2023 WWE Royal Rumble Results – The “WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.” signature narrated by John Cena plays again and then we shoot into the official cold open video package for tonight’s WWE Royal Rumble 2023 pay-per-view main show.
Now we shoot live inside The Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. where the Royal Rumble theme song plays and Michael Cole welcomes us to the show as the camera pans the over 50,000+ fans in attendance.
The theme for Pat McAfee plays and out he comes in his suit coat. The crowd goes nuts. Michael Cole plays the surprised reaction while Corey Graves scolds him for not telling him about this.
Men’s Royal Rumble Match
Mike Rome formally introduces him and the crowd goes nuts. McAfee heads inside the ring and poses on the middle rope in the corner. Graves says he’d rather get a root canal than work with McAfee. McAfee heads down and joins the duo on commentary.
McAfee nearly injures himself as he goes to stand on his chair at the commentary table and play to the crowd. The bell sounds again and the ring announcer formally introduces the opening contest as the 30-man Royal Rumble match.
The Imperium theme hits and out comes WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther as the #1 entrant in his first-ever Royal Rumble match appearance. After he settles in the ring, his music dies down and then the theme for the second entrant hits and out comes “The Celtic Warrior” Sheamus as the number two entrant.
Michael Cole wishes #2 entrant and the 2016 Royal Rumble match winner Sheamus a happy birthday as he heads to the ring to kick off the 2023 men’s Royal Rumble match with the I-C champ Gunther. The bell sounds again and we’re officially off-and-running with this one.
As Sheamus works over Gunther in the corner of the ring, the countdown clock appears and when it winds down, The Miz emerges as the number three entrant. He heads to the ring for his 14th appearance in a Royal Rumble match.
Miz avoids getting in the ring to the point that Sheamus eventually slides under the bottom rope and chases him around the ring until he slides in himself and runs into a big chop from Gunther. As Miz and Gunther work over Sheamus in an attempt to eliminate him, The New Day theme hits and Kofi Kingston comes out as the fourth Royal Rumble entrant.
Sheamus nearly eliminates Kingston at one point, but The New Day member rolls under the bottom rope to remain in the match. All four men are duking it out in the ring with no eliminations thus far. The fans break out in a loud “Let’s go Kofi!” chant and then the countdown clock appears again. After the clock expires, out comes Johnny Gargano as the number five entrant.
We see The Miz try to eliminate Gargano as soon as Johnny Wrestling enters the ring, however Gargano hangs onto the ropes and as Miz is celebrating thinking he did eliminate him, Gargano runs up behind him and starts working him over. He then hands him over to Sheamus, who hits his ten beats to the bowery spot as the fans count along with each shot that lands.
After this, we see a Brogue Kick from Sheamus eliminate The Miz. They should have Sheamus do the ten beats to the bowery spot as soon as the next ten-second countdown clock appears and see which direction the fans count, up to ten or down to one.
Anyways, The New Day theme hits again and Xavier Woods comes out as the number six entrant in the bout. As Kofi and Xavier are the last two standing, with the rest down in the corners of the ring, we see Kofi spin Xavier upside down and play the drums on his booty. “You’re right, I have missed this,” Pat McAfee fires out on commentary. Nice.
The countdown clock appears again and out as the seventh entrant is Karrion Kross. He dominates for a bit and then the countdown clock appears and out as entrant number eight is Chad Gable.
As Gable and Xavier break out in an amateur style wrestling match after a “shoosh-off” we see Sheamus trying to eliminate Gunther on the opposite side of the ring. The countdown clock appears again and coming in for the entry number nine spot is Drew McIntyre.
While the commentators try and tell Pat McAfee the team name for Sheamus and Drew McIntyre without getting in any copyright issues, we see McIntyre eliminate Kross from the match by knocking him over the top-rope. McIntyre and Gunther stare each other down and begin trading chops, punches and kicks.
McIntyre hits a big Future Shock DDT and then the countdown clock appears. Coming in for the number ten spot is Santos Escobar. The countdown clock appears again and when it wraps up, out at number eleven is Angelo Dawkins of The Street Profits. Woods is nearly eliminated but both of his feet don’t touch the floor so he’s still in it.
Moments later, Woods is thrown over and nearly eliminated again, but again his feet don’t touch the floor. Seconds later, Gunther does eliminate Woods. Kofi Kingston jumps on Gunther right afterwards and tries eliminating him, but is stopped by Santos Escobar. Seconds later, Gunther eliminates Kofi Kingston, but one of his feet are still on the chair, which Michael Cole informs us.
The countdown clock appears again and when it expires, Brock Lesnar’s theme hits and out comes “The Beast Incarnate” to make us forget about the Kofi spot so he can do something cool to re-enter the match later. The crowd and Pat McAfee equally go totally nuts as Lesnar heads to the ring. Sheamus and Drew McIntyre are standing together and smiling waiting for him to get into the ring.
Lesnar immediately eliminates Santos Escobar, Angelo Dawkins and Chad Gable after taking many others to “Suplex City” in the ring. Lesnar and Gunther square off and the crowd goes absolutely ballistic just at the two of them staring each other down. The countdown clock appears and when it counts down, out comes “The All Mighty” Bobby Lashley.
As soon as Lashley hits the ring, he blasts Lesnar with a huge Spear. As Lashley works over some others in the match, Lesnar recovers and scoops Lashley up. Lashley slides out the back door and immediately knocks Lesnar over the top and out to the floor, eliminating him. Lashley throws his hands up in the air in victory as Lesnar looks in complete disbelief from the floor as the crowd goes nuts. Lesnar tears the top of the commentary table off and launches it into the ring.
The countdown clock appears again and this time when it expires, coming in at number fourteen is “The Modern Day Wrestling God” Baron Corbin. Meanwhile,. we see Lesnar still tearing apart the ringside set, throwing the steel steps and clotheslining the hell out of Corbin as soon as he makes his way to the ring. He then hits him with an F5 on the floor.
Lesnar’s rampage continues as he grabs a referee by the throat and throws him over the barricade. Michael Cole runs away from the commentary desk. We see the action in the ring again just as the ten second countdown clock appears again. When it expires, we hear “BURN IT DOWN!” and out comes Seth Rollins as fire and pyro explodes, the crowd goes bonkers and then starts singing along with his theme.
Rollins comes down to the ringside area and rolls a lifeless Corbin into the ring. He follows in behind him and throws him right over the top-rope to eliminate him. The fans pop and then start singing along with his theme acapella. The countdown clock hits again and when it expires, Otis makes his way out.
The countdown clock appears again and when it expires this time, out at number 17 is Rey Mysterio. He never comes out, though. Meanwhile, Lashley is eliminated by Rollins to the surprise of the commentators. Otis does the catapillar elbow drop on Gunther for some cool crowd interaction. The countdown again wraps up and out at number 18 is Dominik Mysterio.
Dominik Mysterio comes out wearing Rey Mysterio’s mask. Dominik takes the mask off and rips it up as he heads to the ring. Otis is eliminated by Sheamus and Drew McIntyre. The commentators have their usual “hardened criminal” fun as Dominik dances around at ringside, hesitant to enter the ring and get involved in the match.
We see McIntyre nearly eliminating Johnny Gargano, but Gargano hangs on and slides back through the ropes to remain in the match. Dominik finally does enter the ring and is immediately shown begging off as Sheamus confronts him. The countdown clock appears again and out at number 19 is Elias. Pat McAfee pops huge for him, but is the only one, which Michael Cole points out. McAfee mentions growing up with his family.
As soon as Elias enters the ring he breaks his guitar over the back of Gunther. Sheamus hits him with a Brogue Kick and eliminates him in 37 seconds. Ouch. The countdown clock appears again and when it expires, out at number 20 is Finn Balor.
Dominik tries eliminating Gargano, but Gargano hangs on. Finn Balor ends up coming over and providing the assist and collectively, the two are able to eliminate Gargano. The countdown clock appears again and when it expires, out at 21 is none other than WWE Hall of Fame legend Booker T.
“CAN YOU DIG IT, SUCKA?!” plays and out to an enormous pop from his home state fans in Texas is none other than Booker T. Michael Cole recalls being eliminated in his only Royal Rumble appearance in the past by Booker T. He comes in and hits a Book End and then plays to the crowd and does a huge Spinaroonie spot that gets the crowd going bonkers. He stands up and is immediately eliminated by Gunther.
The countdown clock appears again and out at number 22 comes Damian Priest. All three male members of The Judgment Day are now in this match. They gang up on people in the match for a minute and then out at number 23 comes Montez Ford of The Street Profits.
Dominik is nearly eliminated, but he hangs on. Ford is nearly eliminated but he skins the cat and comes back in. Damian Priest ends up hoisting Ford up and chokeslamming him over the top-rope with ease to eliminate him. The clock hits and expires again and out at number 24 is another shocker, as WWE Hall of Famer Edge appears.
“YOU THINK YOU KNOW ME!” and fireworks hit and the crowd in San Antonio goes completely nuts as “The Rated-R Superstar,” short hair and all, makes his way down to the ring looking very pumped up. He immediately hits Priest and Balor and Dominik with Spears.
He then throws out Priest to eliminate him. He throws out Balor to eliminate him. He then slowly turns and sees Seth Rollins as the only other active competitor on their feet at the moment and the crowd starts buzzing. Dominik ruins the moment and gets involved but then Edge goes to eliminate him. Instead, The Judgment Day come to Dominik’s aid from the floor and they pull Edge over the top and eliminate him. Dominik is still in this one.
Out at number 25 is Austin Theory. Edge, meanwhile, chases The Judgment Day to the back. He ends up brawling with Balor and Priest in the aisle. Rhea Ripley comes out and starts beating on Edge but then from behind, Beth Phoenix appears and the crowd goes wild. She blasts Ripley with a Spear to pop the crowd again.
The countdown clock appears again and out at number 26 is the 7’3”, 412-pound Nigerian Giant — Omos. He takes his time and heads to the ring to enter the Royal Rumble next as the commentators sing his praises. He comes into the ring and beats down everyone one-by-one and yells out “This is my house!” He turns around and sees Gunther staring him down, but he chokeslams him as well.
We see the countdown clock once again and out at number 27 is Braun Strowman. “Monster fight!” yells out McAfee as “The Monster of all Monsters” comes out as the next participant in the 30-man Royal Rumble match. Strowman and Omos go nose-to-nose and play to the crowd and then begin trading shots back-and-forth as the fans react to each one that lands with “boos” and “yays” depending on who was landing.
Strowman finally hits the ropes to build up some momentum and he blasts him with a clothesline that knocks the Nigerian Giant over the top-rope and out to the floor, eliminating him. “Get your big ass outta here!” Strowman yells afterwards, before going to work on Rollins next.
Three spots remain in the men’s Royal Rumble match as the countdown clock appears again. When it expires this time, out at number 28 is Ricochet. The SmackDown World Cup Tournament winner comes out and joins his tag-team partner Strowman in the ongoing SmackDown Tag-Team Title Contender Tournament in the Rumble.
Ricochet and Dominik immediately start duking it out. We also see Strowman and Theory trading shots in a different part of the ring. Strowman looks to eliminate Sheamus and Drew McIntyre, but things get switched up on him and they nearly eliminate him. They hold him over the ropes and do double ten pounds to the bowery spot. Gunther comes up from behind looking to eliminate McIntyre, but Sheamus stops him.
As the action continues, we see Gunther eliminating both Drew McIntyre and Sheamus by himself. Sheamus lasted over 50 minutes, while Drew lasted over 30. The countdown clock appears again and when it expires, Logan Paul comes out as the surprise entrant number 29. The crowd loudly boos as Logan Paul makes his way to the ring for his first-ever Royal Rumble match appearance.
Logan plays to all the boos and then turns around to literally everyone else still in the match beating him down and they begin trying to eliminate him, but Paul hangs on. Strowman ends up hitting him with a Monster Slam. Ricochet follows up with a Shooting Star Press. They go to toss him out, but Paul hangs on again.
The countdown clock hits again and when it expires, out in the 30th and final spot is none other than “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes. The crowd popped almost like they forgot he was in it. Smoke billows out of the entrance and then his familiar theme plays as fireworks explode and he makes his way to the ring with a ton of energy.
Cody hits a Cody-Cutter off the second rope on Theory as the fans erupt again. He ends up quickly eliminating Dominik Mysterio. We see Logan on one side of the ring and Ricochet on the other. They each lock eyes and then slingshot from opposite ends of the ring and collide — very, very, very hard — in the middle of the ring.
The crowd went absolutely berzerker-mode for that. Deserving so. We see instant replays of that as the fans break out in a loud “This is Awesome!” chant. Strowman is eliminated moments later. Theory eliminates Ricochet. We’re down to Cody, Theory, Gunther and Seth Rollins as the only men left in the match. Cody and Rollins both eliminate Theory.
Now we’re down to Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins and the man who entered this match at number one — Gunther.
The two knock down Gunther and focus on each other. Rollins tells Cody he’s not gonna come in and steal his spotlight again. The two circle each other and start going at it. Michael Cole inform us that Gunther has broken Rey Mysterio’s record with over 62 minutes in the match. Doesn’t Bryan Danielson hold a record with over 70 minutes? Anyways!
Logan Paul comes back in and the commentators forgot about him when counting down the remaining participants. He comes back into the ring after recovering from the Ricochet spot and eliminates Seth Rollins. The fans loudly boo at that. Cody hits Logan with Cross-Rhodes and eliminates him. Now we’re down to Cody and Gunther. The two lock eyes and circle each other before engaging.
Gunther starts chopping the p*ss out of Cody. Cole informs us Gunther has been in this one for over an hour and five minutes since entering at number one. He blasts Cody and drops him with another bunch of vicious chops. He scoops Gunther up but Cody escapes out the back door. Gunther blasts Cody in the surgically repaired pectoral muscle again with more thunderous chops.
Gunther gets hung up in the ropes and Cody looks for a Disaster Kick to eliminate him, but Gunther avoids it and clotheslines Cody as he was on the way down. We see Gunther pound away at Cody with forearm shots. Cody fires back with punches. Gunther hoists Cody up and lays him on the turnbuckle in the corner. He climbs up after him and the two slide down the side. Gunther shucks Cody off, but Cody hangs onto the bottom rope and lands on the apron.
Gunther stomps away at Cody and then picks him up from inside the ring while reaching over the ropes. Cody hits him from the ring apron outside of the ropes and then climbs to the top-rope. Gunther hits a European uppercut and climbs up with him. He looks for a super-plex and he hits it.
The two get a second wind and start trading shots again. Cody leaps off the middle rope backwards and hits a Cody-Cutter. He scoops Gunther up and throws him over the top-rope, but Gunther hangs on. Cody brings Gunther into the corner of the ring and hooks his legs over the middle ropes. He backs up and looks to pay homage to Goldust with his Shattered Dreams spot. He lands the kick and everyone pops. Cody picks Gunther up and eats a chop.
He lands a big right and then walks into a massive drop kick by the I-C champ. He follows that up with a power-bomb. He picks Cody up as Cole informs us that Gunther has been in this one for an hour and ten minutes. He throws Cody over the top-rope but Cody lands on the apron and hangs onto the ropes. Gunther picks him up from inside the ring reaching over the ropes.
The two trade chops and then Gunther slaps a sleeper-hold on Cody. Cody starts fading and is pulling Gunther as he does. Gunther lets go of the hold so he doesn’t go all the way over. Cody goes to the top-rope and leaps into the ring to a chop on the landing by Gunther. Gunther hoists Cody up but Cody escapes out the back-door and hits his Cross-Rhodes finisher. Cody plays to the crowd and then eliminates Gunther. The crowd goes nuts as Cody celebrates his victory as the winner of the men’s 2023 Royal Rumble match.
Winner of the Men’s 2023 Royal Rumble match: Cody Rhodes
After the match, Cody looks around and he sees the sign, and unlike Logan Paul, he knows that you don’t point to the sign until you win the Royal Rumble.
Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match
LA Knight vs. Bray Wyatt
Back from a commercial break, we head back down to the ring for our second scheduled match of the evening. The ring announcer begins the introduction for the first participant in the bout, as LA Knight makes his way out.
Knight settles in the ring as the commentators hype Mountain Dew’s Pitch Black drink returning for a limited-time only. On that note, we prepare for our first-ever Pitch Black Match.
With Knight settled into the ring, we get a special video package looking at the Pitch Black Match. When it wraps up, Bray Wyatt’s theme hits and out he comes with his lantern to a huge pop from the San Antonio crowd.
Wyatt goes over to the corner and puts his face in the turnbuckle as the crowd goes nuts. The bell sounds and the lights go down in the Alamodome and then a black light and other colored black lights come on. Wyatt leans back backwards from the corner and his face-paint is neon glow in the dark.
The action begins and looks cool, with neon yellow/green looking ring ropes. Even LA Knight’s gear is neon bright. There’s a giant Mountain Dew Pitch Black logo in the center of the ring. Wyatt goes to work on Knight.
Bray with punches and forearms. Bray with a suplex throw and punch. Bray grabs Knight by the throat and hits an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Knight goes to the floor and Bray sends Knight into the ringside barrier. Knight sends Bray into the ring post and he puts the ring steps next to the announce table. Bray sends Knight over the ringside barrier. Bray adjusts the announce table and glitter appears. Bray with a suplex attempt onto the table but Knight blocks it and drops Bray on the ringside barrier. Knight with a flying Side Effect through the table. Knight punches Bray after going for the toolbox. Bray sends Knight through the ropes to the floor. Knight gets a kendo stick and hits Bray with it.
Bray grabs Knight and hits Sister Abigail for the three count.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
After the match, Bray puts on a mask and Knight gets out of the ring and slowly makes his way out of the ringside area. Knight hits Bray with a kendo stick and then he goes through the crowd. Knight hits Bray with the kendo stick again and Bray continues to follow after him. They go onto a stage and Knight hits Bray. Bray grabs Knight with the mandible claw and brings LA down to his back. Wyatt looks up and we see Uncle Howdy looking down from a platform. Howdy smiles and leaps off the platform, crashing down below to put LA through the stage. Flames shoot up and there’s an explosion as Wyatt stares at them while standing up on the stage. We get a replay and Wyatt looks on as a fire burns where LA and Howdy are.
– We are told tonight’s attendance is 51,338.
RAW Women’s Title Match
Alexa Bliss vs. Bianca Belair (c)
We hear the familiar sounds of Alexa Bliss’ theme and out comes “Little Miss Bliss” for our first of two championship matches scheduled for tonight’s premium live event. “The Face of Evil” settles inside the ring and highlights of her recent interaction with Bianca Belair is shown.
From there, the theme for Bianca Belair hits and out comes “The EST of WWE” to defend her Raw Women’s Championship in this one-on-one showdown against Bliss.
They exchange punches and Bianca with shoulders in the corner. Bianca with a short arm clothesline and a hip toss. Bianca with a shoulder in the corner and then she climbs the turnbuckles and punches Alexa. Alexa puts Bianca in the tree of woe and then slams her head to the mat and hits a drop kick. Alexa with kicks to Bianca. Alexa with a snap mare and kick to the back. Alexa with a bow and arrow on Bianca and then pulls the hair and stretches Bianca. Alexa with kicks in the corner. Alexa with a double knee strike to the back in the ropes and she gets a near fall. Alexa with a reverse chin lock. Alexa with punches and she gets a near fall. Alexa returns to the reverse chin lock. Bianca backs Alexa into the turnbuckles and Alexa goes to the turnbuckles and pulls Bianca into the corner by the hair and applies a choke. Bianca pulls Alexa off the turnbuckles and turns it into a suplex.
Bianca with forearms and she tosses Alexa down by the hair. Bianca with a drop kick. Bianca goes to the turnbuckles and punches Alexa. Bianca pulls Alexa onto the turnbuckles to choke Alexa. Bianca with a boot to the back to send Alexa face first into the mat. Bianca with a handspring moonsault and Alexa gets her knees up. Bianca sends Alexa face first into the mat and hits a handspring moonsault for a near fall. Bianca gets Alexa on her shoulders for KOD but Alexa gets to her feet and she punches Bianca. Alexa goes for a drop kick but Bianca blocks it. Alexa lands on her feet and she hits a DDT for a near fall.
Bliss with a double knee drop for a near fall. Alexa goes for a claw but Bianca blocks it. Bianca avoids Sister Abigail and Bianca with KOD for the three count.
Winner: Bianca Belair
After the match, we see a playground on the TitanTron. Alexa freaks out a bit and we see old images of Alexa. The voice asks “Do you feel in charge?”
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
We shoot to ring announcer Samantha Irvin, who informs us that it is now time for the 30-woman Royal Rumble match. With that said, she begins the brief explanation of the rules and when she wraps up, Rhea Ripley’s theme hits and out comes The Judgment Day member as entrant number one.
“It looks like mami is in for a long night,” says Corey Graves on commentary as she emerges from the back and heads down to the ring. She settles inside the squared circle and her music dies down.
Now in as the second entrant is former SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan. Michael Cole reminds us that Morgan claimed she wanted to enter this match in the number one spot. He says this is just as good.
Morgan and Ripley start the women’s Royal Rumble match off as the bell sounds to get this one underway. Ripley pounds the crap out of Morgan for the first minute or so and just as Morgan starts to take over on offense, Dana Brooke comes out as the third entrant.
Dana Brooke comes in with a Barbie inspired Margot Robbie look, as Corey Graves points out on commentary. She hits a big super-plex on Morgan off the top-rope and when the countdown clock expires, Emma comes out as the number four entrant.
As the four women in the match thus far duke it out in the ring, the countdown clock appears again and out comes Shayna Baszler as the fifth participant to enter the match. She dominates for a while as the commentators sing her praises for her past work in Rumble matches.
The countdown clock appears again and when it expires this time, out comes Damage CTRL’s Bayley as the latest entrant. She mixes it up with the other competitors in the bout and then the seventh entrant comes out, none other than B-Fab from Hit Row. Within 36 seconds, Rhea Ripley eliminates her.
Out at number eight is NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez. The Texas native who is from Laredo makes her way to the ring as the commentators sing her praises and remind everyone she is a Booker T standout student from Reality of Wrestling.
Perez hits some nice spots and lets out a nice war scream to get the fans to pop. The countdown clock appears and when it expires, out at number nine is another Damage CTRL member, Dakota Kai.
Dana Brooke and Liv Morgan start to beat down Damage CTRL members Dakota Kai and Bayley. When the countdown clock hits and runs out again, the third Damage CTRL member Iyo Sky hits the ring and makes the save for Bayley and Dakota Kai, stopping them from being eliminated by Brooke and Morgan.
Emma avoids elimination but moments later, Dana Brooke isn’t as lucky, as she gets eliminated. Emma is eliminated by Dakota Kai a few seconds later. Roxanne Perez nearly eliminates Dakota Kai but she avoids being dumped out.
Perez ends up getting eliminated and then the countdown clock expires and out comes Natalya. Michael Cole reminds everyone that Shayna Baszler broke her nose the last time we saw her and immediately the camera shows Baszler doing the Vince McMahon “gulp” facial that he’d make when the glass would shatter for “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s entrance.
Nattie goes straight after “The Queen of Spades,” taking it to “The Submission Magician” with a vengeance as the commentators sing the praises of the women’s wrestling legend. Out at number 12 in the women’s Royal Rumble for her third Rumble appearance is Candice LeRae. She goes right after Dakota Kai upon entering the ring.
We see Natalya avoid being eliminated by Baszler. She nearly throws Baszler out but the refs claim only one of her feet hit the floor. Baszler slaps her choke finisher on Nattie and then Damage CTRL comes over and eliminates them both.
Zoey Stark from NXT comes out as the 13th entrant in the match. She battles with the women in the ring and then Xia Li comes out as the fourteenth entrant in the match. LeRae is eliminated by Damage CTRL and then the countdown clock appears again. When it expires, the familiar sounds of Becky Lynch’s theme hits and out comes “The Man” as entrant number 15.
A bunch of the members in the match go under the bottom rope and they all gang up and beat down “Big Time Becks” outside of the ring. The Damage CTRL trio continue to work her over, throwing her into the barricade and leaving her laying before taunting the commentators.
Now the theme hits to bring out entrant number 16 — Tegan Nox. She comes off the top and splashes onto a bunch of the women in the match. At number 17, out comes Asuka to an enormous pop from the San Antonio fans.
She plays the crowd like a fiddle, getting one of the more impressive reactions from the crowd of the night. She eliminates Tegan Nox and then Piper Niven comes out at number 18. You heard that right. Piper Niven. Not Doudrop, although the commentators immediately start with the puns.
The 19th entrant hits and out comes Tamina. She and Niven go at it and then Lynch finally recovers and gets in the ring. The countdown clock strikes down and out at number 20 is Chelsea Green. As soon as Green gets in the ring, Ripley throws her right back out. Michael Cole speculates that she has broken the record at 5 seconds for the fastest elimination ever.
Becky Lynch eliminates Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky but is then eliminated herself by Bayley. Bayley is then eliminated by Liv Morgan. Lynch and Damage CTRL start brawling at ringside as the action continues inside the ring with the participants still in the match.
Zelina Vega comes out dressed as one of the characters in Street Fighter 6, the video game. Michael Cole informs us that she is one of the voices in the new video game. She settles inside the ring as the latest entrant. Vega takes out Rhea Ripley and then she eliminates Xia Li.
The countdown clock appears again and when it expires this time, Raquel Rodriguez’s theme hits and the hometown favorite of the San Antonio crowd comes out to a big pop and makes her way to the ring. She dukes it out with Vega in the ring and then the clock appears again. It expires and out at number 23 is Mia Yim “Michin.”
We see the countdown clock appear again and when it expires out at number 24 is Lacey Evans. Evans dominates some of the participants and then tells the fans to stand and salute her.
The countdown clock appears again and after being shown as a cameo in the front row earlier, Michelle McCool’s theme hits and we see her stand up from her seat in the front row, take her jacket off, tell her kids she loves them and then hops up on the barricade to pose before heading into the ring and immediately duking it out with Piper Niven. The fans break out in loud “You still got it!” chants. McCool then eliminates Tamina.
After another clock appears and expires, out comes another NXT talent as Indi Hartwell runs down to the ring as the next participant in the match. The countdown clock appears again and when it expires this time, the number 27 entrant, Sonya Deville, comes out. Zoey Stark is quickly eliminated by Deville.
Lacey Evans locks Zelina Vega up in a standing camel clutch while on the middle ropes. She ends up dropping her out on the floor from all the way up there for the latest elimination. Out at number 28 next is Shotzi in the T.C.B. Tank.
Deville makes another elimination, tossing Indi Hartwell out and ending her night early. Out at number 29 comes Nikki Cross. She sprints to the ring as Corey Graves calls her Usain Bolt. She hits the ring and doesn’t bother taking her ring jacket off, instead immediately mixing it up with everyone in reaching distance.
Out of nowhere without a countdown clock, the theme for Nia Jax hits. We see the countdown clock at number seven appear on the screen as she makes her way out. Odd. Anyways after the production glitch, we hear the crowd react and the commentators over-react to Nia Jax making her way to the ring for her return WWE appearance as the surprise entrant in the 30th and final spot.
Every single woman in the match all gang up together and go at Nia Jax. She ends up fighting them all off. Then Raquel Rodriguez and Nia Jax go face-to-face and we’re supposed to look at this as competitive moments after Rodriguez and the rest of the women in the match couldn’t collectively.
Nia Jax fights everyone off and continues to beat down anyone in sight, stopping to shriek out about how she is the best. Rhea Ripley nearly scooped Jax up from behind, but Jax avoids it. Ripley hits on her some more and then does, in fact, hoist her up (sort of) for a Rip-Cord. The women all gang up again and then throw Nia Jax over the top-rope to eliminate her.
We’re down to the final ten in the match, as all 30 have entered, and Raquel Rodriguez eliminates Lacey Evans. We see Rodriguez fighting it out with Asuka now, while Liv Morgan looks to make an elimination in the background. Rodriguez throws Asuka and Deville over the top, but they each land on the ring apron and start kicking Rodriguez.
Moments later, Deville is eliminated by Asuka. Ripley eliminates McCool.
Shotzi is eliminated, as is “another human,” as Pat McAfee points out on commentary after Piper Niven launches someone over the top for another elimination.
Piper Niven hits a big cannonball spot on Rodriguez in the corner of the ring and then she heads to the middle rope looking for a Vader bomb. Instead, Rodriguez gets under her and lifts her over the top. She then kicks her off the ring apron for the elimination. Ripley and Rodriguez lock up and both go flying over the top, but Ripley hangs on and Rodriguez ends up eliminated.
Ripley runs over and dumps Nikki Cross over the top rope, and Asuka. They both start fighting back at Ripley from outside the ring ropes on the apron while Ripley is in the ring. Liv Morgan runs over and eliminates Cross. We’re down to Ripley, Morgan and Asuka as the final three and the fans give them a standing ovation as they look around at each other.
We see Ripley and Morgan nearly eliminate each other. All three end up on the ring apron outside the ropes, Asuka sprays Morgan with the green mist and then Ripley kicks her to eliminate her. Morgan is blinded by the mist but still in it, and Ripley is still active as well. Ripley picks up a blinded Morgan, who hits a Code-breaker that nearly eliminates her. Ripley holds onto the ropes as her feet dangle, but Ripley gets a headscissors on her and uses her legs to eliminate her. Ripley wins. One hour, one minute and three seconds. Entered number one and won.
Winner of the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble match: Rhea Ripley
After the match, Ripley sits up and bites the ropes as the music hits. She is all smiles as Asuka and Liv look on from the floor. Ripley hits the corner to pose, and she points up at the WrestleMania 39 sign s the pyro goes off. We see more pyro going off outside of The Alamodome. We go to replays. Ripley continues her celebration while sitting on the top turnbuckle.
– We are treated to a live musical performance by Hardy, who performs the official Royal Rumble theme song live.
– Once we return from the ad time out that followed Hardy’s performance, we see Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Pat McAfee sitting at ringside promoting NXT Vengeance Day. They switch gears and then we see the pre-match video package focused on the recent events between Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn.
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns (C)
Kevin Owens makes his way out looking pumped up and ready for some fighting. He heads to the ring for our headline bout of the evening.
Roman Reigns is next, accompanied by Paul heyman and Sami Zayn. The Usos and Solo Sikoa are nowhere to be found at the moment.
We get formal ring introductions from Samantha Irvin. Reigns slowly walks towards Owens during the introductions and taunts him with the belts.
The bell hits and here we go. They size each other up as Reigns talks to the camera about teaching Owens a lesson tonight. A “Sami Uso!” chant starts up. They lock up and Reigns applies a headlock. Reigns drops Owens with a shoulder. Reigns talks some trash, then talks to Sami about how to teach Owens a lesson. They lock up again and Reigns applies another headlock.
Reigns turns Owens inside out with another shoulder. Owens regroups in the corner as Reigns gloats. Reigns taunts Owens and they lock up again. They run the ropes and now Owens drops Reigns with an elbow Owens with a senton and some trash talking to Sami. Owens stomps away on Reigns in the corner, then delivers a corner cannonball. Owens yells out as Reigns rolls to the floor for a breather. Owens follows and works Reigns around the ringside area.
Reigns fights back but Owens rocks him. Owens blocks a whip and sends Reigns into the barrier, then clotheslines him. Owens with a senton on the floor as the referee counts. Owens brings it back in and beats Reigns into the corner with body shots. Reigns whips Owens hard into the corner and he lands on his neck. Reigns with a chokeslam in the middle of the ring for a 2 count. Cole wonders if that was a Rock Bottom. Reigns with a Drive By. Reigns brings Owens back in and works him over. Owens tries to fight back but Reigns unloads with big clothesline blows in the corner. The referee backs Reigns off. Owens fights Reigns and now they trade big strikes in the middle of the ring.
Reigns with a big boot but Owens comes right back with a clothesline. Owens beats Reigns against the ropes. They keep fighting and Owens clotheslines Reigns over the top rope to the floor. Owens with a Frogsplash off the apron to the floor. Owens brings it back in and hits a big Frogsplash from the top. Reigns kicks out just in time as Sami and Heyman look concerned from ringside.
Owens yells at Reigns to get up, calling him a piece of crap. Reigns blocks the superkick and nails a sitdown powerbomb in the middle of the ring for a close 2 count. Reigns turns to the crowd and raises his 1 for boos and cheers. Owens dodges the Superman Punch, then delivers a German suplex. Owens charges but Reigns nails a Superman Punch for a close 2 count.
Fans rally now as Reigns goes to the corner to wait for Owens. Reigns calls for the Spear but Owens side-steps and sends him shoulder-first into the ring post. Owens superkicks Reigns down. Owens goes to the top and hits the big Swanton Bomb for a close 2 count. Sami and Heyman are worried. Owens delivers right hands to keep Reigns down now. Owens goes to the top but Reigns rocks him. Reigns climbs up for a superplex but Owens fights back. Owens knocks Reigns down but Reigns rocks him and climbs back up. Reigns tries for the superplex but Owens headbutts him. Owens sends Reigns to the mat with an elbow. Owens goes for the big moonsault but he slips and lands hard. Owens quickly recovers and hits Reigns. Owens goes on but misses a moonsault, then Reigns barely hits a Spear. Owens kicks out at 2. Reigns plays to the crowd now to boos and cheers.
Reigns calls for the Spear. Owens meets him with a knee. Reigns blocks the Stunner and sends Owens into the referee, who goes down. Reigns charges but Owens nails the Pop-Up Powerbomb. Owens covers but there’s no referee. Owens makes the pin for several seconds but the referee isn’t counting. Reigns drops Owens with a low blow. Reigns tells Sami to grab a steel chair. Sami says you told me to do nothing. Reigns yells and Sami grabs a chair but he’s having trouble finding it. He finally grabs a chair from under the ring but he hesitates. Reigns asks Sami what he’s doing. Reigns finally gets the chair but Owens meets him with a big Stunner. The referee counts but Reigns kicks out just in time. Sami breathes a big sigh of relief.
Reigns blocks Pop-Up Powerbomb with a Superman Punch. Reigns follows up with a Spear but Owens kicks out just in time. Reigns is also a bit worried now. Sami paces at ringside. Owens stumbles out and collapses at the announce table. Owens crawls to Sami near the barrier. Owens pulls himself up. Sami tells Owens to just stay down, what’s wrong with you. Owens tries to pull himself up using Sami. Reigns runs over and puts Owens through the barrier with a Spear.
Reigns brings Owens back in the ring but Owens falls back to the floor. Reigns follows and slams Owens back into the sharp part of the stairs, with the back of his head and his back hitting the steel. Sami is shocked. Reigns slams Owens back into the steps one more time. Reigns brings Owens back in. Heyman says this is why he worships Reigns. Heyman tells Sami to acknowledge his Tribal Chief. Sami raises his 1 as Heyman praises Reigns from the floor. Owens rocks Reigns with a punch but Reigns comes right back with a Spear for the pin to win and retain.
Winner: Roman Reigns
After the match, the music hits as Reigns sits up on his knees in the middle of the ring. Sami looks relived that the match is over as he begins clapping. Sami and Heyman enter the ring to stand with Reigns as Reigns raises both titles in the air. We go to replays.
Solo Sikoa and Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos are in the ring now. They all have red leis on, but Jey Uso holds the one for Sami. Reigns stops Jey from placing the lei around Sami’s neck because he has something planned for Owens, and wants Sami to watch. Jimmy Uso mounts Owens with right hands at Reigns’ direction. Jey joins in. Reigns smiles as he watches. The Usos lay Owens out with the 1D. Reigns has his arm around Sami while they watch, but Sami isn’t enjoying this. Jimmy beats Owens down in the corner. Jey grabs a chair and The Usos wrap it around Owens’ neck. Some fans chant for Sami. Sikoa delivers the Umaga Splash to Owens with the chair wrapped around his neck. Heyman hands two pair of handcuffs to Owens. The Usos cuff both of Owens’ arms to the top rope, holding him up there. The Usos take turns delivering eight superkicks to Owens, then one double superkick, and another double superkick, all while Owens is cuffed to the top rope by each arm. Fans chant “Sami!” now.
Reigns has the chair in-hand as he talks trash to Owens about how Sami is his family. Reigns goes to swing the chair but Sami gets in the way, telling him to stop. Sami says this is done, it’s over, this is beneath Reigns and he’s better than this. Sami says this doesn’t need to go any further because Owens is done. Reigns then hands the chair to Sami. Sami doesn’t want it. Reigns stares at Sami while holding the chair up but Sami pleads. Reigns says there’s no going back now, we’ve come too far, Sami is ours, and they are Sami’s. Reigns says Owens has dragged him down from day one, while Reigns loves him and has let him be a part of something big when before he was doing Jackass shit.
Sami is behind Reigns now, with the chair. Reigns barks at Owens and turns to Sami, telling him to pull the trigger. Sami is crying now. Reigns mushes him in the face a few times. Reigns is yelling in Sami’s face now. Fans chant for Sami as he prepares to deliver the chair shot. Sami smacks Reigns in the back with the chair, bringing Reigns down. Everyone is shocked.
Sami drops the chair and turns to The Usos, telling him he’s sorry. Jey yells back and asks Sami why he did this. Jimmy superkicks Sami down. Jimmy yells at Jey, asking if this is his brother. No, I’m your brother. Jimmy mounts Sami with right hands as Jey watches. Sikoa grabs Sami and nails the Samoan Spike. Sikoa holds Sami down while Jimmy beats on him and Reigns yells in his face. Sikoa with headbutts. Jey is almost balled up in the corner. Reigns yells at him about how Sami isn’t his family, we are. Jimmy pounds on Sami some more. Jey drops down and rolls out of the ring as the crowd erupts. Jey walks to the back but it looks like he’s a bit emotional.
Reigns smacks Sami with chair shots over the back in the middle of the ring, numerous chair shots. Fans boo. Reigns mounts Sami with punches now. Owens is still cuffed to the top rope. Fans chant “fuck you Roman!” now. Jimmy hands the red lei meant for Sami to Reigns now. Reigns rips the red flowers off and tosses them on Sami and around the ring. The boos get louder. Jimmy has Sami’s Bloodline t-shirt that was ripped off him. Reigns exits the ring, and he’s followed by Sikoa, Jimmy and Heyman. The Bloodline, minus Jey, stops and looks back at the ring. We see Sami and Owens both laid out. We cut to a video package of highlights from tonight’s show.
The 2023 WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event goes off the air.
Here is the current card for tonight:
Live Performance: Hardy performs his “Sold Out” single
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
WWE United States Champion Austin Theory, WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, WWE NXT Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston, Ricochet, Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley, Baron Corbin, Santos Escobar, Rey Mysterio, Cody Rhodes, Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, Omos, Braun Strowman, Karrion Kross, Brock Lesnar, The Miz, Finn Balor, Johnny Gargano, Otis, Chad Gable, Madcap Moss, Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins, Damian Priest, Elias, Dominik Mysterio, 3 other competitors TBA
Winner earns a title shot at WrestleMania 39.
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Rhea Ripley, Candice LeRae, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Shayna Baszler, Zelina Vega, Emma, Bayley, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion IYO SKY, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Dakota Kai, Xia Li, Lacey Evans, 18 other competitors TBA
Winner earns a title shot at WrestleMania 39.
Undisputed WWE Universal Title Match
Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns (c)
RAW Women’s Title Match
Alexa Bliss vs. Bianca Belair (c)
Pitch Black Match
Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight
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2023 WWE Royal Rumble Results
