There was a lot of mystery surrounding the third ever women’s Royal Rumble match. Less than 10 wrestlers had been announced in advance, leaving plenty of room for surprises.
It didn’t take long, as NXT was represented right from the start of the action at Houston’s Minute Maid Park on Sun., Jan. 26. And a future Hall of Famer joined 90 seconds later.
The end result wasn’t terribly surprising, though. Charlotte Flair is going to WrestleMania.
Here was the order of entry:
1. Alexa Bliss
2. Bianca Belair
3. Molly Holly
4. Nikki Cross
5. Lana
6. Mercedes Martinez
7. Liv Morgan
8. Mandy Rose
9. Candice LeRae
10. Sonya Deville
11. Kairi Sane
12. Mia Yim
13. Dana Brooke
14. Tamina
15. Dakota Kai
16. Chelsea Green
17. Charlotte Flair
18. Naomi
19. Beth Phoenix
20. Toni Storm
21. Kelly Kelly
22. Sarah Logan
23. Natalya
24. Xia Li
25. Zelina Vega
26. Shotzi Blackheart
27. Carmella
28. Tegan Nox
29. Santina Marella
30. Shayna Baszler
The order of elimination (and who they were eliminated by):
1. Lana (Liv Morgan)
2. Liv Morgan (Lana)
3. Molly Holly (Bianca Belair)
4. Mercedes Martinez (Fire & Desire)
5. Nikki Cross (Bianca Belair)
6. Mandy Rose (Bianca Belair)
7. Sonya Deville (Bianca Belair)
8. Candice LeRae (Bianca Belair)
9. Kairi Sane (Alexa Bliss)
10. Tamina (Bianca Belair)
11. Mia Yim (Alexa Bliss)
12. Dakota Kai (Chelsea Green)
13. Chelsea Green (Alexa Bliss)
14. Dana Brooke (Bianca Belair)
15. Alexa Bliss (Bianca Belair)
16. Bianca Belair (Charlotte Flair)
17. Sarah Logan (Charlotte Flair)
18. Kelly Kelly (Charlotte Flair)
19. Santina Marella (Santina Marella)
20. Xia Li (Shayna Baszler)
21. Tegan Nox (Shayna Baszler)
22. Zelina Vega (Shayna Baszler)
23. Shotzi Blackheart (Shayna Baszler)
24. Carmella (Shayna Baszler)
25. Toni Storm (Shayna Baszler)
26. Naomi (Shayna Baszler)
27. Natalya (Beth Phoenix)
28. Beth Phoenix (Shayna Baszler)
29. Shayna Baszler (Charlotte Flair)
Notable events:
- After the first four wrestlers had all hit power moves on one another and were wiped out, Lana entered with a microphone to heel it up during her entrance. Her only move was to triy and fail to eliminate Molly before the countdown started again.
- Liv and Lana had to be separated at ringside after the already eliminated Lana pulled her ex down.
- Alexa had put Mandy over the top, but Otis was on the ground so she landed on him. Best. Save. Ever. Otis stuck around to play cheerleader for Rose.
- Bliss saved herself by grabbing The EST’s braid.
- Otis caught Mandy again after Sonya inadvertantly knocked her off the apron, but when Deville was knocked into them, he fell over.
- Belair won a duel on the apron (that again involved her hair) to become the only woman in the ring when The Queen entered.
- After lasting more than a half hour and setting the record for eliminations, Bianca went to the top turnbuckle to try to hit something on Phoenix when Flair booted her to the floor.
- Somewhere along the way, Beth Phoenix got cut on the back of her head. She continued for quite a while afterwards, though.
- The Divas of Doom and Xia Li had Flair three-on-one, hanging upside down over the top rope at one point, but Naomi attacked the attackers and saved the Queen.
- Naomi did a stairs-to-barricade save, then shimmied to the Spanish announce table. She took some time to regroup, moved to the main announce table, then the German. She eventually made a bridge to the stairs, but was eliminated moments after returning.
- Charlotte was knocked through the ropes by Phoenix & Nattie.
- Santina had a moment with the Beth & Natalya, and when they didn’t welcome “her” back, she brought out the Cobra. When they weren’t impressed, Marella hit himself and went over the top.
- Baszler attacked Charlotte on the floor before entering.
- After Beth dumped her friend and former tag partner, Flair snuck in to try and eliminate Beth & Shayna. That didn’t work, and Baszler had Charlotte in a very precarious position after throwing Phoenix out, but...
- Interviewed in the ring afterwards, the winner busted out her “I’m a diamond built to last catch phrase” before pointing at the sign.
Get complete Royal Rumble results and coverage of every match on the card by clicking here.