Tonight's RAW Supershow comes to us live from the US Airways Arena in Phoenix, AZ as Jim Ross and Jerry "The King" Lawler welcome us to the show. J.R. announces that tonight RAW's Rumble Participants will compete in one-on-one contests, The Cutting Edge will play host to the final face off between Champion and Challenger as CM Punk and Chris Jericho will be the special guests and a new member will join the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012.
Triple H storms to the ring and grabs a mic. Hunter reminds everyone that it was just down the block from this arena almost two years ago that he watched his best friend's career come to an end. Triple H says that he'd be lying if he said he wasn't still bitter about the way things went down and demands answers from the man that has been wreaking havoc on RAW for the last two weeks, The Undertaker. The Deadman enters and tells Triple H that he owes no explanation to him for his actions of the last few weeks. Taker says he will however explain himself to Punk and Jericho Friday Night on Smackdown.
Hunter tells The Phenom that the WWE hasn't been quite the same since Shawn left and he intends to rectify the problem. The Game tells Taker that as far as his "Streak" at Wrestlemania is concerned, he doesn't care if he plans on challenging Punk or Jericho or even Cena; Hunter gets directly into The Undertaker's face and tells him that he doesn't even care if he has "someone else altogether" in his crosshairs, he says he has no problem putting The Deadman down tonight. Edge comes out and tells both men that he has a very busy night ahead of him with the Cutting Edge segment later, but if they want a match tonight, he can make it happen. So as a Royal Rumble preview, Triple H will go one-on-one with The Undertaker in the main event tonight. Another staredown between the seasoned ring generals as we go to commercial.
Drew McIntyre def. Kofi Kingston
Finish came after McIntyre took Trouble in Paradise and managed to get his foot on the bottom rope at 2. Kingston attempts a Top Rope Crossbody, but McIntyre falls onto the ropes to throw Kofi off his balance. Drew latches in a Double Underhook and plants Kingston with FutureShock while still perched on the top rope for a three count. Kofi does a stretcher job as McIntyre grandstands to the crowd and making his case for winning the Rumble match on Sunday.
Vince McMahon is backstage with Paul London, Chris Masters, Ultimo Dragon, Evan Bourne and Shelton Benjamin. McMahon impresses upon them the importance of winning their individual Rumble qualifying matches on Sunday. If ECW’s representatives win 3 of the 5 contests, not only will those representatives earn a spot in the Rumble, ECW will rise from the grave to exist as its own separate brand once again.
Randy Orton backstage with Jeremy Borash. Orton says he fears nothing that Ziggler may or may not have in store for him after his actions on Friday night. Orton vows to leave his hometown of St. Louis on Sunday with the World Heavyweight Championship in tow. Theodore Long cuts the interview short and informs Orton that while The Viper may not be directly involved in Sunday’s Royal Rumble Match, he wants Orton to get in on the experience, so he’s invited him to participate in a 15-man over-the-top “Legacy Battle Royal”. All participants will be 2nd or 3rd generation superstars. Orton accepts and advises Theodore Long to review the 2009 Royal Rumble for a preview of Friday night’s main event.
Alex Riley def. The Miz
Finish came as Miz connected with a Reality Check, but Alberto Del Rio jumped the barricade onto the ring apron. As Miz turned his attention to the intruder to chase him off the ledge, Riley recuperated and stunned Miz with his very own Skull-Crushing Finale for a surprising three-count. It appears that Del Rio has upped the ante on the rivalry that began at SNME as a distraught Miz went charging through the crowd after Del Rio. Jack Swagger jumped Riley from behind and slapped on the Ankle Lock, refusing to let go until security surrounded the ring, at which time he himself escaped through the crowd.
Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler push the announcement of the next WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2012 coming up next.
Zack Ryder is walking backstage and is blindsided by The Nexus. The beatdown continues until Cena throws Ryder through the curtain and onto the stage, the assault worsens as we go to break.
Back from break and the brawl has carried to the ring. Cena plants Ryder with an F-U and a referee finally shows up in the ring and tosses Nexus from ringside. As Ryder struggles back to his feet, the ref asks if he can continue and Ryder defiantly says yes.
John Cena def. Zack Ryder
Cena obliterates Long Island Iced Z with three more F-Us before choking Ryder out with an STFU. Cena gets on the mic and promises to win the Royal Rumble, the WWE Championship and IF the Rock DOES dare to show his face at the Show of Shows in Miami, embarrass the Rock in front of his hometown crowd. In the meantime, Cena orders the Nexus back out to the ring and demands that they each get on their knees execution-style. Cena then proceeds to take each one of them across the face with a Singapore Cane for their shortcomings in the Royal Rumble qualifying matches. Cena says he will NOT be failed again and says he won’t need assistance of any kind to ensure victory at the Royal Rumble.
Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler transition to the Hall of Fame induction announcement. As the tribute video runs, we discover that one of the greatest tag teams of all time is joining the ranks of the Immortals--and it’s the one and only DEMOLITION--Ax, Smash and Crush will all be going in the night before Wrestlemania.
Lawler runs down the card for the Royal Rumble, which includes the five qualifying matches, the Rumble Match, The Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship, The Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship and the Battle Royal for the Women’s Championship. The anthem for this year’s Royal Rumble is Volbeat’s “A Warrior’s Call”.
Brian Kendrick heads to the ring and quickly discovers that he drew the short straw for the evening. The Rumble participant he’ll be going one on one with tonight is none other than The Animal--BATISTA.
Batista def. Brian Kendrick; Brian Kendrick def. Batista by Reverse Decision
Kendrick attempts Sliced Bread, but Batista launches him back first into the turnbuckle, sending him careening to the mat. A Batista Bomb later and Kendrick finds himself struggling in the grips of the Batista Bite. Kendrick taps, but as with Duggan just last week, Batista refuses to release the hold. Officials run in to break the hold but it does no good. The official overturns his decision and awards the match to Kendrick, but that’s irrelevant at this point. Batista has already qualified for the Rumble, he’s just out to make a statement and an example.
Kendrick passes out and has to be helped from the ring. Batista vows to win the Rumble. The Animal advises any potential challengers to step aside and let the inevitable take its course. Batista says failure to comply will result in tragic consequences for the poor souls who opt to defy him.
Edge emerges from his dressing room and heads for the ring. The Cutting Edge with Jericho and Punk is NEXT!
Back from commercial and Edge is in the ring hyping up the 60-minute Iron Man Match at Sunday’s Royal Rumble between WWE Champion CM Punk and challenger Chris Jericho. Punk enters first and tells Edge that while Jericho is a worthy adversary and in all likelihood the greatest threat to his WWE Championship, that doesn't change the fact that the title isn't going anywhere this Sunday. Punk promises that he will prevail over Jericho at the Rumble and says if the Undertaker IS in fact targeting him, he will give the WWE Universe a Wrestlemania moment to remember as he simultaneously solidifies himself as both one of the greatest WWE Champions of all time and the undisputed Best In The World while putting to rest the most phenomenal record that this business has ever known.
Jericho intervenes, telling Punk that first of all, he is NOT the Best in the World, JERICHO is the Best In The World at What He Does. Jericho continues saying that if anyone is being targeted by The Undertaker, it's him, if anyone is going to end "The Streak" at Wrestlemania, it's HIM. Jericho brings us to the central point of his argument saying that even if he does somehow manage to escape with the WWE Championship after the Royal Rumble, that there is no way he would make it to Wrestlemania. Jericho reminds Punk that one CONSIDERABLY large obstacle stands on the Road to Wrestlemania between the Rumble and the BIG SHOW--THE ELIMINATION CHAMBER.
Jericho says Punk may not be fresh on his Chamber History, but Jericho says he's willing to provide a refresher course. Jericho rehashes the long illustrious history of "Satan's Structure" informing Punk that he is 0-for-4 in such matches, the most recent of which Jericho won. Jericho rubs it in Punk's face that he didn't even last long enough for Jericho to enter the match because Rey Mysterio beat him to what Jericho would have eventually done. Punk chimes in and reminds Jericho that he was 0-for-5 before "Lionheart" picked up his first win. Jericho continues and turns his attention to Edge, asking the Rated “R” Superstar who Jericho ended up defending the World Heavyweight Championship against at Wrestlemania that year. Jericho prods Edge and twists the knife a little deeper: “How’d that match end up, Edge? The big, triumphant return at the Royal Rumble, spoiled by the one guy who was CLEARLY the better man.
Edge is livid at this point and turns the flashlight on Jericho, asking him how it felt to get speared through the ringside barricade and lose the World Heavyweight Championship to “Jack Thwagger” six days later? Jericho turns his attention back to Punk and tells him that the point is that even in his last effort in the Chamber, he fell short of the Main Event at Wrestlemania thanks to the Golden Boy, John Cena. Jericho promises that even if he goes into the Chamber as defending champion, there’s no way he walks out the same way. Punk says that for once in his incredibly outspoken career, he’s had enough talking. Punk says that he’ll let his actions do the talking in the sixty minutes that lie ahead this Sunday.
Jericho gets in the WWE Champion’s face and says if he wants to see actions do the talking, then this should speak volumes. Jericho turns on Edge, smacking him in the face with the mic and connecting with a Codebreaker. Punk comes up from behind and sets Jericho up for the GTS, but Jericho wriggles free and escapes to the outside. Punk handstands over the top ropes in hot pursuit, but before either can get too far up the ramp, the lights go out. The lights come back up and Undertaker is standing in the ring, staring down both men. The Deadman turns his attention to the fallen Edge. As the future Hall of Famer struggles to get back to his feet, Taker sets him up and plants him with a stomach-turning Last Ride, leaving Edge motionless. As the Phenom turns his death glare back to champion and challenger, a lightning bolt strikes the ring, setting both stools where they sat moments ago ablaze. Regardless of who wins the title match on Sunday, it appears that the advantage is firmly in the grasp of the institution that is The Undertaker as we go to break.
The Royal Rumble Recall revisits last year’s Rumble. The near victory of Santino Marella and the eventual victory of Alberto Del Rio.
Santino Marella def. Alberto Del Rio
Del Rio had full control of this match, until The Miz showed up on the entrance ramp with Ricardo Rodriguez held captive. Del Rio watches helplessly as Miz administers a Skull-Crushing Finale to Ricardo--through the windshield of Del Rio’s brand new Ferrari. Fuming, Del Rio is oblivious to Santino throwing into position for the Cobra. The Cobra strikes and the Milan Miracle achieves redemption for last year’s Rumble. Miz hovers over an unconscious Del Rio and adds insult to injury by locking on Del Rio’s Cross Armbreaker. It would appear that as momentum swings tonight it is swinging FIRMLY into one’s favor and DRASTICALLY away from others.
Theodore Long tells Bryan Danielson that he doesn’t want him rusty for Sunday’s Triple Threat Match. So on Friday, Bryan Danielson will go one-on-one with David Otunga.
A limo arrives in the parking lot and PAUL HEYMAN and JBL step out, beating a path for Edge's office as we go to commercial.
R-Truth def. MVP
Great back and forth match, finish comes when MVP attempts a Ballin' Elbow, but Truth kips up as MVP's back turns and clocks him with Lil' Jimmy to pick up the duke. Truth is steamrolling his way into a favorable position to win the Royal Rumble this Sunday.
Backstage and JBL and Heyman have reached Edge's office and are angered to discover that Edge is still incapacitated after Undertaker's attack tonight. Heyman grabs the camera guy and tells the WWE Universe that they better pray that Vince, Triple H or EVP of Talent Relations Shawn Michaels is keeping a watchful eye on what's going on with tonight's show. The duo storms out of the office and through an alternate exit door.
Jeff Hardy is seen meditating backstage in preparation for his match up next as John Morrison flies around backstage on his Parkour Regimen. Hardy/Morrison is up next.
John Morrison def. Jeff Hardy
Solid match, finish comes as Morrison somehow counters a Twist of Fate into Moonlight Drive and Starship Pain for the three count.
Vince and Shawn are backstage taking extra precaution based on Heyman's warning and have commissioned all of the other twenty-eight superstars confirmed for the Rumble as well as those involved in respective title matches and qualifying matches at the PPV to play security and surround the ring for tonight’s main event. The roster files out to ringside as we go to our final break.
Triple H versus The Undertaker ended in a No Contest
The Game plants The Deadman with a Pedigree out of nowhere, but before the ref can log the three count, The ECW Roster shows up on the opposite side of the barricade. After a brief standoff, the roster simultaneously jumps the barrier and the melee at ringside is on. As the war rages at ringside, SIX ECW Extremists manage to fight their way into the ring.
As Taker gets back to his feet, Rhyno GORES the HELL out of the Deadman. Sabu tosses a steel chair at Triple H’s face and Sandman wraps the Singapore Cane over his head about five times before Raven hits a Drop Toe Hold onto another chair. Dreamer hits a Tree of Woe in the corner and all five Extremists hold Hunter down for Van Dam to clobber Triple H with a rib-shattering Five-Star Frog Splash. The brawl at ringside has ended with ECW running the WWE Roster up the ramp. The entire ECW roster congregates in the ring with Heyman and JBL, wielding chairs, Singapore Canes, whatever they can get their hands on as the ECW Originals join Heyman and JBL in draping an ECW Banner over the ropes and the ring apron to end the show. It appears that as far as the Royal Rumble is concerned, the revolution has begun as RAW goes off the air.
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