WWE Royal Rumble
January 29, 2022
The Dome at America's Center
St. Louis, MO
*Liv Morgan Won the Women's Royal Rumble
The Women's Royal Rumble would kick things off this year, and for the first time in its history it would feature 40 participants, ranging both from current stars, to old time legends, to several NXT stars as well. The odds on favorite going in was Bianca Belair, who had won the Rumble the year before and was looking to get back to Wrestlemania to challenge "Big Time" Becky Lynch for the title that Lynch had taken from her at Summerslam. She had an impressive run, even single handedly eliminating former Divas champion Kharma from the match. However Lynch herself would be a surprise entrant, and though the EST eliminated Lynch from the match, the distraction would cause Bianca's own elimination as well. The other odds on favorite was Rhea Ripley, who would once again survive to the final two in her quest to regain Women's gold. Joining her would be Queen of the Ring winner Liv Morgan, who came in as a sentimental favorite following her close title victory at Day One. The two would survive other top contenders like Sasha Banks, Shayna Baszler and a returning Alexa Bliss, before fighting it out between themselves on the apron of the ring. Ripley nearly got Liv, getting her to barely hang on for dear life, but when Rhea went to big boot Liv off the apron, Liv ducked down, causing Rhea to lose her balance. Liv then hit a dropkick to send Ripley to the floor, picking up the win and punching her ticket to Wrestlemania.
*Ricochet & Braun Strowman d. The Usos by Disqualification [Usos Retain the WWE Tag Team Titles]
The Human Highlight Reel Ricochet had recently defeated both members of the Usos in Singles action, only to be attacked by the Tag Team Champions afterwards, leading to Ricochet being challenged to find a tag partner to take on the Bloodline. To the shock of everyone, a returning Braun Strowman would provide the support for Ricochet, running roughshod through the Usos and nearly taking the tag titles on his own. In the end, the Usos would get themselves intentionally disqualified by hitting Strowman with the title belts, but it would do little damage as the Monster Amongst Men merely chased the champions away. The challengers got the duke, but the Usos retained via their intentional DQ.
*Charlotte Flair d. Piper Niven by Submission to Retain the WWE Women's Championship
The lingering feud between Charlotte Flair and Piper Niven over the Women's Championship reached its final conclusion in this Submission Match for the title. Despite not being a submission specialist, Niven attempted to use her power and strength to lay out the Queen, attempting to literally choke the championship from her. Flair was ale to pull out a victory though, locking Niven in a Figure 8 and eventually getting the submission victory.
*Roman Reigns w/Paul Heyman d. Shinsuke Nakamura w/Rick Boogs by Pinfall to Retain the World Heavyweight Championship
Shinsuke Nakamura had won a Battle Royal on Smackdown to gain a shot at Roman Reigns' World Heavyweight Championship, something with a bit more intrigue based on the fact that Nakamura was another former "Paul Heyman guy" like Brock Lesnar (though Lesnar wouldn't get involved in this match, owing to his Royal Rumble appearance later in the night). Reigns and Nakamura had a fairly standard match, and the Japanese star nearly got a win with a Boma Ye out of nowhere. But Roman was able to get his feet on the rope to break up the pinfall. In the end, Roman hit two successive Spears to finish off the former King of the Ring, retaining his title in a fairly standard match.
*Gable Steveson d. Sami Zayn by Countout
Between World Title matches, Gable Steveson was introduced at ringside as one of the newest signees into WWE's developmental system in NXT. He was confronted at ringside by Sami Zayn, who had failed to qualify for the Royal Rumble match and was out complaining about a conspiracy against him. Zayn challenged Steveson to a match right then and there, and Steveson accepted. He tossed Zayn across the ring a couple of times, embarrasing the former WWE Champion and causing Sami to abandon the match, giving Steveson his first technical WWE victory via Countout in the impromptu match.
*Edge d. Big E by Pinfall to Win the WWE Championship
Similar to Nakamura on Smackdown, the leader of the Judgment Day had won a one night tournament on Raw to become #1 contender to Big E's WWE Title. The Judgment Day and the New Day had then engaged in a series of matches leading into the title contest, with Big E nursing bad ribs as a result of an attack from Damian Priest. However Adam Pearce had ordered all men to stay away from ringside, leading to a standard match. After the referee took a bump though, it didn't stop Dexter Lumis from coming to ringside with a steel chair to help his stable leader. Lumis hit Big E with a steel chair, breaking up a pinfall after the champion hit the Judgment Day leader with a Jackhammer. This brought out Kofi Kingston, who defended Big E only to be taken out by Lumis and Edge. Xavier Woods then came to the aide of both his stable mates, bringing his own steel chair to the ring. Woods cleared out Edge and Lumis as Kingston lay on the ground, but then shocked everyone when he drilled Big E across the head with the chair as the champion got to his feet. An emotionless Woods then tossed the chair down and left through the crowd, as Edge scrambled over and Lumis revived the referee. Edge got the pin and finally regained a World Championship, as the stunned crowd was left wondering what had possessed Woods to end the New Day out of the blue.
*Randy Orton & Kevin Owens Are Declared Co-Winners of the Men's Royal Rumble
The Men's Royal Rumble match (also with 40 entrants, but for the 2nd time in its existence) had no shortage of surprises and entries in it. Legends like Jeff Jarrett and Ken Shamrock made their returns for brief cameos, while major names like AJ Styles were eliminated by Logan Paul. Shane McMahon made an appearance in the match, only to be unceremoniously dumped by Bobby Lashley. Bray Wyatt appeared early on, but would be taken out by the official debut of the entity known only as 'Uncle Howdy', who eliminated himself in the process. Brock Lesnar came in as the overwhelming favorite, as he sought the only way open to him to challenge Roman Reigns in the future. However Lesnar would be eliminated by hometown favorite Randy Orton, who was seeking his 2nd Rumble win in St. Louis. Orton would last all the way to the end, only to be joined by a returning Kevin Owens. Owens had been injured (in reality he had just resigned a few weeks earlier) and had gotten the advantage through luck of the draw of being the final man to enter the match. Owens and Orton fought between themselves, going back and forth for five minutes before Orton seemed to get a head of steam. He attempted to clothesline Owens over the top rope, but both men toppled over the top and landed on the floor at the same time. After some confusion, both Owens and Orton were declared the "co-winners" of the Royal Rumble by Adam Pearce, with both men simply staring at each other for the possible ramifications of Wrestlemania 38 to close the show.
Women's Royal Rumble Order
1. Shotzi Blackheart
2. Asuka
3. The Divine Miss Toni Storm
4. Natalya
5. Isla Dawn
- The Divine Miss Toni Storm Eliminated #1 by Asuka
6. Victoria
7. Nikki Cross
- Isla Dawn Eliminated #2 by Natalya
8. Tamina Snuka
9. Katana Chance
10. Dakota Kai
11. Kharma
- Shotzi Blackheart Eliminated #3 by Kharma
- Katana Chance Eliminated #4 by Kharma
12. Chelsea Green
- Chelsea Green Eliminated #5 by Kharma
13. Trish Stratus
14. Jacy Jayne
- Victoria Eliminated #6 by Asuka
15. Alba Fyre
- Trish Stratus Eliminated #7 by Kharma
16. Bianca Belair
- Kharma Eliminated #8 by Bianca Belair
17. Xia Li
18. Michelle McCool
- Tamina Snuka Eliminated #9 by Alba Fyre
19. Gigi Dolan
- Jacy Jayne Eliminated #10 by Bianca Belair
- Gigi Dolan Eliminated #11 by Bianca Belair
20. Carmella
- Natalya Eliminated #12 by Asuka
21. Becky Lynch
- Becky Lynch Eliminated #13 by Bianca Belair
- Bianca Belair Eliminated #14 by Carmella
22. Blair Davenport
23. Naomi
24. Sonya DeVille
- Dakota Kai Eliminated #15 by Naomi
25. Raquel Rodriguez
26. Rhea Ripley
- Blair Davenport Eliminated #16 by Rhea Ripley
- Michelle McCool Eliminated #17 by Rhea Ripley
27. Mandy Rose
28. Kayden Carter
- Alba Fyre Eliminated #18 by Naomi
29. Mickie James
30. Liv Morgan
- Xia Li Eliminated #19 by Liv Morgan
31. Molly Holly
- Asuka Eliminated #20 by Rhea Ripley
- Nikki Cross Eliminated #21 by Raquel Rodriguez
32. Mia Yim
33. Maryse
- Kayden Carter Eliminated #22 by Liv Morgan
34. Lita
35. Sasha Banks
- Maryse Eliminated #23 by Mia Yim
- Sonya Deville Eliminated #24 by Mandy Rose
- Mandy Rose Eliminated #25 by Rhea Ripley
36. Indi Hartwell
- Carmella Eliminated #26 by Sasha Banks
37. Zelina Vega
- Naomi Eliminated #27 by Rhea Ripley
38. Shayna Baszler
- Indi Hartwell Eliminated #28 by Shayna Baszler
39. Io Shirai
- Molly Holly Eliminated #29 by Io Shirai
- Raquel Rodriguez Eliminated #30 by Sasha Banks
40. Alexa Bliss
- Zelina Vega Eliminated #31 by Lita
- Mia Yim Eliminated #32 by Alexa Bliss
- Mickie James Eliminated #33 by Shayna Baszler
- Io Shirai Eliminated #34 by Rhea Ripley
- Lita Eliminated #35 by Sasha Banks
- Sasha Banks Eliminated #36 by Alexa Bliss
- Alexa Bliss Eliminated #37 by Rhea Ripley
- Shayna Baszler Eliminated #38 by Liv Morgan
- Rhea Ripley Eliminated #39 by Liv Morgan
Winner: Liv Morgan
Men's Royal Rumble Order
1. Tomasso Ciampa
2. Johnny Gargano
3. Jinder Mahal
4. Apollo Crews
5. Otis
- Jinder Mahal Eliminated #1 by Otis
6. Ilya Dragunov
- Otis Eliminated #2 by Johnny Gargano
7. Angelo Dawkins
8. Bray Wyatt
- Apollo Crews Eliminated #3 by Bray Wyatt
- Ilya Dragunov Eliminated #4 by Bray Wyatt
9. The Miz
10. Shelton Benjamin
11. Uncle Howdy
- Bray Wyatt Eliminated #5 by Uncle Howdy
- Uncle Howdy Eliminated #6 by Himself
12. Zach Gibson
13. Dominik Mysterio
- Angelo Dawkins Eliminated #7 by The Miz
14. Rick Boogs
15. Omos
- Zach Gibson Eliminated #8 by Omos
16. Sheamus
- Shelton Benjamin Eliminated #9 by Omos
17. Montez Ford
- Omos Eliminated #10 by Tomasso Ciampa
18. Rey Mysterio
19. Von Breakker
- Johnny Gargano Eliminated #11 by Sheamus
20. Jeff Jarrett
21. James Drake
- Dominik Mysterio Eliminated #12 by Rick Boogs
- Rick Boogs Eliminated #13 by The Miz
- The Miz Eliminated #14 by Jeff Jarrett
22. Maniac Moss
- James Drake Eliminated #15 by Montez Ford
23. Lucky Corbin
- Jeff Jarrett Eliminated #16 by Lucky Corbin
24. Cesaro
25. Finn Balor
- Von Breakker Eliminated #17 by Finn Balor
26. AJ Styles
- Montez Ford Eliminated #18 by AJ Styles
27. Dolph Ziggler
28. Ken Shamrock
- Tomasso Ciampa Eliminated #19 by Sheamus
29. Shane McMahon
30. Logan Paul
- Ken Shamrock Eliminated #20 by Logan Paul
31. Damian Priest
32. Randy Orton
- Finn Balor Eliminated #21 by Randy Orton
- Sheamus Eliminated #22 by Randy Orton
33. Matt Riddle
34. Brock Lesnar
- Matt Riddle Eliminated #23 by Brock Lesnar
35. Bobby Lashley
- Cesaro Eliminated #24 by Brock Lesnar
- Maniac Moss Eliminated #25 by Brock Lesnar
- Brock Lesnar Eliminated #26 by Randy Orton
36. Chad Gable
- Rey Mysterio Eliminated #27 by Bobby Lashley
37. Wade Barrett
- Damian Priest Eliminated #28 by AJ Styles
- AJ Styles Eliminated #29 by Logan Paul
38. Bron Breakker
39. Seth Rollins
- Logan Paul Eliminated #30 by Seth Rollins
40. Kevin Owens
- Chad Gable Eliminated #31 by Kevin Owens
- Wade Barrett Eliminated #32 by Kevin Owens
- Shane McMahon Eliminated #33 by Bobby Lashley
- Bron Breakker Eliminated #34 by Lucky Corbin
- Lucky Corbin Eliminated #35 by Bobby Lashley
- Bobby Lashley Eliminated #36 by Kevin Owens
- Dolph Ziggler Eliminated #37 by Randy Orton
- Seth Rollins Eliminated #38 by Kevin Owens
- Kevin Owens & Randy Orton Eliminated Each Other Simultaneously
Winners: Kevin Owens & Randy Orton