Pitch Black Match: Bray Wyatt vs. LA Knight
Black lights illuminate the ring, and Bray attacks Knight at the bell. They fight outside and Knight gets sent into the ring steps, then Bray clears the commentary table. Bray climbs on the table, but Knight leaps over the barricade and slams Bray through the table. Bray throws a toolbox into the ring, then he pummels Knight a bit before whipping him over the top rope. Knight comes back with a kendo stick, smashing Bray over the head with it. Knight goes to hit him again, but Bray hits Sister Abigail for the win.
Winner – Bray Wyatt
Bray leans in the corner and his face, covered in glow-in-the-dark makeup during the match, ends up glowing red. Knight tries to hit him with the kendo stick and run, but Bray shakes it off and puts him out with the Mandible Claw. Uncle Howdy shows up on top of a stage, then Uncle Howdy dives off of the ledge and through the stage with Knight!
As Bray Wyatt and @RealLAKnight met in the first-ever @MountainDew Pitch Black Match at #RoyalRumble, Uncle Howdy made a big splash! pic.twitter.com/TqYhpt1sAZ
— WWE (@WWE) January 29, 2023
RAW Women’s Championship: Alexa Bliss vs. Bianca Belair (c)
Bianca slams Alexa into the corner and takes her down with a hiptoss. Bianca punches Alexa in the corner, but Alexa trips her up and kicks her in the back. Alexa pulls Bianca’s braid and chokes her in the corner. Bianca turns the tables and whips Alexa with her braid, then climbs the turnbuckle and applies a rear choke. Bianca hits a back handspring splash and goes for the KOD, but Alexa counters and goes for a seated dropkick. Bianca blocks it and runs into a DDT, and Alexa gets a two count. Bianca makes a comeback and hits the KOD for the win.
Winner – Bianca Belair
After the match, a creepy video featuring a playground and old clips of Alexa plays. Uncle Howdy appears and asks Alexa if she feels like she’s in charge.
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Rhea hiptosses Liv and they trade strikes in the corner. Rhea plants her with a forearm strike before looking at the WrestleMania sign. Liv floats over and hits a facebuster, then rolls through and hits a knee strike. Dana Brooke hits some back handspring elbows on each opponent, then hits Liv with a seated dropkick. Liv kicks her in the corner and they fight for position on the top turnbuckle. Liv hits a superplex as Emma comes in. They pair up in the corners as Shayna Baszler comes in, and she does joint manipulation to Rhea before attacking the others. Bayley is out next at 6, and Liv immediately hits Oblivion and tries to throw her out of the ring. B-Fab is in next, and she hits Dana with a sit-out flapjack. She attempts a side kick on Rhea, but Rhea ducks it and headbutts her before throwing her out of the ring.
Roxanne Perez takes Rhea down with a spinning armdrag, then she levels Bayley with an uppercut. Roxanne tries to throw Bayley outside and gets help. Damage CTRL ends up recording three quick eliminations, and Shayna Baszler looks shocked that Natalya is here. Nattie hits a spinning forearm as she enters the ring, but Baszler hits her from behind and throws her in the corner. Damage CTRL takes advantage and throws them both out, then Zoey Stark runs in and hits Rhea with a strike and a splash off the ropes. Xia Li tries to enter the ring with her staff, but the referee stops her. Xia shoves the staff into the ref and drops some of her opponents with some stiff kicks. Iyo Sky sees Candice perched on the top turnbuckle and shoves her out to the floor to eliminate her.
Becky Lynch storms to the ring as the 15th entrant, and she heads right after Bayley. Becky pummels her in the corner, but Dakota and Iyo take her under the ropes and throw her into the barricade. Bayley joins in and they whip her over the commentary table as Tegan Nox enters the match. Tegan hits Rhea with a somersault dive and follows with some hip attacks to Zoey and Xia in opposite corners. Tegan hits a Shining Wizard and tries to eliminate Zoey as Asuka makes her way to the ring. Asuka pulls off her mask to reveal her old psycho clown / Kana paint, and ends up taking down everyone in the ring. Asuka tries to throw Bayley out of the ring but Tegan stops her, dropping her with a thrust kick. Asuka pulls the ropes and sends Tegan to the apron and eliminates her with a roundhouse kick.
Piper Niven (no longer Doudrop) makes her way to the ring, hitting Bayley and Liv Morgan with a big splash. Tamina drops Piper with a kick before everyone gangs up on her, then Becky Lynch makes her way back in and hits Dakota and Iyo with reverse DDTs. Chelsea Green returns at 20, talking trash as she walks in the ring. Rhea immediately throws her outside and Michael Cole wonders if she’s the record for fastest elimination. Becky throws Bayley to the ring apron, then Dakota goes after her but Becky sends her to the floor. Iyo Sky tries to eliminate Becky, but Becky reverses and sends her to the floor, quickly followed by Bayley sending Becky over the top rope. Liv Morgan runs right up behind Bayley and eliminates her, and Becky ends up attacking her on the floor. Zelina Vega hits a Code Red on her way in the ring, then she kicks Xia Li in the head and eliminates her.
Raquel Rodriguez hits Rhea with a clothesline on the way in the ring, then she chokebombs Zelina into the corner. Zelina jumps off the turnbuckles and takes her down with a headscissors, then Michin enters and goes on offense before Piper takes her down. Raquel and Zoey try to eliminate each other as Lacey comes in the ring, and she sweeps Zoey’s legs and taunts the crowd with a salute. Michelle McCool comes in from the crowd, as she was sitting right behind commentary. She’s in at 25 and hits a FaithBreaker before eliminating Tamina.
Sonya Deville eliminates Zoey Stark and trades kicks with Asuka, then she sends Indi to the floor. Nia Jax makes her return to WWE as the final entrant in the match, and she talks trash and dares someone to come after her. She fends off the attack, stops Raquel from press slamming her and declares that “she’s back, bitch!” Rhea hits Riptide on her and tells everyone to get her out of there, and the competitors band together and throw her outside. Raquel eliminates Lacey and turns her focus to Asuka, who puts her in an armbar to slow her down. Raquel throws Asuka on the apron, then Sonya ends up next to her. Raquel charges but Asuka and Sonya sidestep her and kick her in the face. Sonya tries to attack Asuka, who blocks her attempt and kicks her off the apron.
Michin hits Eat Defeat to eliminate Shotzi, then Piper throws Michin onto Shotzi on the floor. Piper hits Raquel with a cannonball in the corner and goes for a Vader Bomb but Raquel sends her to the apron and kicks her to the floor to eliminate her. Liv dives at Nikki Cross on the apron and sends her to the floor, and we’re down to the final three.
Asuka, Rhea and Liv square off for position, and Asuka hits them each with kicks to the legs. Liv tries to eliminate Rhea and gets her on the apron, but Rhea pulls her outside and kicks her in the stomach. Asuka ends up on the apron with them, and Asuka goes for the mist. Rhea ducks and Asuka hits Liv instead, and Rhea kicks Asuka off the apron. Rhea picks Liv up and Liv connects with a Codebreaker, but Rhea skins the cat and takes Liv off the apron with a headscissors to win.
Winner – Rhea Ripley
Order of entry:
- Rhea Ripley
- Liv Morgan
- Dana Brooke
- Emma
- Shayna Baszler
- Bayley
- B-Fab
- Roxanne Perez
- Dakota Kai
- Iyo Sky
- Natalya
- Candice LeRae
- Zoey Stark
- Xia Li
- Becky Lynch
- Tegan Nox
- Asuka
- Piper Niven (Doudrop)
- Tamina
- Chelsea Green
- Zelina Vega
- Raquel Rodriguez
- Michin (Mia Yim)
- Lacey Evans
- Michelle McCool
- Indi Hartwell
- Sonya Deville
- Shotzi
- Nikki Cross
- Nia Jax
Order of elimination:
- B-Fab (via Rhea Ripley)
- Dana Brooke (via Damage CTRL)
- Emma (Dakota Kai)
- Roxanne Perez (Damage CTRL)
- Shayna Baszler (via Damage CTRL)
- Natalya (via Damage CTRL)
- Candice LeRae (via Iyo Sky)
- Tegan Nox (via Asuka)
- Chelsea Green (via Rhea Ripley)
- Dakota Kai (via Becky Lynch)
- Iyo Sky (via Becky Lynch)
- Becky Lynch (via Bayley)
- Bayley (via Liv Morgan)
- Xia Li (via Zelina Vega)
- Tamina (via Michelle McCool)
- Zoey Stark (via Sonya Deville)
- Zelina Vega (via Lacey Evans)
- Indi Hartwell (via Sonya Deville)
- Nia Jax (via multiple competitors)
- Lacey Evans (via Raquel Rodriguez)
- Sonya Deville (via Asuka)
- Michelle McCool (via Rhea Ripley)
- Shotzi (via Michin)
- Michin (via Piper Niven)
- Piper Niven (via Raquel Rodriguez)
- Raquel Rodriguez (via Rhea Ripley)
- Nikki Cross (via Liv Morgan)
- Asuka (via Rhea Ripley)
- Liv Morgan (via Rhea Ripley)
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens
Owens and Reigns slug it out on the floor, then they head back into the ring and Owens hits a frog splash. Owens goes for a pump kick, but Reigns blocks it and hits a powerbomb for two. Reigns goes for a spear and hits the ring post with his shoulder, and Owens hits a Swanton Bomb for two. Owens goes for a springboard and slips, then he heads back up top but misses a moonsault. Reigns hits a spear for two, then the ref gets knocked outside and Owens hits a pop-up powerbomb.
The ref is still out so no one can make the count, and Reigns uses the opportunity to hit Owens below the belt. Reigns screams at Sami Zayn to get a chair, but Sami says he told him not to do anything. Reigns says he wants a chair now, and Sami hesitates before throwing it in the ring. Owens hits a Stunner, but Reigns narrowly kicks out at two. Reigns takes Owens outside and spears him into the barricade, then slams his head into the ring steps. Reigns slams Owens back into the steps as Heyman yells to acknowledge the Tribal Chief. Sami puts his hand in the air to acknowledge Reigns as he brings Owens into the ring. Reigns hits a spear and makes the cover.
Winner – Roman Reigns
Jey attempts to put a lei on Sami, but Roman stops him and says they aren’t done yet. The Usos attack Owens and hit the 1D before dragging him in the corner. Jimmy puts a chair around Owens’ head and Solo splashes Owens in the corner. Heyman then gives Reigns some handcuffs, and they cuff Owens to the top rope before repeatedly superkicking Owens. Reigns then tries to swing a chair at Owens’ head, but Sami steps in front of him and says this has gone too far. Reigns looks annoyed, then tells Sami to take the chair from him and do it himself.
Sami says he can’t do it and Reigns screams at him and mocks him, then asks if he’s crying. Sami finally hits Reigns in the back with the chair, and The Usos ask what he did. Jimmy attacks Sami and Solo joins in, but Jey remains in the corner. Reigns asks what he’s doing, but Jey leaves the ring and looks dejected as he walks up the ramp. Reigns repeatedly beats Sami with a chair and hits him with forearm shots, then tears his shirt off and rips the lei flowers before leaving.
