In The Arena: We kick it to our Kickoff panel with Renee Young, Corey Graves, Booker T, & Jerry ‘The King’ Lawlerbreaking down what we’ve seen so far tonight and what is yet to come.

Backstage: On the phone in her office is Stephanie McMahon when Paul Heyman walks in. Heyman talks about how happy Stephanie & Vince are tonight heading into WrestleMania and being on cloud nine. Paul proclaims that Brock will be champion heading into WrestleMania and would like to renegotiate Lesnar’s contract after tonight. Steph says that as long as The Beast takes out his aggression on Roman Reigns tonight, she’ll be more than happy to oblige. Heyman states that if she feels that way, then tonight the Roman Empire will fall to Suplex City.

Match #4 for the WWE Divas Championship: Becky Lynch vs. WWE Divas Champion Charlotte w/’Nature Boy’ Ric Flair
The bell rings and they lock-up, the champion backing Becky into the corner and they break. Lynch with a takedown, Charlotte reaches for the ropes and we get another clean break. Charlotte with a side headlock on the challenger, The Lass Kicker counters into one of her own, the champion switching back out. Charlotte is pushed into the ropes scores with a shoulder knockdown and covers, Becky bridging out, into the ropes they go and they trade counters, Lynch finally gaining an armdrag. The champion crawls to the corner to create a break, back up Becky tries a back slide, Charlotte slipping out and getting caught with multiple armdrags, the challenger going to an armbar.

Charlotte powers up, looks for a slam, The Lass Kicker hanging out to the arm and maintaining the armbar. Charlotte breaks the hold, looks for a quick Figure Four, Becky kicks her away, but gets slammed back down, the champion using an armbar of her own. Lynch gains a vertical base, sends the champion flying to the outside to break the hold, Charlotte hopping back to the apron, only to get sent back down by a springboard kick. The Lass Kicker rolls outside after the champion, Ric steps in between them, Charlotte tries to sneak in a boot and Becky has it scouted, coming back with a clothesline.

She goes after Charlotte, Ric again gets involved, this time planting a kiss on Becky to distract her, Lynch slapping him and Charlotte ambushes the challenger from behind. She rolls Becky into the ring and fires away with right hands, tosses Lynch with a t-bone and gets a count of 2. Charlotte with a signature chop, looks to follow with a slam, The Lass Kicker slides out, gets a schoolboy and a quick 2 before falling to a dropkick. The champion gains a count of 2, grabs a chinlock and buries knees to the breadbasket, then slams the challenger down by the hair. Charlotte with a headscissors, driving Lynch face-first into the mat, then rolling through with slams.

The Lass Kicker powers to her feet, elevating Charlotte on her shoulders for an electric chair, both competitors struggling to their feet. Becky with forearms to the jaw, reverses a whip into the corner and builds momentum with clotheslines and a heel kick. She delivers a running forearm in the corner, hooks the champion for a t-bone, Charlotte avoids it and plants Becky with a rope-assisted neckbreaker. She goes for the Figure Eight, Lynch sees it coming and counters out, attempts the Dis-Arm Her and Charlotte turns it into a pinning predicament for 2. The champion with a modified neckbreaker, looks for an irish whip, The Lass Kicker blocks it and hits the t-bone suplex, gaining a 2 count.

She scores with multiple leg drops, goes to an exploder suplex and again gets 2, then looks for Dis-Arm Her again. The champion is able to slip out of it, pushes the challenger away and splits her with a spear, covering multiple times and only getting 2. She props Lynch on the top turnbuckle, Becky with a forearm shot, grabs the arm and rolls into a fujiwara armbar. The champion reverses, powers to her feet and plants Becky with a powerbomb, still unable to finish off the challenger. Charlotte looks for a baseball slide, Becky bridges out of the way and Ric is knocked down instead, Lynch trying to take advantage uses a schoolboy for a near fall. The Lass Kicker locks in the Dis-Arm Her, Flair is up on the apron and he throws his jacket over Becky’s head to cause a distraction, Charlotte taking the opening by going to the eyes, hitting another spear and picking up the win.
Winner and STILL WWE Divas Champion: Charlotte (Spear)

• After The Bell: The champion’s not done with Becky, reigning down right hands to further embarass Lynch. Sasha Banksmakes her way out and walks to the ring. She appears as if she will lay out Charlotte, but instead smashes Becky, knocking her out of the ring. The Boss & the champion exchange words, then shake hands a la the BFFs. As Charlotte takes her leave, Sasha attacks her from behind with the Bank Statement, leaving the champion laying and holding the title in the air.
• EA’s Take: Excellent showing from both ladies here, the crowd really wanted to see Becky take the title tonight. Great move to not go that route and keep the heat on Charlotte, it was a perfect way for Sasha to return as well, instantly inserting herself in the title picture. I think I can speak for the majority of the fans when I say…it’s about damn time. Sasha doesn’t need to be on the backburner and quite frankly, never should have been.

Match #5 – Royal Rumble for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

• Entry #1 is WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns. Entry #2 is Rusev. The final 2 from last year kis this year off, the bell rings and they unload on one another with right hands, the champion gaining the advantage, Rusev reverses a whip to the ropes for a back body drop and eats a kick. Roman charges into a back elbow, The Bulgarian Brute looking for a clothesline and gets elevated for a samoan drop. Rusev rakes the eyes to escape, hits the ropes and scores with a spinning heel kick, then looks to dump the champion to the outside. The Big Dog battles out of it, fires away with headbutts, Rusev grabs him and flings him through the ropes to the outside. The Bulgarian Brute looks stunned, thinking Roman went over the top, the champion surprises him with the Drive-By, rolls inside and connects with a Spear, tossing Rusev to the outside. Rusev has been eliminated.
• Entry #3 is ‘The Phenomenal One’ AJ Styles. AJ makes his WWE debut to a loud ovation, Reigns looks to eliminate him right off the bat, Styles slips away and attempts a Styles Clash. The Big Dog fights out of it, The Phenomenal One ducks a clothesline and hits a Pele Kick, trying to the Styles Clash again, Reigns countering into a samoan drop as the countdown begins…
• Entry #4 is Tyler Breeze. Prince Pretty slides in and avoids a right hand from the champion, delivers a forearm to AJ and turns to an enzuigiri for Reigns. Tyler lays Styles out with the Beauty Shot, then sets his sights on tossing Roman. AJ intervenes with a flurry of strikes to The King Of Cuteville, props Breeze on his shoulders to throw him out, The Big Dog connects with a heavy right hand and Tyler falls to the floor. Tyler Breeze has been eliminated.
• Entry #5 is Curtis Axel. Axel comes out with the rest of the Social Outcasts at ringside, Curtis goes right after Roman and pounds him into the mat. He tries to drive Styles into the top turnbuckle, AJ blocks, shoots Axel in for a back body drop and Curtis counters with a running knee. The champion steps in with fists, powers Axel on his shoulders to dump him out, Slater gets involved from the apron and meets a right hand for his troubles. Rose is up now and Styles drops him, followed by Bo who’s taken care of by The Big Dog, The Phenomenal One with a clothesline that rids the ring of Axel. Curtis Axel has been eliminated.
• Entry #6 is Chris Jericho. Y2J steps in and all 3 guys stare each other down, Jericho attacks the champion, then turns his attention to Styles for a back elbow out of the ropes. Roman fires back, sends Y2J into the corner, charges in and misses, hitting the ring post shoulder-first. AJ looks to pummel Jericho with kicks, Jericho fires back, hits the ropes and runs into a Styles forearm. He sets for the Styles Clash, Jericho counters out and attempts the Walls Of Jericho, Reigns breaking it up as our next entrant is out…
• Entry #7 is Kane. The Devil’s Favorite Demon slides in and delivers right hands, The Phenomenal One battles back, hits the ropes and runs into a big boot. Kane really asserting himself, planting Reigns with a sidewalk slam and teeing off on everybody, Styles hanging on and avoiding elimination as the clock ticks down…
• Entry #8 is Goldust. The Bizarre One enters the match and fires away at Kane, The Devil’s Favorite Demon reversing a whip to the ropes for a back body drop, Goldust has it scouted and delivers a stiff right hand. He plants Kane with a bulldog, reigns down more fists, Styles intervening with a kick, then getting caught in a snap suplex by Y2J. Goldust charges Jericho in the corner and meets a boot to the chin, Y2J comes off the 2nd rope and delivers a double axe as the clock hits zero…
• Entry #9 is Ryback. The Big Guy hits the ring like a house of fire, takin down everyone with forearms, running corner knees and a spinebuster to Kane. The Bizarre One & Jericho with a brief alliance to try and get rid of Ryback, but he hangs on as the countdown begins…
• Entry #10 is WWE Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston. Kofi is flanked by Big E & Xavier Woods at ringside. Kingston with strikes to anyone within range, Ryback sends Styles into the ropes and elevates him with a high back body drop. Jericho looks to toss The Phenomenal One, AJ hangs on and springboards back inside with a forearm shiver as the clock returns…
• Entry #11 is Titus O’Neil. Titus with a tackle for Kofi, Goldust falls to a big boot and Y2J is thrown like a rag doll after a backbreaker. Styles flies in off the top rope, O’Neil catches him in the air and gives him the same fate as Jericho, squashes The Bizarre One in the corner, then does the same to Kane. Goldust charges Titus near the ropes and gets flipped to the apron, O’Neil with a clothesline and Goldust drops. Goldust has been eliminated.
• Entry #12 is R-Truth. Truth runs to the ring apron and pulls out a ladder, slides it in the ring and starts to climb up. He goes to grab a title and of course there’s nothing there, Truth thinking this is a ladder match. The Devil’s Favorite Demon knocks him down, pushes him over the top and tosses the ladder as well. R-Truth has been eliminated.Kofi tries to ambush Kane and gets knocked to the apron, The Big Red Machine with a right hand to knock Kingston down, but Big E is there to catch his partner on his shoulders. They run around ringside in celebration, Kingston taking a haul off someone’s refreshment at ringside when the clock begins…
• Entry #13 is Luke Harper. Harper with a right hand on Ryback who’s hanging through the ropes, he steps in and goes right for Kane, beating him down in the corner. The League Of Nations minus King Barrett, along with Mr. McMahon are out at ringside, they drag Roman out to the floor and put a number on him. They drive the champion into the steel steps multiple times as the action continues in the ring, Kofi finally getting to the apronn and Y2J knocks him to the floor with a springboard dropkick. Kofi Kingston has been eliminated. Back outside, The Bulgarian Brute connecting with a superkick to Roman, then Del Rio with one of his own. The Celtic Warrior lays Reigns out with a Brogue Kick as the next entrant is out…
• Entry #14 is Stardust. The thrashing continues on the outside, The League Of Nations clearing the announce tables and placing the champion on one. Rusev runs from one table to the other, splashing Roman through the table, then hugging Mr. McMahon in celebration before exiting. Roman is left laying at ringside, EMTs bring the stretcher out to tend to the champion as the countdown begins…
• Entry #15 is Big Show. The World’s Largest Athlete is met by Stardust on the apron, pushes him away and serves a plate of chops to him and Jericho. Titus is caught by the neck, Show pushes him towards the ropes and over the top. Titus O’Neil has been eliminated. Reigns is walked to the back as Big Show notices Ryback on the apron, hits him with a WMD and ends The Big Guy’s evening. Ryback has been eliminated. Harper hits the ropes and gets flattened by a Big Show shoulder, The Giant turning his attention to Styles as the buzzer sounds…
• Entry #16 is Neville. The Man That Gravity Forgot enters his first Rumble, climbing to the top and scoring with a missile dropkick to Harper. He connects with a flurry of kicks on Stardust, Harper tries to toss him over from behind, Neville landing on the apron and springboarding in with a headscissors takedown. More loud “AJ Styles” chants as the clock ticks down…
• Entry #17 is Braun Strowman. The Black Sheep asserts himself quickly, hammering everyone in his path until getting caught by the throat courtesy of Kane. Braun uses his power to break Kane’s grip, grabs him by the back of the neck and sends The Devil’s Favorite Demon on his way. Kane has been eliminated. Strowman comes face to face with Big Show, they trade haymakers, Show wants to Chokeslam The Black Sheep, but his grip is broken. Braun locks in his top sleeper, puts The Giant out and then dumps him over the top. Big Show has been eliminated…
• Entry #18 is Kevin Owens. The Prize Fighter is a little worse for wear after the last man standing match earlier, hobbling to the ring and going right after Styles. AJ comes back with an enzuigiri, Neville from behind trying to eliminate The Phenomenal One, but Styles hangs onto the apron. He drives a shoulder to Neville’s midsection, sunset flips in and rolls through into the Styles Clash, Owens breaking it up with a superkick and tossing AJ to the outside. AJ Styles has been eliminated. The crowd chants loudly for AJ as he walks to the back, our next man making his way out…
• Entry #19 is WWE Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose. Owens sets his sights on Ambrose, attempts to cut him off coming in the ring, The Lunatic Fringe firing off right hands and pounds The Prize Fighter into the canvas. Things slow right back down and here comes the timer…
• Entry #20 is Sami Zayn. Owens looks stunned as his former NXT rival and best friend puts him in his crosshairs. Zayn & Owens unload on one another with fists, Sami gets the better of it and hammers The Prize Fighter in the corner. Zayn turns to the crowd and it costs him, Owens rushing out of the corner with a forearm to the back of the head. He looks to toss his former friend to the outside, Sami switches the momentum and Owens hits the floor. Kevin Owens has been eliminated…
• Entry #21 is Erick Rowan. The Wyatt Family has a distinct numbers advantage, Rowan planting Y2J with a suplex, then splits Neville with a pumphandle backbreaker and tosses him over the top. The Man That Gravity Forgot is able to hang onto the apron, pulls himself up and is met with a Discus Clothesline from Harper, then spills to the floor. Neville has been eliminated. Rowan picks Stardust up for a suplex, The Cosmic One slips out and lands on his feet on the apron, Harper again takes advantage, dropping him with a superkick. Stardust has been eliminated.Strowman puts Y2J in his top sleeper hold, putting him to rest as the countdown begins…
• Entry #22 is ‘The World’s Strongest Man’ Mark Henry. The WSM takes the fight to The Wyatts, but it doesn’t last as Braun lifts Henry up and slams him to the mat, all 3 members teaming up to dump The WSM to the outside. Mark Henry has been eliminated. The Wyatts are in total control now, easily beating down Zayn and hurling him over the top. Sami Zayn has been eliminated…
• Entry #23 is Brock Lesnar. The Beast slides in and tosses Rowan with a german suplex, then an overhead belly to belly for Harper. Braun ambushes him, shoots Lesnar into the corner, Brock battling back and he takes the big man off his feet with a clothesline, then one for Rowan that sends him to the floor. Erick Rowan has been eliminated.The Conqueror dishes out another german suplex, this time to Harper, hooks Strowman for one and Braun powers his way out with elbows in the corner. The Black Sheep charges in, Brock side-steps, Strowman meets the steel post shoulder-first and gets layed out by another Lesnar clothesline as the timer starts…
• Entry #24 is Jack Swagger. The Real American charges into the ring which was a mistake, getting caught in an F5 and immediately thrown out by Brock. Jack Swagger has been eliminated. The Beast really showing his dominance now, tosses Ambrose & Harper with snap suplexes, hits the ropes for momentum and drives knees to the back of Braun as the next entrant is out…
• Entry #25 is The Miz. The A-Lister has a lot of words for Brock as he makes his way out, walks around ringside and grabs a headset at the announce table. Harper gets caught in an overhead belly to belly, Miz speaking about choosing the perfect opportunity to enter the ring and now isn’t it. The Conqueror continues to have his way with everybody in the ring, taking anybody in sight to Suplex City, then clotheslining Harper over the top. Luke Harper has been eliminated…
• Entry #26 is Alberto Del Rio. Alberto tries to get himself some of Lesnar, Ambrose joins in and they get tossed away. The Beast with another suplex to Del Rio, staggers Strowman with multiple clotheslines, then hits the ropes for a final one and Braun falls to the outside. Braun Strowman has been eliminated…
• Entry #27 is Bray Wyatt. The Eater Of Worlds walks up to the ring, raises his hands and the rest of The Wyatts re-enter the ring for a 4 on 1 assault on The Beast. Lesnar battles back and sends them back to the outside, turns and stares down Bray, ducks a right hand and delivers a german. He elevates Wyatt for an F5, Harper comes back in and thwarts it with a superkick, The New Face Of Fear following with Sister Abigail on Lesnar, then orders The Wyatts to dump Brock over the top. Brock Lesnar has been eliminated…
• Entry #28 is Dolph Ziggler. The Show Off hits the ring and splashes Jericho, tries to follow with a neckbreaker, Y2J slips out and turns into a Fameasser. Alberto gets spiked by a jumping DDT, Dolph with a superkick to Ambrose, Miz finally jumping in the ring to toss Ziggler out. Dolph hangs onto the apron, slides back inside for a kick, Miz ducks it and plants him with a Skull Crushing Finale…
• Entry #29 is Sheamus. The Celtic Warrior is attacked in the aisle, as Roman Reigns comes back out from nowhere with a Superman Punch. He slides back into the match and instantly tosses Miz away, ducks a Del Rio clothesline and hits a samoan drop before ending his night as well. The Miz has been eliminated. Alberto Del Rio has been eliminated. Dolph tries to eliminate Roman from behind, gets pushed away, charges at the champion and eats a Superman Punch for his troubles. Reigns with a t-bone suplex to Bray, drops him with a Superman Punch and calls for a Spear as the final entrant comes out…

Entry #30 is Triple H. The champion looks stunned as the WWE COO heads to the ring, Hunter keeping his eyes trained on Roman and they exchange words. Ziggler goes for HHH and gets a Pedigree for getting involved, Bray looks to behead Roman, Reigns ducking it and connecting with a Spear. The Game & Roman circle each other, finally meeting in the middle of the ring to trade fists. Triple H scores with a facebuster, hooks The Big Dog for a Pedigree, Reigns powering out for a samoan drop. Sheamus comes to and stops it as Ambrose looks to toss out The Game, The Celtic Warrior turns and delivers a Brogue Kick to Dean.

Bray is up for a one-arm slam on Sheamus, Y2J to his feet with a bulldog, then hits Wyatt with the Lionsault. Jericho with a springboard dropkick to Reigns on the apron, the champion is able to hang on, Dolph coming from behind and driving Jericho to the mat with a Zig Zag. He hits The Game with a superkick, Hunter is able to stay on the apron, steps into the ring and Ziggler plants him with the Fameasser. He charges the COO, Hunter side-steps and helps send Dolph over the top. Dolph Ziggler has been eliminated.

The Game turns and is face to face with Bray, he convinces The New Face Of Fear to go after Roman, but Wyatt changes his mind and decks HHH instead. The Eater Of Worlds squashes Triple H in the corner, looks to follow with Sister Abigail, The Game counters out for a Pedigree, Bray countering back for Sister Abigail again. Sheamus breaks it up with a Brogue Kick to Wyatt, powers him up and dumps Bray over with help from Hunter. Bray Wyatt has been eliminated. The Game & Sheamus are near the ropes, Reigns tries to flip them out, but both hang on and Jericho drops the champion with an enzuigiri.

Ambrose sends Y2J to the apron from behind, The Celtic Warrior elevates Dean up, The Lunatic Fringe slipping out and hitting a neckbreaker. Jericho comes off the top with a crossbody to Ambrose, Triple H wants to Pedigree Y2J, Jericho countering out for the Walls Of Jericho. The Game slips out of it, Jericho comes right back with a Codebreaker, Dean grabbing Y2J from behind and sending him to the floor. Chris Jericho has been eliminated. We’re down to 4 now, the champion connecting with a Superman Punch to The Game as Sheamyus & Ambrose battle in the corner.

Dean with rights and chops, hits the ropes for a running dropkick, goes back to the well and runs into a Brogue Kick. Dean grabs The Celtic Warrior by the tights, pulls him to the ropes and Sheamus falls to the apron, Reigns popping up with a Superman Punch and Sheamus falls. Sheamus has been eliminated. The Game immediately takes advantage, grabbing the champion from behind and ending his night. Roman Reigns has been eliminated. We are guaranteed a new champion as Ambrose & Triple H are the last two remaining, The Lunatic Fringe with a burst of adrenaline, unloading on the COO with rights and chops.

The Game fights back with a right hand, Dean rebounds off the ropes and connects with the Lunatic Lariat. He charges Hunter near the ropes and runs into a kick to the midsection, HHH sets for a Pedigree, Ambrose avoiding it and tossing Triple H to the apron. Dean hits the ropes for momentum, The Game gets a knee up, flips The Lunatic Fringe over the top and we have a new champion.
Winner and NEW WWE World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H

• After The Bell: Stephanie McMahon & Mr. McMahon hit the ring to celebrate, fireworks going off around the WrestleMania sign, then from the stage as the show comes to a close.
• EA’s Take: Although the outcome was very predictable, overall I enjoyed this Royal Rumble and in my eyes, it’s one of the better ones we’ve had in a few years now. Triple H was such an obvious choice to come out as the champion and enter #30, so much so that all but one person in our Royal Rumble pool had him entering there and winning. With the amount of injuries on the roster right now, would the time have been right to throw a curveball and have Ambrose or perhaps someone else win? I say no, not heading into what was supposed to be the biggest WrestleMania of all-time. As for some of the other players involved, I thought it was great to have Sami Zayn be a surprise entrant and finally get revenge on Kevin Owens from almost a year ago. Ambrose kind of got something similar by tossing out Jericho after they bumped shoulders at Night Of Champions last year following their loss to The Wyatts. My big gripe from this match is the booking of Lesnar. I’m cool with the way it went down and I have no issue with that, however I find it absurd that after Lesnar gets screwed he is just simply going to walk away like he did looking defeated. If anything, Brock should have gone back in the ring and decimated everyone before leaving.

EA’s Finisher: For me this event didn’t live up to the billing in terms of the in-ring product or ‘wrestling’ aspect, but sometimes it’s not about that, especially this time of year. Owens/Ambrose was a barn-burner, other than that there wasn’t much in-ring action to write home about. To me this PPV is all about the surprises and beginning the story of the Road To WrestleMania, which got accomplished. Sasha Banks finally made her return and inserted herself into the Divas Title picture (where she clearly belongs), AJ Styles made his long-awaited WWE debut (filling a hole left by injuries to the roster), Brock appears to have an opponent finally lined-up (whether it’s Braun or Bray, who knows) and our main event match appears to be settled without actually being settled (Roman vs. HHH). The absence of Daniel Bryan helped the Rumble match in my opinion and this year the boo-birds were gone, thankfully.

Top Three To Watch
1 – Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens
2 – Royal Rumble
3 – Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto

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