Here are your quick and dirty, editorial-free WWE Royal Rumble 2019 results. The show was headlined by two Royal Rumble matches, as well as championship matches for the WWE, Universal, Raw and Smackdown Women’s, and Tag Team titles. Make sure you’re back here tomorrow for the complete Best and Worst of Royal Rumble column.
WWE Royal Rumble 2019 Kickoff Show Results:
1. Raw Tag Team Champions Bobby Roode and Chad Gable defeated Rezar and Scott Dawson. This was set up by Drake Maverick, who said that since Akam of AOP is injured and both AOP and The Revival want a Tag Team Championship match, Rezar would team up with Dawson to fake the champs in a non-title match. Dawson lost after a neckbreaker/moonsault combo.
2. United States Championship Match: Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Rusev (c). Nakamura tried to remove the turnbuckle pad, which caused Lana to get on the apron and try to stop him. Nakamura confronted her, leading to Rusev accidentally charging in and knocking her off the apron. Nakamura hit a Kinshasa to the back of Rusev’s head and pinned him to win the United States Championship.
3. Fatal Four-way for the Cruiserweight Championship: Buddy Murphy (c) defeated Kalisto, Hideo Itami, and Akira Tozawa. Murphy won the match by pinning Itami after Murphy’s Law.
WWE Royal Rumble 2019 Results:
1. Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) defeated Becky Lynch by submission with a Cattle Mutilation variation of the Asuka Lock (pictured).
2. Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match: Shane McMahon and The Miz defeated The Bar (c). McMahon pinned Cesaro after a Shooting Star Press to win the Smackdown Tag Team Championship for his team. After the match, Shane and Miz celebrated with Miz’s dad.
MR. MIZANIN is ONE PROUD FATHER, because @mikethemiz and @shanemcmahon are officially the BEST TAG TEAM IN THE WORLD! #RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/qI10OOcg7P
— WWE (@WWE) January 28, 2019
3. Raw Women’s Championship Match: Ronda Rousey (c) defeated Sasha Banks. Rousey won a competitive match with Piper’s Pit. After the match, the two shook hands.
4. Becky Lynch won the women’s Royal Rumble Match. Unannounced entrants included Xia Li, Candice LeRae, Kairi Sane, Maria Kanellis, Kacy Catanzaro, Io Shirai, and Rhea Ripley. Hornswoggle also randomly made an appearance to chase Zelina Vega away for hiding under the ring. Lana was #28, but was injured during the pre-show. She took a long time to walk to the ring with a hurt ankle, so #29 (Nia Jax) attacked her. Becky Lynch showed up to take Lana’s spot, which was approved by road agent Fit Finlay. The final four were Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, and Bayley. Jax and Flair eliminated Bayley. Lynch pulled Jax off the apron to eliminate her, but got attacked and had her knee injured. Lynch recovered, and was able to eliminate Flair to win the match.
5. WWE Championship Match: Daniel Bryan (c) defeated AJ Styles. Bryan accidentally kicked the referee, allowing interference from, of all people, a returning Erick Rowan. Rowan chokeslammed Styles, and Bryan retained the championship.
6. Universal Championship Match: Brock Lesnar (c) defeated Finn Bálor by submission after countering a lateral press with a Kimura Lock. After the match, Lesnar German suplexed Finn a few times.
7. Seth Rollins won the men’s Royal Rumble match. Unannounced entrants included Jeff Jarrett (no, really), Kurt Angle, Johnny Gargano, Pete Dunne, and Aleister Black. R-Truth was #30, but was attacked and replaced by Nia Jax. The final four were Braun Strowman, Andrade, Dolph Ziggler, and Seth Rollins. Strowman eliminated Andrade and Ziggler. Rollins and Strowman fought out onto the apron, and Rollins hit an apron curb stomp to eliminate Strowman. Rollins is your men’s Royal Rumble winner for 2019.