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Before Rey comes to the ring, Vickie Guerrero is wheeled to the ring in her wheelchair by Teddy Long. The Curt Hawkins and Zach Ryder come to ringside as Cole and Coach wonder if there are ulterior motives.
Edge pushes Rey into the corner as the match begins. They lock up and Edge with an arm bar and he works on Rey’s wrist. Rey with forearms and then he hits a springboard head scissors. They lock up again and Edge with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Rey with a single leg trip and a drop kick for a near fall. Rey with another near fall and Edge backs into the ropes to slow things down. Edge with a kick and punch to Rey. Rey ducks through Edge’s legs but Edge throws Rey out of the ring. Rey tries to get back in but Edge with a baseball slide. Hawkins and Ryder approach Rey while the referee was distracted, but the referee sees them before they can attack Rey and Hawkins and Ryder are sent to the back by the referee.
Rey with a head scissors that sends Edge into the ropes and Edge goes to the floor when Rey sets for a 619. Rey hits a pescado onto Edge. Rey with a springboard seated senton when they return to the ring for a near fall. Rey with a kick and chop. Edge sends Rey into the turnbuckles but Rey lands on the middle turnbuckle. Edge with a kick to the leg and Rey goes down. Rey goes to the floor and Edge goes after him. Edge with a kick to the leg and then he rolls Rey back into the ring. Edge works on Rey’s leg. Edge with a single leg Boston crab on Rey after Rey could not stay on his feet when Edge Irish whipped him. Rey with a kick to get out of the hold. Rey with an enzuigiri and Edge falls into the ropes. Rey tries for the 619 but Rey was too slow and Edge hits a power slam for a near fall. Edge with an ankle lock and then he goes to the knee. Rey with a kick to the head. Edge kicks Rey in the leg after the referee checks on Rey’s knee. Rey cannot get up and then he goes for the knee brace.
Rey kicks Edge in the knee but Rey with a bulldog off a wheelbarrow move and both men are down. Rey with chops and kicks as he continues to hobble in the ring. Edge with a sunset flip but Rey rolls through with a kick for a near fall. We see Vickie applaud Edge’s escape from the near fall. Edge with an Irish whip into the corner but Edge charges into a boot. Rey with a senton counter out of a potential power bomb attempt by Edge. Rey goes to the apron and then he goes up top but Edge punches Rey. Rey with forearms that knock Edge off the top turnbuckle and Rey with a double stomp for a two count. Rey with a rana that sends Edge out of the ring. Rey slides under the bottom rope and hits a DDT on the floor. Rey rolls Edge back into the ring and Edge kicks out at two. Edge with a boot to a charging Mysterio. Edge sets for the spear but Rey moves when Edge approaches. Rey with a head scissors that sends Edge into the ropes. Rey with a 619 and then Rey goes up for a splash and Vickie pulls the referee out of position. Rey sends Edge into the ropes again when Edge tries for a spear while Vickie argues with the referee. Vickie takes the impact of the 619 and then when Rey tries for a springboard move but Edge with a spear for the three count.
Winner: Edge
After the match, Edge, Hawkins, and Ryder check on Vickie outside the ring along with the referee.
I liked the ring introductions because as Michael Cole said, it gave a big fight feel. I don’t know if it was the ‘missed’ moves by Rey but the crowd quickly went from mixed to clearly in favor of Edge. I thought this was a really good match. I do not like the fact that many of Rey’s big matches involve him hobbling around the ring because of his knee, but he can hit every high impact maneuver with no problem. The DDT by Rey on the floor was an impressive move.
Ric Flair is in the locker room and Ken Kennedy applauds Flair as he comes out of the shower. Kennedy gives Flair a woooo. Kennedy says that after he wins the Royal Rumble tonight, that since he will have so much time on his hands until Wrestlemania . . .
Kennedy is interrupted by Shawn Michaels’s arrival. He says that he will see Flair and Michaels later. Michaels talks about how a trash talking blonde with a catchphrase will never work. Flair tells Michaels that nobody will beat him in his quest for the title. Batista and Hunter enter the locker room as well and Michaels says that it has gotten a little awkward. Hunter says that tonight, the best man will win and Michaels tries to separate Batista and Hunter. Michaels says that the best man will win wearing the new Shawn Michaels shirt. Hunter says that he hates shilling. Michaels gives Flair his shirt.
We see Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton in the back getting ready for their match.
Maria comes out for the Royal Rumble kiss cam. Ashley comes out and she tells Maria that she got a call from Hugh Hefner and says that Hugh wanted to know if Maria wanted to pose for Playboy. Santino Marella comes out with someone under a black tarp. Santino says that the answer is no. Nobody wants to see Maria with no clothes on. He tells her not to listen to the fans because they have nothing to cheer about. Santino mentions the Mets and Yankees and then makes reference to the mosquitoes in Cleveland. He calls them chokers. He says the Knicks and Rangers are not good enough to choke. Santino says that the only team the fans can cheer for play in New Jersey. The crowd starts a “Let’s Go Giants†chant. Santino says that nobody cares about the Giants. Ashley tells Santino that this is not a decision for Santino to make, it is for Maria to make. Maria hesitates and then she asks the fans if they want to see her pose for Playboy. Santino says the fans are sheep and they will cheer for hepatitis if someone asks for it. Santino has a special present for Ashley. Since the fans like to see the boobies, we see Big Dick Johnson with a Patriots tattoo across his chest and a cut off Brady shirt. Ashley slaps and hits Big Dick Johnson with rubber chickens.
We see a Wrestlemania commercial with a Baywatch theme and Kelly is the lifeguard who saves the man in the water. When it was time for mouth to mouth, Kelly is replaced by Mae Young.
Mike Adamle talks about Jeff Hardy’s quest to win the title and how he will do anything to make history. It is time for the Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton video packages.
Match Number Four: Jeff Hardy versus Randy Orton for the WWE Title
The referee gives his final instructions before the bell rings. Hardy and Orton lock up and they fight around the ring in the collar and elbow tie up. Orton with a clean break but Hardy pushes Orton. Orton with a side head lock but Hardy with a shoulder tackle. Hardy with a side head lock and take down. Orton tries for a few rollups while Orton tries to get out of the side head lock. Orton gets Hardy into a head scissors while Hardy maintains the side head lock. Orton gets out of the hold. Hardy with a reverse atomic drop followed by a leg drop and drop kick for a near fall. Orton with a knee to the midsection and then he slams Hardy’s head into the turnbuckle followed by punches. Orton tries to rile up the Hardy fans in the crowd. Hardy with a kick to Orton and then Orton is clotheslined over the top rope to the floor. Hardy with a baseball slide that sends Orton into the ringside barrier and Orton is down. The referee starts his count and then Hardy with a pescado onto Orton. Orton grabs his belt and he heads towards the entrance but Hardy stops him. They return to the ring and Orton with a standing drop kick when Hardy tries for a springboard move from the apron and Hardy goes to the floor and he hits the apron. Orton goes out after Hardy and hits a suplex on the floor. Orton rolls Hardy back into the ring and gets a two count. Orton with a kick to Hardy and then he stomps on Hardy before choking him. Orton with a series of knee drops for a near fall. Hardy tries to get back to his feet and Orton helps him up before connecting with a forearm. Hardy with a series of kicks and then he sends Orton over the top rope to the floor. Hardy goes to the apron and hits a flying clothesline from the apron.
Hardy rolls Orton back into the ring and he gets a near fall. Hardy with an Irish whip and then he charges into the corner but Orton moves out of the way and Hardy goes shoulder first into the ring post. Orton with a body scissors and reverse chin lock. Hardy returns to his feet but Orton with a power slam for a two count. Orton returns to the reverse chin lock. Hardy and Orton with forearms to the back but Hardy hits a leaping clothesline and both men are down. Hardy with punches to Orton and a running forearm and clothesline followed by an elbow. Hardy backs Orton into the corner and then he hits Whisper in the Wind but can only get a two count. Hardy with a mule kick and he sends Orton into the corner and Hardy with the delayed baseball slide in the corner. Hardy goes up top but Orton rolls to the apron. Hardy hits a missile drop kick that knocks Orton off the apron. Hardy goes up top again and hits a moonsault onto Orton on the floor. The referee checks on both men.
Hardy rolls Orton back in and Hardy returns to the ring. Hardy gets his second wind and he waits for Orton for the Twist of Fate but Orton counters and he hits the RKO for the three count.
Winner: Randy Orton
I thought this was a good match and there was definitely a big time feel to the match as it started. Both men gave everything in the match. I do not mind that Orton won the match, but I hope they will meet again at Wrestlemania because like everyone on the site has said, to not give Hardy a run at the top would be a mistake. The RKO out of nowhere was a good touch and it was interesting because it happened just as it appeared that Hardy was going to take control of the match.
We see Jeff Hardy in the ring as he realizes that he fell short but then he salutes the crowd and he gets an ovation for his performance.
Joey Styles and Tazz make their show debut as they talk about the result of the WWE Title Match. Joey talks about the Royal Rumble match. Tazz points out that the last seven winners have won the main event at Wrestlemania. We go to the excellent Royal Rumble Match by the Numbers video package.
Continued on Next Page
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