Royal Rumble 2008 Recap

Going into the Royal Rumble, three spots in the match were still up for grabs. All three of these spots went to big names. Two of them were hall-of-famers from the past that sold out the Garden close to a quarter-century ago. The big surprise came at the end, with the return of a main event caliber WWE superstar. Who was this mystery man and did he win the Rumble?

Ric Flair’s Career on the Line: MVP vs. Ric Flair - It looked like Flair’s career was over when the referee counted to three. However, the referee noticed that Flair’s foot was on the rope and restarted the match. A few minutes later, Flair reversed the playmaker and made MVP tap out to the figure-four leg lock. Winner: Ric Flair

- Mike Adamle (original American Gladiators commentator) makes his debut and introduces a video package about the JBL/Jericho feud.

Chris Jericho vs. JBL - Jericho got bloodied up when his head the ring post. The match was pretty boring and a badly botched bulldog had the crowd booing. Shortly after that, the action went outside of the ring. Jericho leveled JBL with a chair shot to the head and then proceeded to choke and hang JBL with the television cable as revenge for what JBL did to him a few weeks ago. Winner: JBL by DQ

World Heavyweight Championship: Champion Edge vs. Rey Mysterio - The Edgeheads were banned from ringside very early in the match. The majority of the match saw Edge work over the surgically repaired knee of Rey. However, Rey got his second wind and hit Edge with the 619 and a move off the top rope. As Rey was about to win the title, Vickie Guerrero got out of her wheel chair and stopped the referee’s count. Rey went for another 619 but Vickie Guerrero put herself between Edge and Rey to save her boyfriend. Rey then went to hit the west coast pop but was speared while in mid-air by Edge. Winner: Edge

- Maria comes out and does her kiss-cam. After the kiss camera is done, Ashley comes out and informs her that Hugh Hefner wants Maria to pose for Playboy. Before she can answer, Santino Marella comes out with someone in a black sheet and tells Ashley that Maria won’t do it. He then proceeds to make some of the funniest one-liners about people from New York and the New York sports teams. He ends by telling the crowd at Madison Square Garden that since they like seeing boobies, he has some to show them. Big Dick Johnson is revealed to be under the sheet and is wearing a cut-off Tom Brady shirt.

- Mike Admale confuses Jeff Hardy with Jeff Harvey and the Garden crowd lets him have it.

WWE Championship: Champion Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy - Hardy hit most of his signature suicidal moves and had the champ reeling. When he went for the twist of fate, Orton hit his RKO out of nowhere to get the win. Winner: Randy Orton

The Royal Rumble - The list is in the order of entrance. Anyone eliminated during that wrestler’s time interval will be listed in italics. This year there is a 90-second interval.
1: The Undertaker
2: Shawn Michaels
3: Santino Marella - Santino Marella
4: The Great Khali - The Great Khali
5: Hardcore Holly
6: John Morrison
7: Tommy Dreamer
8: Batista - Tommy Dreamer
9: Hornswoggle (Hornswoggle went under the ring)
10: Chuck Palumbo
11: Jamie Noble - Jamie Noble
12: CM Punk - Chuck Palumbo
13: Cody Rhodes
14: Umaga - Hardcore Holly
15: Snitsky
16: The Miz
17: Shelton Benjamin - Shelton Benjamin
18: Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka
19: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper – (the action stopped for a minute as everyone watched Piper and Snuka fight)
20: Kane - Snuka & Piper
21: Carlito
22: Mick Foley
23: Kennedy
24: Big Daddy V - Snitsky, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels
25: Mark Henry - The Miz
26: Chavo Guerrero - Morrison (Finlay entered the ring early with his shillelagh when Horswoggle was grabbed into the ring and was about to be squished by Mark Henry & Big Daddy V. Finlay then took Hornswoggle to the back.)
27: Finlay - Finlay was disqualified for using the shillelagh
28: Elijah Burke - CM Punk
29: Triple H - Cody Rhodes, Big Daddy V, Mick Foley, Elijah Burke
30: John Cena – Carlito, Guerrero, Henry, Kennedy, Umaga, Kane
Final Three: Triple H, Batista, and John Cena
-Batista was eliminated by Triple H
- John Cena eliminated Triple H
Winner: John Cena

What does this event mean for the future?
The big news to come out of this show is the return of John Cena. He is back and he is in the main event of WrestleMania. Now the question is whether he will want a title match for the WWE Championship or the World Heavyweight Championship.

We now know one of the two main event contenders. It is heavily rumored that the other title contender will be decided by an Elimination Chamber match next month at No Way Out.

Overall Thoughts
The pace of the Rumble at 90-second intervals was good. The ending of the event was shocking. Overall this was a good show. I don’t know if it was worth the $40 price tag so I don’t recommend ordering the replay. However, when the DVD comes out next month, I’d recommend it if you found it at a good price.

Match Results

• Flair’s Career on the Line: Ric Flair beat MVP
  
• JBL beat Chris Jericho by DQ
  
• World Heavyweight Title: Champion Edge beat Rey Mysterio
  
• WWE Championship: Champion Randy Orton beat Jeff Hardy
  
• John Cena won the Royal Rumble by last eliminating Triple H

_{Photo: © 2008 World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.}