It’s time for the 2023 Royal Rumble to begin, with a title shot at Wrestlemania on the line. Since 2018, the women’s roster has had the same chance to shine as the men – with 30 women from the past, present and perhaps even the future of WWE battling it out to earn a title shot at the biggest show of them all. We’ve had a handful of names already announced for the match, with a handful of open spots ready to be claimed.
Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan Kick This Match Off
Rhea Ripley would start this match from #1, with former tag team partner Liv Morgan drawing the #2 spot – getting her wish of starting the match. Ripley & Morgan would share some words as this match began, before brawling it out. Morgan would be dropped with a running big boot before finding her way to the top rope and going for the crossbody, before being caught into a suplex.
Dana Brooke would enter at #3 – her sixth Royal Rumble, being in every women’s rumble so far. Brooke would hit a back handspring elbow on Morgan, before driving Ripley shoulder first into the corner post. Morgan would take the cartwheel dropkick and a superplex, as Emma was in at #4 – finally getting into a rumble match.
Ripley would take a neckbreaker in the ropes, before a rising knee from Morgan and a sliding crossbody from Emma. Shayna Baszler would be #5 – having good Royal Rumble stats, eliminating 8 women in 2021. Brooke took a neckbreaker, before having her elbow stomped into the mat.
Bayley would be in at #6, running into the ring and taking Oblivion from Morgan and almost being thrown out. In at #7 would be B-Fab of Hit Row, entering her first rumble match and trading blouse with Emma. Ripley would hit a headbutt on B-Fab, and her time in this match was short. Somewhere in this match – Ripley got busted open.
The NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez would be in at the #8 spot – hitting the ring with a flying crossbody. She’d take down Ripley with the spinning headscissor, before a running uppercut on Bayley. Dakota Kai would be at #9, giving Bayley some backup – taking down Perez with a backbreaker.
Damage CTRL Control This Match Until Becky Lynch Shows Up
Morgan, Emma & Brooke would team up against Damage CTRL, who got help in the form of Iyo Sky at #10. She’d hit a split legged springboard dropkick, before Damage CTRL would eliminate Emma & Brooke from this match. Perez would be lifted up by Bayley, and kicked over the top rope by Kai & Sky – but this won’t be her final Royal Rumble.
Natalya would be in at #11, going right after Baszler – who broke her nose and put her on the shelf. They’d brawl in the corner, as #12 would hit the ring – that being Candice LeRae – who would almost single handedly take out Damage CTRL before Baszler hit a knee to the jaw. Natalya would catch Bazler with a German Suplex, before sending her to the apron.
Baszler would grab the sleeper hold, and Damage CTRL would put both on the apron and run them down. Zoey Stark from NXT would be #13 – having held the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships with Iyo Sky, and would waste no time in taking down everyone standing – including Ripley who was kicked in the face and hit with a slingshot senton.
Xia Li was #14 – stomping to the ring with a scowl on her face. She would hit a series of hard kicks, before being attacked from behind by Damage CTRL. Candice would be eliminated by Damage CTRL, with them in complete control. That would change when The Man herself arrived – Becky Lynch at #15.
She was beaten down by Damage CTRL on Monday, and would get her revenge by attacking Bayley, Kai & Sky. This fight spilled to the floor, with Lynch thrown over the announce desk. Tegan Nox would be #16 – coming off the top with the Molly Go Round on Ripley before running into everyone standing.
Chelsea Green Returns – But Doesn’t Last Long
Nox would hit a Shining Wizard before almost sending Stark to the floor. Asuka was in at #17 – the woman who won the first ever women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018. She was wearing some evil face paint, showing that maybe tonight she should be called Kana. She would go to work in taking down anything that moved, with even Bayley stunned by the savage strikes of Asuka.
Nox would be eliminated by Asuka, before Piper Niven would make her way to the ring at #18 – no longer going by Doudrop. She would be the biggest lady in this match, and would flaunt her power as she slammed Li into the mat before a running senton. Bayley was slammed and Morgan was slammed on top before at two for one crossbody.
Tamina was #19 – and Niven would have someone able to match her power. They’d trade strikes in the middle of the ring, as Lynch would recover and return to the fight. A double reverse DDT to Sky & Kai would follow, as Chelsea Green would make her return to WWE at #20. Ripley would throw Green right out of the match, the fastest elimination in women’s rumble history.
Lynch would eliminate Kai & Sky, before Bayley sent The Man out of the match. Morgan would send Bayley out, and those four would brawl off into the crowd. Zelina Vega would hit the ring dressed as Juri Han from Street Fighter at #21. She hit the Code Red on Ripley, before having a Street Fighter fight on the apron with Li – kicking Li from the ring before getting back in the ring.
Nia Jax Is Back In WWE
Raquel Rodriguez would hit the ring at #22 – running Vega into the corner before dropping Morgan with a lariat. She would run down Ripley with a lariat as well, before tossing Stark aside. Asuka took a spinning powerslam, before Vega would avoid elimination. Mia Yim would be #23 – hitting a DDT on Stark as she hit the ring.
Lacey Evans would be #24 – having recently returned to the ring. She would hit the elevated senton in the corner, before being sent to the apron by Tamina. Evans would be able to get back in without being eliminated, and #26 would be Michelle McCool, who was in the front row and hit the ring from there. She would wrestle in Uggs, but hit the Styles Clash all the same.
Tamina would be eliminated by McCool, as #26 would be revealed as Indi Hartwell from NXT. She would throw quick strikes at everyone before spiking Stark with a spinebuster. Sonay Deville was #27, already having a title shot next Friday. Yim would hit Stark with Sole Food, and Deville would take advantage and get the elimination.
Asuka & Deville would strike at the same time to get a double down. Evans would get the Cobra Clutch on Evans, getting the elimination on Vega. Shotzi Blackheart was #27, complete with her tank. She would almost have a short stay in the match, but slipped back into the ring – as Hartwell would be eliminated by Deville. #29 would be Nikki Cross – who rushed to the ring with urgency.
She would run into everyone with elbow smashes, as #30 would be revealed to be the returning Nia Jax. She’s been out of the ring since her WWE release, and everyone took notice of her as she hit the ring.
Rhea Ripley Goes The Distance
Jax would be attacked by everyone in the match, and sent them flying besides Raquel Rodriguez. Raquel would be sent flying aside, be Asuka & Morgan hit Codebreakers before Ripley hit the Riptide on Jax. Ripley would direct traffic, and they would all dump Jax out of the match. Evans would be out soon after, being dropped with a lariat from Raquel.
Asuka would get Raquel with an armbar, with Asuka being lifted into a powerbomb. Deville would stop Asuka from being eliminated, before battling her on the apron and hitting the floor after a kick to the face. McCool would be eliminated by Ripley, and Shotzi by Yim. Yim would be chucked out by Niven, with Shotzi there to break the fall.
Raquel would send Niven to the apron, and followed up with a big boot to the face. Ripley avoided elimination, before sending Raquel to the floor. Cross & Asuka would battle on the apron, before Morgan took Cross out of the match. We were down to three, with Morgan & Ripley lasting from the start until now, and Asuka from 17. Morgan & Ripley showed their tag team roots in taking down Asuka, before they fought to the apron. Asuka would rush in and join them on the apron, but she’d miss Ripley with the mist – getting Morgan instead before hitting the floor.
Blinded by the mist, Morgan would use her instincts to hit a codebreaker before being sent to the floor. Rhea Ripley was the last one standing, and she wins the Royal Rumble match.
Who will Ripley challenge at WrestleMania? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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