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Royal Rumble 2016: Start time, TV schedule and online streaming for WWE pay-per-view event

How can you watch the first event on the Road to WrestleMania? Find out right here.

Bill Hanstock
Bill Hanstock is a writer, author and Emmy Award-winning producer. He began writing for SB Nation in 2011.

Every year, professional wrestling fans look forward to two events more than any other: WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble. The Rumble is the pay-per-view that kicks off the Road to WrestleMania, which is wrestling’s version of postseason football. This year’s version goes down on Sunday night, live from the Amway Center in Orlando, Fla.

The Royal Rumble match itself is always a spectacle. It features 30 competitors, is a pro wrestling event you and friends can gamble on and this year, for the first time ever, the world title will be defended in the match, as Roman Reigns will have to run the gauntlet. It’s one vs. all and this time, it’s personal.

The event begins at 8 p.m. ET on pay-per-view and the WWE Network. If you subscribe to WWE Network (still only $9.99 a month), you’ll be able to stream Royal Rumble live on any number of devices. There will be an hour-long, live pre-show beginning at 7 p.m. on the network.

Even better: WWE is currently offering a free month if you sign up for the Network, so if you just go here and join, you get Royal Rumble for free!

If you prefer to watch through your cable box, Royal Rumble will set you back a minimum of $54.99 to order on traditional pay-per-view. Many large providers, like Time Warner Cable and Charter, will still carry the PPV, even though some providers like Dish Network and DIRECTV have dropped WWE’s PPVs from their schedule. Click here for a list of providers.

The full card for the 2016 WWE Royal Rumble:

  • Fatal 4-Way Kickoff Match to qualify for the Royal Rumble Match: Darren Young & Damien Sandow vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Ascension vs. Mark Henry & Jack Swagger
  • WWE Tag Team Championship Match: The New Day (c) vs. The Usos
  • WWE United States Championship Match: Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Kalisto
  • WWE Divas Championship Match: Charlotte (c) vs. Becky Lynch
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship Last Man Standing Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs. Kevin Owens
  • WWE Royal Rumble Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship

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