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Triple H, October 2011:

“When I grew up, I hated Hogan. I thought he was terrible and didn’t like to watch him. I was like Punk in a way. I liked the Steamboats and Flairs and the ones that could go. Would I be right in saying that Hogan was the wrong guy to go with, and they should’ve changed directions and gone with Steamboat because he was the better wrestler? Ludicrous.” - Triple H. October, 2011.

Every WWF Title Holder

Saturday, February 01, 2025


Through Royal Rumble 2024, 218 wrestlers have held WWF gold, there's a lumberjack match at WM40,  the gimmick is that its all former belt holders, 40 in total, 'cause its WM 40, and ideally all have a relationship that is being split up because they are on opposite sides of the lumberjack program (so, Scott supports one wrestler, Rick the other, that kind of a thing - the goal is 20 of those couples, to both get a lot of old wrestlers on the card, given the historical importance of the show, and also to further the Brother v Brother theme.

That led me to make this list.  It's every belt holder in order of number of belts won.  The mens/womens primary title has with it dates won/lost; all the other titles are just dates one.  I do a lot of Freedbird Rules when it comes to tags, for obvious reasons related to the form of the Counterfactual, so it could be if I thought about it a little longer, I'd come up with another worker who deserves a share of a tag, or take away a shared tag from someone.  I'm not planning on doing that.  Here's the list, through Rumble 2024, 218 belt holders.

1. Shawn Michaels  10 Titles-Triple Crown
-2 Time WWF Champ, SSeries '94-WM 11, WM 12-SSeries '96
-5 Time IC Champ, SSeries '92, RRumble '93, SSlam '95, SSlam '02, SSlam '09
-3 Time Tag Champ SSlam '89 (Marty) WM 19 (HHH-M) SSeries '07 (HHH-M)

2. Bret Hart              7 Titles-Triple Crown
-3 Time WWF Champ, WM 8-WM 10, WM 11-WM 12, SSeries '96-WM 13
-2 Time IC Champ, WM 4, RRumble '90
-2 Time Tag Champ, WM 2 (Davey, Neidhart) SSeries '94 (Neidhart)

3. AJ Styles                7 Titles-Triple Crown
-2 Time WWF Champ, WM 32-SSlam '17, WM 35-WM 35
-3 Time IC Champ, RRumble '16, RRumble '20, WM 39
-2 Time Tag Champ SSlam '18 (T.Black) SSlam '23 (Nakamura)

4. Owen Hart            6 Titles-Triple Crown
-3 Time WWF Champ, WM 10-SSeries '94, SSeries '97-SSlam '98, RRumble '99-WM 15
-2 Time IC Champ, SSeries '92, RRumble '95
-Tag Champ, RRumble '97 (Bulldog)

5. Rey Mysterio        6 Titles-Triple Crown
-2 Time WWF Champ, SSlam '05-SSlam '06, SSlam '07-RRumble '08
-2Time IC Champ, RRumble '03, WM 25
-2 Time Tag Champ, SSlam '04 (RVD), SSeries '19 (Steen)

6. Randy Orton         6 Titles
-IC Champ WM 23
-5 Time Tag Champ, WM 21 (Cena) RRumble '11 (DiBiase Jr) RRumble '12 (Cody) SSeries '12 (Cody/Bernard) WM 37 (Priest/Crews)

7. Eddy Guerrero      5 Titles-Triple Crown
-2 Time WWF Champ, SSlam '03-RRumble '04, WM 21-SSlam '05
-2 Time IC Champ, WM 16, WM 20
-Tag Champ SSlam '02 (Benoit)

8. Brock Lesnar        5 Titles-Triple Crown
-2 Time WWF Champ, WM 29-SSlam '13, RRumble '15-SSlam '15
-IC Champ RRumble '17
-2 Time Tag Champ WM 35 (Angle/Benjamin) RRumble '23 (Walter)

9. Chris Jericho         5 Titles-Triple Crown
-WWF Champ, SSeries '08-SSlam '10
-3 Time IC Champ, SSeries '99, SSlam '00, SSlam '04
-Tag Champ, RRumble '02 (Storm)

10. Edge                      5 Titles-Triple Crown
-WWF Champ, SSlam '10-WM 27
-IC Champ, RRumble '05
-3 Time Tag Champ, SSlam '00 (Christian) RRumble '09 (Christian) RRumble '20 (Nitro)

11. Shinsuke Nakamura     5 Titles-Triple Crown (Grand Slam)
-WWF Champ RRumble '18-WM 35
-IC Champ, WM 34, SSeries '21
-Tag Champ SSlam '23 (Styles)
-Dark Ride Champ Aug '16

12. Shelton Benjamin        5 Titles
-WWF Champ, RRumble '08-WM 24
-4 Time Tag RRumble '03 (Haas) RRumble '04 (Haas) SSeries '04 (Angle) SSeries '19 (Angle/Lesnar)

13. Jey Uso                         5 Titles
-IC Champ RRumble '24
-4 Time Tag Champ WM 32 (Jimmy/Roman) SSlam '17 (Jimmy/Roman) SSlam '21 (Jimmy) WM 38 (Jimmy)

14. Mr. Fuji                      5 Titles
-5 Time Tag Champ, June, '72 (T.Tanaka) Sep '73 (T.Tanaka) Dec '77 (T.Tanaka) Oct '81 (Saito) July '82 (Saito)

14. Tony Garea                 5 Titles
-5 Time Tag Champ, May '73 (Calhoun) Nov '73 (Ho) Nov '78 (Zbyszko) Nov '80 (Martel) July '81 (Martel)

16. Chris Benoit                4 Titles-Triple Crown
-2 Time WWF Champ, WM 16-WM 17, WM 20-WM 21
-IC Champ, SSeries '05
-Tag Champ, SSlam '02 (Guerrero)

16. Cactus Jack                4 Titles-Triple Crown
-2 Time WWF Champ, SSlam '98-RRumble '99, WM 15-WM 16
-IC Champ SSeries '96
-Tag Champ RRumble '98 (Funk)

18. Kurt Angle                  4 Titles
-2 Time WWF Champ,  WM 17-July '03, RRumble '04-WM 20
-2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '04 (Benjamin) WM '19 (Lesnar/Benjamin)

18. Bob Backlund            4 Titles
-2 Time WWF Champ, Feb '78-Nov '79, Dec '79-Dec '83
-2 Time Tag Champ, Aug '80 (Morales) RRumble '95 (Bulldog)

20. Steve Austin                4 Titles-Triple Crown
-WWF Champ, WM 13-SSeries '97
-2 Time IC Champ, SSlam '98, WM 17
-Tag Champ RRumble '96 (Dustin)

20. Nick Nemeth               4 Titles-Triple Crown
-WWF Champ, WM 27-RRumble '12
-2 Time IC Champ SSlam '98, WM 28
-Tag Champ SSlam '09 (Swagger)

20. Pedro Morales            4 Titles-Triple Crown
-WWF Champ, Feb '71-Dec '73
-2 Time IC Champ, Dec '80, Jan '81
-Tag Champ, Aug '80

23. Sami Zayn/El Generico     4 Titles-Triple Crown
-WWF Champ, SSeries '21-WM 38
-IC Champ WM 32
-2 Time Tag Champ, RRumble '17 (Steen) RRumble '24 (Steen)

23. Tyler Black                 4 Titles-Triple Crown
-WWF Champ, WM 35-SSeries '20
-IC Champ SSlam '23
-2 Time Tag WM 29 (Ambrose/Langston) SSlam '18 (Styles)

23. Cody Rhodes              4 Titles-Triple Crown
-WWF Champ, WM 39-
-IC Champ WM 38
-2 Time Tag Champ, RRumble '12 (Orton) SSeries '12 (Orton/Bernard)

23. Claudio Castagnoli      4 Titles-Triple Crown
-WWF Champ, WM 30-RRumble '15
-IC Champ, RRumble '21
-2 Time Tag Champ, SSlam '16 (Pac) WM 33 (Pac)

27. Kevin Steen                 4 Titles
-WWF Champ, SSlam '15-Feb '16
-3 Time Tag Champ RRumble '17 (Zayn) SSeries '19 (Rey) RRumble '24 (Zayn)

27. Roman Reigns            4 Titles
-WWF Champ WM 38-WM 39
-3 Time Tag Champ, WM 32 (Usos) SSlam '17 (Usos) SSeries '21 (Gable/Lashley)

27. British Bulldog           4 Titles
-WWF Champ SSlam '91-SSeries '91
-3 Time Tag Champ WM 2 (Bret/Anvil) RRumble '95 (Backlund) RRumble '97 (Owen)

30. Ricochet                      4 Titles
-WWF Champ SSeries '20-RRumble '21 
-2 Time IC Champ WM 35, WM 39
-Dark Ride Champ Apr '18

31. Sheamus                      4 Titles
-2 Time IC Champ, WM 27, RRumble '14
-2 Time Tag Champ, SSlam '15 (Barrett) SSeries '18 (McIntyre/Miz)

31. Rob Van Dam              4 Titles
-2 Time IC Champ, RRumble '02, SSeries '02
-2 Time Tag Champ SSlam '04 (Rey) SSeries '06 (Sabu)

33. Jimmy Uso                    4 Titles
-4 Time Tag Champ WM 32 (Jey/Roman) SSlam '17 (Jey/Roman) SSlam '21 (Jey) WM 38 (Jey)

33. Kingston                        4 Titles
-4 Time Tag Champ WM 26 (Killings) WM 28 (Killings) SSeries '15 (Woods/Langston) SSeries '20 (Woods/Langston)

33. Chief Jay Strongbow    4 Titles
-4 Time Tag Champ May '72 (King) Dec '76 (White Wolf) June '82 (Jules) Oct '82 (Jules)

36. CM Punk                        3 Titles
-3 Time WWF Champ  SSeries '06-same show, WM 24-SSeries '08, WM 27-same show

36. Asuka                              3 Titles
-3 Time Womens Champ  WM 34-WM 35, WM 36-SSlam '20, SSlam '23-

36. Bryan Danielson           3 Titles
-3 Time WWF Champ, RRumble '12-WM 29, SSlam '13-WM 30, RRumble '21-WM 37

36. Sasha Banks                  3 Titles
-3 Time Womens Champ, WM 32-SSlam '16, RRumble '17-WM 33, SSlam '20-WM 37

40. Charlotte Flair              3 Titles
-2 Time Womens Champ, SSeries '15-WM 32, SSlam '16-RRumble '17
- Womens Tag Champ, WM 39 (Lynch)

40. Ric Flair                        3 Titles
-2 Time WWF Champ, SSeries '91-WM 8, SSlam '06-SSeries '06
-Tag Champ WM 20 (Batista)

42. Randy Savage               3 Titles
-WWF Champ, SSeries '88-SSeries '89
-2 Time IC Champ, WM 2, RRumble '92

43. Samoa Joe                     3 Titles
-WWF Champ, SSlam '17-RRumble '18
-2 Time Dark Ride Champ  June '16, Jan '17

44. Dean Ambrose               3 Titles
-2 Time IC Champ, SSlam '13, SSeries '15
-Tag Champ WM 29

44. Razor Ramon                3 Titles
-2 Time IC Champ, WM 9, WM 10
-Tag Champ SSeries '95 (Diesel)

44. Roddy Piper                  3 Titles
-2 Time IC Champ, WM, SSeries '91
-Tag Champ RRumble '90 (Jake)

47. Prince Devitt                   3 Titles
-2 Time IC Champ, SSlam '18, SSlam '22
-Dark Ride Champ Feb '21

48. Drew McIntyre              3 Titles
-IC Champ SSeries '23
-2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '18 (McIntyre/Miz) SSeries '22 (Lashley/Gable)

48. The Rock                        3 Titles
-IC Champ WM 28
-2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '97 (DLo) SSlam '98 (DLo/Henry)

48. HHH-M                          3 Titles
-IC Champ WM 22
-2 Time Tag Champ, WM 19 (HBK) SSeries '07 (HBK)

48. Tito Santana                  3 Titles
-IC Champ Feb '84
-2 Time Tag Champ Oct '79 (Putski) WM (Beefcake)

52. Langston                         3 Titles
-3 Time Tag Champ, WM 29 (Black/Ambrose) SSeries '15 (Kingston/Woods) SSeries '20 (Kingston/Woods)

52. Matt Hardy                     3 Titles
-3 Time Tag Champ, WM 15 (Jeff) WM 16 (Jeff) WM 33 (Jeff)

52. Jeff Hardy                       3 Titles
-3 Time Tag Champ, WM 15 (Matt) WM 16 (Matt) WM 33 (Matt)

52. Wade Barrett                  3 Titles
-3 Time Tag Champ, WM 27 (Gabriel) RRumble '13 (Ryback/Riley) SSlam '15 (Sheamus)

52. Afa                                   3 Titles
-3 Time Tag Champ, Apr '80 (Sika) Sep '80 (Sika) Mar '83 (Sika)

52. Sika                                   3 Titles
-3 Time Tag Champ, Apr '80 (Afa) Sep '80 (Afa) Mar '83 (Afa)

52. Toru Tanaka                     3 Titles
-3 Time Tag Champ  June '72 (Fuji) Sep '73 (Fuji) Dec '77 (Fuji)

59. Walter                                3 Titles
-Tag Champ RRumble '23 (Brock)
-2 Time Dark Ride Champ Apr '19, Apr '21

60. Bruno Sammartino          2 Titles
-2 Time WWF Champ, May '63-Jan '71, Dec '73-Apr '77

60. Ricky Steamboat              2 Titles
-2 Time WWF Champ, Feb '85-WM 2, WM 3-WM 4

60. Dynamite Kid                    2 Titles
-2 Time WWF Champ, WM 2-WM 3, WM 4-SSeries '88

60. Ronda Rousey                    2 Titles
-2 Time WWF Champ, WM 38-SSeries 22, WM 39-SSlam '23

64. Mr. Perfect                          2 Titles
- WWF Champ SSeries '89-SSlam '91
-IC Champ RRumble '89

65. Becky Lynch                       2 Titles
-Womens Champ, WM 33-WM 34
-Womens Tag Champ WM 39 (Flair)

65. Bianca Belair                       2 Titles
-Womens Champ   SSeries '22-WM 39
-Womens Tag Champ SSeries '23 (Bayley)

65. Bayley                                  2 Titles
-Womens Champ SSlam '19-SSeries '19  
-Womens Tag Champ SSeries '23 (Belair)

65. Booker T                              2 Titles
-WWF Champ WM 23-SSlam '07
-Tag Champ SSeries '05 (Bradshaw)

65. Iron Sheik                           2 Titles
-WWF Champ Dec '83-Jan '84
-Tag Champ Feb '85 (Nikolai)

70. Tajiri                                    2 Titles
-2 Time IC Champ  SSlam '01, SSlam '03

70. Don Muraco                        2 Titles
-2 Time IC Champ, June '81, Jan '83

72. Rick Rude                            2 Titles
-IC Champ WM 5
-Tag Champ WM 7 (Marty)

72. Ted DiBiase                         2 Titles
-IC Champ SSeries '89
-Tag Champ RRumble '92 (Rotundo)

72. Johnny Nitro                       2 Titles
-IC Champ, SSlam '10
-Tag Champ  RRumble '20 (Edge)

72. Chavo Guerrero Jr.            2 Titles
-IC Champ, SSeries '03
-Tag Champ WM 23 (Carlito)

72. Shane Helms                        2 Titles
-IC Champ, SSeries '06
-Tag Champ RRumble '05 (Rhyno)

72. Taz                                       2 Titles
-IC Champ SSeries '01
-Tag Champ RRumble '01 (Raven)

78. Angel Garza                        2 Titles
-IC Champ WM 36
-Tag Champ Dark Ride '19

79. Chad Gable                         2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '21 (Reigns/Lashley), SSeries '22 (McIntyre/Lashley)

79. Professor Woods                 2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '15 (Langston/Kingston) SSeries '20 (Langston/Kingston)

79. Bobby Lashley                    2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '21 (Reigns/Gable), SSeries '22 (McIntyre/Gable)

79. Pac/Neville                          2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ SSlam '16 (Claudio) WM 33 (Claudio)

79. Christian                             2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ SSlam '00, (Edge) RRumble '09 (Edge)

79. Hawk                                   2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '90 (Animal) SSlam '97 (Animal)

79. Animal                                 2 Titles
 -2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '90 (Hawk) SSlam '97 (Hawk)  

79. Bubba Ray Dudley            2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ  SSeries '99 (DVon) WM 17 (DVon)

79. DVon Dudley                       2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ  SSeries '99 (DVon) WM 17 (DVon)

79. Billy Gunn                          2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ WM 10 (Bart) WM 14 (Dogg)

79. Bart Gunn                           2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ WM 10 (Billy) SSlam '96 (Mero)

79. John Cena                            2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ WM 21 (Orton) WM 24 (Batista)

79. Leviathan Batista                2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ WM 20 (Flair) WM 24 (Cena)

79. Marty Jannetty                    2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ SSlam '89 (HBK) WM 5 (Rude)

79. Jacques Rougeau                 2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '87 (Ray) RRumble '94 (Jacques)

79. Rick Martel                          2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ Nov '80 (Garea) July '81 (Garea)

79. Jim Neidhart                        2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ WM 2 (Bret/Davey) SSeries '94 (Bret)

79. Mike Rotundo                       2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ Jan '85 (Windham) RRumble '92 (DiBiase)

79. Charlie Haas                          2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ RRumble '03 (Benjamin) RRumble '04 (Benjamin)

79. DLo Brown                            2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ SSeries '97 (Rock) SSlam '98 (Rock/Henry)

79. Truth Killings                        2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ WM 26 (Kingston) WM 28 (Kingston)

79. Paul                                        2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ WM 22 (Kane/Undertaker) WM 25 (Kane)

79. Kane                                        2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ WM 22 (Paul/Undertaker) WM 25 (Paul)

79. Dominic DeNucci                   2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ May '75 (Rivera/Barrett) Mar '78 (Bravo)

79. Jules Strongbow                    2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ  June '82 (Jay) Oct '82 (Jay)

79. Mr. Saito                                 2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ Oct '81 (Fuji) Jul '82 (Fuji)

79. Johnny Valiant                      2 Titles
-2 Time Tag Champ May '74 (Jimmy) Mar '79 (Jerry)

106. Ilja Dragunov                        2 Titles
-2 Time Dark Ride Apr '23, Nov '23

One Title

Mens/Womens Champs: Rhea Ripley, Shayna Baszler, Natty Neidhart, Matt Riddle, Hulk Hogan, Buddy Rogers, Antonio Inoki, Billy Graham, Ivan Koloff, Stan Stasiak, Paige

IC Champs: Logan Paul, Aleister Black, Rusev, Fit Finlay, Luke Harper, Greg Valentine, Vader, MVP, Ken Patera, Pat Patterson, Steve Regal, Bray Wyatt, Ken Shamrock, Al Snow, Matt Sydal, Sean Waltman

Tag Champs: Apollo Crews, Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins, Miz, Jack Swagger, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, Sabu, Undertaker, Barry Windham, Dash Wilder, Scott Dawson, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Sandman, Tarzan Tyler, Nikolai Volkoff, Pat Tanaka, Akio Sato, Jimmy Valiant, Jerry Valiant, Billy White Wolf, Yukon Eric, Yukon Pierre, Larry Zybyszko, Baron Sciuluna, Adrian Adonis, Tony Atlas, Rocky Johnson, GHB Bradshaw, Giant Bernard, Brutus Beefcake, Pat Barrett, Rhyno, Dustin Rhodes, Dino Bravo, Diesel, Blackjack Lanza, Blackjack Windham, Haystacks Calhoun, Jake Roberts, Ray Rougeau, Pierre Rougeau, Road Dogg, Lance Cade, Ryback, Raven, Carlito, Louis Cerdan, Victor Rivera, Mark Henry, Ted DiBiase Jr, Tommy Dreamer, Executioner 1, Executioner 2, Terry Funk, Alex Riley, Justin Gabriel, Luke Graham, Lance Cade, Karl Gotch, Rene Goulet, Dean Ho, Curtis Iaukea, Moondog Rex, Moondog Spot, Moondog King, Sonny King, Lance Storm, Lex Luger, Marc Mero, Dick Murdoch, Trevor Murdoch, Tony Parisi, Ivan Putski, Damien Priest, 

Dark Ride Champs: Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Dragon Lee, Bronn Steiner, Adam Cole, Kushida, Roderick Strong, Kenta

Royal Rumble 2024

Wednesday, January 01, 2025

The build



The 35th Annual Royal Rumble comes live from Tampa.  It is the 148th PPV in WWF history.

(Dark: Rey Mysterio d. Dragon Lee
           Gargano/Ciampa d. Alexander/Tozawa (Tozawa injures ankle, Alexander helps him from ring)
           Dark Ride Title: Ilja Dragunov d. Nathan Frazer)

The announcers (the color commentators rotate) Cole (7th PPV) Graves (9th) Barrett (9th) Regal (28th)

The show starts with a long clip package of Royal Rumble History

'89...the very first match, Demolition going over the Powers of Pain....Hogan slamming Andre....the Brainbusters keeping over the Rockers....Hennig taking the IC from Bret....Savage dropping the elbow on DiBiase...

'90...the Rougeau Brothers brawling...HBK turning his back on Marty costing the Rockers their tag belts...Bret taking the IC from Ted....Savage brutally attacking Hennig to close the show...

'91..Undertaker tombstoning Dusty...Shawn superkicks Marty...the Road Warriors going nose to nose on the ramp with Demolition...Savage sticking Hennig with the WWF Fork, over and over again...

'92...long chain sequence with Shawn and Owen....Savage drops the elbow on a bloody Piper....Flair submits Davey Boy....

'93...Razor's Edge on Savage...Perfect Plex on Flair....Shawn superkicking Owen...

'94....Owen driving the WWF Fork in Savage's head...Waltman turning on Razor, allowing the Michaels win...Undertaker chokeslamming Bret through the Spanish announce table....

'95....Backlund submitting Neidhart to win the tag belts...Owen DDTs Razor on the concrete outside...Michaels hits Diesel with a TV monitor

'96...Austin with the Stunner on Razor to win the tag belts...Vaderbomb onto Michaels....Bret rolls through an Owen pinfall attempt to pin his brother...

'97...Austin brawling with Vader...Funk hitting Cactus with a moonsault wrapped in barbed wire...Pillman cracking both Bret and Shawn over the heads with the WWF Title...

'98..Michaels hitting Taker with multiple superkicks...Funk and Cactus, covered in blood, holding the tag belts...Mike Tyson walking down the ramp...Vader submitting to Shamrock...Owen has Austin in the sharpshooter, blood coming down his face...

'99...Edge/Christian/Matt/Jeff celebrating together...Rock Bottom on Waltman...a violent headbutt spot with Owen and Cactus...

'00...Angle submits the Bulldog...Angle submits Waltman....the Dudleys set a table on fire...RJericho submits HHH...Cactus and Taz brawl...

'01...Raven/Taz/the Dudleys and Justin Credible all standing over the Hardys...Angle Slam on the Rock...Hunter Pedigrees Waltman on the ramp...Regal holding the ropes as he pins Austin...Benoit submits Jericho...

'02...Edge and Christian wiping out HHH...Stunner on DDP...RVD frogsplash on Taz...Angle submits Flair...

'03..Crazy TLC spots with Hardys/Dudleys/Edge and Christian...Brock with 3 F5s on Jericho...Shelton pins Benoit....Rey with the pinfall on RVD...Angle submits Michaels....Brock destroying Angle....

'04...Christian gets the fall on Matt...Cactus hitting Brock with the barbed wire bat...Angle rolling Eddy up...

'05..Christian gets Flair in the Figure Four...Edge gets the fall on Jericho...Benoit submits Michaels..

'06...Matt and Edge, bleeding in the empty arena match...CM Punk, in his first WWF appearance, comes out of the front row to hit London with the Pepsi Plunge...Michaels superkicks Angle...Fit pins Benoit...Ricky Steamboat fighting off Hunter's heel stable...

'07...Crazy glass table spots with RVD/Sabu v. Sandman/Dreamer...Edge spears Matt dead on the ramp...

'08...Pepsi Plunge on Jeff Hardy...Edge turning on Jericho....Shelton pinning Rey to win the WWF Title...

'09..Orton RKO's Van Dam...Christian takes off the Blood Dragon mask, revealing he and Edge are the tag team champs...The Messiah Shawn Michaels superkicks Jericho

'10...Bret Hart Appreciation Night...the future Presidents of the United States, Linda and Vince, sitting in the front row next to Bret...Bret preventing Nitro from interfering in the IC match...Nitro superkicking him on the ramp...Christian fighting Punk in the cage..Edge spears Maria while Punk is handcuffed to the cage

'11...Regal lowblows Punk...Mysterio pins Danielson...Edge and Punk go nose to nose...

'12...WWE 100...scores of veterans from PPV past shown streaming into the building...Cena pins Punk...Rock Bottom on Barrett on the ramp...Cattle Mutilation on Nemeth gives Danielson the WWF Title...Punk and Danielson shaking hands...

'13...Nemeth pinning Claudio...El Generico jumping from the video wall...Jericho pins Punk...Lesnar F5ing Danielson...

'14...the Shield keeping the tag belts over the Wyatts...Punk submitting to Danielson and leaving town, his first Rumble in a decade is tonight...

'15...Steve Austin coming to the ring...Paige pins Natty to win the Womens Title...The Shield in a garbage match against Bubbay Ray Dudley and DDP...Kenta attacks Claudio...save by Danielson...

'16...Roman wiping out Hunter...Charlotte pins Becky...the unmasking of Pac...Generico buckle bomb on Jericho...AJ Styles walking down the ramp, a shocking debut...the big Bullet Club formation, Anderson/Gallows/Nakamura/Devitt/Styles taking over the WWF to close the show

'17...Becky joins the Bullet Club, laying out Charlotte and Sasha...the Shield explodes, Ambrose/Black/Langston firing blows at each other...Brock F5s Rusev...big tag spot, Steen/Generico battling Claudio and Pac....

'18...Andrade, under the mask, and Adam Cole falling off a ladder...FTR, as the Revival, beating American Alpha...Generico getting the fall on Rey...Usos and FTR going noses to noses...Nakamura pinning Tyler Black to become WWF Champion...

'19...Rousey laying in stiff shots on Lynch...Iyo and Sane in a fast paced spot...Kurt Angle getting a fall on Kingston...Devitt pinning Pete Dunne...Danielson swinging chairshots at Samoa Joe...Styles with the flying forearm to beat Lesnar...Black standing above Ambrose, Dean leaving the territory...Nakamura and Kenta in the middle of the ring...

'20...Iyo and Sane again battling...Andrade, under the mask, pinning Claudio....McIntyre brawling with Roman...Lesnar F5ing Riddle...Banks/Bayley/Charlotte/Lynch in a wild brawl around the arena...Aleister Black holding the IC belt over Ricochet...Danielson and Steen laying out Styles....Tyler Black pinning Joe and Nakamura...

'21...Roman kills Jeff Hardy...Edge over Christian in a No DQ match...Banks getting the fall on Bayley...Claudio taking the IC title over Styles...Riddle/Rey/Steen/Zayn in a four way....Danielson submits Ricochet...

'22...Edge facing off with Rey...Styles Clash on Ricochet...Roman pins Langston to take the tag belts and force the New Day to disband...Ripley pins Belair to keep the belt...Nakamura/Black/Devitt/Styles brawling up the ramp...the Holy Roman Empire laying out both Steen and Zayn...

'23...Logan Paul sends Edge out of the promotion...Asuka/Iyo in a street fight...Cody pins Gable..Walter and Lesnar holding the tag belts aloft....Roman pinfall on Black....

There's a shot of Andrade and Reed, in separate rooms, guards out front of their doors, ensuring they do not get out (ensuring Andrade doesn't kill Reed for attacking Charlotte)

1. IC #1 CONTENDER: ELIMINATION CHAMBER: JIMMY USO d. LA KNIGHT/SANTOS ESCOBAR/BRON STEINER/DOMINIC MYSTERIO/JD MCDONAGH

-Lot of space between dark matches and this one to get the chamber in place
-Biggest singles win of Uso's career - he will go to Wrestlemania 40 to challenge for the IC.
-Uso is one of the first two wrestlers in the ring, lets say with McDonagh.
-Steiner is 5th, he comes in and runs wild, kills everyone, the spot ends with his spearing Dom through a chamber, it knocks out both of them.  Dom's underneath, so the fall is counted on him, Knight is the 6th man in, he comes in, pulls Steiner away, Steiner totally dead, Knight does the Peoples Elbow on him, gets the fall.  
-Last 3 are Uso/Escobar/Knight - Jimmy goes over both of them to win the match.

2. FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE: RANDY ORTON d. DAMIEN PRIEST (w/Ripley)
-This match never gets to the ring, allowing for the chamber to get torn down, they fight everywhere else, Ripley is the only member of Defiance who can aid Priest (Dom's dead, Reeds locked up) she does - until the return of Becky Lynch - Lynch takes Ripley out allowing for Orton to get a fall, maybe an RKO through a merch table.

3. LOGAN PAUL (wMcAfee) d. PRINCE DEVITT
-Devitt is left wondering what is future is here - he loses his feud to Rhodes, he can never fight for the WWF Title again, Paul comes right at him - and then beats him clean here.  Has Devitt reaches the end of his run?

4. KAIRI SANE d. LIV MORGAN (Special Guest Referee: Iyo Sky)
-Sky won her long feud with Asuka, Asuka then took the title from Rousey after training from Sane - Sane was special guest referee in Asuka keeping the belt over Sky and tension related to those things has caused a break in their friendship - Sky teases she's going to screw Sane over here, but eventually counts the fall.  Sky and Sane get into a shoving match postmatch.

5. CARMELO HAYES (w/Williams) d. RICOCHET (w/Alexander)
-This is the write off for Ricochet - Hayes gets him clean - Hayes and Williams with a postmatch beatdown (Alexander took some sort of bump during the match so it takes him a moment to save...)  But Alexander doesn't save - he turns on Ricochet, he joins the Culture, Tozawa got injured in the dark match so he can't help - its the farewell for Ricochet.

6. WOMENS TAG TITLES: BELAIR/BAYLEY d. HORSEWOMEN (Stratton/Baszler)
-Belair and Bayley keep the belts here, Baszler going under.

7. UNSANCTIONED: ANDRADE d. BRONSON REED
-There's a light change, this is officially where intermission begins - a non WWF referee is brought in - this is not a wrestling match, it's a fight, it should not look like they are cooperating with each other more than they have to so spots can get in, double juice - eventually there's a ref stoppage when Reed can no longer continue.  

Taped package featuring Wrestlemanias 10, 20, 30...the theme for all 3 being Brother v Brother...they then show shots of Philadelphia, with the chyron that it is the City of Brotherly Love...Love is then scratched out...it's Wrestlemania 40, coming in April from Philadelphia.

8. WOMENS TITLE: ASUKA d. JORDYNN GRACE
-Asuka clean.  

9. #1 CONTENDER: WALTER (w/Heyman) d. ROMAN REIGNS
-A match long in the making, really sense Reigns' first title defense when Walter saved Lesnar postmatch.  Main event style, long, nearfalls - and Walter gets him.  Walter will go to Wrestlemania to challenge the winner of Cody/Punk.

10. IC: JEY USO d. DREW McINTYRE 
-The 85th Intercontinental Champion is Jey Uso.  There's some booking here, there's a ref bump, then Roman runs in and lays Drew out with the punch.  Jey is shocked - Roman's forming his heel group, not selecting the Usos blew up their whole family - but Roman's desire for revenge against McIntyre, Roman's losing his shot at the WWF Title in the prior match - he takes out that frustration here - McIntyre kicks out here, the ref recovers, it's a long count - but Drew kicks out - but a couple of minutes later, Jey gets the fall and the win.  Roman gets the IC belt from the timekeepers table, comes to the ring, hands it to Jey and raises his hand - Jey Usos is IC Champ...and then on the ramp emerges Jimmy and we see that it has become clear - at Wrestlemania 40, we will see Jey v. Jimmy for the IC Title.

11. TAG TITLES: SAMI ZAYN/KEVIN STEEN (w/ Gargano/Ciampa) d. TRIPLE CROWN (Styles/Nakamura w/ Mysterio) 
-Its the big workrate match for the night, long, nearfalls, Steen pins Nakamura - postmatch, its handshakes - including between Steen and Rey, burying their old feud - Zayn/Steen/Gargano/Ciampa hit the buckles postmatch - the following night, RAW builds to the GDI reformation - but when Gargano and Ciampa are handed the t-shirts, they turn on Zayn and Steen, destroying both guys.

12. WWF TITLE: CODY RHODES d. CM PUNK
-Your big main event - Punk's first WWF match in a decade.  

-Cody goes over clean, postmatch he takes the bag in which we all know the AEW Title is located, although we do not see it - Cody opens the bag, holds the title belt, again, we do not see it, we just see the big sack in which it is held - and Cody throws down the sack, with, presumably, the AEW Title - Cody holds the WWF Title aloft - its the inverse of the Punk spot from Survivor Series '06 and the primacy of WWF has been declared at Royal Rumble 2024!

Post show is that 10-20-30 Mania package from earlier, it ends however with the title card:

Wrestlemania 40
Philadelphia.  
Brother vs. Brother
Sister vs. Sister.

There's a really meta thing happening with the finish of the main event.

As you know, I'm wrapping up - not unlike the way a wrestler (Ricochet in this show) wraps up.  And in the way (Ricochet, in this show) might wrap up, on his back, putting the promotion over, this is my doing that.  

If I'm watching this show at home - I'm rooting for Punk and the idea that the AEW Title gets thrown away by Cody Rhodes is super aggravating for me. Booo.  Booooooooooooo.   

But - for WWF, for this story - with Roman setting up the lens through which to view Punk's throwing the WWF belt down in '06 as an existential harm to WWF, the ability to square that circle was irresistible.  So - as the promotion heads to the big anniversary shows and then its new future - putting this period on that story from the past is whats best for business, even though, it's not what's best for me. I go out on my back, as is the time honored tradition. 

Back next month to start the built to 40.  

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