Tag: WWE ROYAL RUMBLE

Will Brock Lesnar ever wrestle in WWE again?

Given his potential involvement in the latest Vince McMahon sex trafficking allegations, Brock Lesnar might be gone from WWE for good.

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Prior to last week, it would have been surprising for Brock Lesnar not to appear either at Royal Rumble or somewhere leading up to WrestleMania. Now it wouldn’t be shocking if the 10-time world champion never competes in a WWE ring again.

The big thing that changed since last week at this time was the release of the bombshell Vince McMahon sex trafficking lawsuit. Among the many disturbing allegations contained within was the idea that Vince McMahon used the possibility of sex with the plaintiff, a former WWE employee named Janel Grant, as an enticement for a former UFC heavyweight champion to re-sign with the company.

Though Lesnar wasn’t named explicitly in the lawsuit, The Wall Street Journal, which broke the news as it has throughout McMahon’s sexual abuse NDA scandals since the summer of 2022, confirmed with sources that he was the talent in question.

Depending on the time of year, that might not have been an issue since Lesnar hasn’t been around WWE since last August, when he lost to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam. But that wasn’t the case with the lawsuit coming the week of Royal Rumble, in which he was reportedly set to participate.

Fightful Select (subscription required) confirmed earlier reports in multiple outlets that Lesnar was going to be part of the Men’s Royal Rumble until his name being brought up in the Grant lawsuit forced WWE to change its plans. His travel to Tampa was canceled, and his spot in the Rumble was essentially given over to Bron Breakker.

But that’s not all, as Lesnar’s removal had a ripple effect on the next WWE premium live event as well.

Wrestling Observer reported that Bron Breakker was effectively given Brock Lesnar’s spot, and eliminations, which Fightful has since learned was accurate. This surprised many, as Dominik Mysterio ended up eliminating Breakker, however POST Wrestling also accurately reported that Lesnar was scheduled to face Dominik at WWE Elimination Chamber.

It might not stop with Elimination Chamber next month. While Lesnar wasn’t confirmed to be on the WrestleMania 40 card in Philadelphia, WWE usually tries to ensure he has a match on its biggest show, and Fightful added that ” Lesnar was discussed as a potential opponent for Gunther at WrestleMania.”

It’s important to recognize that at the moment, Grant’s allegations are just that. That said, WWE will likely not want to use Lesnar until such time that he might be cleared of wrongdoing — and that’s only if he is.

Also per Fightful:

One WWE source said that it could be a long time before we see Lesnar again, unless something drastic changes.

Looking beyond that makes one wonder whether Lesnar will ever step foot inside a WWE ring again. He’ll turn 47 this summer, and while he’s a unique physical specimen who clearly keeps himself in top notch shape, he’s also never appeared all that deeply in love with the pro wrestling business. It wouldn’t be shocking if he simply decides it’s not worth the hassle and never returns.

If that turns out to be the case, the last memory WWE fans will have of the Beast Incarnate will be one of him paying an unscripted moment of respect to Rhodes after their SummerSlam match. That’s a high note to go out on as a wrestler, though any good will from it will be understandably washed away if he’s found to have been a willing participant in Grant’s alleged abuse.

WWE Royal Rumble 2024: Why Cody Rhodes winning was the correct decision

WWE could have gone several other directions with the 2024 Royal Rumble, but the choice it made was wise.

WWE has spent the better of the last two years showcasing Cody Rhodes as a major star. 

Rhodes is heavily featured on the company’s flagship television show, he is front and center on a variety of the company’s promotional materials, including its video game, and is among the first people called upon to represent the company outside of the ring. 

To his credit, Rhodes has answered the bell. He is everything WWE could possibly want in a top star. He looks the part. He acts the part. He is the part.

Which makes it no surprise that WWE turned to Rhodes to win the men’s Royal Rumble for the second year in a row, making him the first to do so since 1998.

I personally maintain that Rhodes did not have to win the Royal Rumble to finish his story at WrestleMania, but WWE chose the path of least resistance, giving Rhodes a direct path to the main event of the biggest show of the year.

I believe the decision was a wise one, as although WWE was well within its right to drag this out to Elimination Chamber, the company also ran the risk of alienating its audience in the process. Just one report, which was later retracted, about Rhodes not headlining WrestleMania sent wrestling fans into hysterics.

One fan wrote an extensive message to WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque on X, pleading for him to give Rhodes a chance to finish his story.

Imagine if WWE dragged this out for another month or so? I’m not sure if wrestling fans could handle another instance of the “Yes! Movement” or “KofiMania.” Granted, those moments occurred under a previous creative regime, which probably would have had Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson enter the Rumble at No. 30, swiftly toss a bunch of people over the top rope, and win the match to a chorus of boos.

Fortunately, it looks like WWE isn’t nearly as tone deaf, showing a level of restraint that has not been in abundance in WWE’s recent past.

WWE’s decision to have Rhodes win the Rumble was not just a reward to the American Nightmare for all of the work he has put in over the last two years, it is also one for the fans who have been watching its product week in and week out.

It would have been a very Vince McMahon decision to have fans invest in someone for months at a time, only to shove that person to the side this time of the year for someone like The Rock.

Instead, all of the time WWE and its fans have invested for the better part of the last two years feels like it was actually worth it.

Other quick notes from the Royal Rumble …

Jade Cargill has an impressive debut

As many predicted, Jade Cargill made her long-awaited WWE in-ring debut at the Royal Rumble and boy, what a debut it was.

Her incredible look combined with her immeasurable amounts of rizz helped her fit right in with the rest of WWE’s talented and deep roster of women. 

But then WWE put the icing on the cake by having Cargill pick up Nia Jax and eliminate the former Raw Women’s Champion all by herself. Earlier in the match, Jax was able to fight off every other participant involved. But that all stopped when Cargill came to the ring, making the latter look like a very credible threat in the process.

We also got a quick staredown between Cargill and Bianca Belair, which feels like a license to print money in general, especially among Black women. 

If the Royal Rumble was any indication, Cargill’s future with WWE is very bright.

Are more TNA wrestlers on the way to WWE?

TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace was an entrant in the Royal Rumble Saturday night, and while she is not the first TNA champion to appear in the women’s Royal Rumble, it certainly feels that way.

The first TNA champion to appear in the Rumble was of course Mickie James, but James has an extensive history with WWE and will one day be inducted into the company’s Hall of Fame. Grace, however, has none of those credentials on her resume just yet, which makes her appearance Saturday feel like an even bigger deal.

And according to Grace, there may be more TNA stars on the way.

Nothing has been officially announced, but this falls in line with recent reports that WWE has been opening the lines of communication between itself and other wrestling promotions.

This is a wild development considering as under McMahon, WWE rarely forged relationships with other promotions. And even when it did, it was more on a one-off basis. 

Under new management, however, WWE seems to be heading in a direction that opens the door to even more collaboration between WWE and other promotions, which I believe is good for the business, provided that WWE doesn’t try to buy up all of its competition again.

But back to Grace … she put forth a tremendous showing, and I think created a couple of new TNA fans in the process.

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Royal Rumble winners list: Every wrestler to win a WWE Royal Rumble

Check out a full list of WWE Royal Rumble winners over the years, plus fun stats on entry number, most eliminations and more.

There’s nothing in pro wrestling quite like the Royal Rumble. While there have been and always will be other battle royals, WWE has distilled the over-the-top extravaganza into something that has withstood the test of time.

Since 1988, the promotion has had at least one Royal Rumble a year, with one for men and women held annually since 2018. Not only have fans fallen in love with the core concept, to the point that they enthusiastically count down from 10 each time a new wrestler enters the fray, they’ve also come to expect legends and surprises — which WWE generally delivers.

Another great aspect that has become part of the Royal Rumble’s DNA over time is the prize: an opportunity to challenge for a world championship at WrestleMania, making the Rumble the official kickoff on the road to WWE’s biggest show of each calendar year.

Naturally, that means it’s quite an honor to win a Rumble match. Even with the event heading toward its 40th anniversary later this decade, the list of Royal Rumble winners is still a pretty exclusive club.

Let’s take a look at every Royal Rumble winner ever, year by year.

WWE Royal Rumble 2024: Best photos from St. Petersburg

Check out some of the best photos from WWE Royal Rumble 2024, held at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Another WWE Royal Rumble, another memorable night.

Along with Bayley and Cody Rhodes punching their tickets to championship matches at WrestleMania, Roman Reigns held onto one of those titles (which he’s held for more than 1,300 days) and Logan Paul defeated Kevin Owens in unexpected fashion.

Take a look back at everything that transpired on Jan. 27, 2024 at Tropicana Field.

Triple H says he did not read Vince McMahon lawsuit, chooses to ‘focus on positives’

Paul Levesque did field some Vince McMahon lawsuit questions after Royal Rumble but had little to say overall.

It took a bit during the post-Royal Rumble press conference for Paul “Triple H” Levesque to open things up to questions from the media. That’s not unusual, as he generally opens with some stats about the event that’s just ended and his impressions on what went down.

The difference on late Saturday night in Tampa is that this was the first time he was conducting a presser during a week in which Vince McMahon — his father-in-law, and until this week, executive chairman of TKO — was the subject of serious sex trafficking allegations in a new lawsuit.

Questions about Levesque’s knowledge of the events laid out in the lawsuit did come. But while he likely couldn’t comment on an ongoing legal matter anyway, his answers and non-answers were telling in their own way.

“I did not, I did not,” Levesque said when asked by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics if he had read the lawsuit. “I think Cody [Rhodes] mentioned it that we all found out real time when you were, and that’s the truth.”

A few questions earlier, he was also asked by Jon Alba of Fightful what he might have known about the events detailed in the lawsuit during the time he was trying to vote McMahon out of power, and how the allegations might affect WWE’s relationships with partners moving forward — a relevant question since Slim Jim briefly pulled its sponsorship of Royal Rumble before returning after McMahon resigned.

“I’m gonna do exactly what you would expect me to do here,” Levesque said, “Look, we just had an amazing week. And I just said, a 10-year, $5 billion Netflix deal. Rock joining our board. We just sold out the Royal Rumble, put 48,000 people into Tropicana Field. I choose to focus on the positives.”

Levesque did, at least, offer some hope that WWE would change to prevent people in positions in power from taking advantage of those reporting to them, though he didn’t offer specifics.

“I’ll give you the most generalized answer that I can: everything possible,” he said to Cameron Hawkins of The Ringer. “That is a very important thing to us, very important topic to us. It’s as simple as everything possible.”

Cody Rhodes also answered a question about the lawsuit earlier in the press conference, and echoed Levesque’s assertion that he found out about it when most of the world did while also stating that he felt TKO took the allegations seriously and acted immediately.

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WWE Royal Rumble 2024 results: Cody Rhodes goes back to back in Men’s Royal Rumble

Who won the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match? We’ve got results and details here.

Has there been a Men’s Royal Rumble in recent memory with more plausible candidates to win than this one?

CM Punk is the betting favorite. Cody Rhodes could definitely grab the victory in order to help finish his story at WrestleMania. Gunther seems to have his sights set on a world title too.

What about Drew McIntyre? Or could The Rock make his arrival? There are a lot of options for WWE, which promises to make this Rumble a memorable one.

We’ll update this post throughout the match with interesting tidbits as they happen, plus we’ll have a table at the bottom to capture the most important things: who entered when and who ended up eliminating them.

Men’s Royal Rumble talking points:

  • Jey Uso’s smile quickly left his face when he saw brother Jimmy announced at No. 2, the first time the two brothers have really been in the same ring for months
  • Grayson Waller tries to have an episode of The Grayson Waller during the match, but Jey blasts him off the apron before he can even get in the ring, which then turns into an alliance between Waller and Jimmy
  • Andrade made his WWE return, entering at No. 4
  • Santos Escobar is happy to see Andrade and tries to give him a hug, but that fondness is not reciprocated
  • After Bobby Lashley and Karrion Kross eliminate each other, they start brawling on the outside, and their fight quickly grows to include AOP and the Street Profits
  • Bron Breakker makes his first Rumble appearance, eliminating Jimmy Uso and Finn Balor shortly after entering
  • Pat McAfee looks as surprised as anyone when his music hits, and while he climbs in the ring, he quickly eliminates himself after finding himself faced with Omos and Breakker
  • When JD McDonagh is on his way to the ring, he gets destroyed by Breakker, who is angry over his own elimination
  • R-Truth throws McDonagh into the ring, where he’s quickly thrown back out, and then waits for a tag before he enters the fray
  • Seth Rollins is shown in a luxury box, as is Roman Reigns (not the same one), watching as we get to the final four: McIntyre, Gunther, Punk and Rhodes

Men’s Royal Rumble match entrances and eliminations:

Entry # Wrestler Order Eliminated by Time Eliminations
1 Jey Uso 23 Gunther 1
2 Jimmy Uso 12 Bron Breakker 0
3 Grayson Waller 1 Carmelo Hayes 0
4 Andrade 8 Bronson Reed 0
5 Carmelo Hayes 6 Finn Balor 1
6 Shinsuke Nakamura 9 Cody Rhodes 0
7 Santos Escobar 2 Carlito 0
8 Karrion Kross 4 Bobby Lashley 1
9 Dominik Mysterio 21 CM Punk 1
10 Carlito 3 Bobby Lashley 1
11 Bobby Lashley 5 Karrion Kross 2
12 Ludwig Kaiser 10 Kofi Kingston 0
13 Austin Theory 7 Cody Rhodes 0
14 Finn Balor 13 Bron Breakker 1
15 Cody Rhodes WINNER 4
16 Bronson Reed 14 Omos 1
17 Kofi Kingston 11 Gunther 1
18 Gunther 28 Cody Rhodes 3
19 Ivar 15 Bron Breakker 0
20 Bron Breakker 18 Dominik Mysterio 4
21 Omos 17 Bron Breakker 1
22 Pat McAfee 16 Himself 1
23 JD McDonagh 19 Jey Uso 0
24 R-Truth 20 Damian Priest 0
25 The Miz 22 Gunther 0
26 Damian Priest 25 Sami Zayn 1
27 CM Punk 29 Cody Rhodes 2
28 Ricochet 24 Drew McIntyre 0
29 Drew McIntyre 27 CM Punk 2
30 Sami Zayn 26 Drew McIntyre 1

 

WWE Royal Rumble 2024 results: Roman Reigns survives Fatal Four-Way, marches on to ‘Mania

Roman Reigns overcame the odds to remain Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at the 2024 Royal Rumble.

The three challengers look at each other instead of going after Roman Reigns right after the bell rings, but that only lasts for a second before they join forces to attack the Tribal Chief. LA Knight and AJ Styles quickly turn their attention to each other, with the fans lending some “yeah!” chants to their battle.

Reigns and Randy Orton are battling as well, though the Viper then turns on Knight and gets his head bounced off the announce table repeatedly for his troubles. It’s Knight who gets thrown onto the table, though it doesn’t break.

When the action returns to the ring, Orton shows off a vintage quick powerslam, but he then gets stomped into the corner by Knight. Reigns come to life with a big right hand on Knight, covering for a quick two.

Reigns gets the upper hand long enough to put Orton in peril, but it’s the Viper up first to insert himself into a fight between Knight and Styles. The Megastar takes both of the other challengers off opposite corners, then hits Reigns with Blunt Force Trauma only to have the pin broken up by Styles.

AJ hits a neckbreaker on Orton but takes a right hand from Reigns. The Styles Clash connects on Reigns, but this time Knight makes a diving save.

It’s Orton’s turn for trademark offense as he gives Knight the hanging DDT. RKOs come for everyone else in the match, including Reigns. It looks like the Tribal Chief is cooked, but Solo Sikoa is able to pull the referee out of the ring.

Sikoa nails Orton with a Samoan Spike, then does the same to Knight. Solo has Styles lined up for a hip attack on the outside, but AJ moves and sends the Enforcer hurtling through the timekeeper’s area.

Styles hits a confused Reigns with a Phenomenal Forearm, stacking Roman atop the other two, but that means there’s extra muscle for the inevitable kickout. The fans start a “this is awesome” chant in appreciation.

Realizing he can’t get disqualified, Styles gets a steel chair, using it on Reigns and Knight. He gets smacked in the face by Orton, however, who then gets speared by Roman. Knight runs through a flurry of offense on the champ before getting pushed into Styles. AJ then takes a spear from Reigns, who has beaten the odds and retained his title.

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Jade Cargill makes long-awaited WWE in-ring debut at Royal Rumble

The rumors were true: Jade Cargill turned heads with her appearance at WWE Royal Rumble.

In September, WWE officially announced the signing of Jade Cargill, securing her from AEW. This move marked her as one of the select few talents that WWE had acquired from Tony Khan’s company since its inception.

Despite making backstage appearances on Raw, SmackDown and NXT shortly after her signing last fall, Cargill has been gone from WWE television for quite some time. Her prolonged absence raised questions about when WWE would eventually debut her for the first time.

However, that long-awaited moment arrived on Saturday night during the Women’s Royal Rumble match when Cargill joined the fray as the 28th entrant.


Entering the match, Cargill faced off with Nia Jax, showcasing an impressive display of strength by lifting her up singlehandedly, much to the delight of the crowd. The 31-year-old repeated the feat, lifting Jax once more and eliminating her from the match.

A dream match tease then unfolded as Cargill and Bianca Belair met in the center of the ring, locking eyes and eliciting an even more enthusiastic response from the Tropicana Field crowd. She even contributed to Becky Lynch and the returning Naomi’s respective eliminations.

Cargill, Liv Morgan and Bayley were the final three women remaining as they dramatically battled along the ring apron in the match’s final moments. After going back and forth, Morgan eliminated Cargill from the match. Bayley then eliminated Morgan, winning the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble.

Although winning the Royal Rumble would have elevated her debut to greater heights, Cargill’s night unfolded as well as WWE could have anticipated. The crowd responded well to her entrance, cheered for her mid-match moments, and remained on the edge of their seats for the end.

Now, questions arise about which brand she joins and whether she will have a WrestleMania match. Stay tuned.

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WWE Royal Rumble 2024 results: Bayley wins Women’s Rumble w/ record time in ring

Who won the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match? We’ve got results and live updates here.

Can Bayley complete the next part of her master plan and win the Women’s Royal Rumble? Or will things within Damage CTRL disintegrate tonight at Tropicana Field?

Or, heck, why can’t it be both?

Only about a third of the field for this particular Royal Rumble has been revealed ahead of time, leaving plenty of room for surprises. Rumors are flying that this might be the biggest Women’s Rumble in that regard.

We’ll update this post throughout the match with interesting tidbits as they happen, plus we’ll have a table at the bottom to capture the most important things: who entered when and who ended up eliminating them.

Women’s Royal Rumble talking points:

  • The first unannounced entrant of the match enters very early: Naomi makes her return at No. 2
  • Confirming some earlier rumors, TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace enters at No. 5, hugging Naomi before they start doing battle
  • Bayley saves Asuka from several close calls in their first few minutes in the match together
  • Kairi Sane is able to make an amazing save for a moment, keeping her feet off the ground, but eventually can’t hold on and is eliminated
  • Piper Niven catches Chelsea Green flying toward elimination on her way in, then fakes dumping her tag team partner before carrying Green back to the ring
  • Green later gets caught in-between Nia Jax and Niven several times, much to her detriment
  • At No. 24, Valhalla is supposed to enter but is surprised by R-Truth, confused as usual and not understanding he is supposed to be in the Men’s Royal Rumble; Adam Pearce clears things up, but Valhalla is thrown out in just five seconds by Nia Jax
  • Jade Cargill makes an impressive debut, lifting Jax for a couple of moves and then eliminating her
  • Instead of a final four, Bayley manages to eliminate Tiffany Stratton and Bianca Belair at the same time, getting us to just three: Bayley, Jade Cargill and Liv Morgan
  • With all three women out on the apron, all look in peril at various times, but Morgan is able to eliminate Cargill with Oblivion and Bayley throws Liv out right afterward to win

Women’s Royal Rumble match entrances and eliminations:

Entry # Wrestler Order Eliminated by Time Eliminations
1 Natalya 3 Tegan Nox 0
2 Naomi 25 Jade Cargill 2
3 Bayley WINNER 1:03:03 7
4 Candice LeRae 2 Bayley, Asuka and Kairi Sane 0
5 Jordynne Grace 7 Bianca Belair 0
6 Indi Hartwell 1 Bayley 0
7 Asuka 6 Katana Chance and Kayden Carter 2
8 Ivy Nile 10 Nia Jax 0
9 Katana Chance 13 Nia Jax 1
10 Bianca Belair 27 Bayley 1
11 Kairi Sane 5 Asuka 1
12 Tegan Nox 4 Bayley 1
13 Kayden Carter 8 Piper Niven 1
14 Chelsea Green 14 Becky Lynch 0
15 Piper Niven 12 Nia Jax 1
16 Xia Li 9 Nia Jax 0
17 Zelina Vega 17 Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark 0
18 Maxxine Dupri 11 Bayley 0
19 Nia Jax 21 Jade Cargill 8
20 Shotzi 20 Nia Jax 0
21 Becky Lynch 24 Naomi 1
22 Alba Fyre 16 Naomi 0
23 Shayna Baszler 18 Nia Jax 1
24 Valhalla 15 Nia Jax 0
25 Michin 19 Nia Jax 0
26 Zoey Stark 22 Liv Morgan 1
27 Roxanne Perez 23 Tiffany Stratton 0
28 Jade Cargill 28 Liv Morgan 2
29 Tiffany Stratton 26 Bayley 1
30 Liv Morgan 29 Bayley 2

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