Royal Rumble (2002) - Event

Event

The first match was between Spike Dudley and Tazz, and the Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) for the WWF Tag Team Championship. The Dudley Boyz dominated Spike in the beginning with Bubba Ray ripping off Spike's neck brace. Spike fought back by hitting Bubba Ray with a Dudley Dog but failed to capitalize. The Dudley Boyz then double-teamed Spike while the referee was preoccupied with Tazz. Tazz eventually came in, and both dominated. Stacy Keibler, who accompanied the Dudley Boyz, climbed on the apron, and distracted Tazz and Spike. Tazz and Spike are knocked out of the ring, but Tazz came back in, and applied the Tazzmission for the victory, and retained the title.

The second match was between Edge and William Regal for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Before the match, the referee found brass knuckles in Regal's tights, and confiscated them. The match went back and forth before Regal knocked Edge out of the ring. Regal applied the Regal Stretch, but Edge reached the ropes to break the hold. Edge attempted a spear, but Regal pushed the referee to receive the move. Regal took out another pair of brass knuckles and hit Edge with them. The referee recovered to count the pinfall for Regal to win the match, and the title.

The third match was between Trish Stratus and Jazz for the WWF Women's Championship with Jacqueline as Special Guest Referee. Jazz had the early advantage, focusing on Stratus' injured hand. Jazz then confronted Jacqueline, and they shoved each other. Stratus hit a bulldog, but Jazz countered with a roll-up, and hit a snap DDT. Stratus blocked an attack in the corner, and hit a bulldog to win the match, and retained the title.

The fourth match was a Street Fight between Ric Flair and Vince McMahon. Flair gained the early advantage with punches and knife edge chops. McMahon knocked Flair out of the ring, attacked him with weapons, and sent him into the ringpost and steps. They return to the ring, and McMahon applied the figure four leglock, but Flair reversed it. McMahon reached the ropes, and went outside the ring. Flair hit a low blow, and hit McMahon with a television monitor, and a lead pipe. Finally, Flair applied the figure four leglock, and won the match by forcing McMahon to submit.

The fifth match was between Chris Jericho and The Rock for the Undisputed WWF Championship. Jericho took control early in the match, and removed the padding off one of the turnbuckles. Jericho attempted the Walls of Jericho, but The Rock escaped. Jericho continued his control until The Rock delivered a superplex, and a snap overhead belly to belly suplex. Jericho came back with two Lionsaults. The Rock then countered a missile dropkick, and applied the Sharpshooter. Lance Storm and Christian came out, and distracted the referee as Jericho tapped out. This allowed Jericho to hit a Rock Bottom. He then attempted a People's Elbow, but The Rock avoided it, and threw Jericho out of the ring. The Rock sent Jericho into the ringsteps, and hit a Rock Bottom through the announce table. Back in the ring, Jericho countered a Rock Bottom and applied the Walls of Jericho, but The Rock reached the ropes. The Rock accidentally hit the referee, and Jericho took advantage by attacking The Rock with the title belt. Jericho signaled Nick Patrick (a heel referee) to come out, and referee. The Rock hit a DDT, but Patrick refused to count the pinfall. The Rock attacked Patrick, and hit a Rock Bottom, and a People's Elbow on Jericho. As The Rock tried to revive the original referee, Jericho hit a low blow, sending The Rock into the exposed turnbuckle. Jericho used a roll-up with both feet on the ropes to win, and retain the title.

The main event was the Royal Rumble match. The Undertaker, the eighth entrant, dominated upon entering the match, and eliminated all four of the remaining participants. Matt Hardy entered next and Lita, who accompanied Matt, entered the ring to help. The next entrant was Jeff Hardy, and all three attacked The Undertaker. The Undertaker eventually eliminated them both. The Hardys returned, and continued their attack, but were thrown out again. This distraction allowed Maven, the following entrant, to eliminate The Undertaker. The Undertaker returned, beat down Maven, and eliminated him. The Undertaker assaulted Scotty 2 Hotty during his entrance, and continued his attack on Maven into the crowd, and to the backstage area, including smashing his head into a popcorn machine. The match continued with Christian and Scotty 2 Hotty battling it out, and the ring began to fill with more wrestlers. Steve Austin, the nineteenth entrant, dominated upon his entrance, and eliminated all three of the remaining participants. While he waited for the next entrant, he brought Christian and Chuck, whom he had eliminated, back in, and beat them down. Austin then eliminated the next two entrants, leaving him the only man in the ring. Triple H made his in-ring return from injury at No. 22, brawling with Austin. The Big Show, the twenty-seventh entrant, dominated upon entering until Kane entered next. Kane eliminated The Big Show, and Kane was eliminated by Austin and Kurt Angle, the twenty-sixth entrant. Rob Van Dam made his Royal Rumble debut by entering the ring at No. 29, taking down nearly everyone with a variety of high-flying moves, until Triple H hit him with the Pedigree. Booker T, also making his Royal Rumble debut, entered at No. 30 and eliminated Van Dam. He then did the Spin-a-Roonie, and was quickly eliminated from the Rumble after receiving a Stone Cold Stunner from Austin.

The final four remaining were Austin, Triple H, Angle and Mr. Perfect. Angle hit an Angle Slam on Triple H and three German suplexes on Austin. Austin hit a low blow on Angle, but Perfect and Angle double-teamed him. Angle eliminated Austin as he was trying to eliminate Perfect. Austin pulled Perfect outside and attacked him before Angle attacked Austin from behind. Back in the ring, Perfect and Angle attacked Triple H. Austin entered the ring and hit Perfect, Angle and Triple H with a steel chair before leaving. Angle hit Perfect with a clothesline by accident, and Perfect hit a Perfect-Plex on Angle. Triple H then eliminated Perfect with a clothesline, leaving only Angle and Triple H. It went back and forth before Angle sent Triple H over the top rope with a back body drop, but Triple H held on. Angle thought he had won, and celebrated. Triple H took advantage, and executed a facebuster knee smash on Angle, followed by a clothesline over the top rope to win the Royal Rumble match, the longest in the event's history.