|Date: January 26, 2014
|Venue: Consol Energy Center |City: Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania
|Attendance: 15,715 |Buys: 467,000

|tweet me: @BastionBlogger

My favourite event of the year is always the January spectacular, The Royal Rumble. The show is always main evented by the Royal Rumble match itself. 30 men battle for the chance to main event Wrestlemania. There haven’t been many participants announced for this years match but we do know Batista is returning to the WWE to take part in the match along with Alberto Del Rio, The Shield, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, R-Truth, Fandango, The Miz and Ryback. we also know that CM Punk will not only be in the match but he’ll be kicking it off as Director Of Operations has told him. There’s usually a couple of surprises in this match and I look forward to seeing who is involved.

The WWE World Heavyweight Championship is also set to be defended as Randy Orton puts the title on the line against John Cena. There will be no gimmick on this match it is a classic one on one singles match which can be won by pinfall or submission only. Randy Orton lost a match to Kofi Kingston last week and after the match he took his frustrations out on John Cena’s Father who was at ringside. Also tonight Brock Lesnar returns to action to take on the man that accepted his challenge, The Big Show. Lesnar puts Big Show’s friend Mark Henry out of action and now Big Show looks to take revenge.

The only other match announced for the main show tonight is between Bray Wyatt and Daniel Bryan. Bray Wyatt had been asking Daniel Bryan to join the Wyatt Family for weeks and after a beat down from the group, Daniel Bryan joined The Wyatt Family. But it was all a ruse and Bryan looked to take out the Family from within. Bryan would turn on Bray following a tag team cage match and a match between the two was soon announced. On the kick off show is a WWE Tag Team Championship match between champions Cody Rhodes and Goldust and The New Age Outlaws.

On the kick-off show The New Age Outlaws defeated Cody Rhodes and Goldust to become WWE Tag Team Champions.

The show kicks off with a really good video package. It’s subtle, not as over the top as a lot of packages. The main focus is on Randy Orton and John Cena and then the Royal Rumble match itself.

Michael Cole welcomes us to the 27th annual Royal Rumble.

Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt

It’s a first pay per view match between these two men to kick things off. The crowd are so loud for Daniel Bryan. Bray Wyatt is joined by his fellow Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. Wyatt is actually undefeated on pay per view going into this match. Bryan gets the first few shots in but Bray Wyatt its a headbutt and then a knee and a reverse elbow. Bryan hits some right hands and a knee and the crowd really are behind Daniel Bryan. Bryan gets distracted by Luke Harper which allows Bray Wyatt to take the advantage. Daniel Bryan then hits a suicide dive on Luke Harper which causes Erick Rowan to get involved but the referee sees and sends Harper and Rowan to the back! Wyatt sends his men to the back but turns around into a high cross body from Daniel Bryan. Bryan rolls Wyatt back into the ring and hits another cross body for a one count.

Daniel Bryan hits some uppercuts and kicks and then a big boot before going up to the top rope but Wyatt chops him, sending him all the way down to the floor below. Wyatt follows and looks for a running knee but Bryan moves out of the way and Bray hits the steps. Both men beat the count back into the ring and Bryan hits a chop block and then more kicks. Bryan then locks Wyatt up in what can only be described as a surfboard STF. Bryan looks for a pinfall but Wyatt kicks out straight away. Bray hits a headbutt and then right hands but Bryan fires back with kicks. Bryan hits a running dropkick and then looks to hit a suplex but Wyatt counters and suplexes Bryan out to the apron. Wyatt drops Bryan on the apron and then rolls him back into the ring and hits another suplex. Wyatt applies a chinlock which Bryan fights out of but Bray throws him out of the ring. Wyatt hammers away at Bryan, smashing his head off the ringpost.

Bray Wyatt hits a running senton on the outside and then rolls Bryan back into the ring for a two count. Bray gets a couple of near falls and then applies a chinlock but Bryan fights out of it. Wyatt hits a big uranage and then walks upside down like a spider before splashing Bryan in the corner. Wyatt gets a near fall and then goes back to the chinlock and then hits a powerslam but misses with an elbow drop. Bryan starts to build some momentum with a big clothesline and kicks. Bryan hits a drop toe hold into the middle turnbuckle and then hits kicks and a hurricanrana for a two count. Bryan leap frogs over Bray Wyatt but Wyatt hits Bryan with a huge running elbow for a two count. This is a Royal Rumble PPV debut for Bray Wyatt who looks for a suplex but Bryan counters and then low-bridges Wyatt out of the ring. Bryan then hits a tornado DDT off the apron and then a running dropkick. Bryan rolls Wyatt back into the ring and hits him with a missile dropkick.

Daniel Bryan hits some kicks for a near fall and then some running dropkicks in the corner but Wyatt counters one of them with a running clothesline for a near fall. Bryan rolls up Wyatt out of nowhere for a near fall and then looks on the yes lock! Wyatt bites his way out of it and then hits right hands. Wyatt sets Daniel Bryan up for a superplex but Daniel Bryan headbutts him away and then hits a splash. Bryan motions for a running knee but Wyatt rolls out of the ring. Bryan then attempts a suicide dive but Wyatt catches him and hits Sister Abigail into the barricade! Wyatt picks up Bryan and rolls him into the ring before hitting another Sister Abigail for the three! It’s a huge win for Bray Wyatt tonight! Luke Harper and Erick Rowan come out to celebrate with Bray Wyatt after the match.

Rating: 7.75/10

Renee Young is backstage with Paul Heyman. Heyman says that Brock Lesnar will be challenging the winner of the John Cena/Randy Orton match but standing in his way is The Big Show. Heyman apologises for what everyone is about to see.

Jerry Lawler points out some NFL player sat in the crowd. Michael Cole then throws up to the kick-off panel. Josh Mathews is joined by the winner of the first ever Royal Rumble, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, the winner of the only Royal Rumble with the WWE title on the line Ric Flair and the winner of back to back Royal Rumble matches Shawn Michaels. Michaels says that the future of the WWE is in good hands. Ric Flair predicts Brock Lesnar to beat Big Show.

The Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar

This is the fourth pay per view match between these two men. Brock has won two of the first three, Big Show won the other. Here’s a statistic for you, Big Show is 0-14 at Royal Rumble events. Lesnar goes right to work on Big Show before the bell even rings. Brock hits Show with lefts and rights. Paul Heyman throws Brock a chair and Lesnar smashes the chair into Big Show’s back a few times. The bell hasn’t rung yet. Big Show rolls out of the ring and the referee sees to him. Show rolls back into the ring and Lesnar stomps him right back down before hitting him with the chair again. Lesnar asks for the bell to be rung as he holds on to a chair. Big Show is laid out in the corner. The referee then grabs the chair out of Brock Lesnars hands and scarpers. Paul Heyman hands Lesnar another chair. The referee calls for the bell and Big Show lays Lesnar out with a KO punch! Lesnar crawls out of the ring and Big Show follows.

Big Show tosses Lesnar around on the outside and then throws him back into the ring. Big Show hits a right hand and then looks for another KO punch but Lesnar ducks it and hits an F5! Lesnar hooks the leg and gets the three! Brock Lesnar beats The Big Show tonight! After the match Brock beats down Big Show viciously with a chair. It was a short match but the whole segment was good fun. Brock Lesnar makes it all so realistic.

Rating: 6/10

The Shield are backstage and Dean Ambrose starts by saying that 27 men will fall in the Royal Rumble match tonight. Reigns says that the match will come down to the three men in The Shield. Rollins says that only one man will go to Wrestlemania but they will all be stood tall after tonight. Reigns says that he has the winning number tonight. Ambrose wants to know his number. Rollins stops the two men from arguing.

Renee young is backstage with Randy Orton. Orton says that he has beaten John Cena tonight and after tonight Cena will be at the back of the line. Renee mentions the likes of Brock Lesnar, Batista and Bray Wyatt as challengers to Orton’s WWE Championship but Randy dismisses them all.

There’s a video package next for John Cena and Randy Orton.

Randy Orton (c) vs. John Cena – WWE World Heavyweight Championship match

This is the 9th PPV match between these two men. Ten PPV matches between Undertaker and Kane is actually the record. So far Orton and Cena have each beaten the other 4 times. Randy Orton hasn’t own a match at a Royal Rumble PPV since winning the Royal Rumble match back in 2009. Orton starts the match with a headlock takeover which Cena counters with a head scissors. Boring chants already! Orton hammers Cena down to the canvas and lays in some stomps before hitting another headlock takeover. A “Daniel Bryan” chant breaks out. Cena hits a shoulder tackle and some right hands before dropping Orton with a bulldog for a one count. Orton hits a suplex for a two count and then hits some headbutts for another two count. Orton applies a chinlock and a “Y2J” chant breaks out. Cena nearly locks on a walls of Jericho which I’m sure was no co-incidence. “Undertaker” is the next chant to break out. Orton smashes Cena off the ring apron and then suplexes his challenger back into the ring for a two count.

Randy goes back to the chinlock and more “boring” chants break out. Cena fights out of the chinlock and clotheslines Orton out of the ring. Cena looks to Irish whip Orton into the ring steps but Orton counters and Cena eats the steel. Orton rolls Cena back into the ring as more “Daniel Bryan” chants break out. Orton gets a two count on the pinfall and then gets distracted by the crowd allowing Cena to scoop him up for an attitude adjustment but Orton counters with a DDT for a near fall. A “you both suck” chant then breaks out. Orton stomps away at Cena and then poses on the middle turnbuckle but Cena hits him with an electric chair drop for a two count. Cena hits a couple of shoulder charges and a side suplex. The crowd boo but Cena motions for a five knuckle shuffle just for Orton to kick him in the face and hit him with a powerslam for a two count. Cena ducks a clothesline and hits a neckbreaker for a two count. Cena heads to the top but Orton meets him up there for a superplex only for Cena to headbutt him down to the canvas.

John Cena dives off the top with a top rope fame-asser for a near fall. Cena then sets up for an attitude adjustment but Orton coulters with a backbreaker for a near fall. Randy looks for the hangman’s DDT but Cena counters, back body dropping Orton out of the ring. Orton then hits a hangmans DDY off the ring apron. Back in the ring and Orton gets a near fall before motioning for an RKO but Cena counters and locks on the STF! Orton gets to the bottom rope to break the hold and then rolls out of the ring. Randy drops Cena on the top rope and then looks for a clothesline but Cena ducks and hits a side slam and the five knuckle shuffle. Cena motions for an attitude adjustment and scoops Orton up but Randy grabs on to the top rope to block it and accidentally knocks down the referee! Cena slaps on the STF and Orton taps out but the referee is down! Orton then clocks Cena with the World Heavyweight Championship title. Orton helps revive the referee and pins Cena but Cena kicks out at 2!

Randy doesn’t seem happy but turns around into an attitude adjustment! Cena gets a near fall and both men are down. Orton then hits an RKO out of nowhere for a near fall. A “we want Divas” chant breaks out. Orton poses and then measures Cena for a punt but Cena moves and sets up for an attitude adjustment which Orton counters, locking Cena up n an STF! Cena counters an locks on a crossface but ORton rolls Cena on to his back for a two count. Orton then hits Cena with an attitude adjustment for a near fall. Cena then hits an RKO on Orton for a near fall. Cena pops Orton on the top turnbuckle, setting him up for a top rope attitude adjustment but Orton slips down. Cena manages to hit a tornado DDT and then locks on an STF! As Orton looks like he’s about to tap out, The Wyatt Family show up! Cena hammers them off the apron but Orton hits Cena with an RKO for the three! Randy Orton beats John Cena tonight will help from The Wyatt Family! I enjoyed that match.

After the match Randy Orton leaves and The Wyatt Family lay into John Cena. This must surely be setting up a big Wrestlemania feud. Bray Wyatt hits Cena with Sister Abigail to leave him laying.

Rating: 7/10

There’s a really nice VT celebrating the life of Mae Young who passed away recently. A true legend. I’m not crying, you are.

Renee Young is backstage with the new WWE Tag Team champions, The New Age Outlaws. We’re shown some footage of how Road Dogg and Billy Gunn beat Cody Rhodes and Goldust on the kick off show. Road Dogg says 14 years between title reigns is a WWE record. Road Dogg and Billy Gunn go off to their victory party.

There’s a VT form some of the superstars saying why they’re going to win the Royal Rumble. The Miz is willing to do what it takes, The Usos are cool with only one of them winning the Royal Rumble, Big E looks forward to main eventing Wrestlemania, Fandango says he will out-perform 29 other superstars, Batista says nothing, Damien Sandow says he will not make the same mistake twice, Ryback is the only human wrecking ball in the match, Rey Mysterio says he will defy the odds and win the Royal Rumble match again.

Back to the kick-ff panel. Jim Duggan picks Dolph Ziggler to win the match, Shawn Michaels picks all three members of The Shield and CM Punk to win whilst Batista chooses his old Evolution buddy Batista. That gets a few boos.

The 2014 Royal Rumble match

I say it every time but this is my favourite match of the year. We already know who the number one entrant is, it’s CM Punk. If I were to predict number two, I would say Seth Rollins. Called it. #2 is Seth Rollins. Don’t know why, I just had a funny feeling. The bell rings and Punk backs Rollins into the corner. Rollins gets the upper hand and beats down Punk but Punk fires back with chops and kicks. Two very similar styles here. Punk hits some kicks but Rollins ducks one and hits a running dropkick. Seth then hits a big splash in the corner before backing off but Punk hits him with a running knee and a short-arm clothesline. Punk motions for go to sleep but Rollins kicks him. Punk then kicks Rollins and both men are down. #3 is Damien Sandow who gets a good pop. Sandow goes right after CM Punk. #3 never lasts long in Royal Rumbles. Rollins and Sandow double team CM Punk but Punk fights them both off, hitting a double neckbreaker and DDT combination on both men. Punk has Rollins teetering on the top rope but can’t eliminate him.

#4 is Cody Rhodes who lost the WWE Tag Team Championship earlier. Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow, two former tag team partners slug it out. Rhodes hits Sandow with Cross-Rhodes but Seth Rollins stops Rhodes from eliminating Sandow. CM Punk then back body drops Damien Sandow, eliminating him from the match. Like I said, the number 3 entry is a curse. CM Punk and Cody Rhodes double team the man they have both had issues with, Seth Rollins. #5 is Kane who is in his corporate attire. A 15th straight Royal Rumble match for Kane. Kane takes down Cody and CM Punk with uppercuts. Kane beats down Punk in the corner and hits him with a big clothesline in the corner before dropping him with a sidewalk slam. Kane motions for a chokeslam but CM Punk kicks him in the face and then eliminates Kane from the match! #6 is Alexander Rusev from NXT. Rusev is a big old boy and immediately takes down Seth Rollins. Rusev then lays into Cody Rhodes, nearly eliminating him.

Rusev hits CM Punk with knees and then a fallaway slam/Samoan drop hybrid. Rusev isn’t wearing boots in his pay per view debut tonight. #7 is Jack Swagger. Swagger hits Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes with Swagger bombs and then stares across the ring from Rusev. The two men slug it out until Rusev hits Swagger with a big splash. Rollins, Swagger and Rhodes triple team Rusev until Swagger turns on Cody. No former Royal Rumble winners in this match yet. #8 is Kofi Kingston who gets a decent pop. He usually creates a fun moment. Kofi goes after CM Punk and has him teetering. Cody hits Swagger with the disaster kick. Rusev headbutts Kofi as Swagger and Rollins go at it. #9 is Jimmy Uso. A first Royal Rumble match for Jimmy who, like his brother, has never won a PPV match. Jimmy goes after everyone and settles on Kofi, hitting him with right hands. Punk headbutts Jimmy Uso but hurts himself. Cody drops Jimmy with a dropkick as Jack Swagger pairs off with Rusev. #10 is Goldust who also dropped the WWE Tag Team Championship earlier tonight.

Goldust comes in like a house on fire, taking half the field down with uppercuts and powerslams. Rusev takes down Goldust but then gets double teamed by CM Punk and Cody Rhodes. Cody, Rollins, CM Punk and Kofi Kingston team up and manage to eliminate Rusev from the match. CM Punk then looks to eliminate Kofi Kingston but Rusev catches Kofi and lays him on the barricade! Referee’s escort Rusev to the back and Kofi stands up on the barricade, takes a running jump and lands on the ring apron! #11 is Dean Ambrose who goes after CM Punk. Cody Rhodes and Goldust try and fail to eliminate Jack Swagger. Jimmy Uso and Cody Rhodes then double team Seth Rollins. #12 is Dolph Ziggler who Hacksaw Jim Duggan picked to win. Ziggler lays into Dean Ambrose as the crowd chant for Dolph. Seth Rollins and Jimmy Uso go at it in one corner whilst Kofi has CM Punk teetering on the top rope.

#13 is R-Truth who darts down to the ring and slugs it right out with The Shield. Rollins and Ambrose throw Truth out to the apron and Ambrose follows it up with a running dropkick to eliminate R-Truth from the match. Jimmy Uso goes up to the top but Rollins hits him with a dropkick and Dean Ambrose eliminates Jimmy Uso from the match. Jack Swagger tries to eliminate Kofi Kingston but Kofi hangs on to Swaggers boot to stay in the match. The boot comes off and Kofi leathers Swagger with it to get back into the match. #14 is Kevin Nash! He gets a big pop. Straight away Kevin Nash eliminates Jack Swagger. Nash then goes after The Shield and big boots Cody Rhodes. #15 is Roman Reigns which means that all three members of The Shield are in the match now. Reigns takes down Goldust and then spears Cody Rhodes. Reigns then headbutts Kevin Nash before eliminating Kofi Kingston. Dolph hits Reigns with a big DDT and attempts a zigzag but Reigns counters and hits Dolph with a big spear before eliminating Dolph Ziggler from the match. 

There were quite a few boo’s for Ziggler elimination. Roman Reigns eliminates Kevin Nash. #16 is The Great Khali. Khali fights off The Shield one at a time but eventually the numbers become too much. Reigns hits Khali with a superman punch and then eliminates The Great Khali from the match. We’re down to The Shield, CM Punk, Goldust and Cody Rhodes in the ring. Goldust then accidentally eliminates Cody Rhodes and The Shield eliminate Goldust. #17 is Sheamus who returns to a big pop. Sheamus takes down Rollins but the rest of The Shield pounce. Rollins manages to take on all three members of The Shield. He hits Dean Ambrose with some clubbing blows. and then hits Rollins with a backbreaker. Sheamus then hits Roman Reigns with a brogue kick! #18 is The Miz. The Miz goes after Seth Rollins and then attempts to eliminate Dean Ambrose who hangs on. Miz goes after Roman Reigns as Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins double team Sheamus. CM Punk is down in the corner. #19 is Fandango. Fandango comes out dancing with Summer Rae. Miz nearly eliminates Fandango straight away but Fandango manages to hang on.

Roman Reigns lays into The Miz and then turns his attention to Sheamus. Fandango then goes after The Miz as Rollins lays the boots into CM Punk. A “Daniel Bryan” chant breaks out. #20 is El Torito! It’s an in-ring PPV debut for El Torito who runs down to the ring unexpectedly and hits Rollins with a springboard hurricanrana! El Torito headbutts The Miz as CM Punk looks on confused. El Torito hits Punk with a flying head scissors and Fandango then wipes out little El Torito. El Torito hits Fandango with a hurricanrana and then a springboard dropkick to eliminate Fandango from the match. El Torito springboard on Roman Reigns who catches him and then tosses him out of the ring eliminating El Torito from the match. #21 is Cesaro. Cesaro takes down The Miz and then spins him around and around. Cesaro then swings around CM Punk! The Shield stop the swing but Cesaro fights off Rollins and Ambrose before swinging Rollins around! This swing goes on for a long long time.

#22 is Luke Harper. Roman Reigns hits Cesaro with a spear. CM Punk slugs it out with Luke Harper. Dean Ambrose and Sheamus tussle and both nearly eliminate each other. Reigns drops CM Punk with a big right hand. Cesaro and Rollins slug it out. #23 is Jey Uso. He too is looking for his first ever PPV victory. Luke Harper has CM Punk teetering over the top rope. Dean Ambrose hits Sheamus with a headbutt. Jey Uso and Roman Reigns go at it. Luke Harper hits Cesaro with a big boot. #24 is John “Bradshaw” Layfield who gets a huge pop as his music hits! Layfield gets in the ring with a full suit on. Layfield has never entered a Royal Rumble under this gimmick. He gets in the ring and hands Michael Cole his jacket but Roman Reigns comes from behind and eliminates JBL from the match! A “you’ve still got it” chant breaks out. #25 is Erick Rowan. Rowan scoops The Miz over the top but can’t eliminate him. Luke Harper then hits a big clothesline to eliminate The Miz from the match. The Wyatt Family then double team Jey Uso and Luke Harper hits a big boot to eliminate Jey Uso from the match.

#26 is Ryback as The Shield and The Wyatt Family go at it. Ryback goes after Cesaro and then nearly eliminates Sheamus. Cesaro and Sheamus go at it as CM Punk goes after Seth Rollins. #27 is Alberto Del Rio. Del Rio hits Ryback with a running enzeguri as Luke Harper turns his attention to Sheamus. CM Punk and Seth Rollins started the match and have been in there over 40 minutes now. Erick Rowan has Roman Reigns balanced on the top rope. Cesaro powerslam Seth Rollins. #28 is Batista who gets a good pop. Batista clotheslines Dean Ambrose, CM Punk and Cesaro. There are a few boo’s for Batista now as he lays into Erick Rowan and then eliminates Erick Rowan form the match. Batista and Ryback then go at it and Ryback actually throws Batista into the corner. Ryback runs at Batista who hits a back body drop and eliminates Ryback from the match. Alberto Del Rio goes after Batista but Batista lifts him up with one arm and tips him over the top to eliminate Alberto Del Rio from the match. #29 is Big E, the Intercontinental Champion. Big E goes right for Batista and hits him with a belly to belly.

Big E hits Sheamus with three consecutive backbreakers. Another big “Daniel Bryan” chant breaks out. Cesaro and Dean Ambrose go at it in one corner whilst Luke Harper and Roman Reigns are paired off in another. A “Yes” chant breaks out now. #30 is Rey Mysterio who the crowd are not happy with. They wanted Daniel Bryan. Mysterio hits a hurricanrana on Seth Rollins and then heads to the top and hits a seated senton on CM Punk. CM Punk looks for a go to sleep on Mysterio but Mysterio counters with a hurricanrana. both men go over the top but manage to survive. Big E and Sheamus go at it. There are a lot of boo’s right now. Sheamus clotheslines Big E over the top and to the apron and then hits another clothesline to eliminate Big E from the match. Cesaro and CM Punk go at it. Cesaro then hits a big boot on Luke Harper. Cesaro has been a real highlight of this Royal Rumble. Rey Mysterio is getting boo’d to high heaven as he hits a 619 on Seth Rollins. Rollins back body drops Mysterio to the apron and then dropkicks him to eliminate Rey Mysterio from the match. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins double team Sheamus in one corner.

Roman Reigns hits a superman punch to eliminate Luke Harper from the match. Dean Ambrose then tries to eliminate Roman Reigns! Reigns hangs on. Rollins and Ambrose double team Cesaro and have him teetering on the top rope but Roman Reigns comes from behind and eliminates Ambrose, Rollins and Cesaro! We’re down to the final four. CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Batista and Sheamus. CM Punk hits go to sleep on Reigns. Kane then comes form nowhere and eliminates CM Punk from the match! Kane lays into CM Punk on the outside and then chokeslams him through the Spanish announce table! The crowd boo as Batista, Sheamus and Roman Reigns get to their feet in the ring. Sheamus clotheslines Reigns but Batista hits Sheamus with right hands. Sheamus fires back with rights of his own but Batista hits an Irish whip and a clothesline. Batista hits Reigns with a big powerslam as a “no!” chant breaks out. Sheamus hits Batista with a rolling senton and then points to the Wrestlemania sign.

Sheamus motions for a brogue kick but Batista sidesteps. Batista sets Sheamus up for a Batista bomb but Sheamus counters. Batista back body drops Sheamus out to the apron and Roman Reigns hits him with a superman punch to eliminate Sheamus from the match. We’re down to Batista and Roman Reigns. The two men slug it out until Reigns hits a big clothesline. Reigns is getting some cheers now. He sets up for a superman punch but Batista looks out of it. The crowd chant for Roman Reigns. Reigns looks for a superman punch but Batista hits something of a spear! Batista, who is getting boo’d, motions for a Batista bomb but Roman hits him with a spear! Reigns then looks to eliminate Batista but Batista counters and throws out Roman Reigns to win the match! Batista wins the 2013 Royal Rumble in his return to the company. It’s not a popular result for the crowd who clearly wanted Daniel Bryan. I enjoyed this Royal Rumble match though.

Rating: 8/10

And that was the 2014 Royal Rumble event. It felt like a really good show. There wasn’t a bad match on the show. The match that opened the show between Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt was really good and would’ve stolen the show on any other night. I loved the story and didn’t mind Bray Wyatt winning. It keeps him really strong and the losses don’t hurt Daniel Bryan too much. The Sister Abigail into the barricade was a cool spot, I liked that. The match that followed was a mad one. I really like Brock Lesnar matches, they are so stiff. Brock just beat the hell out of Big Show in a really good spectacle. I like this booking, I don’t think we needed a back and forth match between the two. It wasn’t one for the purists but I really enjoyed it.

Randy Orton then defeated John Cena to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. It was all down to a distraction from The Wyatt Family and it looks like we’re heading into a programme between Cena and Wyatt for Wrestlemania. Cena and Orton put on a decent match despite the fans giving them grief in the early going. They had them on side by the end of the match though. Orton retains.

And then came the Royal Rumble match itself. Batista won the match which was a really unpopular decision. The crowd wanted Daniel Bryan and sadly it also meant that Rey Mysterio got boo’d too. Roman Reigns was the real story from the match though as he broke the record for most eliminations in a Royal Rumble match. He’ll probably be a big star. I enjoyed El Torito getting involved, he’s a talented guy. And they are hinting at the end of The Shield which will be a big explosion when that happens. Kevin Nash and John “Bradshaw” Layfield were the surprise entrants. I’ve always been a big fan of both but I don’t think either can go like they used to. A good Royal Rumble match though and a fantastic pay per view.

Overall Rating: 71.8/100 (ranked 3rd out of 298)

Match Of The Night: The 2014 Royal Rumble match
Worst Match Of The Night: The Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar
Surprise Of The Night: The Wyatt Family cost John Cena his match
Worst Booking Of The Night: Batista wins the 2014 Royal Rumble match
Superstar Of The Night: Batista
Royal Rumble 2014 Will Be Remembered For: Batista winning the 2014 Royal Rumble match and getting boo’d