Royal Rumble 2014
results
by kevin powers
The New Age Outlaws def. WWE Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes & Goldust
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One of the greatest tag teams in WWE history fortified its legacy during the Royal Rumble Kickoff, as The New Age Outlaws defeated Cody Rhodes & Goldust to win their sixth WWE Tag Team Championship. Regardless of why the Attitude Era mainstays earned the opportunity – their victory against The Brotherhood on SmackDown or their relationship with WWE COO Triple H – Road Dogg & Billy Gunn proved they “still got it.”
The brotherly chemistry between Cody Rhodes and Goldust – despite a 16-year age difference – has been dominant in recent months. However, the nearly two decades of experience The New Age Outlaws possess was too much for the sons of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes.
The Outlaws have shown that age is but a number since their return at Old School Raw, and in the early moments of the contest, they looked as good as they did in WWE’s Attitude Era competing for the Tag Team Titles. The last time The New Age Outlaws won the titles was November 1999, making this the longest period of time between championship reigns in WWE history.
The brotherly chemistry between Cody Rhodes and Goldust – despite a 16-year age difference – has been dominant in recent months. However, the nearly two decades of experience The New Age Outlaws possess was too much for the sons of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes.
The Outlaws have shown that age is but a number since their return at Old School Raw, and in the early moments of the contest, they looked as good as they did in WWE’s Attitude Era competing for the Tag Team Titles. The last time The New Age Outlaws won the titles was November 1999, making this the longest period of time between championship reigns in WWE history.
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Road Dogg & Billy Gunn weren’t the only two competitors in this contest that competed in the Attitude Era, though. Goldust – who 15 years ago this week had battled Billy Gunn on Raw – displayed his own experience, while Cody Rhodes relied on his youthful agility to balance out a thrilling contest. The WWE Universe inside the Steel City’s CONSOL Energy Center was on the edge of its collective seat, as both duos ultimately set the competitive tone for Sunday night’s entire Royal Rumble event.
The high-octane bout was chaotic for sure, and The New Age Outlaws took advantage of the bedlam inside the squared circle. With neither pair securing enough momentum to maintain a prolonged advantage, Gunn seized an opportunity to tag himself in after driving Goldust into the barricade outside the ring. Cody,not seeing the tag had been made,focused on Road Dogg – thereby allowing Gunn to execute The Famouser and secure the championship win.
After 14 years, The New Age Outlaws captured WWE Tag Team Championship glory, shocking themselves, the WWE Universe and ultimately, The Brotherhood. The ramifications of their victory remain to be seen, but there is no doubt that Road Dogg & Billy Gunn are going to party like its 1999.
The high-octane bout was chaotic for sure, and The New Age Outlaws took advantage of the bedlam inside the squared circle. With neither pair securing enough momentum to maintain a prolonged advantage, Gunn seized an opportunity to tag himself in after driving Goldust into the barricade outside the ring. Cody,not seeing the tag had been made,focused on Road Dogg – thereby allowing Gunn to execute The Famouser and secure the championship win.
After 14 years, The New Age Outlaws captured WWE Tag Team Championship glory, shocking themselves, the WWE Universe and ultimately, The Brotherhood. The ramifications of their victory remain to be seen, but there is no doubt that Road Dogg & Billy Gunn are going to party like its 1999.
Bray Wyatt def. Daniel Bryan
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At Royal Rumble, Bray Wyatt emerged victorious over Daniel Bryan, instantly burying a sea of “YES!” chants from the electrified capacity crowd into a creepy shroud of darkness.
It was a match destined to be extremely personal from the start. Bray Wyatt came into Royal Rumble looking to punish Bryan after The Beard appeared to willingly join The Wyatt Family several weeks earlier, then turned on The Eater of Worlds inside a steel cage with absolute aggression. For his part, Bryan looked to replace Wyatt’s madness with some of his own.
The scene spelled pure intensity from the moment the two Superstars stepped into the ring. Yet, even with the stakes being so personal, no one could have predicted the monumental match that lay ahead.
It was a match destined to be extremely personal from the start. Bray Wyatt came into Royal Rumble looking to punish Bryan after The Beard appeared to willingly join The Wyatt Family several weeks earlier, then turned on The Eater of Worlds inside a steel cage with absolute aggression. For his part, Bryan looked to replace Wyatt’s madness with some of his own.
The scene spelled pure intensity from the moment the two Superstars stepped into the ring. Yet, even with the stakes being so personal, no one could have predicted the monumental match that lay ahead.
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In the early going, an altercation between Bryan and Wyatt’s disciples, Luke Harper and Eric Rowan, led the referee to exile both Superstars from the ringside area, creating a true one-on-one showdown. That turn of events proved even more fortuitous for Bryan moments later, after Wyatt sent him through the ropes and The Beard appeared to hit his head on the steel steps.
That was only the beginning of the carnage. With each minute that passed, the all-out brawl grew more ferocious, as the two competitors absolutely dismantled one another – whether it was Bryan slamming his foe‘s head into the canvas or Wyatt mercilessly smashing Bryan’s skull into the unforgiving steel ring post. Yet no matter how ruthless things became, the heart of Daniel Bryan refused to give in. And in a key moment, The Beard roared back with a jaw-dropping Tornado DDT off the ring apron.
That was only the beginning of the carnage. With each minute that passed, the all-out brawl grew more ferocious, as the two competitors absolutely dismantled one another – whether it was Bryan slamming his foe‘s head into the canvas or Wyatt mercilessly smashing Bryan’s skull into the unforgiving steel ring post. Yet no matter how ruthless things became, the heart of Daniel Bryan refused to give in. And in a key moment, The Beard roared back with a jaw-dropping Tornado DDT off the ring apron.
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Bryan regained the advantage and ultimately cinched in the “Yes!” Lock, but the vicious Wyatt bit his way out of the submission move. The WWE Universe would have no time to catch its collective breath; seconds after Wyatt escaped the running knee by rolling out of the ring, Bryan lunged at Wyatt through the ropes. But The Eater of Worlds was able to catch his opponent, and hurled him face first into the ringside barrier with unrelenting brutality.
After that, it was only a matter of time before the leader of The Wyatt Family would finish off his adversary with Sister Abigail. Like him or hate him, Bray Wyatt emerged victorious over Daniel Bryan in a brutal showdown. The only question is where the creepy entity will go from here.
After that, it was only a matter of time before the leader of The Wyatt Family would finish off his adversary with Sister Abigail. Like him or hate him, Bray Wyatt emerged victorious over Daniel Bryan in a brutal showdown. The only question is where the creepy entity will go from here.
Brock Lesnar def. Big Show
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While Big Show may have been able to manhandle Brock Lesnar in their impromptu brawls over the past few weeks, The Beast Incarnate got the better of The World’s Largest Athlete at the 2014 Royal Rumble event. Before and after the match, Lesnar demolished Big Show with series of brutal steel chair attacks that will be talked about for years to come.
The man Paul Heyman dubbed “Brock the Unmerciful” did not even let the bell ring, tackling Big Show to the ground and pounding the giant with clubbing blows. While Lesnar whaled away on The World’s Largest Athlete, Heyman slid a steel chair into his client’s clutches.
Lesnar smashed the chair over Big Show’s back and arms repeatedly, mangling the steel seat over the giant’s massive frame. The official was able to temporarily stop the carnage and ask Big Show if he wanted to compete. The giant, unable to lift his battered left arm, the match finally started. Though Lesnar grabbed another chair, he did not get to use it. Charging at Big Show, Brock instead ran into a KO Punch that sent him crashing to the canvas and unable to get up. Unfortunately for Big Show, he had been beaten so badly with a chair before the match that he could not cover Lesnar.
The carnage spilled to the arena floor, where Big Show temporarily gained the upper hand, targeting the midsection of The Beast Incarnate with right hands. Once they got back into the ring, The World’s Largest Athlete tried to capitalize and put Lesnar down for the count with another KO Punch. Lesnar wasn’t having any of that, though. Instead, “Brock the Unmerciful” ducked the shot-put sized fist, hoisted Big Show up on his massive shoulders, carried the giant around the ring and sent him crashing to the mat with a thunderous F-5 to pick up the victory.
The man Paul Heyman dubbed “Brock the Unmerciful” did not even let the bell ring, tackling Big Show to the ground and pounding the giant with clubbing blows. While Lesnar whaled away on The World’s Largest Athlete, Heyman slid a steel chair into his client’s clutches.
Lesnar smashed the chair over Big Show’s back and arms repeatedly, mangling the steel seat over the giant’s massive frame. The official was able to temporarily stop the carnage and ask Big Show if he wanted to compete. The giant, unable to lift his battered left arm, the match finally started. Though Lesnar grabbed another chair, he did not get to use it. Charging at Big Show, Brock instead ran into a KO Punch that sent him crashing to the canvas and unable to get up. Unfortunately for Big Show, he had been beaten so badly with a chair before the match that he could not cover Lesnar.
The carnage spilled to the arena floor, where Big Show temporarily gained the upper hand, targeting the midsection of The Beast Incarnate with right hands. Once they got back into the ring, The World’s Largest Athlete tried to capitalize and put Lesnar down for the count with another KO Punch. Lesnar wasn’t having any of that, though. Instead, “Brock the Unmerciful” ducked the shot-put sized fist, hoisted Big Show up on his massive shoulders, carried the giant around the ring and sent him crashing to the mat with a thunderous F-5 to pick up the victory.
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The sold-out crowd at Pittsburgh’s CONSOL Energy Center was in awe as Lesnar stared into his hands after the bell, contemplating the carnage he just created with them. As The Beast Incarnate stalked out of the ring, he saw another steel chair and grabbed it.
Big Show didn’t have a chance to recover from the F-5 before Lesnar violently laid into him with not one, but three separate steel chairs, destroying two of them in the process. The sickening sound of steel crashing against bone rang throughout the arena as Brock destroyed the chairs over Big Show’s arms, legs, back and chest with vicious strikes.
By the time Heyman walked Lesnar away from ringside, The Beast Incarnate connected with 20 stomach-turning chairshots. The ringside floor looked like a warzone, with twisted steel and debris littering the area surrounding the ring. The WWE Universe was in a stunned silence as doctors and officials tended to Big Show, who was barely able to walk out under his own power. The World’s Largest Athlete refused any medical attention following the bout and would not let anyone into his locker room. Sources described the ailing Big Show to WWE.com as “one angry giant.”
If the brutal massacre Big Show was put through at the hands of Brock Lesnar is a true example of what The Beast is capable of, there may not be anyone who can stop “Brock the Unmerciful” from becoming WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Big Show didn’t have a chance to recover from the F-5 before Lesnar violently laid into him with not one, but three separate steel chairs, destroying two of them in the process. The sickening sound of steel crashing against bone rang throughout the arena as Brock destroyed the chairs over Big Show’s arms, legs, back and chest with vicious strikes.
By the time Heyman walked Lesnar away from ringside, The Beast Incarnate connected with 20 stomach-turning chairshots. The ringside floor looked like a warzone, with twisted steel and debris littering the area surrounding the ring. The WWE Universe was in a stunned silence as doctors and officials tended to Big Show, who was barely able to walk out under his own power. The World’s Largest Athlete refused any medical attention following the bout and would not let anyone into his locker room. Sources described the ailing Big Show to WWE.com as “one angry giant.”
If the brutal massacre Big Show was put through at the hands of Brock Lesnar is a true example of what The Beast is capable of, there may not be anyone who can stop “Brock the Unmerciful” from becoming WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton def. John Cena
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For the first time in weeks, “The Face of WWE” is smiling. Or, inasmuch as you expect Randy Orton to be smiling, even after a victory like the one he pulled off at Royal Rumble Sunday night. Seemingly cracking under the spectre of a pure, no-frills defence of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena, The Viper faced his demons and came out fresh on the other side, defeating the former World Champion in what was billed as a “traditional” wrestling match, albeit with a very un-traditional assist from Bray Wyatt at the moment of truth.
The task at hand was, all things considered, a fool’s errand for Orton. In addition to facing excess pressure to live up to his Authority-appointed status as champion – a task that from the get-go has been harder for him than he seemed to think it would be – he went on to poke the proverbial bear by attacking Cena’s father two weeks ago on Raw, to the dismay of his handlers. With practically everyone but the voices in his head turned against him, The Authority seemed content to throw Orton to the wolves; whether the challenge fortified him or not seemed of little concern in their last meeting.
When the bell tolled at Royal Rumble, the Cenation leader didn’t waste any time in rectifying his (failed) bid at payback six days earlier. The Viper was besieged from the beginning by Cena, who for all his strength, has never been considered much of a brawler, yet seemed quite at home throwing boulder-sized fists into Orton’s head and torso. Spurred into action, The Viper retaliated with a plunging stomp to Cena and a trio of bone-rattling headbutts.
The task at hand was, all things considered, a fool’s errand for Orton. In addition to facing excess pressure to live up to his Authority-appointed status as champion – a task that from the get-go has been harder for him than he seemed to think it would be – he went on to poke the proverbial bear by attacking Cena’s father two weeks ago on Raw, to the dismay of his handlers. With practically everyone but the voices in his head turned against him, The Authority seemed content to throw Orton to the wolves; whether the challenge fortified him or not seemed of little concern in their last meeting.
When the bell tolled at Royal Rumble, the Cenation leader didn’t waste any time in rectifying his (failed) bid at payback six days earlier. The Viper was besieged from the beginning by Cena, who for all his strength, has never been considered much of a brawler, yet seemed quite at home throwing boulder-sized fists into Orton’s head and torso. Spurred into action, The Viper retaliated with a plunging stomp to Cena and a trio of bone-rattling headbutts.
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The tone of the match shifted quickly after that, and both champion and challenger seemed to buy more into the throwback style of the match. An attempted Boston Crab from the Cenation leader was followed by Orton’s flawless suplex off the apron. The Viper’s preening attempts to mug for the crowd were met with hostility, as jeering taunts of “DAN-IEL-BRY-AN!” reminded Orton of the man he won his ill-gotten WWE Championship from in the first place.
Despite the head games, Orton – who was as thrilled with the chants as he had been at the prospect of facing Cena in this rematch– managed to stay in control, planting Cena with a DDT before striking a taunting pose atop the turnbuckle. The former World Champion picked his moment to strike then, toppling Orton with an Electric Chair and transitioning seamlessly into his signature sequence. The Apex Predator, however, seemed to have Cena better scouted than The Authority perhaps expected, cutting him off before the Five Knuckle Shuffle.
The Cenation leader recovered fast, plunging onto the back of Orton’s head with a top-rope leg drop that spurred both Superstars into another gear. Cena made a move for the Attitude Adjustment, but Orton dropped him with a hanging DDT from the apron to the concrete. The challenger’s typical comebacks seemed to run dry before they even began, and Orton appeared to be making good on his insistences that – despite conventional wisdom – one victory over Cena was all he needed to prove his dominance. Even a lightning-quick offset of the RKO into the STF couldn’t put the Champion of Champions away, thanks to a mighty reach for the ropes by the embattled titleholder.
The counter did, however, slow Orton down enough for Cena to finally get his steam rolling. Connecting with the Five Knuckle Shuffle, the former Champ had Orton dead to rights … until a failed Attitude Adjustment took the referee out by mistake when Orton’s foot was accidentally rammed into the official’s skull. The subsequent (and, all things considered, immediate) tapout from the STF went unrecorded, and The Viper stayed alive by clocking Cena in the head with the World Heavyweight Championship belt. The would-be finishing blow only bought Orton a two-count, and it nearly cost him more when Cena sprang an Attitude Adjustment on The Viper that almost earned him a pinfall.
Despite the head games, Orton – who was as thrilled with the chants as he had been at the prospect of facing Cena in this rematch– managed to stay in control, planting Cena with a DDT before striking a taunting pose atop the turnbuckle. The former World Champion picked his moment to strike then, toppling Orton with an Electric Chair and transitioning seamlessly into his signature sequence. The Apex Predator, however, seemed to have Cena better scouted than The Authority perhaps expected, cutting him off before the Five Knuckle Shuffle.
The Cenation leader recovered fast, plunging onto the back of Orton’s head with a top-rope leg drop that spurred both Superstars into another gear. Cena made a move for the Attitude Adjustment, but Orton dropped him with a hanging DDT from the apron to the concrete. The challenger’s typical comebacks seemed to run dry before they even began, and Orton appeared to be making good on his insistences that – despite conventional wisdom – one victory over Cena was all he needed to prove his dominance. Even a lightning-quick offset of the RKO into the STF couldn’t put the Champion of Champions away, thanks to a mighty reach for the ropes by the embattled titleholder.
The counter did, however, slow Orton down enough for Cena to finally get his steam rolling. Connecting with the Five Knuckle Shuffle, the former Champ had Orton dead to rights … until a failed Attitude Adjustment took the referee out by mistake when Orton’s foot was accidentally rammed into the official’s skull. The subsequent (and, all things considered, immediate) tapout from the STF went unrecorded, and The Viper stayed alive by clocking Cena in the head with the World Heavyweight Championship belt. The would-be finishing blow only bought Orton a two-count, and it nearly cost him more when Cena sprang an Attitude Adjustment on The Viper that almost earned him a pinfall.
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With the WWE Universe still jeering him, a reeling Orton countered with an RKO and very nearly had Cena in position for a punt to the head. When that went south, both champion and challenger decided to ditch their own playbooks and take a page out of each other’s. Orton locked in a wicked-looking STF and Attitude Adjustment; Cena lashed out with an RKO in response. At this point, there weren’t so much two Superstars left as there were beaten shells of them, so there was nothing left to do but empty the arsenal. Cena, for his part, got the better of the ensuing exchange when he administered a tornado DDT from the top rope, locking in the STF again and stranding Orton in the middle of the ring, with no escape available to him.
That is, until Bray Wyatt delivered it. Suddenly appearing at ringside with Erick Rowan & Luke Harper, The Eater of Worlds took Cena’s focus off the Champion of Champions long enough for Orton to hit the pivotal RKO that spelled Cena’s doom. The Viper – wanting no part of the man whom he earlier referred to as a “‘Duck Dynasty’ reject,”– slunk out through the audience and left Cena to the mercy of Wyatt. The “Man of 1,000 Truths” directed his Family to discipline Cena, and, with the WWE standard-bearer left limp in his arms, proclaimed his clan “the creators of the new world” before putting Cena to sleep with Sister Abigail.
So that’s the way it ends for John Cena: Denied his glory and stripped of his strength. What would have been a vindicating win was instead a crushing loss, sealed with a kiss.
That is, until Bray Wyatt delivered it. Suddenly appearing at ringside with Erick Rowan & Luke Harper, The Eater of Worlds took Cena’s focus off the Champion of Champions long enough for Orton to hit the pivotal RKO that spelled Cena’s doom. The Viper – wanting no part of the man whom he earlier referred to as a “‘Duck Dynasty’ reject,”– slunk out through the audience and left Cena to the mercy of Wyatt. The “Man of 1,000 Truths” directed his Family to discipline Cena, and, with the WWE standard-bearer left limp in his arms, proclaimed his clan “the creators of the new world” before putting Cena to sleep with Sister Abigail.
So that’s the way it ends for John Cena: Denied his glory and stripped of his strength. What would have been a vindicating win was instead a crushing loss, sealed with a kiss.
Batista won the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match
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He came. He saw. He conquered.
In his first match back after a nearly four-year absence from WWE, Batista proved he hadn’t lost any of his killer instinct as he eliminated Roman Reigns to win the 2014 Royal Rumble Match. With his epic victory — his second in the 27-year history of the over-the-top-rope melee — Batista began his deliberate march toward WrestleMania XXX, where he will attempt to achieve the one goal that led to his return: win the WWE World Heavyweight Title.
It was a commanding performance from The Animal, who entered the fray at No. 28 and eliminated four Superstars to stand tall. Long before that, however, it was CM Punk who kicked things off, entering at No. 1 for the second time in his career before displaying the kind of marathon man endurance that made Royal Rumble Match icons out of WWE Hall of Famers like Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. First squaring off with No. 2 entrant Seth Rollins, Punk scored the bout’s first eliminations by dumping Damien Sandow and Kane, who entered the match in slacks and dress shoes.
WWE NXT standout Alexander Rusev — a Bulgarian powerlifter with scary agility — made a shocking entrance in the No. 6 spot, and manhandled Punk, Rollins and Cody Rhodes with the clout of a ring veteran. For a brief period of time, the rookie became an unexpected favourite until the combined efforts of four Superstars took the brute out of the match.
Before the big man left the ringside area, however, Punk tossed Kofi Kingston, who landed in Rusev’s arms. The Bulgarian strongman planted Kingston on the barricade, but the high-flyer’s feet never touched the floor. As he did in his last two Royal Rumble Matches, Kofi found a way to survive as he balanced himself atop the thin railing, took a running start and miraculously jumped back onto the ring apron.
In his first match back after a nearly four-year absence from WWE, Batista proved he hadn’t lost any of his killer instinct as he eliminated Roman Reigns to win the 2014 Royal Rumble Match. With his epic victory — his second in the 27-year history of the over-the-top-rope melee — Batista began his deliberate march toward WrestleMania XXX, where he will attempt to achieve the one goal that led to his return: win the WWE World Heavyweight Title.
It was a commanding performance from The Animal, who entered the fray at No. 28 and eliminated four Superstars to stand tall. Long before that, however, it was CM Punk who kicked things off, entering at No. 1 for the second time in his career before displaying the kind of marathon man endurance that made Royal Rumble Match icons out of WWE Hall of Famers like Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels. First squaring off with No. 2 entrant Seth Rollins, Punk scored the bout’s first eliminations by dumping Damien Sandow and Kane, who entered the match in slacks and dress shoes.
WWE NXT standout Alexander Rusev — a Bulgarian powerlifter with scary agility — made a shocking entrance in the No. 6 spot, and manhandled Punk, Rollins and Cody Rhodes with the clout of a ring veteran. For a brief period of time, the rookie became an unexpected favourite until the combined efforts of four Superstars took the brute out of the match.
Before the big man left the ringside area, however, Punk tossed Kofi Kingston, who landed in Rusev’s arms. The Bulgarian strongman planted Kingston on the barricade, but the high-flyer’s feet never touched the floor. As he did in his last two Royal Rumble Matches, Kofi found a way to survive as he balanced himself atop the thin railing, took a running start and miraculously jumped back onto the ring apron.
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The first Royal Rumble shocker came at No. 14 when the massive Kevin Nash returned to WWE and immediately eliminated Jack Swagger before going after both Rollins and Dean Ambrose at the same time. Big Sexy didn’t last long, though, as the No. 15 entrant — Roman Reigns — tossed Nash, Kofi and Dolph Ziggler in short order. It was just the beginning of what would become a legendary Rumble Match performance for the muscle of The Shield.
The surprises continued from there as Goldust eliminated his brother, Cody, and Reigns eliminated Goldust, leaving Punk alone in the ring with all three members of The Shield. Just when it looked like a public mugging was about to transpire, the clock struck zero and Sheamus made his return as the 17th entrant. Clearly not intimidated by The Hounds of Justice, the fiery Irishman went right for the trio with wild haymakers like he was in the middle of a Dublin pub brawl.
The smallest Rumbler entered at No. 20 as El Torito charged into the squared circle and picked a fight with Punk. The Straight Edge Superstar may have dismissed the little bull, but that was before he had been nearly flipped out of his boots by a hurricanrana. The luchador even scored an elimination when he launched Fandango over the rope with a flying headscissors, but he was then nearly hurled into the mezzanine by Reigns.
The mayhem continued from there as JBL left the commentary table at No. 24, and entered the ring in a shirt and tie. Yet by the time he handed off his coat to Michael Cole, he was sacked by the domineering Reigns. Despite his limited appearance, JBL still inspired chants of “You still got it!” from the WWE Universe.
The surprises continued from there as Goldust eliminated his brother, Cody, and Reigns eliminated Goldust, leaving Punk alone in the ring with all three members of The Shield. Just when it looked like a public mugging was about to transpire, the clock struck zero and Sheamus made his return as the 17th entrant. Clearly not intimidated by The Hounds of Justice, the fiery Irishman went right for the trio with wild haymakers like he was in the middle of a Dublin pub brawl.
The smallest Rumbler entered at No. 20 as El Torito charged into the squared circle and picked a fight with Punk. The Straight Edge Superstar may have dismissed the little bull, but that was before he had been nearly flipped out of his boots by a hurricanrana. The luchador even scored an elimination when he launched Fandango over the rope with a flying headscissors, but he was then nearly hurled into the mezzanine by Reigns.
The mayhem continued from there as JBL left the commentary table at No. 24, and entered the ring in a shirt and tie. Yet by the time he handed off his coat to Michael Cole, he was sacked by the domineering Reigns. Despite his limited appearance, JBL still inspired chants of “You still got it!” from the WWE Universe.
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The laughs stopped when the 28th Superstar joined the fray. Making his long-awaited homecoming, Batista stomped to the ring and eliminated Erick Rowan, Ryback and Alberto Del Rio with immediacy. By the time Rey Mysterio entered as the final Superstar in the No. 30 spot, the ring was buckling under the weight of serious behemoths like Big E Langston, Sheamus and Antonio Cesaro.
At this point, the notion that the Royal Rumble Match was every man for himself became clear as Ambrose attempted to eliminate Reigns, but failed. Now running off pure adrenaline, the powerhouse set his Shield unity aside, then dumped both Rollins and Ambrose — along with Cesaro — out of the ring at the same time.
With that, Punk, Batista, Sheamus and Reigns stood as the final four, but The Straight Edge Superstar didn’t last long as Kane reemerged and pulled Punk out of the ring (thus tying Shawn Michaels for all-time Royal Rumble Match eliminations with 39). The Director of Operations continued his vicious assault on the former WWE Champion by chokeslamming him through the Spanish announce table.
Sheamus was the next to go as he was dispatched by Reigns, who eliminated 12 Superstars — 40 percent of the contest’s participants — to break Kane’s 13-year-old record for the most competitors eliminated in a single Royal Rumble Match. With anticipation reaching a fever pitch, Batista and Reigns squared off like silverbacks fighting for their territory. Bone-jarring spears were exchanged as the upstart tested the veteran’s resolve; ultimately, though, it was The Animal who survived as he launched Reigns out of the ring with one arm.
With the ring now clear of every Superstar but one, Batista stood supreme as the winner of his second Royal Rumble Match. As many greats have done before him, The Animal pointed into the rafters where the WrestleMania XXX sign hung. What awaits him there remains to be seen, but the Road to WrestleMania has begun, and an Animal is leading the stampede to New Orleans.
At this point, the notion that the Royal Rumble Match was every man for himself became clear as Ambrose attempted to eliminate Reigns, but failed. Now running off pure adrenaline, the powerhouse set his Shield unity aside, then dumped both Rollins and Ambrose — along with Cesaro — out of the ring at the same time.
With that, Punk, Batista, Sheamus and Reigns stood as the final four, but The Straight Edge Superstar didn’t last long as Kane reemerged and pulled Punk out of the ring (thus tying Shawn Michaels for all-time Royal Rumble Match eliminations with 39). The Director of Operations continued his vicious assault on the former WWE Champion by chokeslamming him through the Spanish announce table.
Sheamus was the next to go as he was dispatched by Reigns, who eliminated 12 Superstars — 40 percent of the contest’s participants — to break Kane’s 13-year-old record for the most competitors eliminated in a single Royal Rumble Match. With anticipation reaching a fever pitch, Batista and Reigns squared off like silverbacks fighting for their territory. Bone-jarring spears were exchanged as the upstart tested the veteran’s resolve; ultimately, though, it was The Animal who survived as he launched Reigns out of the ring with one arm.
With the ring now clear of every Superstar but one, Batista stood supreme as the winner of his second Royal Rumble Match. As many greats have done before him, The Animal pointed into the rafters where the WrestleMania XXX sign hung. What awaits him there remains to be seen, but the Road to WrestleMania has begun, and an Animal is leading the stampede to New Orleans.
royal rumble recap
New Age Outlaws def. Cody Rhodes & Goldust
Bray Wyatt def. Daniel Bryan
Brock Lesnar def. Big Show
Randy Orton def. John Cena
Batista wins 2014 Royal Rumble
Bray Wyatt def. Daniel Bryan
Brock Lesnar def. Big Show
Randy Orton def. John Cena
Batista wins 2014 Royal Rumble
WWE.com (2014) Rumble Results
http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/royal-rumble-2014-results-26177563accessed 05.05.14]
http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/royal-rumble-2014-results-26177563accessed 05.05.14]