WWE Royal Rumble 2019: Results, Highlights, and Grades

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2019 Women’s Royal Rumble Match

The match got started with Lacey Evans berating the crowd and declaring her future success, but Natalya was the second entrant and quickly took it to the young Evans. Mandy Rose out at number three, but Natalya quickly kept control and even locked them both in a double sharpshooter.

Liv Morgan was the fourth entrant but lasted only moments before being eliminated by Natalya. From there, things started to pile up with success entrants Mickie James, Ember Moon, and Billie Kay. Once Kay got out, she insisted she was not going to enter the ring until Peyton Royce entered.

Nikki Cross was the eighth entrant, attacking Kay on the outside and coming into the ring with a huge crossbody taking out a group of competitors. Peyton Royce was out next, and The IIconics immediately targeted Nikki Cross. Tamina was the tenth entrant, landing a Samoan Drop on several competitors in succession.

NXT’s Xia Li was the 11th entrant, showing her striking skills early. Sarah Logan was in next, quickly showing her aggression against several entrants. The next elimination say Nikki Cross eliminated by The IIconics, but Peyton and Royce were taken out by Lacey Evans not long after.

Charlotte Flair came in at 13, immediately going to work and eliminating Xia Li and Tamina. NXT’s Kairi Sane came in at 14, quickly going toe to toe with Charlotte. Sarah Logan was the next out, eliminated by Natalya and Kairi. Maria Kanellis entered at 15, marking the halfway point in things.

Naomi was the 16th entrant in the match, immediately going after Mandy Rose with a flurry of offense. Naomi didn’t take long to eliminate her rival, and Mandy looked to return the favor. Naomi managed to get her feet to the barricade and kept them from hitting the floor. Naomi carefully walked the barricade and leapt to the ring steps, but Mandy pulled her feet out from under her and finally eliminated Naomi.

NXT’s Candice LeRae was out at 17, followed by veteran Alicia Fox. In the ring, we saw a temporary alliance between Maria and Alicia, but Kanellis quickly turned on her and stomped on the hat, sending Fox into a literal temper tantrum. NXT’s Kacy Catanzaro, a veteran of American Ninja Warrior, entered at 19 and was followed by Zelina Vega at 20.

Ruby Riott was out at 21, along with the reemergence of Liv Morgan. The Riott Squad created complete chaos and started yanking people out of the ring. At this point Zelina Vega also chose to slide under the ring, hiding from the action but remaining in the match because she didn’t go over the top rope. Dana Brooke entered at 22, joining a packed field.

Ruby Riott, with her friends helping, managed two successive eliminations on Alicia Fox and then Kairi Sane. Io Shirai came in at 23, quickly getting revenge on The Riott Squad for their attack on Kairi. Rhea Ripley of NXT UK came in at 24, immediately showing her viciousness.

Kacy Catanzaro looked to be eliminated by Dana Brooke, but kept her feet from hitting the floor and then did a handstand and walked on her hands back into the ring. Kacy came flying in, but was caught and shortly thrown out by Rhea Ripley. Sonya Deville was out at 25, but Rhea Ripley continued her rampage and eliminated Dana Brooke next.

On the outside, Zelina Vega finally reemerged by suddenly Hornswoggle also popped out from under the ring. Vega fleed into the ring, being thrown out by Rhea Ripley moments later. Hornswoggle continued chasing Vega all the way to the back. Alexa Bliss came in at 26, immediately impressing with standing moonsault knees to Ember Moon.

Alexa Bliss followed up her assault by eliminating Sonya Deville, but Bayley came in at 27 and was hot from the start. Bayley quickly eliminated Ruby Riott, and then took out Rhea Ripley who had been on fire since entering the  match.

Lana came in at 28, but was barely limping towards the ring. Medical staff came out to check on her before Lana even got down the ramp. At number 29, Nia made her way down the ramp and immediately attacked Lana who still hadn’t gotten to the ring. Nia entered the fray and quickly changed the landscape by eliminating Io Shirai and then Natalya.

Carmella came out at 30 as the night’s final entrant, but at that point Lana had never entered the match. Suddenly “The Man” Becky Lynch made her way down the ramp, arguing with agent Fit Finlay that she should replace Lana in the match. After some discussion, Finlay conceded and Becky Lynch entered the match.

In the ring, Nia Jax looked absolutely stunned to see Becky Lynch coming for her. They quickly traded strikes in the ring, but things quickly broke down moments later with Charlotte going after Becky. Moments later, Becky sent Jax to the mat with a big dropkick off the top rope. Alexa Bliss and Ember Moon began to trade attacks, carrying their fight out onto the apron where both struggled to stay in. Alexa Bliss finally shoved Ember out and eliminated her.

We then saw a reunion of the old NXT BayMella friendship as Bayley and Carmella teamed up to eliminate Alexa Bliss. After back and forth from Charlotte and Carmella, it was Flair who finally knocked Carmella out with a big boot. That left the final four as Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bayley, and Nia Jax.

It was Nia Jax who scored the next elimination, taking out Bayley and bringing things down to only three. Nia and Charlotte traded blows, with Nia looking to eliminate her but failing. Charlotte hit several successive boots to wear down Jax, then showing her strength by getting her up in the air but collapsing under the weight and her sheer exhaustion.

Charlotte fought back to her feet, finally hoisting Nia over the top rope. Becky Lynch, who had been knocked through the ropes shortly before, grabbed Nia’s feet and pulled her off the apron. Becky slowly went to get back into the match, but Nia knocked Becky off the steps before Lynch could enter the match.

On the outside, Lynch landed awkwardly and looked like she may have injured her knee. Charlotte Flair and Becky were the only ones left, but Becky struggled to get to her feet. It looked like Becky might not be able to get back in, but she fought her way to her feet and finally climbed into the ring. Hopping on one leg, Becky refused to go down and insisted she would continue to fight.

Charlotte Flair immediately targeted the injured knee with several strikes, even hanging Becky up in a tree of woe to add pressure to it. Charlotte tried to get Becky out, but The Man wouldn’t let it happen. Becky hit an enziguri and threw Charlotte over the top, but Flair landed on the apron. Charlotte got back in and quickly hit an exploder suplex on Lynch.

Becky leaned on the ropes for assistance as Charlotte went for a big boot, but Becky ducked and sent Charlotte tumbling over the top to eliminate her! By last eliminating Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch wins the 2019 Women’s Royal Rumble!

Result: Becky Lynch wins the Women’s Royal Rumble after eliminating Charlotte Flair

Entrance Order: Lacey Evans, Natalya, Mandy Rose, Liv Morgan, Mickie James, Ember Moon, Billie Kay, Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce, Tamina, Xia Li, Sarah Logan, Charlotte Flair, Kairi Sane, Maria Kanellis, Naomi, Candice LeRae, Alicia Fox, Kacy Catanzaro, Zelina Vega, Ruby Riott, Dana Brooke, Io Shirai, Rhea Ripley, Sonya Deville, Alexa Bliss, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, Carmella.

Elimination Order: Liv Morgan by Natalya, Mickie James by Tamina, Nikki Cross by The IIconics, The IIconics by Lacey Evans, Xia Li by Charlotte Flair, Tamina by Charlotte Flair, Sarah Logan by Natalya & Kairi Sane, Mandy Rose by Naomi, Naomi by Mandy Rose, Lacey Evans by Charlotte Flair, Maria Kanellis by Alicia Fox, Alicia Fox by Ruby Riott, Candice LeRae by Ruby Riott, Kairi Sane by Ruby Riott, Kacy Catanzaro by Rhea Ripley, Dana Brooke by Rhea Ripley, Zelina Vega by Rhea Ripley, Sonya Deville by Alexa Bliss, Ruby Riott by Bayley, Rhea Ripley by Bayley, Io Shirai by Nia Jax, Natalya by Nia Jax, Ember Moon by Alexa Bliss, Alexa Bliss by Bayley & Carmella, Carmella by Charlotte Flair, Bayley by Charlotte Flair & Nia Jax, Nia Jax by Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair by Becky Lynch.

Grade: A++, Not to exaggerate or slip into hyperbole, but this was truly magnificent. So many NXT stars got to show their skills. We saw some amazing performances and eliminations along the way. Finally, the sequence near the end with Charlotte and Becky was a perfect ending to set the stage for WrestleMania 35.