The Women’s Royal Rumble match concluded on January 28th at the Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas. Just like the Men’s Royal Rumble Match, it had a brand new first time winner as well.
Here are the Highlights of what went down with the women:
Rhea Ripley arrived at #1 still showing the after effects of Beth Phoenix’s spear from earlier in the night.
Rhea Ripley enters the #RoyalRumble at #1 pic.twitter.com/gwQ8S4UvtQ
Advertisement— Tim Jarrell of PWUnlimited (@TimmyBuddy) January 29, 2023
Liv Morgan entered at #2 after campaigning to enter the Rumble first. They started the match and after some other entries, Bayley entered at #6. Her Damage CTRL buddies Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky entered at #9 and #10. This gave them a huge advantage and they started dominating everyone. Natalya entered at #11 and made her first appearance in months. She straight away attacked Shayna Baszler who had brutally injured her. Then Becky Lynch joined the match at #15 with payback on her mind against Damage CTRL. They had attacked her inside a steel cage on RAW XXX. She laid out Kai and Sky ringside and then started fighting Bayley. But due to their numbers advantage, Damage CTRL overpowered Bayley and sent her out through the middle rope. They then laid her out ringside.
Asuka then entered at #17 to the crowd cheering. She was wearing a Japanese demon mask and then slowly removed it to show her terrifying clown-like face paint. This was a throwback to her dark KANA character in Japan. She has been teasing bringing it back on her social media as well.
La 'entrada de Asuka como KANA. Qué pasada de cambio. #RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/yREwBEoWin
— Luigi (@LuigiWrestling) January 29, 2023
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Doudrop made her WWE return next at #18 and she had gone back to her earlier name Piper Nevin. Later Lynch came back into the match and got her revenge from Kai and Sky by tossing them out. However, Bayley tossed Lynch out after that. Taking advantage of this chaos, Liv Morgan eliminated Bayley right there. At #20 Chelsea Green made her WWE return proving the rumours to be true. But her return was short lived as Ripley eliminated her in 5 seconds, a new record.
Raquel Rodriguez arrived at #22 to loud cheers from the Texas crowd. She went head to head with Rhea in a powerhouse vs powerhouse showdown. At #25 Michelle McCool’s music started playing and she got up from her front row seat with her children. She removed her jacket and surprisingly entered the match jumping the barricade. #30 was reserved for a surprise comeback.
El regreso de Nia Jax, entrando como número 30 antes de que empezase el conteo. WHAT. THE. FUCK. #RoyalRumble. pic.twitter.com/lN7WtOansX
Advertisement— Luigi (@LuigiWrestling) January 29, 2023
It was Nia Jax and being the biggest woman there, was group attacked. She still held her own until her face offs with Raquel and Rhea. In a group effort, she was pushed off the top rope.
The final 3 were Asuka, Morgan and Ripley. They reached the ring apron while fighting each other. Asuka wanted to spray the mist on Rhea but she ducked and Liv got a facefull of it. Rhea immediately kicked Asuka out of the ring with a 619. A blinded Liv almost eliminated Ripley and she was dangling by the ropes. Ripley then caught Morgan with head scissors and flipped her on the floor.
Rhea Ripley wins the Woman’s #RoyalRumble 👏🏽 Great ending sequence! #WWE pic.twitter.com/S0bdlq27tU
— King Shak (@KingShak05) January 29, 2023
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Rhea Ripley had thus won her first Royal Rumble. Also entering at #1 she has also set the record for the longest time spent by a woman. She will probably face Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 39.
Some NXT superstars also entered the Rumble like NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez, Zoe Stark & Indi Hartwell. Also there were some injuries like Rhea suffering a dislocated knee and a bloodied nose. Sonya Deville too suffered a nasty cut over her eye requiring multiple stitches.
I’m a beast! 🩸🩸🩸🩸#RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/UNSB5ro0RQ
Advertisement— Daria/Sonya Deville (@SonyaDevilleWWE) January 29, 2023
This happened when Asuka’s kick landed too hard when they were kicking each other.
ORDER | ENTRANT | ELIMINATION |
1 | Rhea Ripley | B-Fab (Ripley) |
2 | Liv Morgan | Brooke (Bayley) |
3 | Dana Brooke | Emma (Kai) |
4 | Emma | Perez (Bayley 2) |
5 | Shayna Baszler | Baszler (SKY) |
6 | Bayley | Natalya (Kai 2) |
7 | B-Fab | LaRae (Kai 3) |
8 | Roxanne Perez | Nox (Asuka) |
9 | Dakota Kai | Green (Ripley 2) |
10 | IYO SKY | Kai (Lynch) |
11 | Natalya | SKY (Lynch 2) |
12 | Candice LaRae | Lynch (Bayley 3) |
13 | Zoey Stark | Bayley (Morgan) |
14 | Xia Li | Li (Vega) |
15 | Becky Lynch | Tamina (McCool) |
16 | Teagen Nox | Stark (Deville) |
17 | Asuka | Vega (Evans) |
18 | Piper Nevin | Hartwell (Deville 2) |
19 | Tamina | Jax (Ripley 3) |
20 | Chelsea Green | Evans (Rodriguez) |
21 | Zelina Vega | Deville (Asuka 2) |
22 | Raquel Rodriguez | McCool (Ripley 4) |
23 | Michin | Shotzi (Michin) |
24 | Lacey Evans | Michin (Niven) |
25 | Michelle McCool | Niven (Rodriguez 2) |
26 | Indi Hartwell | Rodriguez (Ripley 5) |
27 | Sonya Deville | Cross (Morgan 2) |
28 | Shotzi | Asuka (Ripley 6) |
29 | Nikki Cross | Morgan (Ripley 7) |
30 | Nia Jax | Winner: Rhea Ripley |