Jim Ross and Tazz are our interpromotional commentary team for this match.
Chris Benoit enters the match first on the orders of
Smackdown General Manager, Paul Heyman. He is joined by entrant #2, and current
Intercontinental Champion, Randy Orton.
2004 Royal Rumble match
WWE Royal Rumble 2004 (25th January 2004)
We have 90-second increments this year, but they’re in no rush, circling before locking up. Chris Benoit is backed into the corner but quickly switches positions and stomps Orton down.
Randy Orton is sent off the ropes and Benoit runs through him. Benoit hits a snap suplex but Randy Orton fights out of the corner with right hands and a European uppercut, Orton tries to force Benoit over the top, but Chris Benoit grabs him in a standing crossface and knees him in the midsection. Randy Orton is sent off the ropes into a knee lift as the countdown starts for the next entrant. Benoit sends Orton into the top turnbuckle as Mark Henry makes his way out at #3. He talks strategy with Theodore Long on his way down to the ring and clubs at Benoit. He attacks Orton in the corner and starts choking him with a boot. Chris Benoit goes after Henry with chops and kicks, but Mark Henry cuts him off. Orton attacks from behind but Henry knocks him down. Chris Benoit saves Orton from being choked near the ropes and we get a countdown to #4 Tajiri.
Randy Orton gets to his feet but stays away from the action in the corner. He lays in kicks and right hands but Tajiri kicks Orton in the hamstrings and knocks him down with a backspring elbow. Tajiri counters a suplex from Chris Benoit but falls to the rolling germans as Orton tries to lift Henry over the ropes, but is easily fought off. Benoit hits an elbow drop on Tajiri as Mark Henry sends Orton over the top rope and turns around. Randy Orton scrambles back into the ring behind Mark Henry and hits him with a dropkick as we get ready for the entrance of #5 Bradshaw. He hits a Clothesline from Hell on Orton, then Mark Henry before waiting on Tajiri. Tajiri turns around into a Clothesline from Hell too. Chris Benoit gets some shots in on Bradshaw and sends him into the corner, Bradshaw avoids a corner clothesline causing Benoit’s chest to hit the turnbuckles and the Clothesline from Hell is countered into a Crossface! Bradshaw crawls to the ropes and uses them to get to his feet, carrying Chris Benoit. He sends Benoit over the top rope but Chris Benoit counters, sending Bradshaw out of the match.
Randy Orton tries to crawl over to Benoit, but is cut off by Mark Henry. Chris Benoit hits a dropkick to Tajiri, who’s laid in the corner. Randy Orton jumps into Henry from the top rope and powders him with right hands, but Henry is still on his feet when Rhyno enters at #6. He goes straight for Benoit and Orton as Mark Henry absorbs a tonne of martial arts strikes from Tajiri. Tajiri tries to get Mark Henry in the tarantula, but a Gore from Rhyno sends Tajiri over to the floor. Chris Benoit runs at Mark Henry, knocking him off balance, another running attack from Benoit sends him over the top, eliminating Henry from the match. A replay shows that Tajiri hit Mark Henry with the green mist earlier in the match, but we all missed it. Orton and Rhyno try to send Benoit over the ropes but Chris Benoit fights back. Matt Hardy enters #7 and attacks Rhyno with right hands, he fights off Orton too and hits the Side Effect on Rhyno.
Chris Benoit blindsides Hardy and throws him over to the apron before chopping Orton in the corner. Randy Orton fights back with European uppercuts as Rhyno sends Matt into the turnbuckles. Rhyno charges with a shoulder block and lifts Matt over the top, but Hardy fights off elimination as #8 is revealed as Scott Steiner. Steinerlines for everyone! Randy Orton is sent overhead with a T-Bone suplex. Scott Steiner hits Benoit with a trapped arm belly-to-belly suplex. Rhyno eats a T-Bone suplex but Chris Benoit is able to slip behind Steiner and hits him with german suplexes. JR mentions that no one in the match has ever won a Royal Rumble before as the countdown begins for entrant 9. Randy Orton fights off elimination and Benoit hits a back suplex on Matt Hardy. Matt Morgan enters the match and hits a sitout powerbomb on Benoit.
Matt Hardy’s right
hands have little effect and he runs into a rough-looking big boot by Morgan.
He uses that boot to choke Randy Orton in the corner and Scott Steiner and
Rhyno fight over a suplex in the corner. Scott Steiner wins out, blocking Rhyno’s
attempt and taking him over with a suplex. Matt Morgan hits shoulder thrusts to
Randy Orton in the corner. Rhyno and Hardy work together trying to force Steiner
over to the floor. Matt Morgan attacks Hardy from behind, which commentary agree
is a rookie mistake. Randy Orton cuts off Morgan and gets decked by Scott Steiner
as The Hurricane enters the match at 10. The Hurricane hits a crossbody
press on Matt Hardy before removing his cape. The Hurricane’s attention is on
Matt Morgan, he connects with right hands but might as well not have, so he
pokes Morgan in the eye. The Hurricane with a running crossbody, but Matt
Morgan catches him and sends him on another trip through the air and out to the
floor.
Scott Steiner wakes up as Morgan is working over Benoit. Booker T and Rhyno each have a try at knocking Morgan down but get brushed off. Chris Benoit sends Booker T’s head into the turnbuckle and Rhyno tries to force Matt Morgan over the top rope. Steiner and Booker T brawl near the ropes as Kane’s pyro goes off. Steiner is out by the time Kane makes it to the ring at 12 and Chokeslams Booker T, then Benoit. Matt Morgan cuts Kane off with a kick to the midsection but Kane backdrops his way out of the powerbomb. Kane Chokeslams Matt Morgan! Matt Hardy attempts a Side Effect but Kane elbows free and hits a Sidewalk Slam on Hardy. Rhyno’s Gore runs into a big boot, Kane shoves off Orton’s attempt at an RKO before hitting the Chokeslam. Kane is the only man standing as the countdown for 13 begins.
Kane knocks Matt Hardy into the corner and hits him with right hands and a back elbow. The Gong goes off at 13 distracting Kane, Booker T attacks him from behind and knocks Kane over to the floor. Spike Dudley enters at the real #13 now but Kane meets him on the ramp and Chokeslams his opportunity to win the match away. Matt Hardy is fighting elimination as Booker T and Matt Morgan fight in the corner. We’re already at #14, Rikishi makes his way out and gets to the ring as Rhyno is sent over to the floor by Benoit. Rikishi knocks Matt Hardy down with a clothesline. Booker T and Randy Orton get one each too. Matt eats the thrust kick before Benoit is clotheslined into oblivion. Rikishi notices Matt Morgan sat in the corner and takes the chance for the Stinkface and he forces Morgan against the ropes as JR gets a decent line. “he’s got a big ass, he’s 400 pounds, how you gonna get him over the top!?” Matt Hardy is sent off the ropes into a back elbow from Booker T as Rene Dupree completes the first half of the entrants at #15.
Rene Dupree hits Matt Hardy with right hands and fights off the Twist of Fate, he blocks a suplex and hangs Matt over the top rope by his rib cage before a dropkick sends him to the floor. Dupree celebrates too early and is sent over to the floor by Rikishi. Booker T attacks Rikishi from behind, but gets knocked back. More fighting near the ropes as A-Train enters #16 and runs to the ring. He hammers at Rikishi and for some reason Booker T breaks it up. Let the big guys fight and get one knocked out of the match! Across the ring, Benoit avoids a Big Boot from Morgan, who hangs himself up over the top rope, Chris Benoit helps Morgan over the ropes and eliminates him. Booker T and Rikishi try to force A-Train over the top, Chris Benoit goes to help but is cut off by Randy Orton, who sends Rikishi out of the match. Randy Orton and Booker T brawl as A-Train backs Benoit into the corner. Chris Benoit tries to cover up from A-Train’s wailing arms as Orton shoves Booker T over to the floor. A-Train with knees to Benoit’s midsection and Benoit is sent off the ropes into a shoulder tackle as Shelton Benjamin enters the match #17. A-Train is eliminated by Chris Benoit as Shelton Benjamin hammers on Orton with right hands in the corner.
Randy Orton reverses an irish whip and connects with European uppercuts. Benjamin fights out of the corner and knocks Orton down with a short-arm clothesline, but Orton ducks the superkick and sends Shelton to the floor. Chris Benoit doesn’t let Orton rest, attacking him in the corner. Benoit chops at Orton’s chest and hits a back suplex, but Orton whips Benoit into the corner, no Benoit is able to catch hold of the ropes, he tries to back elbow Orton but their heads meet as we countdown to the next entrant. Ernest Miller makes his way out, introduced by his personal ring announcer and manager, Lamont. They dance in the ring to Miller’s theme tune. Chris Benoit sends Lamont’s wig flying, and Lamont follows. Randy Orton eliminates Ernest Miller so we can get back to the match.
Chris Benoit kicks
at Orton but is knocked down by right hands, Orton stomps Benoit and sends him
into the corner. Another right hand knocks Benoit back down, Orton struggles to
get Benoit back to his feet as Kurt Angle enters the match at #19. He
attacks Orton with right hands and a clothesline but is knocked down by Benoit.
Kurt Angle is sent off the ropes into a stiff back elbow by Benoit, Angle is
chopped and kicked in the corner, he sends Chris Benoit across the ring into
the turnbuckles but runs into another back elbow. Chris Benoit staggers out of
the corner into a clothesline. Randy Orton says he's staying out of it as Angle
suplexes Benoit. Kurt Angle tries for force Benoit over the ropes, Randy Orton
attacks Angle from behind and Rico is #21 accompanied by Miss Jackie.
Randy Orton clubs at Rico as he gets in the ring and knocks him down with a
dropkick as JR talks about how tough Rico is. Tougher than he looks, put it
that way. Rico gets some shots in on Orton as they exchange right hands. Rico
hits a facebuster and running kick in the corner to Orton but can’t lift him
over the top rope. Chris Benoit hits three german suplexes on Angle as Orton
hits the RKO on Rico and dumps him from the ring in a fireman’s carry.
Chris Benoit climbs to the top rope, but Kurt Angle crotches him and climbs the turnbuckles, he tries to force Benoit out of the match, but Chris Benoit holds on as Test’s music plays. Test should be bringing us into the final third of the match, but we cut back to the ring as Orton hits an RKO on Kurt Angle. Backstage Test has been attacked as Sheriff Steve Austin shouts to someone off screen that they’re entrant #21. Orton chokes Chris Benoit in the corner as Mick Foley makes his way to the ring! Foley and Orton throw lefts and rights, Orton is sent into the corner and Mick Foley connects with right hands, beating Orton down in the corner. The Cactus Clothesline takes both Mick Foley and Randy Orton out of the match! Foley sends Orton’s head into the ring steps, Orton is choked with a wire from one of the cameras as Christian makes his way out at #22.
The Fink ends up closer to the match than he wanted to be as Randy Orton is sent into his lap. Fit Finlay has come down to the ring and he’s knocked down with the ring steps by Foley. Randy Orton swings a chair, connecting with Mick Foley’s back and head. Orton hammers on Foley near the front row and brings him to the ramp. Orton connects with a European uppercut and sends Foley’s head down into the steel. Foley fights back to his feet with right hands before Orton can use the chair again and brings out Mr. Socko as the countdown to entrant #23 is shown. Nunzio walks out at the wrong time, right into a Mandible Claw until Randy Orton saves him by kicking the Hardcore Legend in the ballsack and making his escape.
Kurt Angle is fighting off elimination as we get back to the ring, Nunzio is sat on the floor refusing to get into the ring as Christian sends Benoit into the turnbuckle. Nick Patrick is talking to Nunzio, Angle hits a german suplex on Christian, then one for Chris Benoit. Christian escapes elimination as Big Show enters the match #24, not a bad number for someone his size. Big Show hits Angle with a right hand before even getting in the ring, then knocks him down with a headbutt. He kicks Benoit in the midsection and an overhand chop collapses Christian’s lung. Chris Benoit sells the overhand chop like a shotgun, and it probably doesn’t take much imagination. JR talks about Big John Studd and Yokozuna winning at #27 and their size as Angle is knocked down with a clothesline. Chistian goes after Big Show but is shrugged off and forced into the corner. Big Show throws Christian across the ring as the countdown begins. Chris Benoit’s head is sent into the top turnbuckle as Chris Jericho enters at #25 and attacks Angle working with Christian, but Big Show knocks them both down with one headbutt.
Chris Jericho runs into Big Show with a jumping forearm but gets knocked down with a headbutt, Christian jumps on Big Show’s back and they go towards the ropes, Jericho Angle and Benoit all try to send Big Show over the top rope as Christian climbs down to the mat, but Big Show peels them off one by one. Chris Jericho chops Kurt Angle but can’t get him over the top rope as Charlie Haas enters the match #26. He backs Christian into the corner and tries to fight off Jericho as well, but the Canadians suplex Haas over. Angle gets to his feet and it’s wandering brawling. Chris Benoit is sent over the top rope, but survives elimination. Christian tries to turn on Jericho sending him over the top rope, but Jericho gets back to the apron. He shoulder thrusts Christian through the ropes and a back drop eliminates Christian. JR says that’s the second year in a row Jericho eliminated Christian, he almost pays for it as Big Show sends him over to the apron, but Jericho scrambles back in the ring as #27 is Billy Gunn, returning to less than zero reaction.
Billy Gunn hits the Fameasser on Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho, he has to soften Big Show up with right hands before hitting the Fameasser again, but his momentum is stopped by Charlie Haas. Chris Jericho hits a back suplex on Kurt Angle and an elbow drop on Big Show, who they really need off of the ground, John Cena enters at #28 and the match stops for his entrance as Big Show waits for him. Cena clocks Nunzio and sends him into the ring but gets double-teamed by Nunzio and Big Show as he slides in the ring. Big Show forces Cena into the corner, Nunzio tries to take advantage and send Big Show over to the floor but Big Show knocks him back with one shot to the spine. John Cena has time to connect with right hands on Big Show, catching him off-guard. Cena and Jericho try to eliminate Big Show as Chris Benoit is fighting off Nunzio on the other side of the ring.
Rob Van Dam is entrant
#29, he makes a beeline for Big Show, knocking him back into the ropes as Tazz
mentions his ECW career. Chris Jericho saves Big Show but is sent off the ropes
into a spinning kick. Nunzio brawls with RVD and tries to send him over to the
floor as we’re killing time. Chris Benoit is over for the assist, but RVD uses
his feet to send Benoit and Nunzio into each other. Cena hits the F-U to Kurt
Angle, waking the crowd for the countdown to #30. Goldberg makes his way
to the ring and Spears Big Show first, Billy Gunn eats a Spear, then Goldberg
fires off right hands to anyone that’s close enough. Goldberg plants Haas with
a scoop powerslam and Nunzio jumps on Goldberg’s back, they knock Charlie Haas
out of the ring for the worst elimination I remember seeing. Goldberg throws Nunzio
over his shoulder and takes some shots from RVD whilst the Italian gets to his
feet. Goldberg runs through Nunzio with a Spear and lifts him into a Military
Press, throwing Nunzio out to the floor. Goldberg sets up the Jackhammer on Big
Show, but Brock Lesnar runs down to the ring! He hits an F-5 on Goldberg
and gets the fuck out of there.
Goldberg comes to and has tunnel vision for Lesnar, calling him a son of a bitch and allowing Angle to eliminate Goldberg, sneaking up behind him and setting up the worst WrestleMania match in history at the time. Everyone left focuses their attention to Big Show but he overpowers them and begins knocking them all down. Big Show lifts Cena but Jericho chop blocks him. RVD hits a leg drop and Chris Jericho barely connects with a Lionsault most of the way across the ring. Rob Van Dam hits the Five Star Frog Splash, followed by a 5 Knuckle Shuffle from Cena and a diving headbutt from Chris Benoit, who’s been in the match for 52 minutes at this point. They try and get Big Show over to the ropes, Big Show is able to shove them all away. John Cena charges and is sent over to the floor, tweaking his knee on the rough landing. RVD is sent into the corner, he gets his boot up but Show catches it, RVD avoids the attack, shoulder thrusts by RVD in the corner but the monkey flip doesn’t go to plan as he’s thrown to the floor and eliminated.
We have our Final Four; Big Show, Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle and Chris Jericho. Big Show tries to make it three, but Jericho is able to skin the cat and saves himself from elimination. He struggles with Big Show, not able to knock him off balance. Jericho charges and is sent over to the apron again, but he slides back under the bottom rope after raking Big Show’s eyes. Jericho connects with a dropkick to the knee and hits a bulldog from the middle rope to Big Show. Chris Jericho puts Big Show in the Walls of Jericho, he taps out but it makes no difference. Kurt Angle blindsides Jericho and they fight near the ropes. Big Show knocks them both, sending Angle over to the apron. Big Show Chokeslams Jericho over to the floor and turns his attention back to Kurt Angle. Angle connects with right hands but is stopped with a sidewalk slam, Big Show Chokeslams Chris Benoit and fights off a german suplex from Angle. Kurt Angle connects with elbows to Big Show’s midsection and hits an Angle Slam to Big Show.
Chris Benoit backs Angle into the ropes, Angle counters the irish whip and Angle Slams Benoit too. The straps go down and he brings Big Show to his feet. Kurt Angle is caught in the goozle but rolls through into the Angle Lock. Big Show whines and taps, but it makes no difference, he gets to the ropes but that doesn’t break the hold either. Big Show rolls through, sending himself over to the apron and eliminating Angle. Big Show gets back to his feet on the apron and a diving headbutt from Benoit brings him back over into the ring! Chris Benoit runs into a Chokeslam but counters into the Crossface! He can’t win the match but he can do some damage to Big Show, Big Show makes it to his feet and slams Benoit to the mat so they can take a rest. Big Show taunts Chris Benoit as they get to their feet, he lifts Chris Benoit overhead but Benoit fights into a guillotine choke on Big Show.
Big Show puts Benoit over to the apron and the world’s slowest DDT
wins the match for Chris Benoit.
WINNER:
[Star Rating] /10.
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