Royal Rumble: M.V.P. vs. Ric Flair [Career Threatening Match]
Flair comes to the ring first. He gets on the mic and says that its been a great honor to wrestle in MSG all of these years. He said his first match in MSG was in March of 1976, long before many of the people here were born. He says he wants everyone to know…MVP’s music hits, interrupting Flair.
Bell rings and the two circle the center of the ring. Flair does some stylin’ and profilin’ to begin. The lock up. MVP to the ropes and a shoulderblock on Flair. MVP taunts the crowd. We lock up again. Fans are very into this one with chants. Referee calls for a break as Flair is backed into the corner. The two lock up a third time, top wrist lock for Flair. MVP to the corner and another break. MVP slaps Flair, then Flair chops him back. A few more chops due to MVP and Flair bounces off the ropes, shoulderblocks MVP. Porter with a drop toe hold and follows with a kick to the temple.
MVP with a Neckbreaker and a two count. Porter snap mare’s Flair and applies a rear chinlock. Flair with a big elbow to MVP, followed by a chop block. He attempts the Figure Four but MVP kicks him off. Chops by Flair, followed by an atomic drop. Back to the well for a Figure Four. MVP rolls him up and gets only two.
Porter with a whip of Flair, and a back body drop on him. He then charges Flair in the corner and hits a running facewash to the face. MVP pins him 1…2…at three Flair gets the foot on the ropes. The ref did drop the three count though. MVP is arguing with the ref. Flair schoolboys MVP and gets a two count. MVP with a double underhook suplex and a two count.
MVP plants Flair on the top rope now and he hits a superplex. Two count only for Porter. MVP slaps Flair two times and then puts him in a Fireman’s Carry. Flair wriggles free and chops MVP twice then receives a shoulderblock and both men are down for the count.
Flair small packages MVP and gets a two count. Quickly into a backslide for Flair, and a two count. Another chop by Flair, followed by a right hand, chop, right hand, chop, right hand, chop…Flair to the ropes and then gets a knee to the face by MVP.
MVP sets up the Playmaker but Flair trips him down and applies the Figure Four. MVP taps! Your Winner: Ric Flair
Royal Rumble: Chris Jericho vs. John Bradshaw Layfield
Chris Jericho was introduced first, followed by JBL. JBL looking a bit out of shape. They two lock up and back into a corner. Referee calls for Jericho to break.
A second lock up, and we have the same break. A third lockup now, and this time JBL slips outside of the ropes. JBL sneak attacks Jericho behind the referee landing punches. Jericho flies off the ropes and connects with a flying forearm. Jericho then unleashes punches. Y2J with a kick to the ribs, and another. JBL up and he tries a short arm clothesline but Jericho ducks and tries to apply the Walls of Jericho but too close to the ropes and JBL forces a break.
Jericho hits a baseball slide onto JBL on the outside now and sends him into the fan barricade followed by the steel steps. Back inside we go now and Jericho hoisted up in the air and placed across the top rope, throat-first. Both men down momentarily.
Big short arm clothesline by JBL, and another. JBL with a blatant choke across the bottom rope on Jericho, then turns him over and slingshots him upward into the underside of the second rope, throat-first.
JBL has Y2J in the corner now and he delivers right hands. Jericho fights back with some of his own. Sleeper hold slapped on by JBL, taking Y2J down to the mat in the middle of the ring. Jericho back to a vertical base, battling out, ducks a big boot and delivers a clothesline on the rebound. Both men down for the count.
JBL now connects on a big boot. then sends JBL to the ringpost, falling to the outside. Jericho is busted wide open. Back inside now and JBL going at Jericho with kicks. Jericho somehow battles back with punches and then Jericho goes for a Bulldog but JBL falls too soon, obviously messing up. Jericho then hits a drop kick and a Lionsault. Fans boo loudly. Jericho then follows up with a clothesline over the ropes to the outside. JBL tears off the top of the announce table and turns around, when Jericho grabs a steel chair and clocks him, getting himself disqualified. Your Winner: John Bradshaw Layfield by DQ
After the match Jericho sends JBL back inside and throws the chair at him, then gets cable wire and chokes him out with it. Jericho stands on the announce table on the outside yanking on the tv cable choking out JBL from there
Royal Rumble: Edge [c] vs. Rey Mysterio [World Heavyweight Championship Match]
Edge is introduced first, and comes to the ring with his Edgeheads and Vickie Guerrero. Rey Mysterio is introduced next. We have the in-ring introductions.
Interestingly we heard about half boos/half cheers for Rey and a majority of cheers for Edge upon introduction. The bell rings and the two circle. Edge shoves Rey and taunts him. The two circle again and lock up. Edge with an arm wringer into a top wristlock. Rey bounces off the ropes and headscissors him to the mat.
The two lock up again and Edge goes to the ropes and shoulderblocks Rey down, but gets tripped down. Rey dropkicks Edge to the head and a two count. Fans consistently booing Rey. Edge sends Rey to the ropes, Rey slides under Edge’s legs and to the outside. Edge then runs and connects on a baseball slide on Rey. Hawkins and Ryder were about to attack Rey outside but the referee saw it and ejects them from ringside.
Rey runs in, trips Edge, and runs for a 619 but Edge falls outside the ring to avoid it. Rey then follows with a plancha to the outside onto Edge. Inside now, Rey hits a springboard seated Senton into a pin for a two count.
Edge has Rey crawling on the mat now as he works on the left knee inside the ring. Rey fights back with an insiguri kick, sending Edge across the ropes set up for a 619. Rey hobbles to the ropes trying for the 619 but Edge springs up and snap slams him down for a two count.
Rey battles free, but Edge regains the upper hand and works on the leg, trying to remove Rey’s legbrace, but Rey gets free with kicks and hobbles to the ropes, then hits a bulldog and both men are down.
Rey to the ropes, Edge sunset flips Rey and Ray rolls through, and hits a superkick to Edge’s face. Rey then hits another plancha into a pin but only gets two. Rey goes to the top ropes now as Edge follows. Rey hits a double footstomp to the gut of Edge. Looked pretty sloppy but he gets a two count.
Rey hits a standing hurricanrada on Edge sending him outside. He then hits a headfirst slide to the outside of the ring into swinging DDT on Edge to the outside floor. Back inside they both go and Rey has a two count.
Edge goes for a Spear, Rey ducks. Rey hits a hurricanrada and goes for a 619, and connects. Rey climbs the ropes and hits a missile body splash on Edge. Referee counts 1….2… Vickie Guerrero pulls the referee out. She is arguing with Rey now. Edge tries to Spear Rey from behind who sidesteps, Edge ends up on the ropes. Rey hits a 619 but Edge pulls Vickie to his face hugging her so that she takes the 619. Rey slips outside, planchas toward Edge but Edge Spears him in mid-air and scores the pinfall to retain the title. Your Winner: Edge
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Royal Rumble: Maria/Ashley/Santino Merella Segment
Maria comes to the ring and starts off a kiss cam session. Ashley then comes to the ring when she is finished. Ashley gets the microphone and says that she has to tell Maria that she got a call from Hugh Hefner and he asked her if Maria was interested in posing for playboy. Santino Marella then comes to the ring with someone covered in a black sheet. Santino has a mic and tells Ashley that she won’t be posing for playboy. He bashes the Mets and Yankees then says that they only thing they have to cheer about is a football team from Jersey. He says that the only thing they are going to do is choke in the Super Bowl. Fans start chanting “Let’s Go Giants.” Ashley says that the decision isn’t for Santino to make it’s for Maria. She asks everyone if they want her to pose for Playboy. They all cheer. He then brings the person covered with the sheet to the ring and said if everyone wants boobies they can have boobies, and takes the sheet off. Its Big Dick Johnson with a Tom Brady Jersey and a patriot tattoo on his chest, dancing around.
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Royal Rumble: Randy Orton [c] vs. Jeff Hardy [WWE Championship Match]
Jeff Hardy is introduced first. Orton slowly walks to the ring next. We have the standard in-ring introductions for this championship bout.
The belt is raised, the bell rings, and here we go. The two come to the center of the ring, and back out. They circle and lock up and roll around the ropes to the corner then to the next corner, then to the next, until finally the referee calls for a break. Hardy Shoves Orton and they lock up again. Hardy to the ropes and a big shoulder tackle. Side headlock take over for Jeff. Orton rolls him over for a two count. He tries again, and another two count.
Orton turns it into a headscissors. Hardy breaks free and hits an atomic drop and then a double leg, legdrop to the crotch, and a dropkick to the face of Orton for a two count. Orton throws punches to Hardy in the corner.
Hardy to the ropes and clotheslines Orton over the ropes to the outside. Hardy then goes to the ropes and dropkicks Orton through the ropes. Hardy then slingshots over the ropes to the outside onto Orton. Orton goes and grabs his belt on the other side of the ring. Hardy slides over and attacks Orton then sends him back inside.
Hardy tries to springboard back inside the ring but Orton dropkicks him in mid-air to counter. Orton nails a suplex on Hardy on the ringside floor now. Back inside the ring, Orton applies a blatant choke on Hardy, followed up with some knee shots to the face. Two count for Orton. Hardy sends Orton to the outside now and Hardy on the ring apron, runs and hits a cross body onto Orton to the outside.
Hardy rolls Orton back inside and gets a two count. Orton sent to the corner, Hardy charges for a Spear but Orton moves and Jeff meets the ring post shoulder-first. Orton applies a rear chinlock with a body scissors to slow the pace.
Orton powerslams Hardy down and gets only a two count. Orton with another rear chinlock submission. Hardy to his feet and hits a short arm clothesline out of desperation to take both men to their backs.
Hardy hits the Whisper in the Wind and only gets a two count on Orton. Hardy then hits the Mule Kick and the double foot driver into the chest of Orton while seated in the corner. Hardy tears his shirt off and goes to the top rope. Orton rolls to the apron, so Jeff changes gears and dropkicks Orton off the apron to the floor. Jeff now climbs the turnbuckle and hits a Moonsault to the outside floor onto Orton.
Back inside the ring now, Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate but Orton turns it around into an RKO out of nowhere, and quickly scores the pinfall for the victory. Your Winner: Randy Orton
Royal Rumble: Royal Rumble Match
Michael Buffer introduces the Royal Rumble. The first entrant in the Royal Rumble is…
ENTRY #1: The Undertaker
Fans chanting “Un-der-tak-er.”The second entrant in the Royal Rumble is…
ENTRY #2: Shawn Michaels
Shawn working the crowd during his entrance. Bell rings and Taker comes out ready to strike. Michaels moves and chops Taker in the corner. Taker sends Michaels to the corner and he rolls up the corner in typical HBK fashion. Taker throws more punches, then charges HBK for a big boot but HBK ducks. Taker falls to the apron, Shawn tries to knock him out but cannot.
ENTRY #3: Santino Marella
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Santino taunts Taker, turns to him to fight when HBK suddenly hits a Superkick to him and eliminates Marella.
ELMINIATED: Santino Marella
Taker sets up Old School, but HBK falls backward and whips him off the ropes to reverse. HBK with knife-edge chops on Taker followed by an atomic drop.
ENTRY #4: Great Khali
In the ring, Taker Chokeslams HBK as Khali comes to ringside. Taker throws punches at Khali who battles back with a big chop. Fans chanting, “You can’t wrestle!” Taker battles back with right hands. Khali slaps on a choke, but Taker slaps one right back. The Undertaker is against the ropes. Khali swings at him, Taker ducks and dumps Khali to the outside.
ELIMINATED: Great Khali
ENTRY #5: Hardcore Holly
Holly goes right to work on Undertaker. Taker fights back as HBK is hurt in the corner. Holly to the ropes and gets a big boot from Taker. Shawn tries to surprise Taker by tossing him out but Taker instead gets HBK up over his shoulders and tries to dump him out. HBK scissors Taker’s arms to stay in as Holly kicks Taker in the gut. Holly now throws chops at HBK.
ENTRY #6: John Morrison
HBK tries to send Morrison out, but he hangs on and slides back inside under the ropes. HBK scoop slams Morrison and goes to the top, hits the Flying Elbow Drop. Shawn calls for Sweet Chin Music, Morrison catches it and turns it into a spin kick.
ENTRY #7: Tommy Dreamer
Fans chanting “E-C-W”
Fans now chanting “Tom-my Dream-er” Holly and Morrison working on Holly. HBK and Taker battle in an opposite corner.
ENTRY #8: Batista
He hits the ring and Spinebusts Dreamer. Clotheslines HBK and Holly. Back body drops Morrison then faces off with Undertaker. Batista eliminates Dreamer as he tries for a DDT.
ELIMINATED: Tommy Dreamer
HBK tries to eliminate Holly.
ENTRY #9: Hornswoggle
Everyone in the ring staring at him in disbelief. Hornswoggle quickly crawls under the ring. Batista Spears a distracted Undertaker. Holly with a back body drop on HBK.
ENTRY #10: Chuck Palumbo
The camera didn’t even bother to pan to watch Palumbo enter the ring. Morrison tossed over the ropes by Taker but hangs on again and slips back in.
ENTRY #11: Jamie Noble
Noble goes right for Palumbo with kicks and a barrage of punches. Noble is eliminated by Palumbo.
ELIMINATED: Jamie Noble
Morrison sent out by HBK, but again hangs on and slips back in.
ENTRY #12: C.M. PUNK
Punk quickly hits Taker, then Shawn, then Morrison in each corner with running knee lifts. He tries to bulldog HBK, but Taker clotheslines Punk down.
Punk tosses Palumbo over and eliminates him.
ELIMINATED: Chuck Palumbo
ENTRY #13: Cody Rhodes
Rhodes slides in quickly and unleashes jabs on Punk a-la Dusty Rhodes. Cody gets caught in a choke by Taker but dropkicks his way out.
ENTRY #14: Umaga
Umaga cleans house immediately with punches and clotheslines. Hardcore Holly tries to chop him, but gets a Samoan Spike and is eliminated.
ELIMINATED: Hardcore Holly
Cody Rhodes tries to eliminate HBK but HBK slips back in.
ENTRY #15: Snitsky
Cody Rhodes leaps onto Snitsky and nearly gets eliminated, falling over his back to the apron.
ENTRY #16: The Miz
Miz goes straight for CM Punk and works with Morrison to try and eliminate him.
Taker tries to send Umaga out but cannot do so.
ENTRY #17: Shelton Benjamin
Shelton leaps to the top rope and hits a knee to the face on Morrison, then a swinging neck breaker on Punk. But HBK quickly Superkicks Shelton, eliminating him.
ELIMINATED: Shelton Benjamin
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ENTRY #18: Superfly Jimmy Snuka
Morrison gets punched by him first. Punk then gets it. HBK catches a jab and a kick. Taker then gets a headbutt. Superfly is cleaning house as Superfly chops the Miz now.
ENTRY #19: Roddy Roddy Piper
Piper comes out to a HUGE pop he is stripping down on his walk to the ring.
Snuka and Piper meet eye to eye and Piper takes some shots. Snuka chops him. The rumble pretty much stops around Piper and Snuka, letting them fight for a moment.
ENTRY #20: Kane
Kane immediately eliminates Superfly and Roddy Piper
ELIMINATED: Roddy Piper
ELIMINATED: Jimmy Snuka
Taker stalks Kane with a Chokeslam but then slaps it on HBK instead and hits him with it.
ENTRY #21: Carlito
He hits the ring and spits the apple in the face of Cody Rhodes and starts taking shots on whoever is near him.
Shawn Michaels is bleeding from the nose. Carlito hits the Backstabber on CM Punk. Rhodes then hits a Bulldog on Carlito.
ENTRY #22: Mick Foley
Mick makes his way to the ring to a huge pop and the fans chant “FOLEY! FOLEY!” uncontrollably. Double Arm DDT on Kane by Foley.
ENTRY #23: Mr Kennedy
Kennedy hits the ring to a huge pop and goes right for Cody Rhodes. 13 men plus Hornswoggle who is still under the ring are currently in battle now. Kennedy kicks Taker, and he sits back up. Kennedy kicks him back down. Taker slaps a choke on and gets to his feet…CHOKESLAM on KENNEDY! Taker hits a big splash in the corner on Umaga and Snitsky. Undertaker picking up his second wind.
ENTRY #24: Big Daddy V
ELIMINATED: Snitsky
Shawn Michaels eliminates Taker with a Superkick who then turns to him and shrugs.
ELIMINATED: Undertaker
Then Mr. Kennedy from behind eliminates Shawn Michaels.
ELIMINATED: Shawn Michaels
Taker then sets up Snitsky on the announce table and drops a big legdrop on him from the apron.
ENTRY #25: Mark Henry
Miz dangling over the ropes. Hornswoggle pops out from under the ring and pulls him out to finish the job, then goes back under the ring
ELIMINATED: The Miz
ENTRY #26: Chavo Guerrero
He goes right for C.M. Punk when he gets to the ring. John Morrison eliminated by Kane.
ELIMINATED: John Morrison
Hornswoggle tries to eliminate someone and Hornswoggle pops out to yank him out again. Henry catches him and yanks him inside. Finlay hits the ring and hits everyone with the shillelagh. Finlay was not the next entrant apparently as no time clock went off. Finlay takes Hornswoggle back to the backstage area but he was not yet eliminated.
ENTRY #28: Elijah Burke
The scoreboard shows Elijah as number 28 so it looks like Finlay was an official entrant number 27.. Chavo eliminates CM Punk. Batista catches a Samoan Spike from Umaga and slides out from under the ropes.
ELIMINATED: C.M.Punk
ENTRY #29: Triple H
Triple H eliminates Cody Rhodes, then big Daddy V
ELIMINATED: Cody Rhodes
ELIMINATED: Big Daddy V
Foley and Triple H now exchange blows. Triple H eliminates Mick Foley by sending him into Elijah Burke, eliminating both.
Triple H Pedigrees Umaga. The countdown to the last entrant is on….
ENTRY #30: John Cena
Crowd pops big time. Mark Henry attacks Triple H from behind. Cena shoulder blocks Henry. Takes out Carlito, eliminating him, followed by Chavo, and Mark Henry.
ELIMINATED: Carlito
ELIMINATED: Chavo Guerrero
ELIMINATED: Mark Henry
Cena and Triple H nose to nose conveniently with the WrestleMania logo in view right behind them. Triple H spinebusts Cena. Umaga clocks Triple H now and goes for a Samoan Spike but Batista Spears Umaga. He then eliminates Kennedy.
ELIMINATED: Mr. Kennedy
He clotheslines out Umaga.
ELIMINATED: Umaga
Kane chokes Batista and Triple H who kick him and toss Kane out.
We are down to only three, Batista, Triple H, and Cena.
Triple stare down…
Batista gives the tumbs down to both. Cena does the you can’t see me to Batista and Triple H. Triple H crotch chops them both and clotheslines Cena. It is a three-way brawl now Cena and HHH send Batista to the ropes and he double clotheslines them. Cena gets Spinebusted b y Batista. Triple H then stalks with a Pedigree but its countered into a Spinebuster for Batista.
Triple H catches Batista with a high-knee, eliminating him.
ELIMINATED: Batista
Down to Triple H and John Cena who circle. Triple H points to the Wrestlemania sign.
Triple H kicks Cena in the gut. Fans boo on Cena’s punches, Cheer on Triple H’s punches. Cena ducks a punch and hits a suplex. John Cena calls for the Five Knuckle Shuffle and hits. Cena tries to hoist Triple H up for an FU. Triple H wriggles free, tries a Pedigree but Cena gets free. HHH off the ropes and they double clothesline each other.
Triple H tries to eliminate Cena who kicks HHH. Cena gas him up in an FU, tries to dump him out but Triple H hangs on to the rope, slips free and DDTs Cena. Triple H has Cena over his shoulder. Triple H back up in the FU again and Cena dumps Triple H to the mat eliminating him.
ELIMINATED: Triple H
Your Winner of the Royal Rumble: John Cena