2009 Royal Rumble Results

The show opened with Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole giving an update on Vince McMahon's condition. Cole noted that the McMahon family is keeping his condition private, and Randy Orton will be punished in some form.

ECW Championship
Matt Hardy vs. Jack Swagger

Hardy dominated early, but Swagger was able to gain the advantage with wrestling moves. Good opener, and the crowd was alive for most of the match. The finish saw Swagger hit Hardy with a gut wrench power bomb to get the clean victory.

Randy Orton was shown arriving in the arena earlier in the day, and all the wrestlers backstage were keeping their distance from him.

WWE Womens Championship
Beth Phoenix vs. Melina

Phoenix dominated early with power moves. There was a 'Santino' chant early in the match. There was an interesting spot where Phoenix had Melina in a half crab and was able to use Melina's own leg to kick her in the back of the head several times. The finish saw Melina beat Phoenix after pinning her with a cradle as Melina became the new Womans Champion.

A promo aired recapping the JBL - Shawn Michaels storyline.

Backstage JBL told Shawn Michaels that is he wins the title, that Michaels will get paid everything he's owed and won't have to work for him again. He said he can be in the Royal Rumble and go on to face him at WrestleMania. As he was about the respond, The Undertaker was there and told Michaels that some times, it's hell getting to heaven.

A WrestleMania promo aired.

World Heavyweight Championship
John Cena vs. JBL

The story of the match was obviously if Shawn Michaels would help JBL or not.At one point, Cena had JBL in the STF and JBL was reaching for the ropes and Michaels looked like he was going to push the rope for JBL, but Cena broke the hold and went after Michaels.

A couple minutes later, JBL accidentally kicked the referee in the head and knocked him out. Cena and JBL double clotheslined each other and Michaels got in the ring, teased that he was going to superkick Cena and then superkicked JBL to a huge pop. He then superkicked Cena too. He then put JBL on top of Cena and left the ring. Another referee came down and counted two. JBL then went for a clothesline from hell, but CEna reversed it and got him up for the FU . . . er, Throwback, and got the three count. John Cena retains his World Heavyweight Championship.

A promo for the Legends Of WrestleMania video game.

WWE Championship
Jeff Hardy vs. Edge

Jeff Hardy entered the ring first. After he was in the ring, Vickie Guerrero came out and said the match was a no disqualification match and went on to introduce Edge. A "We want Christian" chant started. They'll have to settle for Matt Hardy instead. There's a surprising lack of heat. The crowd isn't dead, but quieter than you'd expect. There was a point when Hardy and Edge were outside the ring and Hardy setup Edge on a table. He then grabbed a ladder and was going to hit a swanton from the top of the ladder when Chavo interfered. Hardy then put Chavo on the table and did a splash from the top of the ladder onto Chavo, almost slipping on the top of the ladder. At one point, Hardy was going for the swanton and Vickie Guerrero came to ringside. Hardy kicked her off and hit the swanton but Vickie interfered before he could get the three count. Matt Hardy then came to ringside and threw Guerrero into the ring. He then grabbed a chair and handed it to Jeff. He grabbed another one for himself and it looked like they were going to do a conchairto on Edge before Matt hit Jeff with the chair. Edge went for the cover and got the three count to become the new WWE champion.

A promo for No Way Out aired.

Todd Grisham interviewed Randy Orton backstage and Orton said he hadn't heard anything from the McMahons and as far as he's concerned, he's still in the Rumble. Chris Jericho approached Randy Orton backstage and congratulated him for taking out Vince McMahon. Jericho also said that he thinks this is Orton's last night as an employee of WWE.

The Royal Rumble promo aired. They had technical difficulties as they screen was blank for a couple of seconds halfway in the promo and then they just went straight to the live feed.

30-Man Royal Rumble Match

Rey Mysterio, who won the 2006 Royal Rumble, drew #1 (he drew #2 in 2006). John Morrison drew #2. Carlito was in next at #3. MVP came in at #4. MVP was over with the crowd and they even had an "MVP" chant going. The Great Khali is in at #5.

Koslov came in at #6 and eliminated Khali. He then eliminated MVP. It looks like he's getting the Rumble push this year, where you eliminate a ton of people but don't actually win. Koslov then eliminated Carlito.

Triple H is next at #7. So much for the Rumble push as Triple H eliminated Koslov.

Randy Orton comes out at #8 to a ton of heat. If he doesn't get injured, it should be his year. JTG of Cryme Tyme was in next at #9. Ted Dibiase is #10. Jericho is #11. Mike Knox is #12. The Miz is in at #13. They're doing 90 second intervals this year so it's going by pretty fast, I've always preferred the 2 minute intervals. Randy Orton went on an RKO rampage, hitting the RKO on the Miz, Morrison and JTG before being his with a pedigree from Triple H.
HHH then eliminated The Miz and Morrison. Mysterio was thrown out, but he landed on the Miz and walked on Morrison and got back into the ring.

Finlay is in at #14. Cody Rhodes was #15 so all of Legacy is together in the Rumble.

The Undertaker is in at #16. He quickly eliminated JTG. Goldust is in at #17. He and brother Cody immediately started going at it. Orton hit Goldust with the RKO and then had Cody eliminate him.

CM Punk is #18. Mark Henry is #19. Shelton Benjamin is #20. William Regal is #21. Mark Henry was eliminated by Mysterio.

Kofi Kingston is in at #22. Kane is #23. He and The Undertaker gave Cody Rhodes a double chokeslam. There's a ton of people in the ring now. CM Punk eliminated Regal. R-Truth is #24.

Rob Van Dam is in at #25 as a surprise entrant to a huge pop. Brian Kendrick came in at #26. He eliminated Kofi Kingston. Triple H then eliminated Kendrick. Dolph Ziggler is in at #27 and was thrown out by Kane. Santino Marella is #28 and is eliminated immediately by Kane.

#29 is "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, who won the first televised Royal Rumble in 1988, when it was a 20 man Royal Rumble that aired for free as a special on the USA Network.

#30 is the Big Show. Hacksaw grabbed Big Show's strap and started wailing away on him, which reminded me of Hacksaw's feud with Andre the Giant back in the day. Show then eliminated Hacksaw. He pressed and eliminated R-Truth. Show tried eliminating CM Punk a couple of times before knocking Punk out on the apron and sending him to the floor.

Mysterio and Knox were eliminated when Mysterio charged at Knox. Mysterio was in there for 49 minutes. Kane eliminated Finlay. With the exception of Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase, it's all former world champions in there right now. Jericho eliminated RVD. Undertaker then eliminated Jericho.

Rhodes, Orton and Dibiase triple teamed Kane to eliminate him. Legacy then teamed up on The Undertaker. While Big Show and Taker were fighting on the apron, Orton hit an RKO on Show to eliminate him. Show then grabbed Taker from the outside to eliminate him.

It's now down to Legacy vs. Triple H. Triple H eliminated Dibiase and Rhodes, and Orton snuck behind Triple H to eliminate him and win the Royal Rumble.

Winner: Randy Orton

After the match, Rhodes and Dibiase joined Orton in the middle of the ring and they all raised their hands.