Tag Team Championship The opening match at the Royal Rumble began before the bell even rang! The Dudleyz took control early on, although they were still feeling the effects of the concussions they suffered last week at the hands of the Tag Team Champions. Edge & Christian soon regained control, and isolated D-Von Dudley, who was still feeling the effects of the con-chair-to he suffered on Monday's RAW. Edge & Christian soon grabbed a couple of steel chairs and went for another con-chair-to, but D-Von ducked just in the nick of time! Finally, D-Von tagged in Buh Buh Ray. The Dudleyz then hit the "wassap" on Edge, and Buh Buh told his brother to get the table! Christian headed D-Von off at the pass however. Inside the ring, Buh Buh rolled up Edge but could only get a 2. As the Dudleyz went for a 3-D, Edge speared Buh Buh, and the Tag Team Champions were back in control. The Dudleyz soon hit the 3-D on Edge to regain the Tag Team Championship! In the McMahon/Helmsley locker room, Triple H asked Stephanie to promise him that her rivalry with Trish Stratus wouldn't interfere in his Federation Championship match. Stephanie said that she would ensure that the Game would be able to focus on the title. Moments later, Drew Carey entered the McMahon/Helmsley locker room and asked Triple H and Stephanie where Mr. McMahon was. Stephanie said she would take him to her father, but said she would first introduce him to Trish Stratus! As the Acolytes compared their numbers in the Rumble match, Crash came in and warned them that the Rumble would be every man for himself! Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match Both superstars were intense and focused heading into this Ladder Match. Benoit and Jericho battled outside the ring, and went for the ladder almost immediately. Benoit was the first man to be pulled from the top of the ladder, as the Wolverine was dropped just moments after the opening bell rang! Jericho soon used the ladder as a weapon, thrusting the top of the ladder right into Benoit's head. But moments later, Benoit whipped Jericho into the ladder face-first! Benoit then attempted to propel himself through the ropes to the outside, but Y2J was waiting for him with a steel chair, which cracked right off Benoit's head. In an amazing display, Jericho soon locked Benoit in the Walls of Jericho on top of the ladder! Soon after, Benoit locked Jericho in the Crossface, and knocked Jericho shoulder-first into the ringpost. Jericho then knocked Benoit off the ladder and grabbed the Intercontinental Championship to win the title! Backstage, Mr. McMahon entered his locker room to find Drew Carey talking to Trish Stratus. The Federation chairman told Drew Carey that he was giving him a chance to enter the Royal Rumble match! Elsewhere, Billy Gunn again tried to convince Chyna not to step foot in the ring, saying it was too soon. The Ninth Wonder of the World said she didn't care what the doctors said. Michael Cole then talked to the new Intercontinental Champion, Chris Jericho. Y2J said that he had just proved Benoit wrong! Women's Championship Chyna was a woman on a mission in this bout, after Ivory and Val Venis attempted to end her career a month ago with a spike piledriver. Chyna man-handled both Ivory and Steven Richards during the opening moments of the encounter. But when Chyna went for her handspring elbow, she landed awkwardly, and something appeared to be very wrong. After Ivory pinned Chyna to retain her title, Federation officials rushed to Chyna's side to check her status. Backstage, Stephanie warned Trish Stratus to stay out of the Federation Championship match. After he was given the proper ringwear by Harvey Wippleman, Drew Carey introduced himself to Kane, who didn't have anything to say to the TV star! Lo Down and Tiger Ali Singh argued about who would take the spot in the Rumble when Mr. McMahon approached them and told them he had given their spot in the match to Drew Carey! World Wrestling Federation Championship This emotional affair for the World Wrestling Federation Championship kept the crowd on the edge of its seat. As Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and Trish Stratus watched on from the outside, the Game and the Olympic hero battled it out for the biggest prize in sports entertainment. The men fought inside the ring and out. Triple H soon nailed Angle's knee with a steel chair. The Game then went to work on the champion's left knee, assaulting him with kicks, chop blocks and submission maneuvers. Triple H went for a cover after a facebuster, but Angle kicked out. The Game then locked on a figure-four leglock, but the Federation Champion would not relent to the pain. As Angle reached for the ropes, Trish went to help him, and Stephanie got in her face! The two women slapped each other and then fought on top of the Spanish announce table! Mr. McMahon came out to try to separate the two women, but he was unsuccessful! Finally, Mr. McMahon put Trish on his shoulder and walked away, but Stephanie knocked them down as they left! Trish and Stephanie fought all the way to the back as Mr. McMahon continued to separate the two. Back in the ring, Angle tried to take advantage of a distracted Triple H, rolling up the Game with an inside cradle. But Triple H kicked out. The fight continued, and Angle nailed Triple H with a DDT and a German suplex. As Angle went for a moonsault, Triple H knocked him off the ropes and drilled him down. Triple H then went for a Pedigree, but Angle reversed it into a slingshot, and on the way down, Angle inadvertantly hit the Game right in the groin. Angle then went up top and nailed a moonsault, but Angle appeared to re-injure his knee on the way down. As the men battled outside the ring, referee Earl Hebner was knocked out. The Game then went up top, but Angle flew to the top rope and knocked Triple H down with a huge armdrag! Unfortunately for Angle, there was no referee to count the fall. The Game then grabbed the Federation Championship. He went to nail Angle, but Angle ducked and scored with a belly-to-belly suplex. Angle then picked up the title, and this time Triple H reversed it. The Game then hit the Pedigree -- but there was still no referee! Suddenly, down to the ring ran Stone Cold Steve Austin! The Rattlesnake destroyed the Game, annihilating him with the title belt and a Stone Cold Stunner! Stone Cold then revived referee Earl Hebner, who counted the three! Kurt Angle keeps the Federation Championship, thanks to Stone Cold! After the title match, Kevin Kelly interviewed The Rock, who promised to win the Royal Rumble for the second year in a row! The most star-studded Royal Rumble match in the history of the event began as Jeff Hardy made his way to the ring as the No. 1 entrant into the match. Joining him in the ring at the No. 2 spot was Bull Buchanan. The two battled fiercely until the third entrant came to the ring - Jeff's brother Matt! The Hardyz worked together and eliminated Bull before going at it against each other! |