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411’s WWE Royal Rumble 2014 Report: 01.26.14

January 26, 2014 | Posted by Scott Slimmer

Welcome to 411’s WWE Royal Rumble 2014 Report. For even more coverage, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter at @ScottSlimmer.

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Kick-Off Show Match
WWE Tag Team Championship Match
Cody Rhodes & Goldust (Champions) vs. The New Age Outlaws
Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. The New Age Outlaws photo Rhodes_Dynasty_vs_New_Age_Outlaws_Cropped_zps7e22b3a6.jpg

Cody and Road Dogg start the match, and Road Dogg peppers Rhodes with a volley of punches. Rhodes goes for the Disaster Kick, but Road Dog ducks and makes the tag to Billy. Billy charges at Rhodes, but Rhodes slides out of the way, causing Billy to tumble to the outside. Road Dogg makes his way around the ring to check on Billy, but Goldust dives off the ring apron to take out Road Dogg. Cody heads up top and takes out Billy with a springboard splash to the outside as we head to a break. We come back from the break to find Goldust and Road Dogg in the ring. Road Dogg drops an elbow but only gets a two count. Road Dogg makes the tag to Billy, and Billy traps Goldust in the corner. Billy whips Goldust to the opposite corner, goes for the cover, and gets a two count. Billy waits for Goldust to get back to his feet and charges toward him, but Goldust catches Billy with a power slam. Goldust makes the tag to Cody as Billy makes the tag to Road Dogg. Road Dogg goes for the Pump Handle Slam, but Cody counters into Cross Rhodes. Cody goes for the cover, but Billy breaks up the pin. Cody whips Road Dogg to the ropes but doesn’t see Billy make the blind tag. Cody takes out Road Dogg with the Disaster Kick, but Billy heads into the ring and hits Cody with the Fameasser for the three count.

Match Result: Billy Gunn defeats Cody Rhodes with the Fameasser.
Match Length: 7:26

Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt w/ Luke Harper and Erick Rowan
Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt photo Daniel_Bryan_vs_Bray_Wyatt_Cropped_zpsdb95ad80.jpg

Wyatt takes the fight right to Bryan. Wyatt whips Bryan to the ropes, waits for him to rebound, and levels him with a back elbow shot. Bryan takes control for the first time and a volley of knee shots. Wyatt whips Bryan to the ropes, but Bryan counters into a suicide dive to the outside to take out Harper. Rowan attacks Bryan on the outside, and that causes the referee to eject both Harper and Rowan from ringside. Wyatt convenes with Harper and Rowan and tells them that he doesn’t need them to fight this war for him. Harper and Rowan head up the ramp just as Bryan heads up top and takes out Wyatt with a splash to the outside. The action heads back into the ring, but Wyatt quickly whips Bryan back out of the ring. Wyatt charges Bryan on the outside, but Bryan slides out of the way, causing Wyatt to slam his legs into the ring steps. Both men make it back into the ring before the referee reaches the count of ten, and Bryan immediately goes to work on Wyatt’s injured left leg. Bryan kicks the leg and hits a Dragon Screw. Bryan starts to set up for the Figure Four Leg Lock but transitions into a Figure Four / Curb Stomp combo. That was sick. Bryan wraps Wyatt’s leg around the middle rope, wrenches on it, and drop kicks the rope to do additional damage. Bryan tries to suplex Wyatt from the ring apron back into the ring, but Wyatt lifts Bryan over the top rope and onto the ring apron. Wyatt wrenches Bryan’s arm, jumps off the ring apron, and slams Bryan shoulder-first into the ring apron. Wyatt drags Bryan back into the ring and hits a suplex throw. Wyatt locks in a seated rear chin lock, but Bryan fights back to his feet. Wyatt whips Bryan over the top rope and down to the arena floor. Wyatt follows Bryan to the outside and rolls him back into the ring. Wyatt positions Bryan’s head next to the ring post and delivers repeated forearm and elbow shots, continually slamming Bryan’s head into the ring post. Bryan falls to the outside, but Wyatt follows him to the outside and delivers a running senton on the floor. Wyatt rolls Bryan back into the ring and whips his head into the second rope. Wyatt locks in a modified sleeper hold and follows up with a kick to the gut and a side slam. Wyatt heads to the corner… AND HERE COMES THE EXORCIST CRAWL! Wyatt delivers a front suplex and goes for an elbow drop, but Bryan rolls out of the way. Bryan is really selling the head trauma that he’s suffered throughout the match. Bryan gets back to his feet and goes to work with the body kicks. Bryan drop toe holds Wyatt into the corner, takes him up top, and hits a top rope hurricanrana for a two count. Bryan hits the ropes and charges at Wyatt, but Wyatt catches him with a back elbow shot for a two count. Wyatt goes for a suplex, but Bryan floats over. Wyatt charges at Bryan, but Bryan low bridges the top rope, sending Wyatt to the outside. BRYAN HEADS OUT TO THE RING APRON AND HITS WYATT WITH A FLYING TORNADO DDT FROM THE APRON TO THE FLOOR. That was amazing. Bryan rolls Wyatt back into the ring and goes back to the body kicks. Bryan connects with a kick to the back of the head but only gets a two count. Bryan hits two drop kicks in the corner, but Wyatt fights back with a VICIOUS running clothesline that damn near decapitates Bryan. Wyatt goes for the cover but only gets a two count. Wyatt sets up for Sister Abigail, but Bryan counters into a schoolboy pin for a two count. Bryan locks in the Yes Lock, but Wyatt bites Bryan’s thumb to break the hold. Wyatt rolls into Bryan’s guard and repeatedly punches him. Wyatt traps Bryan in the corner and takes him up top. Wyatt and Bryan head butt each other up top, and Bryan eventually head butts Wyatt back down to the mat. Bryan hits a splash from the top rope and sets up for the running knee, but Wyatt slides out of the ring. BRYAN GOES FOR A SUICIDE DIVE TO THE OUTSIDE, BUT WYATT CATCHES HIM IN MID-AIR AND HITS SISTER ABIGAIL INTO THE BARRIER. Wyatt drags Bryan back into the ring and hits a second Sister Abigail for the three count.

Match Result: Bray Wyatt defeats Daniel Bryan with Sister Abigail.
Match Length: 22:11

The Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar
The Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar photo Big_Show_vs_Brock_Lesnar_Cropped_zpsd36aec9a.jpg

Brock takes down Show before the match even begins. Lesnar goes to work with ground and pound, and Lesnar slides a steel chair to Lesnar. Lesnar beats on Show with the chair, and it’s all legal, because the match never began. Show tries to get back to his feet, but Lesnar beats him right back down to the mat with the chair. Lesnar continues to work over Show’s back and shoulders. Show slides to the outside to escape the attack, but Lesnar is all over him as soon as he tries to crawl back into the ring. “One more time! One more time! One more time!” The referee takes Lesnar’s chair, but Heyman hands Lesnar another. The match FINALLY starts, and Lesnar goes for a chair shot, but SHOW CONNECT WITH THE KNOCKOUT BLOW! Lesnar is woozy but not completely knocked out. Lesnar rolls to the outside, and Show follows him. Show lands a punch to the gut on the outside and rolls Lesnar back into the ring. Lesnar is barely conscious, and Show’s left arm might be broken. SHOW GOES FOR ANOTHER KNOCKOUT PUNCH, BUT LESNAR COUNTERS INTO THE F5 FOR THE THREE COUNT!

Match Result: Brock Lesnar defeats the Big Show with the F5.
Match Length: 1:54 (plus Lesnar’s pre-match attack)

After the match, Lesnar again grabs the chair and continues the assault on Show. Lesnar beats show out of the ring and continues the chair shots on the outside. Lesnar delivers so many chair shots that he destroys the chair, so Heyman hands him a third. A referee tries to stop Lesnar from getting yet another chair from under the ring, so Lesnar flings the referee across the ringside area. Lesnar finally decides he’s done enough damage and heads up the ramp with Heyman.

WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match
Randy Orton (Champion) vs. John Cena
Randy Orton vs. John Cena photo Randy_Orton_vs_John_Cena_Cropped_zpsdf0a6a4a.jpg

Orton takes control early with a standing side head lock. Orton hits the head lock takedown, but Cena scissors the head to break the hold. Orton kicks Cena in the gut and beats him down to the mat. Orton locks in a head lock on the mat, and that’s enough for the crowd to erupt into a Daniel Bryan chant. Cena eventually breaks the hold, fights back to his feet, and connects with a running bulldog for quick two count. Orton regains control with a suplex and makes the cover for a two count. Orton locks in a seated chin lock, and this time the crowd opts for a Y2J chant. Cena tries to counter into a Boston Crab, but Orton kicks him out of the ring. Orton follows Cena out of the ring and slams his head into the ring apron. Cena climbs up onto the ring apron, but Orton suplexes him over the top rope and back into the ring. Orton goes back to the chin lock, and here come the Boring chants. Cena breaks the hold and clotheslines Orton over the top rope. Cena slides out of the ring and tries to whip Orton into the ring steps, but Orton reverses and whips Cena shoulder-first into the steps. Orton rolls Cena back into the ring, but Cena goes for the Attitude Adjustment, but Orton counters into a DDT for a two count. Orton heads up top to taunt the crowd, but Cena sneaks underneath him and hits an electric chair drop. Cena sets up for the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Orton counters into a power slam. Cena hits an elevated neck breaker and gets a two count. Cena heads up top, but Orton follows him up. Cena head butts Orton back down to the mat and follows up with the diving leg drop for a two count. Cena again goes for the Attitude Adjustment, but this time Orton counters into a back breaker for another two count. Orton goes for his patented rope-assisted DDT, but Cena counters and back body drops Orton over top rope. Cena begins to head out of the ring, but Orton catches him with a DDT off the ring apron. Orton rolls Cena back into the ring and sets up for the RKO. Orton goes for the RKO, but Cena counters into the STF. Orton goes for a clothesline, but Cena counters into the Protoplex. Cena hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle and goes for the Attitude Adjustment, but Orton grabs the ropes. Orton inadvertently kicks the referee while trying to get out of the Attitude Adjustment. Cena locks in the STF and makes Orton tap, but the referee is knocked out. Orton grabs the championship belt and levels Cena while the referee is still knocked out. Orton covers Cena, and the referee comes back to life long enough to make the two count. “This is awful! This is awful! This is awful!” Cena hits the Attitude Adjustment and gets a two count of his own. Cena drags Orton back to his feet, but Orton hits him with a quick RKO for yet another two count. Orton goes for the Skull Punt, but Cena counters into the Attitude Adjustment, but ORTON COUNTERS INTO THE STF!!! Orton has Cena right in the middle of the ring, but CENA REVERSES INTO THE CRIPPLER CROSSFACE! ORTON BREAKS THE HOLD AND HITS CENA WITH THE ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT! Orton makes the cover but only gets a two count. Orton begins to drag Cena back to his feet, but CENA HITS ORTON WITH AN RKO FOR A TWO COUNT! Cena takes Orton up top and goes for a top rope Attitude Adjustment, but Orton escapes, but Cena counters with a tornado DDT. Suddenly the lights go out… AND THE WYATT FAMILY IS HERE! The Wyatts distract Cena, and that gives Orton time to hit the RKO for the three count.

Match Result: Randy Orton defeats John Cena with the RKO.
Match Length: 20:54

After the match, the Wyatts attack a helpless John Cena.

The Royal Rumble Match
The Royal Rumble Match photo Royal_Rumble_Match_Cropped_zps22b74531.jpg

CM Punk enters at #1. Seth Rollins enters at #2. Punk muscles Rollins to the corner, but Rollins reverses and beats Punk down to the mat. Punk fights his way back to the middle of the ring with a volley of chops to the chest. Punk lands a back kick to the gut, but Rollins retaliates with a running heel kick. Rollins lands a flying forearm in the corner, but Punk answers with his patented running knee shot in the opposite corner. Damien Sandow enters at #3. Sandow rushes into the ring and immediately heads for Punk. Sandow and Rollins double team Punk, but Punk prevents them from lifting him off the mat. Punk hits a neck breaker / DDT comb to Rollins and Sandow and then turns his attention to Rollins. Punk gets Rollins half way over the top rope, but Sandow makes the save. Cody Rhodes enters at #4. Rhodes immediately attacks Sandow and hits him with Cross Rhodes. Rollins attacks Rhodes, but Rhodes traps him in the corner and works him over. CM PUNK TOSSES DAMIEN SANDOW OVER THE TOP ROPE TO ELIMINATE HIM. Corporate Kane enters at #5. Kane attacks Punk while Rhodes and Rollins try to stay out of the way. Kane hits Punk with a sidewalk slam, but PUNK CONNECTS WITH A ROUNDHOUSE KICK TO KANE AND TOSSES HIM OVER THE TOP ROPE! Alexander Rusev from NXT enters at #6. Rusev tosses Rollins over the tope rope, but Rollins skins the cat to avoid elimination. Rusev goes to work with knee shots to Punk and follows up with a Samoan Drop. Jack Swagger enters at #7. Swaggers connects with a Swagger Bomb to Rollins and another Swagger Bomb to Rhodes. Rusev levels Swagger, but Rhodes and Rollins make the save. Kofi Kingston enters at #8. Kingston rolls into the ring and levels Punk. Kingston tries to eliminate Punk, but Punk rolls between the ropes to get back into the ring. Kingston turns his attention to Rusev and Rhodes sets his sights on Punk. Swagger almost eliminates Rollins, but Rollins manages to tumble back into the ring. Jimmy Uso enters at #9. Uso attacks Rollins, then Rhodes, then Kingston. Rusev traps Swagger in the corner and goes to work with body kicks. Swagger reverses and repeatedly drives his shoulder into Rusev’s gut. Goldust enters at #10. Goldust faces off with Uso. EVERYONE ELSE IN THE MATCH ELIMINATES RUSEV. Kingston gets tossed over the top rope, but Rusev catches him and sets him on the barrier bordering the ramp. Rusev beats on Kingston before making his way back up the ramp. KINGSTON STAND ON THE BARRIER, GETS A RUNNING START, AND LEAPS FROM THE RAMP BARRIER BACK TO THE RING APRON! Holy crap. That was miraculous. Dean Ambrose enters at #11. Dolph Ziggler enters at #12. Ziggler gets a nice pop when his music hits. Ziggler takes it to the Shield as the crowd erupts into a Let’s Go Ziggler chant. Punk goes over the top rope but catches himself and rolls back into the ring. R-Truth enters at #13. Truth charges into the ring, but AMBROSE QUICKLY ELIMINATES TRUTH. Uso heads up top, but AMBROSE KNOCKS USO OFF THE TOP TO ELIMINATE HIM. Swagger tries to muscle Kingston out of the ring, but Kingston hangs on to the bottom rope with his toes to avoid elimination. KEVIN NASH ENTERS AT #14. NASH HITS SWAGGER WITH A FOREARM SHOT TO THE BACK AND ELIMINATES HIM! Nash goes after Rollins, but Ambrose makes the save. Punk tries to kick Ziggler off the ring apron, but Ziggler hands on to the bottom rope. Roman Reigns enters at #15. All three members of the Shield are now in the match. Reigns spears Rhodes. REIGNS ELIMINATES KINGSTON! REIGNS SPEARS ZIGGLER AND ELIMINATES HIM! REIGNS ELIMINATES NASH! The Great Khali enters at #16. The Shield goes after Khali, but Khali levels Reigns and Rollins. Khali traps Ambrose in the corner, but Reigns catches him with the Superman punch. THE SHIELD ELIMINATES THE GREAT KHALI. GOLDUST ELIMINATES CODY RHODES (possibly inadvertently?)! THE SHIELD ELIMINATES GOLDUST! SHEAMUS RETURNS TO ENTER AT #17! Sheamus cleans house and leaves everyone else flat on their back. The Miz enters at #18. Miz goes after Reigns as Ambrose as Sheamus faces off with Rollins. The men in the ring right now are CM Punk, Sheamus, Miz, and all three members of the Shield. Fandango enters at #19. The crowd starts Fandangoing as soon as Fandango hits the ring. Miz tosses Fandango over the top rope, but Fandango hangs on to the top rope and rolls back into the ring. Reigns stomps Miz down to the mat in the corner and repeatedly kicks his face. El Torito enters at #20. El Torito hits Punk with a hurricanrana. Fandango lifts El Torito, but El Torito counters into a hurricanrana that sends Fandango over the top rope and onto the ring apron. EL TORITO HEADS UP TOP AND CONNECT WITH A DROP KICK TO ELIMINATE FANDANGO! REIGNS PRESSES EL TORITO AND TOSSES HIM ONTO FANDANGO ON THE OUTSIDE TO ELIMINATE HIM! Antonio Cesaro enters at #21. Cesaro delivers an epic Big Swing to Rollins but eats a spear from Reigns. Luke Harper enters at #22. Sheamus and Ambrose both tumble over the top rope but land on the ring apron. Jey Uso enters at #23. Harper steps on Punks neck as Jey tries to get Reigns over the top. Harper slaps Cesaro, but Cesaro answers with an uppercut. JBL ENTERS AT #24!!! This is evidently JBL’s debut in the Royal Rumble. JBL leaves the announce position and climbs into the ring. JBL HANDS HIS JACKET TO COLE, BUT REIGNS CATCHES HIM FROM BEHIND AND ELIMINATES HIM. JBL returns to the announce table and immediately picks up the commentary, trying to avoid discussing his rather brief time in the match. Erick Rown enters at #25. Rowan lifts Miz over the top rope and onto the ring apron, and HARPER CLOTHESLINES MIZ OFF THE APRON TO ELIMINATE HIM. Rollins and Ambrose double team Sheamus in the corner. HARPER CATCHES JEY USO WITH A BIG BOOT TO ELIMINATE HIM. Ryback enters at #26. Ryback stomps Rollins down to the mat and tosses Sheamus out to the ring apron. Sheamus rolls back into the ring and gets into a slugfest with Cesaro. Alberto Del Rio enters at #27. Del Rio hits Ryback with his patented rope-assisted enzuigiri. Harper and Rowan pair off with Ambrose and Reigns and Ryback tries to muscle Del Rio out of the ring. Batista enters at #28. BATISTA ELIMINATES ERICK ROWAN! Batista stares down Ryback, but Ryback tosses him to the corner. Ryback charges at Batista, but BATISTA BACK BODY DROPS RYBACK TO THE OUTSIDE TO ELIMINATE HIM! Del Rio hits Batista with an enzuigiri and goes for the cross arm breaker, but BATISTA LIFTS DEL RIO AND TOSSES HIM TO THE OUTSIDE TO ELIMINATE HIM! Big E Langston enters at #29. Langston squares off with Sheamus and tries to kick him out of the ring, but Sheamus grapevines the bottom rope. Cesaro traps Ambrose in the corner as Punk works over Batista. Rey Mysterio enters at #30. The crowd erupts into boos when they realize that Daniel Bryan really isn’t going to be in the Rumble. Mysterio heads up top and connect with a seated senton to Ambrose. Mysterio and Punk both tumble over the top rope, but they hang on to the top rope and roll back into the ring. The crowd is PISSED that they’re not going to get Daniel Bryan. SHEAMUS ELIMINATES BIG E LANGSTON. Mysterio hits Rollins with the 619, but that just makes the boos even louder. Mysterio tries to drop the dime, but ROLLINS KNOCKS MYSTERIO OFF THE TOP ROPE TO ELIMINATE HIM. Ambrose tries to eliminate Reigns, but Reigns rolls back into the ring. Cesaro tries to eliminate Ambrose and Rollins, but REIGNS ELIMINATES CESARO, AMROSE, AND ROLLINS! The final four are Punk, Reigns, Sheamus, and Batista. KANE COMES OUT OF NOWHERE AND ELIMINATES PUNK! KANE SETS UP THE SPANISH ANNOUNCE TALBE AND CHOKE SLAMS PUNK THROUGH IT! The final three men in the ring are Sheamus, Batista, and Roman Reigns… and the crowd is not happy about it. Sheamus levels Reigns with a clothesline. “No! No! No!” Sheamus sets up for the Brogue Kick on Batista, but Batista ducks out of the way. Batista sets up for the Batista Bomb, but Sheamus pushes him away. ROMAN REIGNS ELIMINATES SHEAMUS! It’s down to Batista and Roman Reigns. Batista and Reigns slug it out in the middle of the ring. The crowd is solidly behind Reigns at this point. Reigns sets up for the Superman punch, but Batista counters with a spear. Batista sets up for the Batista Bomb, but Reigns counters with a spear of his own. REIGNS TRIES TO WHIP BATISTA TO THE ROPES, BUT BATISTA REVERSES AND WHIPS REIGNS OVER THE TOP ROPE TO ELIMINATE HIM! Oh yeah, the crowd is pissed. And they’re gonna be pissed all… night… long.

Match Result: Batista wins the Royal Rumble, last eliminating Roman Reigns.
Match Length: 55:10

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Scott Slimmer