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2004 was my favourite year for wrestling - it, in my opinion, is the best year for wrestling this decade. This is my tribute, of sorts, to my favourite year. Enjoy.
RAW ROSTER
RAW GMs: Steve Austin and Eric Bischoff
Bill Goldberg
Chris Benoit
Shawn Michaels
Chris Jericho
Shelton Benjamin
Eugene Dinsmore
Edge
Matt Hardy
Tajiri
Rhyno
The Hurricane
Rosey
Val Venis
Maven
Garrison Cade
Mark Jindrak
Jerry Lawler
Lance Storm
Tommy Dreamer
Brian Christopher
Al Snow
Mick Foley
The Rock
Triple H
Kane
Randy Orton
Ric Flair
Batista
Christian
Tyson Tomko
Rene Dupree
Sylvain Grenier
Robert Conway
Steven Richards
Rodney Mack
Chuck Palumbo
A-Train
Test
Johnny Nitro
Scott Steiner
Chris Nowinski
Gene Snitsky
Simon Dean
Mohammad Hassan
Khosrow Daivari
Viscera
SMACKDOWN ROSTER
SMACKDOWN GM: Paul Heyman
Eddie Guerrero
John Cena
Rob Van Dam
The Undertaker
Rey Mysterio
Rico
Charlie Haas
Billy Kidman
Paul London
Hardcore Holly
Billy Gunn
Scotty Too Hotty
Shannon Moore
Funaki
Nunzio
Johnny Stamboli
Rikishi
Farooq
Zach Gowan
Ultimo Dragon
Chris Kanyon
Brock Lesnar
Kurt Angle
John Layfield
The Big Show
Booker T
Orlando Jordan
Luther Reigns
Kenzo Suzuki
Spike Dudley
Bubba Dudley
Dvon Dudley
Doug Basham
Danny Basham
Chavo Guerrero
Carlito Cool
Jamie Knoble
Akio
Ryan Sakoda
Matt Morgan
Chavo Classic
Sean O’Haire
John Heidenreich
Jesus
TAG TEAMS
Evolution
Basham Brothers
Los Guerreros
Haas/Benjamin
The Dudley Boyz
Jindrak & Cade
The Super Heros
Jericho/Christian
The FBI
La Resistance
Rikishi & Scotty
The APA
The Playahs
BHolly/BGunn
Rhyno & Tajiri
Kidman & London
Dupree/Suzuki
Eugene & Regal
Rey Jr & RVD
Christian & Tomko
Hassan & Daivari
DIVAS
Trish Stratus
Molly Holly
Lita
Victoria
Stacy Keibler
Torrie Wilson
Dawn Marie
Jazz
Jacqueline
Nidia
Ivory
Miss Jackie
Shaniqua
Gail Kim
Jaime Koeppe
Sable
Hiroko Suzuki
Christy Hemme
Carmella
Joy Giovanni
Michelle McCool
Amy Webber
Candice Michelle
Lauren Jones
Maria Kanellis
CHAMPIONS
WWE Champion - Brock Lesnar
World Heavyweight Champion - Triple H
Intercontinental Champion - Randy Orton
United States Champion - Big Show
World Tag Team Champions - Ric Flair and Batista
WWE Tag Team Champions - Basham Brothers
Cruiserweight Champion - Rey Mysterio
Women’s Champion - Molly Holly
The Royal Rumble Match
Fifteen RAW and Fifteen SmackDown! Superstars compete. Winner gets a shot at Championship glory at WrestleMania XX.
Last Man Standing Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels
WWE Championship
Brock Lesnar vs. Hardcore Holly
Eddie Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero
WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match
Rey Mysterio vs. Jamie Noble
World Tag Team Championship Tables Match
Dudley Boyz vs. Ric Flair & Batista
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Something, something's taking over me
Shaking, bottled up inside of me
Crawling, crawling in the shadows so no one finds me
Hiding, paranoid I suffer no sleeping
I'm annoyed, I think you should shut it
Give me no attention or you'll be sorry
"Nothing Left To Lose" by Puddle of Mudd began to play as beautiful golden fireworks exploded at the stage. The camera panned around the ecstatic and excited sold-out crowd at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is the seventeenth annual Royal Rumble - one of the most highly anticipated moments of the year for one reason only. The Royal Rumble match is the most iconic match in all of wrestling. With 30 superstars involved, it is always a hotspot for a showcase of talent and desire. Such talents and desires are brought forth from performers because so much is at stake, for the winner of the match (as you know) will go on to fight in the main event of WrestleMania, the biggest event of them all. As the show started, Jim Ross reminded everyone that the Road to WrestleMania has begun. The song faded away, and the action begun. The first match of the evening was about to begin.
World Tag Team Championship Tables Match Evolution (Ric Flair and Batista) (c) vs. The Dudley Boyz (D-Von and Bubba Ray)
The Dudley Boyz had made their entrance, and stood inside the ring waiting for their opponents. Finally, Batista and Ric Flair started to show themselves. Batista had a microphone in his hand, and quickly demanded that their music be cut.
Batista: "Hey, Dudleyz! What is it with you guys and championship matches? I mean, we whipped your asses at Armageddon... we kicked your asses all over RAW... we're about to beat your asses again tonight... but you guys are the biggest losers since the Philadelphia Eagles!"
At this, the Dudley Boyz had heard enough. They both quickly exited the ring and Batista dropped the microphone, which made a static noise as it hit the steel ramp. D-Von went towards Ric Flair and Bubba Ray made his way to Batista. D-Von started punching away at Flair's head, forcing him to the floor outside the ring. Bubba Ray and Batista were exchanging lefts and rights and abdominal shots on the ramp. Flair got to his feet and started hitting D-Von with his trademark chest slaps, all the while shouting his patented "WOOOO!" D-Von fought back however, shoving Flair into the barrier that separated the fans from the ring and punching him repeatedly. Meanwhile, Batista forced Bubba Ray towards the ring. He shoved him against the apron, and rammed his knee into Bubba Ray's stomach. Bubba did his best to fight back, and the two of them exchanged punches outside the ring. It was clear that this wasn't going to be a wrestling match, but rather an all-out fight. As D-Von and Flair continued to trade blows, Batista set Bubba Ray up against the steel ring post. He charged at him, but Bubba ducked out of the way, and Batista's arm flew into the ring post. Taking advantage, Bubba wrapped Batista's arm around the post and whipped it against it, now targeting Batista's arm. Batista leaned against the apron in agony, tending to his wounded arm as Bubba Ray walked around the ring to the other side. He whipped up the apron and found immediately what he was looking for: a table. The bell hadn't even rung yet, and a table was being produced from underneath the ring. He pulled it out from underneath the ring before slipping it into the ring underneath the bottom rope. Keeping a grip on one side, he set his aim. He thrust the table across the ring. In a creative act, the table slid across the ring, and collided with Batista's ribs, knocking him down to the floor. Meanwhile, D-Von had gained the upperhand against Ric Flair. Shortly after Batista was knocked to the floor, D-Von rolled Flair into the ring. Then, the bell was finally rung, and the match officially begun. In a seated position, Flair looked up at D-Von and "begged for mercy" as he was known to do. Bubba Ray entered the ring as D-Von punched Flair. He took Flair to the ropes and whipped him over to the other side. Flair bounced back, and D-Von lifted him up, taking him back down to the mat in a hard powerslam. Bubba Ray moved over to the corner and lifted the table. D-Von came over and assisted Bubba as he set up the table. They flipped it over and moved it to just by the fallen 16-Time World Champion. The Dudley Boyz moved around the table and discussed what they were going to do. They pulled Flair up from the mat and maneuvered themselves into a double suplex position. They lifted Flair up, who was on course to go smashing through the table. However, Batista was now in the ring, and he swiftly tossed the table aside, saving his partner. Flair, instead, took the force of the mat on his lower back, though the match was saved nonetheless. Of course, the Dudley Boyz now targeted Batista, and both moved towards him, hitting him with several punches. They brought him to the center of the ring before whipping him across the ropes. As he bounced back, Bubba Ray punched him in the stomach, causing him to double over, before D-Von ran and delivered a swinging neckbreaker, bringing the Animal to the mat. From the opposite side of the ring, D-Von waited for Batista to get back to his feet. Once he was back, D-Von ran at him and clotheslined him out of the ring, though the momentum meant that D-Von sailed out of the ring at the same time.
Meanwhile, Bubba had picked up the table and set it up in the corner, looking to put Flair away. Once the table was up, Flair took his initiative and pushed Bubba into it, so the tables were effectively turned. One chest chop later, and Bubba was feeling a burning pain. Two more, and he was really starting to hurt. Flair hit him with punch after punch, making sure Bubba Ray was in a dazed state so that he could be sent through the table. Flair turned around to deliver another "WOOOO!" to the crowd, but as he turned back around he was met by a kick to the stomach from Bubba Ray. Bubba Ray then grabbed Flair and rammed his head straight into the table. Bubba Ray hit Flair with four punches, taking him down to the mat. Batista re-entered the ring however, and took Bubba Ray straight down with a hard clothesline. D-Von also re-entered the ring, but Batista went straight towards him and kicked him to the mat. With D-Von in the corner, Batista took the opportunity to deliver some hard kicks to the head of Bubba, stomping away to keep him incapacitated. Batista walked away and went to the other corner to work on Bubba Ray whilst Ric Flair pulled D-Von Dudley to his feet. Batista sent a hard kick Bubba Ray's way, bringing a sharp gasp from the fans. After about twenty seconds worth of punching and kicking, Batista had Bubba Ray set up in the corner. He took a few steps back before running and charging at Bubba, but he moved out of the may. Batista was sent shoulder-first into the steel ring post! Bubba then lifted Batista before D-Von hit a cutter. In order to recuperate, Batista rolled out of the ring, and it was left to Flair to contain the Dudleyz. He started to stomp away at Bubba Ray, but D-Von stopped him and hit him with some punches of his own, backing Flair into the corner. He whipped him to the other side and ran at him, but Flair knocked him over with a shoulder barge. Flair then made his way outside the ring, walking across the apron before climbing up to the top rope. However, Bubba Ray was up on his feet at this point, and hit Flair with a punch, swaying him. He then grabbed a hold of Flair's tights and launched him across the ring, Flair flipping through mid-air and landing hard on his lower back. Both of the Dudley Boyz then made their way over to the table that was still propped up in the corner and took it down, and set it up in the center of the ring. They then stalked Ric Flair, waiting to send him crashing through the table in a 3-D. However, Jonathan Coachman had by this point climbed up onto the apron. He had been sent through a table the previous week on RAW at the hands of the Dudleyz and had injured his ribs - he was looking for revenge. Bubba saw him and grabbed him, flinging him into the ring. Bubba ripped Coach's shirt off, exposing the bandaged ribs. D-Von turned his attention away from Flair and slowly made his way over to Coach. Bubba picked Coach up before slamming him back down to the ring, looking to damage Coach's ribs even further. Bubba lifted Coach's legs as D-Von climbed to the top rope, looking to deliver a Whassup! However, Flair knocked Bubba away from Coach. Coach rolled out of the ring as D-Von jumped down from the top rope, taking Flair down with a flying clothesline. D-Von stood up, proud of his handiwork as he tried to figure out where he went next. Before he knew it, Batista had entered the ring. He turned around as Batista lifted him up, and sent him straight through the table with a vicious spinebuster.
WINNERS: Evolution (Ric Flair and Batista, still World Tag Team Champions)
After the bell had been rung, Coach grabbed the microphone and weakly shouted out Evolution’s victory.
Coach: “Ladies and… gentlemen… here are… your… your winners… and still the World Tag… Team Champions… Ric Flair and Batista!”
Flair and Batista were handed their championships as they backed up the ramp. The Dudley Boyz scowled at them as the cameras cut backstage. Standing in front of a Royal Rumble logo we see Josh Matthews, microphone in hand. John Cena is standing next to him.
Josh Matthews: “John, tonight you get the chance to live out a dream, by winning the Royal Rumble Match and going on to WrestleMania 20 and competing for the championship - the only problem is twenty nine other RAW and SmackDown superstars stand in your way. Your thoughts?”
John Cena: “The kid pumpin’ up his shoes, that’s who you got your money on!
Bet on anyone else, yo, your money gone.
I’m the franchise, I don’t care if it’s SmackDown or RAW…
Keep it official with the Michelin Mets, Tug McGraw.
These twenty-nine other dudes? They can’t see me!
And tonight, the Royal Rumble goes to-“
Before he could finish, Rob Van Dam walked in front of him and smiled at the camera, nodding his head.
Rob Van Dam: “R…V…D!”
He turned to Cena, laughing.
Rob Van Dam: “Sup dude? Aw come on man, that was cool!”
With that, he turned around and walked away. Matthews put the microphone back to Cena’s lips.
John Cena: “That dude’s a trip, it’s like he’s been talking to Mary Jane.
‘I’m gonna win the Rumble maaan..” He think he’s beating me tonight? He can suck my candy cane!
I’m cutting through competition, your boy is sharp as a knife
Tonight, I win the Royal Rumble - Word motherfreakin’ Life!”
He put his hands together so that his knuckle dusters reading “Word Life” could be seen before we see a shot of the Wachovia Center. Cameras go to ringside, where Jerry Lawler remarks on Mick Foley’s ringside absence - Mick Foley was scheduled to have a front row seat, but he hasn’t shown up. Rey Mysterio’s music begins to play as we ready ourselves for the next match.
Jamie Noble came to the ring with his girlfriend and manager, Nidia, who had been blinded by Tajiri’s mist. Jamie entered the ring as the referee ordered the bell to ring. Jamie and Mysterio instantly went to lock up. Jamie moved around Rey and wrapped his arms around Rey’s stomach. Rey reversed things so that he was behind Jamie, and wrapped his arms around Jamie’s stomach. Jamie ran towards the ropes and held onto them, causing Rey to cease his grip and stumble backwards. Rey ran at Noble, who thought on his feet, ducking and lifting Rey to throw him out of the ring. However, Rey half-expected it, and landed on the apron. He propelled himself over the top rope, and Jamie caught him in mid air in a powerbomb position. Rey countered this by flipping Jamie into the ropes in a hurricanrana type maneuver. Jamie was now leaning on the second rope in the 619 position. Rey ran to the ropes and bounced back, ready to hit a 619, but Jamie wasn’t dazed enough. He simply got back to his feet. Using Rey’s momentum, Jamie lifted Rey into the air and let him fall stomach-first back down to the mat. Rey clutched his body in pain. Jamie went right to work, stamping hard on Rey’s hard. He grabbed Rey’s hand and kicked his chest twice. He pulled Rey to his feet and grabbed his head, ramming it into the top turnbuckle. He turned Rey around and set him up in the corner, smacking him across the chest. Rey fell to his knees and Jamie looked to continue his offense, though Mysterio punched him in the stomach. He punched Noble again, but Noble wasn’t having any of it, and simply stomped on Rey’s head. Jamie lifted Mysterio in a suplex position before dropping him on the top rope. Rey bounced off and held his stomach in pain. Jamie went for a pin attempt.
ONE... TWO…
But Mysterio was easily able to kick out. Jamie got to his feet and pulled Mysterio to his. He then flipped Rey over himself and kicked him hard in the back. Jamie went for another pin - he wanted to become the Cruiserweight Champion.
ONE… TWO…
But again, Mysterio was able to kick out. Jamie pulled Mysterio to his feet and whipped him across the ring. Mysterio bounced back but was able to dodge Jamie, and instead rolled him up for a pin attempt of his own.
ONE… TWO…
Noble wriggled his way out of the predicament. He got to his feet as Mysterio turned around and aggressively took him back down to the mat in a hard clothesline. With Mysterio down and out on the mat, Jamie decided to chance yet another pin attempt.
ONE… TWO…
Mysterio rolled out of the pin, but Jamie kept working on him, locking Mysterio into a seated headlock. The best way to deal with someone as aerial as Mysterio was to keep him on his feet. Jamie put his leg in front of Mysterio’s and pulled on his abdomen, in a rarely seen seated abdominal stretch. The fans were cheering, trying to will Mysterio back to his feet. Mysterio used all his strength as he slowly rose. He got to his feet and started elbowing Jamie’s legs, and Jamie released the hold. However, Jamie kept at it, punching Mysterio in the mid-section. He whipped Mysterio across the ring, and as Mysterio came back Jamie attempted to lift Mysterio and drop him again, however after the lift, Mysterio delivered a kick to Jamie’s chest, taking him to the mat. Mysterio backed into the corner to try and regain his breath. Jamie ran at him, but Mysterio replied with a boot to the face. With a flurry of punches and chest slaps, Mysterio looked to be on the offense. Mysterio jumped on the second rope and bounced off. Jamie caught him in the electric chair position, though Mysterio wriggled out and delivered a head scissors, taking Jamie back down. Mysterio bounced against the ropes as Jamie got to his feet, delivering a bulldog. He turned Jamie’s body over and went for a pin.
ONE… TWO…
But Noble barely escaped the three count. Mysterio bounced off the second rope again looking to splash Noble. Noble however stuck out his knee, and Mysterio landed on it stomach first. Just like that, the momentum had shifted. Jamie pulled Mysterio to his feet and set him up for a Tiger Driver, but Mysterio landed on his feet. Jamie kicked Mysterio in the head a couple of time in frustration. Noble ran towards the ropes, but was accidentally tripped by his blind girlfriend Nidia, who looked as if she was trying to navigate her way to the other corner. Distracted, Noble was liable to upset. Mysterio drop kicked him in the back, and Noble fell against the ropes in the 619 position. Mysterio ran against the ropes before running at Noble, delivering the 619! He waited for Noble to get back to his feet before bouncing off the top rope, hitting the West Coast Pop. He lifted Noble’s leg and went for the cover.
ONE… TWO… THREE!
The bell was rung and Mysterio leapt to his feet in celebration.
WINNER: Rey Mysterio (still Cruiserweight Champion)
Mysterio was handed the championship as Noble argued with Nidia as they walked up the ramp. The commentators talked about the next match up between Eddie and Chavo Guerrero before a video package played detailing their recent break-up and rivalry. We see The Bashamas win the WWE Tag Team Titles after an illegal switch - and Chavo blames Eddie. We see Kurt Angle try to cool the tempers of the Latino superstars, and we see Chavo slapping Eddie in the middle of the ring. We see Kurt Angle making the Guerrero’s shake hands. We go on to see highlights from their next match, against The Bashams to try and regain their titles. We see Shaniqua help The Bashams on the way to victory - Eddie is the one pinned once more. The Bashams start to assault Eddie with Chavo outside the ring. Chavo grabs a steel chair, and everyone assumes he is going to help his uncle Eddie. Instead, he unfolds the chair and sits on it, watching as The Bashams pick Eddie apart. With The Bashams away, Chavo enters the ring and helps Eddie to his feet before attacking him himself, punching him down to the mat. We watch as Chavo continues to beat down on his uncle to the point of drawn blood. We see Kurt break the news to Eddie that the two Guerrero’s will face each other at the Royal Rumble. We watch as Chavo and Chavo Snr. both attack their family member. We watch as Eddie claims he has now seen the light, and he tells Kurt Angle about how he wants to teach Chavo a valuable lesson. The package ends, and we cut back to ringside for the match to get underway. Chavo comes out first, accompanied by his father. Eddie comes out in a black lowrider, with a flame sticker on the front.
Singles Match Eddie Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero w/ Chavo Snr.
The bell was rung, and the two Guerrero superstars began to circle one another. A loud “Eddie!” chant was started, clearly showing who the fans wanted to come out on top in this encounter. They ran towards each other, locking up like two rams battling it out. They moved towards the corner and past the far side of the ring, neither man able to gain an advantage. When they reached the other corner, the referee ordered they release each other. They both refused and continued to lock up, eventually making their way back to the middle of the ring. Eventually, Eddie wriggled free from Chavo’s grip and shoved him to the opposite side of the ring. Chavo stood his ground, and the two men fiercely stared into each other’s eyes. Chavo slowly stepped towards Eddie, neither of them breaking the eye contact. Then, Chavo unleashed a hard slap to Eddie that sent him stumbling to the other side of the ring. Eddie smirked slightly and regained the staredown that he was having with his bad egg nephew. The two wrestlers looked to lock up again, but Eddie ducked and simply pushed Chavo into the corner in a spear position. Eddie wrapped his hands around Chavo’s throat and continued to push him into the corner, eventually the hold was broken by the referee. Eddie backed away from Chavo and again just stared at him - there was an unprecedented fire in both men’s eyes. Both men moved back into the center of the ring and moved towards each other. Chavo tried to lock up with Eddie again, but Eddie grabbed Chavo’s arm and wrenched it behind his back in an arm lock. He brought Chavo to the mat in a standing drop toe hold before applying a chinlock. Chavo wriggled around on the mat trying to escape the hold. However the hold was too strong for him to simply wriggle out of and Eddie was able to maintain the pressure on Chavo’s jaw and neck. Chavo managed to bring himself to his feet and backed Eddie up into the corner, forcing him to break the hold. Upon doing so, he unleashed against Eddie with a vicious chest chop. Eddie walked away from the corner, and again, the two Latino wrestlers circled each other. They charged at each other and locked up once more, Eddie quickly forcing Chavo into the corner. The referee broke the hold once more, and now it was Eddie’s turn to deliver a hard chop to the chest of Chavo. Chavo walked out of the corner screaming in frustration as Eddie looked on, laughing. They circled each other again in the center of the ring, crouched, each of them looking for a way in. They locked up again - clearly an awkward situation for the both of them, as neither of them could gain a clear upper hand. Eddie pushed Chavo to the ropes, but as Chavo came back he floored Eddie with a shoulder barge. Eddie got back to his feet whereupon Chavo applied a headlock. Eddie once more pushed Chavo to the ropes, and again, Chavo came back to floor Eddie with another shoulder barge. Eddie got straight back up to his feet and Chavo pounded his chest in Eddie’s “Viva La Raza” fashion. With a smirk on his face, Eddie lunged forward and slapped Chavo across the chest. Chavo, not to be deterred, hit back at Eddie with a chest chop of his own. Eddie hit a chop - Chavo hit a chop. Eddie turned around as if dazed, but as he came back he blatantly shoved his thumb into Chavo’s eye. Chavo stumbled into the corner, where Eddie put his hand on Chavo’s face and shoved it towards the corner. The referee was forced to break the hold, not allowing Eddie to keep cheating like this. Eddie backed up to the center of the ring, a defensive look on his face. Chavo’s father (Eddie’s brother) stood outside the ring, shouting at Eddie and praising his son. As Chavo tried to compose himself in the corner, Eddie waited in the center of the ring. Chavo slowly walked back into the middle of the ring, and once again the Guerrero’s circled each other. They both looked for ways in, but Eddie fell to his knees and grabbed Chavo’s legs, pulling him down to the mat. Eddie wrenched on Chavo’s arm and applied an armlock, literally trying to pull Chavo’s arm from its socket. Chavo tried to use his free arm to shove Eddie away. Eddie grabbed Chavo’s other arm and pinned him to the mat, and the referee was forced to count as Eddie made sure his body was above Chavo’s to channel all of his weight down on Chavo.
ONE… TWO… THR-
But Chavo managed to get his legs up. Eddie was forced to pull Chavo to his feet, whereupon Chavo jumped up onto Eddie, and sent both men tumbling outside of the ring with a head scissors. Both men lay down and out outside the ring, rolling around in pain. With the referee starting his count, Chavo was first to his feet.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR…
By this time, Chavo was back in the ring, but Eddie remained outside. Eddie got to his feet and walked to the steel chairs, trying to get into the ring without being stomped on by Chavo. The referee held Chavo back, and this allowed Chavo Snr. to grab Eddie’s foot and pull him from the stairs. Eddie’s face smacked against the steel, and it was all unbeknownst to the referee. Chavo quickly exited the ring and pulled Eddie to his feet, backing him up towards the barrier and punching him repeatedly. Chavo pulled Eddie over to the announce table and rammed his head into it. He then grabbed Eddie and rolled him into the ring underneath the bottom rope. He quickly rolled into the ring himself and stomped away at Eddie, seizing the moment. Chavo sat on Eddie and started punching him repeatedly in the head - this rivalry was heated and personal. Eddie however managed to roll over so that he was on top, but couldn’t bring himself to punch Chavo and instead got to his feet. Chavo lunged at him and took him down with one hand. He started to hit Eddie’s with blows to the side of the head, trying to daze his uncle. Eddie managed to change the momentum, and while he was still grounded he managed to lock in another armbar, ripping away at Chavo’s now injured arm. He then managed to bring Chavo down to the mat, meaning he could wrench harder at Chavo’s arm. Chavo tried to roll over and get out of the move, but Eddie wouldn’t let him. Plan B for Chavo was to try and drag himself to the ropes using his feet. He managed to do just that, and upon putting his foot on the bottom rope, the referee forced Eddie to release the hold. Eddie and Chavo both got to their feet. Chavo leaned against the ropes as Eddie went towards him. Chavo kicked Eddie in the mid-section before navigating his way around him and hitting a belly-to-back suplex. Chavo went for his first cover on the match, pinning Eddie to the mat.
ONE… TWO… THR-NO!
Eddie was able to get his shoulder up at the very last moment, very nearly being taken by surprise. Chavo got to his feet and pulled Eddie up with him. He then lifted Eddie in a vertical suplex position, slamming Eddie’s back hard into the mat. Without releasing the hold, he swung his legs and got back to his feet, and now the fans all knew that Chavo was going for Eddie’s patented “Three Amigos” triple vertical suplex combination, drawing some intense boos from the crowd. However, on the last suplex, Eddie managed to land on his feet, and shoved Chavo hard into the corner! Eddie ran towards Chavo, who combated him with an elbow to the face. Chavo sat on the top rope so that his feet were no the second rope and grabbed Eddie, trying to swing himself around for a swinging DDT. Eddie didn’t go all the way however, and kept himself on his feet. He kneed Chavo in the stomach, but Chavo wouldn’t release his grip. Eddie managed to grab Chavo’s injured arm and pull down on it, and Chavo released the hold. Still, no man had been able to gain a decent advantage in this match. Eddie delivered a headbutt to Chavo’s shoulder, and after a second, Chavo was down to his knees. Eddie grabbed Chavo’s head and delivered a vertical suplex. He swung his legs around and elivered another one, showing Chavo how it was done. He successfully completed the third and last suplex, to loud cheers from the people in attendance. He got to his feet, his blood boiling, a determined look on his flushed face. With Chavo down, Eddie moved to the ropes. He ducked underneath the top rope and walked across the apron to the corner. He climbed to the top rope, the roof positively being blown off the arena. Standing on the top rope, he pounded his chest before leaping from the top rope, successfully hitting Chavo with a beautiful Frogsplash! He hooked the leg, and the referee slid down to make the count.
ONE… TWO… THREE!
Eddie got to his feet as his hand was raised, and stared down at his nephew with disappointment.
WINNER: Eddie Guerrero
Chavo Snr. entered the ring, but Eddie quickly made his way over and hit him with a hard right hand. Eddie went to leave the ring as his name was chanted, but when he got to the ropes he stopped. He turned around with a look of anger in his eyes. He ran up to Chavo Snr. and delivered a quick punt to the crotch, drawing a huge gasp from everyone in the building. One right hand sent Chavo Snr. back down to the mat for good measure. Then, Eddie made his way over to Chavo and sat on top of him. He laid his fists into Chavo’s face repeatedly, and now, instead of out-wrestling Chavo like he said he would, he was beating him up. When he was done, he made his way back over to his older brother, Chavo Snr., and pulled him up by his tie. He tied the tie around the bottom rope and pushed his knee against Chavo Snr.’s face, choking him out. He stomped on Chavo Snr.s stomach twice before making his way back over to Chavo, who had been busted open by Eddie’s punches. He set Chavo up in the corner and just stomped into Chavo’s chest relentlessly, letting his anger get the better of him. He fell to his knees and continued to punch away at Chavo. He then dragged Chavo to the middle of the ring by his nose, Chavo screaming out in sheer agony. Eddie raked at Chavo’s face right in front of Chavo’s father. With the message sent, he was done, and he left the ring.
We see an advert for Mick Foley’s Greatest Hits And Misses. After that, we cut backstage, where Josh Matthews is standing with The Crippler Chris Benoit.
Josh Matthews: “Chris, you earned your way into the Royal Rumble Match, and of course Paul Heyman named you as the number one entrant, what do you think your chances of winning the Royal Rumble Match are?”
Chris Benoit: “Well, being the number one entrant into the Royal Rumble means that there are twenty-nine other men that I have to go through-“
Ric Flair: “WOOOOO!”
Chris was interrupted by Ric Flair, who walked on scene. He was carrying his World Tag Team Championship belt and a bottle of champagne, Batista right behind him with his title and another bottle of champagne. Behind Batista was the Intercontinental Champion Ric Flair with yet another champagne bottle.
Ric Flair: “Do you see Evolution, Chris?! Evolution just destroyed the Dudleyz in their own hometown, in their own match! Chris, the Nature Boy, Big Dave, we’re World Tag Team Champions! We’re Evolution! And Randy Orton’s going to go out there tonight… and he’s going to win the Royal Rumble. And you know what? Let me be the first to tell you… you may be the greatest technical wrestler worldwide, you’re Chris Benoit, but you’ve never made it big. You’re always reaching for the brass ring but somehow it always - slips - right - out your hand! It’s not about you! It’s about Evolution! It’s about the greatest tag team… about the greatest Intercontinental Champion… and it’s about the World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H! It’s about us! It’s a good day, have a drink brother, woo!”
He sprayed champagne over Josh Matthews and then took a swig from the bottle himself. He walked away from the camera’s, “WOOO”ing all the while. We then cut to an advert showing that the next match will be a WWE Championship Match between the champion Brock Lesnar and Hardcore Holly. A video package begins to play. A date flies onto the screen - 9.12.02. We see Hardcore Holly and Brock Lesnar staring each other down in the middle of the ring. We watch as the fight begins, and Hardcore Holly is all over Brock. We see the chilling image of Brock Lesnar lifting Holly up for a powerbomb and shoving him on his head, breaking Holly’s neck in the process.
Hardcore Holly: “You took twelve months of my life… but you made one big mistake. You didn’t finish the job.”
We see Hardcore Holly at Survivor Series, sliding into the ring with a steel chair cleaning house.
Hardcore Holly: “Brock, I’m not coming back to wrestle, and I’m not coming back to fight. I’m coming back to end your career.”
We watch Hardcore Holly ambush Brock Lesnar, slamming him into the barricade and applying a full nelson. We see Hardcore Holly face the Big Show in a street fight, smacking him with a steel chair before choking him out with it. We watch as Brock Lesnar is at commentary, and Holly beats on him. Lesnar escapes through the crowd, closely followed by Hardcore Holly.
Hardcore Holly: “We got business to finish! I’m gonna do to him… what he did to me!”
We see Brock holding the WWE Championship high.
Hardcore Holly: “Brock… I’m gonna break - your - neck!”
We cut to ringside where Hardcore Holly’s music plays and he walks calmly to the ring. Once he reaches the ring, Brock Lesnar’s music plays. Lesnar jumped up onto the apron and fireworks exploded from each corner, but Holly instantly ran at Lesnar and knocked him off the apron.
Holly exited the ring as Lesnar got to his feet, and Holly knocked him back down again with a hard right hand. Lesnar stumbled around to the other side of the ring, where Holly hit him with another punch. Lesnar got to his feet and Holly hit him with another right hand, but Lesnar simply charged and kneed him in the mid-section, causing him to double over. He measured up before pounding Holly in the back, and Holly fell to the floor. Lesnar lifted Holly up into the F-5 position, looking to F-5 him right into the steel post, but in the nick of time, Holly managed to wriggle out of the hold and shove Lesnar shoulder first into the steel post! Holly pulled Lesnar back before shoving him into the steel post again! Lesnar moved to the side of the ring, where he was met by another punch to the face from Hardcore Holly. Upon this, Brock felt it an opportune time to roll into the ring. The bell was rung as Holly scaled the ropes, climbing all the way to the top. He leapt from the top rope, as Brock got to his feet and moved out the way, Holly was sent crashing to the mat elbow-first. Brock used his initiative and stomped on Holly repeatedly as he rolled to the side of the ring, trying to catch his breath. He pulled Holly to his feet and quickly took him out with a hard snap suplex on Holly’s lower back. Brock continued to stamp on Holly’s back, obviously targeting it as a point of weakness. Holding on to the top rope to keep his balance, he shoved Holly out of the ring with his foot. But he went straight to work on Holly, exiting the ring himself. He pulled Holly to his feet and charged at him, spearing him back-first into the ring apron, Holly screaming out in pain. He then pulled Holly back up to his feet and rolled him into the ring, ready to do more damage. He slid into the ring before quickly rolling Holly and over and hooking his leg for the pin.
ONE… TWO…
But Holly kicked out just after the count of two, not giving up this easily. Lesnar applied a rear gut wrench on Holly, and Tazz acknowledged that Holly was in trouble now, as Lesnar was wrestling instead of brawling. Lesnar wrenched on the move, and Holly screamed out in agony. There was a look of exasperation in his eyes. Feeling as if he had made his mark, Lesnar rolled over and thumped Holly in the back hard. He stomped on Holly’s back as Holly rolled to the side of the ring. Lesnar pulled Holly to his feet and set him up in a Fisherman’s Suplex. He walked around the ring holding Holly in the air before finally planting him down to the ring. He rounded off the move with a quick and angry stomp to the face of Holly. Lesnar was really in control. Following this, Lesnar went for another pin.
ONE… TWO…
Holly kicked out again. As soon as he did so, Lesnar locked in another rear gut wrench, wearing Holly down. All the while this was a wrestling match and not a brawl, Holly had nowhere to run. Holly sat up and tried to escape the hold, trying to think of any way to get out. Before long, Holly was up to one knee, and Lesnar was on his feet. Holly managed to get to his feet, and turned around whilst Lesnar still kept the grip locked in tight. The rear gut wrench had now turned into a bear hug. Holly managed to get an arm up and smack Lesnar square in the face. With one more punch, Lesnar was forced to release the hold. Now that Holly was free, he unleashed a flurry of punches upon the man who had stolen a year of Holly’s life and career. Holly ran to the ropes and bounced off, but Lesnar grabbed him and slammed him down in a huge thunderous belly-to-belly suplex that shook the whole ring. Lesnar walked over to Holly and applied, instead of a rear gut wrench, a rear head and arm wrench, almost suffocating the Hardcore superstar. This was the perfect way in which to defeat Holly - wear him down, keep him off his feet. The referee checked to make sure Lesnar wasn’t choking Holly, but with Holly’s arm trapped, it wasn’t a choke. Holly was quickly able to get back to his feet, elbowing Lesnar in the stomach with his free arm, and the hold was released. Holly delivered another elbow and a punch, trying to knock down the Next Big Thing. Holly went to Irish Whip Lesnar to the ropes but Lesnar reversed it, and whipped Holly hard into the corner. Lesnar ran at Holly but Holly threw his elbow in the way, and Lesnar stumbled back. Holly ran at Lesnar and went for a clothesline, but Lesnar managed to stay on his feet. Holly bounced off the ropes and went for another clothesline. Lesnar ducked as Holly bounced off the opposite side. Holly jumped up in the air and took Lesnar down with a bodysplash. Both men got to their feet before Holly took Lesnar back down again with a high dropkick. The dazed Lesnar then walked into Holly, who lifted him up for the Alabama Slam! Holly slammed Lesnar’s back into the mat, and everyone looked on in complete shock. But Holly didn’t go for the cover. After all, Holly wasn’t so much concerned about the WWE Title as he was about breaking Lesnar’s neck. So, he applied a Full Nelson on the champion. Lesnar was on his feet. Holly jumped up and wrapped his legs around Lesnar, taking both of them to the mat so that the Full Nelson put more pressure on the neck of Lesnar. Lesnar tried to roll out of the ring, but Holly managed to keep the hold locked in as they both fell to the floor. As the referee started a count, Holly released the hold and rolled back into the ring. At the count of six, Lesnar had made it to the apron, whereupon Holly locked in the Full Nelson again from the other side of the ropes. However, Lesnar managed to grab Holly’s head and jumped down to the floor, hanging Holly up on the ropes. Lesnar re-entered the ring as Holly clutched at his surgically repaired neck. Holly went to apply the Full Nelson once more, but Lesnar took him down with a kneeling arm drag. Holly ran at Lesnar, who caught him and lifted him up for the F-5! Holly didn’t have time to wriggle out of it, and Lesnar planted Holly right down to the mat. Lesnar hooked the legs of Holly, and the fans all knew that it was over.
WINNER: Brock Lesnar (still WWE Champion)
Lesnar quickly makes his way up the ramp clutching at his neck. We cut backstage to see Triple H taping up his hand in preparation for his Last Man Standing Match with Shawn Michaels. We then see Shawn Michaels praying in his locker room. Jim Ross explains that this is a slobberknocker seven years in the making before we cut to a video package. We see the early days of HBK and HHH’s friendship, smiling together at the camera. We see them as members of the original Degeneration X, posing in the ring as they held gold. We see HBK and HHH collectively waving away Sgt. Slaughter in the ring. We see them dressed as chefs and police officers, and we see HHH carrying HBK on his shoulders up the ramp. We see them share a D-X high five before embracing in a hug.
Triple H: “Shawn, I considered you as a brother, and you never considered me as anything but a sidekick. I was your sidekick, right?”
We see HHH praising HBK, pointing at him and shouting at the crowd whilst HBK poses.
Triple H: “But I was less of a sidekick to you and more of a kickstand. Someone who held you up when you couldn’t stand up on your own.”
We see Shawn injured inside the ring. We see Triple H praising his fellow D-X members, whilst he received no praise of his own. We see Triple H winning the Intercontinental Championship and WWF Championship in Shawn’s absence. We see HBK return to defeat HHH, reversing a pedigree into a pinning predicament. We see HHH nail HBK in the square of the back with a sledgehammer after the match. We watch as Shawn is carried away from the ring on a stretcher, as a bloodied Triple H stood in the ring, watching.
Triple H: “I was the last man standing that night. At the Royal Rumble, I’ll be the last man standing again.”
The package ends as the bell rings, and Howard Finkel explains the rules of the match.
Howard Finkel: “Ladies and gentlemen, the following match up is a Last Man Standing Match, and it is for the World Heavyweight Championship! The only way to win this match is to incapacitate your opponent to where he can not answer a count of ten.”
Then, HBK’s music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Then, HHH’s music hit and he made his own way to the ring. The referee raised the World Championship in the air, signifying that it was indeed on the line in this match.
The two wrestlers walked towards each other and stared at one another, each trying to psyche the other one out. HBK backed away so that both men were in opposite corners, a loud HBK chant starting in the crowd. The two men began to circle each other, each of them looking for a way in to the match. They ran towards each other and locked up, almost in a test of strength. Triple H pushed Shawn Michaels towards the corner, but Shawn managed to turn it around so that HHH was the one in the corner. HHH reverses it again, before HBK reverses it once more - you couldn’t get a match with a more even start. Triple H turned it around once more before releasing the hold and smacking Shawn square in the face. He hit him two more times before Shawn retaliated, hitting Triple H with a punch of his own. He hit HHH two more times before delivering a chest-reddening chop. He hit another one as the crowd collectively shouted “WOOO!”. Triple H had had enough however, and thrust Shawn into the corner, punching him in the head repeatedly. Shawn hit back at Triple H, taking them out of the corner, and hitting HHH with more chest chops until they reached the opposite corner. Once HHH was in the corner, Shawn hit him once more in the head. This wasn’t going to be a very technical match. This was going to be a fight. Triple H reversed things so that Shawn was in the corner. He smacked Shawn twice before Shawn hit back at Triple H. They began to exchange left and right hands in the center of the ring, with the odd chest chop thrown in for good measure. Shawn managed to gain the upper hand, forcing Triple H to back up into the corner as Shawn laid into him with punch after punch. However, Triple H grabbed a hold of Shawn’s head and reversed it so that Shawn was in the corner. Shawn punched Triple H and gave him another chest chop taking them to the opposite corner, and a pattern was starting to emerge. Before they reached the corner however, Triple H took Shawn down with an over-head take down and went to apply a head lock. However, Shawn reversed it into a head scissors. Triple H flipped over so that he was lying on top of Shawn. However, Shawn used his sheer strength to lift both him and Triple H before twisting over. Triple H kept the momentum going and twisted it over again, looking to go for a backslide but Shawn wriggled free from Triple H’s grasp. Triple H then kneed Shawn in the mid-section, causing Shawn to double over in winded pain. He lifted Shawn up looking for a powerslam, but Shawn wriggled free and smacked Triple H with another chest chop. He hit another one before pushing Triple H against the ropes and whipping him to the other side. As Triple H bounced off the other side, Shawn bent over so as to execute a back body drop, though Triple H was able to stop himself just in time to hit a facebuster, causing Shawn to fly backwards. The Game got to his feet and turned around, making his way towards his former partner and friend. He shoved Shawn into the corner and started thrusting his shoulder into Shawn’s mid-section repeatedly, taking the wind out of the Heartbreak Kid. The Game whipped Shawn to the other side hard, Shawn hit the corner and bounced back out again, the whole crowd wincing communally. Triple H pulled Shawn to his feet and set him up in the corner again, whipping him to the other side. As Shawn came out of the corner, Triple H lifted him up and planted him down in a reverse atomic drop, driving his knee into Shawn’s tailbone. HHH pulled HBK to his feet before knocking him back down with a single punch. He pulled HBK back up to his feet and went for a side suplex, but HBK flipped out of it and tried to lift HHH for a knee smash, but couldn’t quite lift him in time. The Game grabbed Shawn by the head and hit him with punch after punch - Shawn must have had a serious headache at this point. He pushed HBK against the ropes and whipped him across the ring, looking to hit Shawn with a big boot. However, Shawn manages to catch Hunter’s boot, and takes him down to the mat with a leglace takedown. Then, Shawn decides that it is a good time to lock in the Figure Four Leg Lock! Hunter flailed around in agony, trying to find any way to escape the hold. Triple H reaches out and finally grabs the bottom rope, but due to the Last Man Standing stipulations, the referee can do nothing about it - there are no disqualifications, countouts, pinfalls or submissions. Shawn dragged Triple H to the center of the ring, wanting to make him suffer. Triple H screams in agony as Shawn puts more pressure on the lock. Before long, Michaels released the hold, feeling that the damage had indeed been done. Michaels got to his feet as the referee started the first count of the match.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR…
But Triple H got back to his feet. Shawn was standing in the corner waiting for him. Shawn then ran at him and hit him with a very calculated drop kick to the top of the legs, taking Hunter out. Michaels told the referee to start another count.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR…
But at this point, Triple H was able to pull himself up by using the ring ropes. He wanted to keep the World Heavyweight Championship, and he would do whatever it takes to prove to HBK that he was the better man. Michaels ran at HHH, but Hunter pulled down on the ropes! Shawn went flying out of the ring, and hit the floor with a sickening thud. Triple H exited the ring as did the referee. Triple H ripped off the top of the Spanish announce table and simply tossed it aside. He then pulled out the small television sets and threw them away. He then ripped off the top of the SmackDown announce table, and tore out the television sets. He turned around as Shawn got to his feet before ramming his head straight into the steel steps. Hunter took some wires from the announce tables before wrapping them around Shawn’s neck, pulling back on them and choking the life out of him. When he was done, he rolled Shawn onto the SmackDown announce table and began to pummel him with his fists. Hunter then climbed onto the table himself, punching Shawn all the while. He set Michaels up in a suplex position, as if he wanted to suplex him through the Spanish announce table. However, he couldn’t get Michaels all the way over, and Michaels fought out of the hold. He started to fight back with right hands, trying to topple the Game. With a chest chop and a final right hand, HHH fell from the table to the floor. Michaels ran off the table and jumped down towards HHH, smacking him in the stomach. Shawn grabbed HHH by the head and the tights before rolling him back inside the ring. Shawn then climbed into the ring himself, climbing to the top rope. He jumped down looking for a clothesline takedown, but HHH kicked him in the midsection. He then grabbed Shawn Michaels’ head and put it between his legs, setting him up for the Pedigree! However, Shawn managed to back body drop HHH out of the ring! The referee exited the ring and started the third count of the evening.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE…
But The Game managed to get back to his feet. Once Shawn saw this however, he grabbed the top rope and propelled himself outside of the ring, looking to splash HHH. But in the corner of his eye he watched as Triple H moved out of the way, and so HBK never let go of the rope and simply spun around to the other side. He then leapt up and bounced off of the second rope looking for a springboard moonsault, but HHH moved out of the way and HBK was sent crashing and burning through the Spanish announce table! Triple H told the referee to start counting, but the referee said he wouldn’t count until HHH got back into the ring, Succumbing, Triple H re-entered the ring, and the referee started a count.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX…
But Michaels eventually got to his feet, though he was very dazed and swaying a lot. Triple H exited the ring and went straight back over to Michaels, knocking him over with a hard right hand. Hunter pulled Shawn to his feet and rolled him back inside the ring. He slid in after him and sat on him, lifting his head and punching it several times. By this time, Michaels had been bloodied, and Triple H was opening the wound with these punches. Triple H got to his feet as the referee started another count. Was it over for Michaels?
ONE… TWO… THREE…
Triple H: “STAY DOWN!”
FOUR… FIVE… SIX… SEVEN…
Somehow, Michaels made it gingerly back to his feet. Hunter went straight back to work on him, punching him three times in the head before bouncing off the ropes and knocking him down with a clothesline. Triple H ordered that the referee start another count.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX…
HBK used the ropes to guide him to his feet. He had donned the proverbial crimson mask, and he looked as if he had no clue where he was. He turned and saw HHH, and motioned at him to bring it on. HHH looked very angry. Hunter punched HBK once, twice, and the third strike took HBK to the mat. The referee started yet another count.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX… SEVEN…
But again Shawn Michaels was able to get back to his feet. A frustrated Triple H shouted at him.
Triple H: “Why don’t you just stay down?! STAY DOWN!”
He was clearly getting very frustrated at this point. Michaels gave him another bring it on gesture - he was definitely not backing down. Triple H punched Michaels once, twice, but then Michaels hit back with a right hand of his own! Triple H hit a punch, Michaels hit a punch, Triple H hit a punch, Michaels hit a punch, Michaels hit another punch! Michaels gained the upper hand, and after the fourth punch he pushes HHH against the ropes. He whips him across the ring, but HHH reverses it and whips Michaels. As Michaels bounced back, HHH slammed him down to the mat in a spinetingling double A spinebuster. The referee started a count.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX… SEVEN…
Amazingly, Michaels pulled himself up using the ropes, but only barely. Triple H was really aggravated at this point. He grabbed his head and knocked him down to the mat with a single punch. He climbed outside the ring as all of the fans in attendance asked “now what?” Triple H grabbed a steel chair and slammed it shut. He got back into the ring as Michaels was getting back up. With Michaels bent over, Triple H smacked Michaels across the back hard with the steel chair. He threw the steel chair aside, looking at his former mentor. The referee started another count, and many people were wondering whether or not this really was the end for the Heartbreak Kid.
Michaels was starting to stir. Triple H couldn’t believe it, and stormed over to where Michaels lay. The referee stopped him, giving Michaels a little bit more time to get to his feet. Michaels was just about on his feet as Triple H grabbed the steel chair and put it in front of him, still folded. He grabbed Shawn and put him in the Pedigree position. However, Michaels fought out and took Triple H’s legs out from underneath him, and Triple H was sent back of the skull first into the steel! Michaels grabbed Triple H’s legs and flipped him. Triple H soared through the air and smacked his face on the top of the steel post! The referee started counting both men.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR…
By this time, Triple H was back on his feet, as was Michaels who had made his way over to the steel chair. Michaels turned around and walloped Triple H in the skull with the steel chair! The referee started a count against the Game.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX…
Triple H got back to his feet, though he was dazed. Michaels was in the opposite corner. Triple H was now bleeding. Michaels ran at him and smacked him in the face. He hit him again, Michaels face totally red. He hit Triple H two more times before Hunter fought back with a punch of his own. He pushed Michaels into the ropes and whipped him across the ring. As Michaels bounced back, he took Triple H down with a body splash. The referee counted against both of them.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX… SEVEN…
Michaels kicked himself up, and the fans go crazy! Triple H also got up, and Michaels ran up to him, punching him in the face. Four more punches and Triple H fell down to the mat. Triple H got back to his feet, and Shawn punished him with a brutal Inverted Atomic Drop. Shawn then ran at Triple H and knocked him down with a flying clothesline. Weary, Michaels staggered about the ring until he found the corner, and tentatively climbed all the way up to the top rope. He leapt off and connected with an elbow right to Triple H’s sternum! Michaels got to his feet as the referee counted out the Game! However, no-one could hear any sort of count. Michaels had made his way into the corner, and he was tuning up the band. The fans were going crazy. Triple H got up to his feet and turned around. Michaels ran at him to deliver some Sweet Chin Music, but Triple H at the last second delivered a horrible low blow to the Heartbreak Kid! The referee started a count against both men.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX… SEVEN… EIGHT…
Michaels was first to his feet, doddery though he was, shortly followed by Triple H. The two men exchanged right hands in the middle of the ring. Triple H pushed Michaels against the ropes and went to whip him across the ring, but Michaels reversed it and whipped Triple H. As Triple H bounced back, Michaels locked in a sleeper hold! The hold brought Triple H to his knees, and he looked really dazed as both men were now covered with blood. Eventually, Michaels released the hold, and the referee started a count against the Cerebral Assassin.
But Triple H made it back to his feet. Instantly, Michaels ran at him and delivered a jaw-breaking punch. He hit another, but Triple H shoved him away. Shawn hit Triple H again, who fell onto the ropes and bounced back up. He kicked Shawn in the midsection and planted his head to the mat in a vicious DDT! The referee had t o count both men again - were they going to get up this time?
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX… SEVEN… EIGHT…
By the count of four, Triple H was up, and the count shifted solely to Michaels. However, by the count of eight, he was also back up to his feet. Would this match ever end? In the corner, Triple H grabbed Michaels by the hair and punched him in the face. Michaels retaliated with a punch of his own. Barely able to stand, Michaels drew his hand back and delivered a hard chest chop to Triple H. Michaels went to whip Triple H to the other side of the ring, but Triple H reversed it and whipped Michaels so hard that he flipped over and ended up sitting dazed on the top rope. Triple H climbed up to the second rope looking to deliver a back suplex, but Michaels turned around in it and ended up splashing Triple H down to the mat! Another count started.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX… SEVEN… EIGHT…
Michaels was up by this point, and Triple H was also on his knees. The referee decided to continue the match as Triple H got up to his feet. Michaels ran at Triple H and went to punch him, but Triple H ducked and kicked Shawn in the mid-section before setting him up for a Pedigree! He successfully carried out the move, planting Shawn’s face into the mat! Both men were down as the referee started the seventeenth count of the match.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE…
Triple H had made it back to his feet, and now the count was concentrated on Michaels only.
SIX… SEVEN… EIGHT… NINE…
But Shawn Michaels hadn’t given up yet! Despite all the odds, Michaels had made it back to his feet! It seemed as if nothing could keep this man down! Triple H couldn’t believe it, he was beside himself with frustration. Triple H ran at Shawn Michaels, who out of the blue kicked him in the jaw with a beautifully executed Sweet Chin Music! Both men were down, and the referee started his count.
ONE… TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX…
The fans were going nuts. If only Shawn could just get up, the World Heavyweight Championship would be his!
SEVEN… EIGHT…
Michaels was moving, pushing himself up on his arms…! But then, he collapsed again, and the referee was forced to finish the count.
NINE… TEN!
WINNER: No-one. Neither man could answer a ten count (Triple H retains the World Heavyweight Championship)
Both men were escorted out of the ring on stretcher, many people left disappointed that Michaels was so close to winning the World Heavyweight Championship. A video package begins to play, hyping the main event of the evening - the Royal Rumble Match!
Michael Cole: “The 30-Man Royal Rumble Match-Up!”
Jim Ross: “15 of RAW’s superstars…”
Michael Cole: “15 superstars from SmackDown!”
Tazz: “That’s right, and the winner gets a shot-“
Paul Heyman: “A title shot!”
Jim Ross: “At WrestleMania 20!”
Coach: “Who’s going to seize the moment?”
Kane: “I will not be denied!”
John Cena: “People attack me, I throw ‘em out!”
Chris Jericho: “It’s my shot tonight!”
Kurt Angle: “I’m gonna throw twenty-nine other superstars right over that top rope, and win the Royal Rumble Match for the first time in my career!”
We see quick shots of the World’s Greatest Tag Team Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin, Billy Gunn, Booker T, Test, Christian, Matt Morgan, Randy Orton, Rhino, Big Show, Tajiri, René Duprée, A-Train, Chris Benoit, The Hurricane, Rob Van Dam, Bradshaw, Ernest Miller, Matt Hardy, Nunzio, Scott Steiner, Mark Henry, RIkishi, Spike Dudley, and Rico. We then see Goldberg as he spears the living daylights out of several victims. We then see shots of Paul Heyman and Chris Benoit.
Paul Heyman: “Chris Benoit, you will never get another shot at the WWE Title!”
We see Cena and Benoit staring at each other.
Michael Cole: “If Cena and his partner win they’re in the Royal Rumble Match! If they lose, they can’t enter the Royal Rumble Match!”
Chris Benoit: “This is my life…”
Paul Heyman: “You are the number one entrant in the Royal Rumble!”
Chris Benoit: “It is going to take a hell of a lot more than Paul Heyman to take away my dreams…”
The colours of the screen then go red as we head over to see the RAW side of things.
Jim Ross: “This is a big time moment here on RAW! Who will be the thirtieth entrant in the Royal Rumble?”
Jerry Lawler: “You’d be the odds-on favourite to win the Royal Rumble if you drew the thirtieth position.”
Jim Ross: “And Goldberg wins! Goldberg has got to be the odds-on favourite to win the Royal Rumble!”
We see several clips of the favourites to win the Royal Rumble - Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Booker T, Randy Orton, Goldberg and Big Show. The WrestleMania logo zooms in onto the screen.
Jim Ross: “Philadelphia here we come!”
Michael Cole: “The road to WrestleMania starts now!”
The package ends on the large WrestleMania 20 logo. We cut to ringside, where Jim Ross sits alongside Tazz to call the Royal Rumble match.
Jim Ross: “Here we are, live at ringside, Jim Ross alongside Tazz, and I gotta tell you Tazz, I’m pulling for RAW!”
Tazz: “And I’m pulling for SmackDown, but JR, I’m a little nervous, this is my first Rumble match, you know what I mean? You’ve done what, a million of them now, right?”
Jim Ross: “Yeah, at least two. The ring looks like a destruction area now as we send you up to the Fink!”
The camera pans around the arena. Howard ‘The Fink’ Finkel stands in the ring, ready to announce the rules of the Royal Rumble Match.
Howard Finkel: “Ladies and gentlemen, it is now time for the Royal Rumb-“
I’M BA-ACK! AND BETTER THAN EVER!
Howard is cut off by Eric Bischoff’s music. He quickly walks out, a microphone in hand, and storms down the ramp.
Eric Bischoff: “Get the hell out of my ring! You know, I am so confident that tonight, a RAW superstar is going to win the Royal Rumble! D’ya know why? Because RAW has superior athletes to SmackDown. Because RAW has better entertainers, and in my case, RAW has a better General Manager.”
He paused as he received a little heat from the crowd.
Eric Bischoff: “Now, a lot of you people out here might like Paul Heyman, because he used to run some inky-dink little shows at a damn bingo hall, but the fact of the matter is Paul Heyman is a joke. While my SmackDown counterpart is having stokes shoved down his throat for the superstars on SmackDown, I on the other hand have the respect, the admiration, and the loyalty that I-“
Eric was cut off by Paul Heyman’s music. Paul walked out with a microphone in hand and made his way down to the ring. He stood in front of Eric, but simply threw the microphone aside, lunging at Eric and taking him down to the mat! The two of them brawled momentarily until the sound of shattering glass was heard, and Steve Austin made his way out - on a quad bike! He drove once around the ring until he got back to the bottom of the ramp before dismounting the quad bike. He got into the ring and picked up a microphone from the mat.
Steve Austin: “What I wanna know is what the hell is going on here? I’m trying to sit back there and get ready for the Royal Rumble, and you guys are out here wasting everybody’s time like a couple of jackasses! And might I add, in clear violation of THE LAW! So what I wanna know is… who started it?”
Naturally, Paul pointed at Eric and Eric pointed at Paul. They both pleaded their case, neither one of them wishing to receive a Stunner. Steve ran forward and kicked Eric in the stomach before… STUNNER! The shattering glass was heard once more as Steve called for a couple of beers. He handed a beer to Paul and they both downed them in the middle of the ring. But then, of course, Steve kicked Paul in the stomach and… STUNNER! Calling for more beers, he exited the ring and rode away on his quad bike. We cut backstage where we see Goldberg preparing himself inside his locker room. As we pan out, we see RAW’s interviewer standing with a microphone in her hand. (I have no clue who she is!)
RAW Interviewer: “You know, this locker room is almost completely cleared out. The Royal Rumble is about to start any minute now. We’ve heard from the number one entrant Chris Benoit, you’re the number thirty entrant Goldberg, that gives you a pretty distinctive advantage, right?”
However, before Goldberg can answer, Brock Lesnar walks on and interrupts things.
Brock Lesnar: “Number thirty? Who cares what number Bill Goldberg is in the Royal Rumble? Didn’t you just witness Brock Lesnar retaining the WWE Championship by beating Hardcore Holly 1… 2… 3? That’s all that matters to me, you should be conducting this interview with Brock Lesnar!”
Brock Lesnar: “No I’m not, the last time you interrupted me you were the champion. What happened, Bill?”
Goldberg: “That’s in the past, Brock. What matters is tonight, after I go in the ring, and I smash every single person involved in that Royal Rumble, and I get the opportunity to regain my title at Mania. That’s all that matters. Ain’t that right, Hardcore?”
Brock turned around at the mention of Hardcore Holly, but he wasn’t there. Bill was just playing mind games with the WWE Champion.
Goldberg: “And people have the nerve to call Mick Foley a coward? I don’t think so…”
Goldberg walks away, leaving Brock looking very angry. We cut back to ringside, where Mick Foley’s seat is still empty.
Jim Ross: “Well that empty seat right there belongs to Mick Foley, who was invited here by Sherriff Austin, Tazz.”
Tazz: “Well you know, correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you say last week on RAW that if Mick Foley didn’t show up here tonight, you would admit that Mick’s a coward?”
Jim Ross: “Reluctantly, I did say that, yes.”
Tazz: “And Mick Foley’s not here… so…”
Jim Ross: “Well, uh, the night’s not over. He’s got a little time.”
Tazz: “Come on JR, what time? The Rumble match is about to start! There’s no time, Mick Foley’s not coming!”
Jim Ross: “Then he’s a coward.”
Tazz: “So you said it.”
Jim Ross: “Yes I did. Can we see your keys to victory please?”
The camera cuts to Tazz’s Keys to Victory on the titantron. It shows “1. Out of sight, out of mind, 2. Conditioning, 3. Higher number is your best friend.” As Tazz discusses what all of these points mean, Chris Benoit’s music plays. The Royal Rumble has officially started!
The Royal Rumble Match! 15 RAW superstars and 15 SmackDown superstars
Chris Benoit enters the ring, shaking his arms and stretching his neck. He knew that this would be his last chance to gain a shot at the WWE Championship. Everyone awaits who will enter at number two when Randy Orton’s music hits, and he walks out with his Intercontinental Championship. He slowly makes his way to the ring and hands his belt over to the timekeeper as the bell rings.
Entrant #1: Chris Benoit
Entrant #2: Randy Orton
He enters the ring and circles Chris Benoit. Chris Benoit also circles Orton, both of them looking for a way to begin the match. They locked up and Orton forced Benoit into the corner. Benoit turned it around so that Orton was in the corner. He broke the lock and hit Orton in the face, kicking him repeatedly in the upper leg and stomach until Orton was sitting in the corner. Benoit pulled Orton to his feet and pushed him against the ropes, whipping him to the other side of the ring. As Orton bounced back, Benoit shoved him down to the mat hard. He stomped repeatedly down on Orton’s chest before pulling him back to his feet. He delivered a hard snap suplex before getting back up to his feet. He moved behind Orton and kicked him in the back, Orton screaming out in pain. Benoit pulled Orton to his feet and pushed him against the ropes, trying to eliminate him. However, Orton wouldn’t be taken out this easily, and fought his way away from Benoit. Benoit ran out from the ropes and Orton went to clothesline him, however Orton ducked and turned around delivering a hard drop-kick to Benoit’s chest, knocking him down.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #3: Mark Henry
Mark slowly made his way to the ring as Orton pulled Benoit to his feet. He whipped Benoit to the corner, and Benoit smacked into the top turnbuckle hard with his chest. Mark Henry pulled himself up to the apron and walked into the ring over the top rope. Orton turned his attention to the bigger man, and ran at him hoping to knock him down with a clothesline. Henry stumbled and waved his arms, but it wasn’t enough to bring him down. He was simply angered by it, and ran at Orton, taking him down with a big boot! Benoit shook away the cobwebs in the corner before working out what he would do next. Mark pulled Orton up to his feet and set him up in the corner. He began thrusting his shoulder repeatedly into Orton’s stomach, taking all of the wind out of him. As Henry withdrew himself from the corner, Benoit ran at him and dropkicked him in the legs. Mark stumbled, but again it was not enough to bring him to the mat. It was going to be a tough job eliminating this guy. Mark stumbled against the ropes and Benoit ran at him looking to clothesline him over the top rope, but to no avail. Mark simply shoved Benoit away. He walked over to the downed Benoit and stomped on his chest. He pulled Benoit to his feet and tired to shove him over the top rope, but Benoit kicked him in the stomach twice, forcing Mark to release his grip.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #4: Tajiri
Tajiri quickly made his way out, running to the ring and sliding in. Tajiri went straight to work on Orton, who was just about getting to his feet. He kicked Orton in the legs repeatedly with his buzzsaw kicks, kicking him against the ropes. He climbed over Orton and looked to lock in the illegal Tarantula move, but Orton fought out and turned around, delivering a dropkick to Tajiri who fell off the apron.
Elimination #1: Tajiri by Randy Orton
Just like that, Tajiri had been eliminated from the Royal Rumble after just nineteen seconds! Orton moved away from the corner and stomped on the back of Henry’s leg. Benoit navigated around Henry and aided Orton in the taking down of Henry. They managed to bring Henry down to his knees. Orton ran and bounced off the ropes, delivering a low dropkick to Henry, finally bringing him down to the mat, drawing a loud cheer from the crowd. But it wasn’t enough - though he was off his feet, he hadn’t exactly been eliminated. So Benoit took it upon himself to roll Henry over before applying the crossface! Mark began to tap out, though that gets you nowhere in a Royal Rumble match. Soon, Benoit released the hold, feeling that the damage had been done. Benoit and Orton both strained as they pulled Henry to his feet before pushing him against the ropes. They took one leg each as the timer reached 10.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Just as the buzzer sounded, Mark Henry had been eliminated!
Elimination #2: Mark Henry by Chris Benoit and Randy Orton
Entrant #5: Bradshaw
Bradshaw ran to the ring and slid in underneath the bottom rope. He clotheslined Orton to the mat! Benoit ran at him, but Bradshaw clotheslined him as well. Bradshaw ran and bounced off the ropes, coming back to clothesline Orton once again. Benoit was back on his feet, and Bradshaw ran to clothesline him but Benoit ducked and grabbed Bradshaw around the waist, hitting him with a hard German suplex! Bradshaw got up to his feet as did Benoit. Bradshaw kicked Benoit in the abdomen and lifted him into the air, trying to throw him out over the top rope. Benoit got a grip of the top rope before wrapping his legs around Bradhsaw’s neck, flipping him out using a head scissors. Bradshaw smacked the floor and Benoit scooted back into the ring underneath the bottom rope.
Elimination #3: Bradshaw by Chris Benoit
Three men had entered the ring, but Benoit and Orton’s powers combined were enough to eliminate all of them. Both on their feet they stared at each other before circling one another, back to square one. They ran together and locked up. Orton kneed Benoit in the abdomen before planting his head to the mat in a hard DDT. He stomped on Benoit’s back and waited for Benoit to get up. Was he going to attempt the RKO? Benoit got to his feet as the crowd tried to make him aware of Orton’s presence. He turned around and Orton leapt up for the RKO, but Benoit took him down and locked in the crossface! The timer started to count down from ten, and Orton refused to tap despite there being no submissions.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #6: Rhyno
Rhyno ran down the ramp and slid into the ring. He stomped on Benoit’s back, forcing him to release the crossface as Orton rolled to the safety of the edge of the ring. Rhyno pulled Benoit to his feet and the two men exchanged right hands, former partners now engaging in full throttle war. Benoit grabbed Rhyno and whipped him to the ropes, but as Rhyno came back he attempted a Gore, but Benoit dodged out the way and Rhyno was almost sent flying through the ropes, though he was able to stop himself in time. He turned around and was met by a kick to the abdomen from Orton. Orton then began punching Rhyno in the head, forcing Rhyno into the corner. Benoit took a moment to compose himself on the other side of the ring. Orton started kicking Rhyno’s chest until Rhyno was in a seated position, much like Benoit had done to Orton earlier. Benoit walked over and clobbered Orton in the back. He pushed Orton against the ropes and went to whip him across the ring, but Orton reversed it and whipped Benoit. Benoit bounced back before Orton lifted him in the air, planting him down in a powerslam. Rhyno at this point was back on his feet, and as Orton turned around, GORE! Rhyno gored Orton to the mat! He was about to pull Orton to his feet in order to eliminate him, but Benoit was on his feet and kicked Rhyno in the stomach, not realizing that Rhyno had gored Orton and that Orton could have been eliminated. He dragged Rhyno over to the corner and set him up. He then took a step back and ran at Rhyno, splashing him in the corner. Rhyno stumbled out of the corner and Benoit delivered a belly-to-belly suplex. As Rhyno hit the mat in pain, the timer counted down from ten as the seventh entrant prepared to enter the ring.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #7: Matt Hardy
Matt ran towards the ring with Shannon Moore closely following him for protection. He slid into the ring and targeted Benoit immediately, punching him in the face and kicking him in the mid-section. He whipped Benoit towards the ropes and delivered a nice dropkick to the Benoit’s chest, taking them both down to the mat. Matt was first to his feet as he made his way over to Orton, stomping on his back. He pulled Orton to his feet and took him to the corner, lifting his legs in a hope to eliminate him. Orton was a lot heavier than Hardy, and naturally Hardy had some difficulty in lifting Orton out of the ring. Rhyno was up on his feet. He pulled Benoit to his feet and started punching him in the head. He pushed Benoit against the ropes and whipped him across the ring. As Benoit came back, Rhyno flattened him with a big boot to the face. Rhyno went over to the corner and grabbed Hardy, turning him around and headbutting him. He then kicked Hardy in the mid-section and grabbed his head, suplexing into the middle of the ring. He then stood in the corner, waiting for Hardy to get up, and the fans began to cheer at the prospect of Hardy getting gored. However, Shannon Moore entered the ring, kicking Rhyno in the mid-section before delivering a swinging neckbreaker. He pulled Hardy to his feet and made sure he was able to continue competing, and go on to win the whole thing. Shannon then quickly rolled out of the ring to avoid any injury. Hardy went towards Rhyno and lifted him to his feet, and set him up for a Twist of Fate! Rhyno however powered out of it, flattening Hardy with a hard clothesline.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #8: Scott Steiner
Big Poppa Pump made his way out, and walked calmly towards the ring before climbing into it. He went towards Orton, bringing him out of the corner and punching him repeatedly in the head. He lifted Orton into the air and went to powerslam him, but Orton wriggled out and shoved Steiner away before running at him and kicking him in the stomach. Orton then ran at Steiner and went to clothesline him, but Steiner ducked and turned around, grabbing Orton’s legs and going to toss him out of the ring! However, Orton landed on the apron and delivered a swift elbow to Steiner’s face before re-entering the ring. Hardy had made it back to his feet at this point, and he ran at Steiner, dropkicking him in the lower back. Steiner fell towards the ropes and Matt Hardy seized the opportunity to try and throw Steiner out of the ring, but Steiner was too strong for Hardy. He powered away from Hardy and kicked him in the stomach. Benoit was up on his feet now, and had punched Orton into the corner. He tried to lift Orton out of the ring in the corner as Rhyno got to his feet. Rhyno went over to Hardy and punched him in the face, whipping him to the other side of the ring. As Hardy bounced back, Rhyno clotheslined him hard to the mat. He pulled Hardy to his feet and went to throw him out of the ring. Hardy managed to grab the top rope and landed at the apron. He watched Steiner run towards him, and thinking quickly he pulled down on the top rope. Steiner proceeded to fall out of the ring!
Elimination #4: Scott Steiner by Matt Hardy
As soon as Steiner hit the floor, the timer began to count down from ten as the next entrant was about to make his way out.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #9: Matt Morgan
The powerhouse slowly walked down the ramp, hoping to make a real impact in this match. He rolled into the ring underneath the bottom rope and went towards Hardy, who had just about re-entered the ring. He punched Hardy so hard that he fell to the mat straight away. Benoit ran at him but Morgan simply clotheslined him down. Rhyno ran at him and the two of them began to exchange punches. Morgan grabbed Rhyno and whipped him into the ropes, hitting him with a hard spinebuster as he bounced back. Hardy was back on his feet and momentarily distracted Morgan, kicking him in the legs. Morgan just shoved Hardy into the ropes before running at him and clotheslining him over the top!
Elimination #5: Matt Hardy by Matt Morgan
Morgan turned around as Rhyno got back to his feet. Rhyno ran at him and attempted a gore, but Morgan simply grabbed Rhyno and lifted him up, slamming him hard down to the mat with a vicious powerbomb. Matt then turned his attentions to Benoit. Benoit came out of the corner and kicked Morgan in the top of the leg twice, bringing him down to one knee. Benoit then kicked Morgan in the small of his back, taking him down to the mat. He continued to stomp away at Morgan’s back, keeping him down. Benoit moved over to Orton and irish whipped him to the opposite corner. He ran over to Orton, clotheslining him into the corner. He then grabbed Orton by his tights and shoved him up to the top rope. He climbed up to the second rope before delivering a suplex from the second rope! He pulled Orton to his feet and whipped him towards the ropes. Orton bounced back and Benoit went to dropkick Orton in the chest, but Morgan was up on his feet and shoved Benoit out of the way whilst he was in mid-air before clotheslining Orton to the mat! Morgan roared out before pulling Orton to his feet. He took him over to the ropes and tried to eliminate him, but Orton kicked him in the stomach twice to relieve himself of the hold. The timer counted down from ten.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #10: The Hurricane
Hurricane ran down the ramp and pulled off his cape on the way. He slid into the ring and delivered a spinning wheel kick to Morgan. He turned around as Orton ran at him but he jumped over Orton’s body. Orton and Hurricane both turned around. Orton ran at Hurricane looking to clothesline him, but Hurricane ducked and ran at the ropes, bouncing off to take Orton down with a flying shoulder barge! He turned around, fired up, and ran at Benoit, kicking him in the mid-section. Benoit was forced to double over before Hurricane jumped up and stomped on Benoit’s back! Benoit fell down to the mat as Hurricane turned around. Rhyno was back to his feet, and made his way over to Hurricane, smacking him with a number of punches forcing him to back up into the corner. Taking a hold of the top rope, Rhyno continuously thrust his shoulder into Hurricane’s stomach, flattening him and taking the wind from him. He let Hurricane stumble away from the corner before running at him an clotheslining him over the top rope!
Elimination #6: The Hurricane by Rhyno
Rhyno turned around, cackling, when he was met by a big kick to the face from Matt Morgan, causing Rhyno to topple out over the top rope!
Elimination #7: Rhyno by Matt Morgan
Three of the first ten men were left in the ring: Chris Benoit, Randy Orton and Matt Morgan. All three of them stood in three separate corners, staring at each other. Benoit and Orton, being the first two entrants, ran at Morgan and both kicked him in the stomach - it was rare to see Benoit and Orton teaming together, what with them not only being on different brands but of different alignments. They got a handful of Morgan’s tights and delivered a double snap suplex as the timer counted down again.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #11: Booker T
The crowd went wild as Booker T came out. He ran towards the ring and slid in underneath the bottom rope. He started trading punches with Orton before kicking Orton in the stomach. He bounced off the ropes and looked to hit the scissors kick, but Orton was playing possum and flattened Booker with a hard clothesline. Orton, satisfied, turned around and was met by a flurry of right hands from Chris Benoit. Orton fell over Booker’s idle body, and Benoit helped Booker to his feet. They ran at Orton as he got to his feet and hit him with a double running clothesline. They both pulled him to his feet by his tights and went to throw him over the top rope, but Orton managed to grab the rope. Booker and Benoit went to toss Orton over regardless, when Matt Morgan ran at them both and clubbed them both in the back. Orton used the top rope to pull himself back into the ring in the style of Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho. Morgan went to work on Benoit as Orton targeted Booker. Orton pushed Booker into the corner and began pummeling away on him with right hands. He whipped Booker over to the side and ran at him, planting his boot right into Booker’s face - or so he thought. Booker dodged out of the way, and Orton ended up getting his foot stuck on the top rope. Booker seized the opportunity to lift Orton’s other foot and try to eliminate him, but Orton landed on the apron. He shoulder barged Booker before re-entering the room, tripping Booker up so as to make sure he was safe.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #12: Kane
Fire exploded on the stage and Kane walked out! All of the wrestlers in the ring were stunned as they stared out at the Big Red Monster. He climbed up onto the apron and walked in. Orton ran up to him, and for his troubles Kane gave him an almighty chokeslam. Morgan did the same - he received a chokeslam too. Kane turned around and punched Benoit in the face. He then turned to see Booker T and kicked him in the abdomen. He lifted Booker in the Tombstone Piledriver position! But before he could deliver the match-ending move, the gongs struck! It was the Undertaker! Kane thought he had finally gotten rid of Undertaker when he buried him alive at Survivor Series the previous year. Kane dropped Booker T and looked up at the stage in pure disbelief. But, nothing happened. Undertaker was no-where to be seen. Booker T tiptoed behind Kane before pushing him outside the ring.
Elimination #8: Kane by Booker T
As Kane hit the floor, the countdown started.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #13: Spike Dudley
Spike emerged on the stage and started strutting down the ramp - at the worst possible time. Kane stormed up the ramp and grabbed Spike by the throat, chokeslamming him on the steel ramp! Poor Spike never made it to the ring.
Elimination #9: Spike Dudley by Kane
Booker stood by the ropes, smirking down at Kane as he walked up the ramp. Morgan came up behind him and grabbed Booker’s legs, looking to throw him over the top rope! However, Booker thrust his legs into Morgan causing him to stumble backwards. Booker then walked towards Morgan and stomped down on his chest. Benoit and Orton lie in opposite corners, clearly feeling the effects on being the first and second entrants. Booker pulled Morgan to his feet and whipped him to the ropes. Morgan bounced back and hit Booker with a hard flying clothesline! He pulled Booker to his feet and looked to attempt a vertical side walk slam, which he carried out successfully. He turned around and… RKO! Orton had gotten back to his feet and delivered his first RKO of the match. He pulled Morgan to his feet and tossed him over the top rope!
Elimination #10: Matt Morgan by Randy Orton
Orton slumped back down in the corner. Benoit, Booker and Orton were the only three men in the ring. Whoever the next entrant was had a tremendous opportunity…
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #14: Ernest ‘The Cat’ Miller
The phrase Somebody Call My Momma blasted out across the arena as Ernest Miller walked out with his counterpart, Lamont. They both entered the ring, but instead of eliminating the men inside as they very well could have done, they decided to dance to Miller’s theme music. After thirty seconds, Benoit and Orton had heard enough. Benoit and Orton grabbed Miller and threw him out of the ring whilst Booker pulled off Lamont’s afro wig and shoved him out of the ring also.
Elimination #11: Ernest ‘The Cat’ Miller
Orton kicked Benoit in the stomach and pushed him into the corner. He then whipped Benoit over to the other side of the ring, trying to wear him down. Orton waited for Benoit to walk out of the corner before… RKO! Orton planted Benoit’s face down to the mat in his second RKO that evening in the space of two minutes. He pulled Benoit to his feet and went to throw Benoit out of the ring. Benoit however fell on the apron, and clutched onto the second rope. Orton dug his feet into Benoit’s sides but Benoit was not giving up. Booker then came behind Orton and grabbed his legs looking to throw him out again. However, Orton wriggled away from Booker’s grip before he could get over the ropes. Orton now had his attention on Booker, and Benoit rolled back into the ring underneath the bottom rope.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #15: Rikishi
Rikishi slowly walked down the ramp as Booker and Orton battled it out in the middle of the ring. Rikishi rolled into the ring underneath the bottom rope and got to his feet. He ran at Orton and knocked him down with a clothesline. He turned around and kicked Booker straight in the face, knocking him down and out. Rikishi then backed Orton up into the corner, tugging at his legs, trying to get him out of the ring. Booker slowly got to his feet and moved over to Benoit, who was just getting to his own. They slugged it out in the middle of the ring, exchanging punches. Orton, in the corner, smacked Rikishi in the face and wriggled loose from his grip. He charged at Rikishi and drove his elbow into the top of Rikishi’s skull. He then turned and started barging Rikishi into the corner. Orton smacked Rikishi square in the face, which clearly angered the Samoan Giant. Rikishi charged out of the corner and flattened Orton with a hard clothesline. He pulled Orton to his feet and set him up in the corner before ramming his entire body into Orton. Orton fell to his ass and Rikishi could see an opening. He pulled on Orton’s feet until Orton was lying in the corner. The fans were going crazy as Rikishi turned around and backed up into the corner before… STINKFACE! He literally wiped his ass in Orton’s face, and Orton flailed around like he was drowning. Rikishi laughed and moved over to Booker, who was leant against the ropes with Benoit lying in the corner. Rikishi charged at Booker looking to eliminate him, but Booker kicked Rikishi in the gut before punching him in the face, taking the big man down to the mat. The timer counted down again.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #16: René Duprée
It was none other than SmackDown’s French export, René Duprée. He walked to the ring and slowly climbed into it. Booker turned his attention to René punching him in the face and delivering a slow suplex, causing René to land on Rikishi! Booker brought René to his feet before kicking him in the gut. He bounced off the ropes, looking to hit a Scissors Kick - but René moved just in time and shoved Booker towards the ropes. René then ran and dropkicked Booker, who fell backwards and tumbled over the ropes!
Elimination #12: Booker T by René Duprée
Unbeknownst to René however, Rikishi waited behind him. René turned around before Rikishi ran at him and clotheslined him over the top rope!
Elimination #13: René Duprée by Rikishi
Orton was in the corner, trying to lift Benoit out of the ring, but Benoit was struggling and refusing to give up like this. Rikishi lay back in the opposite corner, taking a time out. As Benoit looked to be the next persona eliminated, Rikishi got up and headed over to where Orton was, trying to aid him in the elimination of the first entrant. Benoit would not give in though, and remained struggling in the corner whilst two men tried to lift him out.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #17: A-Train
Another big man to enter the mix! A-Train ran down the ramp and slid into the ring underneath the bottom rope. Rikishi had turned around to confront the big man, but he was knocked over with a big boot. Orton then tried to tackle the back-hair beast, but received a hard powerbomb for his troubles. A-Train lifted his arms into the air with pride as Rikishi got back to his feet. He ran at Rikishi and clotheslined him down to the mat. He shouted down at Rikishi, telling him to stay down. When A-Train turned around, he saw Chris Benoit dropkick him in the chest! A-Train proceeded to tumble out of the ring!
Elimination #14: A-Train by Chris Benoit
However, Benoit was looking worse for wear. He had been in there for twenty-two minutes now, and he was exhausted. He turned around as Orton approached him, but lifted his leg and kicked Orton in the jaw. He grabbed Orton and whipped him into the corner before lifting Orton’s legs, trying to propel him out of the ring. Rikishi lay down and out, suffering from the effects of A-Train’s assault. Benoit didn’t have the effort to go all the way and eliminate Orton. Orton was hanging in there by a thread though, as Benoit had managed to lift both his legs. Orton managed to get an arm free and clobber Benoit in the back. Benoit released his grip of both of Orton’s legs, but still tried his best to push Orton up and eliminate him. The time began to count down from then for the eighteenth entrant into the match.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #18: Shelton Benjamin
Benjamin ran down to the ring and slid in underneath the bottom rope. He saw Rikishi standing in the corner and delivered a hard drop-kick to Rikishi’s chest, causing Rikishi to slump down. He held onto the top rope before swinging down and kicking Rikishi in the chest once more. He pulled Rikishi up to his feet and began driving knees into Rikishi’s stomach. Shelton was clearly targeting the biggest man in here as he saw him as the biggest threat. Rikishi however, managed to lift his leg up and kick Shelton in the face. Rikishi then pulled Shelton to his feet and pushed him against the ropes, trying to eliminate him. Shelton wrapped his legs around the ropes so that he wouldn’t get eliminated. Benoit then came over and tried to help Rikishi eliminate Benjamin. Then Orton stumbled out of the corner and went to attack Benoit, but Benoit turned around and shoved Orton in the chest. Orton came back and grabbed Rikishi’s leg. With a loud grunt of strength and power, Orton lifted Rikishi up and over the top rope!
Elimination #15: Rikishi by Randy Orton
Shelton Benjamin clambered back into the ring too, elbowing Benoit in the face causing him to stumble down. Orton then ran at Benjamin and grabbed his leg, tossing him out of the ring also!
Elimination #16: Shelton Benjamin by Randy Orton
And after eighteen entries, we are back to the first two who started the match out: Chris Benoit and Randy Orton. Orton slumped down in the corner as the timer counted down again. Whoever entered now had a huge opportunity upon his hands.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #19: Kurt Angle
Angle ran down to the ring as Orton got back to his feet. Angle clotheslined Orton down to the mat as Benoit got to his feet. Benoit ran at Angle and shoved him down to his feet. Benoit pulled Angle up and pushed him against the ropes, whipping him to the other side of the ring. As Angle bounced back, Benoit dropkicked him in the chest, and Angle fell down again. Benoit set Angle up in the corner and delivered a chop to his chest. He began stomping on Angle’s chest and mid-section. He pulled Angle up and delivered another chest chop. He kicked Angle’s chest and punched him in the face. He went to whip Angle to the opposite corner, but Angle reversed it, whipping Benoit himself. Angle then ran at Benoit, but Benoit managed to get hi elbow up and cause Amble to stumble away. Benoit then ran at Angle but was met by a stiff clothesline from the gold medalist. Angle pulled Benoit to his feet before setting him up for a vertical suplex. He successfully executes the move before raising his hands to the fans, who gave him a mixed reaction. Benoit gave a quick glance to Orton, who was lying in the corner, before pulling Benoit to his feet. He then moved Benoit towards the ropes and looked to eliminate him! He got Benoit over the top rope, but Benoit got a firm grip on the bottom rope, so Angle couldn’t get him all the way. Angle gave up as he knew he wasn’t going to get Benoit out of the ring without softening him up a little more. The timer ticked down to the two-thirds mark, and the twentieth entrant.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #20: Rico
Rico made his way out with Miss Jackie as Orton got back to his feet and clobbered Angle in the back. Angle fought back and pushed Orton out the way before going back to work on Benoit. As Rico slid in, Orton took the advantage and began clubbing at the back of Rico. He pulled Rico to his feet before knocking him back down again with a beautiful drop-kick to the chest. Angle meanwhile had taken Benoit to the corner, and was trying to eliminate him that way. Orton pulled Rico back to his feet but Rico fought back, hitting Orton with several punches. Orton fought back with a punch of his own, and the two men exchanged punches in the middle of the ring whilst Benoit and Angle had moved to the next corner. Rico grabbed Orton’s head and rammed it into his knee. Orton stumbled over to the corner. Rico ran at him and jumped up to the second rope, using his other leg to kick Orton in the face! Orton fell to the mat and Rico pulled him back up, trying to toss him over the top rope. Meanwhile, Angle and Benoit had fought to the middle of the ring. Angle went to German Suplex Benoit, but Benoit reversed it and hit Angle with a German Suplex of his own. Orton kicked Rico in the stomach before hitting him with an RKO! Orton could easily then pull Rico to his feet and throw him over the top rope!
Elimination #17: Rico by Randy Orton
At the same time, Benoit completed a trilogy of hard German Suplexes, which of course took a lot out of him at the same time. Benoit made his way over to Orton and stomped on his chest. Benoit then took a huge risk by climbing to the top rope, looking to hit Angle with a diving headbutt. However, Angle was playing possum, and he was quickly up to his feet before running at Benoit, knocking the top rope. Benoit fell down in a very risky place, vulnerable to elimination. Angle began hammering his head as another countdown took place.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #21: Test
Test’s music began to play, but it was soon obvious that he was nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, Orton had pulled Angle off of Benoit and had delivered another RKO! Orton moved back over to Benoit and started stomping on his back. We then cut backstage to see Test lying on the floor with several referees tending to him. Steve Austin walks in sight and surveys the damage.
Steve Austin: “Is he gonna make it to the Rumble or not? What the hell are you doing? That’s my number twenty-one entrant, you son of a bitch. Right, now you’re number twenty-one! Get your ass to the ring! NOW! Get to the damn ring…“
Austin followed whoever Test’s attacker was, forcing him to the ring. We cut back to the ring where Orton is still stomping on Benoit. Orton stands on Benoit’s throat and uses the ropes for leverages, choking Benoit out. Suddenly, we hear the noise of a car crash, and the fans go crazy. It’s Mick FOLEY!!!
Entrant #21: Mick Foley
Orton looks stunned! Can it be true? All of the accusations of Foley being a coward suddenly went out the window as he ran down the ramp with a huge grin on his face! Mick Foley slid into the ring and immediately started trading punches with his enemy Randy Orton. Foley had had enough of Orton’s “Legend Killing”, and refused to be killed off by this young upstart. Foley pushed Orton into the corner and started hammering away at him! Foley takes him to the next corner and rams his head into the top turnbuckle! He continues to hammer away at Orton’s head until Orton was a sitting duck. Foley pulled Orton to his feet and set him up against the ropes, giving him one more punch in the facing before turning around and walking away. He then ran at Orton and clothesline him over the top rope with so much force that he went careering over the top rope as well!
Elimination #18: Randy Orton by Mick Foley
Elimination #19: Mick Foley by Mick Foley
Now the only people left in the ring was Kurt Angle and the first entrant, Chris Benoit. On the outside, Foley pulled Orton up to his feet once more. He took Orton’s head and rammed it into the steel steps! Foley grabbed a television wire and wrapped it around Randy’s neck! The timer counted down from ten, and as it reached zero, Foley released the wire.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #22: Christian
Benoit was kicking Angle in the corner as Christian ran and slid into the ring underneath the bottom rope. Christian went towards Benoit and started pounding him in the back. He whipped Angle into the next corner as Foley whipped Orton past the announce tables and into the barricade! As Angle got to his feet and started attacking Christian, Foley had picked up the steel steps. A SmackDown referee tried to stop him, but received a shot to the head from the steel steps for his troubles! Foley turned around, but he was met by a hard steel chair shot to the face from Randy Orton! Foley was doubled over before Randy hit him across the back with another loud shot. He pulled Foley up by his hair and started punching away at him relentlessly. Orton grabbed Foley as they made their way to the ramp, hitting him all the while. Orton grabbed Foley’s head before shoving him down the hard steel ramp! Orton picked up the steel chair and smacked it against the ramp, waiting for Foley to get to his feet. Foley however was able to punch Orton in the stomach. Orton dropped the chair as Foley delivered a right hand. He then clotheslined Orton down to the steel ramp! FOLEY THEN PULLED OUT MR. SOCKO! The timer counted down again as he pulled the sock onto his hand.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #23: Nunzio
Nunzio confidently walked out, but Foley turned around and grabbed Nunzio in the Mandible Claw! Nunzio tried to get out of the move desperately before Orton ran at Foley and swiftly kicked him where it hurts! Foley fell to the ramp as Orton crawled up it. Orton stumbled backstage as Foley got to his feet, following him in close pursuit! Meanwhile, inside the ring, Christian and Chris Benoit were working together as a unit, trying to force Angle out of the ring in the corner. Kurt was over the top ropes, clinging to the second and bottom ropes for dear life. Benoit and Christian both backed up and Angle fell back into the ring. Christian turned his attention to Benoit, knocking him in the stomach a few times with hard punches. Christian grabbed Benoit by the head before running towards the corner and ramming his head into the top turnbuckle. With a great deal of force, Christian turned Benoit around and slapped him hard in the chest. Benoit creased up in pain and Christian pulled him up straight. He then started delivering hard kicks to Benoit’s mid-section, trying to wear him down more than he already was. He stepped back before running at Benoit, looking to clothesline him into the corner, however Benoit ducked and moved out of the way. Christian flew into the corner as Benoit turned around, delivering some hard kicks on his own. Christian then unexpectedly ran out of the corner and clotheslined Benoit to the mat. He pulled Benoit to his feet and signaled for the Unprettier, but Benoit lifted him up and delivered a trio of German Suplexes! It took a lot of wind out of both men as Angle got to his feet, and the timer began to count down once more.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #24: Big Show
It was none other than the Largest Athlete In The World, The Big Show! This had to be it for all those involved - how were they going to get a behemoth like Big Show out of the ring?! Big Show reached into the ring and punched Angle in the head before getting into the ring himself. He grabbed Angle’s head and hit a thunderous headbutt, causing Angle to be floored instantly. He walked over to Benoit, who was just getting to his feet and kicked him hard in the stomach. He pulled Christian to his feet and threw him in the corner, telling the crowd to hush before slapping him hard in the chest! Christian creased over and fell to the floor in pain. Big Show grabbed Benoit and forced him into the corner, slapping his chest also. Suddenly, Big Show had become the favourite to win this thing. He pulled Christian to his feet before flattening him again with a hard headbutt. Angle ran at Show and began punching him, but Show grabbed Angle’s head and rammed his knee into Angle’s abdomen. Angle stumbled around before Show slapped his hand around Angle’s throat, lifting him up and planting him down to the ring with a Chokeslam! Show turned around and was met by several punches from Christian. He just shook them off however, and shoved Christian into the corner before delivering another chilling slap to the chest. Show grabbed Christian by the shoulders and tossed him to the other side of the ring as the countdown started again.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #25: Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho’s music played and the fans gave a mixed reaction. Angle was getting to his feet as Jericho ran into the ring, full of energy. He ran towards Angle and starting hammering him with blow after blow. He pushed Angle against the ropes before whipping him to the other side of the ring. Angle bounced back and Jericho flattened him with a flying clothesline. Jericho then seized the opportunity, bouncing off the second rope and flipping over, connecting with a Lionsault! As he got to his feet, he turned his attention to Benoit who stood in the corner, absolutely exhausted. Jericho began to punch him repeatedly before driving his knee continuously into Benoit’s abdomen. He grabbed Benoit’s head and rammed it into the top turnbuckle before taking a step back. He then ran at Benoit and delivered a monkey flip, sending Benoit to the other side of the ring. As Angle used the corner to get to his feet, both Christian and Chris Jericho approached him, kicking him in the stomach. Big Show walked towards the two men and grabbed them by the head before clocking their heads together! Momentarily knocked out, both men fell to the floor as Big Show began to work on Angle. He pulled Angle out of the corner before delivering a hard headbutt. Angle fell out of the corner with a serious headache. Show then pulled Christian to his feet and tried to toss him out over the top rope, but Christian flew his leg back, kicking Show in the crotch! Show stumbled backwards clutching his manhood as Christian ran to safety away from the ropes. He ran at Big Show and drop-kicked him in the lower back. Big Show stumbled towards the ropes. Christian and Angle then began to try and flip Big Show out of the ring, each of them taking a leg each. The counter timed down from ten.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #26: Charlie Haas
Haas ran down to the ring as Benoit and Jericho joined in trying to eliminate Big Show. As Haas reached the ring, Big Show simply shoved everyone away, showing how much of a threat he really was. Haas ran in and started attacking Christian. Jericho came to the aid of his former partner, and the two of them managed to set Haas up for a double suplex, which they successfully executed. Haas crawled over to the corner and got up to his feet as all of the other superstars (Angle, Benoit, Christian and Jericho) made their way back towards Big Show. It may have been every man for himself, but they all knew that they had to eliminate the biggest man or else none of them would fare a chance. Nunzio was still outside, sitting by the barricade, and Tazz praised him as the smartest person in the Rumble so far. Again, Big Show shoved everyone away, and they were forced to fight amongst themselves. Angle continued to work on the Big Show whilst Jericho and Christian battled with the number one entrant, Benoit. They backed Benoit up into the corner ad started punching him before they both lifted him up, trying to eliminate him. Angle managed to punch Show into the corner too, and holding the top rope, sent his boot flying into Show’s abdomen a number of times. Jericho and Christian brought Benoit out of the corner, and threw him towards the ropes. Benoit flipped over the top rope, but managed to get a hold of it at the last second, hanging on by the skin of his teeth. He landed on the apron and quickly rolled back into the ring. Jericho sent his boot smacking into Benoit’s stomach in frustration before Christian turned on him! Christian grabbed Jericho by the head and tossed him outside the ring! But Jericho managed to hold onto the top rope, and pulled himself back up using all of his given strength. Standing on the apron, he shoulder barged Christian who ran towards him, trying to knock him down. Christian put Jericho in the powerbomb position through the ropes, trying to figure out some way to eliminate Jericho. But Jericho lifted Christian in a back body drop, and Christian flipped up and out of the ring!
Elimination #20: Christian by Chris Jericho
As Christian hit the floor, the timer started to count down from ten once more.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #27: Billy Gunn
Meanwhile, Haas had Benoit up in one corner whilst Big Show had sent Jericho into another. Angle remained in an unoccupied corner, trying to recuperate. Big Show tossed Jericho over the top rope and assumed that he had eliminated the former Undisputed Champion. However, Jericho had simply landed on the apron before rolling back into the ring. Angle had gotten up and moved over to Haas, German Suplexing his former protégé into the center of the ring. Gunn ran into the ring and started trading blows with Angle immediately before hitting a Fameasser! Gunn then went over to Jericho and they exchanged right hands before Gunn hit another Fameasser on Jericho! Gunn then punched Haas in the head before punching Benoit. He then moved onto Big Show who stood in the corner and kicked him in the stomach before pulling him out of the corner. He sized Big Show up before hitting the biggest Fameasser he’d ever hit! Gunn went over to Jericho in the corner and grabbed his legs, trying to push him up and out of the ring. Haas meanwhile had gone back to work on Benoit, and was battling it out with him in the corner. Big Show lay in the middle of the ring, and Angle was back in the corner recuperating. Jim Ross reminded people that #27 had won the Royal Rumble four times, and that Billy Gunn could be the next person to do so should he keep up his head of steam. Haas went over to Gunn and pulled him away from Jericho, kicking him in the gut until he was on his knees. Nunzio remained outside, watching the Rumble with keen interest. As Angle moved out of the corner and went to work on Benoit, Haas took Gunn into the corner that Angle had been in previously and began hammering away at him. He began to thrust his shoulder continuously into Billy Gunn’s gut, taking all the wind from him. Jericho meanwhile went over to Angle and hit a back suplex into the middle of the ring! Jericho then went over to Big Show and put his neck on the bottom rope before choking him out! Benoit made his way over to Jericho and kicked him into the back as the timer counted down from ten.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #28: John Cena
As Cena made his way down to the ring, Big Show had gotten to his feet and was staring a hole through him. As Cena took off his pendant, he noticed that Nunzio was still outside the ring. He gave Nunzio a look of disgust before pulling to his feet and rolling him into the ring. Nunzio had now finally entered the Royal Rumble! As Cena got into the ring himself, Nunzio and Big Show began stomping away at him, trying to keep him down. Big Show pulled Cena to his feet before throwing him into the corner. He hit him with a hard chest slap. Cena hadn’t even had time to remove his Tug McGraw jersey! Big Show then removed it for him as Nunzio tried to pull Big Show out of the ring. He barely even moved the giant! Big Show simply looked down and slapped Nunzio hard in the back as if he was simply swatting away a fly. Big Show then turned back to Cena and pulled him up, but Cena fought back and began punching at Big Show’s body and head. He pushed Show against the ropes and went to eliminate him, but he wouldn’t be able to do it on his own. Nunzio was trying to eliminate Benoit on the other side as Billy Gunn stood on the apron, trying to get back into the ring. Gunn got into the ring as Jericho tired to toss Cena out of the ring! The timer counted down.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #29: Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam ran towards the ring and slid in underneath the bottom rope. He went right to work on Big Show, trading punches with him. The ring was really starting to fill up now, a total of nine men now battling it out to become the winner of the Royal Rumble 2004. Van Dam managed to push Show towards the ropes, and dropkicked him in hopes of getting Big Show all the way over, but Big Show simple turned around after the move and leaned across the ropes. Van Dam then grabbed Big Show’s leg trying to eliminate him. Jericho joined him by taking the other leg, trying to eliminate Big Show. Benoit and Haas came over, both looking to take out the giant. Angle joined them, as did Billy Gunn, John Cena and even Nunzio - everyone was trying to take out the big man! Everyone strained with all their strength as Big Show was raised higher and higher. Big Show was teetering dangerously, and he grabbed Cena’s head in an attempt to stay in the ring. However, Big Show’s weight forced him to the other side, and fell outside the ring! However, since he was holding Cena’s head, he pulled Cena out at the same time!
Elimination #21: Big Show by everyone
Elimination #22: John Cena by Big Show
The crowd cheered as the biggest man was now no longer a part of the Royal Rumble! Not only this, but everyone knew who was the #30 entrant, and it was now a case of waiting at him to arrive! People could now start to make educated guesses as to who was going to win this thing, now that they knew everyone involved. The timer started to count down from ten. The final entrant was about to make his way out.
10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Entrant #30: Goldberg
Goldberg quickly made down to the ring as his iconic music played. He climbed up the steel steps and ran into the ring… SPEAR on Kurt Angle. SPEAR on Chris Benoit. SPEAR on Rob Van Dam. SPEAR on Chris Jericho. SPEAR on Billy Gunn. SPEAR on Charlie Haas. Goldberg roared to the crowd as he decimated everyone inside the ring… except one man. Nunzio came behind Goldberg and started kicking him in the leg, but it didn’t do him any favoures. Goldberg turned around and stared down at Nunzio before lifting him up and slamming him down in a devastating Jackhammer! He then pulled Nunzio to his feet and tossed him outside the ring. A valiant effort from one of F.B.I’s most cherished members!
Elimination #23: Nunzio by Goldberg
We were down to our final seven men: Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Charlie Haas, Billy Gunn, Rob Van Dam and Goldberg. Billy Gunn stumbled against the ropes and Goldberg ran at him, taking every opportunity he could, clotheslining the Ass Man out of the ring.
Elimination #24: Billy Gunn by Goldberg
Goldberg went over to Angle and signaled for another Jackhammer. The fans started to cheer, but just before Goldberg raised the Gold Medalist, who should come in but the WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar?! He punched Goldberg in the back, and Goldberg released his hold of Angle. Lesnar then lifted Goldberg up and hit him with an F-5!! Lesnar smirked and left the ring, backing up the ramp as Angle was left to take out the trash, dumping Goldberg over the top rope! The odds-on favourite to win the Royal Rumble had been eliminated after just two minutes!
Elimination #25: Goldberg by Kurt Angle
We were down to the final five men in the match! Kurt Angle was working on Benoit in the corner whilst Rob Van Dam went to work on Jericho in the next corner. Haas was in the third corner recuperating. Haas go to his feet and ran over to RVD. He jumped up and dropkicked RVD! Van Dam flipped over the top rope but hung on at the last second. He stood up on the apron and Haas ran at him, looking to knock him off. Rob however pulled down on the top rope, and Haas went tumbling over.
Elimination #26: Charlie Haas by Rob Van Dam
The remaining four in the match were the number one entrant, Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho and Rob Van Dam. Van Dam flipped himself back into the ring and starting kicking Jericho, who was seated in the corner. An angered Haas on the outside of the ring grabbed a steel chair and threw it into the ring, trying to hit RVD. RVD simply caught the chair before shrugging and running at Jericho, delivering a Van Terminator! The chair went straight into Jericho’s face, and he was knocked out by the move. RVD then saw a true window of opportunity. He pulled Jericho to the middle of the ring by his feet before running to the top rope and jumping up. He stood up straight and did his “R… V… D” gesture before jumping of, looking for the Five Star Frog Splash! However, Jericho raised his knees and RVD crashed and burned onto them. Jericho got to his feet, shaking the cobwebs from his head. He pulled Van Dam to his feet and set him up against the ropes. He then picked up the chair and walloped Van Dam in the head! Van Dam flipped over the top rope and became the twenty-seventh victim of the Rumble match thus far.
Elimination #27: Rob Van Dam by Chris Jericho
We were down to the final three in the match, and everyone was on their feet. Who was going to go to Mania? It was almost impossible to choose. In one corner was Chris Benoit, who had been in there from the start for nearly an hour now, and yet had shown amazing strength and stamina throughout the match. In the next corner was Kurt Angle, who entered at number nineteen and maintained a steady assault throughout the match. He had been in there for about twenty-five minutes - half an hour less than Benoit, but was still feeling the effects. In the third corner was Chris Jericho, who entered at twenty-five but was still worn out and worse for wear. He had been in there for just about ten minutes now, though it felt like a lifetime. The fans in the front row pounded on the barricade and everyone else stomped their feet, trying to will these men to their feet. Kurt Angle was the first to try and make it to his feet, using the corner to do so. He looked around and noticed that he was one of three left. He smirked, and the straps came down! He went over to Benoit and pulled him out of the corner before locking in the ANKLE LOCK! Benoit screamed in pain and collapsed. He was too tired to even think of getting out of the hold. Luckily for him, Jericho was now on his feet. He walked over to Angle and clubbed him in the back. Angle was forced to remove the hold before driving his elbow into Jericho’s ribs. Jericho kicked Angle in the abdomen before grabbing him in a suplex position, suplexing him to the middle of the ring. He stomped away at Angle’s abdomen, drawing all the wind from him. He smirked at the fans before turning Angle over and grabbing his legs before locking in the WALLS OF JERICHO! Angle screamed out in pain and started tapping, but he knew that would get him nowhere. He wriggled around, trying to pull himself towards the ropes so he can try to get himself to a vertical base. He just couldn’t do it however, and Jericho continued to pile on the pressure. Before long, Benoit was back to his feet. He walked over to Angle and applied the CROSSFACE whilst the Walls of Jericho were still locked in! Angle was going berserk, and he was in a lot of pain. He endured it for fifteen seconds more before Jericho and Benoit agreed to release the hold. They both pulled Angle to his feet before tossing him over the top rope. Angle flipped over the rope and landed hard on the outside - and we were down to the final two.
Elimination #28: Kurt Angle by Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho
The last two men were Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho. Benoit had been in there since the very start - could Benoit be the second person to ever win from the number one entry? And Jericho was the twenty-fifth entry - could Jericho be the second person to ever win from the number twenty-five entry? Either way, the winner would be a “second”. Shawn Michaels won from the number one spot in 1995, and Hulk Hogan won from the twenty-fifth spot in 1990. They stood in the middle of the ring, staring at each other and breathing heavily. They ran towards each other and locked up. Jericho drove his knee into Benoit’s stomach. He grabbed Benoit’s head and delivered a hard punch before whipping Benoit to the corner. He ran towards Benoit and dropkicked him in the back, forcing Benoit’s sternum into the top turnbuckle. Benoit stumbled backwards and Jericho bent over, lifting Benoit in the electric chair position. However, Benoit punched Jericho in the head before turning around on Jericho’s shoulders and planting him down to the mat with a vicious DDT! Benoit got to his feet and stumbled around, smiling an almost toothless grin at the fans he then went over Jericho before locking in the CROSSFACE! Jericho started to scream. He reached out and grabbed the bottom rope, thought it would do nothing. He tired to use the ropes to pull himself to his feet. Eventually, he is able to do just that, and he fell backwards, ramming Benoit’s back into the mat. Jericho turned around clutching his lower back before pulling Benoit to his feet. He grabbed Benoit’s tights and went to throw Benoit out of the ring! Jericho turned around and started celebrating prematurely, falling to his knees and praising any God that was above. However, Benoit had landed on the apron. At the noise of the fans, a confused Jericho got to his feet and saw Benoit on the apron. Angered, he ran at Benoit. Benoit clocked Jericho in the head a number of times, but Jericho punched back. The two of them started exchanging blows, Benoit coming dangerously close to falling backwards and out of the ring. Jericho smacked Benoit, who fell backwards. It was only his grip on the top rope that saved him being eliminated. Jericho hit him with another punch, but still Benoit did not fall. Jericho leapt up to dropkick Benoit out of the ring, but Benoit sidestepped out of the way and Jericho crashed down to the mat without achieving anything. Jericho took a step back before running at Benoit. He leapt through the middle ropes, tackling Benoit down to the floor! Both men were outside the ring, but who had won? Both men lay, absolutely exhausted outside the ring. The referees discussed it amongst themselves before Earl Hebner made his way around the ring and told Howard Finkel who had won the match. Earl made his way back over to both men as Howard Finkel announced the match’s result.
Howard Finkel: “Ladies and gentlemen, Earl Hebner has informed me that the winner of the Royal Rumble 2004 is…
CHRIS…
…
…
…
JERICHO!”
Earl pulled Jericho to his feet and raised his arm. The fans started booing heavily. Though some of them did like Jericho, they all wanted Benoit to win. This meant that Benoit would definitely not be winning a World Title now, as this was his last hope. Jericho was overjoyed, and he rolled into the ring with his arms in the air, smirking at the fans. He leapt up to the second rope as the fans booed him, and we are left with some final words from Jim Ross as the Pay-Per-View closes out.
WINNER: Chris Jericho
Jim Ross: “Chris Jericho has won the Royal Rumble! An hours worth of pure effort and hard work from Benoit for nothing - he won’t be getting his shot at WrestleMania now, because Chris Jericho is going to WrestleMania!”
The final image we see is of the completely exhausted Chris Benoit who lay outside the ring, defeated and dejected. The pay-per-view closes out to boos from the audience.
I'm going on holiday for Christmas, so RAW's recap will not be up until the next year. Until then, enjoy!
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