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Cody Rhodes and Bayley punch their tickets to WrestleMania 40

wwe28 January 2024 16:07
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At the 2024 Royal Rumble, Cody Rhodes and Bayley both outlasted 29 other Superstars to win their respective Royal Rumble Matches and earn the right to challenge a World Champion at The Showcase of the Immortals. Plus, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns successfully defended his title against Randy Orton, AJ Styles and LA Knight in a Fatal 4-Way Match.

BAYLEY WINS THE WOMEN'S ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH

Bayley secured her spot at WrestleMania by outlasting 29 other Superstars after entering at No. 3, setting a new Women's Royal Rumble record by lasting 1:03:03.

The surprises began early as Naomi, a former SmackDown Women’s Champion and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, made her triumphant return to WWE as she entered at No. 2 . Another surprise came just minutes later as TNA knockouts champion Jordynne Grace made her way to the ring.

 

The numbers quickly favoured Damage CTRL, as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Asuka (No. 7) and Kairi Sane (No. 11) laid waste to the competition, targeting Bianca Belair (No. 10) before finally eliminating Candice LeRae (No. 4).

Former WWE Tag Team Champions Katana Chance (No. 9) and Kayden Carter (No. 13) got some payback on Asuka and Sane, eliminating them both, much to the dismay of Bayley, who had earlier saved The Empress of Tomorrow from being eliminated.

The game changed when Nia Jax arrived at No. 19 and overpowered every Superstar that crossed her path. The Irresistible Force overwhelmed her opponents, tossing out Piper Niven (No. 15) and Chance with ease, but that all changed when Becky Lynch (No. 21) arrived.

As the match continued, a confused R-Truth sprinted to the ring thinking it was the Men’s Royal Rumble before getting tossed over the top rope by Jax. The Irresistible Force continued her reign of terror as she eliminated Shayna Baszler (No. 23), Michin (No. 25) and Shotzi (No. 20) successively.

However, Jax, who tied a Women’s Royal Rumble Match record with eight eliminations, saw her incredible run come to a stunning end as Jade Cargill made her earth-shattering WWE debut at No. 28, introducing herself to the WWE Universe by singlehandedly hoisting Jax over her head and eliminating her.

 

The final Superstars to enter the bout were NXT’s Tiffany Stratton, as she checked in at No. 29, and coming in at No. 30 was the returning Liv Morgan.

The field dwindled to Bayley, Morgan, Belair, Stratton and Cargill, but Bayley tossed Stratton and Belair by herself, despite Stratton briefly saving herself from elimination by clinging to Belair’s hair.

With Morgan, Bayley and Cargill all battling on the apron, Morgan eliminated Cargill with an Oblivion to the outside, but she left herself vulnerable, as The Role Model kicked her feet out from under her and punched her ticket to WrestleMania.

 

ROMAN REIGNS SURVIVES A FATAL 4-WAY MATCH

The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship remains with The Bloodline as Roman Reigns overcame his greatest challenge yet by defeating Randy Orton, AJ Styles and LA Knight in a frenetic Fatal 4-Way Match.

Reigns quickly realized he was outnumbered, as Knight, Styles and Orton all wanted a piece of him. However, it wasn’t long before they all turned against each other.

The Tribal Chief got back into the action but was again targeted as Knight hit a BFT and Styles landed a Styles Clash. However, The Viper was lying in wait, as he struck with three consecutive RKOs on his opponents.

Unfortunately for Orton, Solo Sikoa, “The Tribal Heir of The Bloodline,” appeared and pulled the referee out of the ring during The Viper’s pinning combination, but a missed hip attack sent him through the barricade, neutralizing him.

A furious Styles proceeded to beat his competition with a steel chair, but Reigns persevered and hit a rib-shattering Spear on The Phenomenal One to retain his title.

LOGAN PAUL def. KEVIN OWENS VIA DISQUALIFICATION

Logan Paul is leaving the Royal Rumble with the United States Championship, but not without some controversy.

Kevin Owens was determined to dethrone The Maverick, but the champion proved that he was more than just a Social Media Megastar, as he used a pair of incredible splashes to keep Owens off his game.

Owens rallied and nearly won the title after a cannonball followed by a frog splash, but Paul remained in the bout after wisely putting his knees up to counter a swanton bomb. Owens returned the favor by kicking out of a gravity-defying top-rope splash.

When The Maverick couldn’t put Owens away, a member of his entourage arrived to help the champion, and amidst the chaos, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller arrived to deliver brass knuckles to Paul.

Owens got a hold of the weapon, but unfortunately for him, the official caught him using it just as his hand was about to slap the mat for the three-count. After he was disqualified, Owens launched a brutal assault on the U.S. Champion, ruthlessly powerbombing him through the announce table and sending a message to him and his cohorts.

 

CODY RHODES PUNCHES HIS TICKET TO WRESTLEMANIA

Cody Rhodes made history by becoming only the fourth Superstar to win back-to-back Royal Rumbles as he withstood 29 other Superstars to earn a chance to finish the story.

Shockingly, the No. 1 and No. 2 entrants were Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso, who stood in the same ring for the first time since Jimmy’s shocking betrayal of his brother at last year’s SummerSlam.

 

Andrade shocked the record crowd inside Tropicana Field by returning at the No. 4 spot, followed shortly thereafter by NXT Superstar Carmelo Hayes at No. 5.

The ring began to fill up with Superstars, but Carlito (No. 10) managed to eliminate his longtime foe Santos Escobar (No. 7). Bobby Lashley (No. 11) focused his attention on Karrion Kross (No. 8) of The Final Testament and eliminated him, though Kross illegally eliminated his newfound nemesis before they brawled their way up the ramp.

Rhodes entered the match at No. 15 and made an immediate impact, but not as much as Gunther (No. 18) did when he brutally chopped the entire field.

Former NXT Champion Bron Breakker made his way onto the scene at No. 20 and eliminated Jimmy Uso as well as Bálor before having an epic face-to-face with Gunther. Pat McAfee then came from commentary at No. 22, but he promptly jumped over the top rope upon seeing the gigantic Omos (No. 21).

CM Punk made his return to WWE action when he came out at No. 27, followed not too long after by former Royal Rumble winner Drew McIntyre (No. 29). The final spot belonged to a returning Sami Zayn, and the action only picked up from there.

 

With World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns watching in their respective skyboxes inside Tropicana Field, Punk, Rhodes, Gunther and McIntyre emerged as the final four, setting the stage for an edge-of-your-seat conclusion.

Once Punk sent McIntyre flying and Rhodes outmanoeuvred the Intercontinental Champion to eliminate him, The Best in the World and The American Nightmare pulverized each other for several tense minutes.

After landing a Pedigree, Punk defiantly exclaimed that he didn’t come back to “lose to Dusty’s kid.” Moments later, however, Rhodes dug deep to counter a Go to Sleep and fling the former WWE Champion over the top rope to the floor.

After sealing the victory and a championship bout at The Showcase of the Immortals, Rhodes stood atop the turnbuckles and emphatically pointed in the direction of Reigns and Paul Heyman.

 

All WWE events, including WWE Premier Live Events, continue being available on Your World of Champions, SuperSport, on a dedicated 24-hour WWE Channel (DStv Channel 128).

© WWE

 

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