(2) WOMEN’S ROYAL RUMBLE
Sasha Banks entered first. Second out was Melina. Paparazzi rolled out red carpet for her. Melina and Sasha met mid-ring and exchanged some words. Sasha kicked Melina, then dumped her over the top rope easily (1). Sasha did the splits and then looked to the stage for the next entrance.
Tamina came out third. Sasha met her at ringside with a kick and a meteora off the ring apron. Tamina got in some offense. Kelly Kelly entered next. She sent Tamina into the corner turnbuckle awkwardly. Tamina came back and knocked her down. Sasha then went after Tamina. Kelly tried to head scissors Kelly over the top rope, but Sasha blocked her and then kicked her to the floor to eliminate Kelly (2). Aliyah entered next followed by Liv Morgan. All four fought in the corner. Sasha pulled Aliyah out of the corner into three unreleased suplexes. Queen Zelina then made her entrance. Sasha tried to dump her over, but Tamina broke it up and lifted Sasha onto the ring apron. Then she kicked Sasha to the floor to eliminate her (3). The crowd groaned and gasped.
Next out was Bianca Belair followed by Dana Brooke, who was accompanied by Reggie. Saxton said she could be the sleeper pick who shocks the world. Michelle McCool came out next. he knocked Dana off the ring apron, but right into the arms of Reggie, who saved her and put her back on the ring apron. McCool gave Vega a Styles Clash. Dana leaped off the top rope toward her, but McCool kicked her out of mid-air and then backdropped her over the top rope to eliminate her (4).
Sonya Deville entered next. Saxton took issue with her abusing her power and entering the Rumble. Sonya decided not to take off her jacket and join the announcers at ringside. She confirmed she is an official entrant, but said she’ll enter when she feels like it. Tamina tried to eliminate Belair, but Natalya dumped both. Tamina landed on the floor (5) but Belair pulled herself back in. Out next was Cameron, one of Brodus Clay’s Funadelic dancers. “This one we didn’t expect,” said Smith. Graves said she used to team with Naomi. Deville asked if Naomi might be upset if something happened to her. Sonya took off her jacket and actually entered the ring. She charged at Cameron and quickly eliminated her (6).
Naomi came out next. Sonya looked concerned, but held her ground in the ring and waved Naomi in. They brawled in the ring, drawing a bit of a rise out of the crowd. Naomi threw Sonya onto the ring apron, then kicked her to the floor to eliminate her (7). Out next was Carmella. Graves said she’s the odds on favorite. Saxton disagreed. Carmella took her time to enter the ring. Next out was Rhea Ripley. Saxton excitedly said she is what you call an odds on favorite. Ripley threw Carmella into the ring. Smith said she wasn’t going to enter until the entrant before her actually got into the ring. Carmella and Zelina tried to eliminate Ripley, but she blocked it, dumped them over the top to the ring apron, then kicked them to the floor to eliminate them both (8, 9).
Charlotte aggressively dumped Aliyah (10). She threw Liv across the ring, then kipped up. Charlotte chopped Naomi, which was followed by some (obligatory) awkward timing. Charlotte threw Naomi over the top rope, but Naomi landed on her hands to avoid elimination. Deville yanked her out to officially eliminate her (11). Belair, McCool, and Liv tried to dump Charlotte over the top rope as Ivory made her entrance. Ivory held a wireless mic and said it’s been a long time, but she can see nothing has changed. She said it’s hard to look at “these wayward, lost little girls.” Ripley picked her up and dumped over the top rope onto the ring apron. Ivory kept talking and told Ripley not to touch her. Ripley shoved her to the floor to eliminate her (12). Ivory held onto the mic and said, “How dare you?”
Next out was Brie Bella. The fans were into her. She led them in a big “Yes!” chant. She tried to eliminate Natalya, but Natalya fought back. Saxton said she’s been the Iron Woman of the match. Natalya tried to dump Brie, but Brie held onto the ropes. Mickie James was out next to “Hardcore Country.” She tried to enter the ring, but McCool kicked her to the floor. They fought in the ring, where Mickie battled several women before McCool went back after her. Mickie took McCool over the top with a huracanrana all the way to the floor to eliminate her (13).
Alicia Fox came out next. Saxton called her a little awkward and erratic. Nikki A.S.H. came out next, but she snuck up behind a waiting Ripley and tried to dump her over the top. Ripley resisted and then went after Nikki. Nikki rolled under the bottom rope. Charlotte hit Ripley from behind. Summer Rae came out next and went right after Natalya. They stood and exchanged slaps. Charlotte then took Rae down as she was celebrating. Natalya eliminated Rae (14). Natalya and Charlotte then battled as Nikki Bella then made her entrance. Brie knocked Fox off the ring apron to eliminate her with help from Nikki (15). The Bellas tried to dump Morgan over the top rope. Sarah Logan made her entrance. She headbutted Brie. Liv was emotional as she saw her former partner share the ring with her. The Bellas knocked her down and eliminated Logan (16). Liv leaped at the Bellas, but they caught her and eliminated her (17). Fans booed the Bellas as they gloated.
Out next was Lita. She got a big pop. Graves said the roof just came off the arena. Lita eliminated Mickie after a DDT (18). Molly Holly came out next. Nikki blind-sided her at ringside and threw her into the ringside steps. She threw her into the ring and yanked on her ears and yelled at her, then ripped off Molly’s cape and threw it out of the ring before dumping her to the floor to eliminate her (19).
Ronda Rousey made her entrance. She went after Nikki with a guillotine and then a kick. Rousey then was going to knock Nikki off the ring apron, but when Brie went for the save, she bumped into Nikki. Brie then eliminated Nikki (20). Rousey then beat up Brie in the corner with a barrage of strikes. Ripley punched Ripley. Shotzi then made her entrance. She tried to eliminate Lita, but Lita held on. Ronda then tossed Brie out of the ring (21). Rousey worked over Belair in the corner. Ripley went after Rousey. Meanwhile, Natalya landed a sitout powerbomb on Charlotte.
The final entrant was Shayna Baszler. Baszler gave Shotzi a back suplex. Then she gave one to Belair. She gave Lita a gut-wrench twisting slam. Natalya went after Baszler as Graves said she’s the freshest of all the final women in the match. She turned and looked at Rousey, which got a rise out of the crowd. Charlotte intervened. Rousey dumped Natalya over the top onto the ring apron to the floor (23). Rousey eliminated Shotzi (24). Rousey put Belair in a sleeper. Natalya went after Rousey, but the announcers said she was already eliminated. Either way, Rousey dumped her out.
It was down to Lita, Rousey, Charlotte, Baszler, Belair. Lita stood on the top rope, but Ripley knocked her down and then Charlotte knocked her to the floor to eliminate her (25). Rousey locked Ripley in a triangle in the ropes. Charlotte dumped Ripley over the top rope, but Ripley remained on the apron. Ripley shoved Rousey into the ringpost, but Charlotte knocked Ripley to the floor to eliminate her (26).
Belair and Baszler battled next. Baszler applied a Kirafuda Clutch. Belair escaped and set up a K.O.D. Charlotte broke it up and eliminated both Baszler (27) and Belair (28).
It came down to Charlotte and Rousey. They circled each other. Charlotte went after Rousey, but Rousey avoided her running big boot and then dumped over the top to eliminate her (29). The crowd cheered.
WINNER: Rousey in 59:00 to earn a title match at WrestleMania.
(They told lots of fun small stories in the match. The biggest story is it came down to a dramatic final few with a finish that sets up Ronda Rousey challenging Charlotte at WrestleMania. Sasha was eliminated early, probably to avoid it being deflating if she was eliminated late. Sasha has a following and, if they wanted Rousey cheered, it was best to have Sasha be a more distant memory. Belair came close and was a focus.)