The following is from our play-by-play coverage of the WWE Royal Rumble PPV event in Phoenix, Arizona at Chase Field on the WWE Network:
Elias was about to sing a song until Jeff Jarrett came out in his old gear and wanted to sing a song. Elias attacked him with a right hand then hit him in the back with a guitar for the elimination. Shinsuke Nakamura was out at #3 and they battled it out then Elias hit an armdrag off the top rope. Out at #4 was Kurt Angle, who hit a series of suplexes to Nakamura and Elias. Big E was next at #5 and he was tossing out pancakes then hit a series of suplexes to Nakamura then a big splash.
Nakamura sent Angle into the ring post then landed a series of knee strikes to eliminate Angle. Johnny Gargano was next at #6, who got a good pop, and hit a hurricanrana to Elias then a DDT to Big E. Out next was Jinder Mahal at #7 and went at Gargano with a suplex then a big boot to Elias. Gargano super kicked Mahal out of the ring for the elimination. Samoa Joe out at #8 and cleaned house and eliminated Big E. Hawkins out at #9 and Seth Rollins at #10, who hit a spring board clotheslines to Elias then a falcon arrow to Gargano before Elias attacked him. Hawkins is currently out of the ring but under it so he’s still legal. Rollins eliminated Elias. Titus O’Neil sprinted to the ring and made it safely to the ring. Titus went under the ring to find Hawkins. Titus ran after him and Hawkins ducked and elimanted him. Joe then eliminated Hawkins.
Kofi Kingston at #12 and hit an elbow drop off the top rope to Nakamura. Mustafa Ali was next at #13 and went right after Joe. Nakamura went to the top rope but Ali drop kicked him off for the elimination. Dean Ambrose out at #14 and started brawling with Rollins. Ambrose almost eliminated Kofi but he stayed in and hit a DDT off the middle rope. Ambrose caught Gargano and connected with the DDT for the elimination. No Way Jose at #15 and as soon as he stepped into the ring, Joe clotheslines him right to the floor. Drew McIntyre entered at #16 and punched out Jose as well as few of his dance party members.
Drew McIntyre with a series of claymore kicks to a few stars. Xavier Woods now at #17 and saved Kofi to stay alive in the match. Once they got into the match, Drew clotheslines them to the floor. Pete Dune enters at #18 and got a nice pop. He hit a german suplex to Ali then a nasty kick to the face of Joe. Andrade is fresh out at #19 and Apollo Crews at #20. Aleister Black walked out to a good pop at #21 and started taking out several stars with strikes and kicks. Black with a head kick to eliminate Ambrose. Out at #22 was Shelton Benjamin and traded right hands with Crews.
Ali tossed out Joe, who was visibly shocked. Baron Corbin next at #24 and hit Deep Six to Ali then a big boot to Crews for the elimination. Jeff Hardy steps out of the dugout at #24 and went right after Black and connected with some of his signature moves. Corbin tossed out Black. Drew sent Dunne out of the ring. Both eliminations. Rey Mysterio follows at #25, but spring boarded right into a back breaker by Corbin. Out at #26 is Bobby Lashley and ran after Rollins, but missed a clothesline and went flying to the floor. Lashley attacked Rollins as a result but Rollins is still in the match. Lashley choke slammed him through the table. Braun Strowman is next at #27 and he traded rights then eliminated Corbin. He also eliminated Benjamin.
Dolph Ziggler is out at #28 and eliminated McIntyre. Randy Orton is out at #29 as Strowman stares him down. Strowman ran into the ring steel post and fell to the floor. R-Truth walked out at #30 but Nia Jax attacked him and beat several stars down. Jax tossed out Ali. Orton was about to go for an RKO on Jax but he didn’t then attempt it but Jax pushed him into the ropes and Mysterio hit the 619 but Jax stopped him. Jax picked up Rey but Ziggler super kicked Jax and Rey hit her with a 619. Orton with an RKO to Jax. Rey and Orton eliminated Jax. Orton tossed Rey to the floor and Andrade eliminated Orton. Andrade and Ziggler trade strikes. Strowman with a splash to Andrade and Ziggler.
Ziggler, Andrade, and Rollins double teamed Strowman as they were on the final four. Strowman tossed Andrade to the floor. Braun tried a double back drop to the floor but it didn’t work. Braun pushed Ziggler to the floor and Braun with a chokeslam to Seth. Rollins sent him into the ring post and hit the curb stomp on the apron for the elimination.
Winner: Seth Rollins
