Royal Rumble results: Roman Reigns wins, will get a WWE title shot at WrestleMania

There were only a couple of possible Royal Rumble winners coming into the event, and the man who’s been earmarked as WWE’s next big star pulled off the victory in Philadelphia. Roman Reigns, who set the record for most eliminations last year, won his first Rumble by last eliminating Rusev.

The Rock made an appearance at the end of the show, helping Reigns dispatch of two men he eliminated for good. Kane and Big Show, the two veteran enforcers for The Authority, had teamed up to eliminate all of the fan favorites from the Rumble. Rusev tossed both of them, but they came back into the ring to beat Reigns after he appeared to have won. But The Rock played hero, coming down to the ring to help Reigns clear out Show and Kane.

Meanwhile, Rusev was waiting to surprise Reigns. He’d been hiding under the ring, but once he came back into the match, he didn’t last long. Reigns tossed him out quickly to win the match and will compete for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, presumably against Brock Lesnar.

1. The Miz (eliminated by Bubba Ray)
2. R-Truth (eliminated by Bubba Ray)
3. Bubba Ray Dudley (eliminated by Wyatt)
4. Luke Harper (eliminated by Wyatt)
5. Bray Wyatt (eliminated by Big Show and Kane)
6. Curtis Axel (incapacitated before entry)
7. The Boogeyman (eliminated by Wyatt)
8. Sin Cara (eliminated by Wyatt)
9. Zack Ryder (eliminated by Wyatt)
10. Daniel Bryan (eliminated by Wyatt)
11. Fandango (eliminated by Rusev)
12. Tyson Kidd (eliminated by Bryan)
13. Stardust (eliminated by Reigns)
14. Diamond Dallas Page (eliminated by Rusev)
15. Rusev (eliminated by Roman Reigns)
16. Goldust (eliminated by Reigns)
17. Kofi Kingston (eliminated by Rusev)
18. Adam Rose (eliminated by Rusev)
19. Roman Reigns (winner)
20. Big E (eliminated by Rusev)
21. Damian Mizdow (eliminated by Rusev)
22. Jack Swagger (eliminated by Big Show)
23. Ryback (eliminated by Big Show and Kane)
24. Kane (eliminated by Roman Reigns)
25. Dean Ambrose (eliminated by Big Show and Kane)
26. Titus O’Neil (eliminated by Reigns and Ambrose)
27. Bad News Barrett (eliminated by Ziggler)
28. Cesaro (eliminated by Ziggler)
29. Big Show (eliminated by Roman Reigns)
30. Dolph Ziggler (eliminated by Big Show and Kane)

Final four: Big Show, Kane, Roman Reigns, Rusev

Iron man: Bray Wyatt lasted 47 minutes in the match before getting eliminated just before the final four.

Most eliminations: Bray Wyatt and Rusev, who had 6 each.

Surprise entrants: Bubba Ray Dudley, who’s spent the last 10 years being one of the only redeeming qualities of TNA. Unsurprisingly, he got a nice ECW chant in Philly, did a 3D with R-Truth, got to yell GET THE TABLES and eliminated both Miz and Truth. The Boogeyman, probably the weirdest surprise return in a long time. He was eliminated quickly. Diamond Dallas Page, who is a saint and the reason your favorite old wrestlers are healthy instead of dead. The Rock showed up, but was not an entrant in the match. He just saved Reigns from a beatdown by Big Show and Kane.

Kofi Kingston’s elimination avoidance spot: This year, he was saved by the Rosebuds. Click to watch.

Non-title WrestleMania implications?: With Luke Harper and Bray Wyatt in the ring, Erick Rowan (who didn’t qualify), took out Curtis Axel, then ran in after his former Wyatt Family teammates. Bray took out Rowan and Harper. Wyatt later eliminated Daniel Bryan, who he beat on Raw coming into this event. Stardust tried to eliminate his brother Goldust, starting a fight between them. Stunt double Damian Mizdow came out after Miz was eliminated, and Miz tried to prevent him from going in to the match and re-enter. Mizdow went in anyway after Roman Reigns tossed Miz, Rusev tossed him out, and Miz was pissed that he ever tried to compete. The Rock’s appearance might set something up, though that’s not obvious.