Triple H returned to confront Roman Reigns and claim his WWE World Heavyweight title after The Game entered the Royal Rumble as the last man of a hectic main event.
Reigns entered the Rumble first after the pre-match draw was rigged by Vince McMahon, a consequence of Reigns’ recent attack on the chairman of the WWE. However, Triple H was nowhere to be seen in the weeks leading up to the first pay-per-view of 2016, and there were few signs in the build-up that he would even enter the Royal Rumble itself, let alone be the final man to walk down to the ring.
But it would prove a long night for Reigns before Triple H’s music would hit. The Big Dog was attacked early in the main event by the League of Nations, as Vince mcMahon led Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and Rusev to assault Reigns, with the Bulgarian Brute delivering a Rusev Splash to Reigns through the Spanish announcers’ table.
However, the arrival of Brock Lesnar changed the equation, and Lesnar eliminated both Harper and Rowan before sending Strowman crashing out of the ring.
With Bray Wyatt making his entry immediately after, the Eater of the World was on his own, but he soon addressed that issue as the rest of his Family mounted the apron and attacked Lesnar as one. Lesnar fought back, but the barrage proved too much and he was sent over the top rope to his elimination.
As Sheamus made his way to the ring as the penultimate entrant, Reigns returned and levelled the Irishman with a Superman Punch. Reigns quickly eliminated Del Rio and The Miz, but he was left stunned when Triple H arrived. The two went at it before the likes of Sheamus, Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose joined the affray, but when the Celtic Warrior was left hung up on the top rope, Reigns seized the chance to eliminate his rival.
The decision proved to be costly though, as Triple H threw Reigns over the top rope and ended his brief reign at champion. With just two left, Ambrose looked to try and add the WWE World Heavyweight title to the Intercontinental Championship he retained earlier in the night, but despite being on the up he was flipped over The Game’s head and eliminated, leaving Triple H to celebrate with a jubilant Vince and Stephanie McMahon.
Credit: Independent
