trying to hang on.
Cody looking to eliminate Gunther once again.
[Graves] I got an idea. Next year, y'all could both enter the match
and I'll just sit out here by myself. It'll work out well for everyone.
-[McAfee] Shoulda wore my fighting boots. -[Graves] That was the problem.
[McAfee] I almost slipped on the ropes.
[Graves] At least that snake died peacefully in his sleep.
-[McAfee] You're damn right. -[Cole] Number 24, number 24.
[R-Truth's music plays]
[McAfee] Oh, yeah. Two appearances, one night.
[Cole] Well, so R-Truth tried to enter the women's match earlier on.
It-- It wasn't official, but he did get in the ring and then was eliminated.
And now R-Truth,
who believes he's a member of Judgment Day and JD McDonagh isn't,
just tossed JD back into the ring.
JD was eliminated now in the match,
thanks to R-Truth and Jey Uso.
And R-Truth, who may be the most delusional man on the planet.
-[Graves] It's kinda charming. -[McAfee] He's ready to tag in.
[Cole] He confused Adam Pearce with Nick Aldis tonight.
He confused Nick Aldis with Adam Pearce last night.
[Graves] Is R-Truth trying to tag Tom or Nick?
[Cole] I'm not sure, but it's not a tag match, Truth.
[Graves laughs]
[Cole] Meanwhile, Gunther with a sleeper on Dom.
[Graves laughs] And Truth-- Truth refusing to help Dom.
[Cole] Well, he doesn't even have-- he doesn't even have to tag.
[Graves] I love R-Truth being a stickler for the rules.
[Cole] And Dom made a tag.
[McAfee] Hot tag in the Royal Rumble!
[Cole] And now R-Truth is the-- the legal man.
[McAfee] There's no way I was supposed to be in this match.
[Cole] You were, officially. Oh!
[crowd cheers]
[Graves] Truth paying homage to his childhood hero.
[Cole] Yeah, John Cena.
[crowd] You can't see me!
[Cole] I-- I think he went the wrong way, by the way.
-He went the wrong way. -[McAfee] Yeah, well--
-And Gunther saw him the whole time. -[Cole] Now Cody from behind.
[Graves] Cody tried to pick the leg of the Ring General
and the champion caught him.
[yells indistinctly]
[Cole] Good job, by the way, Pat.
Uh, number 25 coming.
[Graves] I was impressed by your rope-climbing skills.
[McAfee] Thank you, yeah. To be honest, I--
You don't really notice you have those until you really need 'em.
[Graves] I think you'd probably be pretty good in gym class.
-[The Miz's music plays] -[McAfee] Couldn't touch my toes.
[Cole] I think that goof Boston Connor would've lasted longer.
Anyway, here's The Miz.
R-Truth got some back up as well with The Awesome Truth, The Miz.
[Graves] That is true.
Massive, massive confidence.
[Cole] Well, The Miz now will tie Dolph Ziggler for third all-time
with his 15th Rumble appearance tonight.
[Graves] The A-Lister firing off left hands and now kicks
to the chest of Gunther.
Miz took the champion to the limit multiple times recently.
[Cole] Miz and Gunther.
-[Graves] But-- Oh! -[Cole] DDT.
[Graves] Unfortunately for Miz, he's forbidden from challenging Gunther
for the Intercontinental Championship.
-No? -[Cole] Wait a minute.
Friends. Long time.
And now, Jey Uso taken down by the Awesome Truth.
[McAfee] Still got it.
[Graves] Miz better be careful.
[Cole] So wait, wait, wait.
So Miz is turning his attention to Dominik.
R-Truth just saving Miz from eliminating Dominik.
[Miz] What are you doing?
[Graves] For all we know, R-Truth thinks he's in the new Marine movie.
[McAfee] Hey, he might be. Should be.
-[arguing indistinctly] -[Gunther grunts]
[Cole] Now, Gunther from behind.
[Graves] Looking for a Skull-Crushing Finale.
Great counter by "Dirty" Dom.
[Cole] Looking for the 619, connecting to The Miz.
Number 26 on his way.
[crowd] …two, one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Damian Priest's music plays]
[Cole] Señor Money in the Bank, Damian Priest.
Now can you imagine, guys, if Priest wins the Rumble tonight,
and also still holds the Money in the Bank briefcase?
[Graves] I-- I feel like if that happens,
you might as well just hand Priest whatever championship he wins.
-Because he has-- Oh! -[McAfee groans]
[Cole] Well, Priest and Truth were, I thought, buddies, right?
And R-Truth eliminated by Damian Priest.
[Graves] At the end of the day, it's every man for himself.
-[Cole] Maybe the money ran out. -[McAfee] What are we talking about?
[Cole] Jey Uso closing in on 45 minutes, Cody on 20.
Now Miz goes right after Damian Priest.
-Well, see, R-Truth was selling T-shirts-- -[McAfee] Merch, yeah.
[Cole] …for Judgment Day and was giving Damian and everybody his cut.
I guess the money must have ran out tonight.
And Miz now sent over the top rope.
[chuckles] What?
You've got to get caught up.
[McAfee] No, that's why I'm so confused. Why would Damian Priest do that?
I thought Señor Money in the Bank--
[Cole] Oh!
Sorry, Truth.
[Graves] Think about it, Pat. If you're Damian Priest
and you have the Money in the Bank contract--
[Graves exclaims]
[Cole] South of Heaven.
[Graves] …why wouldn't you want another guaranteed opportunity
in case, God forbid, the first one doesn't work out?
[McAfee] I agree, but this early? Keep R-Truth around.
The guy's been working for you.
[Graves] Listen, it's every man for himself.
You can't trust anybody in the Royal Rumble match.
And look at the power of the Nightmare.
[Cole] Looking to try to eliminate Priest who's out to the apron of the ring now.
Cody Rhodes, will Priest end the dream?
[McAfee] When I went in the ring for my brief stint,
Cody Rhodes looked at me and told me, "You need to get out of here."
[Cole] "Brief" was the operative word.
[McAfee] Shut up, Cole.
[Cole] Item 27. Number 27.
[Graves] Look at the monitor, not the sheet.
[McAfee] Yeah! Jeez, Louise.
-[Cole] Come on! -[McAfee] Oh, my God!
-[CM Punk's music plays] -[crowd cheers]
[McAfee sings along softly]
[Cole] For the first time in ten years,
CM Punk on a WWE televised match.
This is the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] Listen, I have known Punk for nearly 20 years,
and when it comes to believing in yourself and personal conviction,
no one comes close.
Even if it's at a detriment to yourself,
when Punk tells you he's going to do something,
damn it, he's going to do it.
[Cole] The last time CM Punk was in the Rumble, 2014,
started at number one, lasted nearly 50 minutes,
and he wants to win tonight
to realize his lifelong goal of being in the main event at WrestleMania.
[Graves] For all his success, look at the physique of Punk,
who may be in the best shape of his career.
A little added muscle.
[McAfee] Been training down at the Performance Center.
-[Cole] Those two know each other-- -[Graves] Oh!
[Cole] …from Madison Square Garden,
as Dominik is dumped over the top rope…
and eliminated. Priest, though, with a right hand.
[Graves] Think about this, if you're Damian Priest,
if you're Cody, Jey,
anybody in the ring right now,
you would love nothing more than to be the one
to spoil CM Punk's big return.
-[buzzer sounds] -[Ricochet's music plays]
[Cole] Number 28 is Ricochet.
And who will ever forget what happened last year
when he and L-- Logan Paul launched themselves off the top rope,
collided high above the ring?
One of the most viral moments in the history of the Royal Rumble.
[Graves] Well, tonight, unfortunately, Ricochet needs to realize
it's not about a viral moment,
it's about winning and heading to WrestleMania
with a golden opportunity.
And this is what Ricochet needs to do.
[Cole] Ricochet taking out Miz,
and Damian Priest picking Ricochet out.
[Graves] I mean, looking at the field that's in the ring right now,
aside from Gunther,
I think the-- the power advantage has to be on Damian Priest's side.
Obviously, when it comes to the aerial game,
Ricochet is second to none.
[Cole] Yeah, but high risk can get you in trouble in this match.
[Graves] Yeah. Right now, CM Punk was in trouble
at the hands of Jey Uso in the corner.
[Cole] Jey Uso looking to go wire to wire.
He started this match at number one.
It's been an incredible performance for Jey tonight.
[Graves] Miz now perched precariously on the ropes,
not somewhere The A-Lister wants to be in this environment.
[Cole] Oh, my good-- And that'll eliminate Miz.
[McAfee] Jeez.
These chops.
[Cole] I don't think Miz ever wants to see Gunther again.
So number 29.
[Graves] Body slam by Punk.
[Cole] Two people remain to enter the Rumble match.
[crowd] …one!
[buzzer sounds]
[Drew McIntyre's music plays]
[Graves] Well, the path will not get any easier
for any of the men in the ring right now
because here comes the Scottish Warrior.
[Cole] The man who won the Royal Rumble back in 2020…
and would go on to win a World Championship.
And McIntyre, who wants to get back to the top of the world again.
[Graves] Remember what I said about the power advantage like 30 seconds ago?
Yeah, that's all changed.
[McAfee] Little bit of a shift in alignment.
-[Graves] Whoa! -[Cole] Oh, my goodness!
[McAfee] Look at this.
[Cole] Jey Uso, 50 minutes so far in this match.
And McIntyre, we all know how he feels about Jey Uso,
has not forgotten The Bloodline for costing him an opportunity
to beat Roman Reigns in Cardiff, Wales.
[Graves laughs] I know these two men not being fans of one another,
no shortage of disdain between Priest and McIntyre.
[Cole] Yeah, they were in the main event on Monday Night Raw this past week.
[McAfee] Only ones looking eye-to-eye to each other in there.
[Cole] McIntyre, who believes he should be champ today
if it wasn't for Priest.
[Graves] Oh!
-[McAfee] Jey Uso, another bout of energy. -[Cole] Spear!
[Graves] I want to know where Jey is drawing this from.
[Cole] Kick to Gunther now. Gunther up over the top rope in trouble.
Is Jey Uso going to be able to eliminate Gunther here?
[Graves] Oh, my God. Hanging on for dear life
is the Intercontinental Champion who just--
-[Cole] Oh, no! -[Graves] …ripped Jey Uso over the top.
[Cole] At 50 minutes and 50 seconds,
Jey Uso's dream to go wire to wire in the Rumble has ended.
And now number 30, the final man to enter the 2024 Royal Rumble match.
[buzzer sounds]
[Sami Zayn's music plays]
[crowd cheers]
[crowd sing along] ♪ Let's go! ♪
[Cole] The last time we saw Sami Zayn,
he had the hell beaten out of him by an angry Drew McIntyre.
Sami Zayn enters the Rumble
at number 30 tonight.
[Graves] And Zayn just blew right past Gunther
to start throwing haymakers at McIntyre.
[Cole] Sami Zayn going after Gunther again.
Sami Zayn entering at number 30.
[McAfee] The most amount of winners have come from the number 30 position,
for obvious reasons.
[Graves] Big right hands from Zayn.
Just dropped Punk for the moment,
and Zayn again turns his attention to Drew McIntyre.
[Cole] And Priest now, kick to the midsection,
lifting Sami Zayn up.
Damian Priest…
over the top rope.
Hanging on.
[Gunther groans]
[Graves] Sami able to fight out of the grasp of the Ring General.
[Cole] Everyone has entered the Rumble.
McIntyre now hanging on to the other side.
We've got Rhodes. We've got Ricochet. We've got Gunther. We've got Sami.
We've got Drew, and we've got Punk.
[McAfee] Ooh! And we got chops.
[Cole] And Damian Priest as well.
One of these men is going to WrestleMania.
[Graves] I think Sami Zayn used to have a windpipe
until Gunther just chopped it shut.
My God.
-[Cole] And Ricochet. -[Graves] The Recoil.
[McAfee] There we go.
Ric would love to get rolling this late.
[Cole] Any-- Any man's game right now. Damian Priest went for South of Heaven.
Ricochet lands on his feet, ducks underneath.
Ricochet catches him with a kick right to the back of the neck.
And now McIntyre.
[Ricochet screams]
[Cole] Ricochet so agile. Tremendous balance.
Takes a risk, though, going out to the apron.
Didn't go over the top rope, however, and back into the main-- into the ring.
Now eliminated by McIntyre!
-[McAfee] Oh, God. -[Cole] And he hit hard.
[Graves] Boy, did he ever. The usually sure-footed Ricochet.
[Cole] We are now down to six men.
[McAfee] Think about how much power that takes.
[Grave laughs] Exactly.
[Cole] Priest, and Rhodes, and Zayn on one side.
Punk, and McIntyre, and Gunther on the other.
Critical moment.
Dreams made, careers made.
[crowd applauds]
[McAfee] Couple of stories to be wrote.
[Cole] And now…
[McAfee mutters]
[Cole] And now, Punk. Punk's in trouble.
McIntyre with a chop to Zayn.
CM Punk looking to dump Gunther over the top rope.
Cody Rhodes now with Damian Priest.
[Graves] Uh-oh, Cody, double underhook.
-Pedigree! -[Cole] Down goes Priest.
And now Gunther with a dropkick, driving Cody into the ropes.
CM Punk with a running knee.
-[Graves] McIntyre-- -[Cole] Future Shock!
Sami Zayn with the Exploder into the corner.
This is going to feel good for Sami if he can hit it.
Helluva Kick!
Priest with a kick of his own.
[Graves] Priest may have just turned Sami Zayn's lights out.
[Cole] Looking for a Razor's Edge, and Sami Zayn.
Priest misses wildly.
Sami Zayn eliminates Priest.
We're down to five.
[McAfee] What a play, Sami Zayn.
[Graves] Uh-oh, uh-oh. McIntyre now.
[McAfee] Oh, no, Sami Zayn.
[Cole] Eliminates Sami.
Rhodes, Punk, McIntyre, Gunther.
[Graves] And there's Seth "Freakin" Rollins,
the World Heavyweight Champion,
looking on from a skybox here at Tropicana Field.
[Cole] And Roman Reigns as well.
The winner of this match has the opportunity
to pick either Reigns or Rollins
to face them for the championship at WrestleMania.
The final four. Punk, McIntyre, Rhodes, Gunther.
[crowd chants] CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk! CM Punk!
[Cole] High stakes, high pressure.
Rhodes and Punk,
and Punk now delivering chops to McIntyre.
[Graves] Punk and Cody looked at one another, shrugged,
and decided to start fighting again.
[Cole] And McIntyre laying it in.
He has no love lost for CM Punk.
[Graves] The ring may be clearing out, but I promise you,
the task does not get any easier.
[Cole] Oh, my goodness.
[Graves] Four of the best competitors on the planet Earth.
Cody Rhodes with a Cody Cutter.
[Graves] Uh-oh, Punk's night might be through.
-God. -[Cole] Oh, and a clothesline by Gunther.
[McAfee] Cody's head might be missing.
Drew McIntyre…
has been pummeling CM Punk.
[Cole] I just-- It's frightening to watch, actually.
[Graves] Drew McIntyre has been very open about his personal feelings
towards CM Punk.
[Cole] A chop by Gunther to Cody as well.
Gunther still has not forgotten Cody Rhodes,
and Rhodes eliminating him last year.
[McAfee] Chop fest.
[Graves] Well, we talk about will, about guts, about heart.
Cody displayed it last year, Gunther displayed it last year.
We've seen it from McIntyre, but how about Punk?
This has been ten years in the making tonight.
I assure you,
CM Punk is not going down in embarrassment, not tonight.
Punk will fight till his body gives out, if that's what it takes.
[Cole] Gunther, another chop now to Cody. McIntyre!
[Graves] Oh, that might have done it. Maybe I spoke too soon.
[McIntyre] Your ass belongs to me.
[Cole] Punk has not moved.
[both speak indistinctly]
[Graves] Oh, baby.
Who could forget the clashes involving McIntyre, Gunther?
[Cole] And now Punk back to his feet. McIntyre with a neckbreaker.
[Graves] CM Punk slow to get up and--
[Cole] Yeah, McIntyre's got him in position for a Claymore.
[Graves] This could spell disaster for the "Best in the World."
[Cole] Drew may Claymore Punk right out of the ring.
Nobody home. Punk sidesteps.
-Punk now. -[Graves] Are we going to see it?
[Cole] Calling for it.
Hoisting McIntyre.
Oh! Not quite.
[Graves] Drew able to escape the GTS.
[Cole] Oh, and the Glasgow Kiss.
[Graves] Meanwhile, Cody doing his best to not succumb to the sleeper hold
applied by the Intercontinental Champion, Gunther.
[Cole] The final four in the Royal Rumble match.
[McAfee] This has gotten brutal in here.
[Cole] Sleeper again by Gunther. Claymore to Gunther by McIntyre!
-[Graves] Both men with the same-- Whoa! -[Cole] Oh! The Claymore to Rhodes!
-[McAfee] Right on the button-- -[Graves laughs]
[McAfee] …for Drew McIntyre.
[audience cheers]
[Graves] Shall we restart the countdown?
[Cole] McIntyre warned the world
that he was going to storm through the Royal Rumble match.
Claymore to Punk.
[Graves] McIntyre's prophecy may come true.
[McAfee] Too big, too strong, too explosive.
[Cole] Now it's time to start dumping people over the top rope.
[Graves] And if you're Cody Rhodes or you're Gunther or even Punk,
who's been in there for a significant amount of time, and you see the Scottish--
I'm not the same kid I was ten years ago.
I'm not the same guy.
Your ass belongs to me now.
I'm your leader now, kid.
[Graves] To see someone the size of McIntyre kip up?
-[Cole] And look at Punk. -[Graves] Oh, oh, oh!
[Cole] Punk with McIntyre, out of the ring!
-[crowd cheers] -Punk eliminated McIntyre.
McIntyre can't believe it.
We're down to three.
[Graves] Gunther delivering a boot to the American Nightmare.
The Voice of the Voiceless, CM Punk, now down to the final three.
Tyrannosaurus dropkick from Gunther.
[Cole] And now Gunther looking to put Punk away, lifting him up high,
slamming Punk down.
Powerbomb to Punk, looking to do one to Cody Rhodes as well.
Rhodes, though, lands on the back of his feet,
looking for a Cody Cutter, caught by Gunther.
-[crowd cheers] -[Graves] Oh, no.
[Cole] Gunther going to end the dream.
Cody trying to hang on.
Shades of last year.
Gunther eliminated! We're down to two!
[crowd cheers]
[Cole] 48,045 looking on.
Will it be Roman Reigns' or Seth Rollins' worst nightmare?
[Graves] If you had told any of us a few months ago
that this would be the scene,
Cody Rhodes directly opposed to CM Punk
as the final two participants in the Royal Rumble,
with WrestleMania on the line,
we'd have called you crazy.
But it ain't crazy, it's happening.
[Cole] And here we go, a-rumbling at the Trop.
Punk, Rhodes exchanging blows.
One of these men is going to WrestleMania in the main event.
[Graves] And Cody Rhodes.
-[McAfee] American Dream. -[Cole] Paying homage.
Punk up over the top.
Cody Rhodes. Now both men down.
Critical moment in the match.
[crowd applauds]
[Cole] Who has the strength?
Who has the willpower?
Who's going to dig down deep
in the most critical moment of the most important match of the year?
Will it be Punk,
will it be Rhodes
at the Royal Rumble?
[Graves] And Michael Cole, having watched the careers intently
of both of these guys, I can't give you an answer.
It could go either way and no one would be disappointed.
[McAfee] Both of them fighting for something
much bigger than just themselves.
The entire Universe pulling for both of them.
[Graves] Two stories, lifetimes, in the making, at stake.
Punk utilizing his striking ability!
[Cole] Oh, paintbrushing Rhodes.
Cody now backed into the corner.
CM Punk sending Cody across the ring.
Cody, though, up over the top,
lands on his feet, and there's a powerslam to CM Punk.
[Graves] And yet again the tides turn.
[crowd cheers]
[McAfee] The first man to go back to back in 26 years, potentially.
[Cole] Or will it be CM Punk
winning his first Rumble, first time in the main event, WrestleMania?
Went for the Cody Cutter. CM Punk able to block.
[Graves] German suplex!
[Cole] Hasn't released.
Keeps the hands clasped and delivers yet another German to Cody Rhodes.
Punk going for a third.
[Graves] That will drain whatever life force is left
inside of the American Nightmare.
Another example of what CM Punk is capable of.
His iron will.
[Cole] Yeah, he's staring at the WrestleMania sign,
high above the Trop.
One of these men will main event WrestleMania
against either Rollins or Reigns.
A running bulldog by CM Punk.
-And Punk believes it is his time. -[crowd cheers]
[Graves] But Punk is going to have to fight through the pain,
through these final moments.
[Cole] Is it night-night for the Nightmare?
[Graves] The final chapter waiting to be written for both superstars.
[Cole] Cody is up top, Punk looking for the Go-To-Sleep.
Cody Rhodes, though, looked for Cross Rhodes.
Snapmare by Punk.
Cody, a couple of left-handed jabs.
[Rhodes yells]
[Cole] Calling back to the Dream. Bionic Elbow!
[yells]
[crowd cheers]
Destiny awaits one of these two men.
Rhodes now looking for Cross Rhodes again.
-[Graves] Oh! -[Cole] Punk does not allow it to happen.
And now CM Punk looking to eliminate Rhodes.
Trying to dump him over the top rope and win the Royal Rumble
for the first time in his career.
[Graves] Cody has his hand down on the apron bracing himself
from allowing his body weight to shift,
and now a look of frustration washing over Punk.
[McAfee] A moment to catch your breath, a moment to realize what's happening.
Can you imagine CM Punk winning the Royal Rumble in 2024?
[Graves] We may not have to wait, we may not have to imagine.
It could be reality in a matter of minutes.
[Cole] Punk says, "It's my time."
"I'm going to Philadelphia."
"I'm main eventing WrestleMania in 70 nights."
And Punk with Cody up.
I'm not sure what Cody has left.
Cody, though, ducks underneath.
Cody Rhodes, Cross Rhodes!
Yes! Let's go!
[Graves] Both of these men feeling the effects of beatings,
of exhaustion, of pressure.
The magnitude of this moment cannot be overstated.
One of these two men will finish their story.
[McAfee] Running on adrenaline and a dream.
[crowd chants] Cody! Cody! Cody!
[Graves] Living life on the edge of a lightning bolt.
[Cole] Over 48,000 strong.
A Tropicana Field attendance record.
Cody Rhodes and CM Punk,
the final two men in the 2024 Royal Rumble.
The 37th annual edition.
-[Graves] Uh-oh! -[Cole] Punk.
Go-To-Sleep!
[McAfee] Can he get Cody over the top rope?
[Grave] Was that the last gasp of CM Punk?
Does Punk have enough left in the tank to haul Cody Rhodes up
and over the top rope?
[crowd chants] This is awesome!
[Cole] Last gasp attempt.
[Graves] Cody hasn't moved.
[Cole] It is an incredible moment here tonight at the Royal Rumble.
[McAfee] 48,044 people watching history in the making.
[Graves] Punk thinking about another GTS.
Cody grasping the top rope.
[Cole] Looking to put Cody over the top, Cody Rhodes trying to hang on.
Cody out to the apron, Punk in trouble as well.
One of these men could go over right now.
[Graves] Cody is hanging on to CM Punk for dear life.
[Cole] And Cody lands on the apron
and collapses back into the ring.
[Graves] And again, these guys are both running on fumes,
understandably, with good reason.
[McAfee] But the tension is palpable.
-[Graves] Oh, it is. -[Cole] So much emotion.
It's, uh, uncomfortable.
-[Cole] CM Punk with a pedigree. -[Graves] Oh!
-[McAfee] Hold the phone. -[Graves laughs]
If you know, you know.
[McAfee] So much in that pedigree.
I know. Can you believe I did that shit?
[Cole] And Punk says one more Go-To-Sleep,
and the American Nightmare's dream will be over.
I didn't wait ten years to lose to Dusty's kid.
[McAfee] Calls him "Dusty's kid" as if--
[Graves] CM Punk just said, "I didn't wait ten years to lose to Dusty's kid."
[Cole] And now taking Cody,
as he looks at the WrestleMania sign,
and prolongs the agony for Cody Rhodes.
Looking for the Go-To-Sleep.
Cody, though, able to catch him.
[McAfee] "I'm not Dusty's kid anymore. I'm the American--"
-[bell rings] -[Cole] Cody did it!
Cody Rhodes is going to WrestleMania!
[Cody Rhodes' music plays]
[Irvin] Here is your winner
of the men's Royal Rumble,
the American Nightmare
Cody Rhodes!
[Cole] For the first time in over a quarter of a century,
a man has gone back to back to win the Royal Rumble match.
And for Cody Rhodes,
the miracle…
[crowd sings along] ♪ Whoa-oh ♪
[Cole] …the opportunity,
the chance to finish the story
is alive and well.
[Graves] Let's take a look at your final four.
Here's CM Punk dumping Drew McIntyre over the top to the floor.
And next in line would be Gunther.
A vice-like grip on the Ring General
from the American Nightmare,
and history repeats itself, just like last year.
It came down to CM Punk and Cody Rhodes,
it was improbable, it seemed impossible.
Cody delivered the Cross Rhodes,
but Punk would answer with the GTS.
And just when it seemed that CM Punk would be the one
to usurp Rhodes and finish his story instead,
the American Nightmare made his dream come true.
[bell rings]
[Cole] It is only appropriate
that Cody heads into the final chapter
of perhaps finishing his story
in St. Petersburg-Tampa Bay area,
the old stomping grounds of his dad,
the American Dream Dusty Rhodes.
[Cody Rhodes's music continues]
[McAfee] What a performance.
[Cole] Both by CM Punk and Cody Rhodes.
[fireworks crackle]
[Cole] Which champion will Cody Rhodes choose?
-[Graves] Oh! -[Cole] I think it's pretty clear.
[inaudible]
[Cole] He wants to finish the story.
It looks like against the Undisputed Champion.
Hey, Ro-- Roman Reigns.
What inning are we on, anyway?
For the 37th time, we welcome you to the Royal Rumble.
We are sold out in the Sunshine City.
Let's shine.
["Wild Child" by The Black Keys plays]
[Irvin] A new Tropicana Field attendance record,
48,044!
[Cole] We are officially on the Road to WrestleMania.
[Irvin] The women's Royal Rumble match!
[Graves] Welcome back, Naomi!
[Cole] TNA Knockouts Champion, Jordynne Grace.
What the hell?
[Graves] R-Truth just asked, "Where are the guys?"
All those are women in there?
[Graves] The storm has arrived!
[Cole] We are down to three.
Down goes Cargill, and Bayley eliminates Morgan!
Bayley's going to WrestleMania!
Kevin Owens, Logan Paul for the United States Championship.
Logan Paul has brass knuckles.
Kevin Owens trying to rip the knuckles off the hand, and he does.
[Irvin] As a result of a disqualification--
[Cole] Logan Paul still holds the title,
but Kevin Owens made him pay.
♪ The sun is gonna shine ♪
♪ If you would just come out and play ♪
♪ Baby, won't you show me Your wild child ways?♪
[bell rings]
♪ You got me runnin' Through the turnstile ♪
♪ Baby girl We better make it worthwhile ♪
Yeah!
♪ You're gonna get my love today, yeah ♪
♪ Wild child ♪
♪ You got me coming out of exile ♪
♪ Baby girl You know I'm liking your style ♪
♪ You're gonna get my love today, yeah ♪
[Irvin] The following
is the men's Royal Rumble match!
♪ It's the right time 'Cause the time's now ♪
♪ I define tough, you define doubt ♪
♪ Try to call my bluff and you will… ♪
[Cole] Andrade's back!
♪ Buckle up, enjoy the ride ♪
♪ I'm more authentic, call me certified ♪
♪ Read the room, had to learn the vibe ♪
[all] ♪ Whoa-oh ♪
♪ Now you know That I'm the best to ever do it ♪
Get 'em, Pat! Come on, Pat!
♪ You were the best I had to come and try ♪
♪ Now you make sure you risk it ♪
[Cole] We are now down to the final four men.
♪ Never stop, never stall ♪
♪ Never fold, never fall ♪
♪ Before you walk, you gotta crawl ♪
♪ If you wanna be the best ♪
♪ Never stop, never stall ♪
♪ Never fold, never fall ♪
♪ Before you walk, you gotta crawl ♪
♪ If you wanna be the best ♪
♪ Give your all, nothing less ♪
♪ Never stop, never stall ♪
♪ Never fold, never fall ♪