Saturday, January 26, 2019

2019 WWE ROYAL RUMBLE RESULTS, CARD, NEWS, AND STORIES


The 32nd edition of the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view takes place on Sunday, Jan. 29 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. This is the second time the Royal Rumble will be held in Phoenix; the first time this event was held in this city, in 2013, The Rock defeated CM Punk to win the WWE championship in the main event -- setting up a WrestleMania main event between The Rock and Royal Rumble match winner John Cena.
This is the first time a Royal Rumble pay-per-view will be held inside of a baseball stadium. Previously, WWE held WrestleMania events at four stadiums that housed major league baseball teams -- WrestleMania VI (Toronto's Skydome), WrestleMania X-Seven (Houston Astrodome), WrestleMania XIX (Safeco Field in Seattle) and WrestleMania XXVIII (Sun Life Stadium, previously Joe Robbie Stadium and now Hard Rock Stadium in Miami).
For the second consecutive year, there will be a men's and women's Royal Rumble match, with the winner of each match guaranteed a world title shot at WrestleMania 35 at MetLife Stadium in April.
2019 ROYAL RUMBLE CARD
(c) - indicates defending champion
* - indicates Kickoff show match
UNIVERSAL CHAMPIONSHIP Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Finn Balor
BROCK LESNAR
  • D.O.B.: July 12, 1977
  • Billed height: 6-foot-3
  • Billed weight: 286 pounds
  • Billed from: Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Signature moves: F-5, German Suplex, Kimura Lock
  • Nicknames: "The Beast Incarnate", "The Next Big Thing"
  • WWE main roster debut: March 18, 2002
  • College: University of Minnesota & Bismarck State College
WWE ACCOLADES
  • Two-time WWE Universal champion; first win on April 2, 2017 (WrestleMania 33); Current champion
  • Four-time WWE world champion; first win on Aug. 25, 2002 (SummerSlam)
  • Five-time Slammy award winner
  • King of the Ring winner (2002)
  • Royal Rumble winner (2003)
  • Ended The Undertaker's WrestleMania undefeated streak at 21 wins (April 6, 2014 - WrestleMania 30)
OTHER NOTES
  • One-time UFC heavyweight champion; won on Nov. 15, 2008 (UFC 91)
  • 5-3-1 overall professional MMA record
  • One-time IWGP heavyweight champion
  • NCAA Division I Heavyweight Champion (in 2000; 106-5 overall record)
  • Signed to the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad in 2004
FINN BALOR
  • D.O.B.: July 25, 1981
  • Billed height: 5-foot-11
  • Billed weight: 190 pounds
  • Billed from: Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland
  • Signature moves: Coup de Grace, 1916
  • Nickname: "The Demon"
  • WWE main roster debut: July 25, 2016
WWE ACCOLADES
  • 1-time WWE Universal champion; won on Aug. 21, 2016 (Summerslam); first-ever WWE Universal champion
  • 1-time NXT champion; won on July 4, 2015 (The Beast in the East)
  • Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament winner in 2015 (with Samoa Joe)
  • NXT Male and Overall Competitor of the Year (2015)
OTHER NOTES
  • Three-time IWGP junior heavyweight champion
  • Six-time IWGP junior heavyweight tag team champion
  • Two-time NJPW Best of the Super Juniors winner (2010, 2013)
  • Opened a wrestling promotion in Ireland called NWA Ireland in 2002 where he trained current WWE superstar Becky Lynch

WWE CHAMPIONSHIP Daniel Bryan (c) vs. AJ Styles
DANIEL BRYAN
  • D.O.B.: May 22, 1981
  • Billed from: Aberdeen, Washington
  • Billed height: 5-foot-10
  • Billed weight: 210 pounds
  • Signature moves: "Yes Lock", "Running Knee"
  • Catchphrase: "Yes! Yes! Yes!", "No! No! No!"
  • WWE main roster debut: May 10, 2010
WWE ACCOLADES
  • Four-time WWE champion; first win on December 18, 2011 (TLC); Current champion
  • One-time Intercontinental champion; on March 29, 2015 (WrestleMania 31)
  • One-time United States champion; won on Sept. 19, 2010 (Night of Champions)
  • One-time tag team champion (with Kane); won on Sept. 16, 2012 (Night of Champions)
  • Money in the Bank briefcase winner (2011)
  • Twelve-time Slammy Award winner (Superstar of the Year in 2013)
OTHER NOTES
  • Married to former WWE Divas Champion Brie Bella
  • Won Libby Award from PETA in 2012 for Most Animal-Friendly Athlete
  • January 12, 2012 was named 'Daniel Bryan Day' by Yakima, Washington Mayor Micah Cawley
AJ STYLES
  • D.O.B.: June 2, 1977
  • Billed from: Gainesville, Georgia
  • Billed height: 5-foot-11
  • Billed weight: 220 pounds
  • Signature Moves: Phenomenal Forearm, Styles Clash, Calf Crusher
  • Nicknames: The Phenomenal One
  • Catchphrase: "I am phenomenal"
  • WWE main roster debut: Jan. 24, 2016
  • College: Anderson University (SC)
WWE ACCOLADES
  • Two-time WWE world heavyweight champion; first win on Sept. 11, 2016 (Backlash); Current champion
  • Two-time WWE United States champion; first win on July 8, 2017 (WWE Live Event -- MSG)
OTHER NOTES
  • Named No. 1 wrestler in the world by Pro Wrestling Illustrated in 2010; 2016 wrestler of the year and match of the year from PWI
  • Two-time IWGP heavyweight champion
  • Three-time NWA world heavyweight champion
  • Four-time NWA tag team champion
  • Two-time TNA world heavyweight champion
  • Two-time TNA tag team champion
  • Six-time TNA X-Division champion
  • First TNA Grand Slam Champion
  • First-ever ROH Pure champion
  • One-time ROH tag team champion
  • One-time PWG world champion
SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP Asuka (c) vs. Becky Lynch
ASUKA
  • D.O.B.: Sept. 26, 1981
  • Billed height: 5-foot-3
  • Billed from: Osaka, Japan
  • Signature move: Asuka Lock
  • Nickname: "The Empress of Tomorrow"
  • WWE main roster debut: Oct. 22, 2017
WWE ACCOLADES
  • One-time SmackDown women's champion; won on Dec. 16, 2018 (TLC); Current champion
  • One-time NXT women's champion; won on April 1, 2016 (NXT TakeOver: Dallas)
  • Held the NXT women's championship for 523 days before relinquishing it, which is the longest championship reign of any kind in NXT history
  • Just the eighth WWE superstar in history to record a 500-plus day championship reign
  • Winner of the inaugural women's Royal Rumble match
  • Two-time NXT female competitor of the year (2017)
  • NXT overall competitor of the year (2017)
OTHER NOTES
  • Prior to joining WWE, worked for DDT Pro, Smash, Pro Wrestling Wave and SHIMMER, among many other companies
BECKY LYNCH
  • D.O.B.: Jan. 30, 1987
  • Billed height: 5-foot-6
  • Billed from: Dublin, Ireland
  • Signature move: Dis-arm-her
  • Nickname: Irish Lass-kicker
  • WWE main roster debut: July 13, 2015
  • College: Dublin Institute of Technology
WWE ACCOLADES
  • Two-time SmackDown women's champion; first win on Sept. 11, 2016 (Backlash)
OTHER NOTES
  • As a teenager, she trained under current WWE superstar Finn Bálor in Ireland
  • Performed in Ireland, France, England, Japan and Canada prior to her WWE career
RAW WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Sasha Banks
RONDA ROUSEY
  • D.O.B.: Feb. 1, 1987
  • Billed height: 5-foot-6
  • Billed from: Santa Monica, California
  • Signature move: Arm Bar
  • Nickname: "Rowdy"
  • WWE main roster debut: Jan. 28, 2018
WWE ACCOLADES
  • One-time Raw women's champion; won on Aug. 19, 2018 (SummerSlam); Current champion
  • One-time Slammy Award winner
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS NOTES
  • 12-2 professional record
  • 11 of 12 wins came in 1st round; eight wins in less than a minute
  • Nine wins via arm bar submission
  • First ever UFC women's bantamweight champion
  • Final Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion
  • Win over Cat Zingano in Feb. 2015 was a then-UFC record 14 seconds
OTHER NOTES
  • Olympic bronze medalist in judo at 2008 Beijing Olympics
  • Qualified for 2004 Athens Olympics
  • 2007 Pan Am Games champion, 2007 world silver medalist, 2004 junior world champion in judo
  • Won ESPY awards for Best Female Athlete and Best Fighter
  • Named "world's most dominant athlete" in 2015 Sports Illustrated story
SASHA BANKS
  • D.O.B.: Jan. 26, 1992
  • Billed height: 5-foot-5
  • Billed from: Boston, Massachusetts
  • Signature move: Bank Statement
  • Nicknames: "The Boss"
  • WWE main roster debut: July 13, 2015
WWE ACCOLADES
  • Four-time WWE Raw women's champion; first win on July 25, 2016 (Monday Night Raw)
  • One-time NXT women's champion; won on February 11, 2015 (NXT TakeOver: Rival)
  • NXT Match of the Year (vs. Bayley, NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, Aug. 22, 2015)
OTHER NOTES
  • Cousin of WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg
MEN'S ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH Announced participants: R-Truth, Drew McIntyre, Big E, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, Seth Rollins, Jeff Hardy, Dean Ambrose, Bobby Lashley, Samoa Joe, John Cena, Elias, Baron Corbin, Jinder Mahal, Apollo Crews, Andrade 'Cien' Almas, Mustafa Ali, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton
WOMEN'S ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH Announced participants: Carmella, Natalya, Bayley, Ember Moon, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Alicia Fox, Zelina Vega, Naomi, Mickie James, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Charlotte Flair, Tamina, Dana Brooke, Lana, Nia Jax, Nikki Bella, Alexa Bliss, Lacey Evans
SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS The Bar (c) vs. The Miz & Shane McMahon
THE BAR
  • Members: Cesaro, Sheamus
  • Tag team debut: Sept. 26, 2016
  • Signature move: Spinebuster/Brogue Kick combination
TAG TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
  • Four-time Raw tag team champions; first win on Dec. 18, 2016 (Roadblock: End of the Line)
  • One-time SmackDown tag team champions; won on Oct. 16, 2018 (SmackDown 1,000); Current champions
  • Ended The New Day's record 483-day tag team championship reign
  • Won third tag team iron match in WWE history over The Hardy Boyz on July 7, 2017 (Great Balls of Fire)
THE MIZ
  • D.O.B.: Oct. 8, 1980
  • Billed height: 6-foot-2
  • Billed height: 221 pounds
  • Billed from: Hollywood, California
  • Signature moves: Skull-crushing finale, Figure-four leg lock
  • Catchphrase: "I'm The Miz, and I'm awesome!"
  • WWE main roster debut: April 21, 2006
  • College: Miami (OH)
WWE ACCOLADES
  • One-time WWE world champion; won on Nov. 22, 2010 (Monday Night Raw)
  • Eight-time Intercontinental champion; first win on July 23, 2012 (Monday Night Raw)
  • Two-time United States champion; first win on Oct. 5, 2009 (Monday Night Raw)
  • Six-time tag team champion (with Big Show [WWE and World Tag Team titles], John Morrison [WWE and World Tag Team titles], John Cena, Damien Mizdow); first win on Nov. 13, 2007 (SmackDown)
  • WWE Grand Slam champion
  • Two-time Slammy Award winner
  • Money in the Bank winner (2010)
  • Only Tough Enough contestant to win the WWE championship and to headline a WrestleMania
OTHER NOTES
  • Appeared on MTV's "The Real World" in 2001, as well as several "The Real World" competition spin-off shows
  • Outside of "The Real World", he has appeared in multiple other television shows ("Fear Factor," "Identity," "Battle of the Network Stars," "Psych," "Supernatural," "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?")
  • Runner-up, Season 4 of WWE's "Tough Enough"
  • Appeared in multiple films ("The Campaign," "Christmas Bounty," "The Marine 3: Homefront," "The Marine 4: Moving Target," "Santa's Little Helper" and "The Marine 5: Battleground")
  • The Miz's wife, former WWE Divas champion Maryse, serves as his manager
SHANE MCMAHON
  • D.O.B.: Jan. 15, 1970
  • Billed height: 6-foot-2
  • Billed weight: 230 pounds
  • Billed from: New York City, New York
  • Signature moves: Coast-to-Coast, Leap of Faith
  • Nickname: "Shane-O-Mac"
  • WWE main roster debut: Jan. 19, 1998
WWE ACCOLADES
  • Current commissioner of SmackDown Live
OTHER NOTES
  • Son of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, brother of WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and brother-in-law of WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events & Creative Triple H
  • Had a cameo appearance in the film "Rollerball"
  • Became the CEO of China Broadband Inc. in 2010
  • Became the CEO of You On Demand in 2010
  • Co-Owner of Indian Larry Motorcycle Shop
* UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP Rusev (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
RUSEV
  • D.O.B.: Dec. 25, 1984
  • Billed height: 6-foot
  • Billed weight: 138 kilos
  • Billed from: Bulgaria
  • Signature moves: The Accolade
  • Nickname: "The Bulgarian Brute"
  • WWE main roster debut: Jan. 26, 2014
WWE ACCOLADES
  • Three-time United States Champion; first win on November 3, 2014 (Monday Night Raw); Current champion
  • Slammy Award winner
  • Did not lose a singles match by pinfall or submission from April 7, 2014 to March 29, 2015 (WrestleMania 31)
  • Only Bulgarian wrestler in WWE history
OTHER NOTES
  • Trained by former WWE superstars Gangrel and Hall of Famer, Rikishi
  • Competed in rowing and weightlifting before his career in wrestling
  • Married long-time girlfriend and manager Lana in August 2016.
SHINSUKE NAKAMURA
  • D.O.B.: Feb. 24, 1980
  • Billed from: Kyoto, Japan
  • Billed height: 6-foot-2
  • Billed weight: 229 pounds
  • Signature moves: Kinshasa (knee strike), Good Vibrations
  • Catchphrase: "Yeaoh!"
  • Nickname: "King of Strong Style"; "Rock Star"
  • WWE main roster debut: April 4, 2017 (SmackDown)
WWE ACCOLADES
  • One-time United States champion; won on July 15, 2018 (Extreme Rules)
  • Two-time NXT champion; first win on Aug. 20, 2016 (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II)
  • 2018 Royal Rumble winner
  • 2016 NXT male competitor and overall competitor of the year
OTHER ACCOLADES/NOTES
  • Three-time IWGP heavyweight champion
  • Five-time IWGP Intercontinental champion
  • One-time IWGP tag team champion
  • 2011= G1 Climax winner
  • 2006 G1 Tag League winner
  • 2014 New Japan Cup winner
  • Two-time Tokyo Sports 'Best Bout Award' winner (2013 and 2014)
  • Wrestling Observer 'Wrestler of the Year' (2014)
  • Wrestling Observer 'Match of the Year' (2015)
  • Professional MMA record of 3-1-1
                                 ROYAL RUMBLE HISTORY
YEAR
LOCATION
WINNER(S)
2018
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Asuka & Shinsuke Nakamura
2017
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Randy Orton
2016
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
Triple H*
2015
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Roman Reigns
2014
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
Batista
2013
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
John Cena
2012
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
Sheamus
2011
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Alberto Del Rio
2010
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Edge
2009
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
Randy Orton
2008
NEW YORK, NY
John Cena
2007
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
The Undertaker
2006
MIAMI, FLORIDA
Rey Mysterio
2005
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
Batista
2004
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Chris Benoit
2003
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Brock Lesnar
2002
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Triple H
2001
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
Stone Cold Steve Austin
2000
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
The Rock
1999
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA
Vince McMahon
1998
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
Stone Cold Steve Austin
1997
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Stone Cold Steve Austin
1996
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
Shawn Michaels
1995
TAMPA, FLORIDA
Shawn Michaels
1994
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
Lex Luger & Bret Hart^
1993
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
Yokozuna
1992
ALBANY, NEW YORK
Ric Flair*
1991
MIAMI, FLORIDA
Hulk Hogan
1990
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
Hulk Hogan
1989
HOUSTON, TEXAS
Big John Studd
                                               ROYAL RUMBLE ARCHIVE
2018 Men's Royal Rumble preview: Six different ways the men's Royal Rumble could shape WrestleMania 34
2018 Women's Royal Rumble preview: Asuka, Sasha and... Ronda Rousey?
Royal Rumble preview: There's a lot to like outside of the Rumble matches
Roode, Gallows, Anderson, Revival, cruiserweights added to Rumble Kick-Off
WWE champion AJ Styles has the deck stacked against him entering the Royal Rumble (SmackDown, Jan. 23)
KEY STATS TO KNOW AHEAD OF LESNAR VS. STROWMAN VS. KANE AT THE RUMBLE
Raw 25 was fun, but a bit of a mess (Raw, Jan. 22)
A GM to be announced and a title's fate to come (205 Live, Jan. 23)
Bobby Roode takes center stage as new United States champion (SmackDown, Jan. 16)
Goldust's continued presence only intensifies cruiserweight division's flaws(205 Live, Jan. 16)
Braun Strowman gets fired, destroys everything and get his job back (Raw, Jan. 15)
Paige pulled from women's Royal Rumble due to neck injury
Braun Strowman retains top spot in ESPN WWE Power Rankings
ROUSEY TO WWE SPECULATION CONTINUES TO GROW AFTER TRIPLE H MEETING
2018 Royal Rumble results
(c) -- denotes defending champion
  • Shinsuke Nakamura won the men's Royal Rumble
  • Asuka won the women's Royal Rumble
  • Triple threat match for the Universal championship: Brock Lesnar(c) def. Kane and Braun Strowman
  • Handicap match for the WWE championship: AJ Styles (c) def. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
  • Raw tag team championships: The Bar def. Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan(c)
  • 2-out-of-3 falls for the SmackDown tag team championships: The Usos (c) def. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin (2-0)
  • U.S. Championship Open Challenge: Bobby Roode def. Mojo Rawley
  • The Revival def. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
  • Kalisto, Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik def. TJP, Jack Gallagher & Drew Gulak

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