Punk looks a bit surprised at Ziggler’s resiliency. Punk picks Ziggler up and slams him to the mat before heading up to the top turnbuckle. Punk leaps off the top with an elbow drop to Ziggler’s heart, but he still can’t keep him down for a three count.
Punk shoulders Ziggler again, but Ziggler fights out and shoves Punk into the referee, who falls to the outside. Ace is checking on the ref on the outside while on the inside, Punk is able to lock in the Anaconda vice. Ziggler is tapping, but there’s no ref and Ace is checking on the one who’s down on the outside.
Punk goes over to yell at Johnny, and he’s rolled up by Ziggler. Punk rolls through and has Ziggler pinned, but there’s still no ref. Punk puts Ziggler down, and Ace rolls the ref back into the ring. Ziggler tries to get Punk from behind, but Punk shoulders Ziggler. Punk swings Ziggler around and Ziggler’s legs hit Ace, sending him to the outside. Punk connects with the GTS, and goes for the pin, but there’s still no one to make the count. Punk says the next GTS is for Ace. Punk shoulders Ziggler again and goes for the GTS, but Ziggler counters with a rocker dropper, he goes for the pin, but Punk kicks out at two.
Ziggler hits Punk with rights to the back of the head, and elbows to the shoulder and neck. Ziggler waits for Punk to get up, but Punk catches him and slingshots him into the corner. Punk shoulders Ziggler and goes for the pin. Both the ref and Johnny Ace make the three count at the same time for Punk.
Winner and STILL WWE Champion: CM Punk
Ace hands the title over to Punk before immediately making his way out of the ring toward the back. Punk sits in the middle of the ring with his title around his shoulder while Johnny applauds him at the top of the entrance way. Punk runs around the ring, celebrating with his title as the crowd cheers.
- We get video promos for both the new WWE YouTube channel, and another Mania promo, letting us know it’s only 63 days away.
- We get a by the numbers promo, looking at some of the famous statistics of the Royal Rumble match.
Are you ready?
The 2012 30-Man WWE Royal Rumble Match:
The bell rings, and Justin Roberts gives us a quick rundown of the Rumble rules. As always with these types of matches, I ask that you bear with me, as this one will be difficult to cover. Now let’s see who’s going to be main-eventing WrestleMania. The Miz is of course the first man to make his way out to the ring, and he gets a lot of heat on his way out.
Miz says everyone backstage has been snickering at him all day. They think he’s intimidated and that he won’t be able to make it, but those are the same people who told him he’d never main event WrestleMania or be champion. He says he’s always proved everyone wrong and tonight will be no different. He’ll be the last man standing and he’ll main event WrestleMania because he’s the Miz and he’s awesome. Entrant Number two is Alex Riley who makes his way out to a bit of fanfare.
The bell rings and Riley and Miz stare each other down before trading right hands. Riley backs Miz into the corner and hits him with a big running clothesline. Riley takes Miz over to the ropes but Miz fights him off. Miz lays into Riley with a series of stomps before picking him up and taking him to the ropes. Riley tosses Miz to the apron, but when he charges after him, Miz catches him with the low bridge and Riley falls to the outside.
Alex Riley has been eliminated
The clock counts down, and entrant number three is R-Truth, who makes his way out to the ring and takes Miz right down to the mat. Truth ducks a clothesline and takes Miz down to the mat. Truth takes Miz out to the apron, but Miz avoids being eliminated. Miz tries for the SCF, but Truth avoids it. Truth hits a crazy modified suplex and tosses Miz out to the apron again.
Entrant Number Four is Cody Rhodes.
Rhodes makes his way into the ring and hits Truth with a beautiful disaster kick, and a big front suplex. He and Miz double team truth, laying in with repeated right hands. Rhodes kicks Truth in the chest hard. Truth back drops Rhodes to the apron and fights off both Miz and Rhodes. Miz hits his knee to the back/reverse DDT combo and the clock counts down again.
Entrant number five is Justin Gabriel.
Gabriel goes right to the top and takes out Miz and Rhodes with a cross body before hitting Miz and Rhodes with repeated kicks and Truth with an STO. Rhodes comes from out of nowhere to take Gabriel out and he almost gets him over the top, but Justin fights it off. Gabriel and Cody square off while Truth and Miz fight in another corner.
Entrant number six is Primo.
Primo comes in with offense on everyone and takes Gabriel down with a head scissors. Truth ducks a kick from Cody and takes him out. Miz tosses Truth and R-Truth is eliminated.
R-Truth has been eliminated
Truth pulls Miz out underneath the bottom rope and takes him out on the floor. Primo works over Justin in the corner, stomping away at him while Rhodes recovers.
Entrant number 7 is Mick Foley.
Foley comes in and goes to work on Primo, hitting him with... (Continues on next page)
Reporter's Link:
What Happened *AFTER* WWE Royal Rumble - HUGE SEGMENT w/ The nWo (WALTMAN/ROAD DOGG/HHH/NASH)!