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WWE
WWE’s annual Royal Rumble event is this Sunday night from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The Royal Rumble kicks off what has become known as the Road to WrestleMania, as 30 men will compete in an elimination match to determine who gets a title shot at WrestleMania 34. And this year’s edition is historic, as it will feature the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble match.
And as with every year, expect some surprise debuts and returns!
In the main event, 30 competitors including Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, John Cena, Finn Balor, Matt Hardy, Bray Wyatt, and more will compete for the title shot at Mania.
The rules are simple. Two competitors start in the ring. Every two minutes, another combatant enters (accompanied by a very enthusiastic final 10-second countdown from the live crowd). Elimination occurs when a wrestler is thrown over the top rope and both feet touch the floor. This continues until only one man remains.
As mentioned earlier, the first women’s Royal Rumble will occur with the same rules and stipulations as the men’s version. Asuka, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, and more will battle.
On the “Monday Night Raw” brand, Brock Lesnar will defend the WWE Universal Championship in a Triple Threat match against Braun Strowman and Kane. There will be about 1,000 pounds’ worth of fighters in the ring. They’re going to destroy each other. It’s going to be great.
On the “SmackDown Live” brand, WWE Champion AJ Styles will defend the belt against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a handicap match. If KO and Sami win, they will become the first co-WWE Champions.
Elsewhere on the card, Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan will defend the Raw Tag Team Championships against Cesaro and Sheamus, while The Usos defend the Smackdown Tag Team Championships against Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin.
On the pre-show, Bobby Roode will host an open challenge to defend the WWE United States Championship; Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson will face The Revival; and Kalisto, Lince Dorado, and Gran Metalik will face TJP, Gentleman Jack Gallagher, and Drew Gulak in a Cruiserweight Division Six-Man Tag Team Match.
The nine-match card is stacked, and WWE is making it available free of charge to anyone who signs up for a free trial month of the WWE Network.
And on top of NXT Takeover: Philadelphia and Royal Rumble this weekend, fans can get immediate access to more than 8,000 hours of WWE content, including classic episodes of “Monday Night Raw” and “SmackDown,” every pay-per-view in WWE history, and even shows from other promotions such as WCW and ECW.
You can get 30 days of the WWE network for free (including Royal Rumble this weekend) by signing up for a trial here.
