30-Man Royal Rumble Match
We go back to the ring for tonight’s main event as Mike Rome does the introduction. The music immediately hits as WWE Hall of Famer Edge makes his way out at #1. The pyro goes off and fans cheer Edge on. Michael Cole is at ringside with Corey Graves and Samoa Joe. Randy Orton is out next at #2 as Edge paces in the ring. Edge rushes out of the ring and meets Orton on the stage. Edge beats Orton down the ramp and sends him into the edge of the apron.
Edge brings it in the ring and the bell rings. They brawl in the corner and Orton goes for a cheap shot. Orton goes to the floor for a breather but Edge follows and launches him into the barrier. Edge keeps control and sends Orton into the steel steps, then onto the announce table. Edge wails away while Orton is on top of the table. The #3 entrant is Sami Zayn, who has his film crew with him. Edge and Orton come back in. Sami runs in and takes Edge out with a shot to the knee. Orton also works on Edge. Sami stomps Edge while he’s down.
They keep Edge down with the double team now. The #4 entrant is Mustafa Ali. Ali enters and stares Orton and Sami down. Ali attacks Edge instead, stomping away while he’s down in the corner. Orton and Sami hold Edge now, allowing Edge to work him over with body shots, face strikes and some trash talking. Ali unloads while Edge is held by the other two. Fans boo them. They all try to eliminate Edge as the timer starts up. The #5 entrant is Jeff Hardy. Hardy drops Orton with the Twist of Fate. Hardy fights off Sami and Ali now. Hardy with Whisper In the Wind to both of them for a pop.
Sami blocks the Twist of Fate and Orton drops Hardy with the RKO. Sami yells at Hardy and hypes Orton up. Orton turns on him and drops him with the RKO. Orton drops Ali with the RKO next. Edge with a Spear to Orton for a pop. Orton rolls to the floor for a breather. Edge follows and sends Orton face-first into the ring post, then the announce table a few times. Edge places Orton on top of the table now. The announcers scatter. Edge pulls Orton up but Orton goes for the RKO. It’s blocked and Edge drops Orton face-first into the table. It buckles but doesn’t break. The #6 entrant is SmackDown Tag Team Champion Dolph Ziggler.
Edge with a steel chair shot over Orton’s back at ringside. Edge with a chair shot to Orton’s leg now. Officials try to break the Edge – Orton brawl up at ringside. Orton is down selling the chair shots, and he’s bleeding now. Ziggler runs in and eliminates a distracted Hardy.
Edge runs in and attacks Ali, then tries to dump Sami but he hangs on. Ziggler with a Zig Zag on Edge. Orton is being checked on by officials still. Edge is triple teamed as the timer starts up. The #7 entrant is Shinsuke Nakamura as Edge hangs on. Nakamura runs in and goes at it with Ziggler in the middle of the ring. Nakamura drops him and nails a sliding knee. Orton appears to be selling a leg injury at ringside. Nakamura kicks Sami in the back of the head in the corner. Referees are taking Orton away from ringside now as he limps. The #8 entrant is Carlito.
Carlito comes in with his apple and Nakamura wants a bite. This leads to Carlito hitting a Backstabber to Nakamura. We see Orton struggling to get up the ramp. Ali and Carlito go at it but Ali eats a Backstabber. Carlito tosses Sami but he hangs on. Orton is still being helped to the back but moving slowly. Nakamura and Edge go at it now while Carlito fights off Ali and Ziggler. The #9 entrant is Xavier Woods. Woods storms the ring and unloads on Ali.
Woods tries to dump Sami now but Ali stops him. Ziggler is working on Carlito. Edge is working on Nakamura. The #10 entrant is WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E. Big E hits the ring and unloads on Sami. Big E with the Uranage to Ali. Woods drops Sami. Woods places Big E on his shoulders and slams him onto Sami. Woods and Big E with the assisted Big Ending to Sami. The New Day eliminates Sami now. Carlito works on Edge and Nakamura now. John Morrison is out at #11.
Morrison hits the ring and unloads. Morrison with shots for Edge and Carlito now. Woods takes Ali down from the top. Woods tosses Ali but he hangs on. Ziggler tries to dump Woods but he hangs on. Big E saves Woods. Ali eliminates Woods. Big E eliminates Ali. The #12 entrant is Ricochet. Ricochet rushes the ring and springboards in, taking out a big group of Superstars. Ricochet levels Ziggler with a kick. Edge sends Ricochet to the apron but he fights back in. Ricochet takes Edge down and then dropkicks him. Morrison levels Ricochet. Carlito works on Ziggler. Nakamura and Big E trade shots.
Elias is out at #13. Elias drives Ricochet into the mat. Elias with a Drift Away to Morrison. Elias unloads on Carlito now. Carlito dropkicks Elias into the ropes. Elias with a jumping knee to Carlito. Elias eliminates Carlito. Elias goes to work on Edge now. Ricochet takes over on Elias in the corner. Nakamura with big strikes to Ziggler. Nakamura drops Ziggler on his head. The #14 entrant is Damian Priest from NXT.
Priest hits the ring and fights off Elias, hitting him with the Reckoning. Priest levels Ricochet now, then poses and yells out to the crowd. Morrison rocks Priest but Priest drops him with kicks. Priest keeps beating Morrison up. Priest eliminates Elias. We see Orton being tended to back in the trainer’s room. He is still technically in the match. Edge and Priest trade big shots now. The #15 entrant is The Miz as Edge and Priest collide with clotheslines.
Miz goes over and uses his Money In the Bank briefcase to smash up Bad Bunny’s DJ setup. Miz hits the ring and drops Big E with a Skull Crushing Finale to save Morrison. They double team Ricochet now, then hit him with a double DDT. Ziggler congratulates them but they double team him next. Bad Bunny comes down the ramp and he’s not happy. Miz and Morrison invite him in the ring but referees stop him. Bunny is furious. Priest takes advantage and eliminates Miz and Morrison off the distraction by Bunny. Bunny goes to the top and leaps off, taking Miz and Morrison down on the floor as Priest cheers him on.
The #16 entrant is Riddle as Bunny makes his exit. Fans chant “Bro!” as Riddle hits the ring and kicks off his flip flops. Priest attacks Riddle and they go at it. Riddle levels Priest with a forearm in the corner, then brawls with Nakamura. Riddle nails a kick and catches a kick, then fights Nakamura off into the crowded corner. Priest drops Nakamura. Riddle kicks Nakamura. Priest decks Riddle. The #17 entrant is Daniel Bryan to a big pop.
Bryan comes out and leads a “yes!” chant on his way to the ring. Bryan with a running kick to Nakamura in the corner, then to Priest. Ricochet catches Bryan but Bryan fights out and kicks him. Ricochet and Bryan trade shots. Ricochet flips into an impressive German. Priest almost dumps Edge but Edge hangs on. Big E levels Ziggler with a clothesline. Edge fights Priest off now. Riddle works on Nakamura in a corner. The #18 entrant is Kane making his return.
Kane hits the ring and drops Ricochet. Kane chokeslams Edge, then takes out Riddle and Nakamura. Ziggler leaps off the top but Kane grabs him and eliminates him. Kane chokeslams Ricochet to eliminate him next. Bryan calls Kane and offers a big hug in the middle of the ring. Kane grabs him for a big chokeslam instead. Priest gets in Kane’s face and taunts him. Priest fights off a chokeslam and they go at it. Priest eliminates Kane. The #19 entrant is King Baron Corbin as Priest fights Riddle off from the corner. Corbin goes after Riddle and then slams Bryan in the middle of the ring. Corbin fights off Nakamura but Nakamura comes back with a flying kick. Nakamura shows off some and goes for Kinshasa but it’s blocked. Corbin with Deep Six to Nakamura. Corbin eliminates Nakamura to boos.
Otis is out at #20. Otis runs over Corbin and then slams Big E. Otis launches Priest over his head, then the same to Riddle. Otis splashes Priest in the corner. Otis is the only one standing now. He delivers the Caterpillar to Priest. Otis goes up to the second rope but Corbin knocks him out. Otis has been eliminated. Bryan attacks Corbin and unloads with Yes Kicks in the corner. The #21 entrant is Dominik Mysterio. Dominik hits the ring but Corbin slams him hard, then mounts him with right hands. Corbin tries to dump Dominik but he hangs on. Dominik eliminates Corbin, who is seething.
Dominik goes after Big E now. Bryan fights off Riddle. Big E works on dumping Dominik. Priest drops Riddle and slams him by his neck. Priest works on Bryan now. Edge is recovering in a corner by himself. Riddle fights Priest off after Priest drops Bryan. Edge attacks Bryan now. The #22 entrant is WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley. Lashley levels Riddle and then launches Dominik to eliminate him. Lashley then slams Priest with ease. Lashley eliminates Priest.
Big E and Lashley face off now. They start brawling in the middle of the ring. Riddle is down in a corner, as is Edge. Big E and Lashley come to a stalemate after going at it for a few minutes. The brawl continues. Big E with shoulder thrusts. Riddle helps Big E. The #23 entrant is “The Hurricane” Shane Helms making his return. Helms enters the ring but Big E scoops him. Helm avoids the elimination and hits a thumb to the eye. Helms runs into Lashley and goes down. Helms tries for a double chokeslam on Big E and Lashley but they block it with ease and toss him over the top rope for the elimination. Lashley immediately drops Big E.
Lashley goes to work on Bryan in the corner now. Christian is out at #24 for a big pop. Edge looks up from the mat as his former partner heads in. Edge looks relieved. Lashley waits for Christian. Lashley swings but Christian drops him. Bryan, Big E and Riddle triple team Lashley now. He’s eliminated by those three and Christian at once. Christian comes back in and hits the Unprettier on Big E. Christian drops Bryan with an elbow. Edge and Christian hug in the middle of the ring for a big pop. Riddle wants in on the hug but they attack him and double team him. The #25 entrant is AJ Styles. Omos slowly marches behind him.
AJ unloads and drops Christian with a pele kick. Bryan fights big E off. Riddle kicks Big E next. AJ works on Edge. Bryan drops Riddle with an uppercut. AJ goes to the apron and springboards in with the Phenomenal forearm but Edge ducks. Edge comes back with a Spear to AJ. Christian and Riddle tangle with Big E. Bryan headbutts Edge. The #26 entrant is Rey Mysterio. Rey goes to the top and nails Christian with a senton. Rey fights off AJ next. AJ catches Rey’s moonsault but Rey sends him to the apron. Rey almost knocks AJ to the floor but Omos saves him and sends him back in. Rey and Big E don’t approve of this assist. Big E boots AJ. Omos pulls Big E from behind and eliminates him. Big E is furious but Omos easily shoves him over the announce table by his head. Fans boo the elimination.
AJ works on Christian while Bryan works on Riddle. Sheamus is out at #27. Sheamus hits the apron and delivers 10 Beats of The Bodhrán to Riddle and Edge, then a top rope clothesline to both men. Christian attacks Sheamus but Sheamus nails a Brogue Kick. Bryan attacks Sheamus now, delivering Yes Kicks in the corner. Bryan runs into a big Brogue from Sheamus. AJ works on Rey now. Sheamus works on dumping Bryan. Riddle comes from behind and tries to dump Sheamus. Omos stops Rey from hitting 619 on Rey by intercepting it. Omos pulls Rey off the apron and eliminates him. Fans boo the elimination.
The #28 entrant is Cesaro for a pop. Cesaro unloads with a big running uppercut to Edge in the corner. Cesaro delivers big uppercuts to Riddle and then AJ next. Sheamus comes from behind but he and Cesaro face off. They have some friendly words but Cesaro takes him down for the Cesaro Swing in the middle of the ring. Cesaro launches Sheamus to the ropes but he hangs on. Bryan and Cesaro go at it now. Cesaro with the Swing to Bryan. Edge is trading kicks with Sheamus while they’re down. AJ works on Christian. Riddle is down in a corner by himself. Cesaro keeps the Swing on Bryan going and going. The #29 entrant is Seth Rollins making his big return with pyro and everything.
Rollins takes his time but Cesaro immediately hits a big uppercut. Cesaro almost eliminates Rollins but he hangs on, comes back in and can’t believe what Cesaro did. Cesaro welcomes him back and they start brawling in the middle of the ring. Sheamus works on dumping AJ. Christian is down n a corner. Riddle works on Bryan. The #30 entrant is Braun Strowman.
Strowman rushes the ring and chokeslams Riddle, then drops Cesaro, then drops Sheamus. Strowman tosses AJ into the arms of Omos. Cesaro attacks Braun from behind and scoops him but can’t get him over the top. Strowman eliminates Cesaro. Sheamus and Braun go at it now. Braun eliminates Sheamus. AJ and Braun go at it now. Braun eliminates AJ and Omos isn’t there this time. Edge and Christian with a big double Spear to bring Strowman down. Fans chant “this is awesome!” now as it’s down to Rollins, Bryan, Edge, Christian, Strowman and Riddle.
Riddle and Bryan are the first two to get back up. We saw Rollins watching from ringside, but still in the match. They unload on each other in the middle of the ring. Bryan goes for Edge now after dropping Riddle. Edge takes a running knee from Bryan after missing a suplex. Bryan tosses Edge but he hangs on. Bryan fights off an Unprettier from Christian. Bryan dropkicks Christian. Bryan with a running dropkick to Strowman in the corner.
Bryan and Riddle meet in the middle of the ring once again and they go at it. Bryan takes Riddle down and they tangle on the mat, rolling around with submission attempts. Riddle powers up but Bryan hangs on and makes it to his feet on the apron. Bryan goes to the top and nails the missile dropkick to Riddle. Rollins runs in and hits a big Stomp to Bryan. Rollins eliminates Bryan.
Riddle comes from behind but Rollins fights him off and unloads. More back and forth between the two. Riddle with the Ripcord knee to stun Rollins. Riddle dumps Rollins but he hangs on. Strowman drops Riddle on the apron. Rollins eliminates Riddle from the apron with a big Stomp.
Rollins looks to team up with Strowman against Edge and Christian now. Rollins tells Braun it’s their time and they are the future, not Edge and Christian. Strowman scoops Rollins and slams him. Edge and Christian double team Braun now but he fights back and runs through both of them for a big pop. Strowman tosses Christian in the corner and splashes Edge, then a splash for Christian. Braun scoops Edge but Edge hangs on. They struggle but Edge isn’t giving up. Christian comes from behind and tries to help Edge dump Strowman. Strowman and Christian both get eliminated as Edge hangs on.
Rollins comes from behind but Edge fights him. They go at it and Edge tosses Rollins to the floor, eliminating him. Edge looks to win but Orton hits the ring from behind and drops him with the RKO as the crowd explodes. Orton was never eliminated. Orton and Edge tangle as Orton goes to toss Edge but Edge counters and eliminates Orton for a huge pop.
Winner: Edge
This is from our full coverage of tonight’s Royal Rumble event. You can click here to join our ongoing coverage post and Viewing Party.