The Royal Rumble 2023 saw Roman Reigns defeat Kevin Owens in a dominant performance in the main card, with the future of Bloodline in doubt following a surprising twist. Reigns outpunched Owens, leaving him brutalized by the end of the match. After the match, Sami Zayn had a chance to join Bloodline, but he stopped Reigns from hitting Owens with a chair, leading to a split in the group.
Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes emerged the winner in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match, securing his place at WrestleMania 39. Rhea Ripley also made history by winning the Women’s Royal Rumble Match after entering the ring first. Other notable moments included the return of Nia Jax, and the victories of Bray Wyatt and Bianca Belair.
The Royal Rumble 2023 was an event to remember for WWE fans, with plenty of thrills and twists in store. The main card match between Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens was highly anticipated, with Reigns emerging as the dominant wrestler. The tribal chief smashed Owens into the barricade with a spear and banged his head on the steel steps, leaving Owens battered and bruised by the end of the match. Reigns was cheered on by fans at the Alamodome in San Antonio as he hit Owens with another spear, sealing the victory and becoming the WWE Universal Champion.
Royal Rumble 2023 – The Surprising moment
However, what happened after the Royal Rumble 2023 match was even more surprising. Sami Zayn was put to the test as he awaited an official entry to The Bloodline, but drama unfolded when Reigns handed a steel chair to Zayn and asked him to smash Owens, who was tied to the rope with a handcuff. The rest of The Bloodline then joined the ring, with The Usos hammering Owens as Paul Heyman brandished a pair of handcuffs, locking Owens in the ropes. The Usos then pummeled Owens with superkick after superkick, leaving Owens defenseless.
Reigns was about to hit Owens with the chair when Zayn stopped him, pleading with him that this was beneath the champion. Reigns then handed the chair to Zayn and demanded that he strike Owens with it, even slapping Zayn across the face several times. However, Zayn instead hit Reigns with the chair, leading to the Bloodline targeting Zyan and smashing him to the ground. An emotional Jey Uso then left the ring, signaling a split in The Bloodline.
Cody Rhodes emerged as the unlikely winner of the Men’s Royal Rumble Match, sealing his place at WrestleMania 39. He outlasted the likes of Gunther, who broke Rey Mysterio’s record for the longest time spent in a traditional Royal Rumble Match. The Rumble saw several big-ticket entries, including Brock Lesnar and Booker T. Lesnar was in his element as he eliminated Santos Escobar, Angelo Dawkins, and Chad Gable in quick succession, but Bobby Lashley immediately made an impact of his own, eliminating Lesnar and creating the biggest upset of the Rumble.
Earlier in the day, Rhea Ripley created history as she outlasted everyone else in the Women’s Royal Rumble 2023 Match. She entered the ring as the first person and faced off with Liv Morgan and Asuka in a 3-way battle in the end before eliminating the other two and booking her place in WrestleMania 39. Ripley was only the 4th wrestler to win the Royal Rumble after entering the Rumble first. The Women’s Royal Rumble Match also marked the return of Nia Jax, who was eliminated in a dramatic battle.