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Royal Rumble (2003)
Encyclopedia
Royal Rumble was the sixteenth annual Royal Rumble
professional wrestling
pay-per-view
(PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE). The event took place on January 19, 2003 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts
. It was the first Royal Rumble event to take place after the Brand Extension
and the first Royal Rumble event to be named under the WWE name.
The main event was the annual 30-man Royal Rumble match
which featured wrestlers from Raw
and SmackDown brand
s. Brock Lesnar
, the twenty-ninth entrant won by last eliminating The Undertaker, the thirtieth entrant.
Featured matches on the undercard were Kurt Angle
versus Chris Benoit
for the WWE Championship
, Triple H
versus Scott Steiner
for the World Heavyweight Championship
, Torrie Wilson
versus Dawn Marie
and Brock Lesnar
versus The Big Show in a Royal Rumble qualification match.
with outcomes predetermined by WWE script writers. The matches featured wrestlers portraying their characters in planned storylines that took place before, during and after the event. All wrestlers were from either one of the WWE's brands - SmackDown or Raw
- the two storyline divisions
in which WWE assigned its employees.
The buildup to the Royal Rumble match began on December 23 edition of Raw, when the Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff
discussed about the upcoming Royal Rumble match that 15 wrestlers would represent Raw brand and 15 wrestlers would represent SmackDown brand in the match, because it was going to be the first Royal Rumble match to take place after WWE's Brand Extension
. The buildup continued on January 2 edition of SmackDown, a vignette aired hyping the return of The Undertaker in the Royal Rumble match. Later that night, Paul Heyman
announced that Brock Lesnar
and Big Show
would wrestle in a Royal Rumble qualification match at Royal Rumble. On January 6 edition of Raw, Chris Jericho
and Shawn Michaels
argued over who would be drawing #1 entry in the Royal Rumble match. On January 13 edition of Raw, a Royal Rumble qualification match took place in which Jeff Hardy
defeated Raven. Later that night, Jericho defeated Batista, Kane
and Rob Van Dam
in an Over the Top Rope Challenge
to earn the right choose an entry number of his choice. Jericho chose #2 because #1 was already given to Michaels.
The main rivalry
heading into the event from the SmackDown brand was between Kurt Angle
and Chris Benoit
over the WWE Championship
. At Armageddon
, Angle defeated Big Show via interference from Brock Lesnar, to win the WWE title. Prior to the event, Angle had promised Lesnar to get his suspension lifted if he helped Angle in defeating Big Show for the title. Angle had also promised Lesnar to give him the first title shot after winning the title. However, despite helping Angle in winning the title, Lesnar was not given his title shot as on December 19 edition of SmackDown Angle and Big Show's manager
Paul Heyman cancelled Lesnar's title shot and Big Show was given his title rematch. Later that night, Angle lost to Chris Benoit in a non-title match by disqualification when Big Show interfered in the match and attacked Benoit. However, Lesnar rescued Benoit from the post-match assault by Angle and Big Show and brutally assaulted Angle, injuring him. As a result of Angle's injury, the SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon cancelled Angle's title match against Big Show and decided that Big Show would wrestle Benoit to determine the #1 contender for the WWE title. Benoit defeated Big Show to become the #1 contender for the title at Royal Rumble.
The main rivalry heading into the event from the Raw brand was between Triple H
and Scott Steiner
over the World Heavyweight Championship
. On October 24, 2002, WWE had announced on its official website that Scott Steiner had signed a three-year contract with WWE. After eight years away, Steiner returned to WWE as a free agent
at Survivor Series
and attacked Matt Hardy
and Christopher Nowinski
for insulting New York City
. Steiner was approached by the Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff and the SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon for their respective brands. He initially decided to join the SmackDown brand but after McMahon rejected Steiner's advances, he moved to the Raw brand. At Armageddon, Triple H defeated Shawn Michaels in a Three Stages of Hell to win the World Heavyweight Championship. On December 16 edition of Raw, Triple H held an Appreciation Ceremony on winning the title but the ceremony was interrupted by Steiner, who announced that his contract said that he would earn a world title shot. As a result, Steiner and Triple H's match for the World Heavyweight Championship was made official at Royal Rumble.
The secondary rivalry heading into the event from the Raw brand was between Lance Storm
and William Regal and Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von) over the World Tag Team Championship. On December 23 edition of Raw, the Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff forced Raw commentators Jim Ross
and Jerry Lawler
to wrestle in a tag team
match against Storm and Regal for making bad comments against Bischoff. Ross and Lawler defeated Storm and Regal after interference by Dudley Boyz. As a result, on January 6 edition of Raw, Bischoff forced Dudley Boyz to wrestle 3-Minute Warning (Rosey
and Umaga
), Rico
and Batista in a Handicap match. Storm and Regal avenged their loss by costing Dudley Boyz, the match. Later that night, Storm and Regal defeated Booker T
and Goldust for the World Tag Team Championship. This led to a title match between Storm and Regal and Dudley Boyz at Royal Rumble.
The secondary rivalry heading into the event from the SmackDown brand was between Torrie Wilson
and Dawn Marie
. At Armageddon, Torrie and Dawn did a lesbian
segment in the ring. On December 19 edition of SmackDown, Torrie gave bad remarks about her storyline
father Al Wilson on getting married with Dawn. On January 2 edition of SmackDown, Dawn and Al had their storyline wedding in their undergarments. On January 9 edition of SmackDown, Josh Mathews announced that Dawn and Torrie would wrestle in a match at Royal Rumble.
Before the event aired live on pay-per-view
(PPV), Spike Dudley
defeated Steven Richards
by pinning him after a Dudley Dog. The match aired live on Sunday Night Heat
.
and Brock Lesnar
. As the match started, Big Show shoved Lesnar into the corner twice until Lesnar drove him into the corner by spearing him. Lesnar started dominating Big Show and hit him with two consecutive Belly to Belly Suplexes and attempted to perform a third one but Big Show prevented Lesnar from performing the move by grabbing his throat. Big Show then tossed Lesnar over the top rope to the ringside. After Lesnar returned to the ring, Big Show charged at him in the corner but Lesnar avoided the charge and pulled Big Show out of the corner by performing a German Suplex and got a near-fall. Lesnar tried to escape the ring but his former and Big Show's then-manager
Paul Heyman
grabbed Lesnar's leg, allowing Big Show to kick him in the face. Big Show then attempted to perform a Chokeslam
on Lesnar but Lesnar reversed the move into an Oklahoma Roll to get a near-fall. Lesnar followed it by performing a Belly to Belly Suplex on Big Show. Heyman distracted Lesnar by climbing the apron and Lesnar pulled him into the ring and attempted to perform a F5 on Heyman but Big Show prevented Lesnar from hitting F5 by delivering him a Chokeslam. Big Show got a near-fall. He became frustrated and attempted to perform another Chokeslam on Lesnar but Lesnar avoided the move and shoved Big Show into Heyman, who was standing on the ring apron. This allowed Lesnar to finish Big Show with a F5 and Lesnar qualified for the Royal Rumble match.
The second match was a tag team
match for the World Tag Team Championship. Lance Storm
and William Regal defended the titles against Dudley Boyz
(Bubba Ray and D-Von). Bubba Ray and Storm started the match by exchanging Armbars until Storm started applying submission maneuvers on Bubba Ray. He whipped Bubba Ray off the ropes and Bubba Ray performed a Shoulder Block. Bubba started dominating the match as he hit Storm with a Side Slam, a Release German Suplex and a Bionic Elbow before finishing Storm with a Sitout Full Nelson Atomic Drop, which he called Bubba Bomb. Bubba Ray attempted to pin Storm but Regal interfered and broke the pinfall. Bubba Ray hit Regal with a Scoop Slam and then Dudley Boyz performed a Whassup on Regal. D-Von was tagged in and Dudley Boyz focused on the legal wrestler Storm and hit him with a Double Flapjack, giving D-Von a near-fall. Dudley Boyz followed by attempting to perform a 3D on Storm, but Chief Morley
interfered in the match and decided that Storm and Regal retained the titles by disqualification but the referee
refused and the match continued. Regal took advantage of the situation and took a pair of brass knuckles
to hit Dudley Boyz with the pair but Dudley Boyz performed a 3D on Regal. D-Von grabbed the brass knuckles and hit Storm with it and pinned him to win the Tag Team Championship.
Next match was Torrie Wilson
versus Dawn Marie
. Before the match started, the referee Mike Sparks asked Torrie if she wanted to start the match but before Torrie could make a choice, Dawn attacked her and started the match. The match went back and forth until Torrie performed a Swinging Neckbreaker on Dawn to win the match.
brand
main event was between Triple H
and Scott Steiner
for the World Heavyweight Championship
. Steiner dominated Triple H for much of the earlier match. Steiner applied a Boston Crab
on Triple H but Triple H caught the ropes and got out of the hold. Steiner released Triple H and Triple H performed a Knee Smash Facebreaker but Steiner was not affected by the move and he applied a Bearhug on Triple H and followed it by performing a Belly to Belly Suplex for a nearfall. Steiner then attempted to apply a Steiner Recliner on Triple H but Triple H's manager Ric Flair
pulled Triple H out of the ring to prevent Triple H from receiving the hold. Steiner started chasing Flair but the referee interjected himself to stop Steiner. Triple H started gaining momentum on a distracted Steiner before attempting to perform a Pedigree on Steiner but Steiner broke the move and performed an Exploder Suplex and tried to perform a Military Press Slam but Triple H countered it and performed a Neckbreaker
to get a near-fall. Flair continuously interfered in the match, prompting the referee to eject him from the ringside. Triple H eventually tossed the referee out of the ring but the referee did not disqualify Triple H and the match continued. Triple H eventually grabbed a sledgehammer and nailed Steiner in the gut with it and the referee disqualified Triple H. As a result, Triple H retained the title but Steiner attacked Triple H after the match and applied a Steiner Recliner.
The final match on the undercard was the SmackDown brand main event. It was between Kurt Angle
and Chris Benoit
for the WWE Championship
. As the match started, Angle's Team Angle (Charlie Haas
and Shelton Benjamin
) interfered in the match, forcing the referee to eject Team Angle from the ringside area. After a back and forth action, the match nearly ended when Benoit attempted to perform a Diving Headbutt on Angle but Angle rolled out of the way. He attempted to perform an Angle Slam, on Benoit but Benoit countered it and applied a Sharpshooter
on Angle but Angle caught the ropes to get out of the hold. The action continued until Angle attempted to hit Benoit with an Angle Slam but Benoit countered it and applied a Crippler Crossface on Angle but Angle caught the ropes and got out of the hold. Benoit then applied Angle's own submission maneuver Ankle Lock on Angle until Angle reversed into applying his own Ankle Lock. Benoit countered into a Crippler Crossface and Angle got out of it by performing an Angle Slam for a near-fall. Benoit went on to hit Angle with a Diving Headbutt to get a near-fall. Angle then slammed Benoit into the top turnbuckle and performed an Angle Slam from the top rope but again got a near-fall. The match came to its end when Benoit applied a Crippler Crossface on Angle but Angle countered it into an Ankle Lock, forcing Benoit to tap out to the hold. As a result, Angle retained the WWE Championship.
The main event was the annual Royal Rumble match. The first two entrants were Shawn Michaels
and Chris Jericho
. Christian appeared during Jericho's entrance, wearing Jericho's gear and distracted Michaels. Jericho took advantage and attacked Michaels from behind. Jericho grabbed a chair from ringside and hit Michaels in the head with it, causing Michaels to bleed from mouth. Christopher Nowinski
entered at #3 but instead of coming to the ring, he stayed outside the ring. Jericho continued to attack Michaels before easily eliminating him over the top rope. After Michaels' elimination, Rey Mysterio entered at #4 and started fighting Jericho while Nowinski stayed out of the ring before eventually entering the ring and attacking Mysterio. Edge entered at #5 and immediately speared both Jericho and Nowinski. He tried to perform a Spear on Mysterio, but Mysterio tossed Edge into the ropes and attempted to perform a 619 on Edge, but Edge avoided the move. Mysterio and Edge continued to fight each other until Christian entered at #6. After entering the ring, Christian embraced with his former tag team partner Edge but was speared by Edge. Edge and Mysterio then hit Nowinski with a double missile dropkick.
One half of the then WWE Tag Team Champions
Chavo Guerrero
entered at #7. After entering the ring, Guerrero was attacked by Mysterio. Mysterio then eliminated Nowinski from the match. However, after eliminating Nowinski, Mysterio, himself was eliminated by Jericho. Tajiri
entered at #8. Tajiri fought with Christian, while Edge and Jericho fought with each other. Bill DeMott
entered at #9. DeMott started attacking all the participants and had nearly eliminated Jericho. Tommy Dreamer
entered at #10. Dreamer brought kendo sticks with himself to the ring and started attacking everyone with the kendo sticks. Edge hit DeMott with a kendo stick, causing DeMott to get eliminated by falling over the top rope to the floor. Jericho and Christian attacked Dreamer with trashcan lids and tossed him over the top rope. Tajiri fought with Jericho and attempted to apply a Tarantula on Jericho but his attempt failed and Jericho dumped Tajiri over the top rope, eliminating him. B-2
entered at #11 but was quickly eliminated by Edge. After eliminating B-2, Edge eliminated Guerrero. Edge also attempted to eliminate Jericho but he held on. Edge and Christian fought each other until Jericho eliminated both of them from the match and became the only remaining person until Rob Van Dam
entered at #12. After entering the ring, RVD began attacking Jericho and performed a Rolling Thunder on Jericho.
RVD and Jericho continued to battle each other and RVD had nearly eliminated Jericho until Matt Hardy
entered at #13 and performed a Side Effect on RVD. Jericho and Hardy double-teamed RVD until second half of then WWE Tag Team Champions Eddie Guerrero
entered at #14 and began attacking RVD and Hardy. Guerrero and Hardy double-teamed RVD, where Hardy helped Guerrero from being eliminated and performed a Scoop Slam on RVD, allowing Guerrero to perform a Frog Splash on RVD. However, Hardy ended his teamwork with Guerrero by hitting him with a Twist of Fate. Jeff Hardy
entered at #15 and Jeff began fighting Matt. Jeff delivered Matt, a Twist of Fate and climbed the top rope to perform a Swanton Bomb, but Matt's manager Shannon Moore
joined the ring and covered Matt with his body. Jeff performed a Swanton Bomb on Moore, that hurt both Matt and Moore. Rosey
entered at #16 and started fighting with RVD until Test entered at #17 and started attacking everyone in the ring. Test performed a Pumphandle Slam on Matt and began attacking Jericho and had nearly eliminated him. John Cena
entered at #18 but instead of entering the ring, Cena began rap
ping outside the ring until RVD went to the ringside and attacked Cena, tossing him into the ring.
Charlie Haas
entered at #19. Haas started fighting with Matt. RVD and Jeff started double-teaming Jericho. Jeff climbed on the top rope to perform a high-flying move
but RVD pushed him, causing Jeff to fall to the floor and get eliminated from the match. Rikishi
entered at #20 and started fighting Rosey. Jamal
entered at #21 and began teaming with his 3-Minute Warning partner Rosey to duble-team Rikishi. Jericho fought with RVD and had nearly eliminated RVD. Kane
entered at #22 and started dominating all the participants in the ring and eliminated Rosey by backdropping him over the top rope. After eliminating Rosey, Kane attempted to eliminate Jericho but Jericho held on. Shelton Benjamin
entered at #23 and began teaming with his Team Angle partner Haas. Booker T
entered at #24 and performed a Scissors Kick on Kane and a Flapjack on Matt. Booker went on to eliminate Guerrero by backdropping him over the top rope.
A-Train entered at #25 and started dominating his opponents by performing a Derailer on Cena, an Train Wreck, on Benjamin and a Derailer on RVD before receiving a Savate Kick by Rikishi. Shawn Michaels returned to the ring after being attacked by Jericho in the earlier match and avenged his elimination by attacking Jericho, helping Test to eliminate Jericho from the match. Michaels continued to attack Jericho after the match. Maven
entered at #26 but was dominated by Kane. Goldust entered at #27 and started battling Haas and Benjamin, but they quickly eliminated him. Goldust's tag team partner Booker tried to avenge his partner's elimination by battling Haas and Benjamin, but he was too eliminated by Haas and Benjamin. Batista entered at #28 and started dominating everyone. Shortly after entering, Batista eliminated Test and then Rikishi. Brock Lesnar entered at #29 and he started fighting all the participants. Lesnar eliminated Haas and Benjamin and then eliminated Matt by tossing him over the top rope onto Haas and Benjamin. The Undertaker returned to WWE after a three-month injury by entering at #30 as the final entrant of the match.
Undertaker quickly eliminated Cena and then eliminated Jamal. Maven attacked Undertaker from behind but Undertaker eliminated Maven. Kane and RVD started double-teaming Batista and Kane was gonna Gorilla press slam RVD on Batista but Kane instead tossed RVD over the top rope, eliminating him from the match. Kane and Batista started teaming as they were the remaining participants from Raw and battled Lesnar and Undertaker, who were the remaining participants from SmackDown. Undertaker eventually eliminated Batista and then battled Kane before eliminating him. Batista was angered at his elimination, so he distracted Undertaker by attempting to hit him with a chair but Undertaker avoided it and nailed Batista with a chair. Lesnar took advantage of the situation and eliminated a distracted Undertaker to win the Royal Rumble match.
earned a WWE Championship
match at WrestleMania
. As a result, he began a rivalry
with the WWE Champion Kurt Angle
. Chris Benoit
also continued his rivalry with Angle after losing to him at Royal Rumble. At No Way Out
, Lesnar, Benoit and Edge were scheduled to take on Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Charlie Haas
and Shelton Benjamin
) in a six-man tag team match, but Edge was injured before the event. As a result, the match became a handicap match but Lesnar and Benoit managed to defeat Team Angle. At WrestleMania XIX
, Lesnar defeated Angle to win the WWE Championship.
After retaining the World Heavyweight Championship
against Scott Steiner
by getting disqualified, Triple H
continued his rivalry with Steiner over the title. On February 3 edition of Raw, Steiner became the #1 contender for the title by defeating Chris Jericho
. At No Way Out, Triple H defeated Steiner to retain the title.
superstar, blue ██. and "SD!" indicates a SmackDown! superstar. A new entrant came out approximately every 90 seconds.
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every January by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. The event was created in 1988, with its inaugural event taking place on January 24, 1988 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario...
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE). The event took place on January 19, 2003 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. It was the first Royal Rumble event to take place after the Brand Extension
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
and the first Royal Rumble event to be named under the WWE name.
The main event was the annual 30-man Royal Rumble match
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every January by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. The event was created in 1988, with its inaugural event taking place on January 24, 1988 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario...
which featured wrestlers from Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
and SmackDown brand
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
s. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
, the twenty-ninth entrant won by last eliminating The Undertaker, the thirtieth entrant.
Featured matches on the undercard were Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
versus Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
for the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
, Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
versus Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
for the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
, Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
versus Dawn Marie
Dawn Marie Psaltis
Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
and Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
versus The Big Show in a Royal Rumble qualification match.
Background
The event featured six professional wrestling matchesMock combat
Mock combat involves the execution of combative actions without intent to harm. Participants can engage in such sparring for ritual, training, recreational or performance reasons...
with outcomes predetermined by WWE script writers. The matches featured wrestlers portraying their characters in planned storylines that took place before, during and after the event. All wrestlers were from either one of the WWE's brands - SmackDown or Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
- the two storyline divisions
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
in which WWE assigned its employees.
The buildup to the Royal Rumble match began on December 23 edition of Raw, when the Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
discussed about the upcoming Royal Rumble match that 15 wrestlers would represent Raw brand and 15 wrestlers would represent SmackDown brand in the match, because it was going to be the first Royal Rumble match to take place after WWE's Brand Extension
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
. The buildup continued on January 2 edition of SmackDown, a vignette aired hyping the return of The Undertaker in the Royal Rumble match. Later that night, Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
announced that Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
and Big Show
Paul Wight
Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
would wrestle in a Royal Rumble qualification match at Royal Rumble. On January 6 edition of Raw, Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
and Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
argued over who would be drawing #1 entry in the Royal Rumble match. On January 13 edition of Raw, a Royal Rumble qualification match took place in which Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
defeated Raven. Later that night, Jericho defeated Batista, Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
and Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
in an Over the Top Rope Challenge
Battle royal (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a battle royal is a multi-competitor match type in which wrestlers are eliminated until one is left and declared winner...
to earn the right choose an entry number of his choice. Jericho chose #2 because #1 was already given to Michaels.
The main rivalry
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
heading into the event from the SmackDown brand was between Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
and Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
over the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. At Armageddon
Armageddon (2002)
Armageddon was the third Armageddon professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on December 15, 2002 at the Office Depot Center in the Ft...
, Angle defeated Big Show via interference from Brock Lesnar, to win the WWE title. Prior to the event, Angle had promised Lesnar to get his suspension lifted if he helped Angle in defeating Big Show for the title. Angle had also promised Lesnar to give him the first title shot after winning the title. However, despite helping Angle in winning the title, Lesnar was not given his title shot as on December 19 edition of SmackDown Angle and Big Show's manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
Paul Heyman cancelled Lesnar's title shot and Big Show was given his title rematch. Later that night, Angle lost to Chris Benoit in a non-title match by disqualification when Big Show interfered in the match and attacked Benoit. However, Lesnar rescued Benoit from the post-match assault by Angle and Big Show and brutally assaulted Angle, injuring him. As a result of Angle's injury, the SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon cancelled Angle's title match against Big Show and decided that Big Show would wrestle Benoit to determine the #1 contender for the WWE title. Benoit defeated Big Show to become the #1 contender for the title at Royal Rumble.
The main rivalry heading into the event from the Raw brand was between Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
and Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
over the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
. On October 24, 2002, WWE had announced on its official website that Scott Steiner had signed a three-year contract with WWE. After eight years away, Steiner returned to WWE as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
at Survivor Series
Survivor Series (2002)
Survivor Series was the sixteenth annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on November 17, 2002 from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York and featured talent from both the Raw and SmackDown! brands...
and attacked Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Christopher Nowinski
Christopher Nowinski
Christopher John Nowinski is an author and a former professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment. Nowinski is renowned for being WWE's first Harvard alumnus, as he graduated with an A.B. in sociology. He is also recognized as the youngest Hardcore Champion in WWE history...
for insulting New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Steiner was approached by the Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff and the SmackDown General Manager Stephanie McMahon for their respective brands. He initially decided to join the SmackDown brand but after McMahon rejected Steiner's advances, he moved to the Raw brand. At Armageddon, Triple H defeated Shawn Michaels in a Three Stages of Hell to win the World Heavyweight Championship. On December 16 edition of Raw, Triple H held an Appreciation Ceremony on winning the title but the ceremony was interrupted by Steiner, who announced that his contract said that he would earn a world title shot. As a result, Steiner and Triple H's match for the World Heavyweight Championship was made official at Royal Rumble.
The secondary rivalry heading into the event from the Raw brand was between Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
and William Regal and Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
(Bubba Ray and D-Von) over the World Tag Team Championship. On December 23 edition of Raw, the Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff forced Raw commentators Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
to wrestle in a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
match against Storm and Regal for making bad comments against Bischoff. Ross and Lawler defeated Storm and Regal after interference by Dudley Boyz. As a result, on January 6 edition of Raw, Bischoff forced Dudley Boyz to wrestle 3-Minute Warning (Rosey
Matt Anoa'i
Matthew "Matt" Anoa'i is a professional wrestler, best known for his time on the independent circuit under numerous ring names, and his time in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he competed as Rosey....
and Umaga
Eddie Fatu
Edward Smith "Eki" Fatu was a Samoan-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Umaga...
), Rico
Rico Constantino
Americo Sebastiano Costantino is a retired American professional wrestler and wrestling manager of Italian origin. He is best known by his ring names Rico Costantino and Rico in World Wrestling Entertainment from 2001 to 2004...
and Batista in a Handicap match. Storm and Regal avenged their loss by costing Dudley Boyz, the match. Later that night, Storm and Regal defeated Booker T
Booker Huffman
Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World...
and Goldust for the World Tag Team Championship. This led to a title match between Storm and Regal and Dudley Boyz at Royal Rumble.
The secondary rivalry heading into the event from the SmackDown brand was between Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
and Dawn Marie
Dawn Marie Psaltis
Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
. At Armageddon, Torrie and Dawn did a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
segment in the ring. On December 19 edition of SmackDown, Torrie gave bad remarks about her storyline
Kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe is the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" or "true". Specifically, the portrayal of professional wrestling, in particular the competition and rivalries between participants, as being genuine or not of a worked nature...
father Al Wilson on getting married with Dawn. On January 2 edition of SmackDown, Dawn and Al had their storyline wedding in their undergarments. On January 9 edition of SmackDown, Josh Mathews announced that Dawn and Torrie would wrestle in a match at Royal Rumble.
Event
| Role: | Name: |
|---|---|
| Commentators | Jerry "The King" Lawler Jerry Lawler Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional... |
| Jim Ross Jim Ross James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand... |
|
| Michael Cole Michael Cole Michael Sean Coulthard , better known by his ring name Michael Cole, is an American professional wrestling commentator, currently signed to WWE on both its Rawand SmackDown brands. Coulthard is a former news journalist.... |
|
| Tazz Tazz Peter Senerchia is a retired American professional wrestler and current color commentator best known by his ring name Tazz, originally Tazmaniac and later shortened to simply Taz... |
|
| Carlos Cabrera Carlos Cabrera Carlos Rodrigo Cabrera is a former newsman and currently employed with WWE, where he is one half of the company's Spanish announce team in which he is the play-by-play announcer. His longtime broadcast partner was the former Ecuadorian professional wrestler Hugo Savinovich, who was the color... |
|
| Hugo Savinovich Hugo Savinovich Hugo Savinovich is a former Ecuadorian professional wrestler, formerly employed with WWE, where he was one half of the Spanish announce team for the company's TV shows and pay-per-view events. He was a color commentator and partner of Carlos Cabrera and occasionally Marcelo Rodríguez. When he... |
|
| Interviewer | Terri Runnels Terri Runnels Terri Lynne Boatright Runnels is a former World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Federation professional wrestling manager, television host and occasional wrestler.... |
| Ring Announcers | Tony Chimel Tony Chimel Anthony "Tony" Chimel is an American professional wrestling ring announcer, currently employed by WWE working as the ring announcer for SmackDown brand.-WWE :... |
| Howard Finkel Howard Finkel Howard Finkel is a professional wrestling ring announcer currently working with WWE in a variety of roles. Hired in 1975 by Vincent J. McMahon's World Wide Wrestling Federation, "The Fink" was the first person brought in to Vincent K... |
|
| Referees | Jack Doan Jack Doan John Michael "Jack" Doan is a veteran professional wrestling referee currently signed with WWE.-Career:Doan joined WWE in October 1991 as a truck driver. From there, he took robes from Superstars at ringside, played music at shows, worked as part of the ring crew, and continued to drive the... |
| Chad Patton | |
| Nick Patrick Nick Hamilton Joseph Nicholas "Nick" Patrick Hamilton Jr. , better known by his ring name Nick Patrick, is a professional wrestling referee. He is a former referee for World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment... |
|
| Charles Robinson Charles Robinson (referee) Charles Shane Robinson is an American professional wrestling referee currently signed to WWE.- Beginnings and World Championship Wrestling :... |
|
| Mike Chioda Mike Chioda Michael Joseph "Mike" Chioda, is a senior referee who is currently signed to WWE. While not refereeing, Chioda, as well as the other referees in WWE, help set up the arena before shows, constructing the ring and stage areas.-WWF:... |
|
| Brian Hebner | |
| Mike Sparks | |
| Jim Korderas Jim Korderas __FORCETOC__Demetrius Korderas , better known by his referee name, Jim "Jimmy" Korderas is a Canadian professional wrestling referee who worked for World Wrestling Entertainment for over 22 years.-Early career:... |
|
| General Managers | Eric Bischoff Eric Bischoff Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling... |
| Stephanie McMahon |
Before the event aired live on pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV), Spike Dudley
Matt Hyson
Matthew "Matt" Hyson is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.In ECW, he was a two-time...
defeated Steven Richards
Steven Richards
Steven Richards is a New Zealand racing driver, currently competing in the with the team. He previously raced in the V8 Supercar series for Ford Performance Racing....
by pinning him after a Dudley Dog. The match aired live on Sunday Night Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
.
Preliminary matches
As the event concluded, the first match that aired was a Royal Rumble qualification match between Big ShowPaul Wight
Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
and Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
. As the match started, Big Show shoved Lesnar into the corner twice until Lesnar drove him into the corner by spearing him. Lesnar started dominating Big Show and hit him with two consecutive Belly to Belly Suplexes and attempted to perform a third one but Big Show prevented Lesnar from performing the move by grabbing his throat. Big Show then tossed Lesnar over the top rope to the ringside. After Lesnar returned to the ring, Big Show charged at him in the corner but Lesnar avoided the charge and pulled Big Show out of the corner by performing a German Suplex and got a near-fall. Lesnar tried to escape the ring but his former and Big Show's then-manager
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film....
grabbed Lesnar's leg, allowing Big Show to kick him in the face. Big Show then attempted to perform a Chokeslam
Chokeslam
A chokeslam refers to a type of body slam in professional wrestling in which the wrestler grasps their opponent's neck, lifts them up, and slams them to the mat. It is common in televised wrestling because it is simple and relatively safe, yet looks powerful on camera...
on Lesnar but Lesnar reversed the move into an Oklahoma Roll to get a near-fall. Lesnar followed it by performing a Belly to Belly Suplex on Big Show. Heyman distracted Lesnar by climbing the apron and Lesnar pulled him into the ring and attempted to perform a F5 on Heyman but Big Show prevented Lesnar from hitting F5 by delivering him a Chokeslam. Big Show got a near-fall. He became frustrated and attempted to perform another Chokeslam on Lesnar but Lesnar avoided the move and shoved Big Show into Heyman, who was standing on the ring apron. This allowed Lesnar to finish Big Show with a F5 and Lesnar qualified for the Royal Rumble match.
The second match was a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
match for the World Tag Team Championship. Lance Storm
Lance Storm
Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling...
and William Regal defended the titles against Dudley Boyz
Dudley Boyz
Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals...
(Bubba Ray and D-Von). Bubba Ray and Storm started the match by exchanging Armbars until Storm started applying submission maneuvers on Bubba Ray. He whipped Bubba Ray off the ropes and Bubba Ray performed a Shoulder Block. Bubba started dominating the match as he hit Storm with a Side Slam, a Release German Suplex and a Bionic Elbow before finishing Storm with a Sitout Full Nelson Atomic Drop, which he called Bubba Bomb. Bubba Ray attempted to pin Storm but Regal interfered and broke the pinfall. Bubba Ray hit Regal with a Scoop Slam and then Dudley Boyz performed a Whassup on Regal. D-Von was tagged in and Dudley Boyz focused on the legal wrestler Storm and hit him with a Double Flapjack, giving D-Von a near-fall. Dudley Boyz followed by attempting to perform a 3D on Storm, but Chief Morley
Sean Morley
Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment...
interfered in the match and decided that Storm and Regal retained the titles by disqualification but the referee
Referee (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling referee is the official figure that makes sure that wrestling matches move smoothly in an attempt to maintain kayfabe. The referee also has the ultimate power in the ring...
refused and the match continued. Regal took advantage of the situation and took a pair of brass knuckles
Brass knuckles
Brass knuckles, also sometimes called knuckles, knucks, brass knucks, or knuckledusters, are weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles are pieces of metal, usually steel despite their name, shaped to fit around the knuckles...
to hit Dudley Boyz with the pair but Dudley Boyz performed a 3D on Regal. D-Von grabbed the brass knuckles and hit Storm with it and pinned him to win the Tag Team Championship.
Next match was Torrie Wilson
Torrie Wilson
Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness...
versus Dawn Marie
Dawn Marie Psaltis
Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE...
. Before the match started, the referee Mike Sparks asked Torrie if she wanted to start the match but before Torrie could make a choice, Dawn attacked her and started the match. The match went back and forth until Torrie performed a Swinging Neckbreaker on Dawn to win the match.
Main event matches
The RawWWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
brand
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
main event was between Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
and Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
for the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
. Steiner dominated Triple H for much of the earlier match. Steiner applied a Boston Crab
Boston crab
The Boston crab is a professional wrestling hold that typically starts with the opponent lying supine on the mat, with the wrestler standing and facing them. It is a type of spinal lock where the wrestler hooks each of the opponent’s legs in one of his arms, and then turns the opponent face-down,...
on Triple H but Triple H caught the ropes and got out of the hold. Steiner released Triple H and Triple H performed a Knee Smash Facebreaker but Steiner was not affected by the move and he applied a Bearhug on Triple H and followed it by performing a Belly to Belly Suplex for a nearfall. Steiner then attempted to apply a Steiner Recliner on Triple H but Triple H's manager Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
pulled Triple H out of the ring to prevent Triple H from receiving the hold. Steiner started chasing Flair but the referee interjected himself to stop Steiner. Triple H started gaining momentum on a distracted Steiner before attempting to perform a Pedigree on Steiner but Steiner broke the move and performed an Exploder Suplex and tried to perform a Military Press Slam but Triple H countered it and performed a Neckbreaker
Neckbreaker
In professional wrestling a neckbreaker is any throw or slam that focuses its attack on the opponent’s neck. One type of neckbreaker involves the wrestler slamming an opponent's neck against a part of the wrestler's body, usually the knee, head or shoulder...
to get a near-fall. Flair continuously interfered in the match, prompting the referee to eject him from the ringside. Triple H eventually tossed the referee out of the ring but the referee did not disqualify Triple H and the match continued. Triple H eventually grabbed a sledgehammer and nailed Steiner in the gut with it and the referee disqualified Triple H. As a result, Triple H retained the title but Steiner attacked Triple H after the match and applied a Steiner Recliner.
The final match on the undercard was the SmackDown brand main event. It was between Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
and Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
for the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
. As the match started, Angle's Team Angle (Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
and Shelton Benjamin
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted...
) interfered in the match, forcing the referee to eject Team Angle from the ringside area. After a back and forth action, the match nearly ended when Benoit attempted to perform a Diving Headbutt on Angle but Angle rolled out of the way. He attempted to perform an Angle Slam, on Benoit but Benoit countered it and applied a Sharpshooter
Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)
The Sharpshooter, originally named Sasori-gatame, Scorpion Hold in English, is a professional wrestling submission hold. The move is also known by several other names: cloverleaf leg-lace Boston crab, standing reverse figure-four leglock, and, the most commonly known alternative, Scorpion Deathlock...
on Angle but Angle caught the ropes to get out of the hold. The action continued until Angle attempted to hit Benoit with an Angle Slam but Benoit countered it and applied a Crippler Crossface on Angle but Angle caught the ropes and got out of the hold. Benoit then applied Angle's own submission maneuver Ankle Lock on Angle until Angle reversed into applying his own Ankle Lock. Benoit countered into a Crippler Crossface and Angle got out of it by performing an Angle Slam for a near-fall. Benoit went on to hit Angle with a Diving Headbutt to get a near-fall. Angle then slammed Benoit into the top turnbuckle and performed an Angle Slam from the top rope but again got a near-fall. The match came to its end when Benoit applied a Crippler Crossface on Angle but Angle countered it into an Ankle Lock, forcing Benoit to tap out to the hold. As a result, Angle retained the WWE Championship.
The main event was the annual Royal Rumble match. The first two entrants were Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
. Christian appeared during Jericho's entrance, wearing Jericho's gear and distracted Michaels. Jericho took advantage and attacked Michaels from behind. Jericho grabbed a chair from ringside and hit Michaels in the head with it, causing Michaels to bleed from mouth. Christopher Nowinski
Christopher Nowinski
Christopher John Nowinski is an author and a former professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment. Nowinski is renowned for being WWE's first Harvard alumnus, as he graduated with an A.B. in sociology. He is also recognized as the youngest Hardcore Champion in WWE history...
entered at #3 but instead of coming to the ring, he stayed outside the ring. Jericho continued to attack Michaels before easily eliminating him over the top rope. After Michaels' elimination, Rey Mysterio entered at #4 and started fighting Jericho while Nowinski stayed out of the ring before eventually entering the ring and attacking Mysterio. Edge entered at #5 and immediately speared both Jericho and Nowinski. He tried to perform a Spear on Mysterio, but Mysterio tossed Edge into the ropes and attempted to perform a 619 on Edge, but Edge avoided the move. Mysterio and Edge continued to fight each other until Christian entered at #6. After entering the ring, Christian embraced with his former tag team partner Edge but was speared by Edge. Edge and Mysterio then hit Nowinski with a double missile dropkick.
One half of the then WWE Tag Team Champions
WWE Tag Team Championship
The WWE Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling world tag team championship in WWE. It was established as a second title for tag teams in WWE in 2002 to complement the original World Tag Team Championship...
Chavo Guerrero
Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling...
entered at #7. After entering the ring, Guerrero was attacked by Mysterio. Mysterio then eliminated Nowinski from the match. However, after eliminating Nowinski, Mysterio, himself was eliminated by Jericho. Tajiri
Yoshihiro Tajiri
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :...
entered at #8. Tajiri fought with Christian, while Edge and Jericho fought with each other. Bill DeMott
Bill DeMott
William Charles "Bill" DeMott II is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment as Hugh Morrus and Bill DeMott respectively and as Crash The Terminator in Extreme Championship Wrestling and Japan...
entered at #9. DeMott started attacking all the participants and had nearly eliminated Jericho. Tommy Dreamer
Tommy Dreamer
Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment...
entered at #10. Dreamer brought kendo sticks with himself to the ring and started attacking everyone with the kendo sticks. Edge hit DeMott with a kendo stick, causing DeMott to get eliminated by falling over the top rope to the floor. Jericho and Christian attacked Dreamer with trashcan lids and tossed him over the top rope. Tajiri fought with Jericho and attempted to apply a Tarantula on Jericho but his attempt failed and Jericho dumped Tajiri over the top rope, eliminating him. B-2
Barry Buchanan
Barry Buchanan is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B-2 in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.-National Championship Wrestling :...
entered at #11 but was quickly eliminated by Edge. After eliminating B-2, Edge eliminated Guerrero. Edge also attempted to eliminate Jericho but he held on. Edge and Christian fought each other until Jericho eliminated both of them from the match and became the only remaining person until Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
entered at #12. After entering the ring, RVD began attacking Jericho and performed a Rolling Thunder on Jericho.
RVD and Jericho continued to battle each other and RVD had nearly eliminated Jericho until Matt Hardy
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
entered at #13 and performed a Side Effect on RVD. Jericho and Hardy double-teamed RVD until second half of then WWE Tag Team Champions Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
entered at #14 and began attacking RVD and Hardy. Guerrero and Hardy double-teamed RVD, where Hardy helped Guerrero from being eliminated and performed a Scoop Slam on RVD, allowing Guerrero to perform a Frog Splash on RVD. However, Hardy ended his teamwork with Guerrero by hitting him with a Twist of Fate. Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy
Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion...
entered at #15 and Jeff began fighting Matt. Jeff delivered Matt, a Twist of Fate and climbed the top rope to perform a Swanton Bomb, but Matt's manager Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore
Shannon Moore is an American professional wrestler, who is signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . He is best known for his work with World Championship Wrestling between 1999 and 2001 and with World Wrestling Entertainment for several years in the 2000s.Moore befriended Matt and Jeff Hardy...
joined the ring and covered Matt with his body. Jeff performed a Swanton Bomb on Moore, that hurt both Matt and Moore. Rosey
Matt Anoa'i
Matthew "Matt" Anoa'i is a professional wrestler, best known for his time on the independent circuit under numerous ring names, and his time in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he competed as Rosey....
entered at #16 and started fighting with RVD until Test entered at #17 and started attacking everyone in the ring. Test performed a Pumphandle Slam on Matt and began attacking Jericho and had nearly eliminated him. John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
entered at #18 but instead of entering the ring, Cena began rap
Rap
Rap may refer to:*Rapping, performance in which rhyming lyrics are used, with or without musical accompaniment ; while an MC performs spoken verses in time to a beat/ melody**Hip hop subculture**Hip hop music...
ping outside the ring until RVD went to the ringside and attacked Cena, tossing him into the ring.
Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
entered at #19. Haas started fighting with Matt. RVD and Jeff started double-teaming Jericho. Jeff climbed on the top rope to perform a high-flying move
Professional wrestling aerial techniques
Aerial techniques are maneuvers, using the ring and its posts and ropes as aids, used in professional wrestling to show off the speed and agility of a wrestler. These moves are mainly done by smaller, quicker wrestlers who are unable to do most of the power moves. There is a wide variety of aerial...
but RVD pushed him, causing Jeff to fall to the floor and get eliminated from the match. Rikishi
Solofa Fatu
Solofa F. Fatu, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Rikishi.-The Samoan Swat Team:...
entered at #20 and started fighting Rosey. Jamal
Eddie Fatu
Edward Smith "Eki" Fatu was a Samoan-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Umaga...
entered at #21 and began teaming with his 3-Minute Warning partner Rosey to duble-team Rikishi. Jericho fought with RVD and had nearly eliminated RVD. Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
entered at #22 and started dominating all the participants in the ring and eliminated Rosey by backdropping him over the top rope. After eliminating Rosey, Kane attempted to eliminate Jericho but Jericho held on. Shelton Benjamin
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted...
entered at #23 and began teaming with his Team Angle partner Haas. Booker T
Booker Huffman
Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World...
entered at #24 and performed a Scissors Kick on Kane and a Flapjack on Matt. Booker went on to eliminate Guerrero by backdropping him over the top rope.
A-Train entered at #25 and started dominating his opponents by performing a Derailer on Cena, an Train Wreck, on Benjamin and a Derailer on RVD before receiving a Savate Kick by Rikishi. Shawn Michaels returned to the ring after being attacked by Jericho in the earlier match and avenged his elimination by attacking Jericho, helping Test to eliminate Jericho from the match. Michaels continued to attack Jericho after the match. Maven
Maven Huffman
Maven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American...
entered at #26 but was dominated by Kane. Goldust entered at #27 and started battling Haas and Benjamin, but they quickly eliminated him. Goldust's tag team partner Booker tried to avenge his partner's elimination by battling Haas and Benjamin, but he was too eliminated by Haas and Benjamin. Batista entered at #28 and started dominating everyone. Shortly after entering, Batista eliminated Test and then Rikishi. Brock Lesnar entered at #29 and he started fighting all the participants. Lesnar eliminated Haas and Benjamin and then eliminated Matt by tossing him over the top rope onto Haas and Benjamin. The Undertaker returned to WWE after a three-month injury by entering at #30 as the final entrant of the match.
Undertaker quickly eliminated Cena and then eliminated Jamal. Maven attacked Undertaker from behind but Undertaker eliminated Maven. Kane and RVD started double-teaming Batista and Kane was gonna Gorilla press slam RVD on Batista but Kane instead tossed RVD over the top rope, eliminating him from the match. Kane and Batista started teaming as they were the remaining participants from Raw and battled Lesnar and Undertaker, who were the remaining participants from SmackDown. Undertaker eventually eliminated Batista and then battled Kane before eliminating him. Batista was angered at his elimination, so he distracted Undertaker by attempting to hit him with a chair but Undertaker avoided it and nailed Batista with a chair. Lesnar took advantage of the situation and eliminated a distracted Undertaker to win the Royal Rumble match.
Aftermath
Due to winning the Royal Rumble match, Brock LesnarBrock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
earned a WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
match at WrestleMania
WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in late March or early April by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut...
. As a result, he began a rivalry
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
with the WWE Champion Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
. Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
also continued his rivalry with Angle after losing to him at Royal Rumble. At No Way Out
No Way Out (2003)
No Way Out was the fourth annual No Way Out pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . The event took place on February 23, 2003 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec and starred the promotion's Raw and SmackDown! brands.The main event from the SmackDown! brand was a rematch...
, Lesnar, Benoit and Edge were scheduled to take on Team Angle (Kurt Angle, Charlie Haas
Charlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
and Shelton Benjamin
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted...
) in a six-man tag team match, but Edge was injured before the event. As a result, the match became a handicap match but Lesnar and Benoit managed to defeat Team Angle. At WrestleMania XIX
WrestleMania XIX
WrestleMania XIX was the nineteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on March 30, 2003 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. The event was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Washington, and the first...
, Lesnar defeated Angle to win the WWE Championship.
After retaining the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
against Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner
Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order...
by getting disqualified, Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
continued his rivalry with Steiner over the title. On February 3 edition of Raw, Steiner became the #1 contender for the title by defeating Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
. At No Way Out, Triple H defeated Steiner to retain the title.
Results
| # | Results | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spike Dudley Matt Hyson Matthew "Matt" Hyson is a retired American professional wrestler, best known for his performances in Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment under the ring name Spike Dudley and in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Brother Runt.In ECW, he was a two-time... defeated Steven Richards Stevie Richards Michael Manna is an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Stevie Richards. Also known by his ring names, Steven Richards and Dr... (with Victoria Lisa Marie Varon Lisa Marie Varon , is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder and fitness competitor of Puerto Rican and Turkish descent... ) |
Singles match | 03:36 | |
| 1 | Brock Lesnar Brock Lesnar Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog... defeated The Big Show Paul Wight Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand.... (with Paul Heyman Paul Heyman Paul Heyman is an American entertainment producer, best known for his career in professional wrestling as a promoter, manager, commentator and journalist. He is also an occasional actor in film.... ) |
Royal Rumble Qualification match | 06:29 |
| 2 | Dudley Boyz Dudley Boyz Team 3D was a professional wrestling tag team, consisting of Brother Ray and Brother Devon, formerly sporadically joined into a stable by Brother Runt on several intervals... (Bubba Ray and D-Von) defeated William Regal and Lance Storm Lance Storm Lance Timothy Evers known professionally by his ring name Lance Storm, is a semi-retired Canadian professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in World Wrestling Entertainment, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and World Championship Wrestling... (c) |
Tag team match Professional wrestling tag team match types Much like singles matches, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace... for the World Tag Team Championship |
07:24 |
| 3 | Torrie Wilson Torrie Wilson Torrie Anne Wilson is a retired American professional wrestler, fitness competitor and model. She is best known for her tenures in World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment , where she worked on both their SmackDown and Raw brands throughout her eight-year run.As a fitness... defeated Dawn Marie Dawn Marie Psaltis Dawn Marie Psaltis is an American former professional wrestler and professional wrestling valet. She is perhaps best known for her appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment under her ring name Dawn Marie, where she was a WWE... |
Singles match | 03:36 |
| 4 | Scott Steiner Scott Steiner Scott Carl Rechsteiner is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Scott Steiner. Steiner is perhaps best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling alongside his older brother Rick as the Steiner Brothers and as a member of the New World Order... defeated Triple H Triple H Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley... (c) (with Ric Flair Ric Flair Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world.... ) by disqualification |
Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship World Heavyweight Championship (WWE) The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand... |
18:14 |
| 5 | Kurt Angle Kurt Angle Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion... (with Team Angle) (c) defeated Chris Benoit Chris Benoit Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide... |
Singles match for the WWE Championship WWE Championship The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963... |
19:48 |
| 6 | Brock Lesnar Brock Lesnar Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog... won by last eliminating The Undertaker |
2003 Royal Rumble match | 53:41 |
Royal Rumble entrances and eliminations
Red ██ and "Raw" indicates a RawWWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
superstar, blue ██. and "SD!" indicates a SmackDown! superstar. A new entrant came out approximately every 90 seconds.
| Draw | Entrant | Brand | Order | Eliminated by | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Michaels Shawn Michaels Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December... |
Raw | Jericho | |||
| Chris Jericho Chris Jericho Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer... |
Raw | 14 | Test | 38:54 | |
| Christopher Nowinski Christopher Nowinski Christopher John Nowinski is an author and a former professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment. Nowinski is renowned for being WWE's first Harvard alumnus, as he graduated with an A.B. in sociology. He is also recognized as the youngest Hardcore Champion in WWE history... |
Raw | Mysterio | |||
| Rey Mysterio | SD! | Jericho | |||
| Edge | SD! | 10 | Jericho | 11:03 | |
| Christian | Raw | Jericho | |||
| Chavo Guerrero Chavo Guerrero, Jr. Salvador "Chavo" Guerrero IV also known as Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero, Jr., is a third generation Mexican-American professional wrestler and member of the famed Guerrero wrestling family who was well known for working with World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling... |
SD! | Edge | |||
| Tajiri Yoshihiro Tajiri , is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :... |
SD! | Jericho | |||
| Bill DeMott Bill DeMott William Charles "Bill" DeMott II is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment as Hugh Morrus and Bill DeMott respectively and as Crash The Terminator in Extreme Championship Wrestling and Japan... |
SD! | Edge | |||
| 10 | Tommy Dreamer Tommy Dreamer Thomas James "Tom" Laughlin is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Tommy Dreamer. He is currently working for various promotions on the independent circuit. He is best known for his time spent with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment... |
Raw | Jericho & Christian | ||
| 11 | B-2 Barry Buchanan Barry Buchanan is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances as Bull Buchanan and B-2 in the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment.-National Championship Wrestling :... |
SD! | Edge | ||
| 12 | Rob Van Dam Rob Van Dam Robert Alexander "Rob" Szatkowski , better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam , is an American professional wrestler and actor who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .... |
Raw | 26 | Kane | 33:56 |
| 13 | Matt Hardy Matt Hardy Matthew Moore "Matt" Hardy is a semi-retired American professional wrestler. He is best known for his stints in World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .... |
SD! | 21 | Lesnar | 27:17 |
| 14 | Eddie Guerrero Eddie Guerrero Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions... |
SD! | 13 | Booker | 16:29 |
| 15 | Jeff Hardy Jeff Hardy Jeffrey Nero "Jeff" Hardy is an American professional wrestler, who is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , where he is a former two–time TNA World Heavyweight Champion... |
SD! | 11 | Van Dam | |
| 16 | Rosey Matt Anoa'i Matthew "Matt" Anoa'i is a professional wrestler, best known for his time on the independent circuit under numerous ring names, and his time in World Wrestling Entertainment , where he competed as Rosey.... |
Raw | 12 | Kane | 10:16 |
| 17 | Test | Raw | 17 | Batista | 18:45 |
| 18 | John Cena John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand.... |
SD! | 22 | Undertaker | 19:38 |
| 19 | Charlie Haas Charlie Haas Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin... |
SD! | 20 | Lesnar | 17:17 |
| 20 | Rikishi Solofa Fatu Solofa F. Fatu, Jr. is an American professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Rikishi.-The Samoan Swat Team:... |
SD! | 18 | Batista | 14:10 |
| 21 | Jamal Eddie Fatu Edward Smith "Eki" Fatu was a Samoan-American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Umaga... |
Raw | 23 | Undertaker | 16:07 |
| 22 | Kane Kane (wrestler) Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury.... |
Raw | 28 | Undertaker | 20:24 |
| 23 | Shelton Benjamin Shelton Benjamin Shelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted... |
SD! | 19 | Lesnar | 10:55 |
| 24 | Booker T Booker Huffman Robert Booker Tio Huffman , better known by his ring name Booker T, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler and currently signed to WWE, on its SmackDown brand, as part of the announcing team. Booker is best known for his time in both the World Wrestling Entertainment and World... |
Raw | 16 | Haas & Benjamin | |
| 25 | A-Train | SD! | 25 | Kane & Van Dam | 11:33 |
| 26 | Maven Maven Huffman Maven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American... |
Raw | 24 | Undertaker | |
| 27 | Goldust | Raw | 15 | Haas & Benjamin | |
| 28 | Batista | Raw | 27 | Undertaker | |
| 29 | Brock Lesnar Brock Lesnar Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog... |
SD! | WINNER | ||
| 30 | SD! | 29 | Lesnar |