Live updates from 2023 Royal Rumble

The WWE will return to pay-per-view tonight with one of its annual, grand marquee events as the 2023 Royal Rumble will come live from the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. The show will begin at 8 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on Peacock.

The Royal Rumble is one of the company’s biggest premium live events of the year as it officially kicks off the road to Wrestlemania in April. The show is highlighted by two 30-person over-the-top-rope battle royals, one for the men and one for the women. The winners of these “Royal Rumble” matches will officially receive a title shot against the champion of their choice at Wrestlemania. You can win up to $25,000 on the free DraftKings Sportsbook Royal Rumble betting pool by correctly answering 20 questions about the men’s rumble match.

Along with the two battle royals, there will be a handful of marquee matches throughout the show. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defend his titles against Kevin Owens. Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair will also defend against Alexa Bliss. We’ll also get the first-ever Mountain Dew Pitch Black match as Bray Wyatt takes on L.A. Knight.

We’ll keep track of tonight’s show and offer our thoughts below.

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12:37 a.m.: I knew it was coming. However, I didn’t think I was still prepared for it. excellent storytelling and looking forward to how the Road to Wrestlemania plays out now. Do Sami and K.O. go after the Usos? Will Sami be in the Elimination Chamber?

12:16 a.m: damn it. damn it.

12:13 a.m.: HE DID IT! SAMI HIT ROMAN WITH THE CHAIR. But now he’s going to die. RIP.

12:08 a.m.: The Bloodline has systematically mauled Kevin Owens, and now they’re handcuffing him to the ropes. Uh oh.

12:06 a.m: uh oh.

Undisputed WWE Universal Championship - Roman Reigns (c) vs. Kevin Owens

Winner: Roman Reigns

12:05 a.m.: A spear through the barricade, a throw into the steel steps, and one final spear in the ring is what puts down KO. The Tribal Chief stands tall once again.

12:01 a.m.: Sami was ordered to get Reigns and he showed some slight fear and hesitation before giving it to him. Hmmmm.

11:59 p.m.: Owens reaching deep as he’s already kicked out of a Superman punch and a spear.

11:49 p.m.: Match is underway and this has a huge big fight feel.

11:34 p.m.: It is finally main event time and we’ll see if it’s final reckoning time for Sami Zayn.

Women’s Royal Rumble match

Winner: Rhea Ripley

11:18 p.m.: YOOOOO. That may have been the best final sequence in the history of the Royal Rumble. I’m serious. Asuka, Rhea Ripley, and Liv Morgan couldn’t have executed that better.

11:17 p.m.: as I was saying. Rhea from number one to winner.

11:15 p.m.: Final three are Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, and Asuka. Ripley and Morgan have gone coast-to-coast from the first two spots.

11:10 p.m.: The Nia return served its purpose. We can get on with Rhea winning it.

11:08 p.m.: Nia Jax is back at No. 30, and they totally botched her return. Her music just started playing before the countdown clock even came on the screen, and she just came out. Awkward.

11:06 p.m: Nikki Cross came out like she was at a college combine.

11:02 p.m.: Sonya must have those knees stored up in her signature move meter.

10:59 p.m.: Michelle McCool is about to have a smooth eight eliminations.

10:55 p.m.: I guess Mia Yim is fully Michin now. A lot of name alterations tonight!

10:49 p.m: by the way, Asuka definitely has a new theme.

10:45 p.m.: It’s Doudrop...wait, no. Piper Niven! She got her name back!

10:43 p.m: That’s not Asuka. That’s KANA. (here’s a match between her and Nikki Cross for reference). Massive pop from the San Antonio crowd seeing her show up.

10:40 p.m.: THE MAN IS HERE.

10:36 p.m: the NO NXT DECREE is over. Roxanne Perez and now Zoey Stark.

10:32 p.m: the women’s rumble is already continuing a theme from the men’s rumble of a faction dominating. I expect Becky to be the one who throws out a lot of Damage Control.

10:29 p.m.: Iyo Sky in, and we’ll see how the dynamic of this match shifts with all three members of Damage CTRL in the ring.

10:27 p.m.: The NXT Women’s Champion is in the house with Roxanne Perez pulling up.

10:25 p.m.: Grand opening, grand closing for B-Fab.

10:22 p.m.: Rhea Ripley’s nose is already bloodied. Gonna have to tough it out if she’s gonna go the distance from No. 1.

10:18 p.m.: It’s funny because I legitimately think the wrestlers forget how long that ramp is as they come out.

Raw Women’s Championship - Bianca Belair (c) vs. Alexa Bliss

Winner: Bianca Belair

10:06 p.m.: Belair retains in an ok match. It doesn’t appear we’ll get any Uncle Howdy shenanigans in this one. As I typed this, we get a creepy montage on screen. I truly wonder what’s next for Bliss in her development as this character.

10:03 p.m.: Somewhat of a slow pace to start the Bliss-Belair match. Let’s see if it picks up right here.

Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match - Bray Wyatt vs. L.A. Knight

Winner: Bray Wyatt

9:48 p.m: That looked like the “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” video by Busta Rhymes.

9:45 p.m.: This is officially the cosmic bowling of WWE matches.

9:31 p.m.: does anybody know what this pitch black match is?

Men’s Royal Rumble match

Winner: Cody Rhodes

9:23 p.m.: Cody wins! A real star-making performance for both him and Gunther at the end there. Unbelievable

9:16 p.m: Wow. Cody and Gunther.

9:05 p.m.: Hey, it’s Logan Paul.

9:04 p.m.: Gunther eliminates both Sheamus and Drew McIntyre, and he can be officially considered the Ironman of this rumble. Star-making performance.

8:59 p.m.: A lot of monster-type wrestlers in this year’s Rumble. The roof is going to explode when Cody gets out there. Cody and Seth are definitely going to be the final two.

8:55 p.m: wait, an eliminated person can take you out? and herreeeeeee’ss Beth Phoenix!

8:51 p.m.: with so many people from Judgement Day in the rumble right now, how many people expect Edge to make make an appearance? Also, damn. Montez couldn’t get a longer go?

8:47 p.m.: I did not expect Booker T to be in the rumble, but he can still go.

8:42 p.m: First off, Michael Cole is funny. Secondly, we might get the WCW Filthy Animals version of Rey sans mask.

8:39 p.m.: One of my only hopes is that we get a Rey and Dom interaction during this rumble. Wait..nevermind.

8:36 p.m.: Lesnar is still causing havoc at ringside, and who’s gonna stop him?

8:33 p.m.: All the big men and Johnny Gargano. Well, Brock-less at the moment. The Lashley/Lesnar feud will continue until Wrestlemania.

8:30 p.m.: Kofi definitely hit the floor there. Can’t even fake that. But we are about to get Brock vs. Gunther.

8:29 p.m.: Shout out to my man Angelo Dawkins for emphatically beating the Marty Jannetty allegations.

8:25 p.m.: Drew McIntyre enters at No. 9. He didn’t seem that thrilled with his spot earlier, but it could’ve been way worse!

8:24 p.m.: Chain wrestling is alive and well – in the rumble of all places.

8:21 p.m.: We are really going to get most of the Kross entrance, huh?

8:20 p.m.: this might be one the first times I have seen the New Day fight each both...ok, never mind. It’s a swerve.

8:17 p.m.: I’m begging you, please give Johnny Gargano back the original Rebel Heart theme.

8:15 p.m.: In that spot, the Miz is the perfect, slimy foil against the two big men. Now we got shades of Kofi-Mania back at number four.

8:14 p.m.: Miz is the third entrant and that’s a tough break for him going against the two big lads.

8:12 p.m.: A perfect start with Sheamus coming in at number two. They are going to beat the hell out of each other.

8:08 p.m.: what a big look for Wal...I mean Gunther at number one.

8:06 p.m.: You didn’t expect to have the Royal Rumble to be without Pat McAfee, did you? He was either going to be in the Rumble or on commentary and it’s great to see him back. Get that man a chair.

8:01 p.m.: It was just announced that the men’s Royal Rumble match will be first. Let’s go.

7:43 p.m.: Just saw a graphic for the men’s rumble match and counted 27 people. That means we’ll get three surprises for that match. Let’s see who they are.

7:39 p.m.: No. Cody will not get booed tonight.

7:24 p.m.: as per Tribal Chief's orders, everybody is to stay in the back. However, Sami Zayn is the only one going to be at ringside with him during his title match. I initially thought Sami was going to be the special guest referee, but this is a nice deviation from that typical storyline.

KO is in the building ahead of his title match. He’s clearly playing some mind games with his t-shirt heading into the Alamodome.