2006 Royal Rumble Review

And...Cena's champ again...

• Gregory Helms defeated Kid Kash (c), Funaki, Jamie Noble, Nunzio and Paul London in a 6-Way Cruiserweight match to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship (7:40)
o Helms pinned Funaki after a Shining Wizard.
o This match was an open challenge by Kid Kash to all previous Cruiserweight Champions.
o Helms was a RAW superstar coming into the match but following his win moved over to the SmackDown! brand.
o **1/2
Good with the time given.

• Mickie James defeated Ashley Massaro (w/Trish Stratus as Special Guest Referee) (7:44)
o James pinned Massaro after a powerbomb.
o ¼*
Awful. Long. Awfully long.

• The Boogeyman defeated John "Bradshaw" Layfield (w/Jillian Hall) (1:54)
o Boogeyman pinned JBL after a Pumphandle Slam.
o DUD
Short and to the point (whatever that is).

• Rey Mysterio won the 2006 Royal Rumble (1:02:12)
o Rey Mysterio and Randy Orton were the last two participants. Mysterio reversed Orton's toss attempt into a head scissors takedown over the top rope to win the Royal Rumble.
o Mysterio came out to the ring in a lowrider, mimicking the entrance of Eddie Guerrero, who Mysterio was dedicating his match to.

Entrant
Eliminated by
Time

1
Triple H
28
Mysterio
1:00:09

2
Rey Mysterio
-
WINNER
1:02:12

3
Simon Dean
1
Mysterio & Triple H
0:45

4
Psicosis
2
Mysterio
1:15

5
Ric Flair
3
Triple H
1:20

6
The Big Show
7
Triple H
9:02

7
Jonathan Coachman
4
Big Show
0:30

8
Bobby Lashley
6
Big Show & Kane
4:17

9
Kane
8
Triple H
3:33

10
Sylvan
5
Lashley
0:18

11
Carlito
26
Van Dam
38:29

12
Chris Benoit
17
Orton
30:31

13
Booker T
9
Benoit
0:18

14
Joey Mercury
22
Nitro
29:14

15
Tatanka
12
Mercury & Nitro
14:09

16
Johnny Nitro
23
Michaels
25:45

17
Trevor Murdoch
13
Michaels
13:41

18
Eugene
15
Benoit
16:25

19
Road Warrior
10
Van Dam
2:49

20
Rob Van Dam
27
Mysterio
23:52

21
Orlando Jordan
21
Orton
16:09

22
Chavo Guerrero
11
Triple H
0:59

23
Matt Hardy
14
Viscera
7:42

24
Super Crazy
16
Mysterio
7:40

25
Shawn Michaels
25
by Shane McMahon[1]
12:55

26
Chris Masters
19
Carlito
7:01

27
Viscera
18
Carlito & Masters
5:20

28
Shelton Benjamin
24
Michaels
6:51

29
Goldust
20
Van Dam
3:09

30
Randy Orton
29
Mysterio 13:04

o Shane McMahon was not a participant in the Rumble.
o ***1/2
Much better than I remember.

• John Cena defeated Edge (w/Lita) to win the WWE Championship (14:02)
o Cena forced Edge to submit with the STFU.
o Cena entered the ring on a large steel catwalk-like scaffold that had been lowered from the ceiling.
o **1/2
Generic RAW match between the 2 (and they'd have many more)

• Kurt Angle defeated Mark Henry (w/Daivari) to retain the World Heavyweight Championship (9:29)
o Angle pinned Henry with a roll-up.
o The Undertaker came to the ring in a horse-drawn carriage right after the match, causing "lightning" to strike the ring and make it collapse. He then moved his hands across his waist to signify that he wanted to challenge Angle for the World Heavyweight Championship.
o *3/4
One of Kurt's worst matches in recent memory.

~ Solid show with an above average rumble match.